NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Projecting Records for All 32 Teams

Heading into Week 12, we've seen some major changes in the power rankings as the season has progressed.

With a wild Week 11 where there were major blowouts, injuries and disappointments, it's really no surprise that a teams like the New York Jets and San Diego Chargers are falling while the Miami Dolphins and Denver Broncos are rising.

Here are the Week 12 NFL power rankings. As an extra bonus, I'll be predicting the final records for every team on this list.

32. Indianapolis Colts

With a bye week in Week 11, it's impossible to move the Indianapolis Colts from the bottom spot on the power rankings.

They've been the worst team in the league through 10 games without a doubt.

When you look at this team, there are very few areas that you see promise in.

Nearly every aspect of the offense has been horrid, and the defense hasn't been much better.

It is going to be tough for this team to climb out of the massive hole they have dug for themselves.

Final Record Prediction: 3-13

Three wins may be a little bold for this winless team, but the Colts have some soft games on the schedule with the Carolina Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars still remaining.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

If Maurice Jones-Drew was on any other team in the NFL—with exception of the Indianapolis Colts maybe—he would be constantly talked about by the major media outlets.

Unfortunately, he is stuck on the 3-7 Jacksonville Jaguars, and no one is really paying attention to another outstanding season by Jones-Drew.

The tough thing for the Jaguars is that they have been in some hard-fought games that they absolutely could have won.

I guess that is what you get when your quarterback options are Luke McCown or Blaine Gabbert.

Final Record Prediction: 3-13

The crazy thing about Jacksonville finishing the season 3-13 isn't the fact that they are going to lose their next six games, it's that they are going to lose to the Indianapolis Colts and land the top overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

30. Minnesota Vikings

When the Minnesota Vikings saw Adrian Peterson get carted off the field on Sunday, do you think that the entire state of Minnesota went into mourning?

Now with Peterson out an unknown amount of time, all eyes turn to rookie quarterback Christian Ponder.

We've seen the potential that Ponder has, and now will be his time to show this franchise that he can lead this team for the next 10 years.

The sad thing about the Vikings is that they have some real talent across their roster, but that talent hasn't produced many wins.

Final Record Prediction: 3-13

I originally had the Vikings finishing 2-14 and losing their last six games, but I think that they will steal a late game against a playoff contender to simply play the part of the spoiler.

29. St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams are much better than their current 2-8 record would suggest.

However, for some strange reason, they just can't seem to get things going this year.

While people may want to point the finger at Sam Bradford, he doesn't deserve all the blame for the Rams' hardship this year.

Sure, he deserves a good portion, but so do the other 21 starters on offense and defense, with Steven Jackson being the only possible exception.

The Rams were a preseason favorite to win the NFC West, but now they are struggling to stay away from their second No. 1 pick in the past three seasons.

Final Record Prediction: 4-12

With games against the Arizona Cardinals, Seattle Seahawks and Cincinnati Bengals remaining, the Rams should be able to win two of their final six games.

28. Arizona Cardinals

The ranking for the Arizona Cardinals really depends on who is playing quarterback that week.

It it's Kevin Kolb, they might rank a little higher.

However, with John Skelton or Richard Bartel, 28th might even be a little generous.

No player in the league is more frustrated than Larry Fitzgerald right now.

He is one of the most gifted athletes and receivers in the league, but he can't get a quarterback on his roster who can actually throw him the ball.

Just imagine the damage he would be doing if he had Aaron Rodgers or Drew Brees throwing him the football.

Final Record Prediction: 4-12

The Cardinals will come out victorious only one more time this week, and it might not be until Week 17, when they get the Seattle Seahawks at home.

27. Carolina Panthers

I really wanted to rank the Carolina Panthers lower this week, but the truth is that they aren't worse than the teams ranked below them.

While Cam Newton has started to come back to Earth in the past few weeks, he is still having one of the best rookie seasons in NFL history.

Not only has he revitalized Steve Smith's career, but he has been a major boost for the entire Panthers franchise, too.

If this team wasn't so riddled with injuries on the defensive side of the ball, they could easily be hovering closer to a .500 winning percentage.

Final Record Prediction: 4-12

This offense is too explosive to not win at least two games against a fairly weak final six opponents.

26. Seattle Seahawks

I really don't know what to make of the Seattle Seahawks this year.

