NFL Power Rankings: Tight Race Brewing at the Top Entering Final Stretch

The road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City and Philadelphia for now, but there’s a host of hot teams climbing into contention.

Happy Tuesday, everyone, and welcome to the power rankings.

The author George Saunders gave the commencement speech at my alma mater, Syracuse, back in 2013. Toward the end of that speech, he said: “Do those things that incline you toward the big questions, and avoid the things that would reduce you and make you trivial.” This wasn’t my graduating year (I’m old), but I’ve never forgotten that.

I thought about it while reading a follow-up Monday on Lamar Jackson and how he met with John Harbaugh about a crude and offensive response to someone on Twitter following Sunday’s loss to the Jaguars. In short, the person said the Ravens shouldn’t sign Jackson to a long-term deal.

I agree with Harbaugh when he said, “[I] just beg guys to not to get into the Twitter world right after the game, especially after a loss. It’s never going to be positive. It's not going be a nice place, you know?” I would only amend that to say: I beg guys to never go on Twitter. Ever. No matter what.

But I also agree with Saunders, who is asking us to be a little more, a little better. Someone, immediately following a game, decided to send a message to a player voicing his opinion about said player’s replaceability. It’s fine to not condone Jackson’s response while wondering how and why we are using social media on the flip side. We have access to the world’s most famous authors, musicians, athletes, creators and big thinkers, and our reflex always bends toward the negative. To criticize, to cuss out, to threaten, to demean. I’m certainly guilty of it. There is an entrenched hostility we walk into, which makes us feel free to lob whatever comes into our heads at a person, and which fuels the boomerang that comes back to us from a player who is not ready to digest it (and, again, we’re not excusing the contents of Jackson’s tweet). Around and around we go, prompting a negative response, receiving a negative response, criticizing the receipt of the negative response and prompting a new response. It’s like the dulcet tones of silverware in the dryer.

Is that really what we want to be known for, though? If Lamar Jackson was sitting right next to you, wouldn’t you be far more curious about how he does some of the most incredible things we’ve ever seen on a football field? If Lamar Jackson was your friend and you were texting him, would you call him replaceable after a big loss?

Here’s the big question: How do we improve the conversations we’re having in the sports landscape? How do we improve our awareness of another person’s humanness? 

Anyway, let’s get to it and try to keep it civil, for the most part. (We're still learning, after all.)

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1. Kansas City Chiefs (9–2)

Last week: win vs. Los Angeles Rams, 26–10

Next week: at Cincinnati

The Chiefs remain at No. 1 because they have the MVP front-runner, and, in games when almost nothing seems to be working, something still works. Their game against the Rams reminded me a bit of L.A.’s playoff run last year, when they were forced away from Cooper Kupp and showed us enough grit to make sure it didn’t matter. 

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10–1)

Last week: win vs. Green Bay, 40–33

Next week: vs. Tennessee

Please, Offensive Line Gods, protect this Eagles’ front and allow them to be fully healthy come playoff time to see them absolutely maul people again. Their win over Green Bay on Sunday featured more rushing yards in one game than the franchise has logged in almost a century. They are at No. 2 this week because, despite their injuries in the secondary, a running game like this alters any plans an opponent has. 

3. Dallas Cowboys (8–3)

Last week: win vs. New York Giants, 28–20

Next week: vs. Indianapolis

A late Giants touchdown made the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving victory seem a little more narrow than it actually was. The truth: They’ve twice disposed of one of the NFL’s stickiest teams and won a critical divisional matchup when they needed to. Their Christmas Eve tilt against the Eagles could be a conference title game preview (we hope). They are No. 3 this week because I see few flaws, especially with the run defense improving.

Prescott threw for 261 yards and two touchdowns (plus two picks) in Thursday's 28-20 win :: Ron Jenkins/AP

4. Buffalo Bills (8–3)

Last week: win at Detroit, 28–25

Next week: at New England

The Bills are showing us they are survivors, albeit beatable ones. While no one should be punished for coming down to the wire with the Fighting Dan Campbells, a continued reliance on Josh Allen’s legs late in the season makes us nervous.

5. San Francisco 49ers (7–4)

Last week: win vs. New Orleans, 13–0

Next week: vs. Miami

The 49ers shut out an opponent, which is not an easy thing to do in the NFL. They also showed, as we wrote Monday, that they are taking ugly winning to another level this season. I’m not sure they can be stopped unless defenses flood Garoppolo’s checkdown options at the snap and dare him to throw deep, and throw quickly. 

6. Minnesota Vikings (9–2)

Last week: win vs. New England, 33–26

Next week: vs. New York Jets

To make the Patriots’ defense look as silly as the Vikings did at times on Thanksgiving was significant. Bill Belichick has been calling some of the best defense in the NFL this year and saw his veterans get trapped in an accidental triple team. 

