NFL Power Rankings: How Each Team Stacks Up Heading into Week 13

By Week 13 of the NFL season, there is usually a great deal of clarity regarding the playoff picture. However, this year features plenty of uncertainty to make it tougher to compare each team.

Heading into Thanksgiving, over one-third of the league is within one game of being .500. This makes the final few weeks of the year incredibly exciting as so many teams remain in contention for a playoff spot, even after some terrible starts to the season.

Of course, this also means that some squads that appear to be in good shape at the moment will likely start to falter and slip down the standings.

It is nearly impossible to predict the rest of the season, but here is a look at the current state of the league with updated power rankings.

1. Seattle Seahawks (10-1)

Although Seattle has struggled at times, we continue to see that it is not easy to win consistently in the NFL. However, Russell Wilson and company make sure to get the "w" even when things are not going well.

This ability to pull out close games has the team in first place at 10-1 and close to securing a first-round bye with almost a month left in the season. Based on their dominance at home, this could make the Seahawks a shoe-in for the Super Bowl.

The only question going forward is if the losses at cornerback will affect the defense. Brandon Browner and Walter Thurmond were both suspended by the league for violating the substance abuse policy, according to ESPN.

Considering the team's biggest strength was the ability to stop the pass, these losses could end up hurting going forward.

2. New Orleans Saints (9-2)

Things get much tougher for the Saints in the next few weeks with a road game against Seattle and two games against the Carolina Panthers. The improved defense and elite offense make New Orleans a top Super Bowl contender, but the next month will show us a lot about its ability. 

3. Carolina Panthers (8-3)

Although Carolina might have had a lot of doubters, people are running out of reasons to criticize the team.

The defense has proven itself against top competition like the San Francisco 49ers and New England Patriots, while Cam Newton continues to show that he can come through in big spots. With the longest winning streak in the NFL, this is clearly one of the best teams out there.

4. New England Patriots (8-3)

It should be a rule by now that we should never count out Tom Brady. This not only means in a game where his team is down 24-0 but also over the course of the season after a poor start. 

Of course, the defense will have to find a way to stop the run without Vince Wilfork, Tommy Kelly or Jerod Mayo. Otherwise, an opponent will be able to control games in the playoffs. 

5. Denver Broncos (9-2)

One overtime loss caused people to once again question Peyton Manning and his ability to play in the cold. However, he is still the favorite to win the league's MVP award after leading the NFL in passing yards and touchdowns by a significant margin.

As long as he is on the field, the Broncos should remain the favorite to win every game until the Super Bowl. 

6. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)

Losing to the San Diego Chargers is not as bad as losing both Tamba Hali and Justin Houston to injuries. NFL.com provided the latest injury information for the two defensive ends:

Considering these players have 20 sacks between them, these are significant losses. If they are unable to play, Kansas City has little chance of beating the Broncos on Sunday.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

The Bengals had won five of their last seven heading into the Week 12 bye, with the two losses coming in overtime. While the division is not as much of a runaway as it originally seemed, Cincinnati is good enough to secure a playoff spot and be a legitimate contender in January.

8. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

There was a lot of doubt regarding the San Francisco 49ers after two straight losses. Of course, the two defeats were by a combined four points to two of the best teams in the NFL.

The team came back in a big way on Monday night with a dominant win over the Washington Redskins. Leading the way was the defense, which finished with four sacks and seven total hits on Robert Griffin III.

Additionally, Colin Kaepernick threw three touchdown passes and simply looked more comfortable in the pocket than he had for the past few weeks. If he can be this productive through the air on a consistent basis, there are few teams better.

Still, the third-year player must prove he can succeed against a good defense. Until he does that, there is plenty of reason to be skeptical. 

9. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

The Cardinals are one of those teams that continue to prove themselves despite a lack of respect from around the league. They now have wins over the Panthers, Detroit Lions and Indianapolis Colts thanks to a big-play offense and solid defense.

With three of the next four games on the road, though, Arizona still has plenty to prove before grabbing a playoff spot.

10. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)

This is still a good team despite recent blowout losses to the Cardinals and St. Louis Rams. However, the defense is starting to look a lot shakier than it did earlier in the year.

Andrew Luck is still one of the best young quarterbacks in the NFL, but he cannot do it all himself. With a poor defense and non-existent run game, he might have to. 

11. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5)

Now with enough pass attempts to qualify, Nick Foles officially leads the NFL in passer rating thanks to 16 touchdowns and no interceptions. Even without much running ability, he has become the perfect quarterback to lead Chip Kelly's spread offense.

As long as the defense somewhat holds its own, the Eagles should be able to win the NFC East. 

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6)

Throughout the 0-4 start to the season, we all knew that the Steelers were better than what they had been showing. They are now playing to their ability with five wins in the last seven games and as much momentum as anyone in the AFC.

If they are able to play their way into the playoffs, their talent and experience could lead to an upset or two. 

13. Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

It is certainly fun to talk about how Tony Romo is not clutch and always messes up late in games. Unfortunately, that is simply not true as proven by these statistics:

The quarterback once again came through for the Cowboys with a game-winning drive to help defeat the New York Giants and remain tied on top of the NFC East.

While the defense leaves a lot to be desired, Romo and Dez Bryant keep the team in contention to win any game. 

14. San Diego Chargers (5-6)

It is hard to get a read on the Chargers, who defeated the Chiefs on the road in Week 12 after losing three in a row. Philip Rivers has been playing exceptionally well to keep his team tied for a wild-card spot, but the defense is struggling to stop anyone. 

Fortunately, San Diego ends the season with four out of five games at home. This could be enough to help the squad land a spot in the postseason.

