On Monday night, I had the chance to sit in the stands at FedEx Field in Landover, Md., as two of the NFL’s top teams — the Pittsburgh Steelers and the Washington Redskins — went head to head. The result was a decisive Pittsburgh victory, but the real story was the amount of Pittsburgh fans in the stadium. Terrible Towels were everywhere and there were almost as many black-and-gold jerseys as there were burgundy-and-gold. Redskins defensive end Demetric Evans told reporters, “All I saw were Terrible Towels in the stands. Even when we were on offense and it’s supposed to be quiet, all you could hear was the Steelers fans cheering.” In other words, the Steelers have a loyal fanbase that travels far and wide. But certainly they’re not alone. The Cowboys faithful are, well, faithful. And how about fans of the Patriots? The Eagles? The Bears? So the question becomes: Which NFL team has the most loyal fans?
1. Tennessee Titans (1)
Should we be talking about this year’s Titans and last year’s Patriots in the same breath? Well, let’s withhold judgment until the Titans take their game to Chicago this weekend. In terms of raw talent, Tennessee has the edge. But they’re calling for rain and maybe snow on Sunday in Chicago, and Tennessee is a Southern team that needs to prove its ability to win in any climate if it wants to be a January contender.
2. New York Giants (2)
The Giants are playing like Super Bowl champs who believe that they deserve to be Super Bowl champs. And that’s causing a lot of headaches for a lot of teams, including the Dallas Cowboys, who the Giants dismantled on Sunday.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (3)
If there’s one thing the Steelers have (aside from a brutal and relentless defense) it’s depth. From backup quarterback and running backs to backup safeties and cornerbacks, this is a team that can win games even when it has to call on its reserves.
4. Carolina Panthers (4)
If you were a football team and had the opportunity to exist in a utopia, you’d probably enjoy a bye week followed by a game against the truly pitiful Oakland Raiders. This so-called utopia is reality for the Carolina Panthers.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (6)
No, Seattle’s not awesome. But 349 yards, 29 completions, and two touchdowns is pretty awesome. It’s also proof that Donovan McNabb and his Eagles are feeling the rhythm.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)
7. Chicago Bears (10)
True, a win against Detroit doesn’t typically warrant celebration and reward. But the Bears found a way to win against a divisional foe and with their starting QB on the sidelines. Finding ways to win: This is what wins games.
8. Washington Redskins (5)
9. New England Patriots (11)
10. Baltimore Ravens (14)
11. Buffalo Bills (8)
The primary indication of a strong team is the ability to exhibit resiliency. But the Bills, who started strong, seem a little weak in this department.
12. Arizona Cardinals (13)
13. New York Jets (15)
14. Green Bay Packers (12)
No, the Packers aren’t quite ready to upset the big boys in the upper echelons. But they made Sunday’s game against the undefeated Titans very competitive, and Aaron Rodgers is proving he’s here to stay.
15. Dallas Cowboys (9)
16. Atlanta Falcons (17)
17. New Orleans Saints (16)
18. Minnesota Vikings (20)
19. Miami Dolphins (24)
20. Minnesota Vikings (20)
21. Houston Texans (19)
22. Cleveland Browns (22)
23. Jacksonville Jaguars (21)
24. Denver Broncos (23)
25. San Diego Chargers (25)
26. Kansas City Chiefs (28)
27. Seattle Seahawks (27)
Three years ago, the now-putrid Seahawks were in the Super Bowl. Sure, Shawn Alexander has fallen off the map, but much of that team is still in tact. What happened?
28. St. Louis Rams (27)
29. San Francisco 49ers (29)
30. Cincinnati Bengals (32)
31. Detroit Lions (31)
32. Oakland Raiders (30)
The forced departure of the highly paid DeAngelo Hall is a noteworthy indication of the tumult in Oakland.