Okay, a trend is settling in. This week, the top three teams in this fan's power rankings lost. The number one slot finally goes to an NFC team. Matt Ryan and the Falcons are almost unbeatable at home, and Roddy White could be in serious contention for the MVP as a wide out.
Cream of the Crop
1. Atlanta Falcons (7-2): Beat last week's number one ranked team in the Baltimore Ravens. Highly deserving of the top spot.
2. New England Patriots (7-2): Tom Brady and the Bunch came off of last week's loss to Cleveland strong against a good Steelers defense. The next four weeks are not easy as they are home against the Colts, Jets, and Packers, and visit the Lions for Thanksgiving.
3. New York Jets (7-2): Gotta credit Mark Sanchez, who is showing he is money late in the game and in overtime.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3): Looked flat early against the Pats, came back nicely, but still fell short.
5. Baltimore Ravens (6-3): Almost beat Matt Ryan and the Falcons on the road. But Matt Ryan is 18-1 at the Georgia Dome.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (6-3): Video game Vick played out of his mind against the Redskins on Monday night. Did they leave any points for Sunday's match up with the Giants?
7. Green Bay Packers (6-3): Well rested and primed to shut the door on Minnesota, and possibly Brad Childress' career with the Vikings.
8. New York Giants (6-3): The power was shut down at New Meadowlands Stadium. The pass rush was shutdown by the Cowboys O-line. Sunday's game should tell us a lot about the NFC East.
9. New Orleans Saints (6-3): New Orleans is gaining a head of steam. Look out for a blowout of the Seahawks.
10. Indianapolis Colts (6-3): Need to get some of their stars back on the field. I don't think this year's Brady Manning game will be as good as past years.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3): This team will find itself in the high teens in a couple of weeks after they play SF, Balt, and ATL.
Best of the Rest
12. Chicago Bears (6-3): I hate ranking this team so high. I just don't buy their offense at all. The defense is good though.
13. Miami Dolphins (5-4): Tyler Thigpen is underrated, and maybe now that the two best QBs are out, they can right the running game.
14. Oakland Raiders (5-4): 1st place in the AFC West after being idle, and a KC loss. I still think they'll finish near the bottom of this division.
15. San Diego Chargers (4-5): Another team gaining a head of steam. Getting healthier. Vincent Jackson should be back soon, as should injured Malcom Floyd which is only good news for Phillip Rivers.
16. Tennessee Titans (5-4): Is it possible to knock out two quarterbacks in one game, and still lose?
17. Houston Texans (4-5): This was supposed to be the year for the Houston Texans. The year they finally made it over the playoff hump. I see this team at 4-6 after a trip to NY to face the Jets.
18. Seattle Seahawks (5-4): Pete Carroll may make the playoffs in his first year in Seattle, but this team will not make it past the first round.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4): An unbelievable finish against the Texans last week. Something tells me that Cleveland might pull off another upset.
20. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4): I can't believe this team has fallen this far. But what can I do after they throw up a bomb like that against the lowly Broncos.
21. Cleveland Browns (3-6): Love the way this team has played in the last three weeks. Almost pulled off another upset against the Jets last week, and I think they will this week against the Jags.
22. St. Louis Rams (4-5): Tough OT loss to division rival San Francisco last week. On the plus side, Stephen Jackson looked healthier.
Mediocrity and Messes
23. Washington Redskins (4-5): The only Redskin that had a good week was Donovan McNabb, who got a $78 Million contract extension. Really, Dan Snyder?
24. Minnesota Vikings (3-6): Brad Childress is squarely on the hot seat.
25. Denver Broncos (3-6): Dropped 49 points on what I thought was a very good defense in the Kansas City Chiefs. I guess not.
26. San Francisco 49ers (3-6): Don't look now. The 49ers probably have the best team in the NFC West. They just don't have the record to prove it.
27. Dallas Cowboys (2-7): Jason Garret got a win in his head coaching debut, but Dallas isn't going anywhere this year.
28. Detroit Lions (2-7): Bad way to lose a game last week, but I kind of believe in this young team. They can throw some wrenches into the playoff picture.
29. Cincinnati Bengals (2-7). Things looked good for Cincy after week 3 when they were 2-1. They now reside at 2-7. I still don't know why.
30. Arizona Cardinals (3-6): The defense is horrendous. The offense, aside from Larry Fitzgerald, is equally as bad.
31. Buffalo Bills (1-8): Hooray for Buffalo. They came so close in winning against three first place teams, and finally got it done against a cellar dweller.
32. Carolina Panthers (1-8): I feel bad for Jimmy Clausen, who has to learn from Matt Moore. The defense, though, isn't half bad. They are ranked 5th in opponent's passing yards.
Odds and Ends
Lock of the Week: Baltimore Ravens over the Carolina Panthers
If I were a Betting Man: New Orleans Saints and the Over
Upset of the Week: Arizona Cardinals over the Kansas City Chiefs(-8)
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