NFL Power Rankings: Season Grades for Every Division Leader

It's report-card time for the NFL's division leaders. Let's run down the grades for each top team through 16 weeks of the NFL season.

Dallas Cowboys (B)

Props are deserved on a bounce-back season, but they've lost too many games they should have won this season. The division race should already be an afterthought.

Green Bay Packers (A)

A loss to the Chiefs is the only blemish on a strong body of work, but we knew the Packers were going to be good. It's repeat or bust in Titletown.

New Orleans Saints (A-)

If the Saints end up as the NFC's third seed, they'll kick themselves for an inexcusable loss to the St. Louis Rams. Overall, however, the Saints have shown themselves to be one of the NFL's elite teams.

San Francisco 49ers (A+)

No team has surprised this season quite like the 49ers, who, under new coach Jim Harbaugh, are in the driver's seat for a first-round bye. A dominant defense could propel them deep into the NFC playoffs and beyond.

New England Patriots (A-)

You have to give the Patriots offense a lot of credit for compensating for a spotty defense. They've won 11 of 14 games mostly because Tom Brady and company have been so efficient this season.

Baltimore Ravens (B+)

Baltimore is 10-4 with two wins over the Pittsburgh Steelers, which qualifies as a terrific 14-game start, but it's hard to overlook some of their no-shows this season to inferior competition. They'll have to scratch and claw even to win the division now.

Houston Texans (A)

The Texans have lost five games, including a no-no loss to the Indianapolis Colts last night.

But they've also overcome the loss of their two best players—Andre Johnson and Mario Williams—for most of the season, plus a season-ending injury to Matt Schaub, to clinch their first playoff berth in franchise history.

Denver Broncos (B+)

A lot of credit is due throughout the entire organization for bouncing back from a 1-4 start. The change at quarterback helped, but so did the emergence of a potentially really good defense.

Can they hold on to win the AFC West? 

Week 16 Power Rankings

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

*Does not include played Week 16 games