By Bob Bonett

AFC Power Ranks

1) Buffalo Bills (5-1) – QB Trent Edwards managed to return from his Week 6 concussion without any ill effects. In their most important game to date, Edwards threw for 261, Buffalo’s defense bounced back from its obliteration at the hands of Arizona to hold Phil Rivers and Co. to just 13 points, and the Bills asserted their stronghold atop the East with an 11-point win. The next three weeks are crucial, with games against Miami, New York and New England. And if Buffalo shows up the way they did against San Diego, the Pats might be looking at a 7-1 opponent on November 9.

2) New England Patriots (4-2) – The question resonating from the Patriots’ shellacking of the Broncos is whether New England actually won the game, or if Mike Shanahan and Denver flat out lost it. Denver’s defense was abysmal, allowing a Laurence Maroney-less Pats rush attack to pile up 257 yards. And any praise I’ve lent to Jay Cutler? I take it away. Sure, he’s great when he’s not in the national spotlight, but it seems more apparent each time Cutler plays in primetime that he is not a true gamer. New England has the surging Rams this week – it’s anybody’s guess which Pats team will show up at Foxboro.

3) New York Jets (3-3) – Had the Dolphins not made Joe Flacco look like a Pro Bowler, New York would be occupying the No. 4 spot this week. But let’s face it: Gang Green is not a playoff team. Sure, when they come to play, the Jets are as good as anybody in the AFC East. It’s obvious, though, that Brett Favre is completely handcuffed by New York’s offensive play-calling – thank you, Brian Schottenheimer. The one bright spot for Gang Green has been the emergence of DT Kris Jenkins, who seems to be able to single-handedly stop any team’s rush attack. New York should be able to beat the Chiefs sans Larry Johnson this week, but until Favre decides to throw to someone other than Chris Baker in the clutch, New York won’t be able to scare any contenders.

4) Miami Dolphins (2-4) – Well, Cam Cameron’s got one thing to say to Miami: “How ya like me now?” The former ‘Phins head coach managed to energize a Ravens offense to the tune of 27 points, never really giving Ronnie Brown and the Dolphins’ Wildcat Offense a chance to get going. As noted last week, when the Dolphins are forced to pass, their offense will stall. Brown’s 27 yards on 13 carries certainly didn’t help the cause, either. The Bills are up next for Miami. Expect a big loss, and the start to a long second-half of the season for the ‘Phins.

NFC Power Ranks

1) New York Giants (5-1) – With the end of one run comes the start of another. After losing their 11-game road streak – and undefeated season – to the Browns last Monday, New York bounced back with a 12-point victory over the San Francisco 49ers, their fourth consecutive win at the Meadowlands. Defensively, the Giants were stellar. J.T. O’Sullivan was contained, the ‘Niners managed just 35 yards rushing, and Justin Tuck bounced back from a bad game in Cleveland to record two sacks. Offensively, though, against a sub-par San Francisco team, Eli Manning managed to complete just 16 of his 31 passes, and the usually outstanding rush-attack finished with just 112 yards – well below the team’s season average. The schedule now gets rough for the G-Men, starting with a trip to Pittsburgh. Unless Manning bounces back from a couple sub-par weeks, and Plaxico Burress gets his head on straight, New York could be looking at loss number two.

2) Washington Redskins (5-2) – That loss to St. Louis doesn’t look so bad anymore, now does it? In bounce-back fashion, the ‘Skins were able to eek their way to a 14-11 win over Cleveland on the back of Clinton Portis’ 175 yards rushing. It’s clear that head coach Jim Zorn has something working for Washington. After the team’s game against Detroit this weekend – which should be a cakewalk – the Redskins get a shot at Pittsburgh. Any way you cut it, looks like the Steelers are the team to beat.

3) Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) – What a wonder the Bye Week did for Philly. Brian Westbrook and the offense are healthy, and the Cowboys were run off the field for the second consecutive week. This division could now very well be Donovan McNabb’s for the taking. The Eagles won’t be an underdog until a trip to New York on December 7th – and that includes their home game with the Giants in three weeks – meaning a six-game run is within reach. Philadelphia is 9-0 after the Bye during the Andy Reid coaching era, so despite Atlanta’s Cinderella season, expect a statement game from the Eagles.

4) Dallas Cowboys (4-3) – And the crown of the most overbearing owner in the NFL goes to … Jerry Jones? Yes, Al Davis, Jones has taken your place on the Football Wall of Shame. After a battered Dallas team made the Rams look like the “Greatest Show on Turf,” Jones tore into the players – and presumably head coach Wade Phillips – in the locker room. With all due respect, Mr. Jones, it isn’t your job to fire up the Cowboys; the onus of that is on the coaching staff. My anti-Jones diatribe aside, Dallas is in trouble. Tony Romo will be out longer than expected – looks like at least two more weeks – meaning that it’s the Brad Johnson Show for America’s Team … not good news for Cowboy fans. Dallas faces Tampa Bay this week: don’t expect a ‘W.’