NFL Power Poll Week 14

[1niksder]

NFL Power Poll

How can 12-1 teams get better? Well, experience and health.

The Steelers now have Duce Staley back and a more experienced and complete quarterback in rookie Ben Roethlisberger. The Patriots are one week closer to getting cornerbacks Ty Law and Tyrone Poole back in the lineup, but the team will be better in the long run with the experience gained by fill-ins Randall Gay, Asante Samuel and Troy Brown. The Eagles appear better and better as Brian Westbrook gets healthy and comfortable balancing the offense and the young cornerbacks gain experience.

Here is a team-by-team look at the NFL heading into Week 15:

1. NEW ENGLAND. The Patriots still are the best "team," but Pittsburgh is ever so close. The cornerbacks must get healthy before the playoffs.

2. PITTSBURGH. The Steelers are improving thanks to the better play from rookie QB Ben Roethlisberger. Can he rally his team in a big game? We won't know the answer until January.

3. PHILADELPHIA. Injuries along the defensive line are a real concern. Even so, this is the team to beat in the NFC.

4. INDIANAPOLIS. The Colts' scoring machine is trying to do something no one else has accomplished -- winning the Super Bowl by outscoring opponents. This team might have the firepower to get it done.

5. SAN DIEGO. What's not like about this team? The Chargers play hard, hit hard, don't make mistakes and aren't afraid of any foe.

6. ATLANTA. The Falcons got the ship righted this week coming off the shutout loss to Tampa Bay. The Alex Gibbs running attack should start to worry every team in the NFC -- even the Eagles.

7. NEW YORK JETS. The Jets are "the best of the rest." QB Chad Pennington hasn't done a thing to convince us he can beat anybody in the top five.

8. GREEN BAY. If QB Brett Favre is hot, the Packers can play with any opponent. However, he runs hot and cold. The Packers slept through the first half last week against Detroit but rallied late.

9. BALTIMORE. Kyle Boller looked like an NFL quarterback last week, but that came against the lame Giants. If Boller can deliver two scores a game, this is a dangerous team.

10. DENVER. This is a good team with a knucklehead QB. If the Broncos miss the playoffs, it will be Jake Plummer's fault.

11. BUFFALO. The Bills are the best team that won't make the playoffs. They are averaging 38.5 points during their four-game win streak.

12. TAMPA BAY. This team plays with Jon Gruden intensity. QB Brian Griese is the right fit for this offense, and the Bucs won't get off to such a slow start next year.

13. JACKSONVILLE. The Jaguars need too many late-game heroics to think they belong among the elite. The Jags need to be more consistent.

14. SEATTLE. This team lost "something" when it left its top three players unsigned going into the season. Still, the Seahawks control their destiny in the NFC West. Do they care?

15. CAROLINA. In a vote of football people, John Fox probably would win coach of the year. The late-season push, despite having 14 players on injured reserve, probably will win a wild-card spot after starting the season 1-7.

16. CINCINNATI. The Bengals can score lots of points against just about any NFL defense. If Cincinnati can sign three dynamic defensive players in the offseason, this could be the team to beat in '05.

17. MINNESOTA. The owner has destroyed the mental state of this team. Before he sells it, he should extend coach Mike Tice's contract. He should reward his team's leader while there still are games to play.

18. HOUSTON. This team still is a year away. Be patient, Texans fans.

19. ST. LOUIS. This offense no longer scares any NFL team, and the Rams' defense never scared anyone.

20. KANSAS CITY. Injuries and poor management decisions (about defensive personnel) destroyed this season. The window of Super Bowl opportunity probably has closed on this team.

21. WASHINGTON. Coach Joe Gibbs has his team finally playing decent on offense. QB Patrick Ramsey needs a strong finish to give the team offseason hope.

22. TENNESSEE. This is a M*A*S*H unit in salary-cap jail. It could get worse, too, because the team already is about $26 million over the projected cap for next season. Pride prevails on Sundays, but it's just not enough.

23. DETROIT. QB Joey Harrington was almost as bad as Eli Manning last week. Harrington, however, is in his third season and should have things figured out by now.

24. DALLAS. Coach Bill Parcells looked sick last week when his team blew a 10-point lead to the Saints. This season can't end soon enough for Parcells.

25. NEW ORLEANS. Even though the Saints beat the Cowboys, we refuse to believe in this Jekyll-and-Hyde team again.

26. CHICAGO. This team has many average players playing hard, but the talent deficiency, especially at QB, doesn't allow the Bears to build any momentum.

27. OAKLAND. Big names rarely make for a big-time team. There is 10-win talent on this roster, but it's diminished by the overabundance of "me" guys.

28. MIAMI. Since coach Dave Wannstedt was fired, the team has not lost its enthusiasm or professionalism. There just isn't enough talent on offense, and the defense is banged up.

29. NEW YORK GIANTS. QB Eli Manning has generated 16 points in 16 quarters. This team could fall to 32nd with a repeat of last week's performance.

30. SAN FRANCISCO. The owner has dismantled the franchise, but the players keep working hard.

31. ARIZONA. The Cardinals probably would be in playoff contention had coach Dennis Green not benched QB Josh McCown and destroyed the offensive cohesion. Green should be stripped of his GM powers.

32. CLEVELAND. The Browns' players have officially quit. The Browns had just 17 yards of offense last week. Seventeen yards!



http://warroom.sportingnews.com/voices/war_room/

[Brandon777]

32. CLEVELAND. The Browns' players have officially quit. The Browns had just 17 yards of offense last week. Seventeen yards!

Seventeen yards! And to think that we lost to these guys .

[cvillehog]

At least this poll has 3 of the 4 teams we beat below us in the poll. Unlike ESPN...