NFL Power Rankings: Last-Minute Review of League Landscape Heading into Week 13

The NFL playoff picture is an absolute mess heading into Week 13. 

With two-dozen teams being just one game out of a playoff spot, parity has been the story of the 2013 season through the first three months. Thankfully, Thanksgiving weekend will feature a full slate of matchups to hopefully provide a bit of clarity. 

Let's take a closer look at where all 32 teams stand heading into the holiday weekend.

*Hottest teams are italicized. 

1. Seattle Seahawks (10-1)

Though suspensions have plagued Seattle's secondary, the Seahawks remain the best team in football. Pete Carroll's 10-1 squad plays defense as well as anyone and can run the ball better than most.

That's a winning formula come playoff time.

Led by the rugged Marshawn Lynch, the Hawks have been pounding teams on the ground on offense and roughing them up on defense, especially at home. That's important to note because Seattle has won 13 in a row at home and is in prime position to earn home-field throughout the NFC playoffs in January. 

2. New Orleans Saints (9-2)

The Saints will be underdogs on the road in Seattle on Monday night, but they have the firepower to shock the Seahawks and take over the top spot in next week's power rankings. 

A loss in Seattle likely means the road to Super Bowl XLVIII in the NFC goes through the Emerald City.

3. Carolina Panthers (8-3)

The Panthers are on fire, thanks to the NFL's No. 1-ranked scoring defense.

Opponents have found both yards and points hard to come by against Ron Rivera's squad all season long, and with the offense delivering in big moments over the past few weeks, the Cardiac Cats are a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

Carolina can keep the pressure on New Orleans in the NFC South with a win over Tampa Bay at home on Sunday.

4. New England Patriots (8-3)

New England reminded the rest of the AFC that it's still the conference's top team with a miraculous comeback against Denver in chilly, windy Foxborough on Sunday night.

With their next three games coming against Houston, Cleveland and Miami, the Patriots should be 11-3 heading into last season's AFC title-game rematch with the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.

5. Denver Broncos (9-2)

Denver's gut-wrenching collapse in New England certainly raises questions about whether this team can win it all.

But it's not all doom and gloom for the Broncos. They are still in the driver's seat to secure home-field advantage in the AFC, and their Week 13 opponent, the Kansas City Chiefs, are in the midst of a losing skid.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)

As already mentioned, the Chiefs are trending down heading into this weekend's pivotal AFC West clash with the Broncos. A win would be massive for Kansas City, especially  with upcoming road games against struggling Washington and Oakland. 

A third straight loss would have the Chiefs two games back of the Broncos in the division and looking at a potential disappointing wild-card berth.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)

The Bengals haven't lost a game in regulation since Week 4. So while Cincinnati has technically lost two of its last three, the AFC North leaders are playing well enough to challenge the conference's best.

If they can limit the turnovers moving forward, they'll be just fine.

8. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)

San Francisco's defense is hitting its stride at the ideal time. And if the offense can continue to execute the way it did in Week 12 at Washington, the Niners will start to look like the team that came within three points of winning it all last season.

9. Arizona Cardinals (7-4)

The Cards have won four in a row but still find themselves in a dogfight with the 49ers and several other NFC contenders for the conference's final wild-card spot.

It goes without saying that Sunday's showdown with the Eagles in Philadelphia will go a long way in determining whether Arizona is still playing come January. Arizona will host San Francisco on the final day of the regular season, but the team still has upcoming matchups with St. Louis and at Seattle. 

The good news for the surging Cardinals: the Eagles are just 1-4 at home this season and may have had their momentum slowed by a bye week.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (6-5)

Chip Kelly's Eagles are on a hot streak. The question is: will the bye week slow them down? 

Philadelphia and it's No. 1-ranked rushing attack will host a dangerous Arizona team in one of Week 13's most critical matchups.

11. Indianapolis Colts (7-4)

The Colts have been mediocre since upending the Denver Broncos and losing veteran receiver Reggie Wayne for the year to a torn ACL. But with the Tennessee Titans coming to down this weekend, Indianapolis can essentially wrap up the division with a win.

12. Dallas Cowboys (6-5)

The short-handed Cowboys stepped up in a big way against the New York Giants in Week 12, cooling off their surging rivals to overtake the Eagles for first place in the NFC East.

This division will likely come down to Week 17's showdown between Philadelphia and Dallas in Big D.

13. Detroit Lions (6-5)

Despite having lost two in a row, the Detroit Lions are still in control of the NFC North. However, Thanksgiving's showdown with Green Bay will determine whether the Lions remain the division's top dog moving forward. 

14. Chicago Bears (6-5)

The Bears are an ugly 3-5 since starting off 3-0, and their porous defense is the first to blame. Chicago ranks dead-last in the NFL in rushing defense through 12 weeks and will be under immense pressure to beat the lowly Vikings in Minnesota in Week 13.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-6)

Pittsburgh may not be the best team in the AFC North, but there's no denying that the Steelers are the hottest team in the division. Mike Tomlin's squad has won three in a row and five of seven to overcome a dismal 0-4 start to the season.

