(Won-Loss Record and Last Week’s Ranking in parentheses)
1. Green Bay Packers (10-3) (1) – They’re going to the Super Bowl.
2. Denver Broncos (10-3) (2) – Different than last year.
3. New England Patriots (10-3) (3) – Defense hasn’t looked this good since the days of Ty Law, Rodney Harrison and Teddy Bruschi.
4. Seattle Seahawks (9-4) (4) – They’ve got their swagger back.
5. Indianapolis Colts (9-4) (5) – Nine wins but haven’t really beaten anybody.
6. Arizona Cardinals (10-3) (6) – About to learn the truth of their ability to win on the road.
7. Detroit Lions (9-4) (T-8) – No one is paying them much attention.
T-8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-5) (13) – Have to shake their road jinx.
T-8. Baltimore Ravens (8-5) (14) – Easiest closing schedule in the North.
T-10. Philadelphia Eagles (9-4) (T-8) – It all comes down to this.
T-10. Dallas Cowboys (9-4) (T-10) – Can they win one more big road game?
12. Cincinnati Bengals (8-4-1) (7) – Not first for much longer.
13. San Diego Chargers (8-5) (12) – Couldn’t beat New England, won’t beat Denver.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (7-6) (T-10) – Have lost three in a row and ain’t coming back.
15. Miami Dolphins (7-6) (15) – One final chance.
16. Buffalo Bills (7-6) (17) – Can still make things interesting.
17. Houston Texans (7-6) (19) – Staying alive.
18. St. Louis Rams (6-7) (T-20) – Again, what could have been. . .
T-19. San Francisco 49ers (7-6) (16) – Hard to believe a team this close is gonna have to rebuild (on one side of the ball at least).
T-19. Cleveland Browns (7-6) (18) – Too late to matter, the Johnny Manziel era begins.
21. Minnesota Vikings (6-7) (23) – Lost amid the turmoil this season, NFL-ready Teddy is the highest rated of the rookie QBs.
22. Atlanta Falcons (5-8) (22) – They’ll win the South.
23. New York Giants (4-9) (25) – They’ll do themselves a favor if they save Tom Coughlin’s job.
24. Carolina Panthers (4-8-1) (26) – Finally, a win.
25. New Orleans Saints (5-8) (T-20) – The Bizarro-Saints can’t win at home.
26. Chicago Bears (5-8) (24) – Can still play spoiler, sort of.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-11) – Numbers not bad enough for how bad this team is.
28. Oakland Raiders (2-11) (32) – You know what? They got balls.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-11) (30) – At least you can see the plan for improvement.
30. New York Jets (2-11) (31) – Mercifully, it will be over soon.
31. Tennessee Titans (2-11) (29) – In 2-3 years 90% of this roster will be gone.
32. Washington RacialSlurs (3-10) (27) – The only team that is so bad, it literally hurts.