1. New England Patriots: The Patriots are finally showing some signs of weakness. Philly had them dead to rights, and a better team might’ve been able to finish them off. They’ve still got a few games this season, plenty enough time to shake Tom Brady up. Last Week: 1
2. Dallas Cowboys: It’s not saying much when you beat the Jets, really. But the Cowboys dominated in such a fashion that you have to believe that the Cowboys are still the team to beat in the NFC. This week’s game against the Packers will give them a chance to prove it. Last Week: 2
3. Green Bay Packers: Old Man Bret and the Pack continued their roll this week, beating Detroit in a game that really wasn’t as close as the box score shows. Bret had one of his best days as a QB in years, and Green Bay can really prove something if they can beat Dallas. Last Week: 3
4. Pittsburgh Steelers: Well…I guess it’s *something* to be able to say that you were involved in the worst Monday Night Football game in history. Seriously, only getting three points on Miami is nothing to be proud of, but doing it knee deep mud when those were the only points scored is kind of fun. Last Week: 5
5. Indianapolis Colts: Indy finally put up some offense Thursday, but there are too many cracks in the armor now. They’re not in any danger of missing the playoffs this year, but they’re definitely not going very far unless they really put things together and now. Last Week: 6
6. Jacksonville Jaguars: The team currently nipping at Indy’s heels. Jacksonville is a good, but not great team that has put itself in great position to win a few more big games. It’s too dicey to pick them every week, but their wins are no surprise. Last Week: 7
7. Cleveland Browns: Brady Quinn Watch: Brady is excited to be a part of this Browns offense that’s playing so well. He knows the only reason that Cleveland is looking at the Playoffs this year is because there is not a better, more courageous clip board holder than Brady Quinn. Last Week: 8
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Jeff Garcia is kind of like the extremely poor man’s Bret Favre. The only difference is that Favre is playing on a pretty good team this year, and Garcia is still playing for the Bucs. Will they make the Playoffs? Yes. Will it be pretty? Hell no. Last Week: 9
9. Seattle Seahawks: Inexplicably? They’re still in first place in the NFC West. Somehow they managed to beat the really awful Rams on Sunday, and it looks like they’re on their way to the Playoffs. This redefines limping into the Playoffs though. More like…Dragging yourself in there. Last Week 16
10. New York Giants: Oh, Eli…He has one of these games every year. It looks like he’s finally turned the corner and the Giants are going to compete, and then….meldown. Four picks, three returned for touchdowns. They weren’t all his fault, but being Eli Manning is still his fault. Last Week: 4
11. San Diego Chargers: Like Seattle, the Chargers have the “honor” of being in first place in one of the worst divisions in football. Winning is no guarantee like it was last year, but the Chargers are finally starting to play football. Last Week: 12
12. Detroit Lions: Another big game for Detroit, another big disappointment. It seems like any time the franchise is in position to control its own destiny they screw it up somehow. They’re gradually slipping down the standings, but they’re still well in it. Last Week: 13
13. Denver Broncos: Jay Cutler managed to look sharp at times last week, but ultimately, the Broncos couldn’t pull it out against the Bears. It wasn’t even kicking to Devin Hester that did them in. It was just not being very good. Last Week: 10
14. Tennessee Titans: While Detroit is slowly unraveling, the Titans are doing it rather fast. They looked like a sure thing earlier this year, but they’ve been awful the past few weeks. Luckily for them, most of the rest of the NFL has been even more awful. Last Week: 11
15. Philadelphia Eagles: Missed it by *that* much. The Eagles provided the blueprint for getting pressure on Tom Brady, but couldn’t put the Pats away, much to the dismay of the rest of the country. Clearly, however, they don’t need Donovan McNabb. Last Week: 19
16. Houston Texans: They may have lost on Sunday, but it doesn’t take anything away from what Houston has accomplished this year. Long the weird younger failure of a younger brother to the rest of the NFL, the Texans have finally put themselves in a position to win more than a couple games in a year. Last Week: 15
17. Chicago Bears: Sexy Rexy couldn’t get it done, but Devin Hester went absolutely nuts. I don’t think anybody believes he can actually keep this up, but for whatever it’s worth, right now he’s awesome. Last Week: 24
18. Minnesota Vikings: You know things are going well when Tavaris Jackson actually looks like a pretty good quarterback. The Vikings defense scored three touchdowns by themselves, but the rest of the Vikings looked competent as well. With Adrian Peterson returning, the Playoffs are not out of the question. Last Week: 25
19 New Orleans Saints: The Saints got a nice blowout win over the struggling Panthers this week. New Orleans is going to struggle to get back into things for the rest of the year, but you know what? They just might have an outside shot at the Playoffs yet. Last Week: 20
20. Buffalo Bills: After one of the more promising runs in the past couple years, the Bills are back to playing for pride. They’ve got a shot at a Wild Card spot, but with Trent Edwards coming back in to start next week, the Bills are thinking future more than anything else. Last Week: 15
21. Arizona Cardinals: It says something about the Cardinals as an organization when they had a chance to catch Seattle and the Seahawks won and the Cardinals lost. They haven’t ever played in many big games, and…that’s why. Last Week: 18
22. Washington Redskins: Say something nice…say something nice…um…No comment? Last Week: 17
23. Kansas City Chiefs: Another loss for the former AFC West leaders, and they’re not getting any easier. The Chiefs are still showing flashes of potential, however. On the plus side, they no longer have to shell out for Priest Holmes’ hover round. Last Week: 24
24. Cincinnati Bengals: The Bengals finally played like everyone assumed they could on Sunday. Three touchdowns to Chad Johnson and a defense that played competently, if not well. It’s too little, too late for them, of course, but something is better than nothing at this point. Last Week: 26
25. Baltimore Ravens: Kind of indicative of how things are going in the NFL this year, one of the league’s best teams from last year is a complete flop this year. Baltimore’s defense just looks old, and their offense is incompetent. It might finally be time to start over. Last Week: 22
26. Carolina Panthers: This is a team completely without identity. Their primary backup, David Carr plays like he’s always about to get sacked (to be fair, he usually is), and he’s the only quarterback who seems to have a hard time finding Steve Smith. Last Week: 23
27. Saint Louis Rams: The Rams’ two game winning streak was finally snapped. They looked pretty good at times against Seattle, but only as good as a team with no quarterback, no offensive line, aging receivers, and an overused running back can. Last Week: 29
28. Oakland Raiders: The Raiders won, but the season still isn’t pretty. They’re clearly not as bad as they were last year, but there are a lot of questions that still haven’t been resolved. First and foremost is, who is the starting quarterback of the Oakland Raiders? Last Week: 29
29. San Francisco 49ers: Finally, they played the game people expected them to be capable of all season. Unfortunately, they did it against the Cardinals again, and they did it about seven weeks too late for it to mean anything. Still…A for Effort. Last Week: 31
30. New York Jets: They lost again, and now all Jets fans have to look forward to is how their team is going to screw up another high draft pick. At least Kellen Clemmons is learning under fire, though, right? Last Week: 27
31. Atlanta Falcons: Last week, I called the Falcons out for starting the horrible Byron Leftwich over the boring, but efficient Joey Harrington. This week? Harrington looked awful. My bad, guys. Still, you should’ve had this franchise quarterback thing locked up before the season…Wait…never mind. Last Week: 30
32. Miami Dolphins: Woe is the team that plays on a slip and slide and manages to lose a game 3-0. There’s nothing to look forward to for this year’s Dolphins. I will say though, that it would be sweet justice if their only win this year came against New England. Five weeks to go! Last Week: 32
