2023 B/R NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Entering Week 13?
Twelve weeks into the 2023 NFL season, we're finding out how much we don't know about the league.
A month ago, the Denver Broncos would have been completely written off. But after downing an injury-ravaged Cleveland Browns team Sunday, Denver is 6-5 and winners of five straight. The Green Bay Packers are surging as well after shocking the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving. Meanwhile, the team that was once the NFL's greatest dynasty is a complete dumpster fire, the Buffalo Bills are .500 12 weeks in and on the outside of the playoffs looking in, and we had our second in-season head coach firing of 2023.
That's not even half of the happenings in Week 12 alone. The NFL may be many things. Boring ain't one of them.
As is the case every week here at Bleacher Report, NFL Analysts Gary Davenport, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have come together to review the week that was and slot the league's teams from worst to first headed into lucky Week 13.
As has been the case for a while now, we begin in Carolina—with a one-win team looking for a new coach.
32. Carolina Panthers (1-10)
1 of 32
Last Week: 32
Week 12 Result: Lost at Tennessee 17-10
Welcome one and all to Platitudes Theater's weekly production of, "Things Aren't as Bad as They Seem in Carolina."
Every week, the Panthers come out and lay an egg on the field—and every week, head coach Frank Reich tells reporters afterward that despite the fact Carolina only has one victory this season, things aren't as dire as they appear.
"You think somebody's gonna magically fix everything? No," Reich said. "We lost a close football game today. These games are winnable. That message doesn't fly when you're 1-10, but I know these games are winnable, I know we have the players and the coaches to do that, so we regroup and get ready for this week."
Quarterback Bryce Young, who failed to throw for 200 yards against a weak Titans secondary, admitted the losses are wearing on the team while vowing to keep fighting the good fight.
"We all feel it," Young said. "Obviously it's difficult. We all don't feel great. We just lean on each other in these moments. That's really all we can do."
Young isn't going anywhere for a while—the Panthers mortgaged their future to draft him first overall. But Reich's weekly speeches are over—he was fired Monday.
31. New England Patriots (2-9)
2 of 32
Last Week: 31
Week 12 Result: Lost at New York Giants 10-7
The New England Patriots are officially a dumpster fire.
Sunday's loss in New York was a new nadir in a season filled with them. After failing to name a starting quarterback until just before game time, Bill Belichick went with Mac Jones—and then yanked him for Bailey Zappe after Jones threw a pair of interceptions. Zappe threw one of his own too—the combined passer rating of New England's quarterbacks was 33.4 Sunday. They threw for 136 yards without a touchdown.
After the loss, Belichick offered a terse assessment of what everyone already knows—the Pats are a disaster offensively.
"We've just got to do a better job, obviously," he said. "I think there were too many things that we didn't expect to happen. So, we just need to a better job of No. 1 taking care of the ball and taking care of our opportunities. That's all the way across the board. Just too much poor ball security on offense."
"Every NFL coach and player hopes to go out on top—to ride off into the sunset after a Super Bowl win like John Elway," Davenport said. "But that's not usually what happens—they hang on too long, the bottom falls out and their career ends with a whimper instead of a bang. That's what is happening with Belichick—and while I can't imagine Robert Kraft would fire him before the season ends, this is it. This is the end of the line. The Patriots are terrible. Belichick appears to have lost the locker room. It's time for him to call it a career before he embarrasses himself any further."
"The New England Patriots would be the worst team in the league if not for the Carolina Panthers," Moton added. "At least the Arizona Cardinals can use Kyler Murray's absence as a reason for their 2-10 record. New England needs a full reboot, and that reset might involve Belichick's departure. His squad has completely fallen apart and may need a new voice in the locker room."
30. Arizona Cardinals (2-10)
3 of 32
Last Week: 28
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Los Angeles Rams 37-14
Sunday's home game with the Los Angeles Rams was a long day for the Arizona Cardinals in the midst of an even longer season.
Defensively, the Cardinals were gouged for over 450 yards of offense and allowed over 200 total yards to Rams running back Kyren Williams. Offensively, the Redbirds failed to clear 300 yards and converted just six of 17 third-down attempts.
After the game, head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters that Sunday's effort was flatly unacceptable.
"Not good enough obviously today," Gannon said. "We didn't match their level of effort and enthusiasm throughout the game. That falls solely on me. When you get beat like that, you've got to take a good, hard look at how we're setting up the week, because it really wasn't competitive in my mind."
However, Sobleski expressed another opinion given the circumstances of Arizona's season.
"The Cardinals are right where they need to be," he wrote. "As of now, they currently sit in the two-hole for the 2024 NFL draft with a 2-10 record. Coming into this year, many already considered Arizona one of the league's worst rosters, if not the worst overall. This season was going to be a wash no matter what. But it's all about building the foundation toward the direction the franchise intends to go. Right now, Arizona is positioned well to either A) draft another quarterback, B) add an elite talent like Ohio State wide receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. or C) leverage its future pick for extra assets."
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29. Chicago Bears (4-8)
4 of 32
Last Week: 27
Week 12 Result: Won at Minnesota 12-10
Entering Monday's trip to Minnesota, the Chicago Bears were mired in yet another miserable season. Embattled head coach Matt Eberflus was trying for his first victory against an NFC North opponent in 10 tries.
Eberflus got that win, albeit in rather hideous fashion—a 12-10 win the Bears tried to give away despite four Vikings turnovers in which Chicago failed to score a touchdown.
