NFL Power Rankings: Pegging Biggest Movers from Week 16

When compiling the final NFL power rankings of the 2011 regular season, there was a good amount of shuffling based on the Week 16 results. 

Which teams were the biggest movers heading into Week 17?

Cincinnati Bengals 

I had the Bengals at the No. 12 spot last week after their 20-13 win over the St. Louis Rams. The Cardinals are a much tougher test and we know some of the magic they've summoned in a handful of fourth-quarterback comebacks this season. 

Cincinnati handled their business and held off a late rally led by Arizona quarterback John Skelton and receiver Larry Fitzgerald en route to their ninth victory of the year. 

The season comes down to a home game against the Baltimore Ravens. 

A win and the Bengals, a club that many had pegged to be among the AFC's worst in 2011, are in the postseason. 

New York Giants 

Following a humiliating defeat at home to the Washington Redskins, I was starting to lose faith in the Giants. 

They've got tons of talent on both sides of the football, but they've been wildly inconsistent in 2011. 

Against the Jets, they were clearly the better team, making the big play on offense while flustering Mark Sanchez all afternoon with their assailing pass rush. 

They made quite the jump this week. 

Another team that will have their season come down to the final game. With a victory, the G-Men take the NFC East. 

New York Jets 

I placed the Jets in the No. 13 position after they were destroyed by the Eagles in Philadelphia. I still believed their defense was respectable enough to win lower-scoring games. 

I've never been a huge believer in Mark Sanchez and against the Giants, he was completely ineffective. 

Gang Green will need a holiday miracle to sneak into the postseason, but even if it happens, are they really built to make a deep run? 

No way. 

No explosiveness or reliability on offense, and the defense has actually performed in an underwhelming fashion for the much of the 2011 season. 

NFL Week 17 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. New England Patriots

4. San Francisco 49ers

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

7. Atlanta Falcons

8. Detroit Lions

9. New York Giants

10. Cincinnati Bengals

11. Dallas Cowboys

12. Houston Texans

13. Tennessee Titans 

14. Denver Broncos

15. Seattle Seahawks

16. Philadelphia Eagles

17. New York Jets

18. Oakland Raiders

19. San Diego Chargers

20. Miami Dolphins

21. Arizona Cardinals

22. Kansas City Chiefs

23. Chicago Bears

24. Carolina Panthers

25. Buffalo Bills 

26. Washington Redskins 

27. Cleveland Browns

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

29. Minnesota Vikings

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

31. Indianapolis Colts

32. St. Louis Rams