NFL Week 15 Power Rankings
By Tim Dillon
Dec 9, 2013; Chicago, IL, USA; .Chicago Bears wide receiver Alshon Jeffery (17) makes a catch over Dallas Cowboys cornerback Orlando Scandrick (32) during the second quarter at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports
1. Seattle Seahawks (11-2) – Sure, they lost this week to the ‘Niners but it’s their first since week 5. They are still the best team in the NFC and the early Super Bowl favorites. Previous Rank: 1
2. Denver Broncos (11-2) – Still questioning whether or not Peyton can perform in the cold? He was 39/59 for 397 yards and 4 TDs against the Titans. He now has 45 TDs on the season and needs only five more in the next three games to hit Tom Brady’s record. Previous Rank: 2
3. New Orleans Saints (10-3) – After a tough loss in Seattle the Saints bounced back to tame the Panthers at home. Brees is an entirely different quarterback at home, which is great for now, but if they have to travel back to Seattle in the playoffs it could be a problem. Previous Rank: 4
4. Kansas City Chiefs (10-3) – They lost three games in a row, but you could never tell on Sunday as they demolished the Redskins in Washington. Jamaal Charles had himself a game, rushing 19 times for 151 yards and a touchdown. Previous Rank: 8
5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4) – Andy Dalton and the Bengals laid a 40-burger on the Colts as he protected the ball and made good decisions. The success of this team rides on him, so he must do better in the postseason than last year. Previous Rank: 6
6. Carolina Panthers (9-4) – They snapped an eight-game win streak on Sunday night in New Orleans, but they are still an excellent team. They need to shake the loss and be prepared to play in the Super Dome again for the playoffs. Previous Rank: 3
7. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) – The ‘Niners deserve a lot of credit for tackling the Seahawks, when most of the league couldn’t. Frank Gore had a solid game considering the defense he was against. He ran 17 times for 110 yards. Previous Rank: 7
8. New England Patriots (10-3) – It took them until the very last minute in order to beat the Browns. The slow starts cannot continue if New England has a hope of making a deep post-season run, especially now that Gronkowski is done for the year. Stevan Ridley should have been integrated into the offense more against Cleveland to get his confidence back. They need his explosiveness for the playoffs. Previous Rank: 5
9. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5) – Well, it happened… Nick Foles proved he was human and threw a pick. The real story of the game was LeSean McCoy, who went absolute beast-mode, rushing 29 times for 217 yards and 2 TDs. Previous Rank: 9
10. Arizona Cardinals (8-5) – Looks like the Cardinals won’t be shopping Larry Fitzgerald in the off-season anymore. He’s had 6 TDs in the past 6 games and is really connecting with Carson Palmer. The loss of Tyrann Mathieu is a big blow to the defense but they have tough games coming up against Seattle and San Francisco so they need to move on quickly. Previous Rank: 12
11. Chicago Bears (7-6) – Josh McCown totaled for 5 TDs against Dallas in the freezing cold Monday night game. The combination of Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery is easily the best in the league right now. Previous Rank: 14
12. Indianapolis Colts (8-5) – They got embarrassed in Cincinnati on Sunday and have been alternating wins and losses since their bye in week 7. They already clinched the AFC South, but they need to make some big adjustments before the playoffs. Previous Rank: 10
13. Detroit Lions (7-6) – Matt Stafford had five fumbles…he’s lucky he only lost one. Joique Bell lost another two fumbles in a day marred by mistakes for the Lions. They have the division lead, but not by much. Previous Rank: 11
14. San Diego Chargers (6-7) – They started the game with pure domination, going up 24-0 in the first half. Ryan Matthews had 29 rushes for 103 yards and a TD. Danny Woodhead is now leading all running backs in catches this season. Previous Rank: 18
15. Baltimore Ravens (7-6) – After a painfully slow first three quarters, the fourth quarter exploded with scoring. Even though he had three picks, you have to give credit to Joe Flacco for driving his team down the field and winning the game with only four seconds left. Previous Rank: 15