The Bears may have won Monday, but in the opinion of Jason Lieser of the Chicago Sun-Times, this patchwork effort does little to improve the coach's non-existent job security:
"...Was anyone convinced enough by this to throw out what they've seen over Eberflus' first season and a half? Did it make anyone forget what happened just eight days earlier against the Lions?
"Eberflus still has the worst record of any coach in Bears history at 7-22, and this was his lone win in the NFC North at a time when the entire division has been rebuilding to some extent. If team president Kevin Warren and general manager Ryan Poles were to ask him to point to a signature victory, he couldn't. This definitely wasn't it."
If you watched the "win," it's kind of hard to argue.
28. New York Giants (4-8)
5 of 32
Last Week: 30
Week 12 Result: Won vs. New England 10-7
The play of rookie quarterback Tommy (not Danny) DeVito over the past couple of weeks has given the Giants a spark. But a two-game winning streak and a victory over a pathetic Patriots team doesn't salvage what has been a miserable season in New York.
That misery has apparently taken its toll.
Per ESPN's Jordan Raanan, Sunday morning Jay Glazer of Fox Sports reported that the working relationship between head coach Brian Daboll and defensive coordinator Don Martindale has grown tense to the point that the two are almost certain to part ways.
While talking to reporters after the game, Daboll downplayed the report.
"The biggest argument that Wink and I have had is who has the last piece of pizza," Daboll said. "Have a lot of respect for Wink. He's done a good job. Leave it at that. I've got a lot of respect for Wink. He's a heck of a coach. I'm glad he's on the staff."
"It's obvious that if there really is a rift between Daboll and Martindale," Davenport said, "that the latter will be the one leaving—New York isn't firing the 2022 Coach of the Year, even after this season's face plant. But it's a decision the G-Men could come to regret. Martindale is an excellent defensive coordinator beloved by his players, and the defense ain't the reason the Giants only have four wins this season. If Daboll's smart, he'll make an effort to mend fences here—he doesn't have the resume to go full Napoleon yet."
For Moton, Week 12 was more about bright spots than brouhahas.
"At 4-8, in full roster evaluation mode for the future, the New York Giants may have caught a glimpse of a rising playmaker in rookie third-round wideout Jalin Hyatt," he said. "On Sunday, against the Patriots, Hyatt had his most productive game as a pro, catching five passes for 109 yards. Because of his speed, he's a potential spark plug for the aerial attack regardless of who starts under center. If Hyatt can post an eye-catching stat line with undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito under center, imagine what he can do with a blue-chip rookie quarterback coming out of the 2024 draft. No disrespect to Daniel Jones, but if the Giants land a top-10 pick, they should absolutely draft a signal-caller."
27. Washington Commanders (4-8)
6 of 32
Last Week: 26
Week 12 Result: Lost at Dallas 45-10
You knew it was coming. After the Commanders got blasted on Thanksgiving for their eighth loss in 10 games, you knew that someone's head was going to roll. The only question was who it would be.
Well, head coach Ron Rivera is still employed for now. But defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio was shown the door Friday. Rivera also fired defensive backs coach Brent Vieselmeyer and will assume defensive play-calling duties the rest of the season.
"If you don't change things, can you expect things to change?" Rivera told reporters. "So that's what I'm doing, to see if things will change. I mean it's not an indictment of Jack and Brent because those guys worked their asses off trying to get things right and trying to do things for us. It's just, for whatever reason, it wasn't coming together. We haven't played as well as we would like to have this season. We're all culpable, believe me. We all are, coaches and players as a group."
Things aren't going to change. These firings won't fix an atrocious offensive line. Or a defensive front that has seen the front office trade away its two best edge-rushers. And after five more games, Rivera is going to be fired, too. Book it.
This is rearranging deck chairs on the Titanic. To pretend it's anything but is insulting to a fanbase that's already been through enough.
26. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
7 of 32
Last Week: 23
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Kansas City 31-17
For a time Sunday, it appeared that the Las Vegas Raiders could be set to post their biggest victory of the 2023 season. But a 14-0 lead quickly turned into a 31-17 defeat, and as Bleacher Report's resident expert on all things Raiders wrote, the team's ability to start but not to finish is bringing about changes in Sin City.
"Over the last two weeks, against the Miami Dolphins and Kansas City Chiefs, the Raiders have scored 27 points in the first halves of those games and just three points in the second halves," Moton said. "Clearly, Las Vegas can run effective scripts early in games, but its inexperienced coaching staff has failed to make the necessary in-game adjustments to battle playoff-caliber teams for 60 minutes. The Raiders are also short on talent across the roster. They need a couple more Maxx Crosby-type players on defense and an upgrade at right tackle.
"Furthermore, interim head coach Antonio Pierce and defensive coordinator Patrick Graham may have an important decision on how they fill a void in the secondary after the team's Week 13 bye. According to The Athletic's Vic Tafur, the Raiders will release starting cornerback Marcus Peters, which will result in changes for the base and nickel defenses. They could move Nate Hobbs from the slot to the perimeter and insert Tyler Hall in the nickel spot or simply insert Jack Jones into the starting boundary position. Sure, the Raiders can beat sub-.500 teams like the New York Giants and New York Jets, but they're clearly a step behind clubs with playoff or Super Bowl aspirations."
