2012 NFL Power Rankings: Week 10 ESPN.com

Week: Select Pre 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18

We're halfway into the 2012 season. Is there hope for teams outside the top 10?

When it comes to earning a place in the elite class of our rankings, probably not.

Even though there's plenty of football still to be played, there appears to be a distinct ceiling for teams on the upswing. Sure, our voters (ESPN.com's John Clayton, ESPN.com's Ashley Fox, NFC East blogger Dan Graziano, AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley and NFC West blogger Mike Sando) have taken notice of Indianapolis (No. 11), Seattle (No. 12) and others, but which teams will these upstarts supplant in the top 10?

Peyton Manning's Broncos? The surging Steelers? Don't count on it. The banged-up Ravens, who had their hands full with lowly Cleveland in Week 9, might be the most vulnerable of the heavyweights.

But let's not exaggerate their demise, either. At 6-2, Baltimore owns the AFC's second-best record and has yet to lose at home.

So as things stand now, does it seem outlandish to suggest that the top 10 below will be the top 10 at season's end (maybe with some shuffling within)?

Take a look for yourself. With early flukes (sorry, Arizona and Minnesota) having been weeded out, there's really not a pretender in the bunch.

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