|
Week 17
Power Rankings |
|
Rank |
Last Wk. |
+/- |
Team |
Comment |
| 1 |
1 |
- |
 |
The Patriots
are 15-0. This isn't a team that faces pressure; they cause it. The talk
this week isn't whether or not the Patriots will win, but whether or not
the Giants should rest their starters so they don't lose any confidence
heading into the playoffs. If that's not intimidation right off the bat,
then I don't know what is. |
|
2 |
3 |
+1 |
 |
Marvin Harrison is set to return this week, which is exactly what I
needed to hear to move them back ahead of the Dallas Cowboys. The
Colts are getting healthy and playing to an above-elite level again. |
|
3 |
2 |
-1 |
 |
Is the buzz
dying off of the Dallas Cowboys a little bit? Tony Romo had similar
late-season struggles last year. At least this year he won't have to worry
about handling a snap in the postseason. |
|
4 |
5 |
+1 |
 |
The Jaguars
are starting to pile it on against any team that stands in their way. This
team has underachieved considering their potential the past few years
under Jack Del Rio. This year, they've delivered in impressive fashion. |
|
5 |
4 |
-1 |
 |
The Packers
have lost three times this season. Two of those losses came against the
Chicago Bears. I guess it's a good thing that the Bears didn't win enough
to be the final wildcard team, right? Other than that, the Packers are
still fine. |
|
6 |
6 |
- |
 |
Like the
Jaguars, the Chargers continue to tear through the competition as the year
goes on. Although they have a victory over the Colts this year, you still
have to wonder if Philip Rivers has shown he has what it takes to take
down the Colts again, or contend with the Patriots. |
|
7 |
7 |
- |
 |
I can't say I 100% agree with Jon Gruden's strategy to rest his starters
last week when the third seed could've still been at stake. He chosen the
"for-sure healthy" route for some of his best players though, and either
way, they would've had to of beaten Green Bay or Dallas to possibly
get another shot at a home game after the wildcard weekend. |
| 8 |
8 |
- |
 |
Willie
Parker is out for the year. The defense is still playing poorly. Ben
Roethlisberger is still banged up. The only good news for the Steelers as
of late is that they clinched the AFC North. |
|
9 |
10 |
+1 |
 |
By locking
up the third seed, Seattle won't have to worry about the trailing
Buccaneers. They'll have either the Saints, Redskins, or Vikings to do
battle with in round one of the postseason. |
|
10 |
9 |
-1 |
 |
The fate of the Browns rests in the outcome of the Titans/Colts game
Sunday night. Any way you look at it, the Browns have blown too many
games on the road this season. |
|
11 |
15 |
+4
 |
 |
The Redskins
have won three games in a row, and if they make the postseason, they will
have earned it with wins over the Giants and Vikings the past two weeks.
Plus, they would've (likely) needed a win this weekend over the Dallas
Cowboys. |
|
12 |
12 |
- |
 |
Last week, I
said the only way the Giants would get through their final two weeks was
if they found a running game. They found it for one week -- can it carry
over to the playoffs now? |
|
13 |
13 |
- |
 |
The defense
shows up on a weekly basis, but I've yet to see Vince Young show the
leadership it takes to win a postseason game. Until that happens, the
Titans will be looked at as nothing more than a walkover team in the
postseason if they make it. |
|
14 |
11 |
-3
 |
 |
It's hard to
say the Vikings blew their chance at the postseason, because we
knew Tarvaris Jackson still didn't have the "it" factor, at least this
season. They still stand a chance though with one Redskins loss coupled
with a win over Denver. |
|
15 |
14 |
-1 |
 |
The Saints
do have one final chance, yet again. If the Vikings and Redskins
lose and the Saints win, an undeserving, yet potent team, will be the
NFC's final wildcard team. |
|
16 |
16 |
- |
 |
It's a good
thing NBC didn't make the Texans' matchup with the Colts the Sunday
nighter. Not only did the Texans not deliver as expected, they were
already eliminated from postseason contention. |
|
17 |
19 |
+2 |
 |
I haven't
liked what Donovan McNabb has brought to the table overall the past two
years with the Eagles, but something has sparked a little bit of hope over
the past several weeks: McNabb is taking off and running with the ball. |
| 18 |
17 |
-1 |
 |
I wasn't
surprised when the Bills leapt out to a big lead early on against the
Giants. I was surprised when they ended up blowing the lead rather easily. |
|
19 |
18 |
-1 |
 |
With a
little bit of defense next season, maybe the Cardinals can take their shot
at the NFC West for the third or fourth year in a row rather than
disappointing again. |
|
20 |
20 |
- |
 |
The Lions
won't finish with ten losses, and as a whole, if they reach eight wins, it
is still a step forward for the franchise. |
|
21 |
23 |
+2 |
 |
The Bengals'
season has been filled with lowlights, but preventing the Browns from
clinching the playoffs was a highlight even though they didn't play too
good. |
|
22 |
22 |
- |
 |
Matt Moore
kept the Panthers in it against the Panthers. And, some Panther fans have
to be killing themselves knowing that a Week 16 win would've kept them
eligible for the postseason heading into Week 17. In reality though, they
didn't stand a chance. |
|
23 |
26 |
+3
|
 |
Shaun Hill
gave the 49ers something to root for again, even if it came more so
against some of the Buccaneers' backups. Can they end the season with a
three-game winning streak? |
|
24 |
24 |
- |
 |
Bragging rights
over the Packers is the only thing that has come out of this season for the
Bears. |
|
25 |
21 |
-4
|
 |
And the
snoozefest carries on... |
|
26 |
25 |
-1 |
 |
The Rams,
like the Cardinals, need to find a defining defensive image in the
offseason. |
|
27 |
28 |
+1 |
 |
You want to
root for Chad Pennington, especially when he completes a high percentage
of his passes. When it comes to making the throws he should make in
the clutch though, he fails to come through. |
|
28 |
27 |
-1 |
 |
JaMarcus Russell's effort last week was as bad as you could get.
That's the reason why we wanted to see him sooner: so he didn't look
so raw heading into next season, when he's supposed to be
ready. |
|
29 |
29 |
- |
 |
Over the
second half of the season, the Chiefs are technically the NFL's worst
team. |
|
30 |
31 |
+1 |
 |
It's hard to
believe that just a few years ago, Michael Vick made this one of the
league's most exciting teams. People were talking multiple Super Bowls. |
|
31 |
30 |
-1 |
 |
The Ravens
are so depleted that even the Dolphins could probably beat them. Oh,
wait... |
|
32 |
32 |
- |
 |
Bill
Parcells, just by having his name mentioned with the Dolphins, has boosted
the franchise's image. |