On paper, there may not be a less talented team in the league.

However, once they hit the field, this team is able to play with anyone.

They've won big games against the New York Giants and Baltimore Ravens, but then they come back and lose 3-6 to the Cleveland Browns. It just doesn't make sense.

Tarvaris Jackson isn't the answer at quarterback, but when Marshawn Lynch is able to run effectively like he did against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, I'm not sure it really matters.

Final Record Prediction: 5-11

Yes, the Seahawks play four teams with losing records in the final six weeks, but I still only see them winning one game from here on out.

25. Buffalo Bills

A three-game losing streak, along with numerous injuries, has dropped the Buffalo Bills way back in the power rankings this week.

For a team that started the season 4-1 and was constantly pushed as a playoff contender, the Bills have certainly cooled off in their past five games.

Their offense is struggling, as they've only scored 26 points over their last four games.

On the defensive side of the ball, this unit is giving up more than 25 points a game.

They have struggled mightily against the pass and haven't been too good against the run, either.

Final Record Prediction: 5-11

The Bills have an underrated schedule remaining as far as difficulty goes. Each game will be tough, and I don't see them winning again this season.

24. Washington Redskins

At this point in the season, does it really matter who the Washington Redskins throw out onto the field as their quarterback?

The difference in talent between John Beck and Rex Grossman is so minuscule, it doesn't make a difference who starts one week because they will likely be on the bench in a few weeks anyways.

With a team that has no real offensive playmakers, the reason that the Redskins even rank this high is because of their defense.

This unit is young, and they are playing rather exceptionally this year.

It's truly unfortunate that the defense gets overshadowed by a poor offense, but such is the case in an offensive-driven league.

Final Record Prediction: 5-11

Even though the Redskins have lost six straight games, they have some winnable games remaining on the schedule against some teams with putrid offenses.

23. Kansas City Chiefs

The Kansas City Chiefs started the season 0-3 and looked like the worst team in the NFL.

Then they won four straight games to get everyone talking about an AFC West divisional crown.

Now they've lost three more in a row, and I'm not sure they will win another game this year.

With Tyler Palko leading this team for the remainder of the season, the offense is going to have a difficult time producing points on a consistent basis.

This is a shame because Dwayne Bowe, Steve Breaston, Dexter McCluster and Jonathan Baldwin are all dynamic players.

I can't beat up on the Chiefs too much, because any team that loses a Pro Bowl quarterback and All-Pro running back is going to struggle.

Final Record Prediction: 4-12

There will be no more wins for Kansas City this year. They might have the toughest remaining schedule in the entire league, and with no offense, I just can't see them winning another game.

22. San Diego Chargers

Seriously, what the heck happened to the San Diego Chargers?

Where did five straight losses come from?

This team is stacked offensively with Philip Rivers, Antonio Gates and Vincent Jackson, yet they are struggling to perform at a high enough level to win games.

Of course, it doesn't help when your defense is attempting to be invisible on the field.

But still, you would think they would have one at least one or two shootouts in recent weeks.

There is simply too much talent on the field in San Diego for them to be playing like they are right now.

Final Record Prediction: 8-8

The Chargers are going to turn things around to finish the season with a .500 record.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Yes, I know the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost four straight games, but anyone who watched their performance against the Green Bay Packers knows how talented this team really is.

Tampa Bay has certainly had their struggles over the first 11 weeks of the season, but Sunday's game was a definite step in the right direction.

Their offense finally played well, and even though their defense gave up 35 points, they played exceptionally well.

Sometimes you just can't do anything to stop Aaron Rodgers.

Final Record Prediction: 7-9

The playoffs are out of the picture for the Buccaneers, but three wins will at least save their season from total disaster.

20. Philadelphia Eagles

I originally had the Philadelphia Eagles ranked much, much lower on this list. Like six or seven spots lower to be exact.

However, when you look at this team, you have to believe that it is going to click sometime soon and they will finally start playing up to the potential that everyone knows they are capable of.

With so much talent on both sides of the ball, there is no doubt that Philadelphia's 4-6 record is one of the biggest surprises of the season so far.

Final Record Prediction: 7-9

This season is already a major disappointment for the Eagles, but they will at least be respectable by Week 17.

19. Miami Dolphins

No team has risen farther and faster than the Miami Dolphins in recent weeks.

