Dirty dozen

The top six and bottom six teams based on current level of play:

1. Chicago (7-0): After Miami comes two trips to the Meadowlands and another to Foxborough. Look out.

2. Indianapolis (7-0): Nobody can overcome a leaky defense like Peyton Manning.

3. New England (6-1): A win over the Colts might force Peyton to return to Massachusetts in January.

4. New York Giants (5-2): Tom Coughlin bristles at suggestions the Giants might look past Houston to the Bears.

5. Denver (5-2): Plummer isn’t Peyton.

6. San Diego (5-2): Thin at linebacker, but can survive that way for a while.

27. Pittsburgh (2-5): Note above, “current level of play.” Losing to Oakland means current level is bad.

28. Houston (2-5): Good news: as many wins in seven games as in 16 last year.

29. San Francisco (2-5): Actually had some good teams this century – remember Jeff Garcia and … T.O?

30. Detroit (1-6): Millen Man March II might show up on Thanksgiving.

31. Miami (1-6): Bad decisions: getting Daunte Culpepper and using No. 1 pick on Jason Allen, who can’t get on the field.

32. Arizona (1-7): There are 3.5 million reasons why Dennis Green is still the coach.

Dave Goldberg, Associated Press