A third of the league has been eliminated from playoff contention while another third is fighting for a spot in the playoffs. Five teams are fighting for the title of the best team in the NFL.
Here are the NFL Week 14 power rankings:
- Baltimore Ravens (10-2) (Last Week: 1): Lamar Jackson and co. have beaten the New England Patriots, San Francisco 49ers, Los Angeles Rams, and Seattle Seahawks. These are some of the better teams in the league, and the Ravens are proven as the best team in the NFL.
- San Francisco 49ers (10-2) (Last Week: 2): With their loss to Baltimore, they are no longer the best team in the NFC and are looking at a wild card berth. They are still looking like the best team from the NFC.
- The New England Patriots (10-2) (Last Week: 3): Receivers will be the Achilles heel of this Patriots team. Their success for the remainder of the season and the playoffs will be decided by whether their receivers can catch the ball and break free from coverage.
- Seattle Seahawks (10-2) (Last Week: 4): The Seahawks are cruising past every opponent in their way. Wilson is having his best year tossing the ball and is having great success with Chirs Carson and Rashaad Penny in the backfield.
- New Orleans Saints (10-2) (Last Week: 5): The Saints are the only team in the NFL that has clinched their division. What they will be fighting to get for the remainder of the season will be home-field advantage and a first-round bye.
- Minnesota Vikings (8-4) (Last Week: 6): The Vikings have a tough skid to end the season. They will be facing everyone in their division to end the season, and no divisional game will ever be a cakewalk, especially by the end of the year. If the Vikings win against the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Chargers, they will have a playoff spot. If they were to also beat the Green Bay Packers in Week 16, they could win the division.
- Green Bay Packers (9-3) (Last Week: 8): They are one game ahead of the Vikings in the division, but their defense is showing great weakness. Although they have an explosive offense, the Packers will see themselves out of the playoffs quickly when they face a competent offense.
- Buffalo Bills (9-3) (Last Week: 7): Josh Allen has been on fire. He may not have the strongest arm or the fastest legs, but he is getting it done. Allen has been producing enough offensive stability that allows the team to succeed and dominate defensively.
- Houston Texans (8-4) (Last Week: 8): The reason that the Texans are not higher is that they almost blew a double-digit lead with a few minutes left in the game. The Texans seemed like they were dominating the Patriots, but actually had worse stats the whole game. They were outgained in total yards and in time of possession. The Texans were outplayed but had multiple big plays that led to scores to help them take the win at home.
- Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) (Last Week: 11): When you think of the Kansas City Chiefs, you usually think of their explosive offense. But, in this game against the Oakland Raiders, it was their defense that led the way to their dominant victory.
- Dallas Cowboys (6-6) (Last Week: 9): Even though the Dallas Cowboys are only 6-6, they still boast one of the best offenses in the NFL. Dak Prescott is still leading the league in passing yards and Ezekiel Elliot is on his way to another 1,000-yard season on the ground. However, this defense awful and can not seem to stop any offense they face.
- Tennessee Titans (7-5) (Last Week: 16): The Titans are rolling over the NFL with Ryan Tannehill at the quarterback position. Since Tannehill took over, the Titans have solidified their playoff push with dominant victories over the Indianapolis Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars. The defense was also very sharp once the quarterback change happened as the whole team seemed to get a new chance at life.
- Los Angeles Rams (7-5) (Last Week: 14): The Los Angeles Rams took a hefty blow the other week against the Ravens, and it seemed to be a wake-up call for Jared Goff and the offense as they took out all of their frustration and capabilities to perform their offensive duties on the Arizona Cardinals in a blow win.
- Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) (Last Week: 17): It is hard to believe that a team without their three best offensive players are in contention for a wild card spot. Mike Tomlin is definitely showcasing why he is one of the best coaches in the NFL as he leads his team to a possible playoff berth.
- Indianapolis Colts (6-6) (Last Week: 12): Two straight losses, both losses coming from teams fighting for the divisional title. Now two games behind the Texans for the division, it is very unlikely that the Colts will reach the playoffs.
- Cleveland Browns (5-7) (Last Week: 19): Taking a loss to the Steelers this Sunday may have damaged their playoff hopes heavily. The team now has to win every game, including a game against the Ravens or the Steelers, Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts to have a chance of making the playoffs.
- Oakland Raiders (6-6) (Last Week: 13): They are not out of the playoffs just yet as they are only a game behind the Steelers for the final wild card position. Their past two games have both been ugly losses, showcasing that they seem to be running out of juice towards the end of the season.
- Chicago Bears (6-6) (Last Week: 20): For the Bears to make the playoffs, they will need to win every game from here on out. They will need divisional teams such as the Packers and the Vikings to lose out as well.
- Carolina Panthers (5-7) (Last Week: 15): After predicting them to make the playoffs a few weeks prior, the Carolina Panthers have lost every game since. Their playoff hopes are over, as it would take a miracle for them to attend the playoffs.
- Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) (Last Week: 18): The Philadelphia Eagles are still in the hunt to win their division. Yes, a 5-7 team can win a division. The NFC East is up for grabs as the Cowboys are struggling to string wins together.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) (Last Week: 25): Jameis Winston had one of his best games this season, but it was too late. The Buccaneers are not technically eliminated from playoff contention, but the road to make the playoffs are under five percent.
- Los Angeles Chargers (4-8) (Last Week: 22): This team saw another loss by seven points or less. It is the culture that Anthony Lynn has built as the head coach. I expect Lynn and Philip Rivers to be run out of town after this disappointing season.
- Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8) (Last Week: 21): Nick Foles has been awful since returning from his collarbone injury. He was replaced by Gardner Minshew in the second half, who did not have a great game but played better than Foles.
- Denver Broncos (4-8) (Last Week: 24): The Broncos are officially out of the playoff hunt, but they aren’t the worst team in their division.
- Detroit Lions (3-8-1) (Last Week: 26): They’re eliminated from playoff contention, but at least their third-string quarterback looks talented.
- Arizona Cardinals (3-8-1) (Last Week: 28): Kyler Murray‘s club is officially eliminated from the playoffs, but the organization found their guy for the future.
- Atlanta Falcons (3-9) (Last Week: 27): Eliminated from the playoffs for the second straight year, Dan Quinn could be getting the boot after Week 17.
- Miami Dolphins (3-9) (Last Week: 29): They were eliminated from the playoffs in Week 13, but the fans eliminated their hopes after Week 2.
- Washington Redskins (3-9) (Last Week: 31): Week 13 reaped multiple teams from playoff contention, but just like the Dolphins, they were morally eliminated early in the season.
- The New York Jets (4-8) (Last Week: 23): The New York Jets lost to the two worst teams in the league at one point in the season. Head to the locker room before you’re eliminated from playoff contention.
- The New York Giants (2-10) (Last Week: 30): Eliminated from playoff contention yet again.
- Cincinnati Bengals (1-11) (Last Week: 32): Congratulations on your first win against the Jets! Your reward? You have been eliminated from playoff contention!