NFL Top 12 Power Rankings Edition 8.0

Eight weeks of the NFL season are over already. Wow, to think that there was a chance that we might not even have a season back early in the summer and now we're currently half way through a season is crazy. It's been quite an interesting season. Their remains just one undefeated team through the season's first eight weeks and it's the 7-0 Green Bay Packers. There are two win less teams still, in the 0-8 Indianapolis Colts and the 0-7 Miami Dolphins. The St.Louis Rams captured their first win of the season week eight at home against the New Orleans Saints in one of the biggest upsets of 2011. Green Bay is easily the clear cut favorite to repeat as Super Bowl champions, being that they're the defending champs and are perfect this season and have the possible NFL MVP on the team in young QB Aaron Rodgers. No other team in the NFC appears to be much of a strength and no team in the AFC is scary. Let's see how everyone fared after week eight of the NFL season with my new look top 12 power rankings. Enjoy.


1.Green Bay Packers (7-0) BYE WEEK. Last week (1). The Packers got the week off after their perfect first seven weeks. Green Bay has a mediocre second half schedule ahead of them.


2.Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) defeated New England Patriots 25-17. Last week (5). Pittsburgh held onto the ball for as long as possible so that Tom Brady wouldn't have too many chances. The Steelers defense stepped up big time when Brady had the ball. Brady was stripped in the final minute and the Steelers defense, most notably with help from Troy Polamalu knocked the ball out of the end zone for a game clinching safety. 


3.San Francisco 49ers (6-1) defeated Cleveland Browns 20-10. Last week (4). The 49ers continue to surprise people with their great start to the season and appear to be running away with the NFC West already.


4.Houston Texans (5-3) defeated Jacksonville Jaguars 24-14. Last week (6). The Texans high powered offense continues to look good without star WR Andre Johnson, who looks like he will be returning to the team this week vs Cleveland. Houston will only get even better once their star wide out is back and could start to run away with the division from Tennessee. 


5.Detroit Lions (6-2) defeated Denver Broncos 45-10.  Last week (9). The Lions got back to their winning ways with a 45-10 thrashing of the Broncos in Denver. Detroit gets their first win since dropping back to back games after starting the season 5-0. They go into the bye week now and have a bit of a touch stretch in their final eight games, including the Packers, twice.


6.New England Patriots (5-2) lost to Pittsburgh Steelers 25-17. Last week (2). The Patriots got a sharp reality check put on their bad defense as Pittsburgh offense drove down the field on them multiple times before scoring two touchdowns, three field goals, and allowing Big Ben to throw for 365 yards on them. New England gets three tough games in their final nine with the Giants coming to Foxborough this week, a road date with the Jets the following week, and a trip down to Philadelphia on November 27th.


7.New York Giants (5-2) defeated Miami Dolphins 20-17. Last week (7). Big Blue barely escaped with a win against the Dolphins, which if they lost, would've been their third loss to a below .500 team. Now, the Giants have what I think, is the toughest second half schedule of any team with games @ NE, @ SF, vs PHI, @ NO, vs GB, @ DAL, vs WSH, @ NYJ, vs DAL, starting this week against the Pats.


8.Buffalo Bills (5-2) defeated Washington Redskins 23-0. Last week (N/R). The Bills took care of business against the lowly Redskins like they should have. Now the Bills host the rival Jets in what figures to be a tough physical divisional game up in Orchard Park. If Buffalo pulls off the win, they have a two game advantage on NYJ and if NYG upsets NE, a one game lead on NE.


9.New Orleans Saints (5-3) lost to St.Louis Rams 31-21. Last week (3). New Orleans has looked quite inconsistent this year, after beating the win less Colts last week 62-7, you would figure they'd have a similar easy time against the win less Rams a week later, well, that wasn't the case, as the Rams pulled off an eye popping upset to net them their first win. Now the Saints get two divisional games vs TB, and @ ATL before their bye week, and get the Giants and Lions at home right away after their bye week.


10.Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) defeated Seattle Seahawks 34-12. Last week (N/R). The Bengals have to be one of the most surprising teams this season, playing to a 5-2 record in one of the toughest divisions in football. With that 5-2 record, the Bengals have yet to play Baltimore and Pittsburgh even once, getting both of them twice and games against the Titans and Texans on their second half schedule.


11.Baltimore Ravens (5-2) defeated Arizona Cardinals 30-27. Last week (10). Baltimore fell behind early 24-3 and roared back for the largest comeback win in team history, 30-27, scoring 24 second half points and surrendering just three to the Cardinals. Still, no team should fall behind by three touchdowns to the Cardinals and have to come back to win, which is why Baltimore drops a spot this week in my power rankings.



12.New York Jets (4-3) BYE WEEK. Last week (8). The Jets come off from their bye week all refreshed and ready to get their second half started, with two divisional games @ BUF, and vs NE right away. If they can win both of those games, they can at least share a tie for first place by the time week 11 rolls around. The Jets have a fairly easy second half schedule outside of their game with NE, two vs BUF and games against NYG and PHI.
N/R = Not Ranked


NFC Player Of The Week: New York Giants QB Eli Manning - 31 of 45, 349 yards, 2 TDs, 0 INT.
HM: Philadelphia Eagles RB LeSean McCoy - 30 carries, 185 yards, 2 TDs.


AFC Player Of The Week: Pittsburgh Steelers QB Ben Roethlisberger - 36 of 50, 365 yards, 2 TDs, 1 INT.
HM: Houston Texans RB Arian Foster - 33 carries, 112 yards, 1 TD.


Upset Of The Week: St.Louis Rams defeat New Orleans Saints 31-21.
HM: Kansas City Chiefs defeat San Diego Chargers 23-20 (Overtime).


Most Exciting Game Of The Week: Baltimore Ravens defeat Arizona Cardinals 30-27.
HM: Pittsburgh Steelers defeat New England Patriots 25-17.


HM = Honorable Mention


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