NFL Power Rankings: Breaking Down the League into Tiers Ahead of Week 15

Does a Week 14 loss to the San Francisco 49ers now put a team ahead of the Seattle Seahawks? Are the Dallas Cowboys serious contenders for the playoffs? Is Peyton Manning still a bad cold-weather quarterback?

The answer to all of these questions, for this week it appears, is no. While the Seahawks lost a tough divisional matchup with the 49ers, Manning put up huge numbers on a pass defense that had allowed the least amount of touchdowns in the league heading into Denver.

Then there was Dallas, which for whatever reason can't seem to string together enough wins in December to make the playoffs. With three weeks left in the season, here are the Week 14 power rankings, starting with the lowest tier.

Better Luck Next Year Tier

This tier is for that elite club of losers, which, surprisingly enough, have enough talent to win this year. But after a terrible start and several lackluster performances, these teams will need to wait till next year for more success.

32. Houston Texans (2-11)

At some point this team has to win, right? Here is a statement that most NFL fans never thought would be true before the regular season started: The Texans are nearly unwatchable. With no consistent play at quarterback and a change at the top with the firing of Gary Kubiak, Houston is a team in shambles just a year after going 12-4 and making it to the divisional playoffs.

31. Washington Redskins (3-10)

The only team that is bailing out the Redskins this year is Houston. But the same fate seems to be evident for this team, as Jarrett Bell of USA Today reports that Mike Shanahan will be gone. But with talented players like Robert Griffin III, Alfred Morris, Jordan Reed and Pierre Garcon, this team could be back in the thick of the NFC East next season.

30. Atlanta Falcons (3-10)

Is there anything worse than getting beaten by Matt Flynn? Maybe losing nine games leading up to that could be a worse situation, but the point is there's nowhere else to fall for these Falcons. With a talented roster filled with Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White returning next year, the Falcons could see the same type of turnaround in 2014 that the Saints did this year.

Drake Tier

One of Drake's most famous songs in 2013 was his hit "Started from the Bottom." In case anyone doesn't know the lyrics, the next line is "Now we here." Much like the song says, this next group of teams isn't at the bottom anymore. But like the song itself, these teams lack depth.

29. Oakland Raiders (4-9)

The Raiders are almost perpetual bottom feeders with no end in sight. But thanks to a few wins over the hapless Texans and a surprise victory over the Pittsburgh Steelers, the Raiders are 2-6 over their last eight games. It could be worse but not by much.

28. Buffalo Bills (4-9)

The embarrassing losses keep piling up on the Bills as they are 2-7 over the last nine games and have lost to the Falcons, Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Cleveland Browns over that stretch. For a team that beat the Carolina Panthers and Baltimore Ravens early in the season, it appears the AFC East cellar will once again be its final destination.

27. Cleveland Browns (4-9)

Remember when the Browns came within two minutes of beating the New England Patriots? No one does because they didn't pull it off. This team has talented players like Jordan Cameron, Josh Gordon and Joe Haden, but it needs that one piece that ties a team together: quarterback.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9)

The Jaguars are the epitome of the Drake tier. At the beginning of the season, Jacksonville was viewed as the worst team in the NFL and played the part, going winless through the first eight games of the season. But after winning four of their last five, the Jags look at the very least competitive.

25. Minnesota Vikings (3-9-1)

There are two players in the NFL that most fans feel bad for. One is Tony Gonzalez, who is playing his last year on an atrocious Falcons team, while his former Chiefs team is one of the best in the NFL. And the other is Adrian Peterson. Arguably the best running back in the NFL for the last two years, he has been asked to carry the load for a Vikings team that is going nowhere.

Kid 'n' Play Tier

Considering that some of the most talented players on these teams are all young, one could say that they are letting a bunch of kids just play football. Most of the players excelling for these teams were also born right around the time Kid 'n' Play rose to fame, for a little while.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9)

From the outset, this team may not appear to be young with 30-year-old Vincent Jackson likely being the most talented player on the roster. But the Bucs have one four of their last five thanks to players like Mike Glennon, Bobby Rainey and Timothy Wright. With one of Tampa Bay's best players in Doug Martin out for the season, the NFC South could be one of the best divisions in football for years to come.