25. Tennessee Titans (4-7)
8 of 32
Last Week: 29
Week 12 Result: Won vs. Carolina 17-10
The Tennessee Titans have struggled this season. But for one week at least, all it took to turn things around was a return to Nissan Stadium in Nashville—and a return to their run-heavy ways.
To be clear, the Titans offense didn't exactly tear it up—Tennessee had just 264 yards of offense for the game, and Derrick Henry managed just 76 rushing yards on 18 carries. But Henry found the end zone twice and became the eighth running back in NFL history to run for at least 9,000 yards and at least 80 touchdowns before turning 30.
After the victory, head coach Mike Vrabel told reporters what just about everyone who has watched the Titans more than once already knows—as goes Henry, so go the Titans.
"He wants to impact the game," Vrabel said. "I know that, and we want to let him. Proud of him, the career that he's had thus far (with) 9,000 yards. You know (we) need 10,000."
The Titans have been a very different team at home this year—Sunday's win was Tennessee's fourth in as many tries at home this season.
But even with four of their last six games at home this year, the Titans are going to be hard-pressed to inject themselves into the AFC wild-card race.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)
9 of 32
Last Week: 22
Week 12 Result: Lost at Indianapolis 27-20
It's been a rough go for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers since they came out of their Week 5 bye.
Sunday's loss to the Indianapolis Colts was Tampa's sixth in seven games since the team's bye week. Four of those losses (including this last one) were one-score affairs. For linebacker Devin White, it has simply been a matter of failing to make the plays on both sides of the ball necessary to close out games.
"It's just not finishing at the end," White told reporters. "It's not like we're going out there doing our thing and getting demolished by any teams. I think that's the hardest thing is that we're in every game and we're making plays, but we've got to kind of limit some other things so we can get over the top and win those games."
Offensively, the Buccaneers managed fewer than 300 yards of offense. Defensively, the team allowed 27 points despite Indianapolis converting just two of 11 third-down attempts. The reasons may change from week to week, but the results have been depressingly consistent. And at this point in what is shaping up as a lost season in Tampa, the team needs to face a cold, hard, fact.
A full-bore rebuild is coming—and necessary.
23. New York Jets (4-7)
10 of 32
Last Week: 20
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Miami 34-13
The New York Jets are teetering.
Don't let the score fool you—the Jets defense played reasonably well Friday against the Dolphins. But as has been the case so often this season, a pathetic New York offense could do nothing. The Jets had 159 yards of total offense, and many of those came on one meaningless drive. While talking to reporters after the game, wide receiver Garrett Wilson admitted that at this point, he doesn't know what to say.
"I don't know what I could tell y'all, I don't know what to tell the fans, I don't know what they want to hear. I'm out of words. I'm out," Wilson said. "I can't think of anything. I can't think of anything. We're going to keep grinding, we're going to keep rolling. But as far as giving a sound bite or something to keep the faith, I'm not even going to try this week."
One of our analysts, however, has plenty of words.
"By the time Aaron Rodgers is healthy, he's going to be playing for a new (possibly handpicked) head coach—because Robert Saleh is coaching himself right out of a job. He isn't ready to let Trevor Siemian start at quarterback despite the fact that Tim Boyle looked like Tim Boyle against Miami and Siemian was at least serviceable at times over his career. He's not ready to strip Nathaniel "Maybe He Really Was the Problem in Denver" Hackett of play-calling duties despite the Jets offense being more predictable than Bridgeton High School, because he's afraid of angering Rodgers (that's right—I said it). The Jets are completely lost right now—and Saleh has zero answers for how to turn things around."
22. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7)
11 of 32
Last Week: 18
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Baltimore 20-10
Despite losing yet another seemingly winnable game Sunday night to fall to 4-7, Los Angeles Chargers head coach Brandon Staley told reporters after the loss that he's convinced his team can get back into the postseason race in the AFC.
"Our focus is on beating New England. That's where our focus needs to be. The AFC is wide open. It will be till the end, like it has been. The only way we're going to have a shot is if we beat New England. That's where our focus needs to be right now," Staley said. "We just have to hang tough. We're going to have to put this one behind us tomorrow and get on to New England."
Um…no.
The Chargers will probably beat the Patriots because the Patriots are a terrible football team. But the Chargers aren't going to the playoffs. Not with a pass defense that couldn't cover a bed with a sheet. Not with a wide receiver corps that has been ravaged by injuries. And not with a head coach who seemingly never met a bad in-game decision he didn't like.
The Chargers need to be looking toward 2024. And Step 1 in that regard is beginning the search for a new head coach.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)
12 of 32
Last Week: 15
Week 12 Results: Lost vs. Pittsburgh 16-10
Jake Browning is not Joe Burrow. This is not news. The Cincinnati Bengals knew that in order to have success moving forward, they were going to need to have success running the ball.
Unfortunately, the Pittsburgh Steelers knew that, too. And Sunday they completely eradicated the Cincy ground game, limiting the team to 25 yards on 11 carries.
Per Paul Dehner Jr. of The Athletic, head coach Zac Taylor acknowledged that the Bengals are going to be hard-pressed to win much from here out if they can't run the ball.
"When you run the ball, we need to get more production out of that," Taylor said. "It takes the pressure off the pass game. That's what they rely on, taking off the run. We've got to do a better job managing the drives as we go and put ourselves in a little bit more advantageous situations. If you can put yourself in a situation where you call more runs and you're not at second-and-10, second-and-long, third-and-longer, you get more runs off, and eventually, some of those runs start to get you bigger gains. We didn't get an opportunity to get enough runs off."
