Category Archives: Power Rankings

NFL Power Rankings Week 4: PFPod’s “Playoff Projector”

After 3 weeks of football, only three undefeated NFL teams remain. The big story in our Power Rankings are the disappearance of the Packers, 49ers, and Saints from the playoff picture. Don’t despair—we expect all three of these 1-2 teams to climb back into our Top 12 as soon as next week. Seriously, will 12 NFL teams finish September with winning records? With only 16 teams sitting at 2-1 or better, we’re taking the Under on that bet…

Top 4: Bye-week Bound

1. Cincinnati Bengals
2. Arizona Cardinals
3. Philadelphia Eagles
4. Denver Broncos

Despite losing at Seattle, Denver’s impressed us with their 4th quarter comeback to force overtime against their Super Bowl foe. Unfortunately for Seattle, even though the Seahawks proved they are a better team than the Broncos, the Cardinals still own first place in the NFC West. We can’t wait for Arizona’s Week 12 road trip to Seattle.

Wild Card Weekenders

5. San Diego Chargers
6. Seattle Seahawks
7. Chicago Bears
8. Baltimore Ravens
9. Atlanta Falcons
10. Carolina Panthers
11. New England Patriots
12. Houston Texans

The Patriots climb into our Top 12 for the first time this season on the strength of a weak win over the Raiders. We fully expect the Jets to challenge the Patriots atop the lowly AFC East.

As for the Bears’ team that beat the Jets on Monday night, they have a huge opportunity to jump ahead in the NFC North when they host the Packers on Sunday. Once again, Green Bay and Chicago promise to give us another exciting high stakes matchup #GameOfTheWeek

NFL Power Rankings Week 3: PFPod’s “Playoff Projector”

With two games under our belt, it’s hardly the time for any team to panic or celebrate. Only seven teams are 2-0, leaving Power Ranking pundits speculating which 1-1 teams are the elitest of the bunch. Weeks like this I’m relieved we cut off our list at 12 slots.

Top 4: Bye-week Bound(for now)

1. Denver Broncos
2. Cincinnati Bengals
3. Carolina Panthers
4. Arizona Cardinals

Our surprise pick in the Top 4 is Arizona. True, the Cards did not make playoffs in 2013, whereas the 2-0 Eagles are defending divisional champs. The Eagles’ two comeback victories to start the season, however, were built on the heels of two woeful 1st half performances. Sophomore HC Chip Kelly has yet to prove that his offense can sustain four quarters of success in a so-called “league of adjustments.” We expect to find out by the end of the regular season whether Kelly is a pro football genius or a leading candidate to replace Will Muschamp down at Florida University (not to be confused with FAU or FIU, the Gators will always be “FU” in my book).

Wild Card Weekenders

5. Philadelphia Eagles
6. San Diego Chargers
7. Buffalo Bills
8. Seattle Seahawks
9. Houston Texans
10. Chicago Bears
11. Green Bay Packers
12. Baltimore Ravens

The Chargers made the biggest jump of the young season with an impressive win over the Seahawks. We remain unimpressed with the Texans’ two victories, though, admittedly, Green Bay’s bare win over the Jets at Lambeau was even less inspiring.

Let us know what you think of our Power Rankings format. And feel free to tell us what we got wrong this week.

Final Power Rankings for NFL Regular Season

Heading into the final week of the NFL season, we’re turning PFPod’s Power Rankings into our playoff predictor. We’ll start picking playoff winners and losers next week. This week, we just rank the 12 teams we know or believe are headed to the postseason.

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Denver Broncos. (12-3). Peyton Manning looks to follow up last week’s record-breaking 51st TD of the season with the 266 passing yards needed to break Drew Brees’ single-season record. With home-field advantage still up in the air heading into Sunday’s late afternoon games, Denver actually need Manning at the helm until the outcome is certain.

2. Seattle Seahawks. (12-3). Seattle’s Super Bowl prospects look much cloudier after suffering a home loss to Arizona. While the Seahawks’ defense did its part by snagging four interceptions from Carson Palmer, Russell Wilson and the Seattle offense could only muster 10 points and a woeful 192 yards. Watch this week’s game to see if the Rams’ defense can repeat Arizona’s success in containing Wilson’s passing and rushing yardage.

