Week 15 On SI NFL Power Rankings: Another Big Test for No. 1 Lions
- Arizona Cardinals
- Atlanta Falcons
- Baltimore Ravens
- Buffalo Bills | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings
- Carolina Panthers
- Chicago Bears
- Detroit Lions
- Las Vegas Raiders
- Los Angeles Chargers
- Los Angeles Rams
- Miami Dolphins
- New England Patriots
- Minnesota Vikings
- Cincinnati Bengals
- Cleveland Browns
- Dallas Cowboys | News, Scores, Schedules & Standings
- Denver Broncos
- Green Bay Packers
- Houston Texans
- Indianapolis Colts
- Jacksonville Jaguars
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New Orleans Saints
- New York Giants
- New York Jets
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- San Francisco 49ers
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Tennessee Titans
- Seattle Seahawks
- Washington Commanders
The Detroit Lions dispatched the Green Bay Packers on a walk-off field goal to stay atop the NFC standings and keep the No. 1 spot in the On SI NFL Power Rankings entering Week 15.
The Buffalo Bills are No. 3 in our rankings, which are conducted in a vote by the On SI NFL team publishers. The Bills (10-3) will visit the Lions (12-1) on Sunday in what could be a Super Bowl preview.
Of note, five teams that failed to reach the playoffs last year are in playoff positions entering this week’s games: the Denver Broncos (8-5) and Los Angeles Chargers (8-5) in the AFC, and the Minnesota Vikings (11-2), Seattle Seahawks (8-5) and Washington Commanders (8-5) in the NFC.
Every year since 1990 – a streak of 34 consecutive seasons – at least four teams have qualified for the playoffs after failing to reach the postseason the year before.
32. Tennessee Titans (-)
The Titans took a step backward, losing to the Jaguars at home. The Titans are officially eliminated from playoff contention, and that puts several people's jobs at risk, including quarterback Will Levis. — Jeremy Brener, Tennessee Titans On SI
31. New York Giants (-2)
The “plane” truth about the Giants was sadly spelled out by the small aircraft towing a banner behind it while circling the airspace above MetLife Stadium: The Giants are “a dumpster fire” in need of a lot of work in the upcoming offseason to find its way again. —Patricia Traina, New York Giants On SI
30. New England Patriots (-)
The Patriots enjoyed a much-needed bye week in Week 14. Hopefully, that gave them time to regroup and improve for the final four games of the season. They will travel to take on the slumping Cardinals in Week 15. —Evan Massey, New England Patriots on SI
29. Las Vegas Raiders (-2)
After falling to a 2-11 record over the weekend, the Raiders now hold the top pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. Questions about the team's future are numerous, but at the NFL Owners Meetings in Irving, Texas, there is a clear consensus: the Silver and Black need a quarterback. Finding one is the biggest challenge facing the Raider Nation as they strive to return to greatness. —Hondo S. Carpenter, Las Vegas Raiders On SI
28 Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)
The Jaguars picked up their first win on American soil since Week 5 with a 10-6 slop fest against the Titans. The win did, however, hurt the Jaguars' draft positioning, knocking them down from No. 1 to No. 5. The Jaguars play the teams in the No. 1, No. 6 and No. 7 slots to finish the season. —John Shipley, Jacksonville Jaguars On SI
27. Cleveland Browns (-2)
The Browns got off to a fairly promising start in Pittsburgh, but ultimately didn’t play anywhere near well enough to win. Cleveland continued its annual struggle when playing the Steelers on the road, with 21 consecutive losses. Truth be told, there weren’t many bright spots. —Brendan Gulick, Cleveland Browns On SI
26. New York Jets (-)
The Jets set a franchise record for most fourth-quarter leads blown in a season with five after their overtime loss to the Dolphins. Plus, the Jets lost ground in the race for the No. 1 draft pick. New York has lost nine of its last 10 games. —Matthew Postins, New York Jets On SI
25. Carolina Panthers (+3)
The Panthers lost their third consecutive game, but the details matter. In each case they were only one play away from pulling off an upset win. That two of those games came against Super Bowl contenders tells you that this team is playing on a totally different level than they were early in the season. Bryce Young continues to look more and more like “Bama Bryce,” and the Panthers’ defense has been trending up. They may be 3-10, but they have beaten the spread in five consecutive games. —Tim Weaver, Carolina Panthers on SI
24. Chicago Bears (-)