"Sunday was a reality check for anyone who didn't think that Cincinnati's season ended the moment that Joe Burrow's did," Davenport said. "As a matter of fact, this is a team legitimately better served by losing every game the rest of the way. After paying Burrow, the Bengals need all the inexpensive talent on rookie deals they can get. Having more losses equals a better pick come next April."
20. New Orleans Saints (5-6)
13 of 32
Last Week: 16
Week 12 Result: Lost at Atlanta 24-15
Blake Grupe may be the most valuable player for the New Orleans Saints. Blake Grupe is a kicker.
That's not good.
All season, the New Orleans Saints have struggled to score touchdowns. The problem reared its head again Sunday in Atlanta—while Derek Carr topped 300 passing yards and the Saints racked up 444 yards of offense, they scored exactly zero touchdowns in a disappointing loss to the Falcons.
Speaking of disappointing, the Saints spent a lot of money to make Carr the team's quarterback, and while the veteran isn't the team's only issue (or even the biggest one), as Moton pointed out, the team's return on investment hasn't been great.
"Back in the offseason, the Saints thought the addition of Carr would solve their offensive inefficiencies, but the team's point totals have trended in the wrong direction since Week 8," he said. "Now, the Saints offense may have to find its rhythm with a short-handed group. Right tackle Ryan Ramczyk, center Erik McCoy, wideout Chris Olave, wide receiver Rashid Shaheed and tight end Juwan Johnson left the previous game with injuries. Keep in mind that the team placed wideout Michael Thomas (knee) on injured reserve last week. Carr struggled with a healthy supporting cast. Now, he may have to stabilize the group. Perhaps the Saints rely heavily on running back Alvin Kamara and versatile playmaker Taysom Hill in the coming weeks.
"The Saints have lost back-to-back games, and in Week 13, they'll face an angry Detroit Lions team that lost to the Green Bay Packers on Thanksgiving. Carr should start showing why New Orleans paid him the big bucks this past offseason...if he can."
19. Los Angeles Rams (5-6)
14 of 32
Last Week: 24
Week 12 Result: Won at Arizona 37-14
It has been an up-and-down season for the Los Angeles Rams. Injuries have hit the offense hard, with quarterback Matthew Stafford, running back Kyren Williams and wide receiver Cooper Kupp all missing time.
But Sunday in Arizona, Williams rejoined Kupp and Stafford on the field—and the Rams dismantled the Cardinals.
Williams was the star of Sunday's game, piling up 204 total yards and two touchdowns on 22 touches. And in Sobleski's opinion, if the Rams are going to nudge their way into the NFC playoff picture, the second-year running back is the key.
"When it comes to the Rams, it's time to go all-in with Kyren Williams," he said. "The Rams activated their lead back Saturday after a stint on short-term injured reserve because of an ankle injury. Despite the coaching staff's preference to limit Williams' touches coming off the injury, nothing slowed Williams, especially not the Cardinals defense. The second-year back provided 204 yards from scrimmage and two touchdowns. In fact, he averaged 9.3 yards per touch. The performance isn't a one-game aberration, either. Williams ran for 100 or more yards in three of his last four appearances, including back-to-back 140-yard efforts. As talented as the Rams are at wide receiver, their running back should be the focal point."
18. Green Bay Packers (5-6)
15 of 32
Last Week: 25
Week 12 Result: Won at Detroit 29-22
Reports of the demise of the Green Bay Packers may have been exaggerated.
And if the Packers can push their way back into the race in the NFC North, the team will have Jordan Love to thank for it.
After struggling over the first half of the 2023 season, Green Bay's quarterback has looked light-years better in recent weeks—Packers head coach Matt LaFleur admitted as much while addressing reporters after the Pack won in convincing fashion over the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving Day.
"It's given us a lot of confidence to be a little bit more aggressive with some of the calls," LaFleur said. "When you're trusting your offensive line, when you're trusting your quarterback to facilitate and get the ball where it needs to go and throw on rhythm, that allows you to do that. We had a lot of I would say deeper developing plays and hit a lot of intermediate throws for some chunk plays that ended up being big for us."
The Green Bay pass rush was ferocious in the game, harassing Jared Goff constantly. Wide receiver Christian Watson had his best game of the season. Love tied a career high with three touchdown passes. It was the team's best performance of the season. But there's little time to celebrate.
Next week the Packers host the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs.
17. Atlanta Falcons (5-6)
16 of 32
Last Week: 21
Week 12 Result: Won vs. New Orleans 24-15
The Atlanta Falcons came out of the bye week on a three-game skid and in need of a win in the worst way. The victory the team got over the New Orleans Saints wasn't overly stylish, but veteran defensive lineman Calais Campbell told reporters afterward that Atlanta's players knew this was one they needed to have.
"This was an important game, and we knew the potential that it had for us," Campbell said. "This team is a team that has underachieved for a while, feel like we could have been so much better than we have been playing. All right, all that doesn't matter no more. Go into the bye, make our corrections and just go get one win against a division opponent at home that would put us in first place."
Sure enough, by virtue of a victory keyed by rookie running back Bijan Robinson on offense and a defense that held the Saints out of the end zone, the Falcons are in first place in the NFC South.
The bigger question, however, may be just how much being in first place in that division really matters. Every team in the NFC South has a losing record. Every team in that division has significant flaws.
And no team in the NFC South is scaring the Powers That Be in the NFC even a little.
16. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
17 of 32
Last Week: 14
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Chicago 12-10
Over the past few weeks, quarterback Josh Dobbs was something of a folk hero in Minnesota.
After leading the Vikings to wins in his first two games, fans loved Dobbs. Teammates like wide receiver Justin Jefferson gushed about what his athleticism brought to the offense.
"He's been doing some tremendous things, things that will keep you speechless," Jefferson told reporters.
Well, fans were pretty speechless Monday night against the Bears. Or at least the words they said I can't print here.
Yes, Dobbs led the Vikings on a go-ahead drive in the fourth quarter before the Bears drove back down the field for a game-winning field goal. But that drive came after a horrific outing in which he was picked off four times.
The Vikings had less than 250 yards of offense and lost at home to a Bears team that hadn't won a game in the division since 2021.
"Who knew that a quarterback on his third team since August might not be a franchise savior?" Davenport said. "Yes, Dobbs' scrambling ability makes him entertaining to watch, but there's a reason he only won one start with the Arizona Cardinals—and part of that reason is he makes bad decisions and turns the ball over. If the Vikings want to move on from Kirk Cousins after this season, fine. But the notion that Dobbs could be anything more than a stopgap was always a fantasy. And Monday night, Cinderella turned back into a pumpkin."
That's not how the story goes, but you get the gist.
15. Indianapolis Colts (6-5)
18 of 32
Last Week: 19
Week 12 Result: Won vs. Tampa Bay 27-20
Don't look now, but if the season ended today, the Indianapolis Colts would be in the playoffs.
After getting past the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Sunday, the Colts sit at 6-5 and in the No. 7 seed in the AFC bracket. As Sobleski pointed out, given all that's happened to the team, that's quite the achievement.
"This season hasn't gone as planned for the Colts," he said. "One could easily argue that it's gone better. After last year's disastrous campaign, Indianapolis currently owns a 6-5 record and a wild-card playoff spot. Obviously, plenty can change over the next six weeks. Even so, this squad has already dealt with another coaching hire, a new offensive system and accompanying philosophies, Jonathan Taylor's holdout/lingering ankle injury, Isaiah Rodgers' suspension and subsequent release, Anthony Richardson's season-ending shoulder injury, Grover Stewart's suspension and Shaquille Leonard's surprise release this year. Indianapolis' current record is a testament to what Shane Steichen and Co. are building and its highly promising."
Now, with six games to go in the season, nothing is certain. But the Colts have just two games left against teams with winning records (a Week 15 tilt with the Pittsburgh Steelers and a Week 18 date with the Houston Texans) and both those games are at Lucas Oil Stadium.
Ten wins aren't out of the question. And 10 wins likely means the postseason.
14. Cleveland Browns (7-4)
19 of 32
Last Week: 10
Week 12 Result: Lost at Denver 29-12
It was bound to happen sooner or later.
For all the success the Cleveland Browns have had in the face of adversity, at some point all the injuries were just going to be too much to overcome. And with rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson (concussion) and star edge-rusher Myles Garrett (shoulder) and top wide receiver Amari Cooper (ribs) sidelined Sunday in Denver, it finally was.
Garrett's injury has the potential to be an absolute crusher. But he told reporters after the game that he's going to do everything in his power to get back on the field as soon as possible.
"I've played through things that should have sidelined me before," Garrett said. "I'm gonna continue to fight and gonna do what's best for the team and for myself. We have high hopes for this season and what we're gonna do. And nothing like this is gonna hold us back or me back."
However, Davenport believes this could be the straw the broke the proverbial camel's back.
"What the Browns have accomplished without their starting quarterback (Deshaun Watson) and best offensive player (running back Nick Chubb) is impressive," Davenport said. "But now the team's best defensive player is also banged up, and the team could be looking at starting either P.J. Walker or Joe Flacco (no, really) this week against the Rams. Right now, a late-season tailspin is looking more likely than a playoff run—and that's a very Cleveland outcome to what was not long ago a promising season."
13. Seattle Seahawks (6-5)
20 of 32
Last Week: 12
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. San Francisco 31-13
The Seattle Seahawks are in trouble.
The Seahawks team that entered Thursday night's beatdown at 6-4 is a mirage. An illusion. The façade of a good team covering an also-ran. And against the San Francisco 49ers, that façade was torn away.
The absence of running back Kenneth Walker III and a banged-up Geno Smith played a part, but Seattle's offense continues to be a mess. Seattle has gone seven straight quarters without an offensive touchdown and has only three in the last four games. The Seahawks are struggling badly on third down, going just 3-of-11 Thursday night after entering Week 12 ranked 31st in the league in third-down conversions.
However, Smith isn't ready to give up on the Seattle offense.
"I still believe in the guys that we have," Smith told reporters. "Still believe in our coaches. Still believe in the players. I think it's been a tough stretch for us, but I believe things will turn around. What we have to do is continue to work hard, if not work harder. There is no excuse for it. There are no words that I can say that will make it better. What needs to be done is we need to work harder. We need to find a way. We got a lot of talent. We got a lot of good players on this offense. We got the right coaches. So, we got to believe, continue to stay consistent in our work, and then we just got to work harder and find a way."
They'd better find that way fast. Thursday the Seahawks travel to Dallas to face a surging Cowboys team that hasn't lost at home in 13 games.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4)
21 of 32
Last Week: 13
Week 12 Result: Won at Cincinnati 16-10
After last week's loss to the Cleveland Browns, the Pittsburgh Steelers fired embattled offensive coordinator Matt Canada. Sunday against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Steelers did something they haven't done in well over three seasons.
