The placid waters of my top seven were not disturbed, so you will find nothing dramatic in the higher echelon this week, unless, of course, you can get excited about Atlanta and Denver switching fourth and fifth place. The reasons for this move will be discussed further down unless, of course, I get sidetracked by tales of herring do from the legendary past.

In honor of the holiday honoring the Pilgrim Fathers, I will rest up and skip the column and mailbag this week. As they say in Jersey, "I'm plumb wore out." Thus the regular literary efforts will be pursued with increased vigor in the semana proxima. Speaking of vigor ...

NFL Power Rankings Rank LW Team 1 1 Pittsburgh Steelers (9-1) First shaky outing for Big Ben. Poor decisions, much head scratching, which isn't easy with a football. Defense rallied, running game bailed him out. It's more of a mark of a good team, this ability to overcome perversity ... uh, adversity ... than blowing out some poor fish, 44-0. 2 2 New England Patriots (9-1) I watched that patchwork secondary scurrying around Monday night as Trent Green arranged his missiles and fired one, fired two, and said to myself, "This is it. This is where it catches up to them." I forgot that they play offense, too, and cover up for personnel deficiencies better than any team I've ever seen. 3 3 Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) Seems unbelievable, doesn't it, that before we're even out of November they can clinch the division title with a win over the Giants on Sunday. Hey, Stats, Inc., what's the record for earliest clinching? The what? The George Halas Bears in September of 1933? You know I don't believe this silly attempt at humor. Will someone please look it up for me? 4 5 Denver Broncos (7-3) Saints contest could have been a trap game for them, a look-ahead to Oakland and San Diego. So what do they do? They march into New Orleans, turn out the lights with 20 points in the first quarter and ruin Tom Benson's frog canapes in the Saints owner's box. They're a machine, I tell you, poised to make an upward move, should one of the elite falter. 5 4 Atlanta Falcons (8-2) Nope, wasn't impressed with their showing against the Giants. They died in the second half. Giants' patchwork defense stuck it to 'em. Michael Vick, after running New York crazy in the first two quarters, was stumbling and fumbling after that. They only won because two old pros on their defense, Brady Smith and Keith Brooking, suckered a kid QB named Eli, making his first start, into throwing the ball where they wanted him to throw. 6 6 San Diego Chargers (7-3) Red light flashing. Trap alert! Playing the Chiefs in Arrowhead Sunday (was this stadium really named after a person with a cranial deformity?) with a look-ahead to Denver the next week. Or maybe trap alerts are only for the old and jaded, and these guys are still too young, too caught up in the miracle of suddenly being good. 7 7 Indianapolis Colts (7-3) Here we go again. This column is Trap Special. I have here a note that says the Bears game could have been a trap, a look-ahead to, to what? To Detroit? Linda, is this your idea of being funny, handing me a note like this? I'll mention what I intended to mention, before this foolishness began. They started rookie replacements at both guards Sunday and didn't miss a beat. Unsung hero of this operation -- line coach Howard Mudd. Always has been one of the best. 8 9 Green Bay Packers (6-4) Running backs were wiped out Sunday night. It was up to Brett Favre (banjo music, please) to do it with his arm. Three scoring drives on four fourth quarter possessions did the trick. Of course the Texans made it easy for him by, well, you'll read that in the Houston section, but it's just another notch in his gunbelt. Question? Why has every Favre interview for the last couple of years focused on whether or not he'll retire after the season? When did he ever indicate he was quitting? 9 10 Baltimore Ravens (7-3) Their quarterback, Kyle Boller, is playing well, and what's more, he knows it, therefore he is not bashful about assuming a leadership role. This was the missing piece in the puzzle, and if they can spring an upset in Foxboro on Sunday, even without Jamal Lewis, then they must be taken very seriously. Historical note: In their Super Bowl season, their record after 10 games was 6-4. 10 11 New York Jets (7-3) John Ford is directing this one. The fort is under siege. From far away, the faint sound of a bugle. It is the reinforcements, led by Captain Pennington, flexing his bad shoulder. When will he arrive? One week, two weeks, maybe not at all this year? That's why we go to the movies, folks, to get questions like this answered. 11 8 Jacksonville Jaguars (6-4) Yeah, right, one, maybe both defensive tackles will go to the Pro Bowl, and maybe I'll even have Marcus Stroud on my all-pro team. But why have five teams averaged better than 4.0 yards against them on the ground? And why did a non-finesse, power runner such as Antowain Smith gain 95 against them Sunday? Just asking. 12 13 Minnesota Vikings (6-4) It's going to be Daunte Culpepper vs. Peyton Manning, when it comes time for me to pick my all-pros, or maybe even Tom Brady, if he really pulls out some late-season dandies. I tend to drift away from numbers and lean more toward guys who come from behind, precisely the way Culpepper did against Detroit on Sunday, which might give you a clue. 13 17 Seattle Seahawks (6-4) Interesting that Jerry Rice still has his share of big days left. I'm starting to think that maybe the answer is that you win games with dependable old pros such as Rice instead of a bunch of fancy unreliables who drop every other ball thrown to them and get themselves suspended. 14 15 New York Giants (5-5) Anyone seen Jeremy Shockey? Gee, he was here just a minute ago. There he is, scoring a five-yard TD and celebrating. Remember when he was a rookie, and he'd bust down the seam and make all those big plays? And defenses always had to account for him? What is he now, a five-yard threat, maybe 10? Something strange has happened to him. Is he hurt and not telling anybody? 15 22 Buffalo Bills (4-6) They get a seven-spot hike, unheard of for November, because they came through for me and won my upset special selection, although I never thought that it would be their special teams that would give the Bills the win over St. Louis. I should have known they'd do it for their coach, Bobby April, as a sweet revenge for the Rams firing him last year. 16 12 St. Louis Rams (5-5) Have they fallen too far? Perhaps, but this week I'm committed to keeping the Bills one notch above them.

CLICK HERE FOR DR. Z'S POWER RANKINGS -- TEAMS 17-32