Week 14 Power Rankings
By Timothy An
32. New York Jets (0-12):
Last week: 32
Positions Moved: 0
The New York Jets almost pulled off the upset of the year, until they made one of the worst defensive coaching calls I have ever seen in my life. The Jets now sit at 0-12 in prime position for the first overall pick and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-11):
Last week: 31
Positions Moved: 0
The Jacksonville Jaguars were able to put up a fight against the Minnesota Vikings in their 44-27 overtime loss. Rookie RB James Robinson and WR Laviska Shenault Jr. impressed in this victory and showed a promising future for this offensive unit. They already seem to have some nice weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and are just missing a quarterback to bring it all together.
30. Cincinnati Bengals (2-9-1):
Last week: 30
Positions Moved: 0
The Bengals suffered yet another loss on the year, this time to the Miami Dolphins in a 7-19 defeat. We can’t expect much from this team, especially with the injury of Joe Burrow, but they can hopefully find some protection for Burrow with a high-pick or two in the upcoming NFL Draft.
29. Dallas Cowboys (3-9):
Last week: 29
Positions Moved: 0
The Cowboys are now 1-6 in the last 7 games, falling to an overall record of 3-9. Early on in the season when the cowboys were losing, it was okay because everyone else in the NFC East was as well. However, with the recent success of the New York Giants and the Washington Football Team, the Cowboys losses are that much more frustrating. This team didn’t need to be spectacular to make the playoffs. They didn’t even need to be average. Yet here they lie at the bottom of the power rankings as the season is coming close to a close.
28. Philadelphia Eagles (3-8-1):
Last week: 28
Positions Moved: 0
The Eagles are another team that somehow cannot take advantage of the poor division they are in. They suffered another bad loss, this time at the hands of Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. After failing to get anything going in this game, Carson Wentz was finally benched for rookie Jalen Hurts. While Hurts didn’t play spectacular, he was able to show enough promise for the team to name him the starter going forward. This team might finally find a spark to their offense, but it might be too little too late.
27. Los Angeles Chargers (3-9):
Last week: 23
Positions Moved: -4
The Chargers suffered their worst loss in franchise history 45-0. This loss highlighted how awful the Chargers coaching staff has been this whole season. They played a less talented team, in the Patriots, but simply got outcoached on all sides of the ball. I think this game was the nail in the coffin for Anthony Lynn and you can expect to see another coach for the Chargers next season.
26. Denver Broncos (4-8):
Last week: 25
Positions Moved: -1
The Denver Broncos lost to the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday, but had an impressive performance defensively. This defensive unit has continued to impress throughout the season, however this young offensive unit must be able to dramatically improve in the offseason if they want to compete in the playoffs next year.
25. Carolina Panthers (4-8):
Last week: 24
Positions Moved: -1
Panthers had a bye this week but moved down due to the sudden competitive nature of the NFC wild card spots. With other middling teams moving up, the Panthers find themselves likely out of the playoffs yet again.
24. Chicago Bears (5-7):
Last week: 20
Positions Moved: -4
The Bears nosedive continues! They lost their 6th game in a row after a 5-1 start to the season — the last 3 of which have been divisional matchups. With other teams fighting for the wild card spots in the NFC, the Bears still have an outside chance however, it is unlikely.
23. Atlanta Falcons (4-8):
Last week: 22
Positions Moved: -1
Since firing Dan Quinn, the Falcons team has seemed much more competitive. Despite that, the Falcons are still not a playoff team. They lost yet another game to the Taysom Hill led New Orleans Saints, and their running game has completely disappeared. This is a team that will win a couple more games this season, but it won’t matter all too much in Week 17.
22. Detroit Lions (4-7):
Last week: 27
Positions Moved: +5
The Lions are another team that has benefited from moving on from their head coach. With Matt Patricia gone, interim head coach Darrell Bevell stepped in and led the Lions to victory over their NFC North foes. This was perhaps Matt Stanford’s best game all season, and the Lions are suddenly right back in the playoff hunt. The Lions real test will be this week as they take on the Green Bay Packers. We will see if the glam of a new head coach was just a one week thing, or if Bevell has a true shot to lead this team the way that Matt Patricia was not able to.