Three straight emphatic wins will do that for a team.

It's been enjoyable to watch Reggie Bush, Matt Moore and the Dolphins defense play so well in recent weeks.

They've probably played well enough to let Tony Sparano keep his job for another year.

While I don't think this team is a legitimate playoff contender this year, I do think they will win a few more games before the season is over.

Final Record Prediction: 5-11

The Dolphins only play one team with a losing record in the last six weeks, and that team is the Philadelphia Eagles.

18. Denver Broncos

First, let me tell you that I am not jumping on the Tim Tebow bandwagon.

In fact, until Tebow can throw the ball better than an 11-year old girl in the Punt, Pass and Kick competition, I won't be jumping on any bandwagon.

With that said, the NFL is having a difficult time figuring out the Denver Broncos offense right now.

When Rex Ryan and the New York Jets weren't able to stop this team, it was impossible to not realize that something is going right in Denver.

Eventually, teams are going to figure out how to stop Tebow and the Broncos. That may not be for another few weeks, but it is bound to happen. Just look at the Wildcat offense.

Final Record Prediction: 8-8

Three wins and three losses sounds about right for the Broncos with their rather easy schedule from here on out.

17. Tennessee Titans

There might not be a more difficult team to get a read on than the Tennessee Titans.

At first glance, their roster doesn't look overly talented, but this is a team that is still in the playoff hunt in the AFC.

Few players have been as surprising as Matt Hasselbeck has been this year for Tennessee. Not only does it appear as if he has revitalized his career, but he has also given this team a chance to win every single week.

If only Chris Johnson could get going, this team might be able to step it up to the next level.

However, when Johnson finally appears to get on the right track, he comes back with another game where he barely averages over a yard per carry.

Final Record Prediction: 8-8

The remaining schedule for Tennessee isn't exactly favorable, but this team has shown the ability to hang with—and beat—the better teams in the league.

16. Cleveland Browns

This ranking may too be high for a 4-6 team that barely beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, but I like two major things about the Cleveland Browns.

First, I like the fact that Greg Little has stepped up to become the top target for Colt McCoy.

McCoy has desperately needed a talented receiver, and it looks like Little might finally be that player.

Secondly, I love the 115 rushing yards that Chris Ogbannaya gained on Sunday.

The Browns haven't gotten that type of performance on the ground all season long, and it is a sign that things are moving in the right direction.

This is a young team to keep your eye on for the remainder of the season.

Final Record Prediction: 6-10

Unfortunately, Cleveland has to still play the Pittsburgh Steelers and Baltimore Ravens twice in their last six games.

15. Cincinnati Bengals

Two straight close losses has brought the Cincinnati Bengals back down from the clouds.

They now sit at 6-4 and have two 7-3 teams standing in their way of making the playoffs.

The only real knock issue with Cincinnati these past few weeks have been the mental errors by Andy Dalton late in the game.

Whether is was a couple interceptions against the Pittsburgh Steelers or missing wide open receivers against the Baltimore Ravens, it's impossible to win games with the way Dalton has been playing n the fourth quarter recently.

Final Record Prediction: 8-8

The Bengals still have a game against both the Steelers and the Ravens, as well a game against the Houston Texans. Still, 8-8 is far better than anyone could have expected at the start of the season.

14. New York Jets

I seriously considered dropping the New York Jets even further down this list.

This team doesn't look anything like the team that made the AFC Championship game last year.

For New York, the problems really begin and end with Mark Sanchez.

While his numbers have improved a little this year, they are still nowhere near being quality numbers.

With each game that passes, you have to believe that Sanchez isn't the long-term answer for New York.

I guess if we are being picky, the Jets defense hasn't been all that stellar either in recent weeks. There are a few nice individual seasons taking place, but overall they just don't look like a regular Rex Ryan defense.

Final Record Prediction: 9-7

The Jets will finish with a winning record and barely sneak into the playoffs again this year.

13. Oakland Raiders

You have to like what the Oakland Raiders have done in the past two weeks with victories over the San Diego Chargers and Minnesota Vikings.

These wins become even more impressive when you realize that they happened without Darren McFadden on the field.

The fact that the Raiders have been winning without their best player is a great sign.

Once McFadden returns, Oakland will be one of the better teams in the AFC.

