Post-Week 13 Power Rankings

Cover photo taken from The Boston Globe.

1 – Eagles (11-1) 2

The Eagles are back on top after another complete, dominant performance featuring one of the best revenge games you’ll ever see. I’ve been waiting for them to look like themselves again, and they did that emphatically on Sunday. Jalen Hurts was magnificent with 380 passing yards and 3 touchdowns as well as a rushing touchdown, and AJ Brown showed the Titans why they never should have let him go with an incredible 8/119/2 statline featuring two dominant touchdown catches. The defense showed up and showed out, and the Birds finally looked the part of the team with the best record in football again. There’s no reason to slow down now.

2 – Bengals (8-4) 4

They did it again. For the third time in the calendar year, Joe Burrow and the Bengals took down Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs. That’s pretty staggering, especially considering the manner in which they’ve won every game. They just keep on outplaying the team that has been the class of the NFL. For that, the Bengals are my new top AFC team. Burrow has just been masterful all year long after getting off to a slow start, the offense looks fantastic no matter who lines up, and the defense is finally getting the recognition it deserves for being one of the best in the NFL right now. They may not get the numbers, but they make the plays, and that makes the difference. This team is as complete as any in the league, and considering the situation in Baltimore, I think it’s only a matter of time before they lock up the division.

3 – Chiefs (9-3) 1

I’m not going to fault the Chiefs too much for losing a close road game to a great team by 3 when I predicted them to lose by 3. But they were certainly the inferior team on Sunday. They didn’t play poorly by any means, but they struggled at times and really have only themselves to blame for the loss. Travis Kelce was a non-factor, and when he did get one of his only touches, he fumbled. They couldn’t convert fourth downs. They missed a key FG (side note: Harrison Butker is simply not reliable anymore). They were simply stifled on both sides of the ball against a great team. The good news for Kansas City is that the remaining schedule is a cakewalk, and I’d be shocked if they lose another game this season en route to a potential 1 seed. But we’ve seen them lose to Buffalo and Cincinnati now, so who knows what could happen in January?

4 – 49ers (8-4) 2

The NFL is a brutal league. I truly believe this 49ers team is the best in the NFC. But with Jimmy Garoppolo’s season over, they now turn to Brock Purdy, their 3rd string QB. Crazier things have happened in this league, and this team is remarkable across the board, but I just don’t see how they live up to their potential anymore. They still won convincingly with Purdy against a great Dolphins team, and it wasn’t in spite of him by any means, but I just don’t know what to expect moving forward. I know this defense is going to ball out no matter what, but it might be a matter of how far they can take this team as a whole.

5 – Cowboys (9-3) 1

The Cowboys absolutely ran away from the Colts in the fourth quarter, but it certainly wasn’t easy for the first three. It was a real struggle for most of the game on Sunday night, but I don’t see too much of an issue with that. Indy has been a competitive team all year long, and that fourth quarter was pretty impressive to watch. This team is as solid as any in the NFC, and the door is now wide open for them to make a run as a wild card team (most likely). Dallas is simply as complete as they come, and that will be crucial for them down the stretch.

6 – Dolphins (8-4) 1

Like the Chiefs, I’m not going to fault the Dolphins for losing a tough road game to a great opponent. I’m actually impressed with how they were able to get back in the game. Tua Tagovailoa struggled for the most part, but made some key plays to make it a game again. Tyreek Hill was great as always, which helps any young QB. The run game was invisible, but that was fairly predictable when they’re facing a front as stout as the 49ers’. The defense was arguably the weakest link as they got carved up by a 3rd string QB. I don’t expect them to look that porous again, but they need to tighten up ASAP as the remaining schedule is brutal.

7 – Vikings (10-2)

For the trillionth time this season, the Vikings escaped by the skin of their teeth with a close win. I’ve never faulted this team for doing that, because it’s honestly a skill for a team to have, and I won’t fault them now. Their defense bent a lot, but never broke, making all of the plays necessary to win the game in the end. Kirk Cousins wasn’t great, but he also made the throws he had to when it mattered. Justin Jefferson once again put the team on his back, and it was awesome to watch. This team obviously has a clear ceiling, but they can certainly compete with anyone in this league. I don’t consider them to be contenders, but I still feel like they shouldn’t be this disrespected by everyone.

8 – Bills (9-3)

The Bills got back to their dominant ways on Thursday by completely shutting down the Patriots in a tough road environment. I had been waiting for them to put together a complete performance, and they finally did it. I can safely say that was their best game since they beat the Chiefs. Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs were masterful, James Cook got involved out of the backfield, and the defense asserted themselves all game long. Buffalo now sits atop the AFC with the 1 seed, and while that may not last, I now have way more faith in them to look like a complete team down the stretch.