23. St. Louis Rams (5-8)

Have you heard of Zac Stacy? For anyone who hasn't, this guy is a beast. In the nine games where he's received 10 or more carries, he has gone for more than 70 yards in nine of them and five touchdowns in his last five games. Apart from Stacy, the Rams have Chris Givens and Tavon Austin as a talented, young receiving corps.

22. Tennessee Titans (5-8)

While he's no longer on the field for this team, much of the success for the Titans this season was due to the quarterback play of Jake Locker. With both players below the age of 25, the connection between Locker and receiver Kendall Wright could be special for years to come.

Every Dog Tier

The old phrase goes, "Every dog has its day." For these teams, they've already had their day and can't seem to stay out of their own way. Or in one specific case, they can't stay out of other people's way—looking at you, Mike Tomlin.

21. New York Giants (5-8)

What happened to Eli Manning? While the connection between him and Rueben Randle looks good, he has thrown eight interceptions when targeting the young receiver. While brother Peyton is torching every opponent he faces, Eli seems to be getting progressively worse this season. Maybe it's just not his year. 

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8)

Another one of the most storied franchises in the NFL, the Steelers are now fighting just to avoid a losing season. The sidelines bit the Steelers once again when they allowed Ryan Tannehill to have one of his more memorable performances at Heinz Field. Not a good look.

19. New York Jets (6-7)

This isn't exactly a storied franchise or one that's made a lot of great history outside of the Joe Namath era, but the Jets have had recent playoff success. But with another tanking team that travels to Carolina and Miami to close out the season, Geno Smith will need to have games like he did against the Raiders for this team to finish at or above .500.

18. Dallas Cowboys (7-6)

This dog's day was nearly 20 years ago. The Cowboys are once again staring down the barrel of a third straight 8-8 season and a potential showdown with the Philadelphia Eagles for a playoff spot. The play of Tony Romo will always be questioned, but the defense is the true reason that Dallas might be sitting on the couch once again in January.

17. San Diego Chargers (6-7)

Much like the Jets, this is another team that has had recent success but can't cross the threshold into serious title contender status. The Chargers are clawing their way back into contention, but with the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs remaining on the schedule, Philip Rivers will have to put the team on his back to even reach the playoffs.

Almost There Tier

OK, let's move away from the corny titles for tiers and into the more serious teams that have almost reached the playoff plateau. These are the teams that, as the title states, are almost there. Any of these teams could make the playoffs but still have a bit of work to do.

16. Miami Dolphins (7-6)

The Dolphins have quite a few holes, but the play of Ryan Tannehill and receivers Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline have patched those up nicely. With another emerging star in Charles Clay, the Dolphins might just have enough firepower to get to the playoffs. But with a test this weekend against the Patriots, the Dolphins' fate will likely be sealed with a loss to their division rival.

15. Green Bay Packers (6-6-1)

Speaking of holes, the Packers have quite a few in their patchwork offense. If Aaron Rodgers ever returns, Green Bay is a playoff contender still with Jordy Nelson, Eddie Lacy and a defense that can get the job done.

14. Detroit Lions (7-6)

The Lions have to get some sort of pass after this weekend on some fronts. The strength of this team is the connection between Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, who couldn't find each other through a snow storm. But the normally great defense at stopping the run couldn't tackle LeSean McCoy, which hopefully doesn't become a trend.

13. Chicago Bears (7-6)

This tier could have been named the NFC North, but the Vikings ruined that chance. Instead, the Bears now look like the class of the division even with a backup quarterback at the helm. With talent at every skill position like Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte, Alshon Jeffery and Martellus Bennett, this team surprisingly has all of its questions on the defensive side of the ball. Which is weird for Chicago, right?

Serious Playoff Contenders Tier

In this tier, teams are, at the very least, built to make the playoffs. Whether or not teams are built to go deep in the playoffs has yet to be seen, but any of these teams could be the 2012 Ravens. In fact, that's where we'll start.

