NFL Power Rankings 2009: Week 7

Oh, baby. We had some movers and some shakers this week, from the top to the (almost) bottom and virtually everything in between. The division rankings have been completely turned upside down. This week also marked just about the first week that you have to factor in fluke games: We know by week 7 Oakland is not better than Philadelphia, nor is Buffalo better than the Jets. Comment and tell me what you think ...

1. New Orleans Saints (last week's rank: 3; change: +1): I said last week that the Saints would leapfrog the Colts if the Saints took down the Giants, and boy did they ever fulfill there. You didn't take Drew Brees in the first round of your fantasy draft why?
2. Indianapolis Colts (2; 0): With games at St. Louis, home against San Francisco and home against Houston, you think Indy is already looking forward to week 10 against the Patriots or what?
3. Minnesota Vikings (4; +1): They're just as lucky as they are good, but you have to be both to be a successful team in this league. Brett Favre has turned Sidney Rice into a star.
4. Denver Broncos (5; +1): Forget doubting whether they're good or not. It's time to start thinking whether they're actually the best defense in the NFL. They're playing like it.
5. New York Giants (1; -4): Obviously, it's no easy task to come into New Orleans and win, so the loss is no surprise. I am a bit taken aback by how easy the Saints made it look, though.
6. New England Patriots (8; +2): Make no mistake. Keith Bulluck is a bad, bad man. Bill Belichick should have thought about that before putting Tom Brady in to start the second half.
7. Atlanta Falcons (9; +2): Their defense is playing just good enough to win games with that great offense of theirs. The playoffs - albeit probably as a wild card - are definitely in sight.
8. Chicago Bears (10; +2): Yeah, I know. They lost. As everyone else around them crumbled, I respected their tough loss on the road during prime time the most.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (7; -2): I don't think the loss to Houston told us anything about this Bengals team that we didn't already know. Of course they're still the Bengals. It will need to take a few more bad losses for me to believe they're not good this year, though.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (11; +1): They've quietly won 3 in a row and they definitely don't look like they've hit their stride yet. They're clearly the favorites in the North this year.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (6; -5): The Eagles are going to be playing a game this coming week very similar to the one this past week: against a weak opponent (Washington) with a lot to prove after lots of criticism the previous week. Hopefully they don't overlook this one.
12. Green Bay Packers (17; +5): They have to make sure not to overlook Cleveland before the you-know-who reunion part II.
13. Miami Dolphins (13; 0): Their game against New Orleans this week will be fascinating to watch. If they get down early, how much (if at all) are they going to abandon their incredible running game?
14. Baltimore Ravens (14; -2): Is Frank Walker the worst player in the NFL? No? You think Chris Carr is?
15. Dallas Cowboys (16; +1): They have a chance for a huge statement game this week against Atlanta. I wouldn't be surprised if this ends up being one of the games of the week; Dallas, off their bye, should come out fired up.
16. San Francisco 49ers (18; +2): The beneficiaries of a bye week, San Fran gets bumped back into the top half. Who would have thought them and Arizona may actually have an interesting division title race?
17. Arizona Cardinals (19; +2): They can definitely turn some heads if they play with - they don't even have to win - the Giants this weekend. Everyone wrote them off after their 1-2 start but they're 3-2 now.
18. New York Jets (18; -4): Hmm, I don't look so dumb now for having the Jets at 14 last week. With the run support he was getting, a bad performance by Mark Sanchez would have won that game. It just so happens he turned in a God-awful performance.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (21; +2): They have to feel pretty good going into their bye week at 3-3. If they can keep flying in under the radar, they are certainly a playoff sleeper.
20. Houston Texans (22; +2): Like Jacksonville, the division title is out of reach this year. There's a sixth spot in the playoffs begging for someone to claim it, though.
21. San Diego Chargers (16; -5): Division race over? You would have to think so. I fully expect them to make a late-season charge into a crowded AFC wild card race, however. (Sense a theme?)
22. Carolina Panthers (23; +1): The invisible line has been moved! The Panthers still lead the pack of "so terrible I should be competing for the number one pick" teams but this week they're at 22! Who's the addition to the pack? ...
23. Seattle Seahawks (20; -3): It's Seattle! Sorry, when you lose by 20+ at home to a division rival that's not even that good, you belong in here. I don't care what you did to Jacksonville the previous week.
24. Buffalo Bills (28; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Bills are only a game out of a playoff spot 6 games into the season. Just saying.
25. Oakland Raiders (29; +4): You know, at 2-4, the Raiders are only a game out ... Okay, no I really take it too far this time. If the Raiders make the playoffs I will quit being a football fan.
26. Detroit Lions (24; -2): You forgot just how bad the Lions were last year until you watched them with Daunte Culpepper back in, didn't you? What's that? You didn't watch the Packers-Lions game? ... Yeah, me neither.
27. Kansas City Chiefs (30; +3): Remember when people were talking about the Chiefs being a sleeper team with Matt Cassel as their quarterback?
28. Cleveland Browns (27; -1): Things aren't looking up when your quarterback goes 9 for 24 and it's considered a vast improvement over the previous week.
29. Washington Redskins (25; -4): Jim Zorn, you're being humiliated. End it.
30. Tennessee Titans (26; -4): The Titans have played worse in every single one of their games so far this year. Which was the fluke? Last season or this one?
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (31; 0): How come I can name 3 quarterbacks and 3 runningbacks on this team, but a total of 3 other players on the rest of the squad?
32. St. Louis Rams (32; 0): Fine, I lied. They're not better with Kyle Boller as their quarterback. Do you think they've already conceded the game against Indy this week because they're thinking about Detroit the following week?

Division Rankings: Wow, what a logjam in the middle. One team with a 15.00 average and three others with a 15.25. I broke the tie by giving the division with the best team the highest ranking, and down from there. As such, the NFC now has the best three divisions in football. It is tough to argue ...
1. NFC North (last week: 2): 12.25 average rank amongst the four teams
2. NFC East (1): 15.00
3. NFC South (5): 15.25
4. AFC East (4): 15.25
5. AFC North (3): 15.25
6. AFC South (6): 17.75
7. AFC West (7): 19.25
8. NFC West (8): 22.00