NFL Week 15 Power Rankings

Week 15 has come and gone with the usual amount of drama, intrigue, and action.

Across the NFL there were upsets, one of which was truly shocking, tense and close divisional matchups, comeback wins, and a good number of blowouts just for good measure. It had it all as the playoff picture continued to clarify heading into the final two games of the regular season.

So, with just 120 minutes of football left for each team, how has the power shifted after 14 games played?

1.       Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

The wins may be close, but the Chiefs are getting it done week after week, and if they get the ball to seal out a win there is no doubt they will. All the talk around the Chiefs is which team is best equipped to beat them. In truth, there is no specific ‘way’ to beat them, or ‘set up’ to beat them, you just have find a way to stop that new play they inevitably roll out when the time comes.

2.       Green Bay Packers (11-3)

If you only watched the first quarter of the Packers’ Thursday night game, you’d have thought they strolled to victory behind a trademark offensive performance. As the game progressed it became closer and closer as Green Bay faltered on offense and left the door cracked to a Panthers comeback. A win is a win, but the Packers have an issue with keeping their foot on the gas once they build a lead, and they can’t give better teams the opportunities they gave to Carolina.

3.       Buffalo Bills (11-3) 

It appears the Bills are getting very hot at just the right time. They strolled into Denver and crushed the Broncos to seal their first AFC East title since 1995. Josh Allen is playing elite football, and the rest of the team is matching suit. The Bills are absolutely the second best team in the AFC right now, the only question that remains is if they can overcome the Chiefs if they face them again.

4.       New Orleans Saints (10-4)

After winning nine straight games the Saints have now lost two straight. In different fashion, yes, but it is nevertheless disappointing. Their route to the number one seed just got tougher, so it looks as though a Super Bowl trip would require the Packers being upset by someone else to allow the Saints to host the NFC Championship, or Drew Brees and co. marching into a cold Lambeau and overcoming their biggest bugaboo: the cold outdoors. 

5.       Cleveland Browns (10-4) +2

This week’s Sunday night game couldn’t have been much better for the Browns. Following their tough loss last week it wouldn’t have been all that surprising if they came out flat or slipped up against a competitive Giants team. Instead they comfortably handled their business. Baker Mayfield is playing excellent football, he looks like the player who earned the number one overall pick, which is bad news for the rest of the NFL.

6.       Tennessee Titans (10-4) +2

The Titans seem to be back to their best offensively as Derrick Henry keeps muscling through whatever is in his path, and Ryan Tannehill is slinging it all over the field with confidence to a rejuvenated Corey Davis and stud A.J. Brown. In this form there isn’t a defense who will consistently stop this offense, the only concern remains their defense.

7.       Seattle Seahawks (10-4) +3

For three quarters this game was firmly in the Seahawks’ control. Entering the fourth quarter they were up 20-3 and had shut everything Washington was doing on offence down. A late rally buy the Football Team came up short as the Seahawks clinched a playoff spot and tightened their grip on the NFC West.

8.       Indianapolis Colts (10-4) +3

The Colts are rolling. They may have needed a last gasp play to win in both of their meetings with the lowly Texans, but the fact they keep coming with these plays is an endorsement in itself. Good teams find ways to win, and it doesn’t matter how convincing it is. The offense is playing very well and Jonathan Taylor is significantly heating up. This team is a real contender.

9.       Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3) -4

Because they are still top of the AFC North it is tough to drop the Steelers this low, but the way they have looked for the best part of the last five week dictates they have to drop. They could honestly drop even further as they look like they would struggle against any team in the NFL right now. They are on a serious slide and face the Indianapolis Colts and Cleveland Browns to finish the season. 11-5 seems very much on the cards right now.  

10.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5) -2

The Buccaneers got the win, and ultimately that is all that matters, and their ability to come back in the way they did was also impressive, but they cannot afford to keep playing so poorly for such large portions of their games. When they play against the best teams – the Saints are a great example – that will go punished and they won’t be able to consistently climb back.

11.   Los Angeles Rams (9-5) -5

Oh no you didn’t, LA? The Rams now have the very unflattering title of the team to give the New York Jets their first win in 2020. The most logical explanation is that they came into the game complacent. They just came out too slow and let the Jets punish them, in doing so putting them a game back in the NFC West.

12.   Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Business as usual in Baltimore. The result and final score were precisely what should have been expected from the Ravens with the one-win Jacksonville Jaguars coming to town. The offense and defense played well, producing big plays in every phase, and Dez Bryant caught his first touchdown as a Raven.

13.   Miami Dolphins (9-5) 

Despite the game being much closer for much longer than the Dolphins would have wanted, they eventually pulled away from the Patriots and claimed an important win. They currently control their own playoff destiny and performances like Sunday’s will keep it that way.

14.   Arizona Cardinals (8-6) +1

Sunday was a great day for Cardinals’ fans. Not only did they win a great game of football, they ensured they stayed a game ahead in the NFC Wild Card race. Turnovers were an issue for Kyler Murray, but he played well and as always got some huge help from DeAndre Hopkins – Hopkins’ grip strength is a marvel. It would be a surprise if the Cardinals didn’t make the playoffs from here. 

15.   Las Vegas Raiders (7-7) -1

Losing Derek Carr to a groin injury was obviously not ideal, but considering how Marcus Mariota played in relief, it isn’t an excuse. Mariota looked very good for all but one interception and a few questionable throws, the issue with the Raiders was, and is, their defense. The swathes of grass they left open to Justin Herbert were unforgivable, and it likely cost them a playoff spot.

