Are you aware that the Ravens have beaten
the Saints and the Chargers?

Just think - if the Titans were in the NFC they'd be right in the thick of the Wild Card hunt.

There's more than a few teams who ought to be very glad their path to the playoffs doesn't take them by the Titans.

That said, I think the Titans' run is going to be halted this week. More than likely they get soundly beaten by the Jaguars, who just seem to have their number.

Looking ahead, next year looks to be interesting with Indy on the downswing, a resurgent Jacksonville, and a Titans team that is looking increasingly good and has lots of cap room to make offseason moves.

Larry, the Ravens didn't beat NO. They killed them in the Superdome. But the Ravens continue to get dissed because they stunk the 2 times they played a primetime game and Jamal isn't having a great year. But anyone who thinks Martyball can beat the Ravens D is crazier than Vinny Cerrato!

Thank god someone mentioned the Ravens beating the Chargers and the Saints!! How come the Ravens continue to get dissed?

Nice Mark. It's about time somebody looked at the entire picture, i.e., strength of schedule, who beat whom and when, etc. and showed everybody who is the best RIGHT NOW. It doesn't matter who won early in the year ... these are the best teams now. Now that Marty trusts his new QB the old Martyball is dead. Rivers can play circles around McNair any day and the Bolts will be happy to prove it. No last minute TD will beat them this time, especially since the Ravens will more than likely have to play in SD this time. SD has two losses: Ravens 16-13 on a last minute TD and Chiefs 30-27 on a field goal with 5 seconds left. The SD offense was only running at 50% during those games and is closer to 90% now - I say 90% because they still can improve.

Meanwhile the Ravens could have clinched their division two weeks ago but choked.

I'm not sure about the Bears and Saints rankings. I think they should be reversed.

I would put the Chargers, Ravens, Bears as my top 3 in that order.

No doubt about it, the Ravens are legit contenders in the AFC and if they make it to the SB it should not be a surprise. I still think the Chargers are playing the best right now given how they are playing on both sides of the ball. The Ravens still have a few kinks on the offensive side, but in any one game, their D can make the difference and win them any game.

The Ravens should have lost the game against the Chargers. They were clearly outplayed by the Chargers.

The Chargers have the best offensive player with LT and maybe the best defensive player in Shaun Marrimen .

The Ravens have a great defense but I would not put it WAY above the Chargers defense. The Chargers offense is WAY above the Ravens. The Chargers are in a much tougher division.

The only thing going against the Chargers is the coaches history of choking late in the playoffs. Could not win the big one. I think he gets past that this year.

After all, it's the only thing that would make the Redskins look worse. Their ex-coach winning a super bowl.

With Grossman at QB, I'd definitely put them below the Ravens. THey keep winning in spite of their QB, not by his leadership. We'll be seeing Griese soon enough.

It's amazing to me how by parting ways, Brees and the Bolts BOTH get to the league elite level, but couldn't do it together. It just goes to show how good chemistry is more important in the Any-Given-Sunday NFL than in pretty much any other pro sport. Top to bottom, the level of play is amazing, so coaching and GM skills really do make a difference between playoffs and rookie QB rebuilding years.

Your ratings are so off base it is almost ridiculous. I agree that the Chargers look like the best team in the league right now, but to rank the Ravens 4th is a joke. They CRUSHED the Saints at home. Now I'll admit the Saints played a great game Sunday, but so did the Ravens. And as far as Chicago goes, I'd love to see them play against the Ravens defense. I would take Baltimore and give a two touchdown spread on that one. Grossman will cost them any chance at winning a superbowl. You did get one thing almost right. If you move the Skins down about three more spots, you will have nailed that spot in the rankings.

your a moron putting the giants at 15.

The Bengals helped expose the Ravens for the frauds they are. No way can they hang with the likes of the Chargers. What happened early in the season has little bearing on how each team is playing now. The Browns were a bonehead interception away from beating the Ravens early in the season.

What do the Browns have to do to drop to #32? I suppose reeling off three consecutive losses at Balt, home vs Tampa and at Houston to finish the season would do the trick. Perhaps they can use the power of the mysterious staph infections plaguing the team against the Raven lunatics this Sunday.

Only 180 minutes left Browns fans.

Hi Mark, I guess you can tell who's fans are posting by how mad they are that you dissed their team! I'll try to keep you guessing my allegiances...

The Ravens, folks, when they lose, get beaten like red-headed step-children. Their D is good, but they are getting old. Their spanking by Cincy does not give me confidence in them. The Bears, while I'd be reluctant to put them that high, have a D that is keeping them close with three INT performances by their QB. That's dominating people.

The one that REALLy baffles me, Mark, is Arizona at 22... When that team tanks it, they tank it. Kind of like the Skins. I also don't see how Philly gets such a good ranking when they just barely squeeked by washington as well.

Ravens fans can quite whining. It is the current assessment that he did. Ravesn did beat Saints, but some time ago. They are slip-sliding downhill now--no way as good as in past. Too bad Saints won't get a chance to whip some crying bird butt, but San Diego and New Orleans will be @ SB! Looking forward to a great game!

Slip sliding? Ravens won in the toughest venue in the league - Arrowhead in December.

How do the Saints jump from 8 to 2 after beating an overrated Cowboys team.

NFC is Double-A ball. You'll see in February.

The Giants beat the Eagles and putting the Bills at 13th is a complete joke. What are your ratings based upon...random lottery???

Mark doesn't like the Ravens, he really never has.

Interestingly the Ravens, the Bengals and the Steelers all beat NO and convincingly, NO barely beat the Browns. It isn't just an indictment on how much better the AFC North is then the NFC South, it really goes to show just how much better the AFC is then the NFC. I don't think it matters if the Charges or the Ravens are in the Superbowl the NFC just can't hang and is going to get clobbered.

Oh and the AFC North-it's the real deal, a bad AFC North Pittsburgh team is still a good NFL football team.

Just curious--is rooting for Ravens and DC mutually exclusive propositions?

Also, I'm not sure the Ravens are the real deal after bungling it w/the Bengals. But we'll see what happens, eh?

There is no problem rooting for the ravens since they are in the AFC. Only if we play them in the SB, which won't be this year.

Mark Maske - You are all OVER the place with your rankings. Remember 10 weeks ago you had the saints #2 then they jumped all the way back to like #17??? CRAZY!

Also - B-More is #2. I have to admit...No one respects the Ravens. That's prob why they'll win the SB. I thought you weren't a MASS MEDIA dude.

ALSO - we should be ranked #30, not #28......