3. New England Patriots. (11-4). LaGarrette Blount had 16 carries for 76 yards and 2 TDs against the Ravens. In case you were wondering, Corey Dillon averaged 18 -24 carries during the Pats’ last postseason run to the Lombardi Trophy, and gained at least 73 yards #BelichickBringsBackTheRunGame #CoreyDillon4ProHOF

4. Carolina Panthers. (11-4). I’d like to speculate on the Panthers’ postseason chances, but there’s no point before they play at Atlanta on Sunday. A first-round bye is not a “gimme” for Carolina.

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. San Francisco 49ers. (11-4). The 49ers are the only wild card team with a serious shot to make their conference’s championship game.

6. Cincinnati Bengals. (10-5). The AFC North Champions will host the Ravens in this week’s fiercest head-to-head matchup. While Baltimore prays to clinch a wild card berth, the Bengals will be hoping for a win on Sunday (and a Patriots’ loss). Cincinnati desperately wants a first-round bye, something they haven’t experienced since their 1988 Super Bowl run.

7. Philadelphia Eagles. (9-6). The NFL had anticipated a classic Vick v. Romo season finale in the NFC East. Let’s see if the Foles-Orton bout delivers anything remotely close to Must-See TV.

8. Indianapolis Colts. (10-5). Indianapolis proved naysayers wrong with a road win at Kansas City last week. I’ll admit it: Andrew Luck just might win his first playoff game this year.

9. New Orleans Saints. (10-5). New Orleans need a Carolina loss next week to have a shot at the Super Bowl. Simply put, the Saints suck too hard on the road to win four in a row during the postseason.

10. Kansas City Chiefs. (11-4). The AFC’s best Wild Card contender couldn’t even beat the AFC’s weakest divisional leader at Arrowhead last week. Who are they gonna beat on the road in the playoffs? Andy Reid better dig deep in the playbook. And he better start looking for another QB to lead his squad in 2014.

11. San Diego Chargers. (8-7). Yes, we got the Chargers sneaking into the last AFC Wild Card. Prediction: Ravens lose to the Bengals, and the Jets defense blow the Dolphins’ O-line away on the road to victory. BTW, We’re kinda pissed that the Cardinals can’t steal the AFC’s second Wild Card spot. Let’s see if Tampa Bay can upset the Saints and open the door for Bruce Arians’ team to make the NFC playoffs.

12. Green Bay Packers. (7-7-1). Who wants to win the NFC North? If it’s Aaron Rodgers, then maybe the rest of us will pay attention.

Power Rankings: NFL Week 16 (Playoff Contenders Edition)

With two weeks left in the season, NFL playoff seeding remains a mystery. Six of the eight divisional leaders lost last week, leaving the door open on all four first-round byes. In the AFC Wild Card race, the Raven’s 61-yard game-winning field goal on Monday Night kept the Dolphins and Chargers at bay. Speaking of #MNF, #WhatTheFInHeezy happened to the Lions ?!? Since Detroit took sole possession of first place in the NFC North back in Week 10, the Lions have lost four of their last five. Now that Cutler is back, and Rodgers is on the verge of returning, expect Motown to ask the bankruptcy court to liquidate Matt Stafford’s contract #DetroitShockedCity

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks. (12-2). Seattle’s highly touted defense claimed their first shutout of the season against the Giants last Sunday. It was only the second shutout recorded this entire NFL season — the last one was Carolina’s shellacking of the woeful Giants in Week 3.

2. Denver Broncos. (11-3). Thursday’s terrible loss to San Diego became terrific as soon as Tom Brady’s team dropped their divisional match at Miami. The Broncos get to enjoy three extra days rest before heading to Houston, with their one-game lead for home-field advantage still intact.

3. New England Patriots. (10-4). New England nearly lost the #2 seed on Sunday, but the Bengals bungled their bid for a bye in a pathetic performance at Pittsburgh #ThankAndyDalton

4. Carolina Panthers. (10-4). Cam Newton has been sacked 28 times in 7 road games. Compare that number to the 10 sacks he’s suffered at home in 2013. Our takeaway? Don’t expect the Saints defense to drop Newton for another 5 sacks and 49 negative yards when these teams re-unite at Carolina on Sunday.

