NFL Power Rankings: Down the home stretch

By Andrew Marcus
Sportswriter for Montgomery Media

Follow me on Twitter @amarcus515

1. Green Bay Packers (12-0) A+ (Last Ranking: 1) - You'll find that the quarterbacking on each team directly correlates where they are in the rankings. No one is playing better than Aaron Rodgers right now. I find it hard to see them losing.

2.New Orleans Saints (9-3) A (LR: 7) - Questions remain to whether they can win on the road, but boy are the fun to watch. Drew Brees is putting up insane numbers and no body should want to go to New Orleans during the playoffs.

3.Baltimore Ravens (9-3) A (LR: 4) - Joe Flacco has been just good enough to watch his defense and run game make them a scary team. And he also has enough playoff experience to not be scared by Brady and the Pats or the Steelers, who he has beaten twice this season.

4.Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3) A (LR: 3) - Don't look now, but the Steelers are 9-1 against every that is not named the Ravens. The only other loss coming on the road against the Texans when they were the healthiest. They could fly under the radar and win another title. I would not be surprised.

5.San Francisco 49ers (10-2) A+ (LR: 5) - The defense is the real deal, but can Frank Gore stay healthy and can Alex Smith actually win a playoff game. I might end up taking a road team in the first round against them. But still, Harbaugh has to be coach of the year.

6.New England Patriots (9-3) B (LR: 2) - As great as Tom Brady is, I balk at that defense. They have been able to get timely turnovers, but teams is the playoffs are there because they do not turn the ball over. I would not be surprised if they win it all or bow out in round one.

7.Houston Texans (9-3) A+ (LR: 14) - I give them an A+ because despite losing Mario Williams, Matt Schaub and Andre Johnson they have still found ways to win. They may struggle in the playoffs with TJ Yates, but kudos on a great season.

8.New York Jets (7-5) C (LR: 9) - There is good Sanchez and bad Sanchez and depending on who shows up is where the Jets end up. I say they get into the playoffs and we see one good and one bad game before they ride off into the sunset of another classic Rex Ryan interview.

9.Cincinnati Bengals (7-5) A- (LR: 18) - It has taken me a while to bite on the Bengals as true contenders. I think they'll make the playoffs and Dalton-to-Green looks great for the next 10 years, but a first round playoff exit would not be shocking.

10.Atlanta Falcons (7-5) B- (LR: 10) - Matt Ryan has not taken the step toward and elite signal caller, but that's not the main problem. I think they have just struggled to finish and yet they are still in the mix. If they can come up with a game plan and get Julio Jones and Roddy White working together they could be dangerous.

11.Detroit Lions (7-5) A (LR: 6) - They have fallen down a bit, but they still have an explosive offense and a young, talented defense. Teams have found ways to shut down Calvin Johnson, so the Lions need to go back to the drawing board on ways to get him the ball.

12.Dallas Cowboys (7-5) C+ (LR: 13) - Ah, Tony Romo. I don't think you have to be in Dallas to get the attention he gets for the way he plays. At his best he's a Super Bowl winning type QB. Too bad we see his worst far too often in January.

13.New York Giants (6-6) C (LR: 11) - A lot of people are seeing the typical New York Giant drop off in December, but this year I just believe the schedule was tough. All they have to do is beat Dallas to make the playoffs and the way Eli Manning is playing this year they should be able to do so at least once.

14.San Diego Chargers 5-7 F (LR: 16) - They are 5-7, but I still trust them more than some other teams with better records. They have been awful in every aspect of the game, but I think there is enough time for Phillip Rivers to resurrect his season.

15.Denver Broncos 7-5 C+ (LR: 29) - I am still off the Tim Tebow bandwagon, but as long as he is winnng games I will admit he is doing a good job. I just don't see him sustaining a long career.

16.Tennessee Titans 7-5 C (LR: 19) - They may actually get to 10 wins with Matt Hasslebeck and a rejuvenated of late Chris Johnson, but if I lived it Music City I'd want to see what Jake Locker has in store of the final few games.

17.Oakland Raiders 7-5 C+ (LR: 21) - Carson Palmer has helped heal some quarterback woes and they might even win that division, but I still cannot buy into them as a scary team. Especially after getting trounced by Miami last week.

18.Buffalo Bills 5-7 C (LR: 8) - Boy, is that quick start ancient history. Since getting an extension Ryan Fitzpatrick has been brutal and losing Fred Jackson for the season did not help anything. They may not win eight games now.

19.Chicago Bears 7-5 C (LR: 15) - They would be a lot higher on these rankings if Jay Cutler was still under center. The defense and special teams is among the best in the league, but with Caleb Hanie leading the troops it's going to be a disappointing ending.

20.Philadelphia Eagles 4-8 F (LR: 12) - They might be the team with the most talent playing some of the worst football. I've seen less turnovers in high school football. Not what they wanted to see out of Mike Vick.

21. Miami Dolphins 4-8 D (LR: 32) - After an 0-7 start I thought they were eyeing Andrew Luck, but they continue to play hard and Matt Moore has been respectable. They are going anywhere this year, but they at least have a few home wins this season.

22.Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-8 D (LR: 17) - Josh Freeman took a step back this year and so did the Bucs. The defense looks old and it's time to get a little younger on that side. Maybe next year fellas.

23.Seattle Seahawks 5-7 D (LR: 28) - If every game was at home they'd be one of the best teams in the NFL, but whenever they leave the Northwest they look like the worst team in football. You just can't win like that.

24.Carolina Panthers 4-8 C (LR: 22) - Cam Newton still is the real deal, but he too has made some mistakes as the season has moved along. That defense needs a lot of work and a few moves in the off season should be the most exciting thing for this team over the new few months.

25.Kansas City Chiefs 5-7 D+ (LR: 20) - What a roller coaster season for the Chiefs. Every time they begin to click another valuable piece bites the dust. At least they found Tyler Palko will never be the answer.

26.Arizona Cardinals 5-7 D (LR: 25) - If I was a Cards fan I would not be quite sold on Kevin Kolb for the foreseeable future. Larry Fitzgerald is too good to not have better numbers that he currently holds.

27.Minnesota Vikings 2-10 F (LR: 24) - Christian Ponder has had some bright spots, but there is not enough talent surrounding him to make this a OK team. They are bad and they have a lot of work to do.

28.Jacksonville Jaguars 3-9 D (LR: 27) - There defense has been servicable, but if it was not for Maurice Jones Drew the Jag would be on the Colts level. I'm not going to blame it all on Blaine Gabbert, but he has not been that impressive either. They need more than a new coach.

29.Washington Redskins 4-8 F (LR: 26) - Rex Grossman and John Beck is what you went to war with this season. Mike Shanahan just made it a little tougher in getting into the Hall of Fame.

30.Cleveland Browns 4-8 F (LR: 23) - While people want to point fingers at Colt McCoy, I'm staring at a Madden Cover Boy Peyton Hillis. His shaky ways really put a damper on the season. For a guy that was suppose to be a leader, he just sat at for too many little injuries.

31.St. Louis Rams 2-10 F (LR: 30) - It was not suppose to go this way. Sam Bradford was suppose to take a step forward.

32.Indianapolis Colts 0-12 F (LR: 31) - See this is where I consider Eurpoe soccer rules and relegate the Colts to the Arena Football League. They are awful, but they are definitely tanking.