12. Baltimore Ravens (7-6)

Stop me if you've heard this before: The Ravens are playing their best football at the end of the season. After rattling off three straight wins against inferior opponents, the Ravens will have to prove themselves against three teams with winning records in the Lions, Patriots and Bengals to close the season. With two of those coming on the road, Baltimore is on the brink of falling out of this tier and into the NFC North cellar.

11. Arizona Cardinals (8-5)

The Cardinals have one of the best rushing defenses in the league and a receiving tandem in Larry Fitzgerald and Michael Floyd that has helped Carson Palmer emerge as a good quarterback again. Arizona could surprise a few elite teams in the playoffs, but it will have to get there first.

10. Indianapolis Colts (8-5)

The Colts won the AFC South, so they technically aren't contending for the playoffs anymore, but this team doesn't look like one that will be moving on when it plays in January. Without Reggie Wayne, Indy hasn't been able to compete with anyone as of late. With a potential matchup against the Chiefs in the wild-card round, the Colts might be a one-and-done team.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5)

This team is on the cusp of something great but hasn't quite gotten there yet. With five straight wins and Nick Foles at quarterback, Philly is capable of anything. But questions on the defensive side of the ball beg the question: Can this team hold up in January? We'll see.

Stone-Cold Locks Tier

This tier is filled with teams that are almost certain to make the playoffs. Unlike the last tier, they all have serious aspirations of getting to their conference championship game or even the Super Bowl. But these teams have one theme in common: They are not used to success.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (10-3)

The defensive front seven for this team is one of the best in football and is balanced with an offense that seems perfect for postseason success. With a powerful running back in Jamaal Charles and good quarterback play from Alex Smith, Kansas City has a shot at making it all the way this postseason. The only test will be winning against better teams in the playoffs.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4)

Once known as the Bungles years ago, the Bengals are built much like the Chiefs. With a great defense and an emerging star in Giovani Bernard, Cincinnati only has only question mark each week: Whether or not good Andy Dalton will show up. In the nine games that the Bengals have won, he has thrown 21 touchdowns and seven interceptions. In the four games they've lost, he's thrown four touchdowns and nine interceptions.

6. Carolina Panthers (9-4)

Questions about Cam Newton are beginning to start again, but they aren't warranted. The Saints blew out the Panthers because of a defensive meltdown in the Superdome. This is a top-five team when both sides of the ball are playing well, but Newton can't be expected to carry this team.

Sure-Fire Super Bowl Contenders

This tier speaks for itself. Each of these teams has a shot to not only make the Super Bowl but win it. While each team has been successful, we'll start with the one that has a glaring question mark.

5. New England Patriots (10-3)

Tommy Terrific is by far and away one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL, but he'll now have to do some of his best work without Rob Gronkowski for the rest of the season. The Patriots are a resilient team that has done more with less, but with two several other strong teams in the AFC, January might be a struggle for New England.

4. San Francisco 49ers (9-4)

How are the 49ers the fourth best team in the NFL and the third best in their own conference? Because the top of the NFC is stacked this year, and the 49ers have been on the outside looking in all season. But with the return of Michael Crabtree and a defense that's getting better each week, San Francisco is hitting its stride at the right time of the year.

3. New Orleans Saints (10-3)

The Saints have looked like a top-five team all year and proved they are the best in their division by crushing the Panthers. With Drew Brees at the helm and one of the best pass defenses in the league—what a turnaround from last year—the Saints could still be playing in February if they can find a way to jump the Seahawks.

2. Denver Broncos (11-2)

Peyton Manning is one of the best quarterbacks in the history of the NFL along with the aforementioned Brady and Brees, but this year he looks better than he ever has. He needs just six touchdowns to pass Brady for the most in a single season, and he has four players with at least 10 touchdowns around him.

1. Seattle Seahawks (11-2)

Despite a loss to the 49ers, the Seahawks are still the best team in the NFL. Much like the Broncos, they have a lethal offense thanks to Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch, but the defense is the best in the league. Consider this: The Saints have gone 7-0 at home this season and have beaten opponents by a total of 122 points, including thorough destruction of the Cardinals, Panthers and Cowboys. The Seahawks have gone 6-0 at home and won by a total of 113 points, including victories over the 49ers and Saints. That's how important home-field advantage will be in the NFC this season.