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. Kansas City Chiefs. (11-3). KC’s hopes for the AFC West Title were renewed when San Diego beat Denver last week. The Chargers may have something to say about that in Week 17, however, when San Diego hosts the Chiefs for the regular season finale.

6. San Francisco 49ers. (10-4). Don’t waste your time watching the Niners’ Monday Night matchup with Atlanta #FlexScheduling4MNF

7. New Orleans Saints. (10-4). The Saints have lost four of their last five on the road. If New Orleans can’t beat Carolina this weekend, Saints’ fans should prepare for another sad ending to their Wild Card Weekend.

8. Cincinnati Bengals. (9-5). Despite losing to Pittsburgh, Cincinnati remains in sole possession of first place in the AFC North. However, a loss to Baltimore in Week 17 could cost the Bengals the divisional lead they’ve held since Week 6. #SameOldBungles

9. Baltimore Ravens. (8-6). Nothing says “READY TO REPEAT” like six FGs #YeahRight

10. Philadelphia Eagles. (8-6). I’d like to say the Eagles’ Sunday Night matchup against the Bears matters, but I’m much more interested in watching the Cowboys implode against the Skins on Sunday– aren’t you?

11. Indianapolis Colts. (9-5). Look for an even matchup between Indy’s and KC’s quarterbacks: Andrew Luck’s passing numbers look a lot more like Alex Smith’s than Peyton Manning’s #NotACompliment

12. Chicago Bears. (8-6). If I were a Bears fan, my only fear is the Week 17 matchup with Green Bay. Does anyone believe Detroit can win both of its remaining games?

NFL Power Rankings Week 15

The Top 12 teams in the NFL Playoff Picture all remain the same—it’s their order that’s been jumbled quite a bit since last week’s rankings. Right now the NFC North and AFC Wild Card races are the most exciting in terms of uncertainty—but that’s largely due to inconsistent teams hovering right around .500. Perhaps we’ll see a little more excitement in the top half of the playoff bracket next week: with New England and New Orleans playing in divisional grudge matches this weekend, the Panthers and Bengals might get a chance to snag that #2 seed in their respective conferences… #GetSome

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Denver Broncos. (11-2). John Fox returned to the sideline for Denver’s miserably cold victory over the Titans last Sunday. Let’s see if his presence will be enough to guide the Broncos through the AFC postseason and into the Super Bowl.

2. Seattle Seahawks. (11-2). Seattle’s woeful 2nd half on offense Sunday resulted in the Seahawks’ second loss of the season. Nevertheless, Pete Carroll’s team remains seemingly invincible at home. New Orleans couldn’t even beat them during the 2010 season, when the 7-9 NFC West champ stiff-armed the Saints in Seattle.

3. New England Patriots. (10-3). Now that Gronk has suffered a season-ending injury, a lot of league observers expect the Pats to run 4 receiver sets to keep Brady and the passing game going. But don’t be surprised if Belichick is planning to revive New England’s power running game– LaGarrett Blount might be closest thing to feature back since Corey Dillon led team to its last Super Bowl win… Hey, it might be a passing league today, but if the Pats can hold onto the #2 seed in the AFC, the path to the Super Bowl will be cold, with a 50% chance of snow…

4. New Orleans Saints. (10-3). After beating the Panthers in New Orleans, the Saints have a chance to lock the division title up in their penultimate game of the regular season. Before facing the Panthers at Carolina in Week 16, however, New Orleans will have to take care of business on the road against Jeff Fisher’s defensive-minded Rams squad.

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. Cincinnati Bengals. (9-4). There’s a chance the Bengals could score a bye, the chances of which got slimmer when NE pulled off their last-second fatality against Cleveland. What might make things interesting down to the last game of the season is that Cincinnati holds tiebreakers over New England and the Ravens.

