NFL

NFL Power Rankings, Week 6: Showdown Up Top

Posted Oct 15, 2009 3:00PM By Josh Alper (RSS feed)

Filed Under: NFL Power Rankings

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If the NFL were college football, this weekend's matchup between the Giants and Saints would be a de facto National Championship game hyped to the heavens and back. Unlike the NCAA, though, the NFL decides its championship via football and not ballots which means that it is merely a great Week 6 contest that will help settle the top rung in mythical power rankings and, perhaps, serve as a whistle wetter for a NFC Championship Game.

It's still good stuff, but the most notable thing about the current state of power in the NFL these days is how few teams have any of it. There are an awful lot of no-hopers before the second month of the season has been completed which doesn't do much for the long-standing idea of parity being the end all, be all of the NFL.
  • 1. Giants (5-0) Last Week: 1
    It's high time that the Giants started playing some games against teams that won't pick in the first hour of April's draft and you couldn't ask for a better test than a trip to the Superdome. Will Eli Manning's homecoming be a sweet one or will a real defense renew questions about Big Blue's post-Plaxico era?
  • 2. Saints (4-0) Last Week: 2
    The bye week resulted in a rested Drew Brees and a healthy running back tandem of Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, which sounds like a recipe for success. But their next three games are brutal against the Giants, Dolphins and Falcons. -- Knox Bardeen
  • 3. Colts (5-0) Last Week: 3
    Scary thought for the rest of the AFC: Anthony Gonzalez is expected back after the bye week which means that Peyton Manning will have another weapon at his disposal when the Colts return to the field.
  • 4. Vikings (5-0) Last Week: 4
    Let's be honest: regardless of the Vikings' skill level and easy schedule, no one thought God would allow Brett Favre to be sitting at 5-0 right now in the 2009 season. But here we are, cruising along this purple highway to hell an undefeated season. Actually, it's probably fair to say that the Vikings should be undefeated -- Cleveland, St. Louis and Detroit in the first five weeks of the season is just too easy. We'll get to see them tested soon. -- Will Brinson
  • 5. Broncos (5-0) Last Week: 7
    The logistics of Denver's start took an earth-shattering turn when Josh McDaniels upset Bill Belichick, even if the whole "old assistant knows too much about his boss' players and strat-egery" was obvious. But it's not fair to keep making excuses for why the Broncos are winning: they're just doing it. Bet the Bears with they'd kept Kyle Orton now! -- WB
  • 6. Eagles (3-1) Last Week: 8
    Sometimes it's hard to see the forest for the trees. In the Eagles case, it's been hard to notice the fact that no one has stopped their offense yet because of all the attention paid to the players who have been moving in and out of the lineup. Facts are facts, though, and the Eagles actual ability is starting to shine through.
  • 7. Bears (3-1) Last Week: 10
    A lot of momentum coming out of the bye week for Da Bears, what with Jay Cutler slinging tons of touchdown passes, Matt Forte getting on track and that uber-awkward Sunday night opener now long behind this team. Two tough games are on the schedule next -- if the Bears beat Atlanta and Cincy, there's a good chance that the number of Cutler columns could outnumber the Favre ones. What a glorious world we live in! -- WB
  • 8. Falcons (3-1) Last Week: 12
    The Falcons put up 45 points against a 49'ers defense only allowing 13.25 points per game before their Week 5 shellacking. The Atlanta offense is for real. But remember that holding a San Francisco team to only ten points doesn't mean the Atlanta defensive overhaul is complete – they'll be tested by far greater offensive juggernauts, which is a nice way of reminding the Falcons not to rest on their laurels. The 49ers offense stinks. -- KB
  • 9. Bengals (4-1) Last Week: 14
    With a slim plus-11 point margin, it's hard to know if we should attribute the Bengals record to being lucky or being good. The answer may be that they've been both, and if they can make the most of three straight home games sandwiched around a bye no one will be mentioning the lucky half of the equation. They just need the home fans to pick up on the good vibes so they can avoid dreaded blackouts.
