Well, here we are, almost halfway through the season, and by virtue of being the only undefeated team the Kansas City Chiefs sit atop the rankings. Even more surprising might be the second team on the list, as wins against the Seahawks, 49ers and now the Broncos, all of whom have been atop these rankings at one point, have propelled the Colts to the #2 position. The Colts have beaten these three teams that have a 17-1 record when not facing Indy. Every time the Colts face a powerful opponent, the team elevates their game and gets a win. This isn't even the Andrew Luck show like people thought it might be, as the entire Colts' roster is contributing to their wins. Their defense is significantly better than last year, especially in the secondary. Robert Mathis is a defensive player of the year front-runner, and it looks like he's going to challenge the single season sack record. The Colts only have two losses after going through the toughest part of their schedule, and after the bye it looks like they're going to be able to clean up in the AFC South. Their toughest remaining contest might be the Chiefs, actually. Who thought a Colts and Chiefs game could be one of the biggest match-ups of the year? That game could have serious playoff implications.
1. Kansas City Chiefs: 7-0 (2)
Welcome to the top of the mountain Chiefs, you may not be up here long but you've certainly earned this spot. With seven wins already, this team is practically guaranteed to make the playoffs already, and now that the Broncos are in the loss column, they are actually in the driver's seat for home field advantage in the playoffs. Is it likely that they are going to be able to defeat the Broncos in their divisional match-ups? Maybe not, but there's definitely a chance. The Cheifs have a great home field advantage, and it's not impossible that the Chiefs could actually push Denver down to a wild card spot. Did anyone think those games would actually hold this much weight? Andy Reid probably did, and that's why the man's practically a lock for Coach of the year already.
2. Indianapolis Colts: 5-2 (8)
Just like the Chiefs, the Colts may not stay at the peak of the mountain for very long here, but they've certainly earned this spot. The loss of Reggie Wayne may loom large for this team, as Reggie was always reliable and was a fantastic leader both on and off the field for this team. It's been suggested that the Colts may try to trade for a receiver, but their stockpile of draft picks is already pretty low since they gave up a first rounder for Trent Richardson. No matter what, this team will persevere, as the Colts have been no strangers to hardship and still come out on top.
3. Seattle Seahawks: 6-1 (3)
This defense remains solid, but Russel Wilson is starting to become the story of this team. He's been scary good, considering that he's playing with a very poor offensive line and weapons that don't inspire envy. Wilson made some unbelievable plays on the run against the Cardinals, and he made a pretty good defense look silly, simply because there was nothing the Cardinals could do to stop him. Percy Harvin is also back practicing and pretty soon will be ready to help this team out. It'd be shocking if this team wasn't still playing well into January.
4. Denver Broncos: 6-1 (1)
Well, the Broncos aren't going to be the 2007 Patriots. Is that really so bad? This defense needs to spend the rest of the season putting itself together, as there's going to be a game when Peyton and this offense will be unable to put up 30 plus points. The offensive line is banged up right now and if Peyton can't complete passes the running game doesn't get going. The Broncos aren't going anywhere, but this team has issues it needs to fix and they're now going to have to regain the lead in their own division.
5. New Orleans Saints: 5-1 (5)
The Saints had their bye this week, resting after their last second loss to the New England Patriots. The over-under on how many times Sean Payton watched that touchdown pass this week is set around 30.
6. Green Bay Packers: 4-2 (6)
The Packers are still humming along in control of the NFC North, even as more and more of the weapons around Aaron Rodgers disappear. Jermichael Finley suffered what looked to be a horrible injury on Sunday, and even though he has now been released from a hospital there's still no definite timetable for his return. Rodgers keeps making lemonade out of lemons though, as he's now turned youngster Jarett Boykin into a legitimate threat on the perimeter. At the same time, Eddie Lacy is stepping up to pick up the slack, as the rookie runner has more yards than any other back in the past three weeks. Yeah, pre-draft concerns about Lacy don't seem so troubling now, do they Denver? (How's Montee Ball doing again?)