Not only did the Steelers top 400 total yards for the first time in (this is not a typo) 58 regular-season games, but for the first time this season, Pittsburgh outgained its opponent. After the victory, quarterback Kenny Pickett celebrated the team's offensive performance while speaking to reporters.
"We all know what we're capable of," Pickett said. "We know we're capable of putting that kind of offense out there every week. We just weren't able to do it in these previous weeks, but it was awesome. It feels good to come together like that and put out a great game."
Now, before confetti rains from the heavens, we're still not talking about the Greatest Show on Turf here—despite all that yardage the Steelers managed just one touchdown. But Pittsburgh piled up 153 yards on the ground and converted almost half its third downs.
These Steelers don't need to be great offensively—not with the defense the team has. It just needed to be better than it was under Canada.
Sunday at least, the results were promising.
"Pittsburgh finally rejoined the rest of the league in enjoying modern offensive football," Sobleski said. "The Steelers snapped a 58-game streak of futility—the second-longest in modern football—by finally eclipsing 400 yards of offense. It just so happens this feat occurred the first game after the team finally dismissed Matt Canada as offensive coordinator. Quarterbacks coach Mike Sullivan took over play-calling duties and helped create a more balanced and holistic approach. Tight end Pat Freiermuth emerged as the new star with career highs of nine catches for 120 yards against the rival Bengals."
11. Denver Broncos (6-5)
22 of 32
Last Week: 17
Week 12 Result: Won vs. Cleveland 29-12
Not that long ago, it appeared that the Denver Broncos had a better chance of earning a top-five draft pick in 2024 than making the postseason in 2023. It looked like the Sean Payton trade was every bit the boondoggle that the Russell Wilson deal appeared to be the season before.
Five weeks (and wins) later, the Broncos are above .500 and on the fringes of the AFC playoff picture. Denver's winning streak may have surprised a lot of people, but Wilson told reporters he never doubted for a moment that the Broncos were capable of turning things around.
"I've never doubted. I've never doubted our football team [and] where we could go," Wilson said. "I think the biggest thing is just understanding that we've lost some close games, and we lost some tough games early but that helps you prepare and understand that it's a long journey. We have a lot more ahead of us—lots more football. A lot more great teams ahead of us. We have to stay focused on us. The biggest thing that Broncos Country is feeling us as players organizationally, inside that building, and most importantly inside that locker room is a relentless belief in each other. A relentless belief in the coaches and who we are and where we're going—and what it takes to win. I think that we're starting to learn what it takes to win. That's a good thing in this building and we need that. We have to stay the course there."
The Broncos haven't just been beating tomato cans, either—four of the five wins during the streak have come against teams that are .500 or better. More tests await at Houston next week and in Detroit two weeks after that.
But the Broncos have gone from easy out to the team no one wants to play.
10. Houston Texans (6-5)
23 of 32
Last Week: 11
Week 12 Results: Lost vs. Jacksonville 24-21
Frankly, if the Houston Texans didn't win another game this season, the 2023 campaign might still exceed expectations. But rookie phenom C.J. Stroud has already sailed this team past "improvement" and "respectability." These Texans are trying to stun the NFL and make the postseason.
Sunday's close loss to the Jaguars didn't help the team's chances of doing so. But Stroud told reporters that if you think these Texans are going to wilt after this setback, you have another thing coming.
"It's a long season, man. I don't think it hurts us like that. Of course, divisional [opponent], you want to win the game," Stroud said. "It hurts us pretty significant, man. It's about the mindset, though. What are we going to do? Not play anymore? We're just going to tuck our tail and not play hard? No, I don't really believe in that type of mindset."
"The Texans lost Sunday," Davenport said, "but Stroud's legend just continues to grow. After 304 passing yards against the Jaguars, he has more passing yards through the first 11 games of a career than any quarterback in NFL history. He's the only rookie quarterback in NFL history to top 300 passing yards in four consecutive games. And he's on pace to become the first 5,000-yard rookie the NFL has ever seen. Whether the Texans win a playoff game or even make the postseason, they already won the 2023 campaign. They did so the moment they drafted Stroud."
9. Buffalo Bills (6-6)
24 of 32
Last Week: 8
Week 12 Result: Lost at Philadelphia 37-34 (OT)
Sunday in Philadelphia, the Buffalo Bills had a golden opportunity to make a huge statement—to not only get back to two games over .500 but to show that they remain a legitimate Super Bowl contender. And for a time, it looked like the Bills were going to pull it off.
Instead, Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts tore the Bills' still-beating heart from their chest with a game-winning touchdown run in overtime. Now, a fourth straight AFC East title is all but certainly out of the picture. And making the playoffs at all is no sure bet.
After the devastating loss, veteran safety Micah Hyde allowed that this one hurts—and that it's a continuation of a theme that has dogged the team all season.
"You'd definitely like to get that win, get some momentum going into the bye and KC (in two weeks), but you got to live with it, swallow it, and find a way to correct the things that we haven't been able to correct in the first 12 games," Hyde told reporters. "That's the NFL, man. You're on one side or the other. We've been fortunate enough around here for a long time to be on the winning side, and it seems like this year, every game comes down to the last two minutes. It's unfortunate. We could have nine or 10 wins. But that's a fantasy land and in real life we understand what our record is."