With the San Diego Chargers and Kansas City Chiefs fading fast, the division is the Raiders' to lose this year.

Final Record Prediction: 10-6

Oakland has some difficult games remaining on their schedule, but the only two I see them losing are against the Green Bay Packers and Detroit Lions.

12. New York Giants

Even after two straight losses, it isn't time to pull the plug on the New York Giants.

We're getting close, but we aren't there yet.

The biggest issue with the Giants is that they have absolutely no ground game happening right now.

Eli Manning is a great quarterback, but he isn't built to carry an entire team on his shoulders. He needs a balanced offense around him to really thrive.

The NFC East race will be one of the best ones to watch as the season winds down with both the Giants and Dallas Cowboys having a legitimate chance at making the playoffs.

Final Record Prediction: 9-7

It's a tough road for New York with two games remaining against Dallas, plus games against the Green Bay Packers and New Orleans Saints.

11. Houston Texans

With Matt Schaub gone for the season, no one really knows what to expect from the Houston Texans for the remainder of the season.

The big question is if Matt Leinart has become anything close to a decent quarterback over the past few years while sitting on the bench.

Even if Leinart steps onto the field and completely stinks, I think the Texans will still have a chance to win some games due to Arian Foster and Ben Tate.

They've been the focal point of the offense all year long and have been doing an outstanding job.

One big thing that Houston has going for them is the fact that Andre Johnson should be returning from an injury soon.

Final Record Prediction: 11-5

It may be a little bold to predict Leinart to win four games for Houston, but the Texans have a rather easy schedule in front of them with games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Carolina Panthers.

10. Dallas Cowboys

The Dallas Cowboys are a team on the rise.

After looking terrible for the first two months of the season, they have gone undefeated in November and currently sit in a tie atop the NFC East division.

While some may look at the Cowboys' overtime victory against the struggling Washington Redskins as a sign that this team isn't very good, that just isn't the case.

Had this team been in that situation a few weeks ago, you absolutely know that Tony Romo and Co. would have figured out how to lose that game.

However, they didn't do that, which shows me that this team is improving greatly. They are going to be a difficult team to beat from here on out.

Final Record Prediction: 11-5

With two games still to be played against the New York Giants, the Dallas Cowboys still have plenty of work to do to get to 11-5, but I think they have become one of the better teams in the league.

9. Chicago Bears

It was really difficult deciding where to put the Chicago Bears in the power rankings this week.

Had Jay Cutler not gotten injured, Chicago could have easily been one of the top five teams on this list.

However, with uncertainty at the quarterback position (yes, Caleb Hanie is an uncertainty), this team had to drop in the rankings until we see what they can do on offense without Cutler.

Yes, Matt Forte is the majority of the offense for Chicago, but he does a good part of his damage off screen plays, and I'm not confident in Hanie getting it done.

On defense, Chicago will be fine. They aren't quite good enough to carry them for the remainder of the season, but they certainly good enough to keep them in games.

Final Record Prediction: 10-6

In the next few weeks, I think we are going to see just how valuable Cutler is to this franchise.

8. Detroit Lions

It might seem crazy to rank the Detroit Lions higher than a team that absolutely destroyed them two weeks ago, but that is how big the Jay Cutler injury is.

Detroit is coming off a big victory in Week 11.

Yes, that victory came against the 2-8 Carolina Panthers, but it was the comeback that Detroit made that was so big.

The old Lions would have simply packed their bags after being down 24-7, but they didn't do that.

The most impressive thing from Sunday's win was that Matthew Stafford threw five touchdown passes, and none of them went to Calvin Johnson. That is a scary thing for the rest of the NFL.

Final Record Prediction: 10-6

The Lions still have to play the Green Bay Packers twice and the New Orleans Saints.

They will lose those three games but win the rest to barely sneak into the playoffs.

7. Atlanta Falcons

I really like what the Atlanta Falcons have been doing over the past month of the season.

They are 4-1 since their loss to the Green Bay Packers, and they look more and more complete with each game they play.

The offense is playing extremely balanced football, which makes this team difficult to beat. Once Julio Jones comes back from injury, they will be even better.

On the defensive side of the football, the Falcons are simply getting it done. They aren't overly impressive, but they are playing well enough to keep their team in every game.

It's safe to say that the Falcons are beginning to hit their stride.

