ESPN put out their power rankings for Week 15 today and the Giants have moved up a slot to #9 after being ranked #10 last week. The problem is not necessarily that the Giants are 9th, but that the teams ahead of them don’t deserve to to crack the Top 10:
1 NEW ENGLAND (13-0)
2 DALLAS (12-1)
3 INDIANAPOLIS (11-2)
4 GREEN BAY (11-2)
5 JACKSONVILLE (9-4)
6 SEATTLE (9-4)
7 SAN DIEGO (8-5)
8 PITTSBURGH (9-4)
9 GIANTS (9-4)
How can anyone honestly put together a list like this and feel as though the Colts are not that second best team in the league? It boggles my mind. Not only did they have the Patriots on the ropes before suffering a mental collapse in the second half, but they have beaten every other team they have faced, except for the Chargers and it took Adam V missing every kicking opportunity, especially one with seconds remaining and Peyton Manning throwing 6 INTs to barely lose.
Pittsburgh finds themselves ranked higher than the Giants after a blowout loss to New England and with the same record as the G-Men. Only problem here is that the Giants beat the Jets when they played them and don’t have losses to the Cardinals and Broncos on their resume from this season either.
Not only should San Diego and Pittsburgh be removed from their current ranks, but they should be eliminated from the Top 10. If an 8-5 record (San Diego) can get you ranked as the 7th best team in the NFL when there are 11 teams in the league with equal or better records than you, there is a problem. But, then again they do play in the competitive AFC West…