The Bears didn't get the bump in energy from the new coach, after all, and it wasn't surprising considering the amount of disarray in their locker room after the loss to Detroit. But they came in with the worst possible game plan. They don't blitz, but they blitzed repeatedly in this game. They started the game on offense by trashing the run, but they need to run to start games. —Gene Chamberlain, Chicago Bears On SI
23. Dallas Cowboys (-4)
If there was any indication of a late-season resurgence, the Cowboys fell back to earth in a home loss to the Bengals. The Cowboys put together a strong defensive effort, but poor special teams cost them the game. Rising linebacker DeMarvion Overshown was also lost for the season. Dallas has less than a 1 percent chance at reaching the postseason, so it’s best for Cowboys Nation to look forward to the NFL Draft. —Josh Sanchez, Dallas Cowboys On SI
22. Indianapolis Colts (+1)
The Colts had their long-awaited bye week last week. They now enter must-win mode with four games remaining. If they can get past the Broncos on Sunday, they have an incredibly generous slate remaining against the Titans, Giants, and Jaguars. They must run the table (and get some help) to get into the postseason. —Jake Arthur, Indianapolis Colts On SI
21. New Orleans Saints (+1)
Sunday's win against the Giants was one of the strangest games for the Saints in a season filled with oddities. Derek Carr channeled the spirit of Taysom Hill but learned a harsh lesson by fracturing his left hand on a weird play. As the offense struggled, defensive tackle Bryan Bresee bailed out the Saints, blocking New York's attempt to tie with seconds remaining. Carr's injury may keep him out for the rest of the season. It is a truly bizarre season for New Orleans. —Kyle Mosley, New Orleans Saints On SI
20. Cincinnati Bengals (-)
The Bengals are in full evaluation mode moving forward. Can Joe Burrow set multiple franchise records? What about Ja'Marr Chase? Which young players can help this team next season? Those are all questions that will be answered over the next four weeks. —James Rapien, Cincinnati Bengals On SI
19. Miami Dolphins (+2)
The Dolphins are still in playoff contention after their improbable comeback victory against the Jets, but now once again are faced with the challenge of trying to defeat a playoff-type opponent on the road, this time the Houston Texans. Whether they're up to the challenge will go a long way to determining their playoff fate. —Alain Poupart, Miami Dolphins On SI
18. Atlanta Falcons (-1)
The Falcons looked lost in all three phases in a 42-21 blowout loss to the Vikings. While the focus is on Kirk Cousins and his abysmal play, he's taking the heat off the defense and special teams, who have also imploded during this four-game-losing streak. —Scott Kennedy, Atlanta Falcons on SI
17. Arizona Cardinals (-4)
The Cardinals played their biggest game of the season but failed to show up in dramatic fashion. Seattle has won seven consecutive games against the Cardinals, and now some serious conversations have to be made for Arizona to finish the season strong – postseason or not. —Donnie Druin, Arizona Cardinals On SI
16. San Francisco 49ers (-)
The 49ers finally figured out that their offense must go through George Kittle and Jauan Jennings and that Deebo Samuel no longer can carry their team. Granted, they played the Bears, who have lost seven straight. But if the 49ers continue to feature Kittle and Jennings, they just might beat the Rams on Thursday night. —Grant Cohn, San Francisco 49ers On SI
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-)
Because the Buccaneers keep winning (three in a row) and the Falcons keep losing (four in a row), Tampa Bay is in first place in the NFC South and has a 73 percent chance of reaching the playoffs, according to NFL.com. Of its remaining our games, only this week’s opponent, the Chargers, have a winning record. —Tampa Bay Buccaneers on SI
14. Los Angeles Rams (+4)
The Rams pulled off arguably the biggest upset of the weekend, taking down the red-hot Bills at home behind season-high performances from quarterback Matthew Stafford and second-year receiver Puka Nacua. The Rams are closing in on first place in the NFC West and have a good shot at a postseason run if they can catch the Seahawks. —Tom Cavanaugh, Los Angeles Rams on SI
13. Denver Broncos (-1)
The bye week came for the Broncos at the perfect time. With the Colts coming to town, all eyes are on Bo Nix and Co. to see if they can take that next step toward ensuring the Broncos' playoff drought ends. —Chad Jensen, Denver Broncos On SI
12. Houston Texans (-1)
The Texans got a much-needed bye in Week 14 before facing three games in an 11-day span. None of those games are easy: home vs. the Dolphins (6-7; won four of their last five), at the Chiefs (12-1) and home against the Ravens (8-5). We’ll learn a lot about the Texans by the end of this tough stretch. —Jeremy Brener, Houston Texans On SI
11. Seattle Seahawks (+3)
