NFC Championship Preview: Brees Better Bet Than Favre

When the Saints go marching into the Superdome on Sunday evening to face the Minnesota Vikings, they will be lugging with them the dreams of the New Orleans long suffering fans. Only one other time in the team's mostly star crossed history has it advanced this far in a quest for a championship, but that season ended there with a disappointing blowout.

Although their opponents in the NFC Championship Game have four times reached the Super Bowl in its history, the Vikings similarly have yet to end a season in jubilation. Fans of both teams share the same high hopes that this will be their year.

Drew Brees and his dynamic offensive unit are on a mission to forever erase the bad memories of paper bag mask days gone past. And, on the other side, ageless Brett Favre and his young proteges look to finish what no other Vikings team has been able to do before.

The hard, cruel reality of the NFL's annual single elimination tourney, though, is that the dream will end for one team and their fanbase on Sunday night. Conversely, the other triumphantly heads to Miami for Super Bowl 44 and further lifts the energy and anticipation in their hometown city.

While the AFC contest pits teams of contrasting styles (as detailed in yesterday's post  AFC Championship Preview: Can Ryan's Jets Beat the Colts Varsity?), the NFC matches teams that are closer to mirror images. Both the Saints and Vikings can score points in bunches and are led by the two highest rated quarterbacks in the NFL this season.

On defense, Minnesota boasts the stronger unit in traditional terms of limiting yardage and scoring, but New Orleans makes up for any deficiencies with its opportunistic style. As they did last week against Arizona, they force turnovers and score points. Led by former Vikings star Darren Sharper, the Saints defense scored a remarkable 8 touchdowns in the regular season.

Both teams have struggled with pass coverage, although some of this relates to opponents playing catch-up. The Saints finished 26th against the pass, but with some of their secondary back at full strength after injuries, this number might belie their true capabilities.

The Vikings compensate for pass coverage issues with a heavy pass rush, led by All Pro Jared Allen. They led the NFL in sacks and will surely look to keep the pressure on Brees, but may be limited by the absence of its other three starters on the defensive line. All three are listed as "questionable", so this could have an huge impact on the Vikings chances.

On the other side of the line, the Vikings feature one of the NFL's biggest names in running back Adrian Peterson, while the Saints deploy a running back by committee approach. Oddly enough, the Saints have been more effective on the ground, especially considering that Peterson has not cracked the century mark in eight weeks.

The front four has also been instrumental in the Vikings 2nd rated run defense. Besides the injury factor, because the Saints tend to use the pass to set up the run, it is reasonable to assume that they will still have some success on the ground. Look for them to run delays and draws with under-rated Pierre Thomas and Mike Bell, and try to get Reggie Bush in space to take advantage of his explosiveness.

A good portion of the fireworks during the regular season and thus far in the playoffs have come through the air as Brees and Favre have had spectacular years.  A strong argument can be made that either of them should have finished ahead of Peyton Manning for the league MVP trophy.

If Bush plays with the same determination and energy as a week ago, it could be a long day for the Vikings. Brees will look to get the ball out quickly and make the Vikings pay for over pursuit by swinging the ball to Bush on the edges. His favorite target continues to be Marcus Colston, but Brees does an exceptional job getting everyone involved in the offense.

Favre will attempt to use his big arm to get the ball down the field and change things up by dumping the ball off to Peterson, Chester Taylor and hopefully Percy Harvin, who is a game time decision due to migraines. The Vikings big vertical threat is lanky, fast and athletic Sidney Rice, who lit up the Cardinals with three touchdowns.

From a pure talent perspective, the Vikings could be the best team in football. However, the Saints look to be healthier, have home dome advantage and seem to have intangibles in their favor.

The ultimate swing factor comes down to the two QB's, though. Brees has a history of consistently playing well in big games, and although he has had the greater fan fare, Favre has had a Jekyll and Hyde persona in big games throughout his career.  On Sunday, my money is on Brees and the Saints to continue their quest to make  "The Aints" moniker a distant memory.

Vikings 27

Saints 31

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Championship Week

What appeared to be a slate of four highly competitive contests in the divisional round turned out to be mostly the opposite. The rested teams appeared to have a major advantage with fresh legs and pent-up adrenaline- at least for 3 1/2 games. The one outlier was the New York Jets, led by their charismatic and care free head coach Rex Ryan.

