NFL Power Rankings Week 10

Power Rankings Week 10

Who could have fathomed the crazy NFL Week 10 jubilance of some unlikely teams, while some of the leagues top dogs took a nose dive in the wrong direction. This week of football was as unpredictable as a hail mary pass, but yet it showed the resilience that some teams possess heading into the final stretch of the season. Who’s going to make their statements when the time comes to show the world what they’re really made of? I guess we’ll find out who wants it more when all the chips are on the table…or should i say when the game is on the line?

The NFL saw their first tie since 2008 between the Rams and the 49ers, the Ravens trounced the Oakland Raiders in fine fashion, while the Bengals surprised the defending Super Bowl Champs, and three starting quarterbacks had their heads rattled, suffering concussions in Sunday’s showdowns.

Week 10 is in the books, so let’s take a look ahead at the Power Rankings heading into Week 11 of the season.

1. Houston Texans

Record: 8-1 Rank Last Week: 2

In a wet, sloppy turnover filled environment, the Houston Texans were able to overcome the elements and slightly defeat the Chicago Bears to make a statement for the NFL’s best team. It wasn’t a pretty offensive performance as Matt Schaub seemed a little apprehensive about moving the ball through the air, throwing 2 first half interceptions. Arian Foster helped in the ground attack, but it was the Texans defense that was able to halt the Jay Cutler aerial attack, knocking him out of the game in the second quarter. Though not their finest hour, the Texans are the NFL team to beat. Next Week vs. Jaguars

2. Atlanta Falcons

Record: 8-1 Rank Last Week: 1

The undefeated Falcons season came to a halt in an epic NFC South showdown with the New Orleans Saints. Matt Ryan yet again made his case for the league’s MVP award tossing 3 touchdown passes and passing for over 400 yards, but this hard knock game came down to both of the unlikely defenses. In a final push to get his team down field in the last 30 seconds, Ryan couldn’t move the ball forward and the game ended on a Tony Gonzalez dropped pass. This loss, although hard to swallow, might be a blessing in disguise for the elite Falcons. Next Week vs Cardinals

3. Chicago Bears

Record: 7-2 Rank Last Week: 3

Turnovers were the Bears crux in their Sunday night showdown with the Houston Texans, leaving Soldier Field without scoring a touchdown and hanging their heads low. Jay Cutler threw 2 interceptions, while a pair of fumbles cost the Bears promising drives. The Bears defense held strong in the second half, giving the Texans a run for their money, but with Cutler suffering a concussion in the second quarter, the Bears left their hopes and dreams on the shoulders of back-up quarterback Jason Campbell, who played quite well for someone who hasn’t thrown a pass all season. This loss begs to question are the Bears really as good as they seem to be? Next Week @ 49ers (Monday Night Football)

4. Baltimore Ravens

Record: 7-2 Rank Last Week: 7

The Ravens re-found their stride in walloping the Oakland Raiders in a game that was all said and done by the end of the third quarter. Joe Flacco had a big day through the air, passing for 341 yards and three touchdowns, while the Ravens rolled and strolled all day long. This game again showed how the Ravens are still aiming to prove why they’re the best team in the AFC North and even with the significant number of injuries plaguing the Ravens at the moment, they’ve proven they can still win big. Next week will be the time to prove just how good these Ravens really are. Next Week vs. Steelers (Sunday Night Football)

5. Denver Broncos

Record: 6-3 Rank Last Week: 6

Getting off to a slow start didn’t hinder the Denver Broncos even in the slightest. Peyton Manning again showed why the Colts shouldn’t have let him go while the Denver defense showed up in fine style, giving Cam Newton all he could handle. Demaryius Thomas and Brandon Stokley had big games in the receiving corps, with Stokley snagging a first quarter touchdown. The Broncos continue to climb the ranks and by about now the Denver fan faithful are beginning to erase Tim Tebow from the back of their minds. These horses are stampeding at the moment. Next Week vs. Chargers

6. Green Bay Packers

Record: 6-3 Rank Last Week: 5

Coming off the bye week, the Packers look to extend their 4 game winning streak to 5 when they take on one of their biggest division rivals in the boys from Motor City. Next Week @ Lions

