Ballot and comments from AP Pro 32 panel voter Bob Glauber of Newsday:
Week 11
BOB GLAUBER (Newsday)
1. Houston Texans - A statement game for the Texans, who slogged
through the rain and muck at Soldier Field to outlast the Bears. Some
well-earned fist pumping from Texans defensive coordinator Wade
Phillips, whose unit one-upped the host team's D.
2. Atlanta Falcons - Memo to Roddy White: next time you want to talk
about 16-0, wait until AFTER you play the Saints.
3. Green Bay Packers - Pack hopes week off doesn't interrupt hot
streak. They won five of six before the bye, now head to Detroit.
Lions have beaten Packers only once in last 13.
4. Chicago Bears - The bad news: The Bears lost at home to Houston.
The worse news: another concussion for Jay Cutler. Can't win without
this guy.
5. San Francisco 49ers - Terrific comeback by backup Colin Kaepernick
as Niners tie it with 17 fourth-quarter points. But kicker David Akers
can't seal the deal in OT, and Niners settle for the tie. Could prove
huge if Seahawks stay in the NFC West race to the end.
6. Baltimore Ravens - Ravens set franchise record for most points in a
game, pummeling the reeling Raiders and prepping for this week's
divisional showdown against the Steelers. Ravens 7-2 for first time in
the John Harbaugh era.
7. Denver Broncos - The Peyton Manning MVP tour continues. Not a bad
return for John Fox, either, as the former Panthers coach shows up his
old team in 36-14 win.
8. New England Patriots - Pats continue dominance of Bills, but not
before sweating out a shootout win at home. Pass defense continues to
be an issue for Bill Belichick's group, though. Needed a game-saving
end zone interception from Devin McCourty to win it.
9. New York Giants - Another year, another second-half swoon for the
Giants. This time, Eli Manning's the biggest issue; no TD passes in
his last three games. That hasn't happened since his rookie season.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers - Steelers barely hold off 1-8 Chiefs at home,
but not before losing Ben Roethlisberger to a shoulder injury. The
timing couldn't be worse: Steelers face Ravens twice in next three
weeks.
11. Seattle Seahawks - Another fine showing for rookie Russell Wilson,
who schools Mark Sanchez in a convincing Seahawks win to keep
divisional race tight.
12. Indianapolis Colts - Andrew Luck takes the baton from Peyton
Manning in the Colts-Patriots rivalry, which resumes on Sunday at
Gillette. Win or lose, Colts very much in the playoff hunt.
13. New Orleans Saints - Remember that four-game losing streak to
start the season? It's a distant memory for the Saints, winners of
four of their last five, including Sunday's rousing effort against
previously unbeaten Atlanta.
14. Minnesota Vikings - Adrian Peterson's a medical marvel. Less than
a year after ACL surgery, he leads the NFL in rushing. Last four
games: a combined 629 yards and five TDs.
15. Dallas Cowboys - A season-saving win at Philly? Could be. With
Giants slumping and a soft schedule for Dallas, the Cowboys might be
back in the mix.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Greg Schiano said he wants to be known as
more than just the guy who goes after teams in late-game knee-down
situations. Another in a series of impressive wins is getting the job
done.
17. Cincinnati Bengals - One of the most complete games Bengals have
played in years, as they pummel the defending Super Bowl champs at
home behind Andy Dalton's career-high four INTs and a defense that
pummels Eli Manning.
18. Detroit Lions - One step forward last year, one step back this
year. There's always a team to fit that description. Looks like it's
the 2012 Lions. Defense doesn't show up against Vikings, and another
divisional loss to the Packers on Sunday puts their playoff hopes in
further peril.
19. Tennessee Titans - Bud Adams ought to rip his team more often. A
week after saying he'd never seen a home game as bad as the 51-20 loss
to the Bears, the Titans go out and thump the Dolphins on the road to
keep their playoff hopes alive.
20. San Diego Chargers - Still trying to figure out why Philip Rivers
would throw that pass. You know, the one that was intercepted,
returned for a touchdown, and threw more misery onto a season gone
bad.
21. Miami Dolphins - Ryan Tannehill looks like a rookie with three
picks at home against Tennessee.
22. Washington Redskins - Mike Shanahan insists he hasn't given up on
the season. Let's see if his players prove him right in a largely
meaningless game against Philly.
23. Arizona Cardinals - Why you can never look at a 4-0 start the same
way: Cardinals were that good a month into the season. They haven't
won since. Now it's off to face an angry Falcons team coming off their
first loss. Ouch.
24. St. Louis Rams - Rams nearly pull off huge upset, and Greg "The
Leg" Zeurlein's 53-yard field goal in OT appeared to win it. Nope.
Penalty. 58-yarder no good. Settle for the tie. Still an impressive
effort for an improving team.
25. Buffalo Bills - Feisty effort from Ryan Fitzpatrick, who nearly
pulls off dramatic comeback in New England, but throws it to the wrong
team at the end. Bills now 0-11 at Gillette.
26. Philadelphia Eagles - Wonder if we ever see Michael Vick play
again for the Eagles. Concussion against the Cowboys could be the
start of the Nick Foles era.
27. New York Jets - Mark Sanchez had hoped to show off for his old
college coach. Instead, Pete Carroll got to see just how miserable the
Jets' quarterback has turned out to be this season.
28. Carolina Panthers - Special teams coach Brian Murphy gets the gate
after a blowout loss to Denver. Won't be last coaching change for
Panthers. Could be a clean sweep at season's end.
29. Oakland Raiders - Raiders' awful defense at it again. They've
given up a combined 97 points the last two games. Don't imagine things
will get much better against the resurgent Saints.
30. Cleveland Browns - Rumors of Mike Holmgren to the Cowboys swirling
this week in advance of Browns-Dallas matchup in Big D. Holmgren says
nothing's up.
31. Kansas City Chiefs - Finally, the Chiefs played 60 minutes without
surrendering a turnover. Too bad they had to play overtime; Matt
Cassel's interception cost the Chiefs a chance at the biggest upset of
the week.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars - Stat that will most likely get Mike
Mularkey tossed after the season: the Jags have been outscored 153-44
in five home losses.
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