NFL Week 17 Power Rankings

Five Quick Hits

* Best announcers this season: Mike Mayock, Dan Fouts, and Mike Tirico.

* If you took the 20 best highlights of this season, I bet two or three of them are Julio Jones. The Falcons gave up a lot to get him, and it looks to have been worth it.

* Super Bowl XLVI: Green Bay Packers over New England Patriots. Boring prediction, I know.

* This year's worst Pro Bowl selections were all in the AFC. Ray Lewis, Dwight Freeney, Champ Bailey, and Antonio Gates would all be great choices ... if this was 2006. The punter and offensive tackles also have no business going to Hawaii.

* Biggest snubs: There are a lot of guys you could make an argument for, but let's start with Bengals OT Andrew Whitworth and Houston LB Brian Cushing. I thought those two were slam dunks.

***

Two veteran running backs reached major career plateaus this weekend. LaDainian Tomlinson passed Jerome Bettis for 5th place on the all-time rushing list, and Ricky Williams became the 26th player to top 10,000 career rushing yards.

The difference in the quality of LT's career and Bettis' illustrates the problem of judging RBs mostly by their career yardage. Tomlinson and Bettis have roughly the same amount of rushing yardage, true. But Tomlinson needed only 3,174 carries, giving him a 4.3 average, while Bettis used 3,479 carries (3.9 avg). Basically, that's 300 plays Bettis wasted compared to Tomlinson. LT has 4,772 receiving yards, compared to 1,449 for the Bus. Tomlinson has scored 162 touchdowns to Bettis' 94, with 31 fumbles, versus 41 for Bettis.

That's 3,000 receiving yards, 68 TDs, 10 fumbles, and 0.4 average per carry advantage for Tomlinson. He's in a totally different league than Bettis. But if the only stat you look at is career rushing yardage, they're the same player.

Ricky Williams has obviously had an unusual career. From the Heisman Trophy, to the Saints trading their whole draft for him, and his bizarre rookie contract negotiated by Master P, Williams entered the NFL with an enormous amount of hype. He played well, but struggled with injuries and anxiety before another blockbuster trade sent him to Miami. There Williams had his breakout season, 2002, when he led the league in rushing (1,853) and scored 18 TDs. Carrying an enormous workload that year and the next, Williams retired on the eve of the 2004 season, influenced by an impending drug-related suspension.

His decision was praised and vilified and mocked and dissected. When Williams returned to the Dolphins almost two years later, the expectations were gone. And Williams settled in as a productive back, averaging over four yards a carry every season since his return, rushing for 1,000 yards and double-digit touchdowns in 2009, and adding over 400 yards in relief of Ray Rice this year in Baltimore. Most fans won't remember Williams as a great back, and he'll never be a Hall of Famer, but he's overcome a lot to become one of the most productive players ever at his position, and I don't think most people realize the kind of career he's put together.

These are the final power rankings of the 2011 season, aimed at evaluating each team's current strength. If you want an overall snapshot of the whole season, check the standings. Brackets show last week's rank.

1. Green Bay Packers [1] — Out of all 32 teams, the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers have the most storied history at quarterback. The Niners had Frankie Albert, Y.A. Tittle, John Brodie, Joe Montana, Steve Young, even Jeff Garcia. The Packers begin with Curly Lambeau, moving on to Arnie Herber and Cecil Isbell, Tobin Rote and Bart Starr, Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers. With all those great Packer QBs, backup quarterback Matt Flynn now holds single-game franchise records for passing yardage (480) and TDs (6).

2. New Orleans Saints [2] — Set all-time single-season records for offensive yardage (7,474), yards per game (467.1, shattering a 50-year-old record), first downs (416), and passing yards (5,347). Which new individual record is likely to last longer, Drew Brees' much ballyhooed passing yardage record, or the prestigious single-season record for receiving yards by a tight end, broken Sunday by New England's Rob Gronkowski? I doubt either one has much staying power, but I'd guess Brees' record might last a little longer. It's weird (and I think a little hypocritical) that the media makes a big deal out of these records they know don't mean very much in context.

3. New England Patriots [3] — Quietly gained 6,848 yards this season, the 4th-highest total in NFL history. And yet, they were only the 3rd-highest scoring team this season, behind Green Bay and New Orleans. Tom Brady threw the 300th regular-season touchdown pass of his career in Week 17, tying John Elway for 5th place all-time. The Patriots rallied from huge deficits in each of the last two weeks, coming back from 17 down to defeat Miami, and scoring 49 points in a row after dropping into a 21-0 hole against Buffalo. I'm uneasy about predicting the Pats will reach Super Bowl XLVI. On a neutral field, I wouldn't bet on them against Baltimore, and I think the Steelers could give them real problems. But New England went 7-1 at home this season, and has locked up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs.

