Power Rankings: Chargers firmly on top
Week:
![[+]](http://a.espncdn.com/community/widgets/i/add_widget_bug.jpg)
|
The Chargers continue to roll, remaining firmly on top of the rankings following their seventh straight win. While the defense has been giving up some points, the Chargers are easily the most complete team in the NFL. Shawne Merriman might be the NFL's best defensive player and LaDainian Tomlinson is the NFL's best player.
After the Chargers the top five looks a little different this week. The Ravens (to No. 2) and the Saints (to No. 3) each jumped four spots in the rankings following impressive wins. For the Saints, it's the first time they've been the highest-ranked team in the NFC.
Another team to keep an eye is the Titans. Tennessee moved up only two spots this week to No. 14 and was even ranked as high as No. 7 on one ballot. The Titans' playoff hopes are slim, but they are one of the NFL's hottest teams right now.
Anyway, on to the rankings. You can rank the teams yourself with SportsNation's NFL Power Rankings.
| 2006 Power Rankings: Week 15 | ||||
| RK (LW) | TEAM | REC | COMMENT | |
 |
1 (1) | Chargers | 11-2-0 | Have you ever noticed how the first defender that gets to LaDainian Tomlinson almost always misses? Tomlinson and the whole Chargers offense are just in a zone right now. |
 |
2 (6) | Ravens | 10-3-0 | The Ravens are starting to look an awful lot like the 2000 team that won the Super Bowl. Great defense and an offense that doesn't make mistakes. |
 |
3 (7) | Saints | 9-4-0 | We'd have to give our MVP vote to LaDainian Tomlinson, but it wouldn't be without thinking long and hard about Drew Brees. |
 |
4 (4) | Bears | 11-2-0 | That was pretty much the kind of game the Bears need Rex Grossman to play. Make some plays, don't make mistakes and let the defense or special teams do something special. |
 |
5 (8) | Bengals | 8-5-0 | Part of winning in the playoffs is being on top of your game when the postseason starts (see the Steelers last season). The Bengals have that look right now. |
 |
6 (2) | Colts | 10-3-0 | When you give up 375 yards on the ground you're not a Super Bowl team. If the Colts can't fix their defense it's going to be another early playoff exit. |
 |
7 (3) | Cowboys | 8-5-0 | The Cowboys had been on cruise control before getting blown out by the Saints. How will Tony Romo and the team respond to some adversity? |
 |
8 (5) | Patriots | 9-4-0 | Sunday's loss to the Dolphins was about as frustrated and confused as you're ever going to see Tom Brady. |
 |
9 (10) | Jaguars | 8-5-0 | Maurice Jones-Drew is making all the teams that passed on him because he's only 5-7 look foolish. Maybe he'll never be a 25-carry a game back, but he's a real talent. |
 |
10 (9) | Seahawks | 8-5-0 | How about Matt Hasselbeck running down the field Sunday and throwing his body on a fumble? And don't forget, that's a body that has been beat up this season and still isn't right. His teammates will never forget that. |
 |
11 (15) | Giants | 7-6-0 | The Giants had lost four straight games, but all they needed was one win to put their playoff hopes back on track. If the Giants win their last three games they'll win the NFC East. |
 |
12 (14) | Falcons | 7-6-0 | He's always been injury-prone, but when John Abraham is on the field he's a difference-maker. He showed that again Sunday, forcing the fumble that Demorrio Williams returned for a TD. |
 |
13 (17) | Eagles | 7-6-0 | Yes, we said two weeks ago that the Eagles' season was ''cooked'' without Donovan McNabb. Oops! |
 |
14 (16) | Titans | 6-7-0 | Vince Young is just fun to watch. He looks so effortless when he runs the ball. |
 |
15 (12) | Chiefs | 7-6-0 | Without much margin for error, the Chiefs just couldn't afford to lose a game at home. |
 |
16 (11) | Jets | 7-6-0 | Even with their easy schedule, you had a feeling the Jets would stumble at least once down the stretch. The key now is making sure it's only once. |
 |
17 (13) | Broncos | 7-6-0 | Obviously part of switching to Jay Cutler was with an eye toward the future. You just have to hope that if the Broncos falter it won't have a negative impact on that future. |
 |
18 (20) | Dolphins | 6-7-0 | Jason Taylor is playing as well as anyone in the NFL. Being on a team that doesn't make the playoffs could hurt him, but Taylor deserves to be near the top of the discussion for defensive player of the year. |
 |
19 (21) | Bills | 6-7-0 | Obviously the playoffs are the ultimate goal at the beginning of any season, but getting to 8-8 would be a nice accomplishment. |
 |
20 (19) | Steelers | 6-7-0 | 303 yards rushing. Now that's Steelers' football. Willie Parker might not be a typical Steelers' power back, but he secured himself a spot in their record books with his 223-yard effort. |
 |
21 (24) | Vikings | 6-7-0 | Artose Pinner did what every player who's ever been cut dreams about. The backup Vikings RB got a chance to carry the load against the Lions, who cut him three months ago, and responded with 125 yards rushing and three TDs in a victory. |
 |
22 (18) | Panthers | 6-7-0 | When a team that is designed to pound the ball on the ground has to throw it 61 times, that's not good. |
 |
23 (28) | Packers | 5-8-0 | If being competitive is one of the main criteria in whether Brett Favre comes back, then we're betting he's playing next year. With the NFC the way it is, the Packers have as good a chance as any team to be back in contention next season. |
 |
24 (23) | Rams | 5-8-0 | At the time, the Rams' Week 6 loss to the Seahawks (30-28) seemed to indicate that they could compete with the NFC's best. Since then they've gone 1-6. |
 |
25 (22) | 49ers | 5-8-0 | Alex Smith is starting to hear some boos in S.F. But coach Mike Nolan is right, sitting Smith right now would make absolutely no sense. He needs to keep playing and learning. |
 |
26 (29) | Cardinals | 4-9-0 | The Cardinals showed some toughness and guts Sunday that they can definitely use to build on for next season. |
 |
27 (25) | Redskins | 4-9-0 | When you spend as much money as the Redskins did on assistants and free agents, you're not supposed to finish last in your division. |
 |
28 (27) | Texans | 4-9-0 | David Carr has some talent, and obviously his supporting cast has been lacking in his four-plus years in Houston, but at some point the Texans might just have to decide that he's not the guy. |
 |
29 (26) | Browns | 4-9-0 | Derek Anderson has shown enough in the last two games to deserve a chance to battle Charlie Frye for the starting QB job next season. |
 |
30 (30) | Buccaneers | 3-10-0 | If the Buccaneers are planning on Bruce Gradkowski being their starter next season, then it makes sense to keep playing him. |
 |
31 (31) | Raiders | 2-11-0 | Randy Moss has now gone seven games without a TD catch. Of course, over that same stretch, Raiders QBs have thrown only three TD passes. |
 |
32 (32) | Lions | 2-11-0 | Usually with bad teams at the end of the season, you look for bright spots, but are there any in Detroit? Maybe the fact that we can't see any way Matt Millen makes it through this? |
| Glossary |
| TG - Tim Graham (AFC East); JW - James Walker (AFC North); PK - Paul Kuharsky (AFC South); BW - Bill Williamson (AFC West); MM - Matt Mosley (NFC East); KS - Kevin Seifert (NFC North); PY - Pat Yasinskas (NFC South); MS - Mike Sando (NFC West) |