15. Detroit Lions (6-5)

The Lions are running out of excuses for losing. They have had the talent to compete over the past few years, but dumb mistakes on both sides of the ball continue to limit them.

Even with the NFC North available for the taking, Detroit has yet to show it can take control of the division.

16. Chicago Bears (6-5)

Josh McCown has actually played well in Jay Cutler's absence, but the defense is holding the Bears back. The front seven is getting dominated on a weekly basis, and opponents are running wild.

For a team historically known for its defensive prowess, this is certainly a strange season.

17. Green Bay Packers (5-5-1)

It is hard to argue against Aaron Rodgers being the most valuable player in the league. The Packers lost a plethora of players over the first half of the year, but the quarterback held the team together. Without him, though, Green Bay has not won since.

The good news is that the quarterback is back at practice, according to Mike Spofford of Packers.com. If he can return within the next few weeks, Green Bay has a chance to get back to the top of the standings.

18. St. Louis Rams (5-6)

The Rams proved that they have a lot of talent with a blowout victory over the Bears. Unfortunately, the injury to Sam Bradford is likely enough to keep them out of the playoffs in a deep NFC West.

Still, contention is not far away for Jeff Fisher's squad. 

19. Baltimore Ravens (5-6)

With the win over the New York Jets, Baltimore sits tied for the sixth seed in the AFC. However, the offense has still struggled immensely while ranking in the bottom 10 of the league in both points and yards.

Until Joe Flacco starts to play to the level of his salary, the Ravens cannot expect much more success in the future.

20. Tennessee Titans (5-6)

Even with consecutive home losses to the Colts and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Titans remain firmly in contention for a playoff spot thanks to a comeback victory against the Oakland Raiders.

Ryan Fitzpatrick has actually played very well lately with five touchdowns and no interceptions in the last three games. With talented young weapons around him like Kendall Wright and Justin Hunter, the passing attack is as good as ever.

With a defense that ranks in the top 10 in points allowed, the Titans are capable of sticking around in the playoff race for the rest of the season.

21. Miami Dolphins (5-6)

Although Miami could not hold on to the lead against the Panthers, this team continues to show that despite its losses, it will fight hard in every game. Now if the team can find a way to run the ball, it could actually lead to consistent winning. 

22. New York Jets (5-6)

It seemed like we had the formula figured out after the Jets alternated wins and losses for 10 games. That streak is over, but it is now clear that they just simply cannot win on the road with a 1-5 record.

While Geno Smith has potential, his struggles show that he has a long way to go before becoming even an average starting quarterback in the NFL.

23. New York Giants (4-7)

New York seemed hopeful after winning four games in a row to get back in the NFC East race. A win over the Cowboys would have put them only one game out of first place. This was until a Week 12 loss put the squad to the brink of elimination.  

Fans should never count out a comeback from the Giants, but this appears to be a lost year.

24. Cleveland Browns (4-7)

If you are an optimist, you can say that Brandon Weeden has at least proved that he is not a capable starting quarterback in the NFL. Too many guys show flashes of brilliance before fading away after a few years.

Weeden does not even provide this hope, allowing the Browns to move on.

Fortunately, Josh Gordon, Joe Haden and a few others have proved that this will be a good team as long as a real quarterback makes his way to Cleveland. 

25. Oakland Raiders (4-7)

Whether Matt McGloin or Terrelle Pryor is under center, it is clear that the Raiders have a lot more problems than who is at quarterback. Still, Oakland will hope to at least come up with a solution for the position before the end of the season. 

26. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

Despite all of the losses while EJ Manuel was out, the Bills remain only one game out of the playoffs. The bye week gave them a chance to get healthy, and a favorable schedule to end the year makes Buffalo a good sleeper to sneak into the playoffs. 

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8)

A month ago, the Buccaneers were the laughing stock of the league with no wins and a terrible offense and defense. However, three wins in a row have certainly changed the perception surrounding this squad.

Rookie Mike Glennon has been a revelation at quarterback, throwing 10 touchdowns and only one interception in his last six games. All of a sudden, the third-round pick appears to be the long-term answer for the Bucs.

While the team is ruining its shot at a high draft pick with this recent winning streak, it is also bringing a lot of momentum heading into the offseason. With loads of talent on both sides of the ball, this can be a legitimate contender next season.

Considering how hopeless Tampa Bay looked just a few weeks ago, this certainly qualifies as a shock. 

28. Washington Redskins (3-8)

Not only has Robert Griffin III struggled all season after a spectacular rookie year, but some are also questioning whether he should even be on the field:

After falling to 3-8 on the year, it is hard to argue with this assertion. Something needs to change in Washington in order to turn things around.  

29. Minnesota Vikings (2-8-1)

The Vikings earned a tie against the Packers, who were led by a combination of Matt Flynn and Scott Tolzien. All this showed is that Adrian Peterson is still one of the most dominant athletes in football and that he needs a lot more help around him. 

30. Atlanta Falcons (2-9)

Atlanta put everything it had into Thursday's prime-time matchup against the rival Saints. After falling just short, it is hard to imagine the struggling squad having the emotional ability to put up much of a fight for the rest of the year.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

Although the Jaguars might have lost the No. 1 pick with a win over the Texans, the players certainly do not care about that. Despite lacking talent, Jacksonville has given a full effort in each of the past three weeks. Both fans of the team should be proud. 

32. Houston Texans (2-9)

There is really nothing positive to say about the Texans after nine straight losses. The veterans seemed to have given up on the season, and there are not many chances for wins going forward.

This is all pretty embarrassing for a squad considered by many to be a top contender in the AFC heading into the season.

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