Power Rankings: The final votes are in

By Mike McAllister
ESPN.com

Welcome to the final edition of our 2007 Power Rankings. So what did we learn from our one preseason and 17 weeks of regular-season rankings?

ESPN.com's Power Rankings The rankings were determined by a poll of ESPN.com's NFL staff: writers John Clayton, Len Pasquarelli, Matt Mosley, Jeffri Chadiha and Mike Sando; Scouts Inc. Insiders Jeremy Green and Keith Kidd; and ESPN.com NFL senior editor Mike McAllister.

That the Patriots, while making history with the league's first 16-0 regular-season record, surprised exactly no one by dominating the competition. They went wire-to-wire as our No. 1 team.

That the Colts and Cowboys were the only teams other than New England to enjoy top-10 status all season. In fact, the Colts never dipped below No 4.

That the Giants fluctuated as wildly as some of Eli Manning's passes. An 0-2 start had them ranked 27th, but five weeks later, they had risen to No. 4. They then dropped in and out of the top 10 two more times during the second half of the season.

That we knew the Falcons would stink without Michael Vick. They started the season next-to-last and that's where they ended, never rising above No. 26.

To wrap up the season, we've called upon our voting members to provide the team-by-team commentary, dividing the work by divisions. Thus, for your reading pleasure, you'll have:

• Jeffri Chadiha (JChad) on the AFC East
• John Clayton (JClay) on the NFC West
• Jeremy Green (JG) on the AFC South
• Mike McAllister (MMc) on the NFC South/North
• Matt Mosley (MMo) on the NFC East
• Len Pasquarelli (LP) on the AFC North
• Mike Sando (MS) on the AFC West

Until next season ...

BIGGEST RISE: Washington Redskins from 13th to 10th. BIGGEST DROP: Buffalo Bills from 16th to 19th. Detroit Lions from 21st to 24th.

(Editor's note: LW indicates each team's ranking last week.)

