I know it’s been a while since I’ve done some NFL power rankings.  Or blogged in general.  This thing called college keeps getting in the way haha.  But I thought to myself, as I watch the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, waiting for the Pikachu balloon, I should slap down some power rankings now for the season so far.  So, without further adieu:

1. New England Patriots (10-0): Super Bowl champs and have yet to be defeated.  So they’re still number one in my books.
2. Carolina Panthers (10-0): I wasn’t high on them when they started the season hot but the team is getting better.  Hasn’t been the toughest of schedules but had some impressive wins like the Packers game.
3. Arizona Cardinals (8-2): Impressive blend of offense and defense on this team so far and the most points scored (336) as of today. Palmer is looking like he did years ago in Cincinnati.
4. Cincinnati Bengals (8-2): Speaking of Cinci, yes they’re on a two game losing streak but there is still a lot to like about the Bengals.  Only question is if they’ll ever get over the “prime-time curse” that has plagued them for so long.
5. Green Bay Packers (7-3): Rough three game losing streak but the Pack bounced back very nicely against the Vikings.  Needs more consistency though if the team wants to make a long playoff run.
6. Denver Broncos (8-2): Got this far because of the defense (183 points against is the 2nd lowest in the NFL) but the inclusion of Osweiler to the offense may be what the team needed – to get away from Manning.
7. Minnesota Vikings (7-3): Rough loss when the team had a chance to capture the NFC North against the Packers last week, but this team has enough to make a strong playoff run.  One issue? O-Line play.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4): Injuries have plagued this team and the Steelers have a penchant for playing down to some opponents (see: Raiders game, Ravens game) so those, combined with a tough 2nd half schedule could be enough to keep PIT out of the playoffs.
9. New York Giants (5-5): Might be in a bad division, but has had some tough loses this season really because of clock management.  Might have three more wins if the end-of-game clock had been better worked, including a win over the Pats.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (5-5): A team I wrote off after the injury to Jamaal Charles but this team is trending up.  Four wins in a row, including over the Steelers and Broncos, plus an easy end-of-season schedule, it could be a winning formula for KC.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5): Winston is getting better, the team is working through its rough aspects.  Is it enough to make the playoffs? Probably not, but it’s a good place to build off of.
12. Houston Texans (5-5): Have they figured themselves out?  Allowed only 29 points in the last three games! A bad AFC South is wide open for Houston and I’m sure JJ Watt would love a chance to wreck some playoff havoc.
13. Seattle Seahawks (5-5): A very hot-and-cold offense that isn’t being helped by a slide in the overall play of the defense.  A late season surge might grab the 6th seed, though.
14. Buffalo Bills (5-5): Not a very impressive team but not a terrible one, either.  No terrible loses (except the first NE game, maybe CIN) but no real grand wins (except the Dolphins) either. A middle-of-the-road team.
15. Atlanta Falcons (6-4):  ATL has been Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde this season.  Started 5-0, now 1-4 since, against some bad opponents, too.
16. New York Jets (5-5): Like ATL, trending the wrong way right now.  Since barely losing to the Patriots, it’s like the Jets have played in opposite fashion. Need to bounce back in swift fashion if NY wants a playoff shot.
17. Indianapolis Colts (5-5): The only quality tin to Indy’s credit was beating the Broncos.  A team that has won more with Matt Hasselbeck than with Andrew Luck.  High expectations are falling very low right now in Indy.
18. St. Louis Rams (4-6): Another odd team, wins some big games (Seahawks, Cardinals) but lose ones they should dominate on paper (Ravens, 49ers). And the offense is really a mess right now.
19. Oakland Raiders (4-6): A team with a lot of promise early in the season have started to fall.  May not be ready for the playoffs now, but could be there sooner rather than later.
20. Chicago Bears (4-6): Finding a way to win without the starting WRs this season, no Matt Forte, and other injuries.  And played the Broncos very closely last week.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-6): The offense is progressing nicely right now behind Blake Bortles. The defense still needs a shot-in-the-arm in some sort.  Still a shame that Dante Fowler Jr. is out for the season.  It’d be interesting to see what he could do for them.
22. Washington Redskins (4-6): Blows out the Saints one week then gets blown out the next by the Panthers.  A little more consistency and this team has a good shot at the NFC East.
23. Philadelphia Eagles (4-6): I was a believer after watching the Eagles dispatch the Saints, Giants, and Cowboys in strong fashion.  Then they fell out of my favor after two hard looses to the Dolphins and Buccaneers.  Mathematically still in a strong playoff race.  Realistically, not so much.
24. Detroit Lions (3-7): Team was able to hold down the Packers and snag a victory in Green Bay.  This team may be a mess, but it’s found a way to win a few games despite its mess.
25. Dallas Cowboys (3-7): Tony Romo is 3-0 on the season, Cowboys are 0-7 without him.  Romo beat the Giants because of poor clock management by NY, the Eagles, and the Dolphins.  I don’t see anything impressive about that.
26. San Francisco 49ers (3-7): Another team that’s been able to win a few games despite itself.  Beat the Vikings and the Falcons.  But SanFran will have quite the interesting offseason, that’s all but certain.
27. Miami Dolphins (4-6): Won three games for the interim head coach.  But the defense has allowed less than 21 points only three times this season (won two) and the offense has scored more than 21 points only twice the season (both wins) it’s a mess in South Beach.
28. San Diego Chargers (2-8): I really do believe that without the plethora of injuries this team has gone through, this team would be in the playoff hunt.  But alas, that isn’t so.  So they’re stuck down in the bottom.
29. Cleveland Browns (2-8): Has had some close loses and some bad loses this season.  The biggest issue? Handling Johnny Manziel.  He gives the team the best chance to win and yet the team can’t get him to behave to stay under center.
30. New Orleans Saints (4-6): Four wins and a bottom three team?  Yeah, when you look at how bad that defense is. Has allowed less than 21 points only once this season but allowed more than 30 five times.
31. Baltimore Ravens (3-7): Oh the injuries.  Baltimore has had more than its fair share of bad luck this season.  But if a team could go from worst to first next season, it could be the Ravens with a good upcoming draft pick.
32. Tennessee Titans (2-8): Another team that’s really become a mess.  Winston started cold and has gotten hot, it’s the opposite for Marcus Mariota.  Yes, he had a little injury issues earlier in the season but there really isn’t anything to look forward to when it comes to the Titans.