Pac-12 still fourth in power rankings

The Big 12 has overtaken the SEC in ESPN Stats & Information's Conference Power Rankings, while the Pac-12 is again fourth.

The Pac-12, however, joined the Big 12 as the only two conferences that went up last week. The Pac-12 is behind the No. 3 Big Ten by only 6.2 points after being behind 22 points last week.

Why did the Big Ten fall?

Losses by Wisconsin and Illinois also hurt the Big Ten’s ranking. Just two weeks ago the Big Ten had three undefeated teams (Wisconsin, Michigan and Illinois), which was tied for the most of any conference after six weeks. Today, no team in the Big Ten is undefeated or ranked in the top eight of the AP Poll.

The Pac-12 is ahead of the fifth-place ACC by 14.4 points. Last week, the margin was 9.2.

Why is the Big 12 higher than the SEC?

Seven of the Big 12’s 10 teams have two or fewer losses, and all seven of those schools received at least 25 points in the AP Poll.

In comparison, five of the SEC’s 12 teams have two or fewer losses and only six SEC teams received AP votes.

The computers favor the Big 12 over the SEC as the Big 12’s average computer ranking is 8.5 points higher than the average SEC ranking. Oklahoma State is the top-ranked team in the nation according to the BCS computers.

ConferenceAP RankComputers RankOverall RatingOverall RankingRt Change

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CFR College Football Power Rankings Week Five 2009

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Power Rankings 2011 – Week Three

Another week down, another set of Power Rankings to set your passions aflame. Did you favorite team climb the charts? Or did it sink like a stone? As always if you think you can do better, leave your own rankings in the comments below.

1. Green Bay Packers (2-0).Green Bay holds the top spot until someone knocks them off. Can the Bears claim that honor on Sunday?

2. New England Patriots (2-0).  Tom Brady is throwing up career numbers to mask the fact that there are some big issues up and down the Patriots.

3. New York Jets (2-0).  The Jets destroyed the Jaguars at home. Yeah it’s a good win, but it doesn’t impress me much.

4. Houston Texans (2-0).  First the Texans dismantle the Colts, and then they took apart Chad Henne. The good times keep on rolling.

5. New Orleans Saints (1-1). Saints rebound with a convincing win over the Bears.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (1-1). The injury to Vick has to be troubling for the Philly Faithful. That said if McCoy is healthy the team should still be set well to win.

7. Atlanta Falcons (1-1). Still not the best performance out of Matt Ryan, or his defense, but it was enough to get past the Eagles.

8. Baltimore Ravens (1-1). The Ravens follow up an impressive beat-down of Pittsburgh by laying an absolute egg against Titans. The team might as well have not even shown up.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-1). Steelers got the train back on track but blowing out Seattle like they got blown out inBaltimore.

10. Chicago Bears (1-1). No shame in getting beat by the Saints. The better team simply got the job done. 30-13 has got to hurt withGreen Bay coming to town though.

11. Detroit Lions (2-0). Confidence builder against the Chiefs leave the Lions on a high note heading into the matchup against Minnesota.

12. San Diego Chargers (1-1).New England is still just flat out the better team. San Diego has to find a way to win on the east coast.

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-1). Bucs rebounded nicely with a win over the Vikings.

14. Dallas Cowboys (1-1). Even without broken ribs and a punctured lung, Romo was struggling to put away the 49ers.

15. Buffalo Bills (2-0). How long can Fitzpatrick ride the Bills gravy train? Showdown with Dallas looms large.

16. Washington Redskins (2-0). Efficient quarterback play and solid defense have the Redskins undefeated after two weeks. 

17. New York Giants (1-1). Giants manage to knock off the mediocre Rams. Good for them. They’re still not a very good team.

18. Oakland Raiders (1-1). Ups and downs are the Raiders signature calling card.

19. Tennessee Titans (1-1).  Hasselbeck and his Titans just provided every team in the NFL a blue print for how to beat the Baltimore Ravens. All you need to use is a Cover-2 defense and a rapid release offense.

20. Cincinnati Bengals (1-1). Fun fact: the Bengals are in 1st place atop the AFC north. Loss to the putrid Broncos doesn’t look good.

21. Arizona Cardinals (1-1). Travelling to D.C. had to have an effect on the Cardinal players, but excuses aside, the mistakes they made (and there were plenty) proved costly.

22. Cleveland Browns (1-1). Beating the Colts has to feel good, but like tripping an elderly woman, it has to come with some remorse as well.

23. St. Louis Rams (0-2). A rough early season schedule has the Rams reeling. They’re going to have to regroup quickly to knock off the stunned Ravens

24. Carolina Panthers (0-2). Cam Newton has been a revelation, but his team is still losing.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-1). Follow up a win over the Titans with a humiliating loss to the Jets.

