At the quarter pole

The Pats and the rest of the NFL (except for the bye teams of course) have made it four weeks into the season -- one quarter of the way through. After four games you can get a sense of which teams are for real and which teams are going to put their fans through some long days of sitting outside in the cold wondering when an NFL team is going to arrive in their town. Certainly things can and will change. I don't know how many times in the past 15 years the Raiders or Vikings started 6-2 and ended up missing the playoffs. I could look it up but why bother. It's a lot. Here are my top 10 rankings as the season heads into October. Love October football.

1. Indianapolis Colts (4-0): I didn't get to go to the Pats-Ravens battle, but I did get to watch the Colts take care of the Seahawks from my hotel room in Oregon (Seattle has 3-13 written all over it even with Jim Mora who I think will turn that team around if given the time). Manning seems very happy that offense coordinator Tom Moore didn't have to retire and doesn't seem to mind a bit that Marvin Harrison kind of did. Could we end the decade with another Pats-Colts playoff clash? That would be fun.

2. New York Giants (4-0): OK, as a Pats fan it hurts to put the Manning boys #1 and #2. But you got to give credit where credit is due and the Giants, like the Colts, are clicking on all cylinders at the quarter pole. A win over KC (like a win over Seattle) is nothing to crow about, but it's the balance on both sides of the ball that is impressive. They are an experienced team that knows how to win almost any kind of game. It doesn't matter how big a stadium Jerry Jones builds, the Giants will whip his Cowboys as long as Wade "Marshmallow Man" Phillips is coaching them.

3. Minnesota Vikings (4-0): Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. Brett Favre. As far as I've read or heard on TV those are the four reasons the Vikings are undefeated. Nothing about Adrian Peterson, or one the best run D's in the league, or a schedule that started off with the Browns and the Lions. It's all about #4. Did you know he is the first player to beat all 32 teams? I thought you did.

4. New England Patriots (3-1): After losing to the Jets, the Pats have handed the Falcons and Ravens their first losses. And have looked a lot like the Pats of '03 and '04 doing it. Nothing spectacular, just good coaching, players stepping up at the right time ... and some luck. Welker's return gives Brady the extra weapon he needed to solve the one real problem they had -- red zone offense. A win over the unbeaten Broncos next week and the Pats move into the top 3 and there should be no arguments about it.

5. New Orleans Saints (4-0): The Saints have been the team of expectations since going to the NFC title game in 2006. Unfulfilled expectations. That may change this year. The offense is just too explosive for a prolonged losing streak. And the Panthers and Bucs look to be easy prey in the NFC South. Scores of 45, 48, 27, and 24 are no fluke. Brees and Co. could challenge the Pats offensive show of '07.

6. Denver Broncos (4-0): Is there anyone -- anyone -- out there who imagined the Broncos would start 4-0 after the offseason/preseason that new coach Josh McDaniels and the team had? Anyone? I didn't think so. But 4-0 they are. But those four wins were a lucky one over Cincy, romps over the lowly Browns and Raiders, and an easy win over an imploding Dallas. They have a real test now.

7. New York Jets (3-1): The euphoria of their win over the Pats has faded just a bit. They certainly had trouble generating much offense against New Orleans. But the Jets D is one of the three best in the league. Scott and Revis are as good a duo on defense as there is. If the addition of Braylon Edwards makes Mark Sanchez and the offense better (and it will) then the Jets are a dangerous team.

8. San Francisco 49ers (3-1): I didn't think Mike Singletary was the right kind of guy to be an NFL head coach. And he might turn out not to be. But as of now his boot camp approach to coaching is working in SF. The Niners are benefiting from the weak NFC West (even the defending NFC champs Arizona is struggling). But the biggest difference in the Niners is toughness. Mike Singletary toughness.

9. Baltimore Ravens (3-1): Showing that the top 10 teams in the NFL are all pretty close, this is a Ravens team that could go on and win the Super Bowl. Especially if the Steelers have a full post-championship meltdown. Not that I'm wishing for that or anything. Ravens problem is they think they can intimidate their way to victory. The Pats showed last week that doesn't work against other good teams. No matter how loud Ray Lewis screams like a fool.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1): The best of the 2-2 and 2-1 teams, which is a pretty large group. Always the bridesmaid, never the bride, the Eagles somehow stay competitive in a very tough division year after year. Andy Reid might not be such a great dad, but he gets the most out of his football team. Health is always an issue with McNabb and Westbrook, and watching their D without Brian Dawkins (my favorite non-Patriot) just doesn't seem right. But the Eagles are a playoff contender yet again.

Dishonorable mention: The Cleveland Browns at #32. What could the Cleveland management have possibly seen in Eric Mangini's comatose reign as coach of the Jets? Why do franchises make decisions like that? You take a shot with Pats D coordinator Romeo Crennel and that turns out to be a mess. So you follow that up by hiring Mangini? With all the other choices out there? Just makes me appreciate the Kraft family a little bit more.