2013 NFL Power Rankings: Top 5 Super Bowl Contenders Thru 7 Weeks

2013 NFL Power Rankings: Top 5 Super Bowl Contenders Thru 7 Weeks: The 2013 NFL season is approaching its halfway points, and heading into Week 8, just one undefeated team remains. Of course, nothing is set in stone as far as the division races are concerned at this point, but enough games have been played to establish a bit of a pecking order among the top teams in the league. With that in mind, here is a closer look at the five teams that have stood out above the rest in the first few weeks of the 2013 NFL season.

1.      Seattle Seahawks (6-1)

While the Seahawks could certainly use Percy Harvin to return sooner rather than later to add another playmaker to the receiving corps, this team doesn’t have many weaknesses. Seattle’s offense currently ranks fifth in the NFL in scoring, and its defense is allowing the third-fewest points and fourth-fewest yards. Plain and simple, the Seahawks beat up opponents physically on both sides of the ball. From Marshawn Lynch and the league’s second-best ground attack to Richard Sherman and the rest of Seattle’s imposing secondary, the Seahawks are a championship-caliber team in just about every facet of the game.

2.      Kansas City Chiefs (7-0)

A year after having the worst record in the NFL, the Chiefs are the lone remaining undefeated team. A majority of the credit goes to the team’s suddenly vicious defensive unit that is allowing a league-low 11.6 points per game this year. Meanwhile, Kansas City’s 35.0 sacks are 10.0 more than any other team in the league. Offensively, Jamaal Charles has been a workhorse, and he currently ranks third in the NFL in rushing and has also caught 36 passes. Granted, Alex Smith is only completing 58.0 of his passes and has just seven touchdowns compared to four picks, but stellar defense and a strong running game has always been a recipe for success.

3.      Denver Broncos (6-1)

The Broncos slide a bit after losing to Indianapolis last weekend, but on the plus side, they did manage 33 points despite a terribly sloppy performance. For the year, Denver is still averaging 42.9 points per game, and there is little doubt that Peyton Manning is at the helm of the league’s best scoring attack. The issue for the Broncos remains their defense, which has allowed the sixth-most points in the NFL this year. The unit figures to improve with the return of linebacker Von Miller, but corner Champ Bailey has looked awful when he hasn’t been sidelined with some sort of injury. Manning certainly has the firepower at his disposal to win some shootouts, but as Sunday night’s loss to the Colts showed, Denver’s offense can’t afford to have a bad performance if the Broncos want to win.

4.      Indianapolis Colts (5-2)

Indianapolis has had a couple of questionable losses, but there is no team in the league with more statement victories thus far. The Colts have taken out Seattle, San Francisco and Denver already, leaving little doubt that they can compete and beat any team. Yes, losing receiver Reggie Wayne for the year hurts, but Indianapolis still owns a top-10 rushing offense and a defense that is allowing the sixth-fewest points and has tallied the sixth-most sacks. Meanwhile, quarterback Andrew Luck has only gotten better as a sophomore, and he just outdueled Peyton Manning last weekend.

5.      New Orleans Saints (5-1)

The Saints are coming off a bye week, and for the most part, they have returned to championship form now that coach Sean Payton is back. Not surprisingly, Drew Brees heads one of the top passing attacks in football, and New Orleans has had little trouble scoring points. Perhaps more importantly, new defensive coordinator Rob Ryan has the New Orleans defense carrying its weight, as well. Granted, the Saints did lose in Foxboro their last time out, but it’s tough to penalize them too much for losing on a touchdown pass by Tom Brady in the waning seconds. Overall, New Orleans is a much more balanced team in 2013.

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