1. New York Giants (7-1)
This team keeps on winning. What else can you say? They have the best offense in the league and the third best defense. That is certainly a solid formula to win a lot of games. Eli played well against the Cowboys. I wonder if it would have been a closer game if Tony Romo was playing? This Sunday they play at Philadelphia. A win here seals first place for the division.
2. Tennessee Titans (8-0)
The Titans come in for the third straight week as the number two team in the rankings. They are clearly the class of the AFC and favorites to go to the Super Bowl. The two-headed monster of Chris Johnson and LenDale White continue to impress. Jeff Fischer really is a great coach, no wonder he is the longest tenured in the league.
3. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)
This may be the biggest surprise of the rankings with the Cardinals moving up eight spots from last week. Kurt Warner is playing now like the Kurt Warner of 1999 when the Rams won the Super Bowl. What is most surprising, though, is the play of the defense which ranks number fifteen (15). That may not seem that impressive, but most people would associate the Cardinals' defenses of the past as average, at best, for as long as I can remember. As long as this defense is in the top half of the league, this offense will help them cruise into the playoffs in the anemic NFC West.
4. Tampa Bay Bucs (6-3)
Luckily for the Bucs, they won in overtime against the lowly Chiefs. Those are the types of losses that can ruin a season, especially with the Panthers and Falcons playing so well right now. A top ten offense and defense will help this team get into the postseason. Five of their remaining seven games are against middle range-plus teams. It will be necessary to beat some good teams for this team to make it to the playoffs.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)
As someone who went to college in Philadelphia, I can assure you that I do not play favorites with this team. I cannot stand Iggles fans. They drive me crazy. However, they have a very good team this season. At the beginning of the year I predicted that they would be in the Super Bowl. I am standing by that prediction.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
A huge win on Monday Night Football over the Redskins. This defense is the real deal, and obviously sport the top defense in my defensive rankings. It will be interesting to see what happens with Ben Roethlisberger. Luckily for the Steelers, they were smart enough to get a good backup in Byron Leftwich. He took control of the offense in the second half and led the Steelers to a W. It doesn't get any easier this week for the Steelers as they match up against the Colts.
7. Atlanta Falcons (5-3)
This surprise team keeps rising in the poll every week. Seeing how well Matt Ryan has adapted to the NFL, how disappointed should Raiders, Titans or 49ers fans be considering their teams missed on on Top 5 picks in quarterbacks in the past 3 years (JeMarcus Russell '07, Vince Young '06, Alex Smith '05). I do not think this team will make the playoffs, but they certainly have shown great strides this season.
8. Carolina Panthers (6-2)
After a bye week, the Panthers look to continue their dominance, led by a very good defense. Who would have thought at the beginning of the season that the NFC South would have three teams in the Top Ten? With none of the three being the Saints?
9. Dallas Cowboys (4-4)
This ranking is completely hanging on the coattails of the team's early season success. The loss this last week against the Giants was bad. Hopefully the bye week this week will give Tony Romo enough time to finish getting healthy and get back on the field. This team needs a boost badly. If they cannot turn it around this season, do not be surprised to see Wade Phillips axed at the end of the year.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
This is another surprise team led by a rookie quarterback. Joe Flacco and the Ravens have snuck up on a lot of teams this year. I, for one, thought that this might be the season where we finally see the Ravens defense look old. Yet, they are the second best defense in the league. Coach Harbaugh has really gotten his guys to buy into the system, and thats half the battle.
11. Washington Redskins (6-3)
Finally this team was exposed. I have been saying for weeks that this team is a fraud and on Monday night they proved me right. While the defense was pretty decent (giving up low 20s is not a bad game), the offense was finally exposed for being terribly weak. Campbell did nothing and that was only exacerbated by Clinton Portis' worst game of the season. A bye week this week should help them regroup before they faceoff home against the Cowboys.
12. New York Jets (5-3)
I hate this. I really, really hate this. How are the Jets the hottest team in the AFC East right now? Im not sure what is most telling about the win at Buffalo this past weekend. Are the Jets better than thought, or are the Bills a fraud?
13. New England Patriots (5-3)
If you read my last column, you would know what I feel about the Patriots-Colts game. I do not want to make excuses, but this team has been hit hard by the injury bug, but even still, that does not excuse how poorly they played on Sunday night. Keep an eye on the Raiders. They are expected to release DeAngelo Hall later this week. I know he is a problem child, but the Pats really could use a playmaker in their secondary right now.
14. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Another team that was exposed this weekend. Many have questioned whether or not this team was the real deal or not. They obviously are not. After a 4-0 start, they have lost 3 out of 4. Back in week 3, the Bills barely squeeked by Raiders 24-23. At the time it was touted as the sign of a good team winning that should have lost. Now, it looks more like a lucky team winning a game they should have lost. Sunday's game against the Patriots will be important to see who will reign supreme in the AFC East.
15. Minnesota Vikings (4-4)
A big game from Adrian Peterson helped fuel the Vikings past the Texans on Sunday. It will not get any easier for the Vikings. The next three games are against perennial rival Green Bay, then Tampa Bay, followed by Jacksonville.
16. Chicago Bears (5-3)
The Bears currently reside in first place in the NFC North but I am not sure how long that will last. This week the Bears will be hosting the red hot Titans. What could make this game even tougher is the prospect of starting quarterback Kyle Orton out with an injury and Rex Grossmen in.
17. Green Bay Packers (4-4)
While the loss against the Titans hurts, I think it proved that the Packers are a better team than we think. They gave the Titans the toughest competition they have faced all season. Aaron Rodgers, with a freshly signed contract extention, had a big game, but more importantly, Ryan Grant had a pretty good day rushing for 86 yards. If the Packers can really start to establish a strong running game behind Grant, they should be able to challenge for the NFC North crown.
18. Miami Dolphins (4-4)
The Dolphins looked pretty good against the Broncos and continue to impress. Keep an eye on this team. They could win 10 games this year and it wouldn't surprise me. Games against the Bills, Jets, and Patriots are sandwiched between games against a hit list of bad teams -Seattle, Oakland, St. Louis, San Francisco, and Kansas City.
19. Houston Texans (3-5)
With Matt Schaub out for the next couple of weeks, will this offense still be as potent under Sage Rosenfels? I'm not so sure about that. It seems right when they take two steps forward (3 straight wins) they take one step back (lose Schaub). I'm still waiting for this team to get over the hump. Who knows when that will happen.
20. New Orleans Saints (4-4)
After a bye week, the Saints will hopefully start the second half of the season with a healthy Reggie Bush and Marques Colston. Drew Brees is an absolute stud. To think, this guy was a free agent a few season back. When was the last time a quarterback, in his prime, was on the free agent market? No idea, but man was this an incredible pick up.
21. San Diego Chargers (3-5)
The Chargers are coming off the bye as well. They are lucky they still have two games with the Chiefs left, but unless this team finds some its mojo from years past, they are not making the playoffs. They still have games against the Steelers, Colts, Falcons, and Bucs. Time for LT to step up and play.
22. Denver Broncos (4-4)
Wow, what is going on with this team. At the beginning of the year, most observers realized that they had a terrible defense and a great offense. But they have completely fallen off the face of the Earth. Since starting the season 4-1, they are 0-3 since. Tonight they will travel to Cleveland to face the Golden Boy, Brady Quinn in his first NFL start.
23. Indianapolis Colts (4-4)
The win over the Patriots Sunday night may have saved their season. However, they still did not look good. The Colts passing attack is usually very tough to defend, but the Patriots rag-tag secondary was able to keep the Colts to 18 points. Did the defense have the game of its life, or is this now what we should expect from the Colts offense?
24. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
What a disappointment this team has been. After going 10-6 last year, many had high hopes for this team, but they do not look like playoff material this year. This franchise is in turmoil. There is the whole Kellen Winslow incident. Then Romeo Crennel says Derek Anderson is the starter, and a few hours later retracts that, benching Anderson and starting Abercrombie model Brady Quinn. I think they could steal a win against Denver tonight, but I would not bet on it.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5)
This team runs second only to the Bengals in the amount of criminals it has on its roster.
26. St. Louis Rams (2-6)
This team isn't that good, but they are playing hard for the new coach.
27. Oakland Raiders (2-6)
What a mess this franchise is. Who gives up a 2nd and 5th round draft pick for a player, sign him to a $70 million deal, and then release him in the middle of the season. Al Davis.
28. San Francisco 49ers (2-6)
Did Mike Singletary really drop his pants at halftime to prove a point?
29. Seattle Seahawks (2-6)
I feel bad for Seattle fans. First, you lose the Sonics to Oklahoma City. Then, the Mariners are the worse team in the AL. Now, the Seahawks are atrocious.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (1-8)
I knew this team wouldn't go the entire season winless!
31. Kansas City Chiefs (1-7)
This team does enough every week not to win. When will Herm be fired? The standoff continues....
32. Detroit Lions (0-8)
The Redwings updated record: 8-2-2