7. San Francisco 49ers: 5-2 (7)
The 49ers stumbled a little bit out of the gate, but this team has returned to its winning formula and now seems like it will be ready to defend its NFC title at the end of the year. The run game has returned to wear down opponents, and Colin Kaepernick is starting to regain his playoff form even if his receivers still aren't able to give him much separation at times. The defense is playing deadly as well, even without Aldon Smith on the outside pressuring the quarterback. The return of Michael Crabtree is still on the horizon for this team, as is the return of Mario Manningham, and with those two receivers back in the mix the 49ers are going to return to being one of the most complete teams in the NFL. What counted as "adversity" for this team was only a few weeks on the outside of the playoff picture. Now, they're right back in the middle.
8. Cincinnati Bengals: 5-2 (9)
The Bengals got a big win on the road Sunday, defeating the Lions in a close game on their home turf. AJ Green and this defense shined on the road, as only Calvin Johnson leaping into triple coverage could stop this defense from holding one of the most effective offenses in the NFL in relative check. Green made plenty of great catches, even though the deep passes from Andy Dalton were often poor. Dalton's defenders will point to his great stats on the day, but he underthrew a bunch of passes when Green was wide open. That's foreboding for this team's possible postseason future.
9. New England Patriots: 5-2 (4)
Well, Gronk is finally back, but this offense still has the same issues it has had all season. The problem is that this defense has now gotten much weaker without Vince Wilfork and Jerod Mayo, and it may no longer be capable of carrying this team while Brady and his receivers start to click. It looked like Brady may have started to develop chemistry with his young weapons, but on Gronk's first game back he targeted him 17 times even though Gronk didn't look like himself. This team is still on track to take care of the AFC East, but the Patriots have made it hard to trust them for the first time in a while.
10. Dallas Cowboys: 4-3 (12)
The Cowboys surprised a lot of people on Sunday, when their defense shut down Chip Kelly's normally explosive attack with a bunch of spare parts on the defensive line. The Cowboy's backups and depth on the line have played better than anyone could have expected, and they were actually able to hold Lesean McCoy in check throughout the day. Sean Lee looked amazing on that day, giving the Cowboys a defensive player just as valuable than Demarcus Ware. The Cowboys aren't firmly in control of the NFC East, but they certainly look to be the division's most complete team.
11. Detroit Lions: 4-3 (10)
The Lions lost a tight game at home on Sunday, and now they've lost the lead in the NFC North to the Packers. The Bengals are a quality opponent, but when you're at home these are the kind of games the Lions have to win if they want to be taken seriously as NFC contenders. Megatron played lights out, making some ridiculous catches, showing no ill effects from the knee injury that's been limiting him in practice the past few weeks. The major weakness of this team is still the secondary, as Andy Dalton was able to pick apart this unit from the pocket even though he didn't make perfect throws. The Lions are going to need to stop opposing quarterbacks if they want to try to compete with the Packers, but that doesn't seem likely anytime soon.
12. San Diego Chargers: 4-3 (15)
If you aren't taking the San Diego Chargers seriously, you should. Philip Rivers is first or second in every major statistical passing category, and he would easily be the MVP if not for Peyton being Peyton. Rivers is leading a flawed team to plenty of success, and his turnaround with Mike McCoy has been nothing short of miraculous. The Chargers may actually sneak into the AFC playoffs, and Rivers' offensive firepower may allow this team to actually compete with the Broncos in their two match-ups. The AFC West is hands down the best division in football, and the best part is the teams involved haven't played each other that much yet. The best is yet to come.
13. New York Jets: 4-3 (20)
It seems like every single week I alternate talking about a solid or horrible performance by Geno Smith. Instead of talking about a win by Geno Smith, how about the coaching job of Rex Ryan, recognizing what the Patriots are doing on field goal attempts? Ryan is definitely not a dead man walking in this town anymore, and he's brought this team to the edge of being in the playoff hunt. Geno Smith's guarantee that he was taking the Jets to the playoffs doesn't seem so crazy anymore. The last time the Jets had a quarterback that went around making guarantees, it worked out pretty well for them!
