Power Rankings: No. 2 Broncos can beat Colts CBS SportsLine.com Senior WriterTell Pete your opinion!Updated Nov. 29The Denver Broncos are for real.After seeing them play last Thursday against Dallas, I came away with this thought: They could make a legitimate push for the Super Bowl.Yes, that means possibly beating the Colts in Indianapolis. Folks, the Broncos are good."That would be poetic justice," said one Broncos player of a possible playoff matchup with the Colts. "After what they've done to us the past two years, we could get them in the AFC Championship Game at their place. If we did that, the other losses would be erased. And they wouldn't be too happy about it. This one would be to go to the Super Bowl."That's getting a little ahead of things, but the Broncos have all the tools to compete. They can run the ball, they have a quarterback who is pretty much playing mistake-free football, and the defense is an aggressive, attacking unit that doesn't back down.Isn't that what you need to beat the Colts?The Broncos have a tough game this week at Kansas City, but their schedule is much easier than those of the Chargers and Chiefs, which would likely make them the division champion and second seed in the conference. Then, it's one playoff victory and a would-be trip to Indy for the AFC title.Sure, it's a long way off, but who wants to look back when the Raiders were our Super Bowl pick before the season started.Denver stays in the second spot in the CBS SportsLine.com Power Rankings, one back of the top-ranked Colts, who have undefeated season written all over them. Those two appear headed to a January showdown for a trip to the Super Bowl.There is no denying right now they are the two best teams in the league.Seattle is the best team in the NFC and it appears the NFC playoffs will go through the Great Northwest. But they aren't in the same class with the Colts and Broncos -- we don't think.We still have a month left for teams to fade and emerge, but the Colts, Broncos and Seahawks have made their statements.We expected it from the Colts. Many thought the Seahawks would be this good, but the Broncos are exceeding expectations. Give Mike Shanahan credit. It appears he's ready to win a playoff game without John Elway.The Power Rankings after Week 12OWER RANKINGSCurrent Team Previous 1 Indianapolis Colts 1And the beat goes on. Unless they call off the dogs, they will go undefeated. 2 Denver Broncos 2Going into Dallas and winning on a short week is impressive. The Broncos have a huge test this week against the Chiefs. 3 Seattle Seahawks 3They are now the class of the NFC. It looks like the playoffs will go through Seattle. 4 Jacksonville Jaguars 5They will have to find out what it's like to play without Byron Leftwich for the next month or so. Luckily, the schedule is favorable. 5 Chicago Bears 7Winning on the road against a good team like Tampa Bay is impressive. They do eventually need to get some more from the offense. 6 Pittsburgh Steelers 6They didn't look all that good against the Colts, but they have a big one on tap this week against the Bengals. A win will likely give them the division. A loss could be crippling. 7 Cincinnati Bengals 11The offense is really clicking, but don't you have some concerns about that defense heading to Pittsburgh? Can they outscore the Steelers? 8 San Diego Chargers 8It's too bad they aren't in the NFC. They'd be the favorite there. In the AFC, they might not make the playoffs. 9 Carolina Panthers 9The offense still isn't clicking, and that's a concern heading into the key game with the Falcons. The running game has to come alive. 10 New York Giants 10That was a tough one to lose against Seattle, but with the Cowboys on tap there is no time to sulk. A victory could give the Giants the NFC East. 11 Dallas Cowboys 4They head to New York having already beaten the Giants once, so a victory is essentially a two-game lead in the division. Talk about huge. 12 Atlanta Falcons 14The Falcons got Steve Mariucci fired and now must try to get back in the division race with a road victory against Carolina. A loss and they'll almost certainly be taking the wild-card route. 13 Kansas City Chiefs 15Their schedule down the stretch is brutal, starting Sunday with the Broncos, and they likely can't afford another loss. The defense is playing well. 14 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12Losing a game on a missed field goal was last year's problem. So we thought. The Bucs are still a solid wild-card possibility. 15 Minnesota Vikings 17Watch out. Here come the Vikings. They went 4-0 in November, which puts them at 6-5. The Bears shouldn't rest on what they've done. 16 New England Patriots 13They will win the East and make the playoffs, but are they any good? The defense is awful. Yes, awful. 17 Washington Redskins 16That early start was a mirage. This team is nothing better than a .500 club -- and that could be stretching it. 18 Philadelphia Eagles 18There's still life, barely. But the Eagles are not out of anything yet, despite all the injuries. 19 St. Louis Rams 25Don't you get the feeling I could go in and throw for 300 yards for the Rams offense? Ryan Fitzpatrick is the man. 20 Buffalo Bills 20So much for any playoff talk. This has been a disappointing season and the pressure is on the front office. 21 Miami Dolphins 24Give Nick Saban and his staff credit for this team bouncing back against Oakland. They haven't quit. 22 Oakland Raiders 19Norv Turner could be Mariucci-ed in the near future. This team is a mess. 23 Baltimore Ravens 21Things are bad, really bad. So does Brian Billick make it through to next season? 24 Tennessee Titans 30Steve McNair showed last week that he can still put up some numbers, and the young receivers are growing up. They won't be easy for anybody left on the schedule. 25 Cleveland Browns 22It's time to go to the rookie passer in Charlie Frye. They're another team playing for the future. 26 New Orleans Saints 29They haven't quit, and that's a good thing. Now if they could only find out where they're playing next season. 27 Arizona Cardinals 23Bet they can't wait to get into that new stadium next season to wash the stink off from the old one. Will the losing feeling ever leave, though? 28 Green Bay Packers 28Is Brett Favre about ready to walk away? Do the Packers care? Do they want him to? 29 Detroit Lions 26So who will be named the new coach? D*** Jauron gets a five-week screening test. 30 New York Jets 27Losing at home to the Saints sets them down to an even lower level. Five more weeks and it's over. 31 San Francisco 49ers 31Playing this season undermanned, we knew they'd be somewhere down here. It's all about the future now. 32 Houston Texans 32This has been a season from hell, and Sunday's loss to the Rams is the capper. It's time to start really thinking about coaching candidates.
Redskins are 17, I'm suprised that aint TERRIBLE. Does anyone think Washington still has a shot at wildcard if they win the rest of their games?
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ortiz34 @ Dec 1 2005, 03:38 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'>Hmmm...Panthers at 9. That's a gift considering they had a horrible game against the Bills.</div> A win against the Falcons will have them more widely recognized. I bet they will beat the Falcons.
At this point it would be obvious to say anyone and everyone lists the Colts #1 and #2. After that... it's anyones game
<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (JHair @ Dec 1 2005, 03:41 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'><div class='quotetop'>QUOTE (ortiz34 @ Dec 1 2005, 03:38 PM)</div><div class='quotemain'> Hmmm...Panthers at 9. That's a gift considering they had a horrible game against the Bills.</div>A win against the Falcons will have them more widely recognized. I bet they will beat the Falcons. </div> Yeah, they hopefully will, but this is for last week's power rankings and they didn't have a typical 'Panthers' offensive game.
I know the Seahwaks record is better than the Jags, but how can you put them ahead of the Jags if JAX beat SEA?Jags=3 in my book