Along with continuing to stifle opposing offense, the Seahawks finally found a run game with bruising Zach Charbonnet in Arizona, which could be scary news for the rest of the NFC West. —Corbin Smith, Seattle Seahawks On SI
10. Los Angeles Chargers (-)
The Chargers lost to the Chiefs for the second time this season, but there’s reason for hope – that’s two losses to the 12-1 AFC West winners by a total of nine points. The Chargers limited Patrick Mahomes to 24-of-37 for 210 yards and a score, ultimately losing on a last-second field goal after a stunning gaffe on special teams. That, while missing rookie Ladd McConkey, who, based on the Chiefs’ gameplan, is the entire Chargers offense. The Chargers and the top-ranked defense (15.9 points per game) can stick with any playoff team. Jim Harbaugh and Co. next get the Buccaneers, then three straight AFC opponents to close the season. —Chris Roling, Los Angeles Chargers on SI
9. Washington Commanders (-)
Coming off their bye, the Commanders are 1-0 in December and have two of three remaining games this month at home. If they can win two of the next three, they'll begin making playoff plans just one year after earning the No. 2 pick in the NFL Draft. —David Harrison, Washington Commanders On SI
8. Green Bay Packers (-2)
The Packers fell to 9-4 with their loss to the Lions. Green Bay showed it can compete with any team in the NFL. But can it beat any team? Their four losses have come to the Lions (twice), Vikings and Eagles. Those are the teams that stand in the way of a run to the Super Bowl. Up next: a trip to Seattle, which has won four in a row. —Bill Huber, Green Bay Packers on SI
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1)
The Steelers answered their biggest question, beating the Browns without star wide receiver George Pickens. Now, the next question is whether or not they can get through their brutal stretch of three games in 11 days. —Noah Strackbein, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI
6. Baltimore Ravens (+1)
The Ravens enjoyed some much-needed rest on their bye, which should serve them well down the stretch. Pittsburgh's victory over Cleveland put another serious dent in Baltimore's AFC North hopes but taking care of its own business is top priority. —John Alfano, Baltimore Ravens On SI
5. Minnesota Vikings (-)
The 42-21 pounding of Kirk Cousins and the Falcons was the best all-around performance by the Vikings of the season. Sam Darnold is playing like an MVP candidate, and it's no coincidence that he's gotten hot since tight end T.J. Hockenson returned from his ACL injury to give Darnold another lethal option in the passing game. —Joe Nelson, Minnesota Vikings On SI
4. Philadelphia Eagles (-)
The Eagles' 22-16 win over the Panthers did not come without struggles or consequences, but they were able to secure a playoff berth amid a nine-game winning streak. While the rushing attack continues to thrive, Jalen Hurts threw for just 108 yards in a game that may have put A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith's frustrations over the edge. —Scott Neville, Philadelphia Eagles On SI
3. Buffalo Bills (-1)
Despite a herculean effort by MVP hopeful Josh Allen, some suspect coaching decisions and poor special teams, the Bills lost to the Rams, which substantially decreased the likelihood of the No. 1 seed in the AFC. Allen was masterful, becoming the first player in NFL history to throw and rush for three touchdowns in a game. The Bills’ defense had no answer for the Rams offense and became the first team in NFL history to score six touchdowns with no giveaways and lose the game. Next week becomes a potential Super Bowl preview as the Bills (10-3) play at the Lions (12-1). —Chris Pirrone, Buffalo Bills on SI
2. Kansas City Chiefs (+1)
Despite a lengthening list of injuries to key players, the Chiefs doinked their way to a 12-1 record and took a commanding lead for the No. 1 seed in the AFC. While Kansas City has had more than its fair share of nail-biting victories, it's also not a fluke. Led by Patrick Mahomes, the Chiefs are routinely in position to make game-winning plays, even at the end of performances that aren't full of game-winning football. —Joshua Brisco, Kansas City Chiefs On SI
1. Detroit Lions (-)
The Lions were able to defeat the Packers despite the myriad of injuries on defense and four new players signed to aid Aaron Glenn's unit. Detroit has won 11 consecutive games and has a share of the league's best record at 12-1. —John Maakaron, Detroit Lions On SI
🗒️🗒️ 12.10 Tuesday Notes 🗒️🗒️
— Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) December 10, 2024
➡️ The @Bengals should pay Ja'Marr NOW.
➡️ Why Bill Belichick is considering the UNC job.
➡️ Pro coaches with an edge in new college world?
➡️ Carson Beck's draft stock.
➡️ The post-@TomBrady @Buccaneers.
➡️ MORE!https://t.co/OFEn7sckCW
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