2008 NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

Talk about a rags-to-riches story. The Dolphins have gone from a 1-15 record to a three way tie for the AFC East lead at 9-5.  Chad Pennington has gone from team outcast with the Jets to team MVP in Miami.

With a win at Kansas City this week, the Dolphins will reach the 10-win mark on the year; can Chad Pennington and this revamped Dolphins team pull it off?

13.  Eagles  8-5-1

Cleveland Browns, no problem. The Eagles dispatched of the help-less Browns in Week 15 and set their sights on a fallen Redskins team in Week 16 to stay in the hunt for the playoffs.

With a fairly healthy Brian Westbrook and company, will the late-season heroics going to be enough for the Eagles to make the playoffs in 2008?

12.  Vikings  9-5

Tarvaris Jackson and four touchdown passes in Week 15 against the Cardinals? No, this is not a dream Vikings fans, after being benched for most of the season, Jackson and company blew up the Cardinals defense on their way to their fourth win in a row. 

With every hard played win, there is always a catch, defensive tackle Pat Williams is out the remainder of the season. With Pat Williams out, will the stout Vikings defense continue their ways on their way to a divisional title just two wins away?

11.  Patriots  9-5

Week 14 was quite brutal for the Raiders who were pounded by the Patriots for 49 points on the day. With Week 15’s win, the Patriots are still deadlocked in a three-way tie for the AFC East lead. With matchups against the Cardinals and Bills on the way, the Patriots have the ability to go 11-5 while waiting for the Jets or Dolphins to mess up their chances.

10.  Jets  9-5

Some may say the Jets got lucky on Sunday but a win is a win.  The momentum is still on the Jets side as they hold the tiebreaker in the AFC East lead. The Jets must stay on top of their game against the Seahawks and Dolphins to finish the season and go to the playoffs. There is no room for mistakes for this 9-5 Jets team. 

9.  Buccaneers  9-5

Just when the Buccaneers thought the NFC South might be in reach, the Bucs’ have gone on to lose two in a row against division opponents. Jeff Garcia missed last week’s matchup against the Falcons so Brian Griese played in his absence but came up short. 

After dropping their last two, can the Buccaneers win out against the Chargers and Raiders in hopes of making the playoffs this season?

8.  Ravens  9-5

The Ravens are an up and coming team with a lot of promise. The Ravens five losses have come at the hands of the Steelers twice, as well as the Titans, Colts, and Giants; all playoff teams. The Ravens now must take on the Cowboys and Jaguars to finish the season strong looking for a wild-card berth.

7.  Falcons  9-5

Matt Ryan has the Falcons soaring high in Atlanta. After the team’s Week 15 win over divisional rival Buccaneers, the Falcons are in the hunt for a wild-card berth. The Vikings not must keep their playoff dreams alive by beating the Vikings and Rams to finish the season.

6.  Cowboys  9-5

The Cowboys got back on track in Week 15 by beating their arch rival Giants 20-8.  With last week’s win, the Cowboys inch closer to making the playoffs. Week 14’s win was huge, but the next two weeks against the Ravens and Eagles will decide the Cowboys playoff faith.

5.  Colts  10-4

Seven in a row! The Colts are on a roll and Peyton Manning is in the running as a legitimate MVP Candidate with his play down the stretch. At 10-4, the Colts are in the running for wild-card berth, but with a win and a Titans loss this week, they will have a chance to tie the Titans for the division lead heading into Week 17.

4.  Panthers 

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