NFL Power Rankings: Most Dominant Teams That Have More to Play for in Week 17

A scorching start to the season means nothing if a team slips in the NFL power rankings when it matters.

At season’s end.

In Week 17, much of the league has nothing to play for—whether a franchise is locked into its playoff seed or it’s out of the playoff race. The league’s most dominant squads of late, however, all happen to have much to gain in the season finale.

Here they are: the hottest teams in the NFL as well as an updated power rankings.

3. Washington Redskins

Robert Griffin III or Kirk Cousins, it hasn’t made a difference for the Skins over the past six weeks. They just keep finding ways to win games and are undefeated since their Week 10 bye.

Washington’s streak will be tested against the Dallas Cowboys in what’s basically the NFC East championship game on Sunday.

2. Denver Broncos

No franchise has won more games in a row than the Broncos. Peyton Manning and company have rolled to 10 straight victories and sit atop most NFL power rankings.

They still haven’t locked up a first-round bye, but the only thing standing in between them and doing so is a cakewalk in the Kansas City Chiefs.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle’s four-game winning streak isn’t as long as the Broncos or Redskins’, but the numbers that they’ve accumulated over that period of time are staggering.

Pete Carroll’s crew embarrassed the Arizona Cardinals 58-0, Buffalo Bills 50-17 and San Francisco 49ers 42-13. For those reaching for a calculator, I got you—the Seahawks have outscored their opponents by 120 points over their past three thrashings.

On Sunday, Seattle can clinch the NFC West with a win and a 49ers loss and a first-round bye with a win, a 49ers loss and a Green Bay Packers loss—which would be terrifying considering that the Hawks are undefeated at CenturyLink Field this season.

NFL Power Rankings

1. Denver Broncos

2. Atlanta Falcons

3. Green Bay Packers

4. Seattle Seahawks

5. San Francisco 49ers

6. New England Patriots

7. Houston Texans

8. Washington Redskins

9. Minnesota Vikings

10. Cincinnati Bengals

11. Indianapolis Colts

12. Baltimore Ravens

13. Chicago Bears

14. New Orleans Saints

15. Dallas Cowboys

16. Carolina Panthers

17. St. Louis Rams

18. Miami Dolphins

19. New York Giants

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

21. San Diego Chargers

22. Cleveland Browns

23. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

24. Tennessee Titans

25. New York Jets

26. Arizona Cardinals

27. Buffalo Bills

28. Philadelphia Eagles

29. Oakland Raiders

30. Detroit Lions

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

32. Kansas City Chiefs

David Daniels is a featured columnist at Bleacher Report and a syndicated writer.

Follow @TheRealDDaniels