16.   Chicago Bears (7-7) +4

Here come Da Bears! Is Mitchell Trubisky good? The jury is still out, but he is doing enough to move the ball, score points, and not sabotage the rest of the team. The Bears are riding a two game win streak and are just a game behind the Cardinals. 

17.   Washington Football Team (6-8) -1

With Dwayne Haskins back under center Washington could not keep pace with the Seahawks, despite only giving up 20 points. Haskins led a late surge and had the ball with a chance for a comeback win but couldn’t seal the deal. Fortunately, thanks to their rivals’ struggles, Washington’s spot atop the NFC East remained intact. The loss did confirm there would be a home playoff team with a .500 or lower winning percentage, though.

18.   New England Patriots (6-8) -1

After Week 2 I would have laughed in your face had you said the Patriots would be eliminated in Week 15 after a lackluster loss to the Dolphins. On that night in September against the Seahawks the Patriots looked like a playoff team who were ready to roll again behind Cam Newton. In truth, that was their ceiling, and an early offseason looms for New England.

19.   Minnesota Vikings (6-8) -1

Just two weeks ago the Vikings were in the playoffs, now they’re all but mathematically eliminated. They have bright spots, blindingly bright spots, but they yet again haven’t been able to capitalize on that. It may be time for a change in Minnesota, because the current situation is not working. 

20.   New York Giants (5-9) -1

The Giants had a great opportunity to take back the top spot in the NFC East, but they misfired on their early opportunities against the Browns and couldn’t get over it. I didn’t hate the decisions to go for it on fourth down twice in the red zone, but the playcall on the first, at least, left a lot to be desired.

21.   San Francisco 49ers (5-9)  

It seems like a lot longer than 10 months ago the 49ers were competing for a Super Bowl. They have been dealt a very tough hand with injuries, almost definitely too many for any team to overcome and still be a contender. The question is now if they can get back to where they were before the injuries struck? Or was 2010 a one year wonder?

22.   Denver Broncos (5-9) 

Unfortunately for the Broncos they couldn’t play to the level of their uniforms. It hurts to see a team with such a nice uniform play so badly, it’s almost a waste. The throwback logo alone deserves better. Alas, the Broncos added another disappointing performance to their 2020 season having looked good just a week ago, and in doing so officially eliminated themselves from the playoffs.

23.   Detroit Lions (5-9)

I wrote last week that Matthew Stafford’s injury may spell a disappointing end to his tenure in Detroit, evidently not on his watch. He came out guns blazing, adding more evidence of his toughness, and though the Lions lost and won’t be making the playoffs, he isn’t leaving any room for doubters of his heart or passion.

24.   Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)  +2

The Chargers appear to be piecing it together and finding a way to seal out wins. It’s a little too late for this season, but perhaps it means the future can be even brighter than it already appeared. Herbert shredded the Raiders’ defense and the Chargers’ defense came up big when it needed to, picking off Mariota and providing an overtime stop.

25.   Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)

Barring injury, I think it is safe to say Carson Wentz has played his final meaningful snap in an Eagles jersey. Through two weeks Jalen Hurts has looked very good, and this week against the Cardinals he was excellent within the game the Eagles called. Was it limited? A little, but the building blocks are clearly there and he is executing, something Wentz hasn’t been.

26.   Houston Texans (4-10) -1 

Another brutal loss for Deshaun Watson and the Texans despite his best efforts. Once again against the Colts, Watson was driving the team down the field and had them in position to at least tie the game at the death, only for a fumble to lose the game. This will undoubtedly have been one of the toughest seasons Watson and J.J. Watt have ever had to endure, even considering their own injury-ruined seasons.

27.   Dallas Cowboys (5-9) +2

Now on a two game win streak, the Cowboys find themselves just a game back in the NFC East and as of now are right in the mix to win the division. I don’t think it will happen, as they would need to win out and watch Washington and New York lose out, but the fact there is a chance is wild at this point in the season. With that said, the defense is creating more big plays than it has all season, and the offense is showing life, too.

28.   Atlanta Falcons (4-10) -1

What is it about the Falcons playing a Tom Brady-led team that means they are particularly bad at holding a lead? Of course blowing leads is not limited to Brady-led teams for the Falcons, but it does seem particularly bad. Just add Sunday’s loss to the long list of horrible second half performances’ for Matt Ryan’s Falcons.

29.   Carolina Panthers (4-10) -1

Thursday Night Football may have provided another tough loss for the Panthers, bringing their season total to 10 and leading to the firing of GM Marty Hurney, but they put up quite the fight. They show every week they’re one the right track, they just desperately need more talent to take them up a level.

30.   Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1) 

Who Dey?! Who Dey?! Who Dey think gon’ beat them Bengals?! They may have though it, but clearly the Steelers couldn’t beat the Bengals. Von Bell backed up his comments on JuJu Smith-Schuster’s pre-game dancing with one of the biggest moments of the game. The Bengals played tough, physical football and straight up beat a poor Steelers team.

31.   Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13)

It’s not often you can find a positive from being beaten 40-14, but in this case it resulted in the Jaguars finding themselves at the top of next April’s NFL Draft. It is a forgone conclusion that Trevor Lawrence will be the number one overall pick, which now puts him in Jacksonville, FL. Congratulations, Jags, you have your franchise savior.

32.   New York Jets (1-13)

Of course the Jets would find a way to make this season worse. That is a ridiculous thing to say given the Jets won, and despite fans’ craving for tanking at the moment, the goal of every game is to win. Nevertheless, to endure what the Jets have, to get to 0-13 with some comfort in assuming the best QB prospect in years would be theirs, only to lose even that, is brutal. They may still get him, if they lose out and the Jags win a game, or through a trade, but they have for noq=w missed the opportunity to know they can get him.