6. Kansas City Chiefs. (10-3). Andy Reid might want to consider playing his backups against Indy in Week 16. Why give Chuck Pagano and his team a chance to prepare for their inevitable Wild Card matchup? #HideThatPlaybook

7. San Francisco 49ers. (9-4). Carolina may hold the tiebreaker over San Fran when it comes to Wild Card seeding, but the 49ers earned the more impressive win against a divisional rival last week. At any rate, why should either the Panthers or 49ers care who is the better Wild Card team? Have you seen the NFC East and North “contenders” that would host them in the playoffs?

8. Carolina Panthers. (9-4). The Panthers can still bounce back from Sunday night’s blowout loss to the Saints and, technically, win the NFC South. We just don’t see it happening while Cam Newton is trying to be a pure pocket passer. Like RGIII and pretty much any of the other breed of new quarterback, the guy is better when his legs are a threat.

9. Philadelphia Eagles. (8-5). Yes, the Eagles currently hold the longest winning-streak in the NFC. But Sunday’s snow-covered victory over Detroit was Philly’s first over a team currently holding a playoff spot today. That’s more of a reason to doubt the Lions than believe in the Eagles.

10. Detroit Lions. (7-6). How are the Lions still not a playoff team? While Jay Cutler and Aaron Rodgers sat out with injuries that should have ended the Bears’ and Packers’ playoff hopes, Detroit has been either winning or losing far too closely the past two months outside of their blowout Thanksgiving victory. The Lions have lost 4 of their last five games against non-divisional foes. Don’t assume this team will beat both the Ravens and the Giants.

11. Baltimore Ravens. (7-6). While they’re not out of AFC North title race, the odds of a victory are slim at this point. They’re going to need to edge out the Dolphins and Jets for the AFC’s last wild card.

12. Indianapolis Colts. (8-5). The first team to clinch a division title looks like the worst playoff bound squad right now. Colts’ fans will be lucky to see their team winning their single home game. But who knows? maybe Tashard Choice will become the catalyst for their latest Super Bowl run #JK #BetterLuckNextYear #PunIntended

Power Rankings: NFL Week 14

Buster sits in erotic repose, tongue out for all to see.

Buster sits in erotic repose, tongue out for all to see.

Seattle’s beatdown of the Saints has shaken up the NFC battle for a bye week: for the first time all season, the Saints have dropped out of the NFC’s Top 2 in our Power Rankings. This Sunday Night, Cam Newton & the Black Panthers are looking to make a statement in front of Who Dat Nation #FistsRaised

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks. (11-1). The Seahawks have already earned a playoff berth. A win over San Fran on Sunday would clinch a postseason bye week for Seattle #NextUp #NFCTopSeed

2. Denver Broncos. (10-2). A tough road win at KC has put Denver back in the driver’s seat for home-field advantage. Notwithstanding the Pats’ overtime win against the Broncos, Brady’s Bunch simply can’t be trusted to win at Peyton’s Place during the playoffs.

3. Carolina Panthers. (9-3). After watching Seattle’s defense demolish Drew Brees’ passing attack, Ron Rivera’s squad has also learned the recipe for making mincemeat out of Sean Payton’s offense. We are more curious to see if Cam Newton can repeat Russell Wilson’s success against the Saints’ D.

4. New England Patriots. (9-3). While Pats’ fans are hoping the Broncos will stumble against one of Denver’s four remaining opponents (all of whom are under .500), Bill Belichick is trying to devise a solid game plan to beat the resurgent Ravens in Week 16. Since John Harbaugh took over in Baltimore, Belichick is 3-3 against the Ravens (including postseason), and he has never beaten Harbaugh’s team by more than 6 points.

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. New Orleans Saints. (9-3). In a copycat league, can the Saints rebound from a horrific 27-point loss at Seattle? We’ll find out when Jeff Fisher and Greg Schiano line their defensive-oriented squads up against New Orleans’ declining corps of wide receivers.

6. Cincinnati Bengals. (8-4). If the Bengals want to prove they have the grit to make it past the Wild Card Round for the first time in Marvin Lewis’ tenure, Cincy has to shut the door on the Steelers and Ravens in their two remaining divisional games. If either of those teams beats Cincy, the 2013 Divisional Title will crack back open for the AFC North’s perennial powerhouses in Bawlmer and the ‘Burgh.