2007 Power Rankings: Week 18
	RK (LW)	TEAM	REC	COMMENT
	1 (1)	Patriots	16-0-0	The Patriots stormed through the NFL with the most potent offense ever. They didn't lose a game in the regular season and now they're favored to win their fourth Super Bowl since 2001. (JChad)
	2 (2)	Colts	13-3-0	The Colts are playing as well as any team outside of New England. They showed earlier in the season they could put a good game plan together against the Pats. But if they meet again, how will the cold weather affect their plans? (JG)
	3 (3)	Cowboys	13-3-0	The Cowboys used a big-play offense to claim the NFC's top seed. But if Terrell Owens isn't fully recovered from a high ankle sprain, this team could be in trouble. The Cowboys want no part of the Redskins in two weeks. (MMo)
	4 (4)	Jaguars	11-5-0	The Jags remain one of the biggest threats to the Pats. They're the most physical team in the playoffs and have the power run game to keep that New England offense grounded on the sideline. (JG)
	5 (5)	Packers	13-3-0	Brett Favre's revived play became one of the feel-good stories of the season. We kept waiting for the Pack's bubble to burst, but it never did. Now if they can just find a way to win in Dallas. (MMc)
	6 (6)	Chargers	11-5-0	A controversial coaching change set back San Diego early in the season, but the Chargers are gaining momentum as the playoffs approach. They need more from quarterback Philip Rivers. (MS)
	7 (7)	Seahawks	10-6-0	The window of opportunity hasn't closed on the Seahawks. Matt Hasselbeck is still sharp and GM Tim Ruskell has added Pro Bowlers Patrick Kerney, Julian Peterson and Lofa Tatupu to an already talented Mike Holmgren defense. (JClay)
	8 (8)	Steelers	10-6-0	Ten wins and a division championship represented a solid debut season for head coach Mike Tomlin, but the late-season crack in the defense was distressing. (LP)
	9 (10)	Giants	10-6-0	The Giants may have gained some confidence against the Pats, but they lost three starters to injury. They'll face a well-rested Tampa Bay team, but if Eli Manning plays like he did against the Pats, they have a shot against anyone. (MMo)
	10 (13)	Redskins	9-7-0	RB Clinton Portis has been brilliant over the past month and veteran QB Todd Collins does not make many mistakes. This is one of the most dangerous teams in the NFC right now. (MMo)
	11 (9)	Titans	10-6-0	Jeff Fisher has done an excellent job getting to most out of this football team. The Titans can run the ball and stop the run --- always a dangerous combination come playoff time. (JG)
	12 (12)	Buccaneers	9-7-0	The Bucs beat just two teams with winning records this season (but then, the Giants beat just one) and lost three of their last four, but Jeff Garcia's presence still makes them dangerous to play. (MMc)
	13 (11)	Browns	10-6-0	The switch to quarterback Derek Anderson after one game proved to be a masterstroke, and the upstart Browns became an entertaining team to watch, especially on offense. (LP)
	14 (15)	Eagles	8-8-0	The Eagles saved their best for the final month. That's how long it took Donovan McNabb to look like himself again. Andy Reid coached while dealing with family turmoil, and he should be commended for keeping this team together. (MMo)
	15 (14)	Vikings	8-8-0	As brilliant as Adrian Peterson was early on, he ran for just 305 yards in the final seven games (missing two due to injury). Tarvaris Jackson is inconsistent, and other holes remain. Maybe $20 million in cap room will help. (MMc)
	16 (18)	Texans	8-8-0	The future is bright with a ton of young studs on defense and a QB in Matt Schaub that will only be better in 2008 as he gains more confidence in his new offensive system. (JG)
	17 (19)	Cardinals	8-8-0	Ken Whisenhunt brought a winning offensive formula to the desert and offered hope for the future with an 8-8 record. His next steps? Turn Matt Leinart into a responsible starting QB and add more talent to the defense. (JClay)
	18 (17)	Saints	7-9-0	It's a good sign in New Orleans that a 7-9 season is now considered disappointing. The Saints have talent, but they aren't good enough to overcome the kind of bad start that plagued them this season. (MMc)
	19 (16)	Bills	7-9-0	They showed plenty of heart for a team that dealt with a QB controversy, numerous injuries and the devastating loss of TE Kevin Everett. Give 'em credit for contending for a playoff spot late in the season. (JChad)
	20 (20)	Bears	7-9-0	The defense nearly allowed the most yards in franchise history. The offense was crippled by poor quarterback play and an ineffective running game. The only reason to fear this team is Devin Hester. That's not enough. (MMc)
	21 (22)	Broncos	7-9-0	Jay Cutler and Brandon Marshall should have a long, productive future together. Building on a strong 2007 draft is essential for the Broncos to fix problems on defense. (MS)
	22 (23)	Bengals	7-9-0	Another season in which coach Marvin Lewis, who earned his stripes on defense, couldn't fix that side of the ball, and in which the offense mysteriously regressed. (LP)
	23 (24)	Panthers	7-9-0	The Panthers have made the playoffs twice in six seasons under John Fox, but now the head coach is twisting in the wind about his future. Frankly, a 7-9 record after losing your franchise QB to an early-season injury isn't that bad. (MMc)
	24 (21)	Lions	7-9-0	To mangle a quote from that noted football genuis Charles Dickens: "It was the best of seasons [a 6-2 start], it was the worst of seasons [a 1-7 finish]." Any Lions fan out there still have faith in this franchise? (MMc)
	25 (26)	Ravens	5-11-0	Nine seasons into his tenure and Brian Billick still didn't figure out the quarterback position. Maybe that's one reason why he's no longer the head coach. (LP)
	26 (25)	49ers	5-11-0	Without Norv Turner as coordinator, the offense regressed and head coach Mike Nolan ruined his relationship with QB Alex Smith by not recognizing how injured he was while playing. Major changes are set for the 49ers. (JClay)
	27 (27)	Raiders	4-12-0	New coach Lane Kiffin made Oakland more competitive right away, but this was a wasted season in some ways, given that JaMarcus Russell didn't start until the final week. (MS)
	28 (28)	Chiefs	4-12-0	The Chiefs limped down the stretch with a league-low five starters between the prime ages of 26 and 29. The league average was 11. Brodie Croyle's durability is another concern. (MS)
	29 (29)	Rams	3-13-0	Scott Linehan gets a pass from ownership for a season in which he lost his O-line to injuries early on. The Rams fell apart on offense and put too much pressure on a defense that is still rebuilding. Basically, 2007 was a mulligan. (JClay)
	30 (30)	Jets	4-12-0	Nobody is referring to Jets head coach Eric Mangini as "Man-Genius" now. He fielded a team that struggled on both offense and defense while winning just four games. (JChad)
	31 (31)	Falcons	4-12-0	The Falcons lost QB Mike Vick (now in jail), first-year head coach Bobby Petrino (now in Arkansas) and 13 games. Even worse, their future seems just as bleak, although WR Roddy White showed star qualities this season. (MMc)
	32 (32)	Dolphins	1-15-0	The Dolphins didn't win their first game until they beat Baltimore in Week 15. Now they're hoping new executive VP of football operations Bill Parcells can steer them back in the right direction. (JChad)