14. Carolina Panthers: 3-3 (19)
Cam Newton is playing lights out football right now, and he's brought this team to the brink of contention. Can he keep it up though? Newton has been one of the most streaky players in the NFL since he's arrived, but this year he's getting hot a lot earlier than normal. The Panthers will have to hope that Newton doesn't flame out anytime soon, as Ron Rivera's job security certainly depends on it. Rivera may be able to rest easy for a while though.
15. Chicago Bears: 4-3 (11)
The Bears got a pretty bad gut punch on Sunday, losing a key defender in Lance Briggs and their quarterback, Jay Cutler. This defense fell to pieces when faced with the legs of Robert Griffin III, giving up 45 points to a team that almost never scored in the first half coming into the game. The defense has lost a huge step with injuries and age, and they gave up a huge number of points even though they were able to force a turnover in the game. Can Josh McCown keep this team in game when a defense may not be able to support him? He has the weapons and a quarterback friendly coach, but this might be a little above a backup's pay grade.
16. Baltimore Ravens: 3-4 (13)
The Ravens, one of the most consistent organizations for the past half-decade, seem to be falling apart a little bit. Their offensive line isn't great, but there's no question that Ray Rice just isn't himself this year. He's lost some speed, and that's causing the run game of the Ravens to flounder. The Ravens are so far away from the formula that won them a world championship just this past year, which seems like forever ago already. Could the Ravens actually miss the playoffs for the first time in six years? They're going to need Ray Rice to get up to speed and balance out this offense if they want a chance.
17. Miami Dolphins: 3-3 (14)
The protection issues in Miami have become such a dead horse, but each game they play requires another beating. Your quarterback can't be hit as often as Tannehill has, and that's forced the Dolphins' hand this week in a trade for Bryan McKinnie from the Ravens. McKinnie had a great postseason run last year, but he did anything but impress in the regular season so far. This issue is not likely to be solved with a mid-season trade, and that issue might be enough to keep the Dolphins out of the postseason.
18. Tennessee Titans: 3-4 (18)
The Titans got Jake Locker back on Sunday, but he didn't quite look himself. Locker could use some extra time to heal, but there's no doubt that he's still an upgrade over backup Ryan Fitzpatrick. Locker is having a very impressive season so far this year, even though expectations were extremely low for him coming into the season. This Titans team has certainly exceeded expectations so far, and if Locker can get healthy and confidently lead this team the rest of the way, this team still has plenty of upside.
19. Atlanta Falcons: 2-4 (22)
Matt Ryan looked great throwing the ball around the Georgia Dome Sunday, even though both Julio Jones and Roddy White never saw the field due to injuries. This defense still does not expire, but Ryan looked ready to do his best to make sure the Falcons don't completely lose the rest of the season. Ryan may get some help this week when Steven Jackson returns, as this team still has no presence on the ground to speak of. The Falcons aren't going to be able to achieve what they hoped to this season, but it looks like Ryan will make sure they don't go down without a fight.
20. Buffalo Bills: 3-4 (23)
The Bills have been one of the most fun teams in the NFL to follow this year. The Bills. Every single game they have played so far has been filled with tension, and they have surprised many by winning games even though they've had a rookie or a practice squad quarterback at the controls. Thad Lewis has now won more games this year than Christian Ponder or Josh Freeman. Think about that, Vikings fans.
