2012 NFL Power Rankings: Week 12 ESPN.com

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

The Denver Broncos and Green Bay Packers don't own the top spots in our latest rankings.

But there's no denying they're the hottest teams in football heading into Thanksgiving.

Both Denver and Green Bay have won a league-best five in a row, and both appear to have the pieces -- elite quarterbacks and defenses with a knack for delivering timely plays -- to make legitimate Super Bowl runs.

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) still hold the Houston Texans (No. 1) and Atlanta Falcons (No. 2) in the highest regard, but things suddenly look far from settled at the top. Both teams were nearly upset in Week 11, leaving the proverbial door open for a shakeup down the road.

Week 12 could thicken the plot even more. The Texans get the inconsistent yet dangerous Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, the Falcons face the surging Tampa Bay Buccaneers and the San Francisco 49ers (No. 3) play the much-improved New Orleans Saints.

If any of our top three falter, the red-hot Packers and Broncos appear poised to take advantage.

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