21. New York Giants (5-7):
Last week: 26
Positions Moved: +5
The New York Giants were able to pull of one of the biggest upsets of the year. In Week 13, The Giants were able to take down Russell Wilson and the Seattle Seahawks, all the while missing their starting quarterback, Daniel Jones. With a big win over one of the best teams in the NFC, it shows that the Giants are better than we thought they were. With their recent success — and the recent failures of the Cowboys and Eagles — this team is in a prime position to win their division. It will come down to the wire between the Giants and the Football Team.
20. Houston Texans (4-8):
Last week: 19
Positions Moved: -1
The Houston Texans are coming off a loss to the Indianapolis Colts, but shouldn’t be too embarrassed about their season. They have had one of the hardest schedules in the NFL and are coming off an awful DeAndre Hopkins trade to the Arizona Cardinals. I think this is still a talented team that includes one of the best quarterbacks in the league and they will have a bounce-back season next year.
19. Washington Football Team (5-7):
Last week: 21
Positions Moved: +2
Another NFC East team, another huge upset on the week. The Washington Football Team was able to take down the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers to give them their first loss on the season. Since Alex Smith has taken over, this team has look much better. With how good their defenses is playing, this team should be able to make a little noise in the playoffs, should they make it.
18. San Francisco 49ers (5-7):
Last week: 17
Positions Moved: -1
The San Francisco 49ers lost a huge game to the Buffalo Bills on Monday night. Just when the 49ers look like they might be able to make the jump, they fall flat on their faces. The Bills are a good team, so this loss is a little easier to swallow, but with the NFC wildcard spots being up for grabs, the 49ers cannot afford more loses, especially when New York gifted them a Seattle loss. While Nick Mullens has been decent in some spots, we must remember that at the end of the day, he is their backup quarterback. If the 49ers can stay afloat and get a returning Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle, they may be a problem in the playoffs.
17. New England Patriots (6-7):
Last week: 16
Positions Moved: -1
The Patriots followed up their most impressive win on the season with their most disappointing loss. They lost 24-3 to the Los Angeles Rams on Thursday night, proving that they are not talented enough to hang with the better teams. Jarrett Stidham saw action in this game as Cam struggled once again. On the year, Cam has just 5 passing touchdowns to 10 interceptions and is averaging only 181 passing yards a game. While he has been able to get it done with his legs, this offense needs much more of a passing attack to be able to compete and it is clear that they just don’t have that this year.
16. Minnesota Vikings (6-6):
Last week: 18
Positions Moved: +12
After a slow start, the Vikings are right back in the hunt for a wildcard spot in the NFC. Despite needing overtime to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, the Vikings got their 5th win in 6 games after starting 1-5 on the year. While the loss to Dallas a few weeks back is still troublesome, the Vikings are showing that they still might have enough in them to make a strong playoff push. Dalvin Cook is playing as good as any other running back this season, and Kirk Cousins and the rest of the offense seems like it has finally put it together.
15. Las Vegas Raiders (7-5):
Last week: 14
Positions Moved: -1
The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Jets on Sunday, but still fall back one spot because of how close they were to losing. No team that considers themselves a playoff contender should have trouble beating a tanking team like the New York Jets. The fact that this game came down to the last 15 seconds, is something the Raiders should be embarrassed of and makes me wonder if they are as good as everyone thinks.
14. Arizona Cardinals (6-6):
Last week: 11
Positions Moved: -3
The Cardinals continue their up and down season, losing an important game against the LA Rams 38-28. The Cardinals have been too inconsistent as of late to trust going into the playoffs. They need to get back to airing it out, feeding DeAndre Hopkins as much as possible.
13. Tennessee Titans (8-4):
Last week: 6
Positions Moved: -7
The Tennessee Titans are coming off a devastating loss to the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. This team has just been super inconsistent recently, and has been an absolute headache for football fans to watch. They seemed great in their win against the Ravens and their dominating victory over the Colts, then got absolutely blown out by the Browns. Hopefully, this team can find some consistency in their next four games and enter the playoffs with an identity of how good their unit is.
12. Miami Dolphins (8-4):
Last week: 13
Positions Moved: +1
The Miami Dolphins had an easy victory against the Cincinnati Bengals without Joe Burrow. This week they face the Kansas City Chiefs and this will be a true test for this Dolphins team. It seems as if this team has had a relatively cupcake schedule as of late, and this is the chance for the Dolphins to cement themselves as a true threat in the AFC.
