NFL Power Rankings

By Tom Torrisi
SportsTicker Pro Football Editor
(Last week's rankings in parentheses)
(Thursday's game not included)

1. (1) New England Patriots - Only videotaping this weekend is of The Weather Channel.
2. (2) Dallas Cowboys - Early Christmas present for T.O. with former teammates coming to town.
3. (3) Indianapolis Colts - Good week to turn their practice squad loose.
4. (4) Green Bay Packers - Injuries forced Ryan Grant into lineup, and four 100-yard games later, he's not about to come out.
5. (5) New York Giants - Playoff primer: Giants 9-0 vs. team with losing records, 0-4 vs. team with winning marks.
6. (7) Jacksonville Jaguars - Injury to Marcus Stroud leaves big void in every way.
7. (6) Pittsburgh Steelers - No guarantees on road with one win away from home since season opener.
8. (9) Seattle Seahawks - Shaun Alexander can't even be an effective decoy.
9. (10) San Diego Chargers - Victory on Sunday clinches AFC West crown.
10. (12) Cleveland Browns - Jamal Lewis is looking like best free agent signing of year.
11. (8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jeff Garcia can't come back soon enough.
12. (11) Tennessee Titans - Is there any QB playing worse than Vince Young?
13. (14) Denver Broncos - Brandon Marshall is a monster; Broncos are not.
14. (17) Minnesota Vikings - Can Adrian Peterson top 224-yard effort from first meeting with Bears?
15. (16) Buffalo Bills - None of the teams they've beaten have a winning record, including Jets (3-10) and Dolphins (0-13) twice apiece.
16. (19) New Orleans Saints - Sort of like the fifth-grade bully that beats up on the weak.
17. (13) Arizona Cardinals - Mathematically they're alive, but does anyone else believe?
18. (15) Philadelphia Eagles - Chance to play spoiler and little else.
19. (22) Houston Texans - NFL version of Broncos Lite: Plug in any running back and he half-produces. 20. (24) Washington Redskins - Todd Collins gets start at QB, 10 years and two days after his last one.