Week Eighteen Power Rankings

Sterling K. Brown had a really cool hype segment on Fox about the “penultimate” episode of a television season being the best or most intriguing.

The NFL’s screenwriters deserve every damn Emmy and Golden Globe.

Out of Rankings: None

Honorable Mention(s): Miami Dolphins, Cincinnati Bengals & Denver Broncos

10. Los Angeles Chargers (Previous ranking: 10)

They bullied the Patriots. Drake Maye is a fun, cute story to pay very little attention to on RedZone and on NFL Network, Jim Harbaugh slapped the boy around for three hours. The Chargers have made everyone’s “nobody wants to face them in the postseason” list, but Herbert has played in one playoff game where he blew a 27-point lead to the Jags, so let’s pump the brakes on how feared the Chargers (again, the Chargers) should be in the playoffs.

(Los Angeles Times)

9. Green Bay Packers (Previous ranking: 7)

The Packers proved exactly why they are not elite in my book. Although very good, Jordan Love was needed in a critical game against a divisional foe, and he melted. At times throughout the Vikings game, Jordan Love looked unfit to be playing the position of quarterback. Sure, they’ve won a lot of games, but the only NFC playoff team they’ve beaten is the Rams. They have two elite teams in their division, so it’s hard enough as it is, but to be considered one of those teams, you have to beat those teams.

8. Los Angeles Rams (Previous ranking: 8)

The Rams don’t look very good, but Sean McVay keeps proving that he’s an elite coach with an aging quarterback and one-dimensional defense to a division title (partially thanks to the Jayden Daniels’ heroics). They will host the loser of the Vikings-Lions tilt in the first round of the playoffs, a tough yet slightly vulnerable Wild Card matchup. Stafford and McVay might be able to rattle off a victory or two in an NFC that has some teams with definitive weaknesses

7. Washington Commanders (Previous ranking: 9)

Jayden Daniels officially produces heroics that we expect from the best of the best. He isn’t quite in that class because he has more to prove with his injury avoidance and playoff performance, but in back-to-back, high leverage situations, he’s been unstoppable. The Washington defense has stepped up over the last few months to a respectable level. They are a true opponent for bona fide contenders to face in the NFC.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (Previous ranking: 5)

The Eagles presented themselves with an opportunity at two different types of history. Saquon Barkley is just 100 yards away from Eric Dickerson’s all-time rushing record, which has stood for over 40 years. The poetic justice for Saquon makes running back history against the team who let him walk would be simply too appetizing for me to hold him out, but the Eagles have a larger destiny ahead of them. Nick Sirianni might be crazy enough to let the guy go for 200 though.

5. Baltimore Ravens (Previous ranking: 6)

Baltimore’s domination of the Texans (in front of Beyonce) was not the beautiful conclusion to Netflix’s football debut. The Ravens conclusion to their regular season might be just the opposite though. Unlike they have for the last few years, the Ravens are entering the playoffs as a truly terrifying force to the conference’s top seeds. Lamar would win the MVP if the historical precedence hadn’t been set eons ago, and Derrick Henry wasn’t a nearly equal candidate. The Ravens head toward the playoffs with a genuine chance to make a real run.

4. Minnesota Vikings (Previous ranking: 4)

The Vikings keep winning and have the potential to send Detroit’s season downhill if Sam Darnold can out duel Jared Goff (that sentence would have had me arrested in 2021). With Darnold playing at an incredible clip, Flores’ defense is allowed to be aggressive knowing that the opposing offense typically has to play from way behind. Aaron Jones adds a level of toughness to Kevin O’Connell’s attack. Their home field advantage is a sleeping giant nobody has yet to awaken.

3. Detroit Lions (Previous ranking: 3)

Detroit’s insistence on playing their starters in a meaningless Monday night game in San Francisco nearly embarrassed them in front of the whole country. People remembered that Kyle Shanahan is an offensive mastermind (with the world's most average signal caller), but Ben Johnson might be on a similar scale. Even with the injuries, Detroit was able to build up some momentum for what will be the biggest game in their franchise's history next week against Minnesota.

2. Buffalo Bills (Previous ranking: 2)

Josh Allen will win the MVP because, unreasonably, many media types believed that they would never reach this level. Some believed they were talentless and went with Aaron Rodgers, who had the third lowest QBR in recorded NFL history. The defense showed up against the Jets for what it’s worth and can take the final week off with the #2 seed in tow. Buffalo will maintain their dominance over their division, but they overcame the doubts of those who were supposed to know the most, and that’s really sad.

(The New York Times)

1. Kansas City Chiefs (Previous ranking: 1)

The Chiefs are finally hitting their stride at the end of the regular season, pretty typical of the reigning dynasty. In their three-game, 11-day span, Kansas City’s defense has turned up the turnover machine, so their defense’s efficiency is coupled with giving Patrick Mahomes a few more possessions. The offense hasn’t scored 30 points and the team’s association with the Patriots and Raiders as the only teams who haven’t is overblown and another piece of the media trying not to believe in a three-peat. With plenty of time off, KC play-by-play man Mitch Holthus says that Andy Reid will hold a mini training camp to perfect the few imperfections headed into the most important time of the year.

Biggest Mover(s): Washington Commanders (up 2 spots) & Green Bay Packers (down 2 spots)

New Appearance(s): None