2009 NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Colts' Bid for Perfect Season Ends

The 2009 NFL power rankings for week 17 are bittersweet for fans of the Indianapolis Colts; they are the only NFL team to clinch their conference, but their bid for a perfect season ended on Sunday with a 29-15 loss to the New York Jets.

There has been a great deal of speculation as to whether Colts Coach Jim Caldwell would rest his top players in order to keep them healthy for the postseason. That is precisely what he did on Sunday when he sent Peyton Manning to the bench during the third quarter and replaced him with first-year backup QB Curtis Painter. That decision probably cost the Colts the game. Meanwhile, the Jets have a chance to get into the playoffs if they beat the Bengals on Sunday.

The New Orleans Saints lost their second in a row to Tampa Bay by a score of 20-17 in overtime. Adding insult to injury is the fact that the Saints squandered a 17-0 lead. Saints fans have got to be scratching their heads.

The San Diego Chargers are absolutely on fire. Their 42-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans Friday night has earned them the AFC's number two seeding and a first-round bye in the playoffs. It was also their 10^th consecutive win and put them into the record books. The Chargers are now tied with the '70-'74 Miami Dolphins for most consecutive wins in a month. Miami won 18 in a row in November and now the Chargers have won 18 in a row in December (since 2006).

The Cincinnati Bengals have clinched the AFC North (they beat the Kansas City Chief Sunday 17-10). This is only the second time in 19 years that the Bengals have earned a playoff spot. But in the wake of the tragic and untimely death of receiver Chris Henry, the news is definitely bittersweet.

Arguably the most interesting development in week 17 of the NFL power rankings is the Dallas Cowboys comeback story. On Sunday night, they won their second December game in a row by shutting out the Washington Redskins 17-0. This sets up what has got to be one of the most interesting and exciting matchups of all the NFL games being played on Sunday. The Cowboys will host the Eagles in their regular-season finale - the winner wins the NFC East division and the loser gets a wild-card playoff spot.

Interestingly, the AFC wild-card standings consist of five teams with a 8-7 record - Baltimore, Denver, Houston, the New York Jets, and Pittsburgh - and three teams with a 7-8 record - Jacksonville, Miami and Tennessee. In the NFC, Green Bay and Dallas have clinched wild-card spots.

The 2009 NFL power rankings week 17:

1. Indianapolis Colts

2. San Diego Chargers

3. Dallas Cowboys

4. New Orleans Saints

5. Philadelphia Eagles

6. Minnesota Vikings

7. Cincinnati Bengals

8. Green Bay Packers

9. Arizona Cardinals

10. New England Patriots

Source:

NFL Power Rankings: Week 17, bleacherreport.com