GREEN BAY, Wis. -- Not that it needed any more juice, but Sunday's Green Bay Packers-New England Patriots game at Lambeau Field -- a game some believe is a Super Bowl preview -- will be a matchup of No. 1 against No. 2 in the ESPN Power Rankings.
That's because the Packers moved up one spot from last week, when they were No. 3 in the rankings. They jumped over the former No. 2, the Arizona Cardinals. The Patriots have been atop the rankings for the past four weeks.
A win on Sunday, when the Packers are three-point favorites according to the online oddsmaker Bovada.LV, would no doubt put Green Bay on top of the Power Rankings for the first time since the 2012 preseason poll.
Although the Packers have just a one-game lead over the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, they are well ahead in these rankings. The Lions slipped six spots to No. 13 after losing to the Patriots on Sunday.
Here's what the top of rankings look like:
1. Patriots (9-2)
2. Packers (8-3)
3. Broncos (8-3)
4. Cardinals (9-2)
5. Cowboys (8-3)
Click here for the full ESPN Power Rankings and see my ballot below:
Rob Demovsky's ballot
1. Patriots
2. Packers
3. Broncos
4. Cowboys
5. Colts
6. Cardinals
7. Seahawks
8. Eagles
9. 49ers
10. Bengals
11. Steelers
12. Ravens
13. Lions
14. Chiefs
15. Chargers
16. Browns
17. Dolphins
18. Bills
19. Texans
20. Bears
21. Vikings
22. Rams
23. Falcons
24. Saints
25. Panthers
26. Redskins
27. Buccaneers
28. Giants
29. Titans
30. Raiders
31. Jaguars
32. Jets