Power Rankings: Colts, Chargers, Jags do the jumble

Updated Nov. 13

Isn't it amazing sometimes how quickly fortunes change in the NFL?

It's part of what makes the game so great.

After some bumps in the road, how will Jeff Saturday and the Colts respond? (Getty Images)

Take the Indianapolis Colts. A week ago Sunday, they were 10 minutes away from being crowned the league's best at the halfway point. They had a 10-point lead on the New England Patriots in the halfway Super Bowl, but watched as Tom Brady rallied his team to stay unbeaten.

Then the Colts, a beaten-down, injury-battered team, go on the road and lose at San Diego, a game in which Peyton Manning morphed into a turnover machine. So here we are 10 days later, and the Colts have issues and two losses.

They played without six starters against the Chargers, including key weapons Marvin Harrison and Dallas Clark, and now they get the news that Dwight Freeney, their premier pass rusher, could miss a month with a foot injury.

So in 10 days they went from owning the conference to having a one-game lead over Jacksonville and Tennessee in the AFC South -- although it's really 1 1/2 since they've already defeated both -- and wondering who will suit up for this week's game with Kansas City.

If the playoffs started today, the Colts would be the third seed in the AFC, behind the Patriots and the Pittsburgh Steelers. It's why they're behind both in the CBS Sports.com Power Rankings. The Colts fall from the second spot to the fifth spot this week.

While the Colts' status has changed for the worse in a week, the Chargers and the Jacksonville Jaguars have gone the other way in a seven-day period.

The Chargers were coming off an embarrassing loss to the Minnesota Vikings in which Adrian Peterson ran over them like a kid stomping on a welcome mat. They re-grouped enough to hold on in that wild game Sunday night to get to 5-4 in the division. They do still have issues -- where is the passing game? -- but they sure feel better than they did a little over a week ago.

What about the Jaguars? They were blown out by the New Orleans Saints a week ago Sunday and had to deal with the arrests of two players, their owner coming down hard with a statement that he won't tolerate that behavior anymore and defensive tackle Marcus Stroud getting suspended for four games for violating the league's policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

Not only that, they were playing the third game of a three-game road trip against a good division rival with a backup quarterback. So all they do is go into Tennessee and dominate the Titans in an upset victory to get to 6-3.

Three teams, one week, and proof again how quickly your status can change in the NFL, whether for the good or the bad.

Power Rankings
Current		Team	Previous
	1	Colts · Trends	1
	They won four games in November by a total of 10 points. They're not dominating, but they are winning.
	2	Saints · Trends	2
	They get a major test next week when the Patriots come to town for a Monday night game. Is that the end of the unbeaten season?
	3	Vikings · Trends	3
	Brett Favre might be having his best season. Who said he would flop? Oh, me.
	4	Patriots · Trends	5
	They bounced back nicely against the Jets and have a two-game lead in the division, but the Saints will be a great barometer for where they are now.
	5	Cowboys · Trends	7
	They beat the Redskins, but they still looked off. They'll get it going Thursday against the Raiders.
	6	Bengals · Trends	4
	What was that in Oakland? That reminds us a little of why they're still the Bengals. They had no business losing that game.
	7	Chargers · Trends	9
	They are rolling again after a slow start. What else is new for this team? They are the class of the AFC West, just like we thought they'd be.
	8	Cardinals · Trends	10
	They played a decent road game against the Rams, even if they made it interesting in the end. The running game is getting cranked up, which is great for the playoff run.
	9	Eagles · Trends	11
	They snapped a two-game losing streak against the Bears to keep their playoff chances solid. This is the time when the Eagles usually get it going.
	10	Steelers · Trends	6
	They just haven't looked that good this season. Something is off. It might be wise to work on that kickoff coverage.
	11	Giants · Trends	12
	Eli Manning's big game saved their season against Atlanta. Now they face a tough road game at Denver on a short week.
	12	Broncos · Trends	8
	Was their start a fraud? It sure looks like it. They aren't playing well on either side of the ball, but especially on offense.
	13	Jaguars · Trends	16
	If the playoffs started today, they'd be in. Wow. They aren't winning pretty, but they're finding a way.
	14	Packers · Trends	17
	Losing Al Harris and Aaron Kampman for the season will impact that defense in a big way. It's good that the offense is playing better now to help offset it.
	15	Falcons · Trends	14
	They have three consecutive homes games to turn their season back around. The defense just gives up too many big plays.
	16	Dolphins · Trends	21
	Chad Henne is growing up. As he does, they will be better. The playoffs are still possible. But don't lose at Buffalo.
	17	Ravens · Trends	15
	They've been a disappointment so far. If they lose to the Steelers this week, they can say goodbye to the playoffs.
	18	Texans · Trends	13
	That loss at home to the Titans is a big hit to their playoff chances. They just never got it going on offense. Kris Brown choked two weeks in a row. Now the Colts come to town.
	19	Titans · Trends	22
	They are somehow still alive at 4-6. Winning four consecutive games after opening 0-6 is impressive. Vince Young is doing a nice job.
	20	Jets · Trends	18
	Mark Sanchez is playing like a rookie. But it doesn't mean he should sit down. He needs to grow and playing is the right way.
	21	Panthers · Trends	19
	They will likely have a new coach next season and that could mean the end for Jake Delhomme. He just isn't good enough.
	22	Bears · Trends	20
	Is Lovie Smith in trouble? He might be. Cutler sure hasn't lived up to the expectations. He needs help.
	23	49ers · Trends	23
	They can forget the playoffs now. The rest of the season is about finding out if Alex Smith is the long-term answer at quarterback.
	24	Bills · Trends	25
	Perry Fewell's first game showed a team that will still fight. And there was a Terrell Owens sighting. Amazing.
	25	Seahawks · Trends	24
	Count this team as one of the biggest flops of the season. But injuries have played a big part. Is Mike Holmgren coming to the rescue?
	26	Chiefs · Trends	26
	They're on a two-game winning streak. Beating the Steelers is a big step for this young team. The Chiefs are improving.
	27	Redskins · Trends	27
	The best thing to come out of the Cowboys loss is that Jason Campbell played better. They're still fighting.
	28	Raiders · Trends	28
	Say hello to the bench, JaMarcus Russell. Bruce Gradkowski is the guy the rest of the way.
	29	Lions · Trends	31
	Matt Stafford showed against the Browns that he was the right pick last April. They have their building block.
	30	Rams · Trends	29
	Do you feel sorry a little for Steven Jackson playing on this team? He's having a huge season. And now Marc Bulger is out? Ouch.
	31	Buccaneers · Trends	30
	Josh Freeman played like a rookie against the Saints, but he will have those days. It's hard to believe that's a Bucs defense we've been watching. It tells us why Jim Bates was fired.
	32	Browns · Trends	32
	The good news is Brady Quinn is looking better. The bad news is the defense regressed. They have a long way to go to being able to compete for a playoff spot.