NFL Power Rankings - Week 14: Packers heating up, Chiefs bottom out
NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.
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1. Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
Previous rank: 1
The Rams falling to the Panthers is a rough look, but I'm not going to overreact here. One disappointing result does little to change the fact that this has been the best team in football through the first three months of the season.
2. Seattle Seahawks (9-3)
Previous rank: 2
It's a shame that either the Rams or Seahawks will have to settle for a wild-card spot and a road game in the first round of the playoffs. The division rivals currently stand alone in a tier atop the NFC.
3. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1)
Previous rank: 9
Am I being swayed a little too much by the Thanksgiving Day win over the Lions? Maybe. But it really feels like this was the week something started to click for the Packers' offense. Green Bay is going to be tough to beat if the downfield passing game is here to stay.
4. New England Patriots (11-2)
Previous rank: 6
The Patriots haven't faced the most difficult schedule, but they've now won 10 straight. This team seems to only get better every single week, and Drake Maye's MVP-caliber season gives New England the edge over the next team on this list.
5. Denver Broncos (10-2)
Previous rank: 7
The Broncos' offense remains an adventure, and a lack of run game isn't going to help Bo Nix's chances of establishing any sort of consistency. Needing overtime to beat the Commanders is slightly concerning, but you have to respect the overall body of work at a time when so many would-be contenders are scuffling.
6. Chicago Bears (9-3)
Previous rank: 14
A statement win over the Eagles was exactly the kind of result I was looking for to finally feel comfortable moving the Bears up. I'm still a little unsure about the defense, as Chicago ranks 29th in success rate on that side of the ball. But the turnover production has been steady and Ben Johnson's offense is taking off.
7. Houston Texans (7-5)
Previous rank: 10
The Texans have now won four straight games, the first three of them with Davis Mills under center. C.J. Stroud returned to action Sunday, helping Houston knock off the Colts on the road. A league-average offense might be all the Texans need to compete thanks to the best defense in football.
8. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
Previous rank: 5
I'm not ready to throw in the towel on the Colts just yet. This has still been one of the most steady teams in the league, and they easily could've beaten the Texans if a few bounces (or calls) went the other way. But Daniel Jones battling through a fibula fracture is reason for concern, and now Sauce Gardner appears set to miss time with a calf strain.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
Previous rank: 3
The offense is no longer the only thing getting in the way of Philly's title defense. Friday's loss to the Bears also raised some red flags on the other side of the ball, as the Eagles got pushed around to the tune of 281 rushing yards. Their spot atop the NFC East suddenly doesn't feel so comfortable with the red-hot Cowboys closing in.
10. Detroit Lions (7-5)
Previous rank: 4
I still believe that the Lions are firmly within the group of NFC teams that could conceivably go on a deep run into the playoffs. But the offensive line has been struggling, the passing game was already missing Sam LaPorta, and now Amon-Ra St. Brown is dealing with an ankle injury.
11. Buffalo Bills (8-4)
Previous rank: 11
The Bills making easy work of the Steelers despite a beat-up offensive line is a promising sign. I need to see a lot more from the passing game before they climb back up this list, though. Josh Allen's 1.7 air yards per attempt against Pittsburgh is the lowest mark of any quarterback in a game this season.
12. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)
Previous rank: 12
It's pretty astonishing that the 49ers have overcome so many injuries to be sitting where they are heading into December. That being said, there's reason to believe they'll be in tough against more capable competition. The defense has really struggled without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner, ranking 30th in success rate since Week 7.
13. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1)
Previous rank: 15
The Cowboys might be the hottest team in football. They've now won three straight since the trade deadline, the last two against last year's Super Bowl teams. Keeping it rolling against the Lions this week could bump Dallas into the top 10.
14. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)
Previous rank: 16
Jakobi Meyers has been an important addition to the receiving corps, leading the Jaguars with 240 yards since the deadline deal. And with Brian Thomas Jr. and Brenton Strange now back in the mix after missing time with injury, the passing game has a real chance to improve down the stretch.
15. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4)
Previous rank: 17
The Chargers have the quarterback, the playmakers, the defense, and the coaching to go on a playoff run. The offensive line has been decimated by injuries, though, and a tough finish to the schedule could expose that problem area in a big way.