26. Indianapolis Colts (0-2).  How long until the “We Want Painter” chants begin in Indy?

27. Miami Dolphins (0-2). Remember what I said about Henne needing to be more consistent? Yeah, stick with that.

28. Minnesota Vikings (0-2). Man does this team just look bad. Having Detroit on the horizon means things probably aren’t going to get much better.

29. San Francisco 49ers (1-1). 49ers can’t beat Tony Romo even when the guy has fractured ribs and a punctured lung.

30. Denver Broncos (1-1). Well they won a game, I suppose that’s a start.

31. Kansas City Chiefs (0-2). Who is worse,Kansas City or Seattle? You flip a coin and let me know what you come up with.

32. Seattle Seahawks (0-2).  Tavaris Jackson just isn’t that good. Let’s call a spade a spade here, San Francisco is not the cream of the NFL talent, and Tavaris looked bad.

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Week 3 power rankings

Last week was a little bit more revealing about which direction each team is headed this season, but there are still far more questions than there are answers about who is really good in this league. So far, Florida State looks like the most complete team in the ACC, but the Noles have yet to face a high-caliber opponent. That will change this weekend when FSU hosts Oklahoma. Georgia Tech also looked impressive in its win at Middle Tennessee State, and the Hokies’ defense came through at East Carolina. Here’s a look at the latest power ranking for the ACC:

1. Florida State (2-0): The Seminoles cruised to a 62-10 win over Charleston Southern and dominated the game on both sides of the ball. There were some mistakes, though, that just won’t fly this weekend against the Sooners. Still, FSU is right where it is supposed to be heading into the signature game of the season – 2-0.

2. Virginia Tech (2-0): Coach Frank Beamer earned his 200th win as the Hokies snuck by East Carolina 17-10, avoiding a scare from the Pirates. The defense was the highlight, as quarterback Logan Thomas struggled in his second career start. There is still time to get the kinks out, starting this weekend against Arkansas State.

3. Georgia Tech (2-0): The Yellow Jackets showed no sign of a letdown and dominated Middle Tennessee from start to finish in a 49-21 win. The passing game was once again a factor, and quarterback Tevin Washington showed control of the offense. The Jackets host Kansas, which is also 2-0.

4. Maryland (1-0): The Terps had a bye week, and remain in their previous spot. They’ll get a bigger challenge this weekend against No. 18 West Virginia. Maryland is off to a good start under first-year coach Randy Edsall after its win against Miami, but the Terps will have to do better in the red zone against the Mountaineers.

5. North Carolina (2-0): The Tar Heels started out strong in their win over Rutgers, but five turnovers raised questions about this team. One week after a nearly flawless debut, quarterback Bryn Renner struggled. The Tar Heels host Virginia in the first Coastal Division matchup of the season.

6. Clemson (2-0): The Tigers have struggled on both sides of the ball against both Wofford and Troy, leaving some to wonder if they’re really ready for a grueling three-game stretch that begins this weekend against defending national champion Auburn. Coach Dabo Swinney has said repeatedly that his team is a “work in progress.”

7. Miami (0-1, 0-1 ACC): The Hurricanes struggled through the Maryland game without eight suspended players and have switched to quarterback Jacory Harris for the Ohio State game. Turnovers continued to be a problem for the Canes, but they had a bye week to regroup.

8. Wake Forest (1-1, 1-0 ACC): The Deacs rebounded quickly from their season-opening overtime loss to Syracuse with a 34-27 win over Atlantic Division opponent NC State. It was an important win for Wake’s hopes of bowl eligibility and the first move in the conference standings. The Deacs reaped the rewards of playing all four quarters.

9. NC State (1-1, 0-1 ACC): The Wolfpack’s suspect performance against Liberty wasn’t a fluke. This team really does have some questions. Quarterback Mike Glennon revived the offense in the second half, but it was too little, too late against the Deacs. They get what should be a breather this weekend against South Alabama.

10. Virginia (2-0): In a bizarre game that went down to the wire, kicker Robert Randolph delivered the game-winning field goal for a 34-31 road win over Indiana. Another road test awaits, as the Hoos travel to Chapel Hill for their first Coastal Division game of the season.

11. Boston College (0-2): It’s been a disappointing start to the season for the Eagles and a disastrous one for their bowl hopes. The Eagles were outplayed in a 30-3 loss to Central Florida just one week after losing to Northwestern’s backup quarterback at home. BC was 1 of 12 on third downs, and quarterback Chase Rettig was sacked three times and picked off twice.