9 – Seahawks (7-5) 2

The Seahawks are becoming a weird team to assess, but one thing remains certain: watching Geno Smith play is so damn fun. I love this offense so much, even though Kenneth Walker has disappeared into the void. Their passing attack with DK Metcalf and Tyler Lockett isn’t getting the respect it deserves as one of the best in the league. The lack of running game and the defense’s decreasing quality are causes for concern, however. I don’t know if this team has what it takes to make a playoff push down the stretch if they lack the two key elements of a great team. The schedule isn’t awful, so it’ll be up to Geno and company to get the job done. I have plenty of faith in him.

10 – Jets (7-5)

Despite getting vastly outplayed and absolutely stifled for most of the game on Sunday, I can make the argument that the Jets deserved to win. They had every opportunity down the stretch, but poor decisions or overthrows or other self-inflicted wounds gave them another loss. I still really like what this team has going on. Mike White has been really solid, Garrett Wilson continues to be a revelation, and the RB room keeps on producing. The defense wasn’t the issue, but they gave up one or two plays too many for the offense to make up for it. I like this team a lot, but the remaining schedule is brutal, and I don’t know if they’ll be up to the task of staying in a playoff spot with some other teams nipping at their heels.

11 – Commanders (7-5-1) 2

Thinking about Sunday’s game infuriates me, so I’ll make this quick. We were the vastly superior team on Sunday. A combination of self-inflicted wounds (mostly poor playcalling) and some of the most one-sided refereeing you’ll ever see in this league is what made us end up with a vaunted tie. I’m proud of this defense for playing their tails off for most of the game, and while the offense sputtered after a hot start, they also did what they had to do down the stretch. Despite not being able to come away with a win, I feel immensely confident in our ability to come out of next week’s bye, learn from our mistakes, and crush the Giants in primetime.

12 – Titans (7-5) 3

The wheels are coming off the Titans. All of a sudden, they don’t do a single thing well. Derrick Henry hasn’t eclipsed 50 yards in his last 3 games, the passing attack was nonexistent when Treylon Burks got hurt, and the defense is surprisingly getting pushed around quite a lot. I wanted to drop Tennessee a lot further, but I’m going to give them a couple more chances in the next few weeks in some make or break games.

13 – Giants (7-4-1) 3

The Giants played about as well as I expected them to on Sunday. They should have lost, like I predicted they would. But, the refs and Lady Luck were on their side, so they escaped with a tie. I’m still pretty bitter, so I don’t want to talk about this team. Just know that a reckoning is coming in two weeks.

14 – Lions (5-7) 5

The Lions continue to look fantastic, and Sunday was a coming out party for the defense. We know what their offense is capable of, especially at home (did you know Jared Goff has a passer rating of 105 at Ford Field?), but the other side of the ball finally asserted their dominance, completely shutting down a solid Jags offense. Amon-Ra St. Brown has been one of the best WRs in football in recent weeks, Jamaal Williams won’t stop scoring, and Jameson Williams is about to provide this team a new level of athleticism. We might have to watch out for the Lions as a potential wild card team.

15 – Raiders (5-7) 6

The Raiders might as well be the Lions of the AFC. I completely wrote this team off, even dubbing them as the worst team in the league a few weeks ago, and all they’ve done is string together great performance after great performance to get back in the playoff hunt. I love the way this team is playing right now, especially offensively. Who would have thought the Raiders would be one of the most fun teams to watch at this point? Davante Adams has been incredible, getting back to his WR1 level, Josh Jacobs continues to be perhaps the best RB in the league this year, and the rest of the offense is starting to pour in contributions. Most importantly, the defense is finally stepping up as well. They’re making plays, forcing turnovers, and actually winning this team games. I love the way they play, and their trajectory could have them firmly in the hunt as the season winds down.

16 – Ravens (8-4) 4

I’m getting so sick and tired of talking about the Ravens. It seems counter-intuitive, but this team doesn’t deserve to be 8-4 at all. They are such an eye sore with a horrible offense and a lackluster defense. With Lamar Jackson being sidelined for the next week or so, their flaws are really going to show. I can’t wait for them to lose this division race and inevitably be a first round exit.

17 – Chargers (6-6) 2

The Chargers are the Chargers. There’s not much more that can be said. They lose every game in virtually the exact same fashion, and they cannot be trusted in any regard. That’s exactly why I picked against them on Sunday, and I’ll continue to do so. There’s only so much Justin Herbert can do. The kid has looked amazing lately, but it means nothing when his defense is as poor as it is. Gotta feel bad for him.