The weekend festivities kicked off with the Arizona Cardinals visiting the SuperDome to play the New Orleans Saints in a game that had all the makings of a shootout. It turned out that way on one side, but apparently the Cards did not get the memo. After Tim Hightower broke through the line and went the distance on the first play from scrimmage to give Arizona a quick 7-0 lead, it was all Saints from then on in as they rolled up a 45-14 win.

Drew Brees returned to the form he showed over the first 13 weeks, carving up the Cardinals weary secondary with surgical precision. He was also given a tremendous boost by the Saints energetic defense that made life miserable for the red hot Kurt Warner and Reggie Bush. With his bootylicious girl friend looking on from a luxury suite above, Bush put on a show from wire to wire.

Appearing to be operating at a different speed than the Cardinals defenders, Bush raced for spectacular touchdowns on a 46 yard run in the first quarter and an 83 yard punt return in the third quarter. Overall, he accumulated 84 yards rushing on only 5 carries, 24 yards receiving on 4 catches and 109 yards on punt returns. He inflicted some serious damage on the Cards while hardly breaking a sweat.

In Saturday's late game, the Indianapolis Colts appeared to have shed the disappointment of their coach packing it in on their undefeated season as they jumped to an early lead and rode their defense to an easy 20-3 decision over the Baltimore Ravens. The Colts game plan was to key on Ray Rice and force second year QB Joe Flacco to beat them throwing to his substandard set of receivers.

Heading into the contest, the Ravens appeared to have a favorable match-up pitting their 5th ranked rushing offense against the Colts 24th ranked run defense. Stacking defenders to stop the run first, especially with the advantage of having the week off, Indianapolis provided little room for Rice to operate and exposed the Ravens one dimensional offense. It did not bode well for the Ravens when they fell behind by a couple touchdowns and had to play catch-up.

With half the promising weekend already filled with lopsided games, NFL fans were pumped for a Cowboys-Vikings game on Sunday that surely would not follow suit. Dallas came into the game with a five game winning streak and exuding an air of invincibility. Minnesota had home field advantage, an NFL best 9 Pro Bowlers and a legendary quarterback on its side. This was going to be a slugfest played to a dramatic finish.

Wrong again. Apparently the 'Boys didn't get the memo, either. While the Cowboys squandered opportunities, Brett Favre and Sidney Rice seized the moment. The pair hooked up for 6 connections totaling 141 yards and 3 touchdowns.

Meanwhile, the Vikings defensive line was throwing the Cowboys around like crash test dummies and had QB Tony Romo running for his life. The pressure resulted in 6 sacks and got the best of him as he fumbled the ball three times (two lost) and threw one unbelievably bad shot put interception. It was a long day for Romo, but the Vikings defense clearly won this battle in the trenches.

Minnesota and Favre were giddy with excitement as they mounted a big lead and never let the Cowboys seriously challenge. For good measure, Favre called an audible with a 27-3 lead and under two minutes left in the game to pile on with a run-up-the-score TD pass.

The weekend finished with the upstart New York Jets taking on the AFC's hottest team. The Chargers entered the postseason on an 11-game winning skein, but faced a Jets team full of bravado along with a defensive resume to validate it.

The first half of action played out much the same way as the three earlier games. The Bolts appeared to have more energy and swarmed to shutdown the Jets top ranked run game. Unfortunately for them, missed field goals and penalties limited them to a 7-0 halftime lead.

After the break, the momentum seemed to shift with the Jets continuing to wear down the Chargers with its pounding running game and suffocating defense. The Jets harassed Philip Rivers into throwing two second half interceptions ( three for the game, which he had never done before) and had him looking flustered.

Rookie signal caller Mark Sanchez capitalized on the last pick to fire a TD strike and give his team a 10-7 lead at the outset of the 4th period. A few minutes later, fellow rookie Shonn Greene burst threw the middle for a 53-yard touchdown run that seemed to break the Chargers spirit. New York held on to defeat a somewhat stunned San Diego team. Is it possible to have a "do over" in the vote for NFL Coach of the Year?