12. Duke (0-2): The Blue Devils made it interesting for a half against Stanford – were even in a position to be leading at the half – and then the Cardinal hit them with reality, and Andrew Luck. It wasn’t a surprising result, but Duke has a chance to bounce back this weekend against a downtrodden Boston College team.

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SEC power rankings: Week 3

Another week means more movement in our power rankings:

1. LSU: The Tigers (2-0) have shown that you don't need a powerful offense to succeed. It's all about defense for LSU and that defense has been very good for the Bayou Bengals. After shutting down Oregon in Cowboys Stadium, LSU sported the purple jerseys in its home opener and totally dismantled an over-matched Northwestern State team, allowing just 95 total yards of offense. Moving the ball against this group looks like it will be a tall order for any team this fall.

2. Alabama: The Tide (2-0) isn't flashy on offense by any means, but this team manages the game well and is efficient. AJ McCarron seems to have cemented himself as the starter in Tuscaloosa after an impressive day in Happy Valley over the weekend. Help will eventually be on the way on offense, once receiver Duron Carter is cleared to play. He should provide a much-needed deep threat to the offense. Like LSU, consistently moving the ball on this defense is beyond hard.

3. Arkansas: This team has quietly put up a ton of points in its first two games. The Razorbacks (2-0) have outscored their opponents 103-10. Granted, Arkansas isn't playing top-level talent, but we can see that this offense can still move the ball, despite losing Ryan Mallett to the NFL draft and Knile Davis to a knee injury. It will be interesting to watch how injuries in Week 2 affect the Hogs. Quarterback Tyler Wilson left the game with concussion-like symptoms, receiver Jarius Wright suffered a strained knee, and defensive end Jake Bequette injured his hamstring. Arkansas won't need them against Troy this weekend, but they'll need to be healthy for the trip to Alabama to close the month.

4. South Carolina: The defense hasn't been pretty, but it made the necessary plays to squeak by Georgia in Athens on Saturday. South Carolina (2-0) has really been pushed in the first two weeks, but the Gamecocks have showed resiliency. They aren't winning the way they'd like to, but the Gamecocks are undefeated and have the early lead in the SEC East. Teams know Marcus Lattimore and Alshon Jeffery are going to be heavily targeted and both are still making plays.

5. Florida: We still don't really know what to expect from the Gators (2-0). Florida's defense has looked faster and much more aggressive under new head coach Will Muschamp and defensive coordinator Dan Quinn, but Florida hasn't faced SEC-quality opponents. This week, the Gators will as Tennessee comes to town with its high-flying offense. Chris Rainey has been the star on offense and John Brantley isn't making a lot of mistakes, but the playbook will have to open up as the Gators get ready for the conference season.

6. Auburn: This team just doesn't know how to lose. Auburn (2-0) has won a nation-leading 17 straight games -- 10 by eight points or fewer. The Tigers kept that winning streak intact after a back-and-forth slugfest with Mississippi State Saturday. The defense still has a lot of question marks, but when a play had to be made, the Tigers did it. The offense isn't too exciting, but plays were made at critical times and Michael Dyer looked like his running legs were back as he made the Bulldogs' defense look silly. Will taking it down to the wire eventually catch up with these cats?

7. Tennessee: Well, we know the Volunteers (2-0) will keep the scoreboard lights on. Quarterback Tyler Bray has looked like the league's best quarterback through the first two weeks, passing for 678 yards and seven touchdowns. Receivers Da'Rick Rogers and Justin Hunter have made things easy for Bray, combining for 31 catches for 502 yards and five touchdowns. The Vols' offense will get a major test in Gainesville this weekend, where the winner will become top contender to challenge South Carolina for the division.

8. Mississippi State: The Bulldogs (1-1) came into the season as a trendy dark horse pick in the West, but left the weekend with yet another loss to the West under Dan Mullen. Mississippi State's defense showed it misses defense coordinator Manny Diaz and its three starting linebackers from last year as Auburn carved up the defense for 235 rushing yards. Chris Relf was most of the offense for the Bulldogs Saturday, until running back Vick Ballard finally got things going late, but Mississippi State needs much more from its receiving corps.

9. Georgia: This group of Bulldogs (0-2) has had a rough start to the season, but things get a little lighter from here on out. After losing a tough one in the Georgia Dome to Boise State, Georgia dropped a heart-breaker to South Carolina at home. Fans are no doubt growing more impatient, but the Bulldogs aren't out of the East race by any means. It will be a fight to get ahead now, but the season is far from over. It's all about staying together and making sure the Bulldogs are mentally ready for the rest of the season.

