NFL Power Rankings Week 14: Teams That Still Have Much to Prove

Time is ticking down on the 2012 season, but it hasn't yet run out, and given how close the races are in several divisions, there is still plenty to look forward to over the next few weeks.

Though some teams like the Patriots, Falcons, Texans and Broncos have run away with their divisions, there are still at least three divisions that are up for grabs, which means it's make-it-or-break-it time for some contenders. If there was ever a time to assert their dominance, once and for all, it would be now.

Here are my complete Week 14 power rankings with a special emphasis on the teams that still have plenty of work to do.

1. Atlanta Falcons (11-1)

A hard-fought win over the New Orleans Saints—the only team to beat them this year—was exactly what the Saints needed. Atlanta has the division locked up, and now, all it needs to focus on is getting that top seed.

2. Houston Texans (11-1)

… But the Falcons will have some serious competition in the form of the Texans. Unfortunately for Houston, though, it has a Monday night matchup at New England looming this week, perhaps its toughest game since facing Baltimore before the bye week.

3. Denver Broncos (9-3)

Another week, and Peyton Manning's Broncos keep on rolling. Not that it was all that difficult last week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but this offense got right back on track after a questionable outing at Kansas City and will have a prime opportunity to dominate at Oakland on Thursday.

4. New England Patriots (9-3)

The Pats' victory over lowly Miami on Sunday wasn't always pretty, but it was good enough to sew up the division win. If New England can take care of Houston on Monday night, it has a real opportunity to assert itself in this conference—and Tom Brady could further establish himself as the leading MVP candidate.

5. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

Really tough loss for the Ravens at home against the Steelers on Sunday, and to top it all off, they face a hot Washington team in Week 14. Fortunately for them, though, the rest of the division doesn't seem likely to put up much of a fight, unless Big Ben makes a miraculous comeback. Then Baltimore will have some competition.

6. Green Bay Packers (8-4)

How badly did the Packers need that win over Minnesota on Sunday? Badly. With just a few games left, it ties them atop the NFC North with Chicago. But with three of the Packers' remaining four games coming against division opponents, the next several weeks will be critical.

This division race is far from over, and whichever team can stay the healthiest and the most focused throughout the month of December is going to be the one to come out on top. And though the Packers may have fallen to some of the league's best this year, they have yet to lose to a division opponent.

This week, Green Bay faces a demoralized Lions team coming off a devastating loss to Indianapolis. It could just take a win there and another one the next week over Chicago for this team to wrap things up. One misstep, however, could cost the Packers the postseason.

7. San Francisco 49ers (8-3-1)

Well, the third installment of the Colin Kaepernick experiment could have gone a little bit better for the 49ers, and a loss to the lowly St. Louis Rams is never something you want to have on your resume.

San Francisco has to be glad that it's done with St. Louis for the season—that team has given the 49ers some serious trouble. And though this division once looked like it was firmly within the 49ers' grasp, it's now up in the air, and Seattle is right there, ready to pounce.

San Francisco's schedule over the next four weeks isn't easy. It faces a Miami team that won't die before going on the road to take on New England and Seattle, and its final two games of the season could end up being must-wins, depending on how the Seahawks fare down the stretch. This is the time of year the 49ers need to be playing their best football, and they don't look like they are. All of the quarterback turmoil doesn't help, either.

8. Chicago Bears (8-4)

The Bears really needed to get a win over Seattle on Sunday, but there's no time to dwell on that now because it's even more crucial for them to take down Minnesota on the road on Sunday. And though the Vikings may have looked dead a week or two ago, they know this division is still wide open, and they're going to fight the Bears hard at home.

The Bears have picked the wrong time to embark on a skid, but what else is new? It's not entirely their fault—their last four games came against Houston, San Francisco, Minnesota and Seattle—but the schedule doesn't get any easier from here on out. Every game is crucial, especially the next two against Minnesota and Green Bay.

A couple of weeks ago, Chicago looked like a shoo-in for the NFC North. Now, the next two weeks could make or break the Bears' playoff chances.

9. Indianapolis Colts (8-4)

The most exhilarating win of the week goes to Andrew Luck and the Colts, who are certainly sitting pretty at 8-4. That shocking, last-second win over Detroit puts them right behind Houston in the AFC South, and though it doesn't look like they're going to catch the Texans, they're fighting hard for a wild-card spot.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)

The Steelers are still in the hunt for the playoffs, and given the remainder of their schedule, they may actually be able to get there. Sunday's win over Baltimore was huge, and Pittsburgh could make it two in a row with San Diego visiting on Sunday.

11. New York Giants (7-5)

The Giants are still sitting atop the NFC East, but their grasp of the division is more tenuous than ever. They've dropped three of four, and Monday's loss to the Redskins was a huge dagger with just one division game remaining.

12. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

One week, the Seahawks look like they're done for, and the next, they shock you by roaring back to life. With two division games left, including this Sunday's against Arizona, they still have room to make up ground in the NFC West.