Now the Bills enter their bye week in desperation mode—and with a trip to Arrowhead to face the Chiefs and a home date with the Cowboys coming after, the season is in very real danger of spiraling out of control.
8. Detroit Lions (8-3)
25 of 32
Last Week: 3
Week 12 Result: Lost vs. Green Bay 29-22
The Detroit Lions took to the gridiron at a raucous Ford Field on Thanksgiving Day with their best record at this point in the season in 60 years. With a chance to sweep the Green Bay Packers and show that they are head and shoulders better than any team in the NFC North.
They left the field facing serious questions about their viability as a Super Bowl contender.
For the second straight week, the Lions turned the ball over. For the second straight week, Detroit's defense played poorly. But despite those disturbing trends of late, Lions head coach Dan Campbell insisted to reporters after the loss that there won't be any panicking in Motown.
"The easy thing is to get into panic mode," said. "I know what it looks like, and we've been good enough out there, but I'm not panicked. We got the right guys who know how to play. We're going to clean some things up, and we'll have six (games) to go when we get back. And the fight is on now. I mean, they think these are going to be some cruise control. We're going to have to fight and scratch and fight and claw for everything, man. We have to. That's the type of team we are. That's where we're at."
"Campbell may not be worried," Davenport said. "But he should be—especially about the Lions defense. The past couple of weeks, the Lions have looked a lot more like the unit that finished 2022 last in the league defensively. The Lions may have some breathing room in the division race, but they also finish the season with two matchups with Minnesota sandwiched around a trip to Dallas. If the Lions play over that stretch the way they have the past two weeks, they could see their first division title since 1993 slip through their fingers."
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)
26 of 32
Last Week: 9
Week 12 Results: Won at Houston 24-21
Week 12 was an important test for the Jacksonville Jaguars—and a chance for payback. For the Jaguars to be considered among the AFC's elite, they need to be able to take out a quality opponent on the road. The Jaguars were also smoked by the Texans earlier this season in Jacksonville.
It wasn't easy, but the Jaguars got that payback. And at 8-3, the Jags are tied for the best record in the conference. After the victory, quarterback Trevor Lawrence lauded the win as a statement by the Jaguars that they are a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
"For us to be able to continue to control our own destiny, it's up to us and how we play," Lawrence told reporters. "If we keep winning, we don't have anything to worry about. We're going to find ourselves in a good spot. In that sense, it's a huge game."
There's one more big test left on Jacksonville's regular-season schedule—in Week 15, the Jags will host the top-seeded Ravens at EverBank Stadium. But that's just one of two games against teams with winning records left on the slate.
At this point, the conversation is less about the Jaguars making the postseason. Or winning the AFC South.
Now, it's about home-field advantage—and then on to Las Vegas for the franchise's first Super Bowl.
6. Miami Dolphins (8-3)
27 of 32
Last Week: 7
Week 12 Result: Won at New York Jets 34-13
That the Dolphins boatraced a punchless New York Jets team in Week 12 isn't all that surprising. It would have been more surprising had Miami not won running away.
But this was a costly victory—the Dolphins lost their best edge-rusher for the season when Jaelan Phillips became just the latest player to tear his Achilles tendon on the turf at MetLife Stadium. Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel acknowledged to reporters after the game that losing Phillips was a blow.
"Everyone knows how bad he wants to take steps in his game and be absolutely great in this league, which he has and I'm very proud of him the whole season and it's very, very tough in the short term from my vantage point," he said. "If it's the worst-case scenario, it's also you get a chance to write your own story. He's the type of person and he has the right mindset where he'll be able to turn anything that's perceived as negative into eventual positive. But this is going to be tough."
Against the Jets, Phillips' absence was barely noticed. It probably won't matter at Washington. Or home against the Titans and Jets. But the Dolphins close the season with a three-game gauntlet against the Cowboys, Ravens and Bills.
And against those teams (and in the postseason), the Dolphins defense will need all the help it can get.
5. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
28 of 32
Last Week: 6
Week 12 Result: Won vs. Washington 45-10
There's room for debate as to whether the Dallas Cowboys belong in the same tier as the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC. After all, two of the Cowboys' three losses this season are to those teams.
But two things can't be debated. The first is that you don't want any part of playing the Cowboys at AT&T Stadium. They've won 13 in a row at home after pounding the Commanders on Thanksgiving.
The second is that teams who throw at DaRon Bland do so at their own peril. The Dallas cornerback broke the NFL record for pick-sixes in a season with his fifth against Washington, a play that set off a huge fourth-quarter celebration on the Cowboys sideline.
"That's a big moment. Let's be honest. The sideline erupted," head coach Mike McCarthy told reporters. "It's good to celebrate and you need to. You need to smell the roses when you walk through the garden, as our guys did today. Because when you're on the other side, it's hard."
The Cowboys have been on that other side this season. Dallas was tubthumped 42-10 by the 49ers back in Week 5.
But Thursday's blowout was a reminder that the Cowboys have the firepower on both sides of the ball to be a legitimate Super Bowl threat when they play to their potential.
4. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
29 of 32
Last Week: 4
Week 12 Result: Won at Los Angeles Chargers 20-10
On one hand, Sunday night's win over the Los Angeles Chargers wasn't the Ravens' best game of the season. This is a team that decimated the Seattle Seahawks, Detroit Lions and Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium.