  • 10. Steelers (3-2) Last Week: 11
    What's the deal with the Steelers defense? Troy Polamalu is a beast, but his absence alone can't explain why the Lions were able to march up and down the field against the defending champs. If the Browns do the same thing it may be time to halt the Dick Lebeau-to-Canton push in the bud. Gut feeling is that they get back on track this week.
  • 11. Patriots (3-2) Last Week: 5
    Tough at home, ordinary on the road is no way to go through life in Bill Belichick's New England. The fold-up job the defense did in the final minutes against the Broncos wasn't just because of the thin air and Junior Seau isn't going to be able to fix the problems all by himself.
  • 12. Ravens (3-2) Last Week: 6
    It's show-me-something week for the Ravens. Losses to the Patriots and Bengals are understandable, but a third straight loss in the Metrodome would make it hard to buy into the Ravens making another run deep into the playoffs.
  • 13. Jets (3-2) Last Week: 9
    How can they fall below a team they've already beaten even though both of them lost last week? Look no further than the way the Dolphins rammed the ball down their throats on Monday night, a visual representation of making a bully eat his words. Now it's time for Rex Ryan's defense to show how good they are instead of telling everyone.
  • 14. 49ers (3-2) Last Week: 13
    Being obliterated at home by the Falcons was more an indictment of the entire NFC West than it was of the 49ers. They are the best team in one of the NFL's worst divisions and neither the destruction of the Rams nor the home loss to Atlanta change that. Getting Frank Gore back after their bye week would be a big help before having to travel to Houston and Indy. -- Matt Snyder
  • 15. Chargers (2-2) Last Week: 15
    Injuries to important personnel as well as the difficulty in establishing a running game is making life very difficult for Norv Turner's bunch. Philip Rivers will probably keep putting up huge numbers, but he'll have to -- the Chargers are looking more and more like they'll be limping into the playoffs (again). -- WB
  • 16. Cowboys (3-2) Last Week: 16
    Miles Austin saved the Cowboys season. I'll take six words I never thought I'd hear for $800, Alex. That it took a Herculean performance by an unheralded receiver to beat one of the league's worst teams in overtime and that it made everyone in Dallas happy tells you everything you need to knpw about the way the Cowboys season is going.
  • 17. Packers (2-2) Last Week: 18
    It seems surprising to see the Packers -- with their theoretically high-powered offense -- sitting at 2-2. But you just have to remember that they can't a) play defense and b) run the ball. Which, if I recall correctly, are actually considered decent qualities of teams that usually don't suck. Or something. -- WB
  • 18. Dolphins (2-3) Last Week: 20
    After watching Miami dismantle the Jets, it's funny that the Wildcat offense ever gets called a gimmick. They simply ran the ball with power and very little deception all night long before letting Chad Henne rain some fire deep down the field. That's about as gimmicky as white bread and vanilla ice cream.
  • 19. Cardinals (2-2) Last Week: 21
    Bounced back to outlast the Texans following a bye, but now they have to travel to Seattle and the Meadowlands (Giants) the next two weeks. In these two games, we'll find out a lot about how the rest of the season will pan out for the defending NFC Champs. -- MS
  • 20. Seahawks (2-3) Last Week: 24
    Apparently they missed Matt Hasselbeck, as the signal-caller returned to heave four touchdowns in leading his team to a 41-0 romp. Of course, they had just endured a pretty tough stretch that included hosting the Bears and road trips to San Francisco and Indy. Beating Arizona this week would go a long way toward their playoff hopes. -- MS
  • 21. Jaguars (2-3) Last Week: 17
    The deeper we get into this season, the more it looks like the last one for Jacksonville. Players getting in trouble for off-field shenanigans, Maurice Jones-Drew criticizing the offense and decent performances followed by complete futility. You wonder how long Jack Del Rio gets to keep presiding over a stereo stuck on repeat.
