Week Fourteen Power Rankings

This is the time of year where the truest version of teams will come out. The contenders will win the games necessary down the stretch while the pretenders will melt at the mere mention of pressure. This has caused a stiffer version over the Power Rankings:

Out of Rankings: None

Honorable Mention(s): Los Angeles Rams & Tampa Bay Buccaneers

10. Los Angeles Chargers (Previous ranking: 10)

Since last year, the Chargers have lost their defense-focused head coach and brought in an eccentric leader and college coordinator. Despite that not making much sense on paper, you have to recognize the power of Harbaugh-isms and Jesse Minter’s system. Some of Kirk Cousins’ passes on Sunday fit better going between cornhole boards rather than through defenses, but the Chargers found a way to win off of it. There is a definite ceiling on this team because of their lack of weapons but they will have a huge opportunity against Kansas City next week on NBC.

9. Denver Broncos (Previous ranking: 8)

The Broncos stepped up and smashed the Browns defense, which has its fair share of playmakers, on Monday night. Bo Nix’s age is matching his play despite not having the NFL experience. Sean Payton drafted his first franchise quarterback and has proven that Bo can win. The defense shuttered at Jameis Winston’s inconsistent brilliance but got two pick-sixes for his troubles. There is a ceiling over the Broncos’ heads in the AFC West, but they must be reckoned with.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (Previous ranking: 9)

Russell Wilson threw for over 400 yards which was previously thought to be impossible. The University of North Carolina is correctly interested in Arthur Smith for his wizardry in Russ’ resurrection. The Pittsburgh defense will always stand tall with that particular era’s star, this one being TJ Watt.

(The Sporting News)

7. Baltimore Ravens (Previous ranking: 5)

Justin Tucker is not the only issue for the Ravens, but his downfall has made the rest of the team’s regressions more apparent. Action Jackson and King Henry keep the offense lethal, but the rest of the team’s ignorance of the third team on the field has them leading the league in penalties. Lamar is a good passer, but not a great one and when your kicker can’t muster any points from range that was previously automatic, the AFC North is the last place you’d like to be. The Eagles look like the Ravens want to: an elite rushing attack with a new coordinator fixing/figuring out the defense. The Eagles won’t have Mahomes, Allen, and Herbert to compete with though.

6. Minnesota Vikings (Previous ranking: 7)

The Vikings nipping at the Lions’ ankles for the rest of the season could prove dramatic for the NFC picture. If the Lions stumble and the Vikings continue to rattle off boring, yet tight wins, Detroit could fall to the #5 seed while Minnesota ascends to the top spot in the conference. The Vikings have so much to play for while having a somewhat secure spot with Green Bay probably making it in if things hold. Darnold has gone through the process from shocking the league, to becoming recklessly comfortable, and finally to the most sustainable version of himself.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (Previous ranking: 3)

As a Chiefs fan, I have to start treating these flukey wins as straight-up losses. The football gods have looked down upon this era for Kansas City and decided that they would rarely lose, but I’m no god. Patrick Mahomes was visibly upset at his left tackle situation, something we hadn’t seen since the Kadarius Toney penalty that effectively lost them a game last year. DJ Humphries’ debut needs to be next Sunday night against the Chargers if they want to three-peat. Sure, the Raiders did the most Raiders thing ever by muffing a snap, but that shouldn’t be an excuse for a team that has historically unprecedented aspirations.

4. Green Bay Packers (Previous ranking: 6)

The Packers are lining themselves up to get a not-so-shocking win on Thursday night. Though nothing is promised in this year’s NFC North, the Packers have carved out their own space in the last few weeks. Hanging 30 on the injured 49ers and hapless Dolphins isn’t the most impressive thing in the world, but the toughest games on their schedule are in their division and they have three more of those. Green Bay has followed Brett Favre and Aaron Rodgers with Jordan Love, who is showing some early promise. Some people had the Packers in the Super Bowl before this year and they may have been smelling the right cheese.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (Previous ranking: 4)

Saquon Barkley should win the MVP. He probably won’t in this quarterback-obsessed landscape, but the award belongs on his shelf. He is the engine upon which Philly runs, literally and figuratively. Even when the situation felt like a standstill, Saquon raised even more questions for Baltimore by capping the game off with his best quarter of the game. AJ Brown was quiet and (thankfully) Nick Sirianni was too, which isn’t bad at all. Brown will catch on once again and if Sirianni doesn’t make any egregious mistakes with time management, the eight-game streak may not have an end.

(Yahoo Sports)

2. Detroit Lions (Previous ranking: 2)

I nearly moved the Lions down strictly because of the injuries they’ve suffered. Many believed (and rightfully still might) that the Lions will win the Super Bowl, but the war of attrition is obviously the most important aspect that no one outside of fantasy footballers pays any attention to. Matt Eberflus lost his job over this loss, so this W is in a similar vain to Goff’s five-pick performance. They probably should have lost and should address those issues, but no one cares when they win, so they might not.

1. Buffalo Bills (Previous ranking: 1)

Josh Allen is going to win MVP. His odds dropped below zero the moment he caught that lateral. Saquon doesn’t deserve it more than Josh, but Josh is simply being Josh while Saquon might make history. The shine is justifiably on the quarterback most of the time, but Sean McDermott has fielded a quality football team to support their star. Riding high in early December is a yearly trend in Buffalo.

Biggest Mover(s): Green Bay Packers (up 2 spots), Baltimore Ravens & Kansas City Chiefs (down 2 spots)

New Appearance(s): None