NFL Power Rankings

While others may say they have them, at the Sportsomniac we are proud to offer the true NFL Power Rankings; a 1-32 listing of each NFL team. Through six weeks of the season, we are now getting a sense of which teams are for real, and which are not there yet. I must say that in all my years following the NFL, I cannot recall a time where the league seemed so soft at the top where there is no dominant team.

1. Tennessee Titans (5-0) - This is a team I never thought would have the top ranking before the season started, but no franchise has matched the Titans' offensive and defensive intensity. After KC this week, the Titans will face a grueling stretch with matcups against Indianapolis, Green Bay, Chicago, Jacksonville and the Jets.

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) - While this team has been struggling with injuries all season, Willie Parker is due back this weekend and the team is still 4-1. Despite a strong showing from the Browns on MNF, the Steelers are the best team in the AFC North.

3. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) - This likely isn't a popular pick among anyone, like myself, who watched the Colts' first four games. However, despite some awful performances from the offensive line and struggles to run the football, the Colts are 3-2 and Peyton Manning finally looks 100%.

4. New York Giants (4-2) - The Giants were run out of Cleveland on Monday night but a big win against San Francisco at home this week and they'll be poised to face the Steelers in week 8 in a potential Super Bowl preview.

5. Washington Redskins (4-2) - A week 6 loss to the Rams doesn't bode well for the 'Skins, but Washington has proven they can beat anyone (at least those teams with a win already, 0-2 against winless teams - although I don't know if the 0-0 Giants really count).

6. San Diego Chargers (3-3) - An impressive win over New England got the Chargers to 3-3 and with some better breaks they'd be leading the AFC West right now.

7. Tampa Bay Buccanneers (4-2) - With perhaps the fewest star players among the top teams in the league, the Bucs keep finding ways to win and the defense continues to impress, remaining one of two teams having given up less than 100 points through six games (Carolina is the other).

8. Dallas Cowboys (4-2) - For all the talk on ESPN about Dallas falling apart and looking like they're going to miss the playoffs, this team still has a ton of talent. Having Tony Romo go down will be a blessing in disguise as America's Team will realize how effective Marion Barber can be when rushed 25 times per game.

9. Denver Broncos (4-2) - Many experts will rank the Broncos higher than I do at 9, however a team with so little defense almost always seems to struggle in the playoffs and down the stretch and I expect the Broncos to do exactly that.

10. Carolina Panthers (4-2) - The Panthers had a chance to vault into the top five with a win over Tampa this past week, but a 27-3 drumming barely kept them in the top ten. With key matchups against New Orleans and Arizona the next two weeks, the Panthers will make or break their season in the next two weeks if both games have the same outcome.

11. Chicago Bears (3-3) - I give the Bears the second spot among 3-3 teams due to their nearly 5-1 record. Chicago needs to figure out how to hold onto games or they won't make the playoffs, but they've played like the 2006 Bears at times as well.

12. New York Jets (3-2) - While they've been inconsistent, the Jets are doing a lot of things right. The next four opponents are Oakland, KC, Buffalo and St. Louis. The Jets could be 7-2 by week 10 and running away from the Patriots.

13. Buffalo Bills (4-1) - Only one loss and outside the top ten. Maybe it's true that Buffalo doesn't get enough respect, but I'm still not convinced they're the class of the AFC East.

14. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3) - The Jags enter the bye at a great time and will face a soft schedule the next few weeks. With Cleveland, Cincy and Detroit coming up before a pivotal division showdown with Tennessee, now is the time for Jacksonville to make up ground in the AFC.

15. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) - While we're all still on injury watch for Kurt Warner, the Cardinals are quietly two games up in the NFC West and the offense looks great, even without Anquan Boldin.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) - The Eagles seem like an afterthought in the NFC East but are capable of beating anyone and are one of the most balanced teams in the NFC. Nothing from 8-8 to 11-5 would surprise me, but this division is tough.

17. Green Bay Packers (3-3) - The Packers started out as one of the best teams in the NFL but Aaron Rodgers and company have slipped of late. However, a great win on the road against Seattle will give this team a boost.

18. New Orleans Saints (3-3) - Drew Brees looks like an MVP candidate if he can get the Saints over the hump. Matchups with Carolina and San Diego before the bye will tell us how good the Saints are at the half way point of their season.

19. Atlanta Falcons (4-2) - While the Falcons continue to win I am still not a believer. You would think after doubting the Rays all season I would have learned my lesson, but Atlanta just doesn't have all the tools on defense necessary to win down the stretch. Expect the Falcons to fade with a brutal schedule coming up that includes Philadelphia, New Orleans, Denver and San Diego, Carolina. Only Oakland looks like a sure-fire win over the next several weeks.

20. Cleveland Browns (2-3) - A great win against the Giants goes a long way toward giving the Browns hope for the rest of the season.

21. New England Patriots (3-2) - It's tough to think of the Patriots as the 21st team in the NFL, but Matt Cassel has proven he can't hit open receivers beyond 20 yards down field, something the Patriots desperately need with a weapon like Randy Moss.

22. Minnesota Vikings (3-3) - While it may be painful to watch, the Vikings do seem to find a way to win games.

23. Baltimore Ravens (2-3) - The defense always looks good but without Willis McGahee eating up yards on the ground Joe Flacco can only do so much as a rookie QB.

24. Miami Dolphins (2-3) - There is one great thing about the Dolphins, and that is almost any high school football player could pick up their offense in a weekend if Ronnie Brown goes down. Did Urban Meyer take control of play calling for the Dolphins with nobody noticing?

25. Houston Texans (1-4) - A near-win against the Colts is as close as the Texans have come to relevancy this season. Andre Johnson, Steve Slaton and the defensive line look great, but the rest of the Texans need to catch up.

26. San Francisco 49ers (2-4) - The 49ers have done some good things this season but other than Frank Gore the team has not been consistent. The offense has found success, but the defense has more holes than a whack-a-mole game at the arcade.

27. Seattle Seahawks (1-4) - For a team that I picked to win the division and one with a ton of talent on defense, the Seahawks have looked awful. I still believe the Seahawks can win the NFC West, but their performance each week makes me question my own sanity.

28. Oakland Raiders (1-4) - The Raiders have been able to play well in spurts but are clearly a year away from any type of success. And if head coaches keep flying out of the organization like they have, we might never see JaMarcus Russell's potential reached.

29. St. Louis Rams (1-4) - The win against the Redskins was impressive but there still isn't much hope in St. Louis. With Dallas, New England and Arizona all on the schedule the next three weeks, a 2-6 record would be a success after week 9.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4) - The Chiefs haven't been able to get anything going all season with a combined 65-131 score against opponents this season.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6) - Marvin Lewis can't seem to right the ship and this train is off the tracks. They just need to take one game at a time and play like a team. I figured some tired cliches were in order for a team with uninspired stars at the skill positions. What the hell, how about a John Madden quote to boot, "The team with the most points usually wins, and that hasn't been these guys so far this year."

32. Detroit Lions (0-5) - It's no mystery that this team is in disarray and an 0-5 start only tells part of the story in Motown. Three wins would be a successful finish for this awful franchise. How many more years will we have to watch the Lions on Thanksgiving?

For comparison, the ESPN Power Rankings, released a few hours after ours here at The Sportsomniac.