13. Cincinnati Bengals (7-5)

The Bengals have been doing exactly what they needed to do over the last four weeks to stay in the hunt, but their fate will likely come down to their final two games against Pittsburgh and Baltimore.

14. Washington Redskins (6-6)

There may be no team flying higher at present than Robert Griffin III's Redskins. After Monday night's electrifying win over the Giants, Washington is suddenly right back in the mix to win the NFC East, and with only one remotely challenging game left on the schedule (or maybe two, depending on how Dallas looks by Week 17), it actually might be able to pull it off.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)

Officially, nobody's catching Atlanta atop the NFC South, and after two straight losses to the Falcons and the Broncos, it looks like the Bucs may be fading after that nice little four-game winning streak.

16. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)

Given how close the NFC East is, nobody's out of the race yet except the Eagles. Dallas just barely squeezed by lowly Philadelphia, but its next four against Cincinnati, Pittsburgh, New Orleans and Washington are going to be very tough. 

17. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

Which team will be the first to break in the NFC North? This could be the week the Vikings' final slide begins. At 6-6, they're already on life support, and facing the Bears for the second time in three weeks isn't a recipe for success when the last outing against Chicago ended with a 28-10 loss.

18. New York Jets (5-7)

The Jets aren't completely out of the playoff race yet, and given what Greg McElroy did to the Cardinals on Sunday, they could actually have some momentum. But this offense needs some serious work if it's going to do anything meaningful over the final stretch of games.

19. New Orleans Saints (5-7)

Could the Saints be on the verge of dropping three straight? It's very possible. The Giants are next up, and they're likely going to need to burn off some aggression after what happened to them against Washington on Monday. After that, though, the Saints still have three winnable games against Tampa Bay, Dallas and Carolina, so all hope is not totally, completely lost.

20. St. Louis Rams (5-6-1)

If only the Rams could play every game like they were playing the 49ers. But in fact, coming off Sunday's 16-13 win, the Rams could actually make it three in a row as they travel to Buffalo.

21. Miami Dolphins (5-7)

You have to hand it to the Dolphins: They don't give up till the final whistle is blown, and they gave the Patriots a run for their money on Sunday. They may even be able to make things interesting against an iffy San Francisco offense on Sunday. But as for the postseason? Not going to happen.

22. Buffalo Bills (5-7)

The Bills have been incredibly up and down all season, but if they bring the same vigor on Sunday that they brought against Jacksonville in last week's win, they very well could make it two in a row with a W over St. Louis.

23. Cleveland Browns (4-8)

Three in a row for the Browns? It could happen. After shocking Pittsburgh a couple of weeks ago, they took care of Oakland on Sunday and have a mentally and physically exhausted Chiefs team in Week 14. But this could be Cleveland's last chance for a win this season as it finishes against Washington, Denver and Pittsburgh. And as for that second game against the Steelers, lightning doesn't strike twice.

24. San Diego Chargers (4-8)

The Chargers are demoralized coming off four consecutive losses, and particularly in the last two, their offense has struggled in a new and disturbing way. Finding a way to correct itself doesn't seem likely against Pittsburgh, either.

25. Detroit Lions (4-8)

There is perhaps no team in the NFL as down as the Lions are right now. Detroit desperately needed a win over Indianapolis on Sunday to hang around in the playoff picture and halt a three-game losing streak; instead, it allowed a game-winning touchdown with time expiring and now sits in last place in the NFC North, far out of the postseason picture.

26. Tennessee Titans (4-8)

The Titans aren't going anywhere in January, either. They have never lost fewer than two games in a row, their offense and defense can't seem to get rolling simultaneously and face a hot Indianapolis team next.

27. Arizona Cardinals (4-8)

You know things aren't going well when you drop a 7-6 contest to the 2012 Jets. It's amazing how far the Cardinals have fallen since their stellar 4-0 start, and it doesn't seem likely that they'll halt an astounding eight-game losing streak against a Seahawks team coming off a big win.

28. Oakland Raiders (3-9)

If Denver is going to be playing on a  short week, it's lucky to be playing the Raiders, one of the many pitiful teams in the AFC West and owners of a five-game losing streak.

29. Philadelphia Eagles (3-9)

Perhaps Nick Foles can turn things around for the Eagles as they close out this incredibly disappointing 2012 campaign. Unfortunately, though, after Sunday's loss to Dallas, he can't turn it around enough to get Philadelphia to the playoffs. Still, the backup is playing to prove himself from here on out.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (2-10)

What an awful week for the Chiefs. A win over the Panthers was nice, but they are going to be playing with heavy hearts for the rest of the season.

31. Carolina Panthers (3-9)

The Panthers really laid an egg on Sunday after an encouraging statement win on Monday Night Football. No matter how well Cam Newton plays, this defense can't seem to hold up against anybody—least of all the Falcons in Week 14.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)

The Jaguars couldn't even make it two in a row when they had Buffalo up next on the schedule. In fact, Jacksonville may even give the Jets a chance to make it two in a row.