4. San Francisco 49ers [4] — One of five defenses whose interceptions (23) exceeded the number of passing touchdowns it allowed (20). The others were Green Bay (+2), Baltimore (+4), and Seattle (+4). San Francisco's Week 17 victory was not as close as the scoreboard made it appear: the Niners led 34-13 with 5:00 left. The Rams scored, recovered an onside kick, and scored again, but that can be at least partially attributed to the 49ers taking their collective foot off the gas pedal.

5. Baltimore Ravens [5] — Ray Rice posted the 13th season in NFL history with at least 1,000 rushing yards and over 700 receiving yards. He and Marshall Faulk are the only players to do it more than once. This may sound strange to Raven fans, but I think they should root for Pittsburgh the next two weeks. You're hoping Houston beats Cincinnati, so the Ravens get Houston at home, while the Steelers knock out Denver and New England. I'd rather face Pittsburgh at home (where you won 35-7 in Week 1) than the Patriots on the road.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers [6] — Might be without Rashard Mendenhall and Ryan Clark when they face Denver on Sunday. Bad playoff teams usually win their first game for some reason, but I simply don't believe the Broncos are good enough to beat Pittsburgh. This team is tested and motivated and it's dealt with adversity all season. Steelers by 10. Pittsburgh went 5-1 after the bye.

7. Atlanta Falcons [7] — Rolled over the Buccaneers so badly that backup QB Chris Redman was in before halftime. The Falcons, who were just 4-4 on the road this season, travel to a cold, windy stadium to face the Giants on Sunday. Matt Ryan is 0-2 in the playoffs, and the Falcons went 1-4 this season against playoff teams, winning at Detroit in Week 7. On paper, there's a lot working against them. But I believe the Falcons are better than the Giants, and apart from the miraculous 2007 postseason, Eli Manning is 0-3 in the playoffs, losing the first game each time. My pick is Atlanta by 4.

8. Philadelphia Eagles [11] — Finished in the top 10 in total offense, total defense, points scored, and points allowed. They won seven of their last 11 games after a 1-4 start, including four in a row to close the season. They went 5-1 in division games and won by double-digits a total of six times. The Eagles actually outscored their opponents by 68 points this season, best in the NFC East and 5th-best in the conference. The hype got too big and the drama got out of hand, and turnovers were a problem all season, but this team has the potential to be very dangerous in 2012.

9. Detroit Lions [9] — With four of Green Bay's biggest stars on the bench, the Lions gave up 45 points and lost. Matt Stafford and Matt Flynn combined for 1,000 passing yards. The game set records for most combined pass attempts without overtime (103) and most combined passing yards (973 with sacks), blowing away the previous mark from the legendary Dan Marino/Ken O'Brien duel in 1986 (884). The Lions have an explosive offense, but their chances of outscoring the Saints in New Orleans are very slim. Saints by double-digits.

10. Arizona Cardinals [10] — Won seven of their last nine and set a new standard for overtime performance, winning four games in sudden death this season. Ken Whisenhunt is 40-40 as head coach of the Cardinals, making him the team's most successful coach since Don Coryell. With three more wins in 2012, Whisenhunt will pass Coryell as the winningest coach in team history.

11. Seattle Seahawks [8] — Four red zone possessions against Arizona yielded a total of 6 points: two field goals, a missed field goal, and an interception. You can't win when you play like that. The Seahawks had a top-10 defense this year, and won five of their last eight games. Offseason priorities: receivers and offensive linemen, in that order.

12. San Diego Chargers [12] — I've repeatedly criticized the Chargers this season, and some of their failures absolutely have to be pinned on the coaching staff. But with at least six teams already searching for new coaches, how confident are the Chargers that they can find someone better? In five seasons, Norv Turner is 49-31 (.613) and has never finished with a losing record. San Diego won four of its last five, all by double-digits. All four AFC West teams went 3-3 in the division this year.

13. New York Giants [13] — The Giants are like a box of chocolates: you never know what you're gonna get. They swept the Cowboys, but got swept by Washington. Some weeks they're up, some weeks they're down. Mostly, the team seems to live and die with its pass rush. When the front four are getting home, the Giants can compete with anybody. When they're not, anybody can compete with the Giants, and I mean anybody. The Rams, the Bucs, LSU, Duke...

14. Houston Texans [17] — First playoff game in franchise history is a rematch of their 20-19 win over the Bengals in Week 14. The difference is that this time, the game's in Houston, and Andre Johnson is expected to play. The Texans haven't been the same team without Matt Schaub, but I think they have enough left to beat the Bengals on Saturday. Houston by 3.

