Power Rankings: The greatest? For this week, that's the Patriots

Updated Oct. 16

Moments after the New England Patriots carved up the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday, inside the packed Texas Stadium elevator, sardine-canned full of writers and TV talking heads -- can you say uncomfortable? -- came the first mention of what many are now thinking.

Randy Moss is helping the Patriots produce incredible offensive numbers. (AP)

"I think they can go undefeated," the voice said.

It didn't stop there. The Patriots hyperbole is out of control.

They are being called the greatest team ever. They are being called unstoppable, the team that should have those 1972 Miami Dolphins worried they won't get to pop their champagne this year.

One network talking head, a former player, said the Patriots might be the best team he has ever seen.

Slow down, guys.

We're six weeks into the NFL season, and there's a lot of defining left to do for all 32 teams. Yes, the Patriots looked amazingly good in blowing out the Cowboys.

But like quarterback Tom Brady warned after the game, things don't really start to get defined until November.

That's not to dismiss what the Patriots have done. The offense is on pace to become the highest-scoring unit in NFL history. Brady is on pace to throw 56 touchdowns, which would shatter the single-season record of 49 by Peyton Manning.

Brady is a like an artist with a new set of paint brushes, his being his new receivers. He paints a masterpiece with them each and every week.

New England's 48-27 whipping of Dallas really was impressive. Here's how impressive: They have moved ahead of the Indianapolis Colts into the top spot of the CBS Sports.com Power Rankings.

About time, the nasty-to-me Patriots nation is saying.

I told myself that if the Patriots beat the Cowboys by more than 14 points, they would vault the Colts, who had a bye this week. I really didn't think the Patriots would win that big, but the late-game touchdown forced me to do it.

Which team is No. 1 in the NFL right now? Colts 16% Packers 7% Patriots 68% Steelers 9% Total Votes: 56,356

That touchdown, which some Cowboys fans and players had to believe was running up the score since it came in the closing seconds, pushed the Pats into the top spot.

Lucky for us, these rankings matter little when it comes to how the season will play out. Unlike the BS (right initials) in college football, these don't count. (Let me rip the polls for having my alma mater, Arizona State, behind Cal in the standings -- ASU is 7-0 and blew out Oregon State. Cal lost to the Beavers.)

Back to the Patriots. They have earned their way into the top spot. And they have done it with style points, their pass-first offense as entertaining as any in the game, including the Colts.

But can we hold off on all the undefeated season talk and how they might be the best team ever. Last time I checked there are no rings awarded in October.

The Power Rankings after Week 6:

RANK	TEAM		MOVE (LW)