NEW YORK — It’s unanimous: The Seattle Seahawks are once again the top team in the NFL.
A day after the Seahawks’ 27-17 win over the Redskins, Seattle received each of the first-place votes for the AP Pro32 power rankings decided by a 12-member media panel that regularly covers the league.
“No one plays old-school football like the Seahawks,” Rick Gosselin of The Dallas Morning News said. “They rank in the top two in the league in both rushing and run defense.”
The Denver Broncos jumped back up to the No. 2 spot after routing the Arizona Cardinals 41-20 on Sunday.
“Peyton Manning produces yet another milestone with his 500th touchdown pass as Denver rolls the previously unbeaten Cardinals at home,” Newsday’s Bob Glauber said.
The San Diego Chargers, Philadelphia Eagles and the Cincinnati Bengals complete the rest of the top five.
The Chargers moved from No. 5 to 3 after their 31-0 rout of the New York Jets.
“Few quarterbacks playing at higher level than (Philip) Rivers,” Fox Sports’ John Czarnecki said.
The Bengals fell from the No. 2 spot after their latest flop in prime time, a 43-17 loss to the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
“The Bengals keep talking about taking the ‘next step’ this season,” Jenny Vrentas of The Monday Morning Quarterback said.
“Until they win these kinds of games, on the road against a desperate opponent, they haven’t taken that step.”
The Dallas Cowboys, tied with the Eagles for first in the NFC East, jumped from No. 12 to 6. The Cowboys face a big challenge on Sunday when they head to CenturyLink Field to face the Seahawks.
“Big test in Seattle, but love the way they’re playing,” Tony Dungy of NBC Sports said.
Alex Marvez of Foxsports.com was also anticipating the matchup.
“A great matchup awaits Sunday as the NFL’s leading rusher (Dallas’ DeMarco Murray) faces the league’s top rushing defense in Seattle,” he said.
The Indianapolis Colts, San Francisco 49ers, Green Bay Packers and the Arizona Cardinals round out the top 10.
“Andrew Luck led his team to another win over a quality opponent,” ESPN’s Herm Edwards said of the Colts’ 20-13 win over the Baltimore Ravens. “Indy keeps gaining momentum.”
The reeling Jets fell from a tie for 26th to 29.
Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith is coming off a miserable week in which he was fined $12,000 by the NFL for shouting an expletive at a fan after a game and missed a meeting while going to a movie the night before the game against the Chargers because he mixed up times.
And the Jets host Peyton Manning and the Broncos on Sunday. And they face Tom Brady and the Patriots a few days later on Oct. 16.
“This tabloid bonanza has the look of Rex Ryan’s final bite at the Big Apple,” Ira Kaufman of the Tampa Tribune said.
The league’s only two winless teams, the Oakland Raiders and Jacksonville Jaguars, occupied the bottom two spots in the poll.
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