rosario-dawson-likes-cherriesPeter King has his Fine Fifteen, ESPN has its own composite power rankings, and the legendary Dr. Z’s weekly power rankings were a must-read until he was stricken silent by a stroke last year. So, why can’t TBL get in on the fun? Here’s the 10th installment of the 2009 NFL in-season power rankings, featuring the cherry-loving Rosario Dawson.

1. New Orleans Saints (9-0): The Saints were outgained by the Rams 439-426, they upped their turnover total over the past four games to 13, and they gave up more than 150 yards rushing – again. The Saints are loaded, but their defense can be gashed and they don’t take care of the ball. That’s not a recipe for success in January. Good thing they have seven weeks to shore things up.

2. Indianapolis Colts (9-0): There are two ways of looking at Sunday’s victory over their arch rivals. One, the Colts overcame a slew of injuries, multiple mistakes by young starters and a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to defeat one of the league’s few “elite” teams. Or two, the Colts were torched through the air, their offense was mostly contained until the last 12 minutes and – per usual – they had to rely mostly on superlative performances from their stars (Reggie Wayne, Robert Mathis, etc.) to steal a win. The Colts are not a deep team. They have holes. Lots of holes. Luckily for them, they have the world’s greatest seamstress in one Peyton Manning.

3. Minnesota Vikings (8-1): I, personally, can’t stand the guy because he’s a VH1 Diva hidden underneath a Southern drawl and stonewashed jeans, but Brett Favre just might be the NFL’s MVP to this point. He’s not the best player in the league, or one of the two best players on his own team, but he’s completed 68 percent of his passes for 17 TD’s with just three INT’s. He’s transformed the Vikings from a 10-6 wild-card exit team to a likely 13-3 or 14-2 Super Bowl favorite. I don’t like him, but I don’t like Roland Emmerich either, and he’s successful. Sigh.

tom-brady-and-two-random-hot-chicks4. New England Patriots (6-3): I wonder where that ranks on Bill Simmons’ stomach punch loss list? Gotta be near the top. But here’s the thing: The Patriots don’t need homefield advantage. This team can go on the road and win in Cincinnati, or Pittsburgh, and they’d likely thrash San Diego at Qualcomm. Can they beat the Colts in Indianapolis in January? Um, did you watch the game Sunday night? Randy Moss singled by a safety = touchdown. Randy Moss singled by Tim Jennings = touchdown. Randy Moss = touchdowns.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (7-2): Carson Palmer is having a solid, but not spectacular season. Ochocinco is once again one of the best WR’s in the league. Still, the story is the Bengal’s defense, which, after nine games, is the NFL’s best. Now, can they keep it up?

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3): Well, homefield advantage is probably out the window. But the Steelers have more important things to worry about; namely, reclaiming the AFC North from Cincinnati. Yes, the last time the Bengals won the AFC North the Steelers won the Super Bowl as a wild card, but that’s a risky route to take to Miami in a deep AFC. The Steelers’ schedule is managable the rest of the way, but more than one loss and they’ll likely be playing on the road all postseason.

7. San Diego Chargers (6-3): The Chargers can wrest back control of the AFC West with a victory at Denver Sunday, and then they get the Chiefs and Browns back-to-back. But then it’s at Dallas, Cincinnati at home and at Tennessee. That three-game stretch will decide San Diego’s season. That kind of insight it why TBL pays me the pennies.

8. Dallas Cowboys (6-3): And here I thought Tony Romo never lost in November? The Cowboys held the ball for just 24 minutes against the Packers Sunday, and turned it over three times while forcing none of their own, despite numerous hits on Aaron Rodgers. For Dallas to compete with New Orleans and Minnesota, they have to take care of the ball and create turnovers on defense. Actually, that pretty much works for every NFL team. We can’t all be Trent Dilfer-level pundits.

kim_kardashian_reggie_bush_lifestyles_nice9. Arizona Cardinals (6-3): If I were to tell you that I could very much see this Arizona team going into New Orleans and winning in the playoffs, would you call me crazy? I just want to know before I actually say that.

10. Denver Broncos (6-3): That was a bad road loss to the Redskins, the Doncos’ third-straight defeat and cause for a good degree of panic in the Mile High City. Kyle Orton should be back this week when they host the Chargers, but if Denver’s once-vaunted defense can’t keep The Racists under 400 total yards, what’s Phildo going to do?

11. Houston Texans (5-4): Typically, the later the bye week, the better. As the Texans resume their pursuit of the team’s first-ever winning season, they’d better hope that’s the case.

