NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Examining the League's Best in Show

There were few major shakeups in the power rankings this week as far as the league's best teams are concerned, and that's to be expected.

For a team to maintain a spot in the top five of the rankings, it requires more than just a win—it requires consistently dominant play in all phases of the game and the ability to have sustained success no matter the opponent.

In the following slides, I will detail the five top teams in the NFL through 11 weeks of the season and wrap everything up with my Week 12 all-32 power rankings.

No. 1: Green Bay Packers

Only once this season did I drop the Green Bay Packers out of the top spot in my power rankings, and that was a long ago time known as "heading into Week 3."

Since that time, the Packers have held fast to the No. 1 spot in the rankings by not losing any games and looking nearly invincible on offense.

While they face some significant tests ahead, with the Detroit Lions up first on Thursday, it's hard to imagine a scenario in which Green Bay will falter and drop out of the top of the rankings.

With 4,065 yards of total offense, 39 touchdowns and 19 interceptions to their opponents' five, the Packers have proven without a doubt that they're the best in the NFL in 2011.

No. 2: San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers have a surprising 9-1 record on the season, thanks to a combination of great coaching from Jim Harbaugh, a solid running game, an efficient (if slightly unexciting) passing game and one of the best defenses in the NFL.

Clearly, that's enough to have kept the Niners at the No. 2 position in the power rankings week after week, as the team that finished 6-10 in 2010 is just one win away from clinching both the NFC West title and a playoff berth.

Much like the Packers, San Francisco doesn't have an easy road ahead of them, with games against the Baltimore Ravens and Pittsburgh Steelers looming.

However, their remaining schedule is made up of fellow West division teams, making it nearly impossible for the 49ers to lose their footing no matter what happens in their two AFC North contests.

No. 3: Houston Texans

When compiling my weekly power rankings, I take special care to not move teams that are on the bye—and if I do so, it's only one spot up or down because of other shifts in the teams around them.

Thus, with the Houston Texans on their bye in Week 11, the team remains in the No. 3 spot in my rankings.

Since they last took the field, they've lost starting quarterback Matt Schaub for the remainder of the season, as he's suffering from a severe foot injury.

Backup Matt Leinart will take over, starting this week against the Jacksonville Jaguars.

While wide receiver Andre Johnson will be making his return from an injury of his own, it's unclear how well the wideout will perform with Leinart throwing him passes.

This question about Leinart's effectiveness could be moot, however, depending on how well running backs Arian Foster and Ben Tate handle a likely increase in workload with the change at quarterback.

With the Texans strong on defense and a non-threatening Jaguars squad coming to town this week, the team should be able to hold onto a top-five ranking for at least one more week.

No 4: New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints were also on their bye in Week 11, and as such, haven't moved in my power rankings for Week 12.

Unlike the Houston Texans, however, the Saints won't be emerging from the week off with any significant changes to their league-leading offense.

That's good news, considering the New York Giants and their venerable defense are coming to town on Monday night.

The Saints have found success behind quarterback Drew Brees, who is having quite the season.

Second only to the Packers' Aaron Rodgers, Brees has completed 70.9 percent of his passes this year for 3,326 yards, 23 touchdowns and 11 interceptions.

With the team averaging 319.4 passing yards per game, they're the league's top aerial offense. Given the number of talented targets available to Brees, it's not surprising that he—and by extension, his team—is having this year.

No. 5: Baltimore Ravens

With a win over the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 11 which clinched them the top spot in the AFC North yet again, the Baltimore Ravens vault the Pittsburgh Steelers to once again make an appearance in the top five of my power rankings.

The Ravens have put together quite a season for themselves, defeating the rival Steelers both times the teams met this season and grabbing another divisional win against the also-successful Bengals.

Though quarterback Joe Flacco has been inconsistent, both costing his team games and driving them to exciting wins, their running game and especially their defense has carried Baltimore to their 7-3 record.

Undefeated at home, the team hosts the 9-1 San Francisco 49ers on Thursday, as the Thanksgiving game serves as both a stage for two of the NFL's best to have it out as well as for brothers Jim and John Harbaugh (head coaches of the Niners and Ravens, respectively) to play out their sibling rivalry on the gridiron.

A loss to the Niners doesn't necessarily mean that the Ravens would drop out of the top five yet again—the outcome of a number of games also will dictate Baltimore's rankings future.

But a win would certainly secure them as unquestionably one of the strongest teams in the league.

All 32-Team NFL Power Rankings for Week 12

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