NFL Top 20 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 - The closer the scores, the higher the ratings.
2. (2) Dallas Cowboys - Goal on Sunday is to create a real-life Jon Kitna bobble-head.
3. (3) Indianapolis Colts - When Baltimore fans see that logo on the helmet, horse-shoe is only half of what they're thinking.
4. (4) Green Bay Packers - Retirement might be only way to get Brett Favre out of the lineup.
5. (6) New York Giants - Eli Manning now knows what Curt Schilling means by shutting up thousands of New Yorkers.
6. (7) Pittsburgh Steelers - The guarantee helps if someone has actually heard of you.
7. (5) Jacksonville Jaguars - Location, location, location. Now if they were in the NFC South.
8. (8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Jon Gruden has won games with 12 different QBs. The guess is he has lost with just as many?
9. (9) Seattle Seahawks - Win clinches fourth straight division title.
10. (11) San Diego Chargers - And Marty Schottenheimer couldn't do this?
11. (13) Tennessee Titans - Shouldn't be hard to match excitement of baseball's winter meetings.
12. (10) Cleveland Browns - Instant replay again shows its shortcomings.
13. (16) Arizona Cardinals - Matt Leinart's three-year anniversary of winning the Heisman passes quietly.
14. (12) Denver Broncos - Travis Henry pulls off Isiah-like miracle and keeps job against all odds.
15. (14) Philadelphia Eagles - This could be one (loss) and done for Philly.
16. (18) Buffalo Bills - Dick Jauron proves it's possible to get something out of nothing.
17. (24) Minnesota Vikings - To get a schedule like this in the past, money usually had to exchange hands.
18. (15) Detroit Lions - Hey Matt Millen, what are you doing after (watching) the Super Bowl?
19. (17) New Orleans Saints - It must be a Reggie thing. Bush also is Mr. October.
20. (19) Chicago Bears - Have Bears fans seen the last of Rex Grossman? And do they care?