THE TIMES’ RANKINGS

SAM FARMER’S NFL RANKINGS AND COMMENTS

RK TEAM (Record) COMMENT

1. St. Louis (13-2) Defense had some early breakdowns against Colts but patched the holes.

2. Chicago (12-3) Bear defense has allowed an NFL-low 190 points.

3. Pittsburgh (12-3) Kicking game could be Steeler undoing.

4. Green Bay (11-4) Home playoff game is at stake Sunday against Giants.

5. New England (10-5) Patriots, who’ve won last five, haven’t won six in a row since 1994.

6. San Francisco (11-4) 49ers are a different team when Terrell Owens is not in the mix.

7. Tampa Bay (9-6) Sunday’s game against Eagles a dress rehearsal for wild-card game.

8. Oakland (10-5) Somehow, Raiders need to get running game involved again.

9. Philadelphia (10-5) Koy Detmer will spell Donovan McNabb for the finale.

10. Baltimore (9-6) Ravens finish regular season with first Monday night home game.

11. Miami (10-5) Like the Raiders, the Dolphins need to get their running game going.

12. N.Y. Jets (9-6) Oakland receivers will present problems for a battered New York secondary.

13. Seattle (8-7) Quit being stubborn and give Trent Dilfer the starting job.

14. Denver (8-7) Beating the Raiders is little consolation for missing the playoffs.

15. N.Y. Giants (7-8) Yet another team goes from the Super Bowl to the La-Z-Boy.

16. Washington (7-8) Looks as if Schottenheimer will have to answer to a GM next season.

17. Atlanta (7-8) Time to take a look at Michael Vick.

18. Cleveland (7-8) Finishing .500 would be a good step for the improving Browns.

19. Arizona (7-8) So long, NFC East. Hello, NFC West.

20. Tennessee (7-8) Hard to imagine these Titans went 26-6 in 1999 and 2000.

21. New Orleans (7-8) No matter what their coach says, Saints quit against Washington.

22. Kansas City (6-9) Chiefs can spoil Seattle’s playoff party.

23. Jacksonville (6-9) Tom Coughlin has done a good job holding the chaos in check.

24. Indianapolis (5-10) This could be Jim Mora’s last game.

25. Dallas (5-10) Emmitt Smith needs 56 yards for his 11th consecutive 1,000-yard season.

26. Cincinnati (5-10) Pro Bowl? Swing and a miss.

27. San Diego (5-11) Mercifully, game over.

28. Minnesota (5-10) Oh, well.

29. Buffalo (3-12) Lodged in a snow bank for most of the season.

30. Detroit (1-14) Got to give Marty Mornhinweg one more season.

31. Carolina (1-14) History is but four quarters--and another loss--away.