IrishCentral NFL Power Rankings

1.Patriots

Cian: The offense gets all the headlines in Boston but the Patriots will need it's defense to keep playing at it's current level if they are to get to the Superbowl.

Cormac: Most of the top teams vanquished? Check. Home field for the playoffs within their grasp? Check. Trendy winter balaclava covering up the ‘hair issue’? Check.

1.Patriots

2.Saints

Cian: The Saints have playmakers spread throughout the team.

The Falcons need to improve on the back end of the defense.

Cormac: Right now, as it stands, the NFC goes through Atlanta.  Matty Ice and the Falcons almost unbeatable at home.

2.Falcons

3.Falcons

Cian: Is it fair to say Matt Ryan is the best young quarterback in the league right now Cormac?

Unusually the Saints are flying under the radar trying to defend their title.

Cormac: Absolutely, Ryan is such a good game manager that his raw passing ability is actually overlooked a little. The Saints rough start (by Champion standards) has them potentially having to go to Atlanta in the playoffs, but kudos to them for righting their ship and so far, avoiding the Superbowl slump.

3.Saints

4.Eagles

Cian: Vick or Roethlisberger? Who you taking Cormac?

Cormac:  Depends who isn’t in court at the time. I ranked the Steelers a little higher as their ‘D’ is just plain scary.

4.Steelers

5.Steelers

Cian: The Steelers are losing offensive linemen faster than the Jets are losing faith in Mark Sanchez.

The Eagles defense needs to overcome the lack of depth in the secondary and hope Nate Allen hasn't really hit a rookie wall as it appears.

Cormac: Great point, how reactionary is this Sanchez thing, I thought he was the ‘Sanchize’!? Your Eagles point is exactly why I have them one rung lower than the Steel Curtain.

5.Eagles

6.Ravens

Cian: Someone needs to start a campaign to raise awareness of Ray Rice in Baltimore similar to the Jamaal Charles campaign in Kansas City.

The loss of Steve Smith only highlights the need for Hakeem Nicks to return to form.

Cormac: Another flip/flop for me, I only ranked the Giants higher as they seem a little bit more clutch right now. Ray Rice, always the first guy in on the tackle, you know, after the other defender who got there first.

6.Giants

7.Jets

Cian: Over/Under on 2 interceptions for Mark Sanchez to Troy Polamalu this week?

Donte Stallworth could be the answer in Baltimore, none of the other Ravens receivers can stretch opposing defenses.

Cormac: How about the Jets completely throwing one of their coaches to the dog pile? They are deluded if they think we believe he arranged that ‘thin green line’. Flacco needs to start hitting the wideouts, either way.

7.Ravens

8.Chargers

Cian: If the Chargers fix their Special Teams and keep Antonio Gates healthy, they could be the dark horses to be in Dallas in February.

Cormac: If by dark horse you mean, make it into the playoffs, then get blown out on the back of several special teams miscues and coaching blunders, then yes, dark horse.

8.Chargers

9.Bears

Cian: It will be interesting to see how the Bears respond to being blown out.

Rex Ryan called out his defense this week? Has he been watching the offense?

Cormac: What a huge potential break for Chicago, with Rogers being knocked out, and Green Bay losing unexpectedly. I want to know what Rex did with the Miami game ball, remember he buried the Patriots one? Did he ship this one off to Siberia maybe?

9.Jets

10.Giants

Cian: Earth and Fire(Jacobs and Bradshaw) returned for the Giants last week. Eli needs the help.

Watch out Joe Webb, the Bears are bound to be angry after last week.

Cormac: Kind of a side note, but how on earth are the Patriots O-Line not getting more press, they completely neutered a really vicious Bears defence last week.

CF: *Shameless self promotion alert* I lauded them in my review of the Bears game!!!

10.Bears

11.Colts

Cian: If Peyton Manning gets injured I think the Colts move to 30^th on this list. Yes he is that good.

Cormac:  Hey, we agreed on one! I agree on that too. He is good. However, another O-Line not getting talked about, and this time for a lapse in play. Manning is throwing picks because he is, unusually, getting pressured.

CF: Absolutely agree.

11.Colts

12.Jaguars

Cian: I don't understand the frustration from Jags fans towards Jack Del Rio.

Cormac:  Neither do I, great point. He is making it work, with limited resources.

12.Jaguars

13.Chiefs

Cian: Jamaal Charles and Thomas Jones are the best running back tandem in the league.

Cormac:  Except last week. I guess the Chargers knew they were coming. I am impressed with Miami’s durability. Nice win in New York.

CF: Don’t think Brodie Croyle was inciting fear in the Chargers’ secondary.

13.Dolphins

14.Buccaneers

Cian: With every game Josh Freeman wins, the Jets regret even more trading up for Mark Sanchez.

Cormac: Absolutely, super point, imagine how scary the Jets would be with a running, gunning Freeman at the helm?

CF: There’d be much less pigskin funerals.

14.Buccaneers

15.Dolphins

Cian: The Dolphins will be looking for motivation for the rest of the season as they appear to have nothing to lose or gain.