15. Cincinnati Bengals [15] — What is it with special teamers diving into the end zone trying to down a punt? You just cost your team 18 or 19 yards of critical field position! The Bengals had enough to overcome with the officiating. I don't believe referees who are biased against Cincinnati should be allowed to officiate their games. A.J. Green is the first rookie wide receiver to make a Pro Bowl since Anquan Boldin in 2003.

16. Carolina Panthers [16] — Won four of their last six games, including two massacres of the helpless Buccaneers and a road win in Houston. Last year's Panthers scored just 196 points, by far the worst in the league. This year's Panthers scored 406 points, 5th-most in the NFL. I'm not aware that any other team has ever doubled its point total from one season to the next (without extending the schedule). I'd love to see them add a shutdown cornerback and/or knee-buckling pass rusher in 2012.

17. Miami Dolphins [21] — Went 2-1 with Todd Bowles as head coach, beating their two biggest rivals and almost topping the Patriots in New England. It will be interesting to see if Bowles gets a real shot at coaching the team in 2012, or if he's just an excuse to satisfy the Rooney Rule. Jason Taylor announced his retirement before Sunday's game, and it was incredible to watch him run a fumble into the end zone, scoring a touchdown in the final game of his illustrious career and getting mobbed by teammates in a way I'm not sure I've ever seen before. The TD was overturned (down by contact), but Taylor still left the game on a high note. Happy trails, 99.

18. Dallas Cowboys [14] — Lost four of their last five and never beat a team with a winning record after Week 2. Remember a few years ago when Cris Collinsworth inexplicably praised Brett Favre for throwing from beyond the line of scrimmage? I think he really likes when guys do that. Tony Romo drew the same penalty on Sunday night, and Collinsworth was awed: "All right, that was a penalty, and it doesn't count. That was also one of the most brilliant plays I've seen in a long time." Wait, no. No. It was stupid. Did that hand injury turn Romo back into a rookie? At some point, you have got to throw the ball away, preferably before crossing the line of scrimmage. Eli Manning had to move around some, too, but he never forgot where the line of scrimmage was. Romo took unnecessary hits all night. What poor decision-making.

19. Tennessee Titans [18] — If they had beaten the Colts in Week 15, they'd be in the playoffs.

20. Kansas City Chiefs [23] — Ranked ahead of a team that beat them 37-10 three weeks ago, but that was with Tyler Palko at quarterback. I know Kyle Orton didn't exactly set the scoreboard on fire in KC's 7-3 win over Denver, but this isn't the same team now that it has a real quarterback. It will be interesting to see where Orton lands in 2011. The Chiefs get several of their best players back next season, and you'd expect them to be competitive in 2012. Romeo Crennel went 2-1 as head coach after taking over for Todd Haley.

21. New York Jets [19] — At the top of this column, I complained about the AFC Pro Bowl selections at offensive tackle. D'Brickashaw Ferguson made the squad, and meaning no disrespect, that's absurd. On Sunday, I watched Jets/Dolphins, then went right into Ravens/Bengals. It's preposterous to suggest that Ferguson is better than Andrew Whitworth. Ferguson drew multiple false start penalties, the Jets never ran to his side, and his pass-blocking was just average. It's not that Ferguson is a bad player, but he's not nearly the best. Center Nick Mangold also made the Pro Bowl. If the Jets really have the best offensive line in the AFC, how is their offense so mediocre? I'm not impressed by Mark Sanchez, either, but let's not pin this whole thing on the quarterback.

Rex Ryan's unique public persona helped fuel his team to back-to-back AFC Championship appearances, and I believe his players respect him for being who he is. But the horse got ahead of the cart this year. I believe the team, and Ryan himself, would benefit from the coach dialing things back a little, and discord in the locker room seems to have become a real problem. I'm not in a position to add anything to the Santonio Holmes dialogue, but when you have a veteran like LaDainian Tomlinson among those saying Holmes quit on the team, there's a serious problem. Ryan needs to direct his energy to making this a cohesive team again before he worries about anything else. The Jets lost their last three games this season.

22. Washington Redskins [22] — Tied with Philadelphia for the 2nd-worst turnover differential in the NFL, -14. Rex Grossman threw an interception for the 12th straight game, and it's just unthinkable that the team will subject fans to another season without a legitimate quarterback. Washington showed off horrendous clock management for the second week in a row, running out of time for a 33-yard field goal attempt at the end of the first half, shortly after Graham Gano suffered his sixth blocked kick of the season, doubling the worst mark since 2003, when Martin Gramatica also had 6 blocks. That's the record going back to 1991, when the league began recording this stat for individual kickers.

