NFL Power Rankings: Mid-Tier Teams That Will Rise Up the Charts in Week 11

Although the NFL season may be starting to wind down, there is still plenty of time for teams to make dramatic moves up or down in the standings. Because of that, it is extremely important that top teams don't become complacent and middling teams don't give up.

As is the case with every week of the NFL season, there are plenty of Week 11 games that could change the league's balance of power. Here are three mid-tier teams that will rise up the charts and declare themselves as playoff contenders this weekend.

Buffalo Bills

Just a couple weeks ago, the Buffalo Bills were in first place in the AFC East with a record of 5-2. Two losses later, however, they have dropped to second and are on the verge of losing a grip on their once promising season. A road win over the Miami Dolphins on Sunday would go a long way in reversing their fortunes, though.

Miami is favored slightly, despite having just two wins, although they have won two consecutive games. With that said, Miami's defense is an Achilles' heel that can be exploited. Provided that quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick can get the Buffalo offense back on track, they should be able to score the victory that they so desperately need.

Oakland Raiders

Despite leading the AFC West with a 5-4 record, not many are particularly high on the Oakland Raiders. Perhaps the biggest reason why they have ascended to first place is the complete collapse of the San Diego Chargers. Even so, the Raiders don't have much of a buffer, so they need to continue winning games moving forward.

Playing against the Vikings in Minnesota is always a tall task, and that is exactly what Oakland must do. The Vikes were throttled by the Green Bay Packers last week and have just two wins on the season, though, so this is a game the Raiders should win. The key will be the play of quarterback Carson Palmer against Minnesota's weak secondary. If Palmer plays like he did against San Diego last week, then it should be another Oakland victory.

Dallas Cowboys

Things looked bleak for the Dallas Cowboys a couple weeks ago after being beaten down by the Philadelphia Eagles, but they have since bounced back with two wins, including a blowout of the Buffalo Bills last week. At 5-4, they trail the New York Giants by just one game in the NFC East and are quickly rising up the ranks.

When they're on, the Cowboys have all the makings of an elite team, and they showed that last week. Dallas will have another chance to showcase its talent in Week 11 against the reeling Washington Redskins. Washington has suffered a ton of injuries and has fallen on hard times over the past month. Quarterback Tony Romo is on a roll, and I think that will continue against the hapless Redskins on Sunday.

Mike Chiari's Week 11 NFL Power Rankings	Previous Week's Ranking
1. Green Bay Packers	1
2. San Francisco 49ers	2
3. New England Patriots	7
4. Baltimore Ravens	3
5. Pittsburgh Steelers	6
6. New Orleans Saints	8
7. Chicago Bears	13
8. New York Giants	4
9. Houston Texans	9
10. Detroit Lions	5
11. Cincinnati Bengals	10
12. Atlanta Falcons	11
13. New York Jets	12
14. Dallas Cowboys	17
15. Buffalo Bills	14
16. San Diego Chargers	15
17. Tennessee Titans	19
18. Oakland Raiders	21
19. Denver Broncos	24
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers	16
21. Philadelphia Eagles	18
22. Kansas City Chiefs	20
23. Jacksonville Jaguars	26
24. Carolina Panthers	23
25. Arizona Cardinals	28
26. Minnesota Vikings	22
27. Seattle Seahawks	29
28. St. Louis Rams	31
29. Cleveland Browns	25
30. Miami Dolphins	30
31. Washington Redskins	27
32. Indianapolis Colts	32