7. Miami Dolphins (8–3)

Last week: win vs. Houston, 30–15

Next week: at San Francisco

I think the Dolphins could have started Tyreek Hill at quarterback and soundly defeated the Texans. Podcast cohost Gary Gramling was right: Houston offered one of the worst performances of the season. Miami, rightfully, dominated. I have them at No. 7, which, to me, represents the outer fringe of our circle of potential Super Bowl winners. 

8. Cincinnati Bengals (7–4)

Last week: win at Tennessee, 20–16

Next week: vs. Kansas City

Now winners of three straight, the Bengals are 7–4, dueling with the Titans and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks. Boy, it feels familiar, no? In all seriousness, they are playing some fantastic complementary defense right now. No one can question their place as a top-five offense, and soon, no one will question their status as a top-five defense.

9. Baltimore Ravens (7–4)

Last week: loss at Jacksonville, 28–27

Next week: vs. Denver

We drop the Ravens to No. 9 this week because they seem to look out of rhythm offensively. At their best, there is such a notable flow and rhythm to this scheme. Jackson is involving a lot of receivers (eight were targeted Sunday), but without some connectedness, and with their defense reverting to late-game porousness, they are hard to trust. 

10. Tennessee Titans (7–4)

Last week: loss vs. Cincinnati, 20–16

Next week: at Philadelphia

The Titans lost a coin-flip game to one of the best teams in football on an afternoon where Derrick Henry was gaining fewer than three yards per carry. Treylon Burks made one of the biggest catches of his NFL career to date. They deserve to be considered a top-10 threat from here on out. 

11. Los Angeles Chargers (6–5)

Last week: win at Arizona, 25–24

Next week: at Las Vegas

I love this team. What incredible body contortion from Austin Ekeler on the end-of-game touchdown. What a play call for the two-point conversion. What a call by Brandon Staley, who is feeling the heat and everyone knows it. If they can continue to put one foot in front of the other, they may walk deep into the playoffs and surprise some teams. 

Watch the Chargers in Primetime: Game vs. Dolphins flexed to SNF in Week 14. 

Ekeler caught 11 passes for 60 yards, but no play impacted the game more than his late score Sunday :: Joe Camporeale/USA TODAY Sports

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5–6)

Last week: loss at Cleveland, 23–17

Next week: vs. New Orleans

The loss to Cleveland was damaging to my intended narrative, that Tampa Bay had figured itself out and is ready to play like the Buccaneers again. Despite Chris Godwin looking like a 22-year-old again and some fine gap work by Rachaad White, Tampa Bay is still confounding. 

13. New England Patriots (6–5)

Last week: loss at Minnesota, 33–26

Next week: vs. Buffalo

The Jets have significantly better playoff odds than New England at this point, so why are the Patriots slightly out front? I cannot, in good conscience, drop the best defense in the league below 13th. In my gut, I see the Patriots in the postseason. 

14. New York Jets (7–4)

Last week: win vs. Chicago, 31–10

Next week: at Minnesota

Mike White lives, and, more importantly, Garrett Wilson probably gets more touches on a week-in, week-out basis. It’s unlikely every game is like the one the Jets just played, against a substandard Bears defense in the rain, but Wilson is that much of a difference-maker if you can manufacture more touches.

15. New York Giants (7–4)

Last week: loss at Dallas, 28–20

Next week: vs. Washington

To have neither a top-10 offense nor defense makes it difficult to be considered a top team week in and week out. This weekend against the Commanders will be a critical test of their ability to stop a season-altering slide. 

16. Seattle Seahawks (6–5)

Last week: loss vs. Las Vegas, 40–34

Next week: at Los Angeles Rams

The negative: Seattle gave up a 40-spot to the Raiders. The positive: Seattle scored 34 points, and it has the Rams and Panthers coming and a really good shot at locking down a playoff spot despite the hiccup. 

17. Washington Commanders (7–5)

Last week: win vs. Atlanta, 19–13

Next week: at New York Giants

The Commanders are slowly creeping up the rankings. The speed at which they’re climbing reflects our ultimate skepticism, but the truth is that they are one of the five best teams against both the pass and the run at this moment. That’s hard to beat. 

18. Atlanta Falcons (5–7)

Last week: loss at Washington, 19–13

Next week: vs. Pittsburgh

Even though the Falcons aren’t blitzing anymore, it was surprising they laid just two hits and no sacks on the Commanders. In order to remain relevant, they’ll need complementary, whole-team performances. 

19. Las Vegas Raiders (4–7)

Last week: win at Seattle, 40–34

Next week: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

I am prepared to look like a horse’s you-know-what for eviscerating Josh McDaniels a few weeks ago for losing to the Colts. That is all. The Raiders are getting hot. Look out. 