18 – Patriots (6-6) 4

Remember the two week stretch where the Patriots offense looked pretty solid? Yeah, those were the days. They’re back to being incompetent on that side of the ball with poor QB play and virtually no weapons on the roster. It also doesn’t help that the wheels have seemingly fallen off the defense, which was the strong suit of the team for so long. They simply don’t do anything well right now, and they’re not going to make the playoffs for that reason. They could turn it around, but it just seems too unlikely with the roster in its current state and a very tough remaining schedule.

19 – Browns (5-7) 2

The Deshaun Watson return was extremely anti-climactic and lackluster in every regard. The offense was absolutely abysmal from start to finish, and the Browns needed help from the incompetent Texans to rack up defensive and special teams scores to win. I don’t know if it was rust or what, but it was pretty embarrassing. I do think they’ll turn it around, but man. That was not a promising sight at all.

20 – Buccaneers (6-6) 2

Even at age 45, Tom Brady can still be Tom Brady. So, that’s cool. It’d be even cooler if wasn’t the most blatant script in the history of the NFL, but it doesn’t really matter to me. The real Buccaneers were the team we saw for the first 55 minutes on Monday night: incompetent offensively with a solid defense. That will be enough to win them this dreadful division, but that’s about it. Unless Goodell busts the scripts out for the playoffs. I won’t put that past him.

21 – Packers (4-8) 1

Aaron Rodgers still owns the Bears. Not exactly breaking news. Still, the Packers are showing things to like, especially offensively. Christian Watson has simply been on fire, and the offense looks a lot more balanced now that they can effectively throw and run the ball. The defense is still nothing short of a mess, but they made all the necessary plays on Sunday to win. It doesn’t really mean anything, but the Packers should feel good about themselves. Wins have been hard to come by, so they should cherish them all.

22 – Steelers (5-7) 3

Like Detroit and Vegas, the Steelers are a team that has been playing great ball and have a great trajectory. Unlike those teams, this team has a clear offensive ceiling that holds them back. There’s nothing remotely special about that side of the ball in Pittsburgh. But, the defense is still fantastic, and that’s all they need to win games like Sunday’s. We’ll see how far it can take them.

23 – Falcons (5-8) 1

The Falcons are another team that I just don’t want to talk about anymore. They are just so boring and so bad at everything that I don’t see a reason to talk about them. I’ll just sound like a broken record. I think there’s a future in Atlanta, but this season is beyond cooked.

24 – Jaguars (4-8) 1

The Jaguars may have gotten smoked on Sunday in Detroit, but they did come away with one win. Trevor Lawrence coming out of a scary, low hit completely unscathed is honestly miraculous. It looked like a season-ending injury, but he’s completely fine. That’s great to see. The young QB has been solid, and an injury like that would have been awful to see. The rest of the team was pretty awful to see, however. On any given week, the Jags are either going to look like a solid young team with a great future or a complete dumpster fire. I’m pretty sure they flip a coin in the locker room to decide which one it’ll be every Sunday.

25 – Cardinals (4-8) 1

Mercifully, the Cardinals had the week off. This is where I’d make a Kyler Murray COD joke, but I won’t stoop that low. All I know is that this team will continue to be its weird little self as the season winds down, and it’s not going to be very fun to watch.

26 – Colts (4-7-1)

As I said before, the Colts were very competitive for three quarters on Sunday night. The fourth quarter was a nightmare. But it was such an anomaly that I don’t want to bump this team down. I know they’re a solid bunch that’s nothing special. Their identity has been clear for several weeks now, and that’s not going to change.

27 – Bears (3-10)

Once again, the Bears did exactly what they had to do. They let Justin Fields cook, and they lost. It’s the perfect outcome, and they’ve done it for months now. Keep on doing this, Chicago. Go get that top 3 pick you deserve and build this team around #1.

28 – Panthers (4-8)

The Panthers won the bye week by releasing Baker Mayfield. Good for them!

29 – Rams (3-9) 1

I’ll give the Rams credit, they were competitive to the bitter end, and John Wolford looked really solid. He toughed out a late injury and did what he had to in order to give his team a fighting chance. That was very valiant and cool to see. The defense didn’t exactly follow suit, which was fairly predictable. But maybe this team will be competitive if nothing else down the stretch. Maybe.

30 – Saints (4-9) 1

I just don’t know. There are so many problems with this team, and repeating them is a complete waste of time. Just clean house and start over, for our sake and your own.

31 – Broncos (3-9)

I mean, good lord guys. This is getting so embarrassing that I don’t think I can quantify it in words. I don’t know if anything or anyone is capable of fixing this offense at this point. If I was on the Broncos defense, I’d ask for reparations.

32 – Texans (1-10-1)

Enjoy the #1 pick! Please don’t waste it.

All stats taken from ESPN.