'07 rankings: Total exposure

TOP 12

Cole: Even if the Patriots had lost, they would have maintained the top spot in the rankings. The more important question coming out of Philadelphia's effort against the Patriots is whether other teams are capable of doing what the Eagles did. The short answer is sure, anybody can do that. The reality is Philadelphia has pretty good pass coverage personnel. While that personnel hasn't played all that well most of the season, they are more capable than most and it's unlikely too many other teams will challenge that well until the playoffs. … Cleveland showed on Sunday it truly belongs. The Browns aren't some aberration. They are legit. … Now, the Giants don't appear to be legit as quarterback Eli Manning went through another one of his late-season meltdowns. Manning had been pretty good most of this season, but now the pressure is on and he has never handled pressure consistently well, as his four interceptions showed.

Robinson: New England got the scare that everyone was waiting for, and it raised some interesting questions in light of Monday night's sloppy field conditions between Miami and Pittsburgh. First, New England may not be able to run the ball well enough to dominate in a game under those conditions. And second, the Patriots better start kicking field goals in fourth-down, red zone situations, or they are going to blow one when they actually need it down the line. One more thought for the Patriots: It's time to pay Asante Samuel. … Considering the conditions at Heinz Field Monday night, it might be time for the league to put some kind of restrictions on field use prior to NFL games. If a player had blown out a knee last night, the fingers would have to be pointed at the Steelers for the embarrassing turf situation. … This is going to be a definitive week for the teams slotted Nos. 2-5, with Indianapolis playing Jacksonville and Green Bay meeting Dallas. … Believe it or not, with the schedule (at Cardinals, at Jets, Bills, at Bengals, 49ers) sitting in front of them, it's possible the Browns don't lose again and head into the postseason at 12-4.

MUDDLED MIDDLE

Cole: Boy, this is a lot of garbage. There's not one team in this group that I have any faith in to perform well on a week-to-week basis. Heck, Denver has proved that it can't be trusted from quarter to quarter, even at home. … Give Vikings coach Brad Childress credit for keeping his team in it while also not pushing rookie star running back Adrian Peterson back onto the field. While some people suggested Childress would act out of self-interest with Peterson, that hasn't been the case. Furthermore, those same people have ignored the fact that the Vikings are actually in the playoff hunt in the awful NFC.

Robinson: Once again, the Lions show what they are: the best of a bunch of mediocre teams. … The Eagles are playing better offensively under A.J. Feeley, just like they did when Jeff Garcia was inserted last season. Anyone see a trend here? … The Redskins are 2-5 in their last seven, and those two wins came by a total of five points. But does the remainder of the season even matter in light of Sean Taylor's death? Can anyone truly expect this team to pull itself together when its best defensive player has been murdered with five games left in the season? … If the Vikings get their issues sorted out at quarterback and add an impact wideout next to Sidney Rice, this team could be scary next season.

BOTTOM OF THE PACK

Cole: Here's something interesting to consider in Miami: The Dolphins haven't made the playoffs since the 2001 season. In 2002, the team traded for running back Ricky Williams, who proceeded to set a team record with 1,853 yards rushing that season and then sent the team on what is now a six-year playoff drought. Consider that when thinking Williams might be the answer to some of the team's woes. … Carolina took a stunning tumble. How is it possible that the Panthers are this bad? Yeah, the quarterback position is ridiculously woeful, but the whole roster is a mess and the defensive line is stunningly unproductive. Word around the NFL is that defensive end Julius Peppers doesn't really like football. Yikes!

Robinson: Cincinnati's win against Tennessee was its most impressive game of the season, and second place isn't even close. It's remarkable how much better that offense looks now that everyone has gotten healthy again and Chris Henry is back in the lineup. And yes, an upset this week against Pittsburgh is possible … Even with Miami still on the schedule, the Ravens may not win again this season. … The quarterback spot is a mess at the bottom of the rankings. Of the Bottom 10, only Cincinnati and Atlanta finished this week with the same quarterback that started for them on opening day.