NFL Power Rankings: Identifying the Top Dogs in Each Division

There are just three games left in the 2011 NFL season, and that means it's getting much easier to differentiate which teams are the best in their respective divisions. Here, I examine these teams and just how they got there.

NFC East: New York Giants

The NFC East is easily the division most difficult to discuss. With both the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys at 7-6 and with two wins (and two losses) apiece in the division, it's likely going to take until Week 17, when these teams meet again, to determine their ultimate fates.

Both the Giants and the Cowboys are prone to mistakes on offense and have been inconsistent on defense all season long. However, the Giants appear to be the more cohesive of the two squads, and for that, I say they edge out Dallas as the NFC East's best team.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers are 13-0 and have clinched the NFC North, so they're clearly the top team in the division. What was once a three-horse race, with the Detroit Lions and Chicago Bears also in the running for a playoff spot, has been reduced to a two-horse race now that the Bears have suffered such significant injuries on offense that has rendered the team ineffective.

While the Lions could still see the postseason, they're just no match for the undefeated Packers. It could be a second Super Bowl victory in a row for Green Bay.

NFC South: New Orleans Saints

While the New Orleans Saints have yet to clinch their division, they've already secured a playoff berth. Their 10-3 record has much to do with quarterback Drew Brees and his league-leading passing offense, but a porous defense may derail them come the postseason.

Regardless of that weakness, the Saints have proven worthy of the top spot in a competitive NFC South division. Though the Atlanta Falcons aren't far behind the team, the Falcons may find themselves in the postseason but they're not going to end the year as division champions.

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers

At 10-3, the San Francisco 49ers clinched their division last week but still have some work to do if they want a first-round bye in the playoffs. Two recent losses, including a Week 14 defeat at the hands of the Arizona Cardinals, have dropped their stock some, but it's definitely not significant enough to say that they aren't the best in the NFC West.

The Niners simply need to stay the course and continue doing what got them to such a good record and made them the most surprising team of the season. An efficient, if conservative, approach to offense has worked well this year, and their defense still hasn't allowed a rushing touchdown all season.

In a poor division, San Francisco has proven itself not the best among them but one of the best teams in their conference.

AFC East: New England Patriots

In December, two teams in the AFC East have been separating themselves year after year—the New England Patriots and New York Jets. However, at 10-3 and on a five-game winning streak, the Patriots have done more than enough to prove they are the best team in the division.

The AFC East has been a tumultuous place this season, with the Buffalo Bills enjoying early-season success just to see it collapse later in the year, the Miami Dolphins opening their season with seven straight losses before appearing to turn things around (slightly) and the Jets themselves being as up-and-down as ever.

But through it all, the Patriots have more or less looked like the dominant team we're used to. Well, except for one thing—the defense. New England needs to find a way to strengthen their secondary before the playoffs start or they'll be in trouble. But, for now, they're at least tops in the AFC East.

AFC North: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Baltimore Ravens may have the edge over the Pittsburgh Steelers in the AFC North simply by beating Pittsburgh twice this season, but if win-loss record is but one way to determine the division's best team, the Steelers win out.

Pittsburgh is simply a more well-balanced team than Baltimore. Yes, the Ravens sit above the Steelers on my power rankings this week (it was hard to make the switch considering that the Ravens beat the winless Colts this week and the Steelers dispatched the lowly Browns), and yes, they probably won't lose control of the division headed into the postseason.

But the Steelers have a more consistently effective offense to complement their bruising defense, something the Ravens cannot boast with any regularity. Balance is key, and the Steelers have it. While they may not have the best record or best defense in the AFC North, they're the better team.

AFC South: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans are the best team in the AFC, and it's no fluke. They've clinched a playoff berth and their division with a win in Week 14 over the Cincinnati Bengals, and they way they've done so is both surprising and impressive.

The Texans offense is led by rookie quarterback T.J. Yates, formerly their third-string passer who was promoted to starter after injuries ended the seasons of Matts (Schaub and Leinart).

Yates has been more than solid in his two starts, thanks to the team's prodigious running game and conservative passing offense that's augmented by one of the league's best defenses.

The Texans might not just be the best team in the AFC; they might be the best team in the NFL. Yes, I did say that.

AFC West: Denver Broncos

When thinking of which team is the "best" in the AFC West, it's enough to give you a headache. The Raiders had control of the division for a a few weeks, looking strong despite the occasional struggles of quarterback Carson Palmer.

There's also the issue of the San Diego Chargers, who were pegged as Super Bowl favorites going into the season but, at 6-7 through 14 weeks, would need to win out and have a series of collapses elsewhere in the division to somehow take it over.

But the main source of the confusion comes from the Denver Broncos and their six-game win streak. Since Tim Tebow took over as Denver's quarterback, the team is 7-1 and has taken control of the division by way of dramatic fourth-quarter comebacks that improbably occur week after week.

It's hard to say that the way the Broncos play football—regardless of outcome—is enough to make them the best in the AFC West. But, in comparison to their division-mates, they win the distinction by default.

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

* Subject to change pending outcome of Monday night's Seahawks-Rams contest