NFL Power Rankings Poll: Chargers Make Their Case for the Top Spot

Our panel of voters ranks all 32 teams.

Since he was a small child, Philip Rivers has always dreamed of leading a team to the top of The MMQB NFL Power Rankings Poll. We’re pleased to announce, in this holiday season, that he’s as close as he’s ever been to realizing that dream. The Chargers made a big leap, all the way to No. 2, after the win in K.C. kicked off an upset-heavy week. The Saints barely held them off for that top spot. Meanwhile, Washington moved back to the world of respectability, while the Jaguars replaced them as a league-wide punchline (presumably their goal after making Cody Kessler their starter).

This week's voters:

Andy Benoit, NFL Analyst
Andrew Brandt, Business of Football Columnist
Gary Gramling, Senior Editor
Jonathan Jones, Staff Writer
Kaylan Kahler, Associate Editor
Mark Mravic, Executive Editor

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1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (12-2)

Last Week’s rank: 1
Points in poll: 192
Highest-place vote: First (6)
Last week: Win at Carolina, 12-9
Next week: vs. Pittsburgh

JONES:Saints Continue to Limp Down the Stretch

2. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (11-3)

Last Week’s rank: 6
Points in poll: 184
Highest-place vote: Second (4)
Lowest-place vote: Third (2)
Last week: Win at Kansas City, 29-28
Next week: vs. Baltimore (Saturday)

3. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-3)

Last Week’s rank: 2
Points in poll: 182
Highest-place vote: Second (2)
Lowest-place vote: Third (4)
Last week: Loss vs. L.A. Chargers, 29-28
Next week: at Seattle

4. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (8-5-1)

Last Week’s rank: 9
Points in poll: 170
Highest-place vote: Fourth (3)
Lowest-place vote: Sixth
Last week: Win vs. New England, 17-10
Next week: at New Orleans

5. CHICAGO BEARS (10-4)

Last Week’s rank: 5
Points in poll: 167
Highest-place vote: Fourth (3)
Lowest-place vote: Eighth
Last week: Win vs. Green Bay, 24-17
Next week: at San Francisco

KAHLER:Bears Go From Worst to First, Clinch NFC North Crown

6. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-5)

Last Week’s rank: 4
Points in poll: 162
Highest-place vote: Fifth (2)
Lowest-place vote: Eighth
Last week: Loss at Pittsburgh, 17-10
Next week: vs. Buffalo

BASKIN:Patriots Don’t Look Like the Patriots in Loss to the Steelers

7. LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-3)

Last Week’s rank: 3
Points in poll: 155
Highest-place vote: Seventh (5)
Lowest-place vote: Eighth
Last week: Loss vs. Philadelphia, 30-23
Next week: at Arizona

8. HOUSTON TEXANS (10-4)

Last Week’s rank: 10
Points in poll: 143
Highest-place vote: Seventh
Lowest-place vote: 11th (2)
Last week: Win at N.Y. Jets, 29-22
Next week: at Philadelphia

T-9. DALLAS COWBOYS (8-6)

Last Week’s rank: 7
Points in poll: 134
Highest-place vote: Eighth
Lowest-place vote: 13th (2)
Last week: Loss at Indianapolis, 23-0
Next week: vs. Tampa Bay

T-9. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-6)

Last Week’s rank: 14
Points in poll: 134
Highest-place vote: Sixth
Lowest-place vote: 14th
Last week: Win vs. Dallas, 23-0
Next week: vs. N.Y. Giants

BREER:How a Players-Only Meeting Sparked the Colts’ Recent Turnaround

11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-6-1)

Last Week’s rank: 11
Points in poll: 132
Highest-place vote: Ninth (4)
Lowest-place vote: 15th (2)
Last week: Win vs. Miami, 41-17
Next week: at Detroit

ORR:Vikings’ Run Game Comes Alive in Win vs. Dolphins

12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (7-7)

Last Week’s rank: 12
Points in poll: 127
Highest-place vote: Fifth
Lowest-place vote: 14th (3)
Last week: Win at L.A. Rams, 30-23
Next week: vs. Houston

JONES:Eagles’ Sunday Night Win Over the Rams Creates Questions About Philly’s QBs, NFL Playoffs

13. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-6)

Last Week’s rank: 8
Points in poll: 125
Highest-place vote: 11th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 14th (2)
Last week: Loss at San Francisco, 26-23 (OT)
Next week: vs. Kansas City

14. BALTIMORE RAVENS (8-6)

Last Week’s rank: 13
Points in poll: 123
Highest-place vote: 11th
Lowest-place vote: 13th (4)
Last week: Win vs. Tampa Bay, 20-12
Next week: at L.A. Chargers (Saturday)