7. Detroit Lions. (7-5). The Lions leaped over the Colts in this week’s Power Rankings based on our projections for the post-season. Indy has looked awful on the road without Reggie Wayne in the lineup, whereas Detroit has the offensive firepower and defensive line to upset New Orleans, Carolina, or even Seattle this postseason.

8. Indianapolis Colts. (8-4). That said, the Colts’ magic number is 1: one victory in December will clinch Jim Irsay his first AFC South title since 2010. Let’s see if Indy can impress the rest of us by winning at least one of their two remaining games against playoff-bound opponents (KC & the Bengals).

9. Kansas City Chiefs. (9-3). We’ve been hard on the Chiefs in these Power Rankings lately, but truth be told, we don’t care if they play Indy or Cincy on Wild Card Weekend. Head-to-head, we think the Chiefs can win on the road against both these AFC pretenders. Just don’t assume KC will finish the season 12-3.

10. San Francisco 49ers. (8-4). With Michael Crabtree back on the field, the 49ers’ passing game becomes much harder for opposing defenses to stymie. Colin Kaepernick looks extremely happy to have Boldin, Crabtree and Davis back on the field together. However, before San Fran can start its 2013 playoff run, look for the Niners to suffer their final loss of the season this Sunday: Seattle has outscored Frisco 71-16 in their last two matchups.

11. Philadelphia Eagles. (7-5). Don’t look now, but the Eagles currently have the third-longest winning streak in the NFC, behind only Carolina and Seattle. Luckily for Philly fans, the Eagles have a date with destiny and Tony Choke-mo in Week 17.

12. Baltimore Ravens. (6-6). The defending Super Bowl Champs return to the Power Rankings for the first time since Week 6. Alas, with their final three games against Detroit, New England, and Cincinnati, Ravens’ fans shouldn’t be surprised if the Steelers or even the Jets (yes you read that right) finish with the same record or better. Come Week 17, The crazy math for three-way tiebreakers may come into play for the 6-seed in the AFC. You might as well bookmark the NFL’s link now: http://www.nfl.com/standings/tiebreakingprocedures

Power Rankings: NFL Week 13 (Thanksgiving Edition)

Happy Thanksgiving! Here’s to hoping that the Cowboys and Raiders game makes it to halftime before Uncle Frank uses a racial slur worse than “Redskin.”

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks. (10-1). While many Seattle fans will watch Monday Night Football with a bong packed full of legally purchased weed, suspended CB Walter Thurmond will sit a home, another victim of America’s failed war on (non-performance enhancing) drugs #NewJimCrow

2. New Orleans Saints. (9-2). Saints’ fans hope a win over Seattle on Monday will put New Orleans in position to grab home field advantage in the NFC. Too bad the Saints can’t even bank on the NFC South title—with two games remaining against Carolina, New Orleans could be fighting for a wild card spot…

3. New England Patriots. (8-3). Can New England still win home field advantage? If Denver beats KC this weekend, the Pats will need help from one of the Broncos’ sub-.500 opponents in the last four weeks of the NFL season #GoodLuck

4. Denver Broncos. (9-2). The Broncos turned three Pats’ fumbles into 17 points in the first quarter. Then Peyton stunk up his home field in the 4th quarter and OT, completing less than half his passes in final two periods. Manning may be older and wiser these days, but he still can’t close out close games against top contenders #DesperatelySeekingJohnFox

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12
5. Carolina Panthers. (8-3). The Panthers won narrowly at Miami last week. Carolina has gotta play a lot better to beat the Saints in the Superdome.

6. Cincinnati Bengals. (7-4). The Bengals have a tough road game against the Chargers this week. If Cincinnati loses, the winner of the Ravens-Steelers’ Thursday Night Game will be one game behind the Bengals.

7. Kansas City Chiefs. (9-2). The Chiefs are who we thought they were.

8. Arizona Cardinals. (7-4). The Cards and their 4- game win streak runs into the Eagles, who have also won three games in a row.