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4–7)

Last week: win vs. Baltimore, 28–27

Next week: at Detroit

A real, program-building win for Jacksonville on Sunday against Baltimore keeps the Jaguars barely alive in the playoff race but, more importantly, builds the budding legend of Trevor Lawrence in Florida. 

Jacksonville capped Jones’s touchdown grab with a gutsy 2-point conversion to upset the Ravens :: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Unio-USA TODAY NETWORK

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (4–7)

Last week: win at Indianapolis, 24–17

Next week: at Atlanta

Last week: win vs. New Orleans, 13–0

Mike Tomlin, like Nick Sirianni, avoided the less-than-flattering distinction of being a guy who lost to Jeff Saturday. Also on the bright side? Kenny Pickett made some big-time throws in big moments during this game. Statistically, it’s not pretty, but I feel less and less terrified about his long-term prospects by the week.

22. Cleveland Browns (4–7)

Last week: win vs. Tampa Bay, 23–17

Next week: at Houston

Cleveland will change quarterbacks this week as they prepare to take on the Houston Texans. How and if you choose to dive any deeper beyond this point is up to you. 

23. Green Bay Packers (4–8)

Last week: loss at Philadelphia, 40–33

Next week: at Chicago

Jordan Love threw some seriously beautiful balls in a brief stint on the field Sunday night against the Eagles. While Matt LaFleur said it’s Aaron Rodgers’s show from here on out, the more irrelevant Green Bay becomes in the playoff picture, the more worthwhile it may be to see what it has in Love. 

24. Los Angeles Rams (3–8)

Last week: loss at Kansas City, 26–10

Next week: vs. Seattle

Say this for Sean McVay: Even in the ugliest of circumstances, with most of his offense entirely wiped out, the guy can still call a play every now and again that makes you shake your head. Soon, it will be worth thinking about this club big-picture, with Aaron Donald having already contemplated retirement and Jalen Ramsey with one more big year left on his contract (not to mention McVay flirting perpetually with burnout). For now? You can still appreciate a good coach with substandard talent. 

25. Indianapolis Colts (4-7-1)

Last week: loss vs. Pittsburgh, 24–17

Next week: at Dallas

Jeff Saturday pockets a pair of timeouts and a second straight loss against the Steelers. This isn’t a "tough sledding" scenario for the Colts. They beat a better-than-advertised Raiders team, played the Eagles close and almost beat the Steelers. It doesn't look nearly as bad as we thought. But is it enough to earn Saturday the full-time gig?

26. Detroit Lions (4–7)

Last week: loss vs. Buffalo, 28–25

Next week: vs. Jacksonville

A narrow loss to the Bills ends a winning streak but doesn’t cool the Lions’ forward progress, in my opinion. Let’s see how they handle a team of equals in the Jaguars right now, before a Vikings showdown that will effectively end or prolong their season. 

27. Chicago Bears (3–9)

Last week: loss at New York Jets, 31–10

Next week: vs. Green Bay

Not having Justin Fields was a disappointment Sunday. Not having Darnell Mooney for the rest of the season is equally a bummer. If nothing else, the Bears put a team on the field this year that will make their fans show up in 2023 curious and hopeful. That is more than I would have guessed at the beginning of the year. 

28. New Orleans Saints (4–8)

Last week: loss at San Francisco, 13–0

Next week: at Tampa Bay

The Saints gave the 49ers all they could handle defensively and were a bobbled goal line interception (and another called-back pick) away from potentially logging a gigantic upset. I wouldn’t want to be the Saints, but I wouldn’t want to play them, either.

29. Arizona Cardinals (4–8)

Last week: loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 25–24

Next week: BYE

It’s more than a little disconcerting to see a team that gets as many light boxes as the Cardinals do (with a masher like James Conner at running back) getting routinely beaten like Arizona has this year. 

30. Carolina Panthers (4–8)

Last week: win vs. Denver, 23–10

Next week: BYE

Good for Sam Darnold, who, despite containing some flaws that may ultimately hamper his ability to be a full-time starter in the NFL, can really spin it every now and again. Amid this QB shuffle, he has likely secured himself a high-profile backup gig for the long term. 

31. Denver Broncos (3–8)

Last week: loss at Carolina, 23–10

Next week: at Baltimore

I am on record as placing more of the blame on the person throwing the passes. Others have chosen the head coach. Economics tells us one person will get saddled with all the responsibility. It may not be the right person. 

32. Houston Texans (1-9-1)

Last week: loss at Miami, 30–15

Next week: vs. Cleveland

Not that it seems like their ownership cares much, but imagine being so bad that you’ve set the stage for back-to-back one-and-done firings. That should be a scarlet letter beyond all scarlet letters.