1. Colts (14-2)- Colts looked fresh and hungry for a title
2. Saints (13-3)-Picked up where they left off in Week 14
3. Vikings (12-4)-Greater energy overwhelmed 'Boys at line
4. Jets (9-7)- Two dimensions and the Dilfer approach works
5. Chargers (13-3)- Fell apart in 2nd half in all 3 phases
6. Cowboys(11-5)-Was this the same team that crushed Philly?
7. Packers (11-5)-Best team out of the Super Bowl hunt 
8. Cardinals (10-6)-Rested Saints beat up Warner and Cards
9. Ravens (9-7)- Colts dared Ravens to win via the air
10. Eagles (11-5)-No more "do overs", season's over
11. Patriots (10-6)-What happened to "The Team of the Decade?"
12. Bengals (10-6)- Crashed after a promising start to season
13. Steelers (9-7)- Pulled out another- but too little, too late
14. Texans (9-7)- First winning season, but no postseason
15. Falcons (9-7)- Strong finish to disappointing season

NFL Divisional Playoff Preview- Part 1

One of the best sports weekends of the year kicks off tomorrow with the NFL Divisional Playoffs. Fans are treated to two full days of action with this year's slate featuring some especially compelling match-ups. A solid argument can be made for any of the eight participating teams to advance to next week's Championship Games.

An interesting aspect, albeit to the chagrin of some NFL traditionalists, relates to the fact that weather will not be a factor in any of the four contests. There will be no frozen tundra this week with three games played in domes and the fourth being hosted in temperate San Diego. Accordingly, all of this weekend's action will be determined based on strategy, preparation and execution.

Of course, the four teams that spent the previous weekend resting and watching the Wild Card round by virtue of their well earned seedings have a little bit of a jump start on their opponents. This has been less of an advantage in recent years, especially a year ago when three visiting teams advanced. Here is a preview of what to expect in Saturday's games, including my predictions on the eventual outcome. Neither pick is made with a great deal of conviction.

Arizona (11-6) at New Orleans (13-3) - Saturday, 4:30 PM ET

The Cardinals head to New Orleans fresh off one of the most action packed and thrilling playoff games in NFL history. Arizona's overtime victory came on a defensive score after three hours of trading touchdowns with the Green Bay Packers in a game that looked like a cross between Arena Football and an NCAA tie breaker.

Like a year ago, the Cardinals were led by senior statesman Kurt Warner, who posted some other worldly numbers. Despite missing one of his star receivers, Warner connected on almost 88% of his 33 pass attempts for 379 yards and 5 TD's.

Because he got a late start in his career, and was once prematurely considered washed up after being hampered by a thumb injury, Warner is arguably the most underrated quarterback in the league's history.

Speculation has begun to grow that the Cardinals signal caller may call it quits after this season, but fans can be heartened by living in the present and knowing that Warner gives them a shot to win against anybody. After prevailing in last week's dramatic shootout against a very talented Packers team, the Cardinals have been rewarded with facing the NFC's top seed on enemy turf, so once again, the team's hopes will rest firmly in Warner's capable hands.

It appears that wide receiver Anquin Boldin will be shut down once again due to multiple leg injuries. Accordingly, the team will rely heavily on Pro Bowl receiver and part-time acrobat Larry Fitzgerald along with Steve Breaston and Early Doucet.

On offense, the Cardinals match up very favorably. They will likely keep the ball in the air, while discriminately mixing in the run to keep defenders honest, as they try to exploit the Saints 26th ranked pass unit. The hallmark of the Saints defense has been creating turnovers, so if the Cardinals can avoid turnovers, they very well could outscore their opponents for a second consecutive week.

While this is a positive view, it also implies that Arizona's biggest challenge will be keeping Drew Brees and company out of the end zone. The Saints feature the NFL's most prolific offense, having averaged more than 400 yards and almost 32 points per game. These numbers are even a little watered down by the final couple games when the team was playing out the string.

In my book, Brees should have been the NFL's Most Valuable Player this season. He finished the season with a 109.6 quarterback rating on the strength of a 71% completion percentage, just shy of 300 yards per game and 34 TD's. Regardless of what may not being sitting on his mantle, the Cardinals surely realize the challenge they face in trying to slow him down.

Like their opponent, the Saints will also try to take advantage of a Cardinals pass defense that finished three spots higher in the regular season, and was torched by Aaron Rodgers for 422 yards last Sunday. But similar to New Orleans, the calling card of the Cards unit is forcing turnovers, both by jumping routes and stripping balls.