BENOIT:How the Wins Piled Up for Lamar Jackson’s Ravens

15. TENNESSEE TITANS (8-6)

Last Week’s rank: 15
Points in poll: 119
Highest-place vote: Ninth (2)
Lowest-place vote: 16th
Last week: Win at N.Y. Giants, 17-0
Next week: vs. Washington (Saturday)

ORR:Most Dangerous Teams Still in the Playoff Hunt

16. CLEVELAND BROWNS (6-7-1)

Last Week’s rank: 19
Points in poll: 96
Highest-place vote: 16th (4)
Lowest-place vote: 21st
Last week: Win at Denver, 17-16
Next week: vs. Cincinnati

KLEMKO:As Frustration Mounts in Denver, Confidence Builds in Cleveland

17. CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-8)

Last Week’s rank: 18
Points in poll: 94
Highest-place vote: 15th
Lowest-place vote: 22nd
Last week: Loss vs. New Orleans, 12-9
Next week: vs. Atlanta

18. GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-8-1)

Last Week’s rank: 17
Points in poll: 89
Highest-place vote: 17th
Lowest-place vote: 20th
Last week: Loss at Chicago, 24-17
Next week: at N.Y. Jets

19. MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-7)

Last Week’s rank: 16
Points in poll: 85
Highest-place vote: 18th
Lowest-place vote: 19th (5)
Last week: Loss at Minnesota, 41-17
Next week: vs. Jacksonville

20. ATLANTA FALCONS (5-9)

Last Week’s rank: 22
Points in poll: 82
Highest-place vote: 17th
Lowest-place vote: 20th (4)
Last week: Win vs. Arizona, 40-14
Next week: at Carolina

21. WASHINGTON (7-7)

Last Week’s rank: 31
Points in poll: 69
Highest-place vote: 18th
Lowest-place vote: 27th
Last week: Win at Jacksonville, 16-13
Next week: at Tennessee (Saturday)

22. DENVER BRONCOS (6-8)

Last Week’s rank: 20
Points in poll: 59
Highest-place vote: 23rd (5)
Lowest-place vote: 24th
Last week: Loss vs. Cleveland, 17-16
Next week: at Oakland (Monday)

23. CINCINNATI BENGALS (6-8)

Last Week’s rank: 27
Points in poll: 57
Highest-place vote: 22nd (4)
Lowest-place vote: 28th
Last week: Win vs. Oakland, 30-16
Next week: at Cleveland

24. BUFFALO BILLS (5-9)

Last Week’s rank: 27
Points in poll: 52
Highest-place vote: 21st
Lowest-place vote: 26th (2)
Last week: Win vs. Detroit, 14-13
Next week: at New England

25. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-9)

Last Week’s rank: 24
Points in poll: 47
Highest-place vote: 24th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 29th
Last week: Loss at Baltimore, 20-12
Next week: at Dallas

26. DETROIT LIONS (5-9)

Last Week’s rank: 23
Points in poll: 43
Highest-place vote: 24th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 29th
Last week: Loss at Buffalo, 14-13
Next week: vs. Minnesota

27. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-9)

Last Week’s rank: 21
Points in poll: 39
Highest-place vote: 22nd
Lowest-place vote: 31st
Last week: Loss vs. Tennessee, 17-0
Next week: at Indianapolis

28. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (4-10)

Last Week’s rank: 30
Points in poll: 32
Highest-place vote: 23rd
Lowest-place vote: 31st
Last week: Win vs. Seattle, 26-23 (OT)
Next week: vs. Chicago

29. NEW YORK JETS (4-10)

Last Week’s rank: 26
Points in poll: 29
Highest-place vote: 25th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 31st (3)
Last week: Loss vs. Houston, 29-22
Next week: vs. Green Bay

30. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-10)

Last Week’s rank: 25
Points in poll: 21
Highest-place vote: 29th (4)
Lowest-place vote: 31st
Last week: Loss vs. Washington, 16-13
Next week: at Miami

COACHING HOT SEAT:Wilks, Marrone Feeling Pressure After Week 15

31. OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-11)

Last Week’s rank: 29
Points in poll: 17
Highest-place vote: 29th
Lowest-place vote: 32nd
Last week: Loss at Cincinnati, 30-16
Next week: vs. Denver (Monday)

32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-11)

Last Week’s rank: 32
Points in poll: 8
Highest-place vote: 30th
Lowest-place vote: 32nd (5)
Last week: Loss at Atlanta, 40-14
Next week: vs. L.A. Rams

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