10. Vanderbilt: Getting that win over Connecticut Saturday was huge. The confidence is through the roof in Nashville and the Commodores (2-0) have a two-game winning streak for the first time since 2008. New coach James Franklin injected some swagger into this Commodores team and it showed when Vandy was down 21-14 in the fourth and scored 10 unanswered points. This defense is flying around and has been much more aggressive under defensive coordinator Bob Shoop.

11. Ole Miss: The Rebels (1-1) got into the win column over the weekend, but the offense still has a ton of question marks around it. Jeff Scott showed that he is a solid option at running back with Brandon Bolden and Enrique Davis out with injuries, but he looked like the only consistent weapon Ole Miss has on offense. The defense, which played very well against BYU in the first week, made things interesting against Southern Illinois by giving up 21 points in the second half.

12. Kentucky: The Wildcats (2-0) might be undefeated, but the offense is still struggling, especially in the passing game. Morgan Newton has been a starter before, but he hasn't looked very comfortable out there on the field yet. He has just 211 yards passing, two touchdowns and four interceptions in two games this year. Someone needs to step up alongside La'Rod King in the receiving game to give Newton some help. Two bright spots have been a faster, more effective defense and the play of freshman running back Josh Clemons, who has 165 rushing yards and two scores this year.

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Big Ten power rankings: Week 3

It was a wild and mostly bad week in the Big Ten, and that means some shuffling in the power rankings. Of the four Big Ten teams in the preseason polls, only Wisconsin has looked polished both weeks, although Michigan State regained its swagger against Florida Atlantic. The top two are clear, but there’s no longer huge separation between the top four and the next five, where we continue to expect shuffling.

The bottom three teams -- Indiana, Purdue and Minnesota -- have separated themselves for the wrong reasons.

Let’s get to it.

1. Wisconsin (2-0): Quarterback Russell Wilson has been brilliant in his first two games as a Badger, completing 27 of 44 passes for 444 yards and five touchdowns (passer rating of 237.6). Wilson’s pocket presence showed against Oregon State, but the more important strides came from Wisconsin’s defense, which rebounded from a sloppy performance in the opener to blank the Beavers.

2. Michigan State (2-0): Speaking of defense, no Big Ten team put on a more dominant defensive display than Michigan State. A unit that lost two multiyear starters at linebacker held Florida Atlantic to one first down -- the stingiest Spartans effort since 1944 -- and just 48 total yards. Quarterback Kirk Cousins has been very solid so far. Michigan State begins its rough road stretch this week against a desperate Notre Dame team.

3. Nebraska (2-0): We're keeping the Huskers here for now, but the Big Ten’s newest member was thoroughly unimpressive against Fresno State. Coach Bo Pelini is right and some games turn into real grinds, but Nebraska should expect much more from its defense going forward. The offense will have its ups and downs, but the Blackshirts won’t beat the Big Ten's better teams with performances like Saturday's.

4. Ohio State (2-0): After a no-frills opener, Ohio State had hiccups in all three phases against Toledo and nearly paid the price. Toledo looks like a solid team and coach Tim Beckman had an excellent plan against his former team, but Ohio State must start executing better on offense. The secondary also could be a trouble spot. Ohio State made enough plays to win, but it will take a better performance to beat Miami on the road.

5. Michigan (2-0): The Wolverines once again are the Big Ten's most exciting team, but are they one of the league's best? We'll find out in October. Notre Dame has outplayed Michigan for parts of the teams' past three games, particularly Saturday night’s clash at the Big House, but Michigan has won all three contests behind mind-boggling quarterback play. Greg Mattison's defense continues to make plays despite suffering some breakdowns that could prove costly down the road.

6. Illinois (2-0): We'll get a very good gauge on the Illini this week against Vontaze Burfict and Arizona State, but Ron Zook's squad has impressed so far. A multi-pronged rushing attack once again should be among the Big Ten’s best, and the Illini defense made several big plays against South Dakota State. A victory against Arizona State would validate Illinois as a team to watch in the Big Ten.

7. Northwestern (2-0): Life without Dan Persa has gone surprisingly well for the Wildcats, thanks to the terrific play of backup quarterback Kain Colter. Although Northwestern likely needs Persa back for the Big Ten season, Colter gives the offense a different element with his athleticism. The defense is still prone to too many breakdowns, and the front seven needs a disciplined performance this week at Army.

8. Penn State (1-1): The Nittany Lions' defense will keep them in a lot of games this season and potentially make them a factor in the Leaders division. But without a starting quarterback or an offensive identity, Penn State has limited potential. Alabama will make a lot of offenses look bad, but Penn State needs to settle on a starter and start building around him.