Vegas has established the over/under for this game at 57 points. Although hefty by normal standards, this seems light to me. Expect another highly entertaining shootout with the game coming down to a missed field goal or a key turnover. Because neither team will be able to stop the other, I anticipate that a gambling play by Darren Sharper or a member of the Cards aggressive secondary will tip the game one way or the other.

Cardinals 42

Saints 44

Baltimore (10-7) at Indianapolis (14-2) - Saturday, 8:15 PM ET

With adrenaline still pumping from a thrilling opening game, NFL fans will switch over to catch the nightcap featuring two bitter rivals. The Ravens travel to Indianapolis to face the formerly beloved team that picked up and left Baltimore in the dark of the night.

The city endured a dozen years without an NFL team before they wooed away Cleveland's franchise. In a complicated twist, the team was renamed the Ravens, while Cleveland was awarded an expansion team and the "Browns" name. All this is to set the stage that there is still lingering hostility in Baltimore towards the Colts franchise, so a lust for revenge provides added incentive to the fans, if not the players.

On the surface, by virtue of the teams' respective regular season records, the Colts would seem to be heavy favorites, but the late season trends would indicate otherwise. The Colts rolled to 14 straight wins and appeared poised to run the table, until rookie head coach Jim Caldwell suddenly pulled Peyton Manning in Week 16. The move resulted in a loss of the game and possibly the spirit of his players.

Conversely, the Ravens finished the season on a high note after being up and down all season. They have won four of the last five games, including a surprising blowout of the Patriots last weekend in Foxboro. And, importantly, the team seems to match-up well against a Colts team that narrowly beat them in Week 11.

After struggling early in the season, the vaunted Ravens defense has come together in the latter part of the season, finishing third in both total yards and points allowed. They also play an attacking style that forces turnovers and can make for a very long day for even the best opposing QB's.

The Colts, of course, feature one of the all-time best in reigning MVP Peyton Manning, who continues to build his resume over 12 seasons. Manning earned his fourth MVP trophy by leading his team to the most wins, while racking up 4500 yards and 33 TD's. As usual, he will look to spread the ball around, but will surely keep a heavy focus on his top two pass catchers, Reggie Wayne and Dallas Clark.

Indianapolis will find difficulty establishing anything on the ground against the Ravens stout run defense. Veteran Joseph Addai is not quite the same back he was a couple years ago. In order to compensate, Manning will try to hit Addai in the flat to open up opportunities down the field.

On the offensive side, the Ravens match up well with the Colts. Second year running back Ray Rice has emerged as a star, finishing with more than 2,000 yards in combined rushing and receiving yardage this season. He also comes into the game with the "hot hand" (or "hot quads") having compiled 159 rushing yards against the Patriots. Meanwhile, Indianapolis has struggled against the run, finishing 24th in the NFL.

The Colts defense fares a little better against the pass, but Baltimore's second year signal caller Joe Flacco will be constrained by a conservative game plan. Head coach John Harbaugh will be perfectly intent to rely on his tough defense along with Rice and back-up Willis McGahee to keep the ball out of Manning's hands.

A Ravens upset would not be surprising at all. This could become reality if Indianapolis falls behind early and then looks to Manning to lead a comeback as it did so often during the season. If the game stays close, the experience edge of Manning over Flacco should prove to be the difference.

Ravens 20

Colts 23

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Divisional Playoffs

Four teams rested and watched Wild Card weekend by virtue of their well earned byes. Accordingly, the head coaches of those teams should not entail any problems with motivation as the victors stated their case as worthy opponents.

In the NFC, the Cowboys surely got the undivided attention of the Vikings players with another domination of the Philadelphia Eagles. The 'Boys followed their season ending masterpiece with an encore performance that may have been even more impressive. With memories of the Vikings and Saints late season failings, Dallas now appears to be the NFC team to beat and have vaulted up in the rankings.

Of course, a week of rest and "home dome advantage" provide an edge to the Vikings as they host the white-hot Cowboys. And, Minnesota was at least able to recover from a 3-game losing streak in December by crushing the disinterested Giants in the regular season finale, so the self doubt swirling in players heads may have been erased.

New Orleans had looked like the team to beat all season, but questions and concerns have emerged after its own 3-game reverse trifecta to close out the season. The NFL's most prolific offense wilted down the stretch and their defense showed some cracks.