9. Indianapolis Colts. (7-4). Since Reggie Wayne suffered a season ending injury in Week 7, opponents have outscored the Colts 93-12 in the first half. Don’t look now, but the Titans can pull within a game of the divisional lead with a win over Indy on Sunday.

10. Detroit Lions. (6-5). Despite back-to-back losses, the Lions still lead the NFC North, thanks to their season sweep of the Bears. This year’s Thanksgiving game against Green Bay should decide the division—if the Packers can just win this one game without Aaron Rodgers, expect Discount Doublecheck to lead his team to another divisional title in December.

11. Philadelphia Eagles. (6-5). The Eagles meet the Cowboys in the last week of the season. Until then, the NFC East remains irrelevant.

12. San Diego Chargers. (5-6). Among the glut of 5-6 teams in the AFC, the Chargers had the most impressive win on Sunday, beating the Chiefs on the road. Look for the winner of the Steelers-Ravens game on Thanksgiving to take over the #6 seed in the AFC…

Power Rankings: NFL Week 12

Cats in a football power rankings article: We know what makes Reddit tick.

Cats in a football power rankings article: We know what makes Reddit tick.

Spotting the NFL’s “Game of the Week” has gotten a lot easier in November. Last week’s Top 10 matchup between Carolina and New England gave us the best game of the season so far. Now the Pats are looking to bounce back in their Monday Night battle with the AFC-leading Broncos. As for next week, the NFC’s top two teams will duke it out when Seattle hosts the Saints in a regular-season prelude to the NFC Championship Game …

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Seattle Seahawks. (10-1). The ‘Hawks have their bye this week. If home field didn’t give Seattle a big enough advantage, the Seahawks’ extra week of rest and mental prep will boost their edge over New Orleans even higher come Week 13.

2. Denver Broncos. (9-1). Are the Broncos ready to win a championship? Their next two games will show if Peyton Manning has the gumption to snatch home-field advantage away from AFC rivals New England and Kansas City.

3. New Orleans Saints. (8-2). The 49ers would have beaten New Orleans if Drew Brees were more than five feet tall. Saints’ fans should start praying for San Fran to miss the playoffs.

4. New England Patriots. (7-3). Pats’ fans should be thanking the refs for Monday night’s loss— New England may not lose another game this season #SuperBowlRun #ReturnOfGronk

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. Carolina Panthers. (7-3). Cam Newton outplayed Tom Brady last week. Now he needs to beat Drew Brees TWICE if the Panthers hope to win the NFC South.

6. Kansas City Chiefs. (9-1).The Chiefs’ defense played admirably versus Peyton Manning in their first meeting of 2013. Look for KC’s front four to get off the block faster at Arrowhead Stadium when Denver comes to town. In the meantime, however, no one should be surprised if Phillip Rivers outplays Alex Smith this week, and if the Chargers upset the Chiefs.

7. Cincinnati Bengals. (7-4). The Bengals move up one spot to #7 after crushing the Browns. The Bengals are only two games ahead of their three AFC North rivals, but their path to the divisional crown is clearer than their record suggests: the Browns and Steelers have yet to play their two head-to-head games, and the Ravens will run a gauntlet of playoff-bound teams in their final three games: at Detroit, vs. New England, and at Cincinnati.

8. Indianapolis Colts. (7-3). Another week, another weak win. Hey, Indy could be worse about playing down to their opponents– see Detroit Lions, infra note 9.

9. Detroit Lions. (6-4). The Lions score 27 points in the second quarter last week. Then Detroit screwed the pooch in the second half at Pittsburgh. Don’t be shocked if the Shutdown-Corner-Formerly-Known-As-Revis-Island has a vintage performance when the Bucs’ secondary takes on Calvin Johnson this week.

10. Chicago Bears. (6-4). Fresh off their OT win against the Ravens, the Bears remain in control of the NFC’s second wild card spot. Bargain bin QB Josh McCown is looking so good right now, Chicago might be wise to cut Cutler and his $14 million price tag next season. The Bears will be better off in the long-term if they pick a QB early in the 2014 draft and then let him develop for a year behind McCown. Frankly, Chicago will be better off in the short term too if they spend more money on pass catchers suited to Trestman’s vertical attack.

