NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Are the Green Bay Packers Still the Best Team?

It's somewhat unfair to judge a team solely on their performance in just one game—but the NFL is a "what have you done for me lately" kind of league. 

With that being said, can we still consider the Green Bay Packers the best team in the NFL? 

To be honest with you: No. I do not believe that they are the best team in the NFL. In fact, even when they were undefeated, I did not consider them the best team—I have always thought that the New Orleans Saints were the most complete team in the league.

Watching Green Bay's pitiful performance against the lousy Kansas City Chiefs, it definitely made it clear that this so-called "unstoppable" team can actually be beaten. 

In the loss, Kansas City revealed two of Green Bay's biggest weaknesses: If Aaron Rodgers does not play well, they will lose, and their secondary is atrocious. 

Entering Week 15, practically everyone had already declared Rodgers the NFL's MVP—but not so fast. Rodgers' performance against Romeo Crennel's defense was putrid. The reigning Super Bowl MVP completed only 48.6 percent of his passes while throwing only one touchdown. That is not the Rodgers that we are used to seeing week in and week out. In fact, Drew Brees of the New Orleans Saints has yet to have a single game where he completed fewer than 63.3 percent—just a stat for you to chew on. 

When I said that the Chiefs exposed Green Bay's secondary, you have to be scratching your head wondering how Kyle Orton failed to throw a single touchdown pass. Well, that's because Green Bay's defense toughened up and came up with multiple red-zone stops. However, Orton did throw for 299 yards and consistently attacked vertically down the field, right into Green Bay's weakness. 

Now take those weaknesses and digest them a bit and ask yourself: Does New Orleans have those problems? I think not. 

However, do not get me wrong, I believe that the Packers are Super Bowl contenders, but they're simply not the best team in the NFL. I believe that title belongs to the New Orleans Saints.

Tony Santorsa's Weekly Power Rankings

1. New Orleans Saints

2. Green Bay Packers

3. Pittsburgh Steelers*

4. New England Patriots

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. San Francisco 49ers*

7. Atlanta Falcons

8. Detroit Lions

9. Denver Broncos

10. Houston Texans

11. Dallas Cowboys

12. New York Jets

13. Cincinnati Bengals

14. New York Giants

15. San Diego Chargers

16. Kansas City Chiefs

17. Seattle Seahawks

18. Philadelphia Eagles

19. Arizona Cardinals

20. Miami Dolphins

21. Oakland Raiders

22. Chicago Bears

23. Carolina Panthers

24. Washington Redskins

25. Tennessee Titans

26. Cleveland Browns

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

28. Buffalo Bills

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

30. Minnesota Vikings

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Indianapolis Colts

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