9. Iowa (1-1): The Hawkeyes take the biggest tumble in the power rankings after a poor performance in Ames. A team that struggled to finish games in 2010 couldn’t hold leads both late in regulation and in overtime, as Iowa State's Steele Jantz picked apart a defense that lost four players to the NFL draft. Iowa's defense needs to rebound this week against a Pitt team that runs a high-tempo spread offense.

10. Purdue (1-1): We wanted to drop the Boilers after their loss to Rice but Indiana and Minnesota made that impossible. Carson Wiggs nearly helped Purdue to another dramatic win but his 31-yard field-goal attempt was blocked as time expired as Rice prevailed 24-22. Purdue needs more from its defense and has to avoid the breakdowns that have surfaced too often during coach Danny Hope’s tenure.

11. Indiana (0-2): Opportunistic defense nearly lifted Indiana to a huge win against Virginia, but the Hoosiers still haven't learned how to win games. They squandered a late lead and committed an inexcusable turnover in the final two minutes to hand Virginia a 34-31 win. There are some positives to take away from the second-half comeback, but Indiana still makes too many mistakes to get over the hump.

12. Minnesota (0-2): If Minnesota had one of the nation's more encouraging losses in Week 1, it had one of the more demoralizing defeats in Week 2. A heavy favorite against New Mexico State, the Gophers were thoroughly outplayed on their home field. Minnesota must not only respond from the loss but handle the potential absence of coach Jerry Kill, who suffered a seizure on the sideline late in the game. We hope to see coach Kill back on the field as soon as possible.

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Big 12 Power Rankings: Week 3

Time to sort out the Big 12 from top to bottom after two weeks of play.

1. Oklahoma (1-0, last week: 1): The Sooners had Saturday off after toasting Tulsa last week, but there will be plenty of talk about Oklahoma this week, when they travel to Tallahassee to face Florida State, with ESPN College GameDay in tow.

2. Oklahoma State (2-0, LW: 3): Oklahoma State hops over Texas A&M by way of a dominant Thursday night performance against a decent Arizona team. The offense is clicking, and the defense was strong for most of the night. The showdown on Sept. 24 between the Cowboys and Aggies is shaping up to be epic.

3. Texas A&M (1-0, LW: 2): The Aggies didn't punch their ticket to the SEC during the bye week as they would have liked, but get back to playing football next week with Idaho heading to College Station.

4. Baylor (1-0, LW: 5): Baylor got to bask in its win over TCU for an extra week and slide up in the polls, but the Bears get back to business this week. Stephen F. Austin is next on the schedule for Baylor, which looks headed to a 5-0 start before a trip to Kyle Field to face A&M on Oct. 15.

5. Texas (2-0, LW: 6): The Longhorns are not an excellent team. This is obvious. Last year, Texas was an OK team that thought it was still great. This year it's a pretty good team armed with the knowledge that it's not great. That could pay off with a couple extra wins that people don't expect. The defense is loaded, and if the offense becomes functional like it was in the second half, Texas could be sneakily dangerous.

6. Missouri (1-1, LW: 4): Let's be clear about what Missouri did on Friday night: The Tigers lost to a top 20 team in overtime on the road in one of the most hyped games in the Arizona State's history. It also did it with a quarterback making his first start on the road. All things considered, not a bad loss for Mizzou and no reason for a big fall in the power rankings.

7. Iowa State (2-0, LW: 10): Iowa State hops over Texas Tech with a huge win over rival Iowa. How good is Iowa? We'll see, but Iowa State is showing some promise and may have joined the second tier of Big 12 teams from 4-8 that could be interchangeable from week to week.

8. Texas Tech (1-0, LW: 7): No offense here, Red Raiders. When your only outing is a game against an FCS team, and you trailed at the half, I'm going to give Iowa State more credit for its nonconference schedule while the Red Raiders rack up wins against cupcakes. Show me something. Or beat Iowa State.

9. Kansas (2-0, LW: 8): I'll be clear here: Kansas didn't fall, it was leapfrogged by Iowa State. Kansas proved itself a bit with a win over Northern Illinois, but the gap between these two teams was enormous entering last week.

10. Kansas State (1-0, LW: 9): Kansas State didn't benefit with a poorly timed off week. The Wildcats may be better than this, but for now, they're a team whose only bullet point on its r?sum? is a 10-7 win over FCS Eastern Kentucky in which a touchdown in the final minutes rescued what would have been an embarrassing loss. The defense has more speed this year, but the offense has to be better.

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Week 14 power rankings: Status quo at the top

1.) Saints – I’m sticking with the champs.

2.) Patriots — No one in NFL has more quality wins.

3.) Falcons — Another workmanlike victory.

4.) Steelers — Troy Polamalu with huge plays two weeks in a row.

5.) Ravens — They don’t lose to inferior teams under John Harbaugh.

