Gridiron Experts Power Rankings

1] Indianapolis Colts 12-0

We were splitting hairs for the top team on this list; you could almost have the Colts as 1A and the Saints as 1B. The playoffs are the focus now, and even if there is a surprise loss in the next couple weeks, nobody would be surprised to see Manning and the Colts walk through the Playoffs to the Super Bowl.

2] New Orleans Saints 12-0

This team is not untouchable, but if you let up for more than a second Drew Brees will have his offense on the goal line in the blink of an eye. I’d love to see the Colts vs. Saints in the Super Bowl, but on the other hand I love a good upset. Regardless of how these two 12-0 teams finish the season, the odds of either team making it to the big dance is highly favorable.

3] Minnesota Vikings 10-2

A small setback last week should make for a great game against the Bengals. The Vikings need to remain focused as the Bengals are no pushover team. With the NFC East battle going on and Cardinals winning last week, a slip up could result in the loss of the opening week playoff bye. The Vikings remaining schedule isn’t that difficult, but the fact that everyone except Brett Favre is used to playing in a dome has the betting community a little curious to see if they remain the top dog.

4] San Diego Chargers 9-3

The Chargers are on a 5 game winning streak and are itching to prove themselves in the playoffs. The Broncos are the annoying fly that won’t go away in the standings, so expect the Chargers to play hard right through the remaining games of the season (that’s good news for fantasy owners). Denver’s remaining games are easier on paper, but the team doesn’t have the depth and should remain a game back.

5] Cincinnati Bengals 9-3

The Bengals have something this year that they haven’t had in years… a strong defense. Sure Chad Ochocinco makes the highlight reel TD catch that gets him fined $30K for wearing a poncho and sombrero after he scores, but it’s the defense that’s winning games. The defense is the Bengals best kept secret by far. Think about it, we haven’t seen too many blowouts from the 9-3 Bengals, mainly because the offense is, well, average. Except for ranking 6th overall in rushing yards per game, the Bengals are middle of the pack with their passing attack and will lean on an excellent underrated defensive core in the playoffs.

6] Philadelphia Eagles 8-4

The Eagles are on a 3 game winning streak and are eyeballing the top spot in the NFC East. Winning in December is nothing new for quarterback Donovan McNabb as he tends to do this every year. Most of last weeks highlights were of Mike Vick getting clean up duty in ATL, but the fact that at the start of the game McNabb was without Westbrook and D. Jackson shows that his leadership is starting to really speak volumes. The Eagles are banged up on defense but continue to make plays across the board; this team is always a threat this time of year.

7] Green Bay Packers 8-4

Hard to believe Green Bay lost to Tampa Bay a couple weeks back, we figured it was due to the sexy cheerleaders on the Buccaneer sidelines. Aaron Rodgers is the man in Green Bay, playing smart football and looking better than even Favre in the last couple years in Green Bay. The Packers also have an MVP type player on defense named Charles Woodson, who is not only a game breaker but a leader for the team. The Packers are on a 4 game winning streak, so maybe giving the Bucs their first win was a blessing in disguise.

8] Arizona Cardinals 8-4

Super Bowl fluke? Hell no! The Cardinals haven’t lost a step and look even stronger than they did at this point last year. People are still taking this team for granted (including Grid-X), and with improvements to the Cardinals core (despite losing a few free agents this season) they seem stronger on defense and in the running game.

9] Denver Broncos 8-4

The Denver Broncos are having a rollercoaster type season. After a nightmare losing skid the team seems to be enjoying the ride instead of hanging on through a gut wrenching inverted flip. Regardless of how the Broncos end their season, fans have to be happy with this new coaching staff and may want to take back some of the things they said about the team in the pre-season. Denver is still in the hunt, but could be moving higher up ranking boards with a win this week against the Colts.

10] Dallas Cowboys 8-4

Slipping but not losing a step has the Cowboys at 10. Dallas might be struggling lately, but they have more talent and depth than Eagles and Giants fans want to admit. The team faces the ultimate test this month facing off against the Chargers, Saints, Skins (who are playing well), and Eagles. There will be no excuses this year, the Cowboys need to win to clinch a playoff spot and if they do, they could gain momentum deep into the playoffs.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars

12. New York Giants

13. New England Patriots

14. Miami Dolphins

15. Atlanta Falcons

16. Baltimore Ravens

17. New York Jets

18. Pittsburgh Steelers

19. Tennessee Titans

20. San Francisco 49ers