11. Philadelphia Eagles. (6-5). During Dallas’ bye-week, Philly got back to a winning record for first time since Week 2. The Eagles eliminated the ‘Skins from the NFC East battle last week, but the Giants’ four-game winning streak means that New York has officially crept into Philly’s rear view mirror …

12. Pittsburgh Steelers. (4-6). The battle for the second AFC Wild Card spot just got pathetic. The Jets, Ravens, Chargers, and Browns all lost last week. The Titans have lost Jake Locker for the season, and the Dolphins have lost 40% of their starting offensive line to an HR dispute (and a PR nightmare). Though the Raiders’ win at Houston has stirred up an intriguing QB controversy, Terrell Pryor and Matt McGloin have played a mere 14 NFL games combined. By default, we have to call the Steelers’ win over Detroit the most impressive performance lately amongst the AFC’s mediocre band of Wild Card Contenders.

Power Rankings: NFL Week 11

Get ready for the last of the Undefeateds to fall in Week 11. Since no one knows how to orchestrate a second-half slide towards the Postseason better than Peyton Manning, #18 is just the right person to push the Kansas City Chiefs down the spiraled staircase of mediocrity…

Think of PFPod’s Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 Division Leaders and 2 Wild Card Contenders from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders

1. Kansas City Chiefs. (9-0). Talk to us next week about the NFL’s version of the Ohio State Buckeyes #Undefeated #Untested #Overrated

2. Seattle Seahawks. (9-1). If Russell Wilson were a member of the Wu Tang Clan, he’d be Masta Killa: quiet, skillful, and yet considered one of the best among his peers #NoSaidDate

3. New Orleans Saints. (7-2). The Saints probably won’t ratchet up another 40 first downs this week, but New Orleans (-3) remain the home favorite over San Francisco. The 49ers offense has been struggling lately, but Jim Harbaugh’s defense goes into this game 2-0 against Drew Brees.

4. New England Patriots. (7-2). Watch for New England’s Monday Night matchup against NFC Wild Card Contender Carolina. We will learn how the two conferences stack up heading into Thanksgiving…

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. Denver Broncos. (8-1). If the Broncos beat the Chiefs, KC could fall as far as #10 in next week’s Power Rankings.

6. Detroit Lions. (6-3). After completing the season sweep of the Bears, the Lions enjoy a huge leg up on the NFC North title. Now that Green Bay is looking at a 4-6 week gap in coverage while Discount Double-Check is out of commission, Detroit will watch the health of its divisional lead improve heading into December (ironic, considering that 140,000 policyholders in Michigan will watch their existing health insurance policies disappear before New Year’s). #Obamacare

7. Carolina Panthers. (6-3). Carolina’s Top Ten defense kept Colin Kaepernick and the 49ers out of the end zone on Sunday. So long as Cam Newton is getting decent pocket-protection, the Panthers are consistently winning. Put another way, Carolina is 6-1 this season when Newton is sacked 3 times or fewer in a game.

8. Cincinnati Bengals. (6-4). Stunningly, Cincinnati held onto the #8 spot in our Power Rankings. Bengals fans should thank Indy, Chicago, and San Fran for crapping the bed last week. Half the Ravens’ points came off Marvin Lewis’ mistaken decision to go for it on 4th down on Cincy’s first and last drives. Don’t be surprised to hear rumors of Ed Reed talking to the Bengals in the days and weeks ahead.

9. Indianapolis Colts. (6-3). What happened to the Colts last week? Jeff Fisher, that’s who. Air McNair was smiling from above when he saw the Rams using the classic run-heavy offense, coupled with strategically aggressive downfield passing, which his Titans used to run 10 years ago. Look for Indy to bounce back this week– just don’t expect to see the Colts make it past the Wild Card Round.

10. New York Jets. (5-4). The AFC’s sixth best team remains the Jets this week. More Chris Ivory, please: his season-high 139 yards against the Saints seems to have moved him ahead of Bilal Powell on the RB depth chart.