Cormac: They could still sneak in. I fear for the Chiefs a little, after a great start they might be exposed now.

15.Chiefs

16.Rams

Cian: Sam Bradford has improved the offense vastly but don't overlook Fred Robbins contribution to the defense.

Cormac:  I have seen the Rams play live five times now, and they have big play explosiveness but are way too fragile when the game is on the line.

16.Packers

17.Packers

Cian: Rodgers is one injury too many for the Pack.

Cormac:  Agreed, McCarthy looked shell shocked after the injury, like, ‘Now what do I do?!’

CF: Think he’s looked like that for a few years.

17.Raiders

18.Raiders

Cian: Is Darren MacFadden the best running back in the league at the moment?

Cormac: No, Chris Johnson is, McFadden is just running through enormous holes. You could argue the Raiders are the best run-blocking offensive line though!

18.Rams

19.Titans

Cian: Pieces just keep falling off for the Titans, C Amano and DT Brown done for the season.

Cormac: Titans could finish this season in the bottom five the way its going. Are the Texans the most confusing team in the NFL?

CF: Them or the Cowboys for not firing Phillips earlier.

19.Texans

20.Texans

Cian: Matt Schaub's receivers let him down against the Ravens with an unprecedented amount of drops, but the secondary has let down the team all season.

Cormac:  T.O has dropped more than most Texans have caught. Not sure what that says about either. The Browns season effectively ended with that loss to the Bills.

20.Browns

21.Browns

Cian: Colt McCoy reminds me of a young Tom Brady. Peyton Hillis reminds me of a faster Jerome Bettis. A scary combination.

Cormac: Hillis running the ball as he has was one of the catalysts to Josh McDaniels getting fired.

CF: Definitely, Cutler’s playmaking in Chicago also.

21.Titans

22.Redskins

Cian: The Redskins won't win anything without giving Donovan MacNabb some real weapons.

Cormac: ..Or getting the weapons a real QB…

22.Cowboys

23.Broncos

Cian: The Broncos have more problems than Tim Tebow can fix?

Would you start Tebow Cormac?

The Bills were solidly the worst team in the league coming into the season, they owe a lot to Ryan Fitzpatrick for their improvement.

Cormac: I would indeed, in three years. Kyle Orton has more passing ability in his little finger than Tebow could dream for right now. Ryan Fitzpatrick is a fantastic story.

23.Bills

24.Cowboys

Cian: What ever about the Cowboys' season, Dez Bryant was a star this season. In fact the whole rookie class in the NFL was brilliant this year.

It's too late for Alex Smith to rekindle my belief in him.

Cormac: Alex Smith is saddened by that statement, and will be slinging bouquets to you the rest of the season!

24.49ers

25.Vikings

Cian: The Vikings are playing like the old team that they are, and thats without including Brett Favre.

The future is bright for the Lions, but right now they still have too many holes.

Cormac: The brave little Lions have scored more points than 9 NFC teams, including the entire NFC West, and their 3 wins represents a huge leap forward. Plus, they should have won at least 3 more, remember that complete bush league call against them in the Bears game?

25.Lions

26.Seahawks

Cian: Can a team really this inconsistent have a chance at winning their division?

Cormac: The Hawks are two teams, decent at home, awful, awful on the road. I wanted to put the Vikings 32^nd but the Williams brothers wouldn’t let me.

26.Vikings

27.Bills

Cian: It tells you something when the Bills have better receivers than the Redskins.

Cormac: Who would have thought the ‘Skins would be this bad? Also, way past time to change that ridiculous logo. Put it this way, imagine they were called the ‘Washington dark coloured men’ with a logo of Denzel Washington on their lids. Would people be outraged then maybe? That’s a realistic example too!!

CF: At least Denzel could probably win a game or two.

27.Redskins

28.Lions

Cian: Both of these teams will have a big say in deciding the NFC South this weekend.

Cormac: The Lions would hammer the Hawks in a head-to-head!

CF: Definitely, even with Drew Stanton at QB.

28.Seahawks

29.49ers

Cian: The Broncos have really fallen from grace. They have so much talent but never performed...hold on, that's the 49ers. Singletary will probably be joining McDaniels in the job market this season.

Cormac: The 49ers are actually playing harder for their skipper. It will be fascinating to see what San Fran do though, yes.

29.Broncos

30.Cardinals

Cian: The Cardinals are destined to pick up a quarterback in this years draft. Good timing.

Cormac: Will they get an O-Line, a defensive backfield and a special teams unit too? How bad are Denver, losing to this sorry lot.

30.Cardinals

31.Bengals

Cian: Carson Palmer has thrown his job away this season, thats about the only thing he's thrown well.

Cormac: He has indeed, it’s kind of sad, he hasn’t been the same since that Steelers cheap shot a couple of years ago. The Bungles are entertainingly awful.

31.Bengals

32.Panthers

Cian: The Panthers will have a new coach next season. The future could be bright in Carolina after the emergence of Mike Goodson to add to Jonathan Stewart and Deangello Williams. At least it's more offense than the Bengals have!

Cormac: Is it just me or is Clausen starting to play reasonably well too?

32.Panthers