16. Baltimore Ravens (6-6)
Previous rank: 13
Thursday's game against the Bengals should've been the ultimate get-right spot for the Ravens' offense. Instead, we're left wondering whether that unit is going to click at all this season.
17. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
Previous rank: 8
The Chiefs have no more room for error. They're probably still more dangerous than their record suggests, but it's not like they haven't deserved the results we've seen thus far. The offense is broken in more ways than one. Suddenly finding enough fixes to run the table would be this team's most miraculous achievement yet.
18. Carolina Panthers (7-6)
Previous rank: 20
This might seem like too low of a ranking for the Panthers after a massive upset over the Rams. Then again, considering some of their other results this season, maybe it's too high. Can the big win finally help Carolina find some consistency for the stretch run?
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
Previous rank: 19
The Bucs were in free-fall after a brutal midseason stretch, but it may only be up from here. The offense is finally getting healthy, and a favorable finishing schedule gives them a chance to go on a bit of a run to lock up a playoff spot.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
Previous rank: 23
Joe Burrow's return has given the Bengals life. Beating the Ravens on Thanksgiving night and the Steelers' loss Sunday put Cincinnati just two games back of the AFC North lead. Can the defense do enough to support Burrow in pursuit of a storybook finish to the regular season?
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6)
Previous rank: 18
The Steelers are a mess. Not only was Sunday's loss to the Bills a dreadful offensive performance, but Pittsburgh's big-money defense was somehow unable to exploit a Buffalo offensive line playing without its starting tackles. Big changes have to be on the table this offseason.
22. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
Previous rank: 25
Miami would need a miracle to make the playoffs at this point, but the team deserves a lot of credit for continuing to fight in what immediately seemed like a disaster season. Does the sustained effort give Mike McDaniel a chance to save his job?
23. Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
Previous rank: 24
The Cardinals jumped out to a 2-0 start before going on to lose nine of their next 10 games. It's fair to wonder whether this coaching staff could be on the way out at the end of the season.
24. Minnesota Vikings (4-8)
Previous rank: 21
Quarterback play continues to sabotage any plans Minnesota had to compete this season. Rookie Max Brosmer fared even worse than J.J. McCarthy in Sunday's spot start, serving up four interceptions as the Vikings were shut out for the first time since 2007.
25. Atlanta Falcons (4-8)
Previous rank: 22
The Falcons' season was already a major disappointment. And then they lost to the Jets. Injuries aside, the new low really drives home how far this team still has to go. That kind of reality check after posting an 8-9 record in Year 1 could put Raheem Morris on the hot seat.
26. Washington Commanders (3-9)
Previous rank: 28
The Commanders gave the Broncos a scare before ultimately coming up short in overtime Sunday night. A loss being one of the more exciting games of Washington's season really encapsulates the disappointment coming off an NFC title game appearance.
27. Cleveland Browns (3-9)
Previous rank: 27
With Myles Garrett closing in on the single-season sack record, and Shedeur Sanders getting an opportunity to show what he can do down the stretch, it's tough to imagine a more interesting three-win team.
28. New York Giants (2-11)
Previous rank: 26
You'd never know it based on the record, but the Giants' head coaching job could very well be the most coveted vacancy in the league this offseason. And a top pick will give New York another opportunity to add to an already impressive collection of young talent. The future is bright.
29. New York Jets (3-9)
Previous rank: 30
Adonai Mitchell might be the No. 2 receiver the Jets have been looking for. The former second-rounder, acquired as part of the Sauce Gardner trade at the deadline, broke out with eight catches for 102 yards and a touchdown in Sunday's win over the Falcons.
30. New Orleans Saints (2-10)
Previous rank: 29
Tyler Shough is quietly showing some promise as he gets an extended look to close out the regular season. Can he do enough to keep the Saints from drafting a quarterback with their top pick in April?
31. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
Previous rank: 31
Pete Carroll's first season in Las Vegas couldn't be going much worse. Now, the question is whether it'll be his only one. Losing out would finally put the Raiders in position to draft a quarterback, and they'd be wise to pair such a player with a coaching staff that has a long-term vision.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-11)
Previous rank: 32
The Titans have done a horrific job of setting Cam Ward up for success. The rookie quarterback has already been through a coaching change, and he's now taken 48 sacks in 12 games. Tennessee making the right hires and overhauling the league's worst roster will be essential for his early-career development.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.