NFL: Weekly Power Rankings
Wild Card Weekend was thrilling, consisting of three one possession games. The weekend got going on Saturday afternoon as the Tennessee Titans upset the Kansas City Chiefs after trailing 21-3 at halftime, coming back to win 22-21. The nightcap, the Atlanta Falcons continued the trend of road teams winning with a dominant victory over the upstart Los Angeles Rams. Then on Sunday, the Jacksonville Jaguars survived a low scoring, defensive battle, defeating the Buffalo Bills, 10-3. The final game of the weekend, the New Orleans Saints slipped past the Carolina Panthers in a great one. Here is our NFL Staff's most recent power rankings!
1. New England Patriots (13-3, +0): The Patriots had a bye week in the first round of the playoffs, and they'll play the Titans in the Divisional Round. The two teams will meet on Saturday night at 8:15 p.m., in Foxboro. New England has a clear advantage at every offensive spot. QB Tom Brady has thrown for 4,577 yards and 32 touchdowns on the season. RB Dion Lewis has 896 yards and six scores on 180 carries. TE Rob Gronkowski has 69 catches, 1,084 yards, and eight touchdown receptions. It's going to be nearly impossible for the Titans to upset the Pats on the road. The Patriots are 6-2 on their home field this year.
2. Minnesota Vikings (13-3, +0): The Vikings were awaiting the winner of the Panthers and Saints, and that game came right down to the wire. In the end, New Orleans prevailed, and the two teams will meet up in Minneapolis on Sunday at 4:40 p.m. Minnesota doesn't rely on their offense like a lot of organizations do, but QB Case Keenum has been extremely efficient this season and must play well if they Vikes want to win. They aren't going to be able to do it with just defense. Watch for WR Adam Thielen to have a big game, he compiled 1,276 receiving yards, 91 receptions, and four touchdowns.
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (13-3, +0): The Steelers don't want to think about their game that they played earlier in the season against the Jaguars. It was their worst game of the year by a wide margin, even given the loss to the Chicago Bears, another head scratcher. QB Ben Roethlisberger threw five picks against Jacksonville and the Steelers were blown out, 30-9. We shouldn't expect a similar result, though. Pittsburgh is at a much different place now than they were three months ago, and rookie WR Juju Smith-Schuster is a huge reason why. He has 917 yards on 58 catches in his first year. If he has a big game, it'll be difficult for Jacksonville to win.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (13-3, +0): The Eagles are the only home team of the four Divisional Round hosts that are not favored going into their game. QB Carson Wentz's season ending injury over a month ago is the main reason why. If he was playing in this one, Philadelphia would be the obvious pick. However, he won't be available and defending NFC champions, the Falcons, are coming into town with a chip on their shoulder after defeating the L.A. Rams on the road. Expect Lincoln Financial Field to be rocking, though, when the game begins at 4:35 p.m. on Saturday. RB Jay Ajayi must go for 100+ yards if the Eagles want a chance.
5. New Orleans Saints (11-5, 1-0, +1): The Saints have been a completely different team on their home field compared to being on the road, and that was once again the case in the Wild Card Round against the Panthers. New Orleans got off to a hot start and rode that to a 21-9 halftime lead, limiting the Panthers to three first half field goals, tightening up the defense on their side of the field. QB Drew Brees was just as good as always, going 23-33 for 376 yards and a pair of scores. He connected with WR Michael Thomas for eight catches and 131 yards. The Saints will attempt to upset Minnesota with an NFC title game berth on the line.
6. Atlanta Falcons (10-6, 1-0, +4): The Falcons didn't seem like they were interested playing in the regular season and at times, it seemed as though they were sleepwalking through the 16-game campaign. But now it's the playoffs, and the Falcons are all of a sudden alive and well, looking to get back to the Super Bowl with a chance at redemption. In last weeks matchup against the Rams, Atlanta jumped out to a 6-0 lead and held a 13-10 advantage at the break. The entire second half, the Falcons were in control, having a pair of drives that reached seven minutes. QB Matt Ryan and his team will now take on the Eagles next weekend.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-6, 1-0, +1): The Jaguars' offense was anything but pretty in their 10-3 win against the Bills, but that's kind of how they have been getting it done all year long. The defense is that good. If QB Blake Bortles doesn't turn it over, the defense is so talented and focused that it can keep them in the game almost no matter the circumstances. Bortles ran for 88 yards on 10 carries in the seven-point triumph as he wasn't able to get his passing game going. CB Jalen Ramsey had the game-sealing interception in the final minute. The Jags are heading to the Divisional Round to face the Steelers as 7.5-point underdogs.
