NFL Power Rankings Week 13: Latest Report for League's Hottest Teams

The top four teams in the NFL swapped places this week in my power rankings, but they're still there. Now that the regular season is heading to its end, the best teams are quickly separating themselves from the pretenders, the mediocre and the just plain bad. And it's likely those good teams are only going to get better in the waning weeks of the year.

At the top, as they've been for every week but one this season, are the Green Bay Packers. They're fresh off of their 11th straight win of the season, defeating the Detroit Lions in a very convincing, 27-15 manner.

It's not easy for a team to win all 16 of their regular season games, and one glance at the Packers' remaining schedule shows quite the difficult path to that most rare of honors. However, if their style of play against the formidable Lions is any indication, they shouldn't struggle as much as one might think.

Up next for the Packers is the New York Giants, a once-strong team that has dropped their last three games in a row. There's a clear way to beat the Packers, and at one point, it seemed that the Giants had perfected that formula, based upon their Week 9 defeat of the New England Patriots.

If the Giants repeat that performance this Sunday, they certainly have more than a fighting chance of handing the Packers their first loss of the season. However, in seeing the team play these last three weeks, it doesn't seem likely that New York is capable of matching that earlier effort.

Though no one can truly predict what the future holds for Green Bay in the remainder of the season and beyond, it doesn't look like they're going to lose in Week 13.

Same goes for the league's No. 2 team, the Baltimore Ravens, who usurped the spot once held by the San Francisco 49ers by virtue of their 16-6 win over the team in Week 12.

This week, the Ravens take on the Cleveland Browns in their first of two contests against their AFC North division-mates. The AFC North is the only thing these two teams have in common. From the arm strength of their respective starting quarterbacks, to the effectiveness of their run game to their very glaring differences on defense, the Ravens are, in every aspect of the game, the far superior team.

With a clear—but tenuous—grip on the division title and a number of impressive wins over strong teams under their belt, the Ravens are quickly becoming the favored team from the AFC to reach the Super Bowl this season.

At No. 3 and dropping a single spot are the aforementioned 49ers, a team with not much to be ashamed about after losing just their second game of the season to the brutal Ravens last week.

One single thing made the difference in that Ravens-Niners contest: defense. Both teams have particularly tough defensive squads, but it was the Ravens' ability to put near-constant pressure on San Francisco quarterback Alex Smith, sacking him nine times.

Or perhaps it was the offensive line that made all the difference. The Niners, no slouches when it comes to quarterback pressure, managed zero sacks on Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

Clearly, San Francisco is going to need to find ways to keep Smith protected—while bringing pressure of their own—as they head into the postseason. Otherwise, San Francisco fields a complete and balanced team, one that's a far cry from the 6-10 squad of last year.

Rounding out the top four teams this week is the New Orleans Saints, the only team in my estimation with the potential to convincingly defeat the Packers.

While that matchup must wait until the postseason, the Saints next have to take on the Detroit Lions—not an easy opponent.

In the Saints' favor is the fact that star Lions defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh likely won't be on the field, as he was handed a two-game suspension stemming from a stomp he delivered to a Packers player in last Thursday's game.

Pressure on quarterback Drew Brees is hard to establish and sustain, but when a team manages to do so, it spells trouble for the league's leading passer. Just look to the team's embarrassing Week 8 loss to the St. Louis Rams in which Brees was pressured all day, sacked six times and intercepted twice.

Without Suh on the field, Brees has one less major obstacle in his way to do his part to earn his team their ninth win of the year.

The Saints are averaging nearly 458 yards of offense per game, with Brees himself throwing for 335 yards on average every time he takes the field.

While the team's defense has been shaky this year, they put together quite the effort in Week 12, though it must be said that the New York Giants' faltering offense made things a bit easier for them.

Though the Lions can perform mightily when drawn into shootouts, I don't see Matthew Stafford and company having the talent or the skill to best the Saints at what they do best. In my estimation, the only thing standing between the Saints and the Super Bowl is the Packers and little else.

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