'07 rankings: Hanging close

TOP 12

Cole: Dallas lost by three touchdowns at home and maintained its ranking. Crazy, you might say (or probably via email later this week). Maybe, but it's more a sign of just how good the Patriots are right now. Perhaps the Patriots will stumble along the way, but as of right now the only thing standing between them and taking apart the rest of the NFL is their meeting against Indianapolis on Nov. 4. After all the hype for the “Duel in Dallas” that never really materialized, can you imagine how ridiculous the coverage will be for the Indy-New England game? Of course, a lot of that depends on whether the Colts get by Jacksonville on Monday night. That game should be plenty of fun. The Jags have played the Colts very tough over the years and their defense is clearly the best Indianapolis has faced. … And for those paying attention, yes, that's Cleveland at No. 11. Tip your hat to the Browns, who many people thought were going to be considering a coaching change by this point.

Robinson: If we learned anything new about the Patriots in Sunday's win over Dallas, it's that New England's linebackers can be a little soft in pass coverage in the middle of the field. And while people will paint it as an epic win, the truth is that New England's contests against Indianapolis and Pittsburgh (on Dec. 9) will be far, far bigger games. … David Garrard might be the most underappreciated quarterback in the NFL this season. That 66.2 completion percentage might be even more impressive than his zero turnovers. … Think there's no way Green Bay is a better team than Dallas? Look at the Packers' wins and then compare them to who the Cowboys have beaten. … Tampa Bay fans: go ahead and fume about Tennessee still holding a higher spot in the rankings. You lose Sunday's game if Vince Young doesn't pull his quad.

MUDDLED MIDDLE

Cole: The Raiders held fast at No. 17 after losing to San Diego. Not because I'm trying to make friends with any Raiders fans (that ship has sailed already), but more because the NFL is so horribly mediocre. One thing that Raiders fans should take note of is: quarterback Daunte Culpepper really isn't all that close to what he was before his knee injury in 2005. It's sad, but true. Culpepper tried to convince the folks in Miami earlier this season that he was OK after scoring three touchdowns, but the reality is that he's still not there. Here's hoping he gets it back someday. Unless he does, look for rookie JaMarcus Russell to be playing by the end of November. … Houston desperately needs wide receiver Andre Johnson to come back. … Carolina would love to play every game on the road, where they are 4-0.

Robinson: Cleveland at No. 13 is going to shock some people, but this team is 3-2 since dumping Charlie Frye and making Derek Anderson the starter. The Browns also have two quality wins over division rivals Baltimore and Cincinnati and played New England tougher than the final score indicated. And that passing offense can be scary. … Vinny Testaverde is an intriguing story in Carolina, but there are rough times ahead. Specifically, season-defining games against Indianapolis, Tennessee and Green Bay in three of the next four. … Damon Huard's performance against Cincinnati looked like last season's groove. But Kansas City's offense still goes as Larry Johnson does. The Chiefs still have a shot to make some noise in the AFC, but only if they beat Oakland going into the bye. After that, the schedule gets brutal. … Chicago is dealing with injuries on defense, but the performance against Minnesota's Adrian Peterson was downright embarrassing. And considering what is going on in the rest of the NFC, with 12 teams having a better winning percentage through Week 6, the Bears could be falling into too deep of a hole.

BOTTOM OF THE PACK

Cole: We welcome the Bears to the dregs of the NFL. Eight months removed from the Super Bowl and the once-vaunted Bears defense looks like a JV unit right now. Injuries are a big reason, but no team worth its salt should allow more than 300 yards rushing at home. … The Jets should really be making a change at quarterback to Kellen Clemens. Chad Pennington is really done. … Miami tried its best to make a game out of it in Cleveland after getting behind big early, but the once-proud Dolphins defense is just a wreck these days. Considering that, don't be surprised if the great Zach Thomas calls it a career at the end of the season. It's a sad end for a wonderful player.

Robinson: Yes, the Bengals have been one of the season's biggest disappointments. But they've also played a brutal schedule. The reality is that nothing about this team has been right since Carson Palmer's knee injury in the '05 playoffs. … Say it with me: The Eagles are a mirage. The win over the Jets was a Band-Aid. Philly still looks like the worst team in the NFC East. … Minnesota's Adrian Peterson is the second coming of Bo Jackson given the similar running styles. … It's time for the Jets to dump the Chad Pennington reclamation project already. And while they're at it, start looking for suitors for Jonathan Vilma. He's a fantastic 4-3 linebacker wasting away in Eric Mangini's 3-4 scheme. … Someone ask Joey Porter if his $20 million in guaranteed money will be worth spending his last few years in an NFL cesspool. Forget sending the Dolphins overseas in two weeks and send someone to Germany to fish the Hamburg Sea Devils out of the local bar. I guarantee the game would be better.