6.) Eagles — Gonna have too much offense and pass rush for a lot of teams to deal with.

7.) Chargers — Raiders get whacked, Matt Cassel has emergency surgery and they’re right there, again

8.) Colts — Must-win game vs. Jacksonville. Gonna have hands full with that run attack.

9.) Jets — As poor on offense as I figured they’d ultimately be, and I smell another loss this weekend.

10.) Giants — I don’t count them out by any means.

11.) Jaguars — Have the type of power run game to beat the Colts and take this division.

12.) Bears — That was pathetic and frankly what I expected — a full-scale beatdown. Over-rate this outfit at your own peril.

13.) Chiefs — I’m putting them here assuming Cassel is back soon. If he misses another game, though, pressure is gonna mount.

14.) Packers — Cannot afford to lose Aaron Rodgers for even a half with their weak run game. They’re in deep trouble now.

15.) Cowboys — Much improved over the past eight weeks, even in defeat.

16.) Bucs — There’s something about Josh Freeman.

17.) Rams — Remain in driver’s seat in worst division in football.

18.) Bills — I’ve said it before — love their fighting spirit.

19.) Browns — They blow games like that and it adds intrigue to coaching situation. Never thought I’d be saying so soon they need a healthy Colt McCoy.

20.) 49ers — Alex Smith leads them to a division title in Dec/Jan???

21.) Vikings — Need to put the Brett Favre era behind them.

22.) Raiders — Turnovers killed them, again. Allow 31 points in second half. Another crushing loss.

23.) Texans — Should be a fair amount of transition there this offseason.

24.) Seahawks — No one does the blowout losses like Seattle. Yikes.

25.) Titans — If nothing else, I think Chris Johnson finishes strong.

26.) Dolphins — Offense lacks any punch.

27.) Lions — Big win for them.

28.) Cardinals — If they went with a new QB every week they might just have made playoffs in NFC West.

29.) Redskins — So Rex Grossman might be the answer, eh? Ooooooooh-kay. Alrighty then. Could make a salient argument this team in worse position than Jim Zorn’s 4-12 bunch from 2009.

30.) Broncos – Getting dominated by a Cards team that lacks a QB like that, in your first game under a new coach? So much for a bump.

31.) Bengals – It is inconceivable to me they start Carson Palmer next year.

32.) Panthers – They won’t win again this season.

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Week 13 power rankings: Chargers fall fast

1.) Saints — Find ways to win games. I continue to defer to the champs.

2.) Patriots — Keep beating the best teams in the NFL.

3.) Falcons — Starting to string together road wins, and the schedule sets up nicely for them.

4.) Steelers — Biggest win of season by coming back on Baltimore. Driver’s seat in AFC North now.

5.) Packers — I smell a playoff run.

6.) Ravens — Very, very difficult to sweep the Steelers.

7.) Jets — Very, very difficult to sweep the Patriots.

8.) Bears — I don’t see a long playoff run, but dang if they’re not the top seed in the NFC right now.

9.) Eagles — Really like them coming off a lot of rest following win on Thursday night.

10.) Giants — Run game + a pass rush = December success.

11.) Chiefs — Everything sets up well for them to be hosting a playoff game.

12.) Jaguars — I’m a believer.

13.) Chargers — I didn’t see that coming. Gonna have quite a task to get in playoffs now.

14.) Colts — Peyton Manning is looking like Brett Favre the last few weeks.

15.) Bucs — Gotta love the effort, but have been unable to beat the big boys.

16.) Browns – Like I said last week – they’re gonna give every team a fight down the stretch.

17.) Rams — Best QB in NFC West and now winning on the road.

18.) Raiders — Try to figure these guys out … I dare you.

19.) Cowboys — Jason Garrett making a case to keep this job.

20.) Seahawks — Absolutely had to win that game. Losing Mike Williams hurts, if even for a week.

21.) Vikings – For the life of me cannot understand the blind loyalty to Favre.

22.) Bills — Ryan Fitzpatrick better hope that was a one-game blip if he wants to be the guy in 2011.

23.) Dolphins — I thought Brandon Marshall would get back on the field and Chad Henne would show some consistency. I was wrong.

24.) 49ers – Had a lot of guys banged up in the cold of Lambeau Field.

25.) Redskins — Have a feeling they won’t be closing strong. NFC East won’t be as kind second time around. Love the Albert Haynesworth drama.

26.) Texans — This could have been their year, with the Colts fading fast.

27.) Titans — Gonna be a long December … and a very eventful January.

28.) Broncos — Better defensive effort than I expected, but it didn’t save Josh McDaniels.

29.) Lions — Continue to like their chances in 2011. Playing teams very tough without their top QB.

