Blowout wins have Steelers, Saints creeping up in Week 7 power rankings

Hey, it's almost midseason, and the NFL for the first time in years has no Terrell Owens, no Brett Favre and a very muted and marginalized Chad Ochocinco. I kind of like it. Less noise, and less nonsense. I could get used to this.

Maybe some team gets desperate at receiver and takes a shot on Owens soon, but you had to love it that no one but media members saw fit to attend his much-ballyhooed private workout this week in California. I mean, if a T.O. sweats in the heat and no one sees it, did it really happen?

There's still plenty of the trivial produced every week in the NFL as is, with stories about trash talkers, cheap shots and head coaches who can't help but spout hot air or offend someone. But it's less so this season without the never-ending Favre drama, the self-absorbed Owens, and Ochocinco's penchant for prattling on about anything and everything.

Welcome back to football, indeed. Now on to this week's rankings...

Week 7 NFL Power Rankings