Business as usual at the top of SB Nation Arizona's NFL Power Rankings. A couple of the top 10 teams moved around, but even they were winners.
Although both Chicago and Tampa Bay sit with 7-3 records, I just can't bring myself to put them into the top 10. You understand, right? Biggest jump this week was Dallas climbing seven spots, while the biggest fall was my precious Miami Dolphins sliding down six. For the last few days I've been thinking about where the Cardinals belong and while you may think it's a little harsh, I could have actually done worse.
On to the rankings.
(1) New England Patriots (8-2) - Detroit this week is just the warm-up for an enormous game with the Jets in two weeks. Doubt they'll look past the Lions like they did the Browns. (LW: 1)
(2) New York Jets (8-2) - Are these guys playing down to their competition? Their last four wins were nail-biters over below .500 teams. Cincinnati won't be a test at all. (LW: 2)
(3) Atlanta Falcons (8-2) - Record-wise this is the best team in the NFC. Green Bay is about to kick the tires on whether they are also game-playing-wise the best team in the NFC. (LW: 3)
(4) New Orleans Saints (7-3) - Drew Brees is doing Drew Brees things again, but he's still throwing too many interceptions. NO will continue feasting on weak teams for the next three weeks (Cowboys, Bengals, Rams). (LW: 5)
(5) Baltimore Ravens (7-3) - Congratulations, you beat Brian St. Pierre; now you're being dropped in the rankings because you didn't win by a million. (LW: 4)
(6) Pittsburgh Steelers (7-3) - Games with Buffalo, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and Carolina virtually ensure that they won't be one of the good AFC teams left out in the non-playoff cold. (LW: 6)
(7) Green Bay Packers (7-3) - Four straight wins takes them into an enormous game with Atlanta. Aaron Rodgers will outplay Matt Ryan. Will the rest of his mates? (LW: 8)
(8) Philadelphia Eagles (7-3) - Michael Vick isn't going to last the season, right? I swear he's limping every five plays. (LW: 7)
(9) Indianapolis Colts (6-4) - Can't really be surprised they lost on the road to the Patriots, but doing it on a bad Peyton Manning INT is unusual. Sunday Night Football at home is a lock -- as always. (LW: 9)
(10) New York Giants (6-4) - They may have lost to Philly, but they hammered the Bears earlier this season and they'll do the same to Tampa Bay. (LW: 10)
(11) Chicago Bears (7-3) - Tell me you'd take the Bears against any of the teams above them. I'm willing to hear all arguments. (LW: 12)
(12) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-3) - This is what you've done to me, NFL. You've forced me to put the Bucs (whom I despise as a team) into the Top 12. Baltimore and Atlanta are about to knock them down a few notches. (LW: 15)
(13) Kansas City Chiefs (6-4) - Congrats, Chiefs fans, you won because you played a really bad team. KC has only won on the road once this year and now heads into Qwest Field. (LW: 16)
(14) San Diego Chargers (5-5) - It's on for the Chargers. A visit to Indy this weekend is probably going to be their last loss of the year. (LW: 18)
(15) Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) - Winning by the skin of their teeth ... but winning, and the current AFC South leader. If that holds, I'll eat my shoe. (LW: 17)
(16) Oakland Raiders (5-5) - In the Raiders' first game where they were relevant in like eight years, they lost by 32. Ouch. (LW: 13)
(17) Miami Dolphins (5-5) - My creepy love affair with the Miami Dolphins has ended. Alert the media. It might take 11 freaking wins to get a wild card in the AFC and I don't think Miami has the horses. (LW: 11)
(18) Tennessee Titans (5-5) - Regardless of the fact that they just lost to Washington, I think this team is still better. Well I should say "was" since they are now running out something called Rusty Smith -- which I think is a sex act performed only in Malaysia. (LW: 14)
(19) Washington Redskins (5-5) - A date with Favre and the shit-show Vikings this week gives them a chance to climb above .500. (LW: 22)
(20) Houston Texans (4-6) - Heartbreaking last-second loss to the Jets in a game where Houston played quite well, but it's their fourth straight loss and their playoff hopes are flickering. (LW: 20)
(21) Seattle Seahawks (5-5) - If they don't win this week at home against the Chiefs, I fully expect Seattle to win the NFC West at 7-9. Let that sink in. (LW: 19)
(22) St. Louis Rams (4-6) - Although they've been a superb home team, a loss to Atlanta is respectable. Unfortunately, they've yet to win on the road and they've got three straight of those coming. (LW: 21)
(23) Cleveland Browns (3-7) - Really feel like they had that game against Jackonsville won. Could easily be 5-5 right now. If Colt McCoy's ankle isn't right, they need to rest him. Why take the chance? (LW: 23)
(24) Dallas Cowboys (3-7) - Wins in back-to-back weeks put them above the other crappy teams for now. New Orleans strolls into town this week to ruin the streak. (LW: 31)
(25) San Francisco 49ers (3-7) - Just when it seemed like the Niners were going to make a real push for the NFC West, they get shut out by the Bucs at home. I apologize to America for having to watch Niners/Cardinals on MNF next week. (LW: 25)
(26) Denver Broncos (3-7) - Going up 7-0 on their first drive on Monday Night Football was awesome. Watching them the rest of the night was not. Tebow countdown is back on. (LW: 26)
(27) Minnesota Vikings (3-7) - Brad Childress is gone and so is any realistic chance of this team making the playoffs. Maybe Chilly can apply for his old job as a cashier at the Circle K in Flagstaff. (LW: 24)
(28) Buffalo Bills (2-8) - This team is like a freight train to the top! Next stop: Pittsburgh. Oh yeah, they'll probably get hammered there. Ryan Fitzpatrick has been solid this season and has earned himself a job somewhere next year. (LW: 30).
(29) Detroit Lions (2-8) - Back-to-back losses to the Bills and Cowboys put this scrappy team back towards the bottom. If Matt Stafford is still thinking about returning this season, I'd advise him not to. (LW: 27)
(30) Arizona Cardinals (3-7) - Maybe I'm being too harsh, but this is what I think of this team -- and frankly, I think Cincy may be able to take them. I keep looking at the Cardinals' stretch run schedule and try tricking myself into thinking they can pull it together ... but they can't and won't. (LW: 28)
(31) Cincinnati Bengals (2-8) - Losing at home to Buffalo after squandering a 27-7 lead means the bottom has completely fallen out. Marvin Lewis, Carson Palmer, and Ocho Cinco all won't be back in 2011. (LW: 29)
(32) Carolina Panthers (1-9) - Until further notice, this is where Carolina will live. There's like a 100% chance John Fox has put his house on the market, right? (LW: 32)