Mark Maske's NFL Power Rankings
By Mark Maske
Washington Post Staff Writer
Web Posted: Tuesday, Dec. 28; 4:11 p.m. EST
1. Steelers (14-1): They keep rolling, but QB Ben Roethlisberger will be coming off an injury when the playoffs begin. (Last Week's Rank: 1) 2. Patriots (13-2): Dominating win over the Jets re-established the defending champs as an AFC co-favorite. (2) 3. Colts (12-3): They have the league's second-longest winning streak, at eight games, but are staring at a second-round playoff game in Foxboro, Mass. (4) 4. Eagles (13-2): There's plenty of bad karma right now, and this isn't exactly their time of the year. (3) 5. Chargers (11-4): There's simply no way they should have lost that game in Indy after outplaying the Colts. (5) 6. Falcons (11-4): Resting QB Michael Vick doesn't raise eyebrows. Unlike the Eagles, they didn't have to remake their offense with two games to go in the season. (6) 7. Bills (9-6): Whether they get it or not, they deserve a playoff spot. (8) 8. Packers (9-6): T.O.'s injury might make this QB Brett Favre's last, best Super Bowl shot. (10) 9. Panthers (7-8): Is their rise to playoff contention a feel-good story, or just a sign of how awful the NFC is? Maybe both. (13) 10. Broncos (9-6): The Titans came up on the schedule at the right time. (14) 11. Jets (10-5): They can't compete with the big boys. (7) 12. Vikings (8-7): The price was right for owner Red McCombs to retain Mike Tice, the league's lowest-paid coach, despite another late-season disappearing act. (11) 13. Seahawks (8-7): Backup QB Trent Dilfer gets Seattle the win that clinches a playoff spot, but doesn't play well enough to force Coach Mike Holmgren to consider leaving him in the lineup ahead of Matt Hasselbeck. (19) 14. Saints (7-8): Have won three straight at the time of the season when they usually are falling apart. (18) 15. Chiefs (7-8): If only it were a 20-game regular season. .... (15) 16. Texans (7-8): Get to face the Browns at home with a shot at a .500 season. (16) 17. Rams (7-8): Now, if only the Jets will agree to sit down Chad Pennington, Curtis Martin and Shaun Ellis this weekend, they'll be fine. (20) 18. Jaguars (8-7): Gave a pathetic performance Sunday when their schedule seemed to give them the inside track to a 10-6 record and a playoff spot. (9) 19. Ravens (8-7): Deion Sanders thought he was coming back to a Super Bowl contender. Guess again. (12) 20. Bengals (7-8): Do they get to face the Eagles' B team, too? (17) 21. Cowboys (6-9): They could agree to play with 10 guys against the Redskins and still win. (22) 22. Lions (6-9): This season isn't the step forward they were expecting. (23) 23. Dolphins (4-11): They're 3-3 under interim coach Jim Bates. (27) 24. Redskins (5-10): Who would've thought that Year 1 under Joe Gibbs would be worse than Year 1 under Steve Spurrier? (21) 25. Raiders (5-10): They've got to get a running back in the offseason. (25) 26. Buccaneers (5-10): Chris Simms probably gets a final-weekend start at QB and might challenge Brian Griese for the starting job in training camp next summer. (24) 27. Cardinals (5-10): Dennis Green can make all the QB switches he wants after Sunday. (28) 28. Giants (5-10): Was it really only two months ago that Tom Coughlin looked like he might be a coach of the year candidate? (26) 29. Bears (5-10): Memo to Jerry Angelo and Lovie Smith: Get yourselves a backup QB next time around. (29) 30. Titans (4-11): Coach Jeff Fisher has found a way to hold things together through trying times most seasons, but not this year. (30) 31. 49ers (2-13): Will they keep Dennis Erickson as their coach just so they won't have to pay off his contract? It's possible. (31) 32. Browns (3-12): Terry Robiskie to finish second in the interim coach of the year balloting. (32)
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