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

Record: 6-3 Rank Last Week: 8

Even with Ben Roethlisberger suffering a shoulder injury in the third quarter of the game, the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to overcome the charging Kansas City Chiefs and beat them in overtime 16-13. Roethlisberger left the game’s quarterbacking duties to Byron Leftwich while Pittsburgh was just lucky enough to outlast Matt Cassel and the Chiefs. With a last minute interception thrown by Cassel in overtime, the Steelers were put in a prime position to win and Shaun Suisham put the game away with the game winning kick. Hopefully Ben Roethlisberger’s injury isn’t too serious because Steel City needs him more now than ever if the Steelers are gonna push towards the playoffs. Next Week @ Ravens (Sunday Night Football)

8. New England Patriots

Record: 6-3 Rank Last Week: 9

The slow start to the season for the Pats has seemed to fade into the oblivion as they now hold the top spot in the AFC East, looking to climb to even higher heights heading into the climax of the season. Tom Brady’s two touchdowns and Stevan Ridley’s 98 yards on the ground helped lift the fog over the Pats season and a close game against the Buffalo Bills that nearly saw New England give up a game they desperately needed to win. Now, with another win under their belt the Pats are streaking towards becoming one of the top dogs in the AFC. Next Week vs. Colts

9. San Francisco 49ers

Record: 6-2-1 Rank Last Week: 4

For the first time since 2008, the NFL saw a tie game, one that the Niners needed to cement their dominance in the NFC West. In a 24-24 tie, David Akers had a chance to seal the victory in overtime but missed the 40+ yard field goal, while earlier in the game Alex Smith left the game with a concussion, leaving the quarterbacking responsibilities to Colin Kaepernick, who ran a successful 117 yards on the ground. This game should have been a game the Niners could have easily handled, but they just couldn’t overcome those pesky Rams. Now San Fran has got to play damage control and get Alex Smith healthy again if they hope to stay relevant this season. Next Week vs. Bears (Monday Night Football)

10. Indianapolis Colts

Record: 6-3 Rank Last Week: 11

Indy continues to show improvement from a season ago, grabbing another win against the Jaguars on Thursday night. Andrew Luck continues to improve and is making a strong case for rookie of the year. If the Colts can continue their unpredictably wonderful season thus far, we could be seeing them in the postseason. Chuck Pagano is awfully proud of his squad while Indy continues to honor him by winning in style. Who’s to stop these Colts from going all the way? Next Week @ Patriots 

11. Seattle Seahawks

Record: 6-4 Rank Last Week: 13

The sea birds put quite a hurting on the boys from New York this weekend, riding out to an easy 28-7 victory. Russell Wilson was spectacular in tossing 2 touchdown passes while Marshawn Lynch was the Skittles eating beast of a runner on the ground, rushing for 124 yards. The Seahawks defense stepped up big and limited the passing attack of Mark Sanchez and Tim Tebow, putting a big frown on the face of Rex Ryan. Pete Carroll’s boys are on a roll and are gunning for the Niners in the NFC West. Next Week: Bye Week

12. New York Giants

Record: 6-4 Rank Last Week: 10

The G-men have taken a tumble in the past few weeks and this weekend wasn’t much better as the Giants were trounced by the Cincinnati Bengals. Eli Manning has struggled tremendously while the New York defense gave up way too many big plays to the ‘Cats’ in a much needed victory. It was unbelievable how many times the Giants secondary blew their coverages that cost them big time. Now with a week of rest coming up, Tom Coughlin better get his team into shape if they expect to make it back to where they were a year ago. Next Week: Bye Week

13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Record: 5-4 Rank Last Week: 14

These swashbuckling pirates have had a resurgent season and with a big win over the Chargers on Sunday, the Bucs looked poised to be a playoff hopeful. Josh Freeman has found his game again while newcomer Doug Martin has been a vital asset to the rushing attack. Sunday’s game showed just how powerful the Bucs can be when they’re on their game. Consider another team looted, with more feasting to come in the future for this witty band of pirates. Next Week @ Panthers

14. New Orleans Saints

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 15

Don’t call it a comeback but the New Orleans Saints have revived their season and have taken down the undefeated Falcons. Drew Brees put on clinic and was a passing machine, racking up 298 yards and three touchdowns. With the exception of an interception, Brees was unstoppable, along with Jimmy Graham who had his biggest game to date this season. It’s been a crazy season for the Saints thus far, but now with this team on the up swing, opponents better watch out because the party is coming alive again in Mardi Gras town. Next Week @ Raiders