11. Baltimore Ravens (7-5):
Last week: 12
Positions Moved: +1
After losing three straight games, the Ravens were finally able to get a W against the Dallas Cowboys on Tuesday night. This team has a relatively easy schedule coming up, and will most likely end their season on a winning streak and crack out Top 10.
10. Cleveland Browns (9-3):
Last week: 15
Positions Moved: +5
The Cleveland Browns had a statement victory against the Tennessee Titans on Sunday. They led 38-7 at halftime and proved to the world that they are worthy of being considered one of the top teams in the NFL. However, I want to wait to see how this team plays against the Ravens this week and the Steelers in Week 17 before putting the Browns inside the Top 10.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5):
Last week: 10
Positions Moved: +1
The Buccaneers had a Bye this week and were the beneficiaries of the Tennessee Titans rough Week 13 showing against the Browns. The Bucs need to play more consistent down the stretch, as they face a Vikings team that is heating up at the right moment.
8. Indianapolis Colts (8-4):
Last week: 9
Positions Moved: +1
After a disappointing loss against the Tennessee Titans two weeks ago, the Colts were able to bounce back with a victory against the Houston Texans. The Texans team is not nearly as bad as people seem to think, and I think this victory could be a sign that the Colts are starting to get in a groove.
7. Seattle Seahawks (8-4):
Last week: 5
Positions Moved: -2
The Seahawks had one of their worst performances of the entire year, losing to the New York Giants 17-12. The New York Giants were without their starting quarterback and still manage to pull off the upset. Russell Wilson has also cooled down significantly since the start of the year, throwing only 4 touchdowns compared to 5 picks in the last 5 games (the Seahawks went 2-3 in that stretch).
6. Los Angeles Rams (9-4):
Last week: 8
Positions Moved: +2
The Rams took another big step On Thursday night as they were able to defeat the New England Patriots 24-3. The Rams continue to play great defense and were able to successfully get their run game going. Rookie Cam Akers was able to chip in big time, carrying the ball for 171 yards on the night with an impressive 5.9 yards per carry. Jared Goff was not great on the night, but if the team can continue to pound the ball and play stout defense, he doesn’t have to be great.
5. Buffalo Bills (9-3):
Last week: 7
Positions Moved: +2
(Joe Camporaele/ USA TODAY Sports)
The Buffalo Bills had another impressive victory against the 49ers on Monday night. While it is unusual seeing this team perform at such a high level, the Bills have proved they are serious this season with a record of 9-3, including one hail mary loss to the Cardinals. This team has beat a bunch of tough opponents this season, and has the Steelers this week to potentially establish themselves as one of the best teams in the AFC.
4. Green Bay Packers (9-3):
Last week: 4
Positions Moved: 0
(Benny Sieu/USA TODAY Sports)
The Packers got another impressive win in Week 13, this time over the Philadelphia Eagles. The Packers once again displayed their top-tier offense against the Eagles. With Aaron Rodgers, Aaron Jones, and Devante Adams all playing at the top of their game, it’ll be hard for anyone to stop this offense heading into the playoffs.
3. New Orleans Saints (10-2):
Last week: 3
Positions Moved: 0
(Dale Zanine/USA TODAY Sports)
The New Orleans Saints continue to win despite not having their franchise quarterback. Taysom Hill has been able to step in and play admirably, winning 3 games in relief. While their opponents haven’t been exactly tough, they’ll take anything they can get, setting them up for success once Drew Brees returns to action.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)
Last week: 2
Positions Moved: 0
(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
The Steelers have suffered their first loss of the season to the Washington Football Team. This team has been on such a roll that they were simply destined to lose a game. They didn’t show the talent of being an undefeated team and it was only a matter of time before a loss would come. After this loss, the Steelers still sit at first place in the AFC, but have three playoff contending teams in their next four games that could push the Steelers down the rankings.
1. Kansa City Chiefs (11-1)
Last week: 1
(USA TODAY Sports)
Positions Moved: 0
The Kansas City Chiefs extend their winning streak to seven games with a victory over the Denver Broncos. This team’s combination of talent, great coaching, and experience make them the clear favorite to repeat for another Super Bowl Championship. They face two tough opponents in the next two weeks, the Miami Dolphins and the New Orleans Saints. These matchups will tell us a lot about whether the Chiefs are destined for another Championship.
Follow Timothy on Twitter @timothyan1