But the Ravens played a balanced game, with 197 rushing yards and 177 passing yards. The defense stifled the Chargers, allowing just 279 yards of offense and forcing four turnovers. And as head coach John Harbaugh told reporters afterward, when the game was on the line, the Ravens stepped up and closed things out late.
"I thought the fourth quarter was a statement," Harbaugh said. "We put an exclamation point on it with our defense getting the stops and offense finishing it at the end there."
"The Ravens might not have put forth their best effort of the season in Week 12," Davenport wrote. "But as of right now, they are the AFC's No. 1 seed and my top-ranked team in the conference. The loss of star tight end Mark Andrews was a blow, but Odell Beckham Jr. appears to be rounding into form. The Ravens run the ball better than any team in the league. And Baltimore's defense is as good as any in the NFL.
"The Chiefs may have Patrick Mahomes. But the Ravens have a better team 1 to 53."
3. San Francisco 49ers (8-3)
30 of 32
Last Week: 5
Week 12 Result: Won at Seattle 31-13
The San Francisco 49ers are rolling again.
After dropping three games in a row heading into their Week 9 bye, the Niners came out of the off week angry. Over the last three weeks, the 49ers have blasted a pair of teams with winning records, the latest of which was a blowout over the Seahawks that marks San Francisco's 10th straight win inside the division.
San Francisco dominated Seattle in every facet. Running back Christian McCaffrey topped 100 rushing yards and scored twice in the first half. San Francisco limited the Seahawks to just 220 yards of offense. And the Niners made it abundantly clear that they are the team to beat in the NFC West.
While addressing the media after the win, Niners quarterback Brock Purdy talked up McCaffrey, who is on pace to amass 2,000 total yards this season.
"He's a dog," Purdy said. "You just never know when he's going to keep going or get out of something. For him to do that doesn't really surprise me. But at the same time, I look up to that kind of stuff. It gives us a spark and energy to the offense when we need it most."
The 49ers are loaded with offensive talent. They're also formidable on defense. And when Purdy is on his game, he can play quarterback with the best of them.
The Philadelphia Eagles may have the NFC's best record. But there's an argument that the 49ers are the NFC's best team.
And Sunday afternoon in Philadelphia, San Francisco will have a chance to prove it.
"The Niners may not be considered the NFC's best team at this juncture, but they're well on the way of earning that designation with an upcoming meeting against the Eagles," Sobleski wrote. "This matchup is fascinating based on the two teams' current trajectories.
"The Eagles own the league's best record, yet they continually find themselves down in the second half. Whereas San Francisco is on a three-game winning streak after its bye and playing dominant football. During that span, the 49ers won their contests by a combined score of 92-30. Plus, Kyle Shanahan's squad had a few extra days to prepare for this contest after playing on Thanksgiving.
"It took some time, but this space could have San Francisco as the No. 1 team next week."
2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)
31 of 32
Last Week: 2
Week 12 Result: Won at Las Vegas 31-17
After dropping a heartbreaker to the Philadelphia Eagles on Monday night, the Kansas City Chiefs appeared to enter Sunday's AFC West tilt against the Raiders with something of a hangover, quickly falling behind 14-0.
That deficit proceeded to wake Kansas City up. The Chiefs drubbed the Raiders 31-3 from that point thanks to a career day from rookie wideout Rashee Rice.
As Moton wrote, it was classic Chiefs in some respects, but also cause for some concern.
"Once again, the Chiefs looked dominant against the Raiders, but we should still be a little skeptical about the reigning champions reverting to tip-top form," he said. "The Chiefs fell behind by 14 points in the second quarter. They quickly bounced back to pummel a Raiders squad that has an inexperienced interim head coach (Antonio Pierce), a first-time offensive coordinator (Bo Hardegree) and a rookie quarterback (Aidan O'Connell)."
"The Chiefs will go on the road this week to play a surging Green Bay Packers squad, and they'll return home to play the Buffalo Bills the following week," he continued. "If Rice continues to rack up big numbers in one or both of those contests, Kansas City may have found the playmaker who can provide the offense with a boost in the second half of the season.
"The Chiefs remain near the top of our power rankings, and they have a chance to go on a hot streak before the playoffs thanks to their rest-of-season schedule."
1. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
32 of 32
Last Week: 1
Week 12 Result: Won vs. Buffalo 37-34 (OT)
The Philadelphia Eagles sent a clear message to the rest of the NFL on Sunday: They are the league's best team. The gold standard. The favorite to win Super Bowl LVIII.
For a time, it appeared the Eagles might be headed for their second loss of the season. The Buffalo Bills held a double-digit lead over Philly in the second half. But this is a team that just doesn't quit, and Jake Elliott blasted a 59-yard field goal in the rain to force an overtime period ended by Jalen Hurts' touchdown run.
After the win, Eagles head coach Nick Sirianni applauded his quarterback's resilience while addressing the media.
"You know he's clutch," Sirianni said. "He's been clutch for us, clutch for this city and clutch for this team for the last three years now. He just kept going, put his head down and worked."
For Davenport, that resilience extends to the entire Eagles team.
"What makes the Eagles so dangerous isn't that they are talented, although they are," he said. "It isn't that they are balanced, although they are. It's that they are all those things and resilient. Battle-tested. They don't flinch when things aren't going their way.
"This Sunday's meeting with the San Francisco 49ers may not be a Super Bowl preview, but perhaps it should be. Because the Eagles and 49ers are arguably the NFL's two best teams right now."
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