Kurt Warner's and the Cardinals' playoff performance has Arizona fans buzzing about a repeat of last year's magical postseason run and Saints coaches feverishly studying game film. This week has the look of another shootout in New Orleans that could take 50 points again to win.

In Green Bay, Aaron Rodgers has made it easy for fans to forget Brett Favre. Rodgers has clearly arrived as a top flight NFL quarterback and although his team heads home for the winter, they made their case as the best team not still in the hunt. In fact, they are better than some of the teams still playing this weekend.

Like the Saints and Vikings, the Colts closed a highly successful regular season with a dismal finish. Head Coach Jim Caldwell elected to pull MVP Peyton Manning and the plug on a chance at perfection in Week 16. Although most players expressed support of their rookie coach, disappointment was plainly apparent. With the decision and a pair of losses, the excitement of chasing a special place in NFL history shifted to questions whether the team could overcome the nemesis Chargers?

After watching the Ravens dismantle "The Team of the Decade" in the first round, memories of previous season's early exits must be running through Colts players minds. Baltimore possesses a scary defense, a strong running game with the emergence of Ray Rice and a solid second year quarterback in Joe Flacco. A turnover here or there and 14 straight victories to start the season might be ancient history.

Although they ended the season with an 11-game winning streak and jumped to the top of our rankings, the Chargers realize that Sunday's game will be "no gimme." The Jets come to town full of Rex Ryan fueled adrenaline and a lock-down corner in Darrelle Revis who has the ability to disrupt an entire game plan. Charles Woodson had a great season, but Revis should have been the "Defensive Player of the Year."

Based on their lackluster playoff performances, the Eagles, Patriots and Bengals all fall in the rankings. The abrupt ending to their seasons and the manner in which it occurred, have all three heading into the off season with many questions to address. Meanwhile, the other first round loser, has "Cheese-Heads" already counting the days to training camp.

1. Chargers (13-3)- Will be challenged by Jets Reves-led D
2. Colts (14-2)- Can players move past disappointment?
3. Cowboys(11-5)-Ho hum, another Philly route, Vikes next?
4. Saints (13-3)-Looking to end losing ways with shootout
5. Packers (11-5)-Best team out of the Super Bowl hunt
6. Vikings (12-4)-Hoping home dome advantage slows 'Boys
7. Ravens (9-7)- Can they repeat performance against Colts?
8. Jets (9-7)- Ryan has them believing in New York with Reves
9. Cardinals (10-6)-Spell "prolific"- W-A-R-N-E-R, need some D
10. Eagles (11-5)-No more "do overs", season's over
11. Patriots (10-6)-What happened to "The Team of the Decade?"
12. Bengals (10-6)- Crashed after a promising start to season
13. Steelers (9-7)- Pulled out another- but too little, too late
14. Texans (9-7)- First winning season, but no postseason
15. Falcons (9-7)- Strong finish to disappointing season

NFL Power Rankings-Top 15....Week 16

While one team fell from the undefeated ranks, and another continued in its path of perfection, two teams furthered their upward ascension. The San Diego Chargers doubled down, adding two more wins to extend its winning streak to 10. In the NFC, the Eagles ran their streak to 5, clinching a playoff berth along the way.

The New Orleans Saints were soundly defeated by a Dallas Cowboys team motivated to change its recent late season trend of futility. Along the way, they provided a glimmer of hope to other NFC hopefuls by making the Saints look a little less invincible. The win also restored faith amongst its fan base and positioned the Cowboys for a shot at winning the NFC East if they can win out.

Besides the Saints, the Vikings came back to the pack as well after falling badly for the second time in three games. This time they lost to a struggling Panthers team and had problems on both sides of the ball. Additonal warning alarms were sounded when an ongoing tension between Brett Favre and Brad Childress became publicized after the contest. Although both parties claim to have things patched up, the underlying power tug-o-war surely could surface as the team heads into a post season that now seems a little more treacherous.

The rest of the NFC hopefuls include Arizona, Green Bay and the surging New York Giants. With memories of last year's post season run still present in many minds, the Cardinals can not be discounted despite a disappointingly inconsistent season. Although they lost to the Steelers on the final play in possibly the game of the year, the Packers have the ingredients to be a force in the playoffs. And, many are still not writing off the Giants who have looked unstoppable on offense for the 2 1/2 games.