23. Denver Broncos [20] — The Broncos are who we thought they were. No one's caught off guard any more by Denver's unconventional offense. There's a reason no team in 50 years has used that as its primary offensive strategy. Two years from now, I wonder what Denver fans will think of the decisions to trade Brandon Lloyd, cut Kyle Orton, and hand the keys to a player more famous for his faith than his passing.

24. Oakland Raiders [24] — Broke the single-season record for penalties, previously held by the 1998 Chiefs. Six of the top eight most-penalized teams all-time are Raiders. Darrius Heyward-Bey, the 7th overall pick of the 2009 draft, had by far his best season this year, especially after Carson Palmer took over at QB. The Raiders allowed a league-worst 5.1 yards per carry this year, and need to dramatically improve their run defense in the offseason.

25. Cleveland Browns [25] — One of three teams to go winless in its division this season, the others being the Rams and Vikings. The Browns lost their last six games, but most of them were close. Cleveland lost by more than two touchdowns only once all season. This team desperately needs to upgrade its passing game in the offseason.

26. Buffalo Bills [26] — How do you blow a 21-0 lead? Ryan Fitzpatrick's Week 17 was a microcosm of his whole 2011 season: Dr. Jekyll in the first half and Mr. Hyde in the second. Fitzpatrick was terrific in the first half against New England: 246 yards, 2 TDs, 122.0 passer rating. In the second half, 61 yards, 4 INTs, 18.3 rating. I know the Bills gave Fitzpatrick a big contract this season, but they need another option available in 2012 in case Fitzpatrick continues to struggle.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars [30] — I have nothing personal against Blaine Gabbert, but the Jaguars can't do in 2012 what they did in 2011, which is go into the season with Gabbert as the only option at quarterback. There has to be a veteran around to take the heat off if Gabbert doesn't improve. It would help to bring in some receivers.

28. Chicago Bears [28] — Ended a disappointing season by winning an ugly game, the team's first victory since Jay Cutler broke his thumb. The Bears were 7-3 and strong playoff contenders at the time. How different might the playoffs look if Cutler had stayed healthy? Maybe a lot. I suspect the Bears would have won three games they lost, finishing 11-5 and making the playoffs instead of Detroit. Most notably, I believe Chicago would have beaten the Broncos with Cutler healthy (Denver won 13-10). That means the Chargers, not the Broncos, would be AFC West champions. Ironically, Cutler broke the thumb trying to tackle Chargers CB Antoine Cason. If Cason had dropped the interception, San Diego might be gearing up for a home game against Pittsburgh, and Norv Turner's job security would be a lot better. A butterfly flaps its wings...

29. Indianapolis Colts [27] — Does any team have more question marks heading into the offseason? The club has fired longtime GM Bill Polian and his son, Chris Polian. Head coach Jim Caldwell's status is up in the air, but I'm skeptical that the new general manager will retain him. And perhaps most importantly, Peyton Manning's future with the team remains a mystery. The Colts hold the top pick in April's draft.

30. Minnesota Vikings [29] — I wonder if this has ever happened before: the Vikings led the NFL in sacks (50, tied with Philadelphia) and in passing touchdowns allowed. Isn't that precisely the sort of thing a good pass rush usually prevents? Jared Allen recorded 3.5 of Minnesota's seven sacks against Josh McCown and the Bears, bringing Allen's season total to 22, just ½-sack shy of the official record held by Michael Strahan.

31. St. Louis Rams [32] — How stunning is it that a team this terrible, 2-14 and with a league-worst point differential of -214, beat the Saints in Week 8? It's one of the most improbable results in all of NFL history. The Rams' other win was by 1 point, against Cleveland. Head coach Steve Spagnuolo was fired on Monday after three seasons at the helm.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers [31] — Lost their last five games 203-88, an average of 41-18. Those five games came against opponents with a combined record of 35-45. The Buccaneers were repeatedly blown out by mediocre opponents. The closest loss was 31-15 against Dallas, a brutal Saturday night game which the Cowboys led 28-0 at halftime. Dallas out-gained Tampa by over 200 yards, picked up four times as many first downs, and won time of possession by 16 minutes. In Tampa. That's their closest game in the last month.

The Bucs lost their last 10 games in a row, "led" the league in turnovers, and allowed the most rushing TDs in the NFL (26) by more than a third (19). This was the third time in franchise history the team was outscored by more than 200 points (207), the others being 1976 and 1986. This was one of the worst teams in the history of a franchise famous for bad teams.