A Powerful tussle at the top

New Orleans. Indianapolis. They're the best the NFL has to offer as the league schedule hits the halfway point. Any debate -- i.e. Denver, New England, Minnesota, Pittsburgh? No, didn't think so.

Next case . . .

1. (Last week 1) New Orleans Saints (6-0): What a thrill-ride, this team. Twenty-two furious fourth-quarter points to recover from its first deficit and surge past Miami. Two more interception returns for TDs, four on the season, by a reborn defense. An average of 40 points scored per game. And a cake schedule, pretty much, from here. I'm thinking 14-2 and home field in the NFC sounds about right.

2. (3) Indianapolis Colts (6-0): Fourteen regular-season wins in a row, on the way to seven straight 12-win seasons. And at 73.5 percent, Peyton Manning's on track to set a league completion record. Good, good times in Indy.

3. (4) Denver Broncos (6-0): Interesting two-game set coming out of the bye for the feel-good boys -- at Baltimore this week, then hosting Pittsburgh the following Monday night.

4. (2) Minnesota Vikings (6-1): Yes, I'm keeping them above the Steelers, who beat them Sunday, because I just think they're better. They WERE going to win in Pittsburgh, but two red-zone turnovers -- one a total fluke -- stymied the Purple ones.  

5. (5) New England Patriots (5-2): After feasting on the weak (Tennessee, Tampa Bay), Pats will have to strap it up against dangerous Miami this week.

6. (8) Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2): Safety Troy Polamalu's return clearly has put pop back into Steelers' playmaking defense.

7. (9) Green Bay Packers (4-2): Dispatch the kids and clear Sunday afternoon -- B. Favre returns to his Cheesehead roots. 

8. (Not ranked) Cincinnati Bengals (5-2): Tired of the nip and tuck, Bengals waste the Chicago Bears (45-10) and learn total domination is a fun way to play, too. 

9. (NR) Arizona Cardinals (4-2): Rolling now (three straight) after one of the NFL's most impressive efforts this season, coming cross country to spank New York Giants in their own house.

10. (6) New York Giants (5-2): Leaking fluid, but a hunch they're still the NFC East's best despite two-game slide against New Orleans (South) and Arizona (West).

Dropped out: Atlanta Falcons (4-2), Chicago Bears (3-3)

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