In the AFC, the undefeated Colts appear poised to run the table depenedent upon their level of caution. They surely are keeping their eyes on the Chargers, who have been their nemisis in years past. None of the other AFC teams appear to have the consistency or balance to threaten either team.

1. Colts (14-0)- Poised for undefeated season if regulars play
2. Saints (13-1)-Cowboys needed the game a little more
3. Chargers (12-3)- Two more wins makes 10 straight
4. Vikings (11-3)-Lost 2 of 3 with Favre and Childress feuding
5. Eagles (10-4)-Offense leads team to 5th straight win
6. Packers (9-5)-Looking strong despite Steelers last gasp win
7. Cowboys(9-5)-Confidence soaring after big win in N'Awlins
8. Bengals (9-5)- Last second loss pales to loss of Henry
9. Cardinals (9-5)-Clinched division, but still up and down
10. Giants (8-6)-Offense rolling keeps them as media darlings
11. Patriots (9-5)-Playoff worthy, but have holes
12. Ravens (8-6)- 79-10 past two weeks, is it them or opponent
13. Broncos (8-6)-Hanging on for playoff spot after 6-0 start
14. Dolphins (7-7)- Tough loss, but still in contention
15. Jacksonville (7-7)-Two tough losses could put them out of race

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Week 15

As the NFL heads into the final weeks of the regular season, teams are starting to separate themselves as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. There are two clear powers in each conference led by the two remaining undefeated teams. The Vikings still have the best overall talent and balance throughout their team, but are ranked 3rd because they have not been able to translate that into victory each and every week. Right behind those three teams are the hard charging Lightning Bolts, who registered their 8th consecutive win and could run the table in their remaining regular season games.

The Colts had a productive 5 days winning twice to preserve their perfect season. The extra rest and remaining schedule would favor a 16-0 finish, but it will likely depend on how much first year coach Jim Caldwell plays his regulars now that they have clinched home field advantage.

In the NFC, the Saints face their biggest challenge to regular season perfection this evening when they host the Dallas Cowboys. Although they have dropped the past two games to fall into second place in the NFC East, they head to New Orleans with both a feeling of desperation and a belief they can win. Conversely, the Saints have less urgency to win, but they still feel the push from Minnesota. The 'Boys also have the extra motivation of proving critics wrong about their tendency to fold late in the season over the past dozen seasons.

The next three teams in the rankings would appear to be the only true remaining Super Bowl contenders, but still appear to have some holes. The Packers, Eagles and possibly the Bengals could potentially make some noise in the post season and are capable of knocking off the favorites. Green Bay has come together defensively, led by the spectacular play of Charles Woodson and a strong linebacker corps. Additionally, Aaron Rodgers continues to mature into a top flight quarterback.

The Eagles went to the Meadowlands last Sunday Night for a rematch with the Giants and the NFC East lead on the line. Although the NBC pundits all predictably predicted that the Giants would prevail, the Eagles seized control early and scored at will to win a shoot out. The Donovan McNabb led offense keeps getting better, but the key to the team's hopes will be whether they can pull the inconsistent defense up to a similar level of play. No team will want to face the Eagles prolific offense and attacking defense in the playoffs.

The Vikings easily handled the upstart Bengals last Sunday, whose offense is struggling a bit. After a hot start, Carson Palmer's spotty play over the past several weeks has observers wondering if he is injured. The defense was torched for 30 points by the Vikes, but they have been strength most of the year.

The Cardinals, Broncos and Cowboys all lost in Week 14 and continue to hang on the fringes. They are playoff caliber teams, but appear too bi-polar to make a run for the Super Bowl. Of course, Arizona looked that way a year ago and then came within one last minute spectacular catch of winning it all. They can be scary on both sides of the ball, but catching lightning in a bottle two years in row is probably too much to ask, though.

The remaining teams in the Top 15 are hanging on by a whisker and might need to win out. Based on their schedules, the Ravens and Giants appear to have the best shot at landing the final Wild Card spot in their respective conference. With Eli Manning and Brandon Jacobs playing better, and the Giants last game coming against a Vikings team that will likely be meaningless for them, a 10-6 record appears probable.