8. Tennessee Titans (9-7, 1-0, +4): The Titans pulled off the biggest upset of the Wild Card Round, as no one in our predictions selected them to defeat the Chiefs. After going down 21-3, it didn't look good for QB Marcus Mariota and Co., but they were able to shake their slow start and come back in the second half. Although, RB Derrick Henry may have been the biggest difference maker. He ran for 156 yards on 23 carries, getting into the end zone once, in his first career playoff game. But it's going to be very difficult for the Titans to keep their winning streak alive as they travel to New England to face the Patriots this weekend.
9. Carolina Panthers (11-5, 0-1, -2): The Panthers got back to their winning ways this season after struggling last year, but it wasn't enough to get to the second round. This is the first time in history that the Panthers reached the playoffs but failed to reach the Divisional Round. QB Cam Newton played really well, but his receivers were letting him down in the first half. RB Jonathan Stewart had a day to forget, as well, as he only went for 51 yards on 11 carries, and wasn't able to score at all. The Panthers will have to reload, but they should be favorites to reach the postseason again next year, especially with RB Christian McCaffrey maturing a little.
10. Los Angeles Rams (11-5, 0-1, -5): The Rams were one of the most exciting teams to play this year, as they improved so much in such a quick turnaround. It was a great season for Los Angeles in just their second year since moving (back) to the West Coast. It was also QB Jared Goff's second campaign and he drastically improved. Not to mention that RB Todd Gurley is likely to finish second in MVP voting. It wasn't the way they wanted to end the season, losing 26-13 against the Falcons in the playoffs, but it was a successful season. Gurley had 101 yards in the loss. The Rams aren't going anywhere. They'll be back again next year.
11. Kansas City Chiefs (10-6, 0-1, -2): The Chiefs finished the season 5-7 after getting off to a 5-0 start and it ended in a disappointment again. Kansas City fans have gotten used to blowing big leads in the playoffs under HC Andy Reid. In 2013, the Chiefs led by 18 points at halftime against the Indianapolis Colts and QB Peyton Manning came back for the win. It's only happened four times in the history of the NFL and the Chiefs have been involved in it twice in five years. QB Alex Smith threw for 264 yards, but it may be his last game for the team. And for some reason, RB Kareem Hunt only had 11 carries, as their season comes to a close.
12. Buffalo Bills (9-7, 0-1, -1): The Bills barely got into the postseason so it's not shocking that they are already eliminated after going down 10-3 against the Jaguars on the road. QB Tyrod Taylor wasn't able to get going, throwing for 134 yards on 17-37 passing and one interception. He was then knocked out late in the game with a possible concussion and was replaced by QB Nathan Peterman, who threw a game-ending interception. It was a short lived playoff run for the Bills, but at least they got into the postseason for the first time since 1999. They'll attempt to build on that success next season, opening as projected to finish second in the AFC East.
Second Tier:
13. Detroit Lions (9-7, +3)
14. Los Angeles Chargers (9-7, +1)
15. Seattle Seahawks (9-7, -3)
16. Dallas Cowboys (9-7, +1)
17. Baltimore Ravens (9-7, -7)
18. Arizona Cardinals (8-8, +2)
19. Cincinnati Bengals (7-9, +2)
20. Green Bay Packers (7-9, -2)
21. Washington Redskins (7-9, -2)
22. San Francisco 49ers (6-10, +2)
The Detroit Lions squeaked into the playoffs last season, but they couldn't do the same thing this year, despite finishing with the same record. In Week 17, they defeated the Green Bay Packers, 35-11, behind 323 passing yards from QB Matthew Stafford. However, after the game, HC Jim Caldwell was let go. The Seattle Seahawks and Ravens were in playoff contention before the week began, but a pair of losses to the Cardinals and Bengals, respectively, knocked them out altogether. The San Francisco 49ers have climbed from 1-10 all the way to the second tier with a five-game winning streak, led by QB Jimmy Garoppolo's 292 yards and two scores.
