- Houston Texans (8-1) | 2 | Looking better more consistently than anyone
- Atlanta Falcons (8-1) | 1 | Really, really good – but good enough in NFC?
- Chicago Bears (7-2) | 3 | This team needs its quarterback – like all teams
- Green Bay Packers (6-3) | 5 | Four-game winning streak has them looking like a power again
- Baltimore Ravens (7-2) | 6 | Prime-time matchup with Steelers is huge
- New England Patriots (6-3) | 8 | Not great yet, but there's still time
- Denver Broncos (6-3) | 9 | Better and better by the week
- Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3) | 10 | Big Ben = big, big loss
- New York Giants (6-4) | 4 | Playing their way back to the pack
- San Francisco 49ers (6-2-1) | 7 | Will be hard to catch in NFC West
- Indianapolis Colts (6-3) | 13 | More credit where it's due
- Seattle Seahawks (6-4) | 12 | Unbeaten at home; 1-4 on the road
- Minnesota Vikings (6-4) | 14 | Must figure out how to win on the road
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-4) | 17 | Winning their way into contention
- New Orleans Saints (4-5) | 20 | There may be just enough time
- Detroit Lions (4-5) | 11 | A couple of losses from being major disappointment
- Dallas Cowboys (4-5) | 19 | A long way to go to save season
- Miami Dolphins (4-5) | 15 | Season has taken dramatic downward turn in two weeks
- San Diego Chargers (4-5) | 16 | Looking like a team in real trouble
- Arizona Cardinals (4-5) | 18 | Slipped two more spots and didn't play
- Cincinnati Bengals (4-5) | 23 | Got a must-win victory Sunday
- Tennessee Titans (4-6) | 24 | Huge victory over Miami keeps them alive for now
- Washington Redskins (3-6) | 22 | Can RGIII finish season strong? Can he finish it at all?
- Buffalo Bills (3-6) | 25 | Valiant effort against Patriots, but not enough
- St. Louis Rams (3-5-1) | 28 | You could see these guys move up soon
- Philadelphia Eagles (3-6) | 21 | Taking on that lost-season look
- New York Jets (3-6) | 26 | Speaking of lost-season looks
- Oakland Raiders (3-6) | 27 | Staggering and stumbling since beating Jaguars
- Cleveland Browns (2-7) | 29 | Still time to slip in these rankings
30 .Carolina Panthers (2-7) | 30 | Changes by the week in Charlotte
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8) | 31 | Still out of the cellar
- Kansas City Chiefs (1-8) | 32 | Gritty, gutty . . . and still No. 32