1. Saints (13-0)-Biggest remaining obstacle tonight vs 'Boys
2. Colts (14-0)- 2 wins in 5 days has them 2 from perfect
3. Vikings (11-2)-Rebound with dominating win over Bengals
4. Chargers (10-3)- 8th straight win, could run the table
5. Packers (9-4)-They're for real, but face desperate Steelers
6. Eagles (9-4)-Win shoot out in Jersey to take 1st place
7. Bengals (9-4)- Crushed by Vikes, now face Bolts
8. Cardinals (8-5)-Same old story of up and down play
9. Broncos (8-5)-Still looking like a 10 win team
10. Cowboys(8-5)-So far another December to forget
11. Patriots (8-5)-Remain perfect at home, but have issues
12. Giants (7-6)-Media can't hype them to 1st place in NFC East
13. Dolphins (7-6)- Hanging in race despite losing QB and top RB
14. Ravens (7-6)-Have potential, but can't find any consistency
15. Titans (6-7)-Remember the Titans, they could still sneak in
16. Jacksonville (7-7)-Two tough losses could put them out of race

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Week 14

The Saints and Colts keep on rolling along with their respective undefeated seasons. Last week, the Saints escaped with a win after being beneficiaries of some good fortune just as the Colts have done a couple weeks this season. As Drew Brees pointed out after the game, the Saints have found themselves on the opposite side when luck seemed to go the other way, but it has been all good in this magical season. Things could continue to break their way with a favorable schedule the rest of the way, but hosting Dallas next week will surely be circled on their calendars.

Indianapolis veered from their recent script when they took an early lead and maintained it throughout the game to defeat the surging Titans. The next two games appear to be their biggest obstacles to complete the regular season without a loss as they host Denver and then travel to a face an improving Jacksonville team. Tennessee dropped to 5-7, but based on their level of play over the past 6 weeks, remain in our Top 15.

Just when the Vikings were looking like a powerhouse, they came up flat against the Cardinals. After yielding more than 500 yards in their previous game, Arizona's Jekyl and Hyde defense looked very stout versus a very potent Vikings offense. With a comfortable two game lead and the tie breaker over the Packers as well as a diminishing chance to catch New Orleans, the Vikings could very well find themselves resting players for the playoffs. This could prove to be more beneficial to the team than gaining home field advantage with the 40 year old Brett Favre behind center.

The Chargers racked up their 7th straight win to stay a game in front of the Broncos in the AFC West. Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson have San Diego rolling up the points and they now are the NFL's 3rd highest scoring offense. Denver exploded for 44 points after struggling offensively in the middle of the season and still hope to catch the Chargers with a little help. The other top AFC continues to be the Bengals, who have now opened a 3 game lead over the Ravens. The Super Bowl defending champion Steelers have fallen off the map at 6-7 after losses to the lowly Raiders and Browns in successive weeks.

Aaron Rodgers continues to play like his old mentor and, along with an emerging defense, has the Packers surging. They currently hold the first Wild Card spot in the NFC and are playing like a lock for the post season. The Cowboys seemed to outplay the Giants, but found themselves on the losing end. Just when the Giants were looking dead in the water, they found a way to win and keep themselves in contention.

The Eagles, of course, registered their 3rd consecutive win to pull even with the Cowboys at 8-4 and now control their own destiny in the NFC East. The return of several players as well as the improving prognosis on Brian Westbrook and Kevin Curtis put them in position for another successful season end despite a difficult schedule.

The Patriots find themselves in unfamiliar territory, losing games they almost always had won throughout the decade. The Jaquars keep winning to hang onto playoff hopes while the Ravens find themselves just hanging on, period.

1. Saints (12-0)-Capitalize on good fortune in come from behind win
2. Colts (12-0)- Eliminate the drama and clinch division
3. Vikings (10-2)-Come up flat against Cardinals
4. Chargers (9-3)- 7th straight win keeps them out front in West
5. Bengals (9-3)- Ride the defense to 3 game division lead
6. Packers (8-4)-Another impressive win against Ravens
7. Eagles (8-4)-Thinking division title with easy win, mending players
8. Cardinals (8-4)-Shut down rampaging Vikings
9. Broncos (8-4)-Offense gets rolling again, thinking playoffs
10. Cowboys(8-4)-Outplay Giants, but lose game
11. Patriots (7-5)-Defense struggling and no magic from Brady
12. Giants (7-5)-Suddenly get life and knock off Cowboys
13. Jacksonville (7-5)-Keep on coming, take big win vs Texans
14. Ravens (6-6)-Packers too much, Flacco too little
15. Titans (5-7)-Not quite ready for prime time, lose to Colts

