NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Pittsburgh Steelers Lose a Big Game, 49ers Pushing Towards a Playoff Bye
#16 Seattle Seahawks
One of the other hottest teams in theleague. This team has plenty of talent and the best young safety duo in the league with Kam Chancellor and Earl Thomas. They just need their franchise quarterback…that’s not hard to find, right?
#15 Philadelphia Eagles
Another team that started a couple of weeks late. But I”m not counting them out of the playoffs. If they beat the Cowboys this weekend and the Giants lose to the Jets (which they probably will do) than the Giants beat the Cowboys in week 17 they will make the playoffs despite trying their best at the beginning of the season to miss the playoffs. This team is clearly different when Micahel Vick is quarterback them, but he’ll never stay healthy.
#14 San Diego Chargers
It’s December and that means it’s Philip Rivers time. Three December games and Rivers has 7 touchdowns and zero interceptions and quarterback ratings of 146, 123, 127.
#13 Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals have a lot of the pieces, but they still have to learn how to win against the head honchos of the league. Unfortunately, for them they have the Steelers and Ravens in their division for the foreseeable future. But they are still in playoff contention this year, I would say at least a year ahead of schedule. Will they come back strong next year or be this year’s version of the Tampa Bay Buccaneers?
#12 New York Jets
I’ve been saying for weeks despite how hard they try the Jets will back into the playoffs one way or the other. And when they get in the playoffs they’ll probably win at least one game. This team has had problems all year, but still manages to do enough to control their own destiny. Sanchez isn’t the greatest quarterback, but early in his career he’s come up big when the team needs him. Will he do it again in 2012?
#11 Detroit Lions
The Lions have a lot of talent, but they lack some serious depth and have a lot of problems being masked up by a potent DL and high powered passing offense. I think they’ll make the playoffs for sure and give a team a scare in the first round, but they still seem a year away from being serious contenders.
#10 Atlanta Falcons
Ground and pound is alive and well, but now the Falcons have figured out how to incorporate their potent passing attack into the mix as well giving them more diversity on offense. This defense maybe be better than it was last year overall and they are a tough out in the playoffs for any team.
#9 Baltimore Ravens
Too inconsistent. Great one week, average the next. Who are the Real Baltimore Ravens? Please stand up.
#8 Denver Broncos
In order to have power you have to hold a place of importance. The best worker at your job might be the mail room guy, but he’s not the most powerful. The Broncos are in more of a power position than any team below them because they are going to win their division (most likely) and that’s more than the rest can say.
#7 Dallas Cowboys
What a dreadful season for the N.F.C. East. The Cowboys should be running away with this division, but now they have two tough division games coming up and they need to win one of these two to knock the Eagles out of the playoff race.
#6 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers lost and so did the Ravens, but the Steelers lose was more impressive than the Ravens loss, at least their excuse can be their quarterback is gimpy.
#5 Houston Texans
I feel bad for the Texans, but clearly they have more talent than the Chicago Bears. They haven’t folded without their quarterback (yet) and are looking good for the #3 in the A.F.C.. Too bad they don’t have Schuab though they could have really been a surprise team in the playoffs
#4 San Fran 49ers
The 49ers put together a really impressive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers as Aldon Smith continues to blossming. People are getting a little ahead of themsevles, I heard Trent Dilfer say this morning that he could be an All time defensive end. Let’s settle down a little bit. He said he’ll be the most dominant pass rusher in the N.F.L. in a few years (Jason Pierre Paul disagrees!)
Still the 49ers probably have the best defense in the N.F.L. and that’s worth something.
#3 New Orleans Saints
Virtually unbeatable at home. Unfortunately for them, they won’t have all of the post-season at home.
#2 New England Patriots
Good win vs the Broncos, but their defense still looks bad. Had it not been for three fumbles practically in a row that game would have been too close for comfort I think. Still heading into the playoffs who do you trust more than Tom Brady and Bill Belichick to make a Superbowl push?
#1 Green Bay Packers
Still the best team in the league, but every week I’ve written that this defense is going to cost them at some point. Well it was the offense taht came up short against the Chiefs. I mean the defense couldn’t make enough plays to get off the field either. All of a sudden everyone recognizes that the Packers aren’t one of the greatest teams of all time. A very good team, but this is not the 85 Bears or the 2007 Patriots.
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