Final Record Prediction: 11-5

The remaining schedule is rather favorable for the Falcons with easy games against the Jacksonville Jaguars, Minnesota Vikings and Carolina Panthers. The Week 16 matchup against the New Orleans Saints could very well decide the division winner.

6. Baltimore Ravens

Does anyone know what to make of the Baltimore Ravens?

Seriously, how can a team beat the Pittsburgh Steelers twice, but then lose to the Seattle Seahawks and Jacksonville Jaguars?

It's simply crazy how up-and-down this team has been this year.

The one constant for them has been the play of Ray Rice.

As long as he has had opportunities to touch the ball, he has been outstanding. The problem has been that at times, the Ravens will go long stretches without giving Rice the ball.

We also need to remember that Baltimore boasts one of the better defenses in the league still, and as the season moves into colder weather, that will be a huge advantage for this team.

Final Record Prediction: 10-6

Even though the Ravens have two games remaining against the Cleveland Browns, plus a game against the San Diego Chargers, I just don't feel confident putting them over a .500 record for the rest of the season.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers

Yes, I know that the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost to the Baltimore Ravens twice this year, but I still think they are a better team.

Their offense is better, and their defense is beginning to play like it did last year.

Ben Roethlisberger is having another quality season, and one can't help but think how much he loves having guys like Mike Wallace, Antonio Brown and Emmanuel Sanders to throw the ball to.

This is an offense that can stretch the field, and they have the ability to score a touchdown anytime they throw the ball.

Final Record Prediction: 12-4

The only game I see the Steelers losing for the remainder of the season is against the San Francisco 49ers on the road. Other than that, they have a pretty easy road to an AFC North crown.

4. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints have been one of the better teams in the league all year long. That should continue for the remainder of the season.

Their defense has been spotty at times, but they are an underrated group that has some serious talent.

While it would be nice to see the defense play better, I'm not sure that they really need to with such a potent offense.

Drew Brees has simply been incredible this year.

It's been a career year for him with so many weapons surrounding him. All I know is that I wouldn't want to face this team in the playoffs.

Final Record Prediction: 12-4

New Orleans has a somewhat difficult schedule remaining with games against the New York Giants, Atlanta Falcons and Detroit Lions still remaining. However, I still see them finishing the season 5-1 and winning their division.

3. New England Patriots

After a slow start against the Kansas City Chiefs Monday night, the New England Patriots put it together to win by a score of 34-3.

That is how a good team is supposed to beat a bad team.

For New England, the key to the remainder of the season is balanced football.

Yes, Tom Brady is one of the best, but this team needs to have a ground game for him to be effective. For the past few weeks, they have gotten great production from their running backs, which is a good sign.

The defense is improving and causing turnovers, which is what made them so effective last year. All in all, the Patriots remain the team to beat in the AFC.

Final Record Prediction: 13-3

There will be no more losses for New England as they face no team with a current winning record for the rest of the year.

2. San Francisco 49ers

For a moment, I really considered putting the San Francisco 49ers at the top spot of the power rankings due to the fact that they have been winning rather emphatically these past few weeks.

However, I just couldn't do it.

The 49ers may very well be the most complete football team in the league.

Their offense is balanced, and they are actually beginning to play much better. Guys like Vernon Davis and Michael Crabtree are starting to perform at a high level, which is a scary thought.

There simply isn't a better defensive team in the NFL right now.

They perform well in every aspect of the game, and they are especially stout against the run. This is a tough, tough team to beat right now.

Final Record Prediction: 14-2

A game against the Baltimore Ravens on the road will be the only loss for the 49ers for the rest of the season.

1. Green Bay Packers

Even with a less-than-stellar performance this week, the Green Bay Packers are still the team to beat in the NFL.

They are undefeated, and this offense is simply unstoppable.

Aaron Rodgers is the greatest player alive right now. As long as he can stay healthy, Green Bay has a chance to win any game. He is playing that well.

A huge concern for this team is still their defense.

I'm not sure how much farther this unit can bend before it actually breaks, but they are getting pretty close to breaking.

They need to get back to playing like they did last year, and they need to do it soon.

Final Record Prediction: 16-0

I was going to say 15-1, but this offense is too good. It's literally going to take 35 points to beat this team, and I just don't see that happening.