NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Updated Standings, Predictions Before MNF

After another thrilling, surprising and, at times, controversial weekend of football, it's time to update the weekly power rankings. Some teams are climbing at the most crucial time of the year, while others are plummeting.

Let's break them all down.

Rank	Team	Record
1	Carolina Panthers	14-0
2	Arizona Cardinals	12-2
3	New England Patriots	12-2
4	Cincinnati Bengals	11-3
5	Seattle Seahawks	9-5
6	Pittsburgh Steelers	9-5
7	Denver Broncos	10-4
8	Green Bay Packers	10-4
9	Kansas City Chiefs	9-5
10	New York Jets	9-5
11	Minnesota Vikings	9-5
12	Houston Texans	7-7
13	Atlanta Falcons	7-7
14	Washington	7-7
15	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	6-8
16	Philadelphia Eagles	6-8
17	New York Giants	6-8
18	Indianapolis Colts	6-8
19	New Orleans Saints	5-8
20	St. Louis Rams	6-8
21	Buffalo Bills	6-8
22	Oakland Raiders	6-8
23	Chicago Bears	5-9
24	Detroit Lions	4-9
25	Jacksonville Jaguars	5-9
26	Miami Dolphins	5-9
27	Dallas Cowboys	4-10
28	San Francisco 49ers	4-10
29	San Diego Chargers	4-10
30	Cleveland Browns	3-11
31	Baltimore Ravens	4-10
32	Tennessee Titans	3-11

Analysis

Michael Reaves/Getty Images

Until the Carolina Panthers lose—and at this point, it sure doesn't look like that will happen, at least not until potentially in the postseason—they'll remain atop these rankings.

Cam Newton, at this point, has to be the league's MVP. Not only did he throw for five touchdown passes and rush for 100 yards on Sunday, but after Carolina blew a 28-point halftime lead he calmly led his team down the field for a game-winning field goal as time expired. 

"It was kind of a weird feeling in that locker room, and I'm still feeling kind of weird, but not enough to [not] celebrate," Newton said after a game that also included consistent fighting between cornerback Josh Norman and New York Giants star wideout Odell Beckham Jr. "We're just trying to find a way to get victories."

And they keep doing so.

The Arizona Cardinals, meanwhile, went into Philadelphia and put a beatdown on the Eagles. The scary thing for the rest of the league is that David Johnson played like the second coming of Earl Campbell, adding a bruising ground game to complement the team's devastating pass attack.

Arizona's balance puts them just ahead of New England, which remains a Rob Gronkowski injury away from being a good, and not great, team. They would appear to be the class of the AFC at the moment, though the Cincinnati Bengals are one of the league's most well-rounded teams, namely when Andy Dalton returns.

Few teams are as hot as the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks, as they continue to climb up the rankings. With Ben Roethlisberger healthy, the Steelers have one of the league's scariest offenses, while Russell Wilson and Doug Baldwin have led the Seahawks in the absence of Marshawn Lynch and Jimmy Graham.

Pittsburgh's comeback win over Denver came down to several factors. But as Mike Freeman of Bleacher Report noted, none of those factors loomed larger than wide receiver Antonio Brown:

"

There are many reasons Pittsburgh won this game. One of them was a defense that in the second half put the clamps on Brock Osweiler, who started hot in the opening two quarters. The Broncos' limp, gutless play-calling didn't help in the second half.

But make no mistake, this was the Brown show. As long as the Steelers have the modern-day Jerry Rice, and Ben Roethlisberger throwing to him, they will be difficult to stop down the stretch. No, make that almost impossible to stop.

"

Brown certainly has played like "the modern-day Jerry Rice" in the past two years. And Pittsburgh has been playing like the best team in the AFC down the stretch. One thing is for certain—nobody will want to see the Steelers come the postseason.

Lions vs. Saints Prediction

Rob Foldy/Getty Images

Prime-time games between non-playoff contenders are always a bit tough to sell this time of year, but a matchup between the Detroit Lions and New Orleans Saints could offer plenty of fireworks. 

It's tough to bet against a Saints team playing at home, especially for a Lions squad that is 1-5 on the year, 24th in points per game and 32nd in rushing yards per contest. The Lions had appeared to turn their season around in mid-November, winning three straight games, but they've promptly lost two in a row to halt that momentum. 

The Saints, meanwhile, broke a four-game losing streak last week with an impressive win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, as Tim Hightower played well in place of Mark Ingram, who was lost for the season. 

In a game between two fairly even teams with little to play for, ask yourself these questions: Which team is at home? Which team has the better quarterback? Which team has the better defense? 

The Saints have the first two questions in their favor, though Detroit clearly has the better defense. Take the Saints in this one.