12. Green Bay Packers (5-4): You probably heard Troy Aikman blathering Sunday about the career revival that Charles Woodson has experienced since he joined Green Bay a few years ago. Woodson has been outstanding for the Packers, and his performance Sunday was one of the best this season by a defensive back.

13. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4): Have we seen the end of Brian Westbrook? It’s possible. The versatile, oft-injured Eagles back sustained his second concussion in less than a month against the Chargers, and he’s been adamant about protecting the quality of his life after football. Losing Brian Dawkins and Westbrook in the same year? That’s a lot of on-field leadership missing from a team coached by Andy Reid.

randy-moss-is-so-great14. Baltimore Ravens (5-4): Can the Ravens end the Colts’ 18-game regular-season winning streak? They haven’t beaten them since, oh, 2001, but they’re catching them at a good time.

15. New York Giants (5-4): Bye weeks, the best thing to happen to NFC East teams since Dan Snyder. And speaking of best things, this video is just that.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-4): How did this team get to be a playoff contender? Heady play by David Garrard, riding MJD and taking advantage of turnover-produced short fields. Sounds like their 2007 formula for success, although they’ll likely need a 6-1 finish to snag a wild card spot.

17. Atlanta Falcons (5-4): Jake Delhomme > Matt Ryan?

18. Carolina Panthers (4-5): That’s three straight games without an INT for Jake Delhere’stheball. I’ll save you the suspense: The Panthers win three straight to move to 7-5, everyone starts thinking playoffs, then Carolina drops its last four to the Patriots, Vikings, Giants and Saints.

19. Tennessee Titans (3-6): If you could bring in one playmaker who would give your offense an immediate upgrade (for one season, so age isn’t a factor), would you go Chris Johnson or Randy Moss? I suppose it would depend on whether or not you already had a QB, wouldn’t it? Hmm … probably still Moss.

20. San Francisco 49ers (4-5): Five turnovers by the visiting team and the 49ers still almost gave it away at the end. Not a good harbinger for the rest of the season.

brady-quinn-21. Chicago Bears (4-5): Jay Cutler’s on pace to throw for 30 INT’s this season, an astronomic figure. Keep in mind he has no running game, a shoddy offensive line and only one legitimate red zone target (Greg Olsen). That excuses some of his poor decision making, but not all of it. Some of it is hubris, pure and simple. The Bears’ number one offensive priority should be luring a QB guru to Chicago to work with Cutler. I hear there’s a guy he likes that might be looking for work.

22. Miami Dolphins (4-5): Miami managed to squeak past Tampa Bay despite an inexplicable late INT by Chad Henne, but they lost Wildcat extraordinaire Ronnie Brown in the process, and he’s unlikely to play Thursday night against the Panthers. Good news for Ricky Williams fantasy owners, bad news for Dolphins fans.

23. New York Jets (4-5): Apparently, Kris Jenkins isn’t somebody you can easily replace. Would he have made a difference on the key pass to Mercedes Lewis that lost the game for the Jets? Doubtful. Prepare for a bloodletting this week in Foxboro. Belichick may go Harbaugh on Sanchez & Friends.

24. Seattle Seahawks (3-6): You don’t hear much about “big” NFC West games, but week 10’s Seahawks-Cardinals contest was about as big as they come. It pretty much ended any hope of Seattle recapturing the division they once owned and also put the Cardinals back in the Super Bowl contender’s circle. Nah, scratch that, maybe just outside the circle.

25. Washington Redskins (3-6): Jason Campbell didn’t do much (surprise, surprise), but he didn’t need to with the mistakes made by the Doncos and backup QB Chris Simms. Perhaps all those preseason calls for Simms to start were misguided after all.

tony-gonzalez-and-his-hot-wife-october26. Buffalo Bills (3-6): Chaz Checkdown is back under center, which means big plays are a thing of the past (unless a Bills’ running back is doing the throwing).

27. Kansas City Chiefs (2-7): They won (somebody had to).

28. Oakland Raiders (2-7): They lost (somebody had to.)

29. St. Louis Rams (1-8): What a performance by the Rams in their near upset of the Saints. They could have simply rolled over like we (er, I) all expected them to, but they took advantage of the Saints’ mistakes and may well have won if not for Marc Bulger’s abortionistic two-minute drill at the end.

30. Detroit Lions (1-8): The Lions aren’t going to beat many teams with Matthew Stafford throwing the ball 55 times. And by many, I mean any. Except for maybe the Redskins.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8): I suppose the silver lining in Tampa Bay’s loss to Miami is that they scored two fourth-quarter TD’s, which, for a team that hardly ever scores, is progress.

32. Cleveland Browns (1-8): Myoplex is so 2001. Get wit’ the Gaspari, Brady.