11. Chicago Bears. (5-4). Chicago is a surprise pick in this week’s Power Rankings. The 49ers have a better record, but the Bears have played far more consistently all season long– not one of Chicago’s losses has been by more than a touchdown (plus 2-pt conversion). Head-to-head, we think the 49ers would probably beat the Bears. But these two wild card wannabes won’t be meeting in the NFC Championship Game this year, unless we hitch a ride with Marty McFly to the ’84 NFC Championship Game

12. Dallas Cowboys. (5-5). 49ers fans, don’t be mad at me. Be mad at the NFC East for stealing the playoff spot you deserve.

Power Rankings: Week 10

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Though the Top 4 in our Power Rankings remain the same this week, our confidence is shaken in the Chiefs, Seahawks, and Colts, who nearly lost to teams under .500. At least the Saints had the decency to lose to a Jets’ squad that has jumped into the PFPod Top 12 for the first time this season.

Think of PFPod’s Power Rankings as the half-breed love-child of traditional “Power Rankings” and the NFL playoff format: from Best to Worst, we rank the 8 divisional leaders and our two favorite wild card teams from each conference. Our Top 12 rankings give you all the fun of a college poll AND a meaningful outlook on the NFL playoff picture!

Top 4: Bye-week bound Divisional Leaders
1. Kansas City Chiefs. (9-0). The Chiefs’ defense scored all of KC’s touchdowns against the Bills. SMH.

2. Seattle Seahawks. (8-1). The winless Buccaneers almost beat the Seahawks in Seattle. Suddenly the 12th Man isn’t looking so invincible…

3. Indianapolis Colts. (6-2). Indy’s come-from-behind victory at Houston on Sunday night was exciting. Unfortunately, the Colts looked ill-prepared against the struggling Texans, who found themselves starting a backup RB and a third string QB, and appointing an interim head coach at halftime. We’re looking forward to this rematch in Week 15, no matter what the Texans’ record is. Get better, Koobs.

4. New Orleans Saints. (6-2). After halftime, the Jets adjusted their defense against Jimmy Graham. Rex Ryan’s defense didn’t just keep Graham out of the endzone in the second half– nary a Saint was to be found scoring a touchdown for the final 30 minutes.

Best of the Rest: NFL Power Rankings 5-12

5. Denver Broncos. (7-1). Interim head coach Jack Del Rio debuts this week. The Broncos should have promoted Mike McCoy instead, and just let Peyton Manning take over officially as offensive coordinator.

6. New England Patriots. (7-2). The Pats eviscerated Dick LeBeau’s vaunted defense last week for an impressive 55 points. Only 14 of those points came off of Roethlisberger turnovers.

7. San Francisco 49ers. (6-2). This week the 49ers have their first real test since September, when Colin Kaepernick will go against Carolina’s top 10 defense.

8. Cincinnati Bengals. (6-3). The Bengals fell in our Power Rankings as hard as Andy Dalton did in his own endzone when Miami dropped him for the game-winning safety last Thursday Night.

9. Detroit Lions. (5-3). Detroit has a tough road matchup against Chicago this week. Sure, the Bears aren’t expecting Jay Cutler to be 100% for this game, but the Lions rarely play well in the cold light of day games at Soldier Field…

10. Chicago Bears. (5-3). Now that Aaron Rodgers is out for several week, the Bears ought to move ahead of the Packers within the NFC North and the Wild Card Race. Even if Josh McCown is Chicago’s QB for the foreseeable future, unlike his counterpart in Green Bay (i.e., Packers’ backup QB Seneca Wallace), McCown got a lot of preseason reps for his current team. Packers fans will be screaming for their GM’s (cheese)head if Green Bay loses out on a playoff spot due to Wallace’s lack of preparation in Mike McCarthy’s offense.

11. Dallas Cowboys. (5-4). Sunday Night’s matchup against the Saints is looking like the kind of shootout that NFL fans prefer these days. Admittedly, a playoff rematch between these two teams in the NFC Divisional Round would even entertain me.

12. New York Jets. (5-4). Geno Smith’s Jets have yet to win back-to-back games in consecutive weeks. Luckily, NYJ is on bye this week. Let’s see if Rex and the Jets can get the second half of their season off to a winning start against the Bills in Week 11.