PFT power rankings: 49ers up to No. 2

AP

1.� Packers (No. 1; 7-0):� The only way the Packers don?t win is if they don?t play.

2.� 49ers (No. 3; 6-1):� What is this, 1989?

3.� Steelers (No. 5; 6-2):� What is this, 2010?

4.� Patriots (No. 2; 5-2):� Tom Brady?s ownership of the Steelers apparently was financed by one of those sub-prime mortgages.

5.� Lions (No. 9; 6-2):� A week after the Lions supposedly called for a cart for Matt Ryan, they nearly had to scream for a body bag for Tebow.

6.� Giants (No. 6; 5-2):��To stay in the top ten, they?ll need to beat bad teams by more than three points.

7.� Ravens (No. 7; 5-2): �To stay in the top ten, they?ll need to beat bad teams by more than three points.

8.� Bengals (No. 8; 5-2):� Maybe no one has told Andy Dalton and A.J. Green that they?re rookies.

9.� Saints (No. 4; 5-3):� If Sean Payton hadn?t signed an extension, his leverage would be shooting through the roof right now, given that no one on the sidelines could get the Saints turned around.

10.� Bills (No. 13; 5-2):� The Bills are finally getting comfortable in their home away from home.

11.� Raiders (No. 11; 4-3):� If Broncos vs. Lions was billed as a battle of good vs. evil, what?s Broncos vs. Raiders?

12.� Texans (No. 12; 5-3):� It?s officially a one-team race in the AFC South.� And it could be one-and-out for the Texans in January.

13.� Bears (No. 14; 4-3):� Matt Forte is still waiting for the phone and/or cash register to ring.

14.� Buccaneers (No. 15; 4-3):� Saints and Panthers losing makes for a great bye week in Tampa.

15.� Falcons (No. 16; 4-3):� Saints and Panthers losing makes for a great bye week in Atlanta.

16.� Chiefs (No. 20; 4-3):� Brandon Flowers told PFT Live last week that the Chiefs are the team to beat in the AFC West.� The Chargers couldn?t.

17.� Jets (No. 17; 4-3):� The last guy who should be cracking jokes about Rex Ryan?s gut is the guy who wanted to gnaw on Suzy Kolber?s face.

18. Chargers (No. 10; 4-3):� If Philip Rivers ever gets a chance to lift the Lombardi, there?s now a good chance he?ll drop it.

19.� Eagles (No. 21; 3-4):� Someone finally woke up the Dream Team.

20.� Cowboys (No. 18; 3-4):� The Rob Ryan head-coaching express continues to be a slow train to nowhere.

21. Vikings (No. 28; 2-6):� And Donovan McNabb still thinks he should still be the starter.

22.� Panthers (No. 19; 2-6):� It?s only a matter of time before this team is ruling the NFC South.

23.� Titans (No. 23; 4-3):� If Chris Johnson could rediscover his explosiveness, the Titans could make a run at a playoff spot.

24.� Redskins (No. 22; 3-4):� That loss to the Bills is a harsh reminder of the state of the franchise 20 years after beating the Bills in a slightly bigger game.

25.� Browns (No. 24; 3-4):� Is Peyton Hillis a one-hit wonder?� His fan club is now known as Peyton?s Midnight Runners.

26.� Rams (No. 31; 1-6):� The team?s passion and enthusiasm in Week Eight makes us wonder where it was the rest of the season.

27.� Broncos (No. 25; 2-5):� A week after ?Tebowing? took the league by storm, ?Teblowing? now refer to throwing passes so far over a receiver?s head that it looks like the ball was caught in a sudden gust of wind.

28.� Jaguars (No. 26; 2-6):� It was fun to be a contender in the AFC South.� For five days.

29.� Seahawks (No. 27; 2-5):� Pete Carroll still has a shot at landing Jim Harbaugh?s protege.

30.� Cardinals (No. 29; 1-6):� If he can?t play this weekend, Kevin Kolb (foot) probably doesn?t have to worry about John Skelton doing to Kolb what Mike Vick did last year.

31.� Colts (No. 30; 0-8):� Andrew Luck is the perfect quarterback for a team with a horseshoe on its helmet.

32. Dolphins (No. 32; 0-7):� Owner Stephen Ross recently pointed out that at least one other set of power rankings has the Dolphins at No. 25.� But that apparently is a ranking of college teams.

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