The NFL power rankings had had a set order for weeks, at least in the top 2. As long as the Tennessee Titans kept winning, they would stay at number one. The New York Giants, despite winning almost every game as well, would stay at number two. For weeks, these two teams were head and shoulders above all else in power rankings and in pundit’s eyes.
Now, with one loss to the New York Jets, the Giants are ranked number one in most power rankings and the Titans are sliding down.
The Titans position as the top team in NFL power rankings was always going to slip if they lost one game. Despite the Titans 10-0 start, they were not talked about as seriously for a Super Bowl title as teams like the Giants. Now that the Jets defeated the Titans, it is the Giants and Jets that are getting all of the Super Bowl buzz now.
The Giants are 10-1 and still in firm control of the entire NFC. The Cowboys are charging up in the NFL power rankings again, but have an easy schedule for a while. In the AFC, the Jets may actually be vaulting ahead of the Titans in power rankings, despite still being two games worse than the Titans.
The storyline is just too media friendly to avoid now. With the Titans finally knocked off their NFL power rankings perch, the Jets surging with Brett Farve, and the Giants dominating, it will be all Giants-Jets talk for as long as they keep winning.
The Titans will be the forgotten, underdog team for all their wins for a while, since nothing can defeat the buzz and endless talk of an all New York, Giants-Jets Super Bowl. The NFL power rankings may reflect that until further notice.
Still, the Giants and Titans are the only 10-1 teams in the NFL, so they may still stay 1-2 in many rankings. But with Giants-Jets talk growing, the Titans may only stay on top via an obligation, though the New York loving media will likely not be as kind.
Here is what the NFL power rankings can look like until the Giants and Jets make it official.
1. New York Giants: 10-1
2. Tennessee Titans: 10-1
3. New York Jets: 8-3
4. Indianapolis Colts: 7-4
5. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-3
6. Dallas Cowboys: 7-4
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 8-3
8. Carolina Panthers: 8-3
9. New England Patriots: 7-4
10. Arizona Cardinals: 7-4
11. Baltimore Ravens: 7-4
12. Atlanta Falcons: 7-4
Sources
Chicago Daily Herald- “Giants are the new sheriff in town” blogs.dailyherald.com/node/1006
