Cold, Hard Football Facts.com: Power Rankings: Week 14 2007

By Jonathan Comey

Cold, Hard Football Facts pigskin voyeur

Is the NFC better than the AFC this year?

Sure, the Patriots are the dominant team in the NFL, a fitting No. 1 in our Power Rankings. But their good deeds have been cancelled by the dirty deeds turned in by the 0-12 Dolphins, No. 32 on our list with a bullet (in the back of the head).

Meanwhile, the NFC has half of the Dominant Dozen and 10 of the top 18 teams in the rankings, with Dallas and Green Bay holding their own with Indy and NE.

So, who’s better? Well, for the first time in awhile, it’s just about dead even.

The NFC is 26-24 vs. the AFC, reversing a trend more than a half-decade old.

According to our ever accurate rankings, the NFC has a slight edge in overall power, with an aggregate ranking of 262 to the AFC’s 266. But the AFC has four of the top six teams in our rankings, and the NFC has three of the bottom four.

And against Quality Opponents, the NFC is 16-52 (23.5 win percentage) while the AFC is 23-54 (29.8 win percentage).

The last time things were this even was 2000, when both conferences finished at .500 overall but the Ravens won the battle for the AFC with a 34-7 Super Bowl win.

There are only 14 interconference games left to settle it for the regular season, but the only bragging rights that count won’t be won until February.

On to the rankings:

THE DOMINANT DOZEN

1. NEW ENGLAND (12-0, previous rank: 1)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 4-0, +16.5 PPG
Last week: Like mortals, the Patriots started all 12 of their drives in their own end and punted five times, but pulled out the 27-24 win in Baltimore to keep their quest for immortality alive.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: If Randy Moss can catch 25 more passes and Wes Welker 16 more passes, they’ll become the fourth set of teammates to catch 100 balls in a season (Fitzgerald-Boldin, Arizona 2005; Smith-McCaffrey, Denver 2000; Moore-Perriman, Detroit 1995)
Next: vs. Pittsburgh. Another top defensive front takes their shot at Brady and the Patriots.

2. DALLAS (11-1, previous rank: 3)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 3-1, +2.5 PPG
Last week: While the Patriots have won three nail-biters since playing Dallas in Week 6, the Cowboys have won five of six by 10 or more points, including the 37-27 Thursday night win over Green Bay.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Jason Witten and Terrell Owens are on track to set the record for receiving yards by a WR/TE combination. Their pace of 2,753 yards would beat the record of 2,630 held by Kellen Winslow Sr. and John Jefferson of the 1980 Chargers.
Next: at Detroit. Two more wins, and the Cowboys will tie the franchise victory record (13 in 1992).

3. INDIANAPOLIS (10-2, previous rank: 4)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 4-2, +6.7 PPG
Last week: The Colts took care of business against Jacksonville and now have 10 wins for the eighth time in the nine seasons.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Go for it! Colts have allowed an NFL high 10 fourth-down conversions … a bad number, if it didn’t match their win total.
Next: at Baltimore, Sunday night. Will the Colts get the demoralized Ravens, or the revitalized Ravens? A loss, plus a New England win, and the Patriots clinch home-field advantage in the AFC.

4. GREEN BAY (10-2, previous rank: 2)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 2-1, +6.3 PPG
Last week: It seems like a month ago that the best efforts of backup QB Aaron Rodgers fell short in a 37-27 loss to Dallas.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Barring the unforeseen, RB Ryan Grant will be the eighth different season rushing leader for the Packers in Brett Favre’s 16-year run (Ahman Green, Samkon Gado, Dorsey Levens, Darick Holmes, Edgar Bennett, Darrell Thompson and Vince Workman).
Next: vs. Oakland. These two great franchises have played each other only ine times (Oakland 5, Green Bay 4).

5. PITTSBURGH (9-3, previous rank: 5)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 3-0, +17.0 PPG
Last week: The defense continued to show its strength in a 24-10 win over the Bengals; Cincy was the sixth opponent the Steelers have held to 10 or less.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Willie Parker has carried between 19 and 28 times in all 12 games, and it seems to be wearing on him. In his last five, Parker averages 3.03 YPA with no touchdowns (just 2 TDs all year). But Pittsburgh has won four of those five games.
Next: at New England. The 2007 Steelers aren’t used to teams like New England; according to Jeff Sagarin’s strength of schedule ratings, the Steelers have faced the easiest schedule in football this year.

6. JACKSONVILLE (8-4, previous rank: 6)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 3-3, -0.8 PPG
Last week: The Jags outgained Indianapolis 411-342 and held the ball for 35:45, but lost 28-23.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Maurice-Fred Jones-Drew-Taylor continues to be one of the best backs in the league: combined 317 carries for 1,434 yards and 10 TDs.
Next: vs. Carolina. The 1995 expansion mates have met only three times.

7. TAMPA BAY (8-4, previous rank: 7)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 1-3, -7.8 PPG
Last week: The Bucs beat the Saints by just four, 27-23, despite 220 more yards of offense (466-246) and an even turnover battle (1-1).
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Against New Orleans, Tampa boasted a 300-yard passer (Luke McCown), 100-yard runner (Earnest Graham) and 100-yard receiver (Joey Galloway) for the first time since October 2003 (38-35 Monday night loss to Indy).
Next: at Houston. Haven’t these two played already? AFC South vs. NFC South games all blend together when Indy isn’t involved.

8. SEATTLE (8-4, previous rank: 8)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 1-2, -3.3 PPG
Last week: Lofa Tatupu’s three INTs led the Seahawks to a 28-24 win at Philly, in a rare game in the flag-happy NFL that featured only two combined penalties.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: At 34 years old, WR Bobby Engram is on pace for his first 1,000-yard season (needs 126 yards in the last four games).
Next: vs. Arizona. The Seahawks clinch their fourth straight NFC West title with a win.

