Week 16 Picks & Power Rankings

What would you rather do on a Sunday morning than wake up early and read weekly picks and power rankings involving 32 teams that basically are of equal strength and ability to beat, lose to or tie anyone on any given Sunday, Monday, Saturday, Thursday (and some day, when the revenue ceiling needs to be extended to a gazillion bazillion dollars, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday as well)?

CRAIG'S NFL POWER RANKINGS
BEST OF THE BUNCH
1. 49ers (10-4)
Why: The 49ers' current four-game winning streak includes a victory over Seattle. San Francisco is fifth in rushing team, No. 3 in points allowed and is getting some better play from QB Colin Kaepernick the past month.

THE REST

2. Seahawks (12-2); 3. Chargers (7-7); 4. Broncos (11-3); 5. Chiefs (11-3); 6. Panthers (10-4); 7. Dolphins (8-6); 8. Patriots (10-4); 9. Cardinals (9-5); 10. Ravens (8-6); 11. Rams (6-8); 12. Saints (10-4); 13. Bears (8-6); 14. Colts (9-5); 15. Packers (7-6-1); 16. Steelers (6-8); 17. Bengals (9-5); 18. Lions (7-7); 19. Cowboys (7-7).

THE VIKINGS
20. Vikings 4-9-1 (Last week: 26): We moved them up six spots after watching a band of former misfit backups step up and wallop an Eagles team that was red hot and leading the NFC East. Effort hasn't been an issue all season for the Vikings. Last week, depth wasn't a problem either. The Vikings scored 48 points, their highest total since reaching 50 against Jacksonville in 1998. And they did it without their top two running backs, their top three corners, their right guard and their top two tight ends.

THE REST

21. Eagles (8-6); 22. Titans (5-9); 23. Falcons (4-10); 24. Bills (4-10); 25. Buccaneers (4-10); 26. Browns (4-10); 27. Jets (6-8); 28. Jaguars (4-10); 29. Raiders (4-10); 30. Redskins (3-11); 31. Giants (5-9).

THE PICKS

VIKINGS
Vikings plus-8 at Bengals: The pick: Vikings 27, Bengals 24.
Why?:.The Vikings are 3-2-1 in the second half of the season and have proven time and again under coach Leslie Frazier that they'll play with maximum effort regardless of the record or lack of playoff implications. The Bengals have all the pressure on them and they don't have a good track record when the collars get tight. They enjoyed a comfortable lead in the AFC North at one point. But they've gone 3-3 the past six games, which has allowed Baltimore to move within a game of the top.

Last week: Eagles minus-5 ½ at Vikings. The pick: Eagles 35, Vikings 21. The final: Vikings 48, Eagles 30. Record: 8-5-1, 6-8 vs. the spread.

UPSET SPECIAL
Cowboys minus-3 at Redskins. The pick: Redskins 41, Cowboys 38.
Why?: Dallas can't possibly stay in the playoff picture playing defense as historically awful as it has this season, right? So while the Redskins have lost six straight and completely given up, the Cowboys are still more than capable of being completely unable to stop them.

Last week: Bears minus-1 at Browns. The pick: Browns 31, Bears 28. The final: Bears 38, Browns 31. Record: 4-11.