16. Dallas Cowboys (7-6) – This defense is abysmal. Like not even a little good. They are ranked #32 in passing defense and #27 in rushing defense. Unless they drastically improve, the Eagles are going to steal the division that seemed to belong to Dallas early in the season. Previous Rank: 13
17. Miami Dolphins (7-6) – The offensive line held up for the most part and allowed Tannehill to go 20/33 for 200 yards with 3 TDs and a pick. They helped Daniel Thomas have a big game as well, rushing for 105 yards on 16 carries. They can cause trouble for the division-leader New England this Sunday at home. Previous Rank: 16
18. Green Bay Packers (6-6-1) – Just when you thought their season was over, they pull out a win against hapless Atlanta and still have a shot at the division. They have a much tougher match-up next week in Dallas, and they may be without Aaron Rodgers again. Previous Rank: 24
19. New York Jets (6-7) – It’s a good thing Rex Ryan made the decision to stick with Geno Smith as his starter this week. Smith bounced back and went 16/25 for 219 yards, a TD, a rushing TD and just one pick. They are still technically in the hunt for that last wild card spot. Previous Rank: 26
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) – They’ve won three games in a row for the first time since 2010 and could potentially win a fourth when they play Buffalo on Sunday. The last time they won four in a row was back in 2007. Previous Rank: 23
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8) – If Antonio Brown was able to keep half of his foot in bounds on the Steelers’ final play, it may have gone down as the craziest winning play in NFL history. Instead, the Steelers are all but eliminated from playoff contention. Previous Rank: 21
22. Tennessee Titans (5-8) – They got manhandled by the Broncos, but everyone expected that. This team has talent but they are nowhere near ready yet, especially without Jake Locker. Previous Rank: 19
23. New York Giants (5-8) – Manning was picked off twice and was unable to help his team put points on the board until the third quarter when it was too late. The Giants are officially eliminated from the playoffs and have some tough decisions to make in the off-season. Previous Rank: 17
24. St. Louis Rams (5-8) – The Rams offensive line got tossed around by the Cardinals, and so did Kellen Clemens. He finished with a passer rating of 48.5. Previous Rank: 20
25. Cleveland Browns (4-9) – They were so close to upsetting the Patriots at home and it would have been deserved. They pressured Brady and Jason Campbell was excellent, throwing 29/44 for 391 yards and 3 TDs. Statistically, he out-dueled Tom Brady. Previous Rank: 27
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9) – Bobby Rainey was a stud, rushing 22 times for 127 yards and a TD, which covered up for the pedestrian game from Mike Glennon. The Buccs rolled over the Bills, but are these wins enough to save Schiano’s job? Previous Rank: 30
27. Buffalo Bills (4-9) – It was a tough day at the office for EJ Manuel. He threw 4 picks and no TDs against the Buccs and was sacked 7 times. This offensive line must protect him better if they want a chance at winning. Previous Rank: 22
28. Oakland Raiders (4-9) – Marcel Reece rushed for 123 yards on 19 carries, and Rod Streater had 130 yards on 7 receptions for a TD. Other than those two, the rest of the Raiders struggled hard against the Jets. Previous Rank: 25
29. Minnesota Vikings (3-9-1) – They were so close to pulling off the upset in Baltimore and without Adrian Peterson to boot. That’s a loss that will sting, but this defense is in need of some serious work. Previous Rank: 29
30. Atlanta Falcons (3-10) – They blew a halftime lead to lose to the Rodger-less Packers in Green Bay. This team just looks lost and badly needs a spark, but it’s way too late for that now. Previous Rank: 28
31. Houston Texans (2-11) – They lost to the Jags again and would be ranked #32 if they weren’t able to put up some points. Firing Gary Kubiak was the right move. He’s a great coach, but they need a change. Previous Rank: 32
32. Washington Redskins (3-10) – The fact that the majority of their fans left at halftime says how bad they got spanked at home by the Chiefs in the first half alone. The special teams hasn’t looked this bad since the days of Jim Zorn. They need a defensive minded coach for next season after Shanahan is fired…perhaps Lovie Smith? Previous Rank: 31