Third Tier:
23. Oakland Raiders (6-10, -1)
24. Miami Dolphins (6-10, -1)
25. Denver Broncos (5-11, +0)
26. New York Jets (5-11, +1)
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-11, +1)
28. Chicago Bears (5-11, -2)
29. Houston Texans (4-12, +0)
30. Indianapolis Colts (4-12, +0)
31. New York Giants (3-13, +0)
32. Cleveland Browns (0-16, +0)
The Oakland Raiders' down season has finally come to an end, and so has HC Jack Del Rio's tenure with the team. He was fired, finishing with a 25-23 record in three years, leading the team to a 12-4 record last season and a playoff berth. It looks as though Jon Gruden may return to the Raiders, according to Sports Illustrated. That could be a great move for the franchise. Meanwhile, the Cleveland Browns lost for the 17th straight game, sending them to just the second 0-16 season in NFL history, along with the 2008 Lions. But there is some good news, I guess, at they're have their pick of which quarterback to take in the upcoming draft.
Player of the Week:
W1 - Kareem Hunt (Kansas City Chiefs) - 148 Yards, 1 TD, 42-27 win vs. Patriots.
W2 - Tom Brady (New England Patriots) - 447 Yards, 3 TDs, 36-20 win vs. Saints.
W3 - Jared Goff (Los Angeles Rams) - 292 Yards, 3 TDs, 41-39 win vs. 49ers.
W4 - Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans) - 283 Yards, 4 TDs, 57-14 win vs. Titans.
W5 - Carson Wentz (Philadelphia Eagles) - 304 Yards, 4 TDs, 34-7 win vs. Cardinals.
W6 - Deshaun Watson (Houston Texans) - 225 Yards, 3 TDs, 33-17 win vs. Browns.
W7 - Amari Cooper (Oakland Raiders) - 210 Yards, 2 TDs, 31-30 win vs. Chiefs.
W8 - Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) - 451 Yards, 4 TDs, 41-38 win vs. Texans.
W9 - Matthew Stafford (Detroit Lions) - 361 Yards, 2 TDs, 30-17 win vs. Packers.
W10 - Cam Newton (Carolina Panthers) - 254 Yards, 4 TDs, 45-21 win vs. Dolphins.
W11 - Antonio Brown (Pittsburgh Steelers) - 144 Yards, 3 TDs, 40-17 win vs. Titans.
W12 - Julio Jones (Atlanta Falcons) - 253 Yards, 2 TDs, 34-20 win vs. Buccaneers.
W13 - Russell Wilson (Seattle Seahawks) - 227 Yards, 3 TDs, 24-10 win vs. Eagles.
W14 - Ben Roethlisberger (Pittsburgh Steelers) - 506 Yards, 2 TDs, 39-38 win vs. Ravens.
W15 - Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams) - 152 Yards, 3 TDs, 42-7 win vs. Seahawks.
W16 - Todd Gurley (Los Angeles Rams) - 158 Yards, 2 TDs, 27-23 win vs Titans.
W17 - Juju Smith-Schuster (New Orleans Saints) - 143 Yards, 1 TD, 28-24 win vs. Browns.
W18 - Marcus Mariota (Tennessee Titans) - 205 Yards, 2 TDs, 22-21 win vs. Chiefs.
Top Ranked Team:
Week 1: Dallas Cowboys.
Week 2: Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 3: Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 4: Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 5: Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 6: Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 7: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 8: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 9: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 10: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 11: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 12: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 13: New England Patriots.
Week 14: Pittsburgh Steelers.
Week 15: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 16: Philadelphia Eagles.
Week 18: New England Patriots.
Photo Credit: Fans Favorite Fans.
