Week 12 NFL Power Rankings

The NFL is on the back nine of its schedule and with each team playing ten games, I thought it would be a good idea to crank out a set of power rankings. With it being this deep into the season you really have a grip on what teams are Super Bowl contenders and what teams are hot garbage and would struggle to beat Florida or Texas Tech. As Mills Lane would say: “Let’s Get it On”

32) Detroit Lions - I feel sorry for Lions fans. Former GM Matt Millen left this team in such a mess, they will probably not see a winning season for ten years…it doesn’t help that your starting quarterback was retired three weeks ago – that it’s going well right now for this team. 0-16 here they come.

31) Oakland Raiders - There are two other teams that have not reached the two win plateau that the Raiders have eclipsed – that just goes to show you how bad this team’s performances have been over the past couple of weeks.

30) Cincinnati Bengals – The game this past weekend was awful on all counts. The Eagles did everything in their power to give the game to the Bengals and the Cincinnaters couldn’t do anything with and the two teams wound up tied. Only six more games left Bengal fans.

29) St. Louis Rams - The Rams are trying their hardest to stake their claim as one of the league’s worst teams with their performances over the last couple of weeks. You can probably imagine the natives are getting a little restless.

28) Kansas City Chiefs – Is there such a thing as being a “good 1-9″? If there is, the Chiefs should earn that title. Been very competitive the last couple weeks and it looks like Tyler Thigpen is actually resembling a real life NFL quarterback – seriously.

27) Seattle Seahawks – The Seahwaks are just a mess. Injuries have ravaged the team and now they are spiraling towards a very high draft pick. I’m going to go out on a limb and say this is the worst stretch of sports the state of Washington has ever seen…The Sonics are in Oklahoma City, The Mariners are a disaster and the two big time college football teams have a combined 1 win – wow.

26) Houston Texans – I really have nothing good to say about the Texans. To be fair, I don’t really have anything bad to about them either…How about we just move on.

25) San Francisco 49ers – Mike Singletary’s message might be starting to get through to the 49er players. Then again, they played the Rams…I think myself and ten other guys could beat the Rams in their current state.

24) Buffalo Bills - Rian Lindel envoked memories of Scot Norwood with his wide right late game missed field goal against the Browns. This team started 5-1 and four games later and they’re now 5-5 – yikes. Well there’s always next year…unfortunately Trent Edwards will still be your starting quarterback.

23) Jacksonville Jaguars – The Browns and the Bengals have a combined five wins on the season – The Jaguars were responsible for two of those victories for the Ohio teams. Ultimate definition of an underachieving team.

22) Cleveland Browns – How in the world did this team beat the Giants in Week 6? I think that might go down as the upset of all upsets for this season because no way should this Browns team be beating that Giants team in anything.

21) San Diego Chargers – It’s hard to imagine a team as talented as this Chargers team is, is stuck in the mud with a disasppointing 4-6 record. The morale of the story is if you can’t stop a high school team, you’re not going to be winning many games.

20) Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles get this ranking because they played to a tie with the sorry Bengals…plus their quarterback didn’t know the basic rules of the NFL’s overtime procedure – they should be happy they’re not lower.

19) Chicago Bears – The Bears got blown away this past weekend against divisional foe Green Bay. That vaunted Bears defense continues to get shredded on a weekly basis…at least it wasn’t Rex Grossman’s fault – that’s a plus (or is it a minus?).

18) New Orleans Saints - The Saints have three players facing multiple game suspensions. I’m going to say that is probably not the best way to right the ship in front of the national spotlight when they face Green Bay.

16 Tie) Green Bay Packers and Minnesota Vikings - These two teams are equally mediocre so I thought I’d give them both the same mediocre record.

15) Denver Broncos – Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall and whomever is starting at running back can definitely combine for a pretty good offensive attack…unfortunately for the Broncos and their fans, they have to play defense too - and that’s bad.

14) New England Patriots – Who would have thought that Matt Cassel would not be completely terrible. If he weren’t filling for one of the greatest quarterbacks we have seen in Tom Brady, I think more people would be respecting what Cassel has done this season.

13) Baltimore Ravens - Were on a pretty good roll until they ran into the Giants this past weekend…and we all know the Giants aren’t losing to anyone not named the Cleveland Browns – I’m sorry, that’s just the way it is.

12) Atlanta Falcons – Matt Ryan, Michael Turner and Roddy White have formed an excellent combination that has led to a rebirth of the Atlanta Falcons. I’d also like to mention that White’s prowess this season has helped me out tremendously in fantasy football…so a tip of the hat to you Rod.

11) Miami Dolphins – This team captured one victory last season…let me repeat myself, ONE! This season they have bettered their win total by five with help of the “Wildcat” formation that seems to be sweeping the league this season.

10) Washington Redskins – This team has no offense. I know that might be an alarming statement considering that running back Clinton Portis might be having his best statistical season through ten games but the Steelers and Cowboys have found the ability to shut down the Redskins “O” the past two weeks.

9) Dallas Cowboys – “America’s Team” or as I like to refer to them as “America’s Soap Opera” rebounded nicely with a win in Washington with the return of an actual NFL quarterback in Tony Romo…much apologies to Brad Johnson and Brooks Bollinger, but you guys weren’t getting it done.

8) Indianapolis Colts - Peyton and the boys have quietly gotten it done over the past couple weeks with victories against New England, Pittsburgh and Houston. They’ll be put to the test when they travel west to San Diego for the NBC Sunday Night game – get the bus ready Madden.

7) Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals wide receiver corps are unreal this season. Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin and Steve Breaston give quarterback Kurt Warner plenty of options to throw to. Warner has responded to the abundance of wide receiver options with a possible MVP season.

6) Carolina Panthers – Deangelo WIlliams has sparked a Pantther resurgance this season but the team has been less than inspiring over the past two weeks against two of the league’s worst teams in Oakland and Detroit.

5) New York Jets – The Jets had their most impressive victory of the season when they went into New England and beat the Patriots in overtime last Thursday night. Many people point to Brett Favre being the key to the turnaround this season, but I’d give that honor to defensive tackle Kris Jenkins.

4) Tampa Bay Bucs – Old Man Jeff is still getting it done for the Bucs to the tune of a 7-3 record. The team just lost running back Earnest Graham for the season so it will be interesting to see how things unfold with the running game.

3) Pittsburgh Steelers – Steelers just get it done. Even in a game where they don’t score a touchdown, they still find a way to beat a very game San Diego squad last week. This week they get the Bengals at home…can we impose a mercy rule?

2) New York Giants – The Giants feature a running back trio nicknamed “Earth (Brandon Jacobs), Wind (Derrick Ward) and Fire (Ahmad Bradshaw).” That’s awesome and the trio got loose all over the Ravens the past weekend.

1) Tennesse Titans – They’re 10-0 at this point in the season. We have to go all the way back to last season to find a team undefeated at this point in the season…a long time lol. I don’t many expect the Titans to stay undefeated over their final six games, but they have had quite a season regardless.

1400+ words and that marks the end of this puppy.