21. Detroit Lions (23)
Oh the Lions—just when it’s time to declare them a good team, they stink up the joint. Just when it’s time to write them off as awful, they come out and win a big game. Matthew Stafford is playing some great football, and because of that they’ll be competitive. Really not sure what else to say about the Lions—check back next week.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (21)
The Bengals got a week to sit and think about where they are at as a football team. In comparison to expectations, the year would appear to be lost. There is a lot of football left to be played, but they are going to have to begin playing at a high level very soon if they would like to get their season off of life support.
23. Baltimore Ravens (25)
It is impossible to judge the Ravens after they beat the Steelers. It does not matter the quality of these two teams, they always play close games. However, it was encouraging to see the Ravens back in the win column. Now with a team other than the Steelers on the docket, can they build on this win, or will they revert back to the team that lost the previous four games?
24. Miami Dolphins (22)
It doesn’t quite seem fair that the Dolphins dropped two spots in the rankings after a win, however life isn’t fair. Fact is though, the Dolphins are playing far better football then they were a few weeks ago when they appeared they’d be in the running for the number one draft pick. They’ve actually put themselves in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the AFC—an impressive turnaround to say the least.