9. SAN DIEGO (7-5, previous rank: 10)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 1-3, -9.0 PPG
Last week: The Chargers won the turnover battle 4-1 and beat KC 24-10. They average 5.3 yards per play to their opponents’ 5.2, but are heading toward the playoffs thanks to their +14 turnover ratio.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: You know how LaDainian Tomlinson is having a down year? Well, he’s on pace for 2,147 yards from scrimmage, which would be the 29th most all time.
Next: at Tennessee. Chargers look to avenge a 17-14 loss to the then-Houston Oilers in the 1979 playoffs.

10. NEW YORK GIANTS (8-4, previous rank: 11)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 0-3, -14.3 PPG
Last week: A 21-16 win in Chicago gave the Giants a big two-game edge on the NFC wild-card field.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Opposing quarterbacks have thrown for more yards than Eli Manning in nine of 12 games this year; but Giants have fielded the No. 1 rusher in 10 of 12 games.
Next: at Philadelphia. The Giants beat Philly 16-3 in New Jersey back in September.

11. MINNESOTA (6-6, previous rank: 13)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 2-3, -1.8 PPG
Last week: Minnesota made short work of spiraling Detroit, winning 42-10 to get back to the .500 mark for the first time since Week 2. The volatile Vikings have scored 205 points in their six wins, 73 points in their six losses.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Rookie RB Adrian Peterson has 12 fewer carries than fellow first-round pick Marshawn Lynch of Buffalo … but 446 more rushing yards.
Next: at San Francisco. Despite all of San Fran's success in the 1980s and 1990s, the series is tied 18-18-1.

12. CLEVELAND (7-5, previous rank: 9)

Record vs. Quality Teams: 1-3, -11.0 PPG
Last week: The Browns allowed 24 or more points for the ninth time in 12 games, losing in Arizona 27-21.
Cold, Hard Football Facts: Braylon Edwards and Kellen Winslow Jr. are on pace to combine for 2,603 yards, just shy of the existing WR/TE combo record (Jefferson/Winslow Sr., 1980 Chargers, 2,630 yards) and behind the pace of Cowboys Jason Witten/Terrell Owens (2,753).
Next: at NY Jets. The Browns probably have the easiest closing stretch of any playoff hopeful, hosting Buffalo, visiting Cincinnati, hosting San Francisco.

THE TEPID TWENTY

13. TENNESSEE (7-5, previous rank: 14) – The Titans have gone from No. 32 in total defense in 2006 to No. 5 in total defense in 2007.

14. ARIZONA (6-6, previous rank: 19) – The Cardinals can beat Quality Opponents (3-1 vs. teams with winning records), but their six losses have come to clubs with a combined record of 28-44 (.389).

15. PHILADELPHIA (5-7, previous rank: 12) – The Eagles are the only team in the NFL with no touchdowns from their defense or special teams.

16. BUFFALO (6-6, previous rank: 23) – The Bills have been involved in three one-point games this year (loss to Denver, loss to Dallas, win over Washington).

17. WASHINGTON (5-7, previous rank: 17) – According to Jeff Sagarin’s strength of schedule ratings, the Redskins have faced the league's toughest schedule.

18. NEW ORLEANS (5-7, previous rank: 16) – The Saints allowed a 100-yard rusher Sunday (Tampa's Earnest Graham) for the first time since Week 1 (Indy's Joseph Addai).

19. HOUSTON (5-7, previous rank: 18) – With three of their last four against Quality Teams, it looks like a sixth straight losing season for the Texans.

20. DETROIT (6-6, previous rank: 15) – The sight of Lion players exchanging hugs with Vikings during a third-quarter review delay Sunday – while their playoff hopes were being pummeled into submission – should be enough to make someone lose their job at season’s end.

21. CHICAGO (5-7, previous rank: 20) – Only a last-gasp win over Denver in Week 12 has kept the Bears from a five-game home losing streak.

22. CINCINNATI (4-8, previous rank: 21) – The Bengals averaged 11.5 points in two losses to Pittsburgh, 26.7 points in their 10 other games.

23. DENVER (5-7, previous rank: 22) – After four straight seasons with a Top 10 scoring defense, the Broncos are No. 31 in 2007.

24. OAKLAND (4-8, previous rank: 26) –.Good news: Raiders have given up only eight passing TDs, second-best in NFL! Bad news: Raiders have allowed league-high 20 rushing TDs.

25. BALTIMORE (4-8, previous rank: 27) – From 2002 through now, Brian Billick and the Ravens are 49-45 including playoffs.

26. CAROLINA (5-7, previous rank: 31) – Panthers’ bright spot is their run defense; they allow 3.62 yards per carry (fourth in NFL).

27. KANSAS CITY (4-8, previous rank: 24) – WR Dwayne Bowe (on pace for 1,046 yards) could be the fourth rookie since 1999 with 1,000 receiving yards (Michael Clayton, Anquan Boldin, Marques Colston)

28. NEW YORK JETS (3-9, previous rank: 29) – Rookie David Harris has 66 tackles in five games since being inserted into the starting lineup.

29. ST. LOUIS (3-9, previous rank: 28) – Despite all their struggles, Rams are No. 7 in the NFL in time of possession.

30. ATLANTA (3-9 previous rank: 25) – 47-year-old Morten Andersen is 19-for-22 on field goals this season.

31. SAN FRANCISCO (3-9, previous rank: 30) – Well, at least they traded their No. 1 pick in 2008 to New England.

32. MIAMI (0-12, previous rank: 32) – Seeing what rookie John Beck can do is nice, but with infamy on the line perhaps it’s time to put Cleo Lemon back in.