NFL Power Rankings Week 12: The Giants Annual Second Half Swoon Has Begun, Patriots Surge Could be Coming

It’s time for my weekly power rankings. I wrote these after he Giants and Eagles game but before the New England Patriots and Chiefs played. I’m assuming the Patriots will win and I can’t really imagine a scenario where they don’t, except for an injury to Tom Brady. There was a lot of movement in the  middle of the pack this week with the Giants terrible performance, Tebow-mania, and the sneaky good Seahawks.

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32.  Indianapolis Colts (Previously Colts)

The biggest question now should be, does Jim Caldwell get to keep his job when the Colts draft Andrew Luck first overall next year?  Anyone who ever questioned anything about Peyton Manning looks just silly. This team is just awful, Curtis Painter is no good. The defense is only good when they are able to rush the passer and I think it’s more than fair to question whether or not Bill Polian is the mastermind everyone has made him out to be. This team just looks devoid of talent.

31.  Washington Redskins (previously Rams)

I,  think it’s fair to put the Redskins here. In a league that is all about what have you done for me lately the Redskins have lost six straight games each one in worse fashion than the one before it. This team stinks.

That’s what I wrote last week (we’ll I changed five to six). I think the team coming out on fire against the Cowboys is an anomaly that has more to do with their division rivalry than anything so I’m not putting any stock into it.

30. Miami Dolphins (Previously Dolphins)

The Dolphins are really starting to play much better here even though a couple of more wins will push them out or range for the top quarterbacks. Matt Moore has shown that he deserves a place in the league. A very fair argument can be made for the Dolphins to be higher than this and they will be next power rankings. I just had a slight oversight this week.

29.  St. Louis Rams (previously Cleveland Browns)

The Rams just had an awful losing to the Seahawks at home. This team is lacking a lot of talent, it’s amazing they almost made the playoffs last year. Sam Bradford is in a sophomore slump and the loss of Roger Saffold is not going to help any. At least this team will be in prime position to land a top offensive playmaker or two in the draft this year

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (Previously Miami Dolphins)

On twitter teams are starting to use the word “bust” when they talk about Blaine Gabbert. That’s a little crazy to me (though he was I think my personal 43 rated overall player heading into the draft, so I never expected much). But let’s give him some time to develop into a quarterback and some wide receivers to do that with. The Jaguars don’t have the offensive weapons to make any quarterback look good.

They are one of the real mysteries in the upcoming draft because of the possible departures of Jack Del Rio and their general manager Gene Smith.

27. Arizona Cardinals  (Previously St.Louis Rams)

I expected the Cardinals to come out and compete on Sunday and stay within a touchdown of the 49ers, I was sure of it, but they didn’t. Skeleton looked like he was supposed to look all year (a backup quarterback). The Cardinals are a tough team to figure out, I don’t think they are that far away from competing for their division, but they really need a legitimate pass rusher and offensive line help.

26.   Minnesota Vikings (previously Washington Redskins)

The Vikings have a lot of important issues that need to be address, most importantly along the offensive line. If the Vikings can work out their offensive line and add some more weapons they could be competitive next year with Christian Ponder. Christian Ponder’s drafting still seems like a bit of a reach, but now its up to the Vikings to surround Ponder with the weapons he needs to have a shot at being the franchise quarterback the team thinks he is going to become.

25.   Kansas City Chiefs (previously Vikings)

There we go, the Chiefs are back to being the team everyone thought they would be earlier in the season. Arrowhead is supposed to be a tough team to play, but two weeks in a row they had terrible performances at home. And I”m assuming they are going to lose big to the Patriots tonight.

24.    Carolina Panthers (previously Seattle Seahawks)

Sure they are playing really well in a lot of games, but what separates the good teams from the bad teams is the ability to figure out how to win football games. They are close, but are still 2-8. Cam Newton is not only playing well, but also saying all of the right things and has a very bright future in the N.F.L.

23. Cleveland Browns (previously Kansas City Chiefs)

That would have been embarrassing if the Browns had lost at home to the Jaguars and Blaine Gabbert, but they didn’t. I’m still not sure whether or not Colt McCoy is their quarterback of the near future, or more importantly whether or not the Browns think he is the quarterback of the future.

22. San Diego Chargers  (previously Arizona Cardinals)

Chargers should probably be ahead of the Chiefs after the Chiefs lose tonight (I’m assuming, probably safely here). But as it stands right now the Chargers have lost five games in a row in any number of fashion and could be without their LT the rest of the season. Their secondary can’t handle big wide receivers as they have been abused by players like Roy Williams, Plaxico Buress, and Earl Bennett the past few weeks.

21. Buffalo Bills   (previously Seahawks)

You can make the case that the Buccaneers are better than the Bills. The Bills biggest problem is in their lack of depth. They do not have the talent to overcome any minor injuries, let along major injuries like Demetrius Bell and Kyle Williams. Bills also need another good wide receiver. Donald Jones, David Nelson and the alike are ok players, but they are not going to scare defenses. The Bills dink and dunk offense has gotten really easy to figure out and Ryan Fitzpatrick’s contract now looks cumbersome in a matter of a few short weeks.

 20.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Previously Denver Broncos)

Tampa Bay is not playing well this year. They are now 4-6 and have lost four games in a row. After weeks of looking pathetic they came out and really competed against the Green Bay Packers. They could still make a nice second half run here if they get on track.

19.  Tennessee Titans (previously Tampa Bay Buccaneers) 

The Titans have had an up and down year, but Chris Johnson is finally coming on strong, that is of course until this week. Jake Locker looked really promising in his first career appearance putting a spark into the Titans offense. Next year with a healthy Kenny Britt, a bounce back year from Chris Johnson and another wide receiver option the Titans could have a nice little offense. I’m not knocking them down because their loss came against a decent Falcons team.

18. Seattle Seahawks (Previously Buffalo Bills)

The Seahawks are better than people think they are, and by that I mean they are not an abomination. The Seahawks have done a lot of work to get bigger and more physical over the last two seasons and it’s starting to pay dividends. They have good players on offense like Sidney Rice and Mike Williams, Doug Baldwin, Marshawn Lynch. They need more talent on defense and they really need their franchise quarterback, they are not that awful though. They have won two in a row and I think they have the Redskins in Seattle this weekend so it could be three.

The rest of the reason they are this high is because they are the second best team in their division, which is more than any team behind them can say.

17.  Philadelphia Eagles  (previously San Diego Chargers)

Huge win for the Eagles. With The Cowboys, Patriots, Jets, and a game out in Seattle left on the schedule I’ll be shocked if they run the table, but it’s possible. Andy Reid has always had a flair for the dramatics especially at the end of the season.

16.  New York Giants (previously Titans)

And here comes the second half swoon for the New York Giants has begun. Tom Coughlin is a good coach, but he clearly has lost this team. Coughlin said in his news conference it was the “most disappointed we’ve beenhere in a long time”, but Coughlin has obviously forgotten the last four years. Every year it’s the same thing. The Giants looked lifeless against the Eagles, a division rivalry game at home. A team that had knocked them out of the playoffs (or playoff contention routinely since 2008). That kind of performance lands them here. The next three games: At Saints, vs Packers, Dallas. They could lose five games in a Row, easily here.

The rest continued on page two