2009 NFL Week 10 Power Rankings: Here Come Da Champs

A couple of teams like Dallas, and Pittsburgh have begun to separate themselves from the pack. The Colts and Saints continue to be the toast of the league, as both have yet to suffer defeat.

Here are the Top 10 NFL teams heading into week 10.

1. Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

The Colts get the nod over New Orleans despite their defensive leader, safety Bob Sanders being out for the year. Peyton Manning has looked as sharp as ever. He's managed to incorporate new receivers in the Colt offense without missing a beat. They face a major challenge as the Patriots come to town in a primetime showdown. Will Brady be able to take advantage of the Colts injuries on defense?

Next Game: at home against the New England Patriots (6-2)

2. New Orleans Saints (8-0)

Just when you think the Saints are headed for their first defeat, they manage to muster some late game magic and pull out a victory. No question, the Saints offense can put up points with the best of the them. The question is can the New Orleans defense continue to make big plays. They should have no problem beating a hapless Rams team.

Next Game: on the road against the St. Louis Rams (1-7)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

Pittsburgh makes a significant move up the power rankings fresh off their throttling of the Denver Broncos in Denver. The Steelers are on a roll, having won four in a row. Troy Polamalu is the heart and soul of the Steeler defense. Now that he's back healthy, he and the rest of the Steeler defense are starting to make the type of plays that earned them the Vince Lombardi trophy last year. Plus, since taking over as the starting running back, Rashard Mendenhall has made the Steelers' early season ground woes look like a thing of the past.

Next Game: at home against the Cincinatti Bengals (6-2)

4. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)

Brett Favre has to be one of the early frontrunners for league MVP. He's showing why the Vikings went through all the trouble to sign him. The Vikings are one of the top 2 or 3 teams in the NFC, if not all of football. The Viking defense is relentless, and they have the best running back in the NFL, Adrian "all day" Peterson. With the Detroit Lions coming to town, don't look for the Vikings to slow down any time soon.

Next Game: at home against the Detroit Lions (1-7)

5. New England Patriots (6-2)

Tom Brady is rounding back into form. Randy Moss is showing he's still one of the best wideouts in the league. The passing game is starting to pick it up, and the defense is finding ways to get stops. Its hard to count the Patriots out when Brady is under center. They have a chance to make a statement this week on the road in Indy.

Next Game: on the road against the Indianapolis Colts (8-0)

6. Cincinatti Bengals (6-2)

The Bengals are the real deal. Carson Palmer is back 100% healthy. Chad Ocho Cinco is back to being one of the elite receivers in the league. Those aren't the surprises. The surprise is the Bengal running attack led by a reborn Cedric Benson. To this point, Benson has been one of the best five backs in the league. An even bigger surprise is the opportunistic Bengal defense. The Bengal defense is currently ranked 5th overall.

Next Game: on the road against the Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

The Cowboys are coming off a huge victory on the road against the Philadelphia Eagles. They now sit alone atop the NFC east, after a rocky start to the season. Romo seems to be in a good rhythm and is finally taking care of the football. Marion "the barbarian" Barber is smashing defenses to pieces, and Miles Austin continues to be one of the hottest wide receivers in league.

Next Game: on the road against the Green Bay Packers (4-4)

8. Denver Broncos (6-2)

Denver comes off a rare home beatdown courtesy of the World Champion Pittsburgh Steelers. Kyle Orton just suffered his worst game of the season having thrown three picks and no touchdowns. With that being said, the Broncos should be able to get off the shnide as they travel to Washington to play the Skins.

Next Game: on the road against the Washington Redskins (2-6)

9. Arizona Cardinals (5-3)

The Arizona Cardinals are who we thought they were! The Cardinals feature arguably the best wide receiver trio in the league in Larry Fitzgerald, Anquan Boldin, and Steve Breaston. They still have a shaky defense, and can't run the ball consistently, but Kurt Warner and the new "three amigos" make up for all other deficiencies.

Next Game: at home against the Seattle Seahawks (3-5)

10. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

The San Diego Chargers are coming off a huge come from behind win, on the road against the New York Giants. The Charger defense has been disappointing, and its sad to see the current state of the once great Ladanian Tomlinson. However, its hard to bet against Philip Rivers who has proven to be one of the more clutch quarterbacks in the NFL.

Next Game: at home against the Philadelphia Eagles (5-3)

Bottom 5 teams:

Kansas City Chiefs (1-7)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-7)

Detroit Lions (1-7)

St.Louis Rams (1-7)

Cleveland Browns (1-7)