Top 12 NFL regular season Power Rankings, 2004

[74_75_78_79_]

A 14-2 defending-Champ (going for their 3rd in 4 seasons), a 13-3 Andy Reid's best Eagle squad, and a 15-1 Steeler team led by a rookie QB (Troy P already coming into his own in Year Two) who beat them both back-to-back and convincingly albeit early enough in the year which ought to end up the key-word ("early") with most of us. In either event, this should be everyone's top-3.

But there are a pair of 12-4s very worthy of mention: Dungy/Peyton's Colts and Marty/LT's Bolts! Vick back in the playoffs as an 11-5 NFC 2nd-seed, Jim (no "Jr") Mora now at helm. Jets, Broncos, and Packers are your 10-6s with Favre being the only division winner of the three.

Not actually knowing what Mike Tice's Vikes would do at Lambeau 1st Rd, to a team that did sweep them (a 34-31 score both times), safe enough to assume they won't be on anyone's list. As for the other 8-8 playoff team who also won 1st Rd against their respective division winner, they - Martz/Bolger's Rams - actually beat Holmgren's Seahawks not once, but twice in '04! Or do 9-7 non-playoff Jags, Ravens, and Bills box all three out this top-12? Likely enough.

Do 8-8 Saints, by chance, have a say? Minus-57 point-diff? Nah, perhaps not; but Rams even worse at -73! Seahawks -3! Jags a negative (19) as well. Not Vikes though at a +10. Then again, how much stock should or shouldn't be placed in deciding who of these teams gets in or not based on PD? Ravens a +44, Bills a +111 (just ten behind Pittsburgh)! Yet Balt - and Jags - beat Buf, so like I said...(and 11-5 Atl at just +3).

Okay, let's shuffle 'em up!

And I'm sure those who've read previous '04-related posts of mine should know who my #1 will actually be.

[ChrisBabcock]

1. Steelers
2. Patriots
3. Colts... finished up on an 8-1 run
4. Eagles
5. Chargers
6. Broncos
7. Packers... 9-2 finish
8. Falcons... 11-5 record probably a bit of a mirage. Only scored 3 more than given up and not many quality wins. Did eke out a 21-20 victory over the Chargers.
9. Bills... probably their best shot at getting in the playoffs during the current since 1999 playoff drought. They were on a tear the last half of the season and needed a win vs. the resting their starters Steelers to get in in the final week.
10. Jets... 1-3 finish
11. Bengals
12. Ravens

[74_75_78_79_]

1) Patriots
2) Colts
3) Steelers
4) Eagles
5) Chargers
6) Falcons
7) Jaguars
8) Ravens
9) Jets
10) Bills
11) Broncos
12) Packers

Like I said many a time before, my '04 Steelers were NO paper tiger (of course not), but they simply weren't just yet ready. A rookie Big Ben with (as been just said on this site) "training wheels" still on and a Troy P in his first year of true effectiveness. Great stuff, but championship-caliber not just yet (that would be the following December when 9-2 Urlacher & Co came to town...to get BUS-ed over). Walloping 7-0 Eagles (causing initial TO/McNabb rift; although the former couldn't help but to laugh in admiration at Hines' imitation of him in the endzone), yes, that was for real (which is why I'll place them above Philly), but win vs NE...simply a product of Pats' 20-game-win-streak 'bubble' due to burst anytime so why not at the resurging 'Burgh on Halloween? Why not?

As season wore on, and Pats regrouped and kept doing their thing, I couldn't help but feel pessimistic of a possible January rematch (especially when Pats players, in interviews, were eating hardcore humble pie calling Steelers the 'best'). But Indy was looking quite better than the 'Burgh as well as season wore on! Their offensive output! Beating SD penultimate really seals their 2-spot with me. Had Peyton still been ISO winning a playoff game going into that '04 post-season, I'd not be worried at all but #18 did get over that hump the year prior! Not just anihilating Denver but then going to Arrowhead to beat a higher-seeded Vermeil-coached team?? Yeah, place Colts at #2. They would have won in a hypo-playoff game at Heinz.

Won't hold Eagles nor Falcons' 0-2 finishes against them. Each took foot off pedal going in (yet both, CC-participants, still didn't 'rust' in playoffs).

The non-playoff 9-7 Jags, Ravens, and Bills remind of another trio of non-playoff 9-7s from a far previous year. A trio who I all had boxing-out three actual playoff teams from that very year in a previous PRs thread I posted. Yes, I'm talking Browns/Seahawks/Raiders of '79! Well these three are similar...

Jags...throw out the -19 pt diff! In Del Rio's first winning year with them (and respectable playoff berths to come), they win @ Buf opener followed immediately by beating Denver (yes, first two games but still...) then later spliting with Colts (their win on the road - character), losing to Steelers by 1-point then winning at Lambeau in Week #15! Ravens...they beat Steelers and Bills although, yes, Steelers win was when Big Ben came in (permanently) for Maddox and Bills were still starting out gate but give Eagles enough of a game at the Linc and did win at Jets, which places them above them. Bills? After the 1-5/3-6 start they win not just 6-straight, but all six lopsided! Yes, toughest competition was first two of those games vs Rams and at Seahawks, but by a combined score of 75-26! Yes, couldn't close deal in finale at home vs Steeler-backups to get into playoffs; but Steeler backups (Willie Parker) nothing to laugh about and simply can't deny Bledsoe, Fletcher, and Co their effort just the same.