21. Philadelphia Eagles: 3-4 (16)
The Eagles had a chance to take control of the NFC East, but their offense came up short. Extremely short. Nick Foles left the game early with a concussion, and afterwards rookie Matt Barkley looked a lot like a typical 4th round rookie. Just not ready. Even with Foles at the helm though, this offense couldn't move the ball, which is embarrassing because the Cowboys have suffered plenty of injuries on the defensive side of the ball and the Eagles should have been able to take advantage. They couldn't, and going back to Michael Vick at quarterback just doesn't seem like a recipe for long term success.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers: 2-4 (24)
The Steelers are on the up and up following their bye week, taking out two quality opponents in the Jets and Ravens. The Steelers have little room for error the rest of the season, but they're certainly not planning for 2014 yet either. Ben Roesthlisberger has performed admirably with the pieces that have been put in place around him, as he continues to make classic escape plays when his line allows pressure to be put on him. Leveon Bell is healthy now too, and it taking the pressure off Big Ben with a reliable ground game. That formula may let Pittsburgh sneak back into relevance, though even one slip up could send their season tumbling again.
23. St. Louis Rams: 3-4 (17)
The Rams did not have a good day Sunday, and now their starting quarterback Sam Bradford is out for the res of the season. The team has signed Brady Quinn off the street, but none of the quarterbacks on this roster inspire much confidence, which could cause this team to fall down the rankings in the coming weeks. Sorry Rams fans, but this is a quarterback league, and you may not have one anymore.
24. Arizona Cardinals: 3-4 (21)
The Cardinals' defense did its best to get to Russel Wilson Thursday night, but there are just some things you cannot defend. Carson Palmer looked about the same as he does in every start, which is he puts up mediocre numbers and fails to stop turning the ball over. Bruce Arians has to be running out of patience, because there has been no improvement in Palmer's play as he grows accustomed to Arians' system. Did I mention this offensive line is still awful? You can't be excited to be a quarterback in Arizona right now.
25. Washington Redskins: 2-4 (27)
RGIII is looking better and better as the weeks go on, and putting up 45 points on the Bears Sunday was certainly a great step in his recovery. RGIII has also developed quick chemistry with rookie tight end Jordan Reed, as the pair connected often on the field, so much so that the team is now shopping tight end Fred Davis. Of course, this defense is still stopping no one, not even the Bears' backup quarterback, and even if RGIII gets fully healthy they may hold this team back.
26. Oakland Raiders: 2-4 (25)
The Raiders were off this week, so Terrelle Pryor had time to heal his body after being sacked 10 times by Kansas City. He probably had a few bruises.
27. Houston Texans: 2-5 (26)
The Texans season seems beyond repair already, as they've already lost more games than they did all of last season and have lost linebacker Brian Cushing for the rest of the season...again. The good news is that quarterback Case Keenum played very well on the road against the NFL's best defense, and he may at least be an upgrade on beleaguered starter Matt Schaub. Is that going to be enough to save possibly the most disappointing season in the NFL? Yeah, probably not.
28. Cleveland Browns: 3-4 (29)
Rob Chudzinski finally benched Brandon Weeden this week, announcing backup Jason Campbell will get the start for the Browns for the first time this season. Weeden has simply been atrocious as a starter this season, attempting throws that any NFL quarterback should know not to make. The organization has made it clear that they want to move on from him, as Weeden is already 30 years old even though he is only in his second NFL season. You can't do much worse than Weeden, and maybe Campbell will be able to give this team a tiny fraction of the spark Brian Hoyer did.
29. New York Giants: 1-6 (31)
Well, the Giants won a game! Did they look good doing it? Absolutely not. This team still tried to hand the ball to the Vikings, the Vikings are just too bad to take advantage of obvious Giant miscues. This team seems to know that it's bad. This is a team that knows it can go nowhere in 2013. They're just trying to stay healthy for 2014, and along the way they just happened to stumble onto a team willing to give them a game.
30. Minnesota Vikings: 1-4 (28)
No comment. Just....no comment.
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 0-6 (30)
Greg Schiano at least probably got a good laugh watching Josh Freeman Monday night.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars: 0-7 (32)
At least you're headed for a vacation to London Jaguars! That could be fun....
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