NFL Power Rankings Top 15 Week 13

Although the Saints and Colts both remain undefeated after 11 games led by their MVP caliber quarterbacks, they are doing it in very different fashions. New Orleans faced what many thought to be their stiffest challenge on Monday night when they hosted the New England Patriots, but quickly dismantled them, rolling up an impressive 38-17 win. Meanwhile, Indianapolis invoked the same formula they have using for several weeks, appearing poised to be defeated before being rescued by Peyton Manning in the fourth quarter.

While all eyes watch anxiously to see if these teams can craft unbeaten seasons, another team lurks behind them that may have better overall talent. The Vikings have no discernible weakness and keep on rolling along with a mid-season loss in Pittsburgh being their only blemish. Brett Favre appears to have found cryogenics or been living with the De Leon family in his extended offseason as he assembles the best season of his career at the advanced football age of 40. The Vikings already had the best running back in football, a strong offensive line and an excellent defense, but in addition to Favre, they have developed a talented set of receivers and the best special teams unit.

These three teams are clearly the class of the league right now, although San Diego keeps on charging upward. With the Patriots defense looking very vulnerable, the Chargers appear to be the Colts most legitimate challenger in the AFC, but no one should discount Bill Belichick's and Tom Brady's ability to make a run. The Bengals also find themselves standing at 8-3 like the Chargers, but do not possess the same air of confidence. And, the other 8-3 team, the Dallas Cowboys, continue to win, although doubt still remains due to their offensive inconsistency.

Their NFC East rival Eagles are keeping pace one game behind them by finding ways to win while the team is depleted. Donovan McNabb has led two consecutive come from behind wins. The Eagles hope to stay within striking distance until they can get some of their injured players back on the field and playing at full strength. If they do, they are the third best team in the NFC and the fourth best team in the NFL.

The Green Bay Packers have jumped ahead of them and a few other teams in the current rankings by virtue of a potent offense and a promising defense. Aaron Rodgers is playing like a Pro Bowler while Charles Woodson is performing like the "Defensive Player of the Year." Last year's NFC champs continue a pattern of inconsistency, but are a scary team on any given week when led by Kurt Warner. Despite his absence due to a concussion last week, it took a Tennessee Titans touchdown at the final gun to knock off the Cardinals.

Speaking of the Titans, their 0-6 start had teams forgetting about them, but they are quickly emerging as a team to remember. Vince Young has taken over at the helm by order of the owner, and has them on a 5-game winning streak. Although they still have a losing record, they are now a formidable team that will challenge the Colts unbeaten string this week. The Broncos have had an almost polar opposite season, starting out 6-0, before losing four straight and finally righting themselves with a win over the Giants.

The Steelers, Giants and Ravens have all been impacted by injuries, but are also the three most disappointing teams in the NFL. At this point, none of them would seem poised to get things together and become a serious contender. With Eli Manning potentially on the verge of being shut down for the season, Brandon Jacobs playing soft and the defense in disarray, the Giants could find themselves packing in their hopes for the season shortly.

1. Saints (11-0)-Brees has what it takes to win Super Bowl
2. Vikings (10-1)-Keep on rolling up easy wins led by Favre
3. Colts (11-0)- Same old formula- fall behind and then win again
4. Chargers (8-3)- Keep getting better, Colts only AFC challenger?
5. Bengals (8-3)- Offensive line leads rebound from bad loss
6. Cowboys(8-3)-Hope to build on solid win to convince doubters
7. Packers (7-4)-Looking look like a very solid playoff team
8. Eagles (7-4)-McNabb leading depleted team to gut check wins
9. Patriots (7-4)-Holes in secondary proving to be achilles heal
10. Cardinals (7-4)-Heart breaking loss without Warner
11. Titans (5-6)-Rolling behind Young after terrible start
12. Steelers (6-5)-Loss to KC has many questioning prospects
13. Broncos (7-4)-Finally open the parachute after long free fall
14. Giants (6-5)-Lost all confidence, but still have talent to rebound
15. Ravens (6-5)-Defense gives them a chance every week