The Steelers will be in Baltimore on Thursday for a high-stakes rivalry matchup with the Ravens. 

16. Baltimore Ravens (5-6)

The Ravens are a different team at home in 2013. Baltimore is 4-1 at M&T Bank Stadium, compared to 1-5 away from Charm City. A fifth win at home on Thanksgiving Night would have the Ravens back to .500 and right in the mix for an AFC wild-card berth.

17. Tennessee Titans (5-6)

While there's always hope for a wild-card berth, the Titans can climb back into the AFC South race with a road win over the struggling Colts on Sunday afternoon. Tennessee is two games back of Indianapolis for the division lead, and a loss would put them three games back heading to Denver in Week 14.

If the Titans don't win this weekend, they could be staring at 5-8 in no time.

18. St. Louis Rams (5-6)

St. Louis has raised eyebrows over the past few weeks after crushing the Colts and Bears. Still, the Rams are two games back in the NFC wild-card race and are facing a stiff test at San Francisco in Week 13.

A third consecutive win would have St. Louis firmly in the hunt, but a loss would likely seal the team's fate with road games against the Cardinals and Seahawks still to come.

19. Green Bay Packers (5-5-1)

The Packers haven't won a game since Aaron Rodgers went down with a broken collarbone in Week 9. But thanks to the NFC North's ineptness, Green Bay is just a half-game back of Detroit and Chicago for the division lead.

If the Pack can upset the Lions in Detroit on Thanksgiving, it'll likely be the favorite to win the North heading into December. 

20. San Diego Chargers (5-6)

San Diego has the talent and potential to earn a wild-card berth this winter, but the Chargers will need to beat the Bengals at home in Week 13 if they hope to have a realistic shot at the postseason.

Cincinnati has been vulnerable on the road all year long, so don't be surprised if the Bolts get back to .500 on Sunday.

21. Miami Dolphins (5-6)

Recent wins over San Diego and Cincinnati have given Miami hope following a four-game midseason losing streak. But blown leads late in losses to Carolina and Tampa Bay remind us that this Dolphins team isn't ready to contend in the AFC.

22. New York Giants (4-7)

The New York Giants' playoff chances took a major blow following an 0-6 start. But in the NFC East, it's still too early to count out Big Blue. 

However, the Giants will need to get hot again quickly if they hope to stay alive.

23. Buffalo Bills (4-7)

Buffalo's favorable upcoming schedule gives the Bills an excellent shot to climb above .500.

After taking on Atlanta in Week 13, the Bills will play Tampa Bay, Jacksonville and Miami before concluding the regular season against New England. 

24. New York Jets (5-6)

The New York Jets' 2013 season has featured a ton of ups and downs. But unless rookie quarterback Geno Smith can stop throwing the ball to the other team, there'll be more struggles than successes down the stretch.  

Smith and the Jets can get back to .500 with a win over division rival Miami at home this weekend. 

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-8)

The Bucs' three-game winning streak has been awfully impressive. But expect Tampa Bay's run to come to an end in Carolina, where the NFL's top defensive unit will squash the Bucs' upset bid.

26. Oakland Raiders (4-7)

Dennis Allen's Raiders have squandered one too many winnable home games this season, and they did so again in Week 12.

Last week's last-minute loss to Tennessee delivered a crushing blow to Oakland's playoff hopes, and with two straight road games upcoming, December doesn't look promising for the Raiders. 

27. Cleveland Browns (4-7)

Cleveland is 1-7 this season when Brian Hoyer doesn't start at quarterback. It's safe to say the Browns are in desperate need of a spark under center. 

28. Minnesota Vikings (2-8-1)

The Vikings have allowed more points than any other team in the NFL in 2013 and managed to blow a 16-point lead with under 12 minutes to play at Green Bay in Week 12. 

29. Washington Redskins (3-8)

Washington is regressing each week and has lost three in a row to fall completely out of the playoff picture in the NFC.

The Redskins can stop the bleeding with a division win over the Giants on Sunday night, but unless some serious adjustments are made, that doesn't appear likely.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9)

Two wins over the past three weeks have lifted the Jaguars two spots in the power rankings. Although its record doesn't indicate it, Jacksonville is actually one of the hotter teams in the league heading into Week 13.

31. Atlanta Falcons (2-9)

The Falcons can thank the Texans for not ranking dead-last heading into Week 13. Atlanta has dropped five straight games and is the only team in the league to have lost every one of its road games this season.

That's bad news with the Dirty Birds set to take on the Bills in Toronto on Sunday.

32. Houston Texans (2-9)

No team has looked as helpless for as long as the Houston Texans have this season. And with the New England Patriots coming to town in Week 13, Houston's losing streak is sure to hit 10 in a row this weekend. 

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