NFL Poll: Week 15

The cream is rising to the top.  Seattle went to Baltimore and crushed the Ravens, while Pittsburgh dominated Cincinnati in Cincinnati, and New England ended its brief two-game losing streak.  So the top of the AP NFL Poll now looks like this:

1.  Carolina Panthers:  13-0
2.  Arizona Cardinals:  11-2
3.  New England Patriots:  11-2
4.  Seattle Seahawks:  8-5
5.  Denver Broncos:  10-3
6.  Cincinnati Bengals:  10-3
7.  Pittsburgh Steelers:  8-5
8.  Kansas City Chiefs:  8-5
9.  Green Bay Packers:  9-4
10.  New York Jets:  8-5

I can't vouch for every team on this list, but I will say that the best NFL game I've seen all year was Arizona's 39-32 win at Seattle on November 15.  That game was outstanding, and it convinced me that those really are two of the best teams in the League.

The Redskins (6-7) rose from 17 to 13 after a victory at Chicago.  Here's how the Poll ranks the NFC East:

12.  Philadelphia Eagles:  6-7
13.  Washington Redskins:  6-7
14.  New York Giants:  6-7
27.  Dallas Cowboys:  4-9

Personally, I think the Giants are the best of these teams, and I would rank the Skins no more than three spots above the Cowboys.

The Dolphins (5-8) fell from 24th to 26th after losing at home to the Giants, but they filled up Twitter, as fans across the country celebrated the return of the Dolphins' true uniform.  Miami's decision to go away from its original uniform -- which was one of the best NFL uniforms ever -- to the current mess it wears is so bad, and so unpopular with the fans, that it actually causes one to question whether the free enterprise system is the best way for consumers to get the product they want.

Last night, the Rams played what may have been their last game in St. Louis.  That was not the best game of the week.  This week's Game of the Week takes place in Pittsburgh, where the Broncos will finally play a big game on the road.  I don't know why the Steelers have to play both the Broncos and the Patriots every year, but that's how it goes.  That's the only game between top-10 teams this week, so you should have a chance to do some Christmas shopping.