30.) Bengals — Showed a spirit and fight Sunday that’s been sorely missing.

31.) Cardinals — Don’t see them winning another game.

32.) Panthers — Go ahead and give them that first overall pick.

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Week 11 power rankings: Eagles make move

1.) Saints — Watch the champs make a winter surge.

2.) Patriots — They have faced a brutal stretch of games and passed with flying colors, except for the hiccup against Cleveland.

3.) Jets — Mark Sanchez and Santonio Holmes must have a four-leaf clover tucked in their helmets. The NFL’s 2010 cardiac kids. Will their luck run out?

4.) Eagles – Could end up the top seed in the NFC.

5.) Ravens — Need to make a physical statement against the young Bucs on Sunday.

6.) Packers — Now that’s the Aaron Rodgers I’ve been waiting for.

7.) Steelers — From sacrificing a kicker to juggling his OL, Mike Tomlin had a helluva bounce-back week.

8.) Falcons — I’m still a bit of a skeptic.

9.) Giants — Injuries across the offensive line getting scary. Eli Manning getting too pick-happy.

10.) Chargers — Prepare for them to run over the AFC West.

11.) Colts — I figured 10-6 wins that division; just thought three teams would be fighting for it. They’re no different from much of the NFL right now — need to be at home to get much done.

12.) Jaguars — I know I already called the Jets the cardiac kids, but Jags are unreal with the finishes, too. All those turnovers and they still win? Wow.

13.) Bucs — To go cross-country and beat a desperate team is no joke. They’re gonna give the Ravens a game, too.

14.) Bears — Only team in that division that could push the Packers.

15.) Chiefs — When they get a lead, and stick with their physical approach, they get things done.

16.) Browns — Know they lost, but all of these teams from here on down are flawed and there’s still a lot to like about this upstart bunch.

17.) Raiders — It all fell apart. Richard Seymour went bonkers, Tom Cable made another QB change. That was a bad, bad loss … But they’re still unbeaten in the division.

18.) Seahawks — Yeah they lost, but so did the rest of their division. If Seattle beats Carolina, St. Louis and San Fran it will host a playoff game.

19.) Redskins — Showed some guts rebounding the way they did. Have won fair share of close games.

20.) Dolphins — As inept of an offense performance — coaching and execution — as you will find. The winds of change might be blowing and it could be a rough finish here.

21.) Titans — They have literally run out of QBs. Completely falling apart last few weeks and now Vince Young might not be a part of the future. Wow.

22.) 49ers — It’s over. Troy Smith magic runs out.

23.) Rams – A year from now they’ll be winning some of these heartbreakers they’ve been losing.

24. ) Bills — Chan Gailey proving he can still coach some offense.

25.) Cowboys – A two-game winning streak? How ’bout them Cowboys?

26.) Broncos — Being unable to run or stop the run not a good combination with the weather changing.

27.) Texans — No coaching-change watch could be complete without them now. Even another December scramble might not be enough.

28.) Vikings — Will someone explain to me why the Leslie Frazier/Tarvaris Jackson era didn’t begin weeks ago?

29.) Lions — Still like their long-term prognosis.

30.) Cardinals – A four-win team at best; playing in that division gives ‘em a little bump.

31.) Bengals – If they haven’t quit on Marvin Lewis, then you tell me a more appropriate verb.

32.) Panthers — Hearing Russ Grimm and Ron Rivera could be guys to get looks as head coach in 2011.

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Week 10 power rankings: Saints back on top

1.) Saints — Watch the champs make a winter surge.

2.) Jets — Getting some breaks, for sure, but Mark Sanchez using his legs, athleticism and head to make crucial plays.

3.) Ravens — Pass rush needs work, but Joe Flacco is growing up.

4.) Patriots — Bill Belichick’s teams bounce back with the best of them, eh?

5.) Packers — Love them coming off the bye. Aaron Rodgers yet to play his best football.

6.) Falcons — Great win for them Thursday. Quality team; want to see them take the show on the road.

7.) Steelers — Offense not in sync, offensive line in shambles, and keep losing impact edge players on defense.

8.) Giants — Ditto the Steelers … offensive line hurting and key defensive players getting dinged up, too.

9.) Colts — They get it done more times than not, eh?

10.) Eagles — Don’t look now, but they’re back in the NFC East race.

11.) Chargers — Things fell into place nicely while they watched football and got healthy.

12.) Raiders — If they manage to win in Pittsburgh, you have to start thinking seriously about their playoff chances.

13.) Titans – l still like the combo of Randy Moss and Chris Johnson. Have to get a QB fully healthy, though.