  • 22. Texans (2-3) Last Week: 19
    There was a lot of positive talk about the way the Texans defense played in the second half on last week's loss to Arizona and how it's a sign of better things to come. It sounds a lot like all the preseason talk about how this is the year everything changes for the Texans.
  • 23. Panthers (1-3) Last Week: 27
    The Panthers found a way to win in Week 5, earning their first victory of the season against a declining Redskins team. The win wasn't pretty and is nothing huge to brag about, but no longer being winless goes a long way in Carolina. -- KB
  • 24. Lions (1-4) Last Week: 26
    I understand that this franchise has hit bottom and bounced back up (as opposed to actually "turning the corner" or something positive in nature) but was it really necessary for a Matt Stafford injury to precede Daunte Culpepper playing? And did they have to let Calvin Johnson get hurt? Okay, the second one was probably out of Detroit's control, but Culpepper gives this team a better chance to win NOW while also allowing Stafford to get time on the bench learning. I honestly have no clue how that's not easier to understand. -- WB
  • 25. Redskins (2-3) Last Week: 22
    The Redskins are about as much fun as a barrel of anthrax right now as they continue to provide a weekly reminder of why it's so hard to go winless in the NFL. This week will make six straight games against winless opponents, and the fact that the Redskins are hoping to be .500 makes you wonder how they're this high on the power rankings. And then you look down.
  • 26. Raiders (1-4) Last Week: 25
    Just to clarify: Over the past month, Clay Travis has written a letter where he pretended to be JaMarcus Russell asking if he could coach the Raiders. Ryan Wilson created an "Al Davis Trade Requirement Cheat Sheet." And we fired up an NFL Coaching Steel Cage Battle based on this team. So, yeah, keep doing whatever you're doing Oakland. We love you out here. -- WB
  • 27. Browns (1-4) Last Week: 32
    True story: I was on a plane last Sunday and upon landing checked out the scores from the day. I announced that Derek Anderson completed two passes to the entire cabin and heard the second biggest laugh on the plane that day. If only Night at the Museum 2 hadn't been the onboard movie.
  • 28. Bills (1-4) Last Week: 23
    The fact that the Bills lost to the misfiring Anderson would be even funnier if it wasn't for the fact that they're so damned pathetic. It's only going to get worse. They scrapped the no-huddle this week, an offensive strategy that was supposed to help them compensate for having an offensive line staffed by UFL rejects.
  • 29. Titans (0-5) Last Week: 28
    Kerry Collins turned back into Kerry Collins at just the wrong time for the Titans. Jeff Fisher and his moustache are still holding on tight but the time has come to see what they've got with Vince Young because they're heading for a high draft pick and need to know if they have a quarterback on their roster.
  • 30. Chiefs (0-5) Last Week: 29
    I know people are talking about how Scott Pioli might not know what he's doing, but did anyone expect the Chiefs to be good? Sure, they're 0-5, but at least their point differential is better than the Lions, Raiders, Rams, Bucs, Titans and Browns. It's all about the silver lining, people! -- WB
  • 31. Rams (0-5) Last Week: 30
    Pathetic now, but they will have some chances for a win. Choose one from these: at Jacksonville, at Detroit, vs. Seattle, at Tennessee, vs. Houston. It doesn't look great, but it's awfully tough to go winless. Just because it happened to someone last year doesn't mean it's going to start becoming common. -- MS
  • 32. Buccaneers (0-5) Last Week: 31
    Looking at the remaining 11 games on the schedule I only see two chances for this Buccaneers team to get into the win column – Week 6 against Carolina and Week 13 against... Carolina. Tampa Bay really is that bad. -- KB

Tags: nfl+power+rankings, NFL+Power+Rankings+2009, NFL+Power+Rankings+Week+6, NflPowerRankings, NflPowerRankings2009, NflPowerRankingsWeek6

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