15. Minnesota Vikings

Record: 6-4 Rank Last Week: 18

The Vikes took up their battle axes and hunted down the Detroit Lions with ferocity, taking them down for the second time this season. Minnesota suffered a few setbacks in the previous weeks, but finally came around this week with a solid effort from all sides of the ball. Adrian Peterson was back to his old self, rushing for over 100 yards while Christian Ponder looked much improved this week. This NFC North hopeful still has to battle the Bears and Packers in the coming weeks, but don’t count them out of the playoff race just yet. Next Week: Bye Week

16. Detroit Lions

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 12

The good times were rolling for the Detroit Lions after a disastrous start to their season, but they let their division rival Minnesota get the best of them on Sunday and suffered a setback that was devastating to say the least. Again the Lions saw themselves having to climb out of a hole they dug into only to fall short yet again. The Lions have a powerful offense with Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, but just can’t seem to find the endzone when necessary. Jim Schwartz needs to find a new game plan because the one he’s currently using doesn’t seem to be that effective. Next Week vs. Packers

17. Tennessee Titans

Record: 4-6 Rank Last Week: 22

The Titans reclaimed a little pride over the weekend by pounding the uprising Dolphins into the turf. Chris Johnson had a great day in the ground game, while the Titans defense forced three interceptions from Ryan Tannehill. Tennessee seems like their still discovering what kind of team they need to be, but if they played anything like they did over the weekend for the rest of the season, who knows how high these battle tested warriors will soar. It would seem the Titans are happy to have Jake Locker back under center. Next Week: Bye Week

18. Dallas Cowboys

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 24

America’s team did itself a favor by taking down one of their biggest rivals in the Philadelphia Eagles. Tony Romo was more of a factor in this game than he previously has been this season while the Dallas defense knocked Michael Vick out of the game and forced two interceptions from Eagles backup Nick Foles. This victory sure had Jerry Jones smiling as it seems now Dallas has a legit chance to catch those powerful G-men in the East. Next Week vs. Browns 

19. Cincinnati Bengals

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 28

Four touchdowns from Andy Dalton and a stellar performance from the defense helped the Bengals get out of the current funk they’ve been in, defeating the Giants 31-13. In a game thought to be dominated by the G-men, the Bengals came out and surprised New York in all aspects of the game, with receivers like A.J. Green getting open in coverage and the defense shutting down Eli Manning. Cincinnati has a lot of potential to be a great football team. They proved that over the weekend with this huge win. Next Week @ Chiefs

20. Miami Dolphins

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 16

Yikes…the Fins took a nose dive into the drowning pool with a huge loss to the Titans on Sunday. This game didn’t show how much the Dolphins improved over the past few weeks, it only showed how much embarrassment they’re willing to take. Ryan Tannehill threw three costly interceptions and the Dolphins had trouble finding the endzone all day, leaving the game with a lone field goal. This isn’t the type of team Miami is and hopefully this loss will help them realize they’re much better than how they performed against Tennessee. Next Week @ Bills (Thursday Night Football)

21. San Diego Chargers

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 17

Hopefully Norv Turner’s fury filled post game rant will give the Bolts a little enthusiasm in the next couple of weeks. After failing yet again in the second half to effectively move the ball, the Chargers watched a back and forth game go to their opponents, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. This loss halted a charging San Diego squad looking to desperately make a bid for the playoffs. Philip Rivers is again making bone-headed decisions that cost his team W’s and now they need to capture lightning in a bottle if they hope to catch Peyton Manning and the Broncos in the West. Next Week @ Broncos

22. Oakland Raiders

Record: 3-6 Rank Last Week: 19

The Black and Silver couldn’t even compete with the Baltimore Ravens, getting trampled 55-20. Carson Palmer had an effective day passing the ball, throwing for 368 yards, while the receiving corps of Denarius Moore and Darius Heyward-Bey were something of a revelation. But, the Raiders fell flat on defense and allowed Joe Flacco to pass all over them, giving him one of his best performances all year. Oakland needs to really think about how poorly they looked over the weekend and correct that if they want to show progress this season. Al Davis to be rolling in his grave. Next Week vs. Saints