14.) Bucs — Dropping 30-bombs on people now. Wow. Even if it’s the Panthers.

15.) Bears — I didn’t think they’d be able to drive that stake into the Vikings.

16.) Dolphins — Huge win to stay in wild-card discussion, but very costly with the QB injuries. Don’t see them catching Pats or Jets.

17.) Jaguars — Most underrated offense in the NFL will work lesser teams. Can the defense keep them in games against better teams?

18.) Chiefs — Once the league’s last undefeated team, now trying to stave off a free-fall out of the playoff equation.

19.) Browns — This team is very physical and very resilient and is going to test people down the stretch.

20.) Seahawks — Biggest road win for them in quite some tine. Looks like they’ll contend with Rams in that division.

21.) 49ers — Troy Smith making plays, and they look like a loose bunch that’s in the hunt in the worst division in football.

22.) Rams — Like so many young teams, can’t get over the hump on the road.

23.) Texans — Gary Kubiak’s future has to be in question if things keep going this way.

24.) Vikings — Might as well give Leslie Frazier a look and start assessing for 2011.

25.) Redskins – I suspect second half will not be too kind to them.

26.) Cowboys – Initial applause due to Jason Garrett. The ‘Boys finally came to play.

27.) Lions — Just not the same without Matthew Stafford.

28.) Broncos — Didn’t see that coming. Need to keep that offensive spark going.

29.) Bengals — Put up all of their offense during garbage time and excel at falling in deep holes in the first half.

30.) Bills — Congrats on getting that first win after coming so close so many times.

31.) Cardinals — Not nearly as good as their modest record would indicate.

32.) Panthers — Not sure I see too many more wins on the horizon.

– Jason La Canfora

Follow me on Twitter @jasonlacanfora and following The NFL Network @nflnetwork.

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Week 9 power rankings: Giants gain two spots

1.) Ravens — Ed Reed has three picks in two games back; team had three takeaways first five games total. Joe Flacco top rated QB in NFL since Week 2.

2.) Saints  – Defense still getting far too overlooked.

3.) Steelers – I expect Big Ben to get better from here on out.

4.) Giants – That just wasn’t even fair Sunday. Men against boys.

5.) Packers – Hitting their stride.

6.) Titans — Picking up Randy Moss on waivers not too shabby on a bye week.

7.) Patriots — The defense could still be their downfall.

8.) Jets – Since Oct 1, Mark Sanchez has a 67.5 rating, with four TDs and five picks; L.T. averaging 3.7 yards per carry last four games.

9.) Eagles — Second-half schedule shapes up well for them.

10.) Colts — Another game, another offensive skill position starter lost.

11.) Falcons – As good a home team as there is. Ravens provide stern test in short week.

12.) Chargers – They’re baacckk. Another gutsy showing without a ton of skill players. Bye comes at perfect time and Vincent Jackson just a few weeks away.

13.) Raiders – Biggest win in a long, long time. Amazing comeback. Right in thick of AFC West race and have wins over K.C. and San Diego already.

14.) Vikings — Much like the Chargers, might be getting off the mat at last possible minute. Don’t see them reaching playoffs, but could salvage something.

15.) Chiefs — They won some crazy games and were due to lose one … If they fail to reach the playoffs, though, circle that loss.

16.) Dolphins — Very tough stretch against three straight AFC North opponents now behind them.

17.) Bucs – That may have been a must-win game in Atlanta in terms of real playoff hopes. Regardless, this team so vastly improved from a year ago.

18.) Texans — Same ‘ol, same ‘ol.

19.) Lions — Have to find a way to incubate Matthew Stafford from the kind of crushing blows he so routinely absorbs.

20.) Rams — Win their division games and Sam Bradford will be playing in the postseason.

21.) Jaguars — Gained ground in the division with a bye. But better start playing with some semblance of a defense.

22.) Browns — Play their best against the best teams. Capable of being overpowering in run game on any given day.

23.) Redskins — Few places do a QB controversy like Washington, real or contrived.

24.) Bears – Not a pristine showing coming off the bye.

25.) 49ers — In any other division you’d say, have a nice draft. But if they can beat the Rams …

26.) Bengals — Beating up on Browns, Ravens and Steelers a year ago not helping now… Those division foes remember and smell blood now.

27.) Seahawks — Absolutely pummeled by physical teams the last two weeks and the injuries have been crippling.

28.) Cowboys — Believe it or not, this may not even be the nadir.

29.) Cardinals – If they beat the Seahawks this week they’ll be right back in it.

30.) Broncos — Falling well off the pace while the rest of their division steps up.

31.) Bills — Find ways to lose every week. So close but yet so far.

32.) Panthers — Horribly non-competitive football team right now.

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