23. Buffalo Bills

Record: 3-6 Rank Last Week: 20

So close yet so far as Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Buffalo Bills fell just shy of defeating their division rival New England. Fitzpatrick threw 2 touchdown passes and had 337 yards through the air. Fred Jackson took a majority of the carries for the day, while Stevie Johnson had 6 catches for 86 yards. The Bills could have saved their mid season slump with a big win but just couldn’t match up well against Tom Brady and the Pats offense. Hopefully Chan Gailey can turn this ailing team around in time for the playoffs this season. Next Week vs. Dolphins (Thursday Night Football)

24. Carolina Panthers

Record: 2-7 Rank Last Week: 21

Something seems to be off this season with the Carolina Panthers. Given the success they had last year by picking up Cam Newton, they haven’t been able to effectively finish games and give a lot of opponents any real challenge. Newton has taken a step back this season and with a gaping loss to the Broncos over the weekend, the Panthers could in all respect kiss their shot at the playoffs this season goodbye. Maybe this team needs a vacation? Next Week vs. Buccaneers

25. Washington Redskins

Record: 3-6 Rank Last Week: 23

After a week off, the Washington Redskins look to save their season against their struggling division rival from the cheesesteak capitol of the world. Next Week vs. Eagles

26. New York Jets

Record: 3-6 Rank Last Week: 25

Gang Green got their bell rung by the sailing Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, losing big 28-7. Mark Sanchez split time with Tim Tebow again which so far has proved to be ineffective as Sanchez threw a costly red zone interception in the game immediately following a penalty in which Tebow was under center. This team is continuing to sour and lose steam here in the final weeks of the season. I guess it wasn’t a happy reunion between Sanchez and his one time college mentor Pete Carroll. Next Week @ Rams

27. Philadelphia Eagles

Record: 3-6 Rank Last Week: 26

The NFC East race is beginning to find its competitors and sadly to say, the Eagles are not one of them. Michael Vick was knocked out the game on Sunday suffering yet another concussion while young backup Nick Foles took the reins, although it didn’t end pretty. Foles threw 2 interceptions and fumbled the ball in the Eagles endzone only to have Dallas land on it and seal the victory for Big D. Philly’s thought of a dream team has long since expired and now Andy Reid is on the head coaching hot seat. What needs to change for these soaring birds? My eyes would be focused on the offensive line. Next Week @ Redskins

28. Cleveland Browns

Record: 2-7 Rank Last Week: 27

Cleveland got their much needed week of rest and now look to upset the Dallas Cowboys next week in Jerry Jones’s billion dollar landmark. Next Week @ Cowboys

29. St. Louis Rams

Record: 3-5-1 Rank Last Week: 29

Jeff Fischer and his St. Louis Rams just couldn’t find a way to outlast the San Francisco 49ers in the firs tie gam game since 2008. Kicker Greg Zuerlein missed a field goal in overtime that would have upset the Niners, but unfortunately after 15 minutes no team could put points on the board and the game ended in a 24-24 tie. This Rams team showed resilience throughout a tough game but now need to focus on the future as they try and climb their way back into the NFC West race. Next Week vs. Jets

30. Arizona Cardinals

Record: 4-5 Rank Last Week: 30

Fresh off the bye week, the Cardinals hope to end their 5 game losing streak by taking on the birds from Georgia. Next Week @ Falcons

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

Record: 1-8 Rank Last Week: 31

What’s there left to say about the Jacksonville Jaguars that hasn’t been said already. This team might want to think about starting from scratch and go from there. After a tumultuous loss to the Indianapolis Colts, the Jags are reeling and struggling to find an identity. This team should consider cleaning house, with the exception of Cecil Shorts, whose continuing to prove he’s one of the top NFL versatile wide-outs. There’s always next season Jags fans. Next Week @ Texans

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Record: 1-8 Rank Last Week: 32

In a powerful effort to take down one of the AFC’s top dogs, the Kansas City Chiefs fell just shy of defeating the Steelers in overtime. Matt Cassel was fired up and ready to take down Steel City, but his costly interception in overtime helped seal a Pittsburgh victory. Kansas City held its own until the very end but couldn’t finish strong. Now Kansas City needs to reevaluate its game plan and figure out how they can reinvigorate a little spice into the rest of their season. Romeo Crennel needs to get very creative fast. Next Week vs. Bengals

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