NFL Power Rankings Week 13: Predicting Post-Monday Night Football Standings

Only two games remain in Week 12 of the NFL season, and once those games are done, we will have a very good sense of which teams are legitimate playoff contenders and which will be looking to rebuild at the end of the year.

There were few surprises during the games on Sunday, but a few teams were able to make some statement wins. The New England Patriots got a big win over arguably one of the best teams in the NFC in the Detroit Lions, while the Cleveland Browns kept their lead in the AFC North with a game-winning field goal against the Atlanta Falcons.

There are still more games to be played this week, but let's take a look at the predicted power rankings after Monday Night Football.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

Turnovers continue to be an issue for the Jacksonville Jaguars, losing the ball three more times on Sunday. They were able to hold their own in the first half against the Indianapolis Colts thanks to their defense, but they couldn't keep up the pressure to end the game.

There will be some chances for the Jaguars to get another win by the end of the season, but it looks like they'll be receiving another top pick in this coming NFL draft.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

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They may not have the worst record in the league, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have been as bad as anyone this season. Head coach Lovie Smith was hoping to prove the doubters wrong playing against his old team on Sunday, but his current team could only put up 13 points.

Rookie Mike Evans is emerging as a legitimate threat, but with no legitimate starting quarterback throwing him the ball, he can only do so much. There are definitely pieces on both sides of the ball, but the Buccaneers are struggling to put everything together.

30. Oakland Raiders

Derek Carr and the Oakland Raiders were finally able to get their first win of the season this week, against a solid team in the Kansas City Chiefs, no less. Still, the offense has few weapons for Carr to work with, and that's made it very hard for the Raiders to stay in games.

On the other side of the ball, there are definitely some promising players emerging in Sio Moore and Khalil Mack. Justin Tuck has been a veteran leader on the defensive line, but the Raiders still need more talent on both sides of the ball before they can challenge the other teams consistently in the AFC West.

29. Tennessee Titans

After winning their season opener, the Tennessee Titans have gone just 1-9, with their only win coming against the Jaguars. This week's loss officially eliminated the Titans from playoff contention, as nothing has gone right on either side of the ball.

Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger has shown promise, completing 60 percent of his passes with seven touchdowns and four interceptions. But the offensive line hasn't been doing him any favors, and that needs to change if the Titans ever want to find a franchise quarterback.

28. Washington

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The drama surrounding Robert Griffin III continues in Washington after another disappointing performance this week. Before Sunday's game, ESPN's Chris Mortensen had reported that RGIII could be benched if he didn't play well, and after another uninspiring performance, there's a chance Colt McCoy could take over again.

But the quarterback play hasn't been the only problem this season for Washington, as both sides of the ball have seriously struggled. Jay Gruden has only been the coach for a season, but it's not unreasonable to think that he'll be on the hot seat if they keep losing.

27. New York Jets

The New York Jets will be playing on Monday after all of the weather-related issues in Buffalo this past week, and even though the Bills have had a strange week, there's a good chance that the Jets will get another loss.

On defense, the Jets seem to be set on the defensive line and have other pieces at linebacker and in their secondary, but the offense is a different story. Geno Smith hasn't panned out at quarterback, but the rest of the offense has been very bad as well with the exception of Nick Mangold. The Percy Harvin trade was supposed to provide a spark, but he's also done little to help the Jets out.

26. Carolina Panthers

Offseason departures really hurt the Carolina Panthers this season. They've gone just 1-7-1 in their last nine games, struggling to find their rhythm offensively while Cam Newton has continued to get leveled in the pocket.

The Panthers will have a chance to get a couple more wins coming off of their bye week, but looking at the rest of their schedule, it's hard to consider the Panthers favorites in any game except for their Week 15 matchup against the Buccaneers.

25. Minnesota Vikings

Teddy Bridgewater and the Minnesota Vikings were actually able to give the Green Bay Packers a bit of a scare this week. The rookie quarterback threw for 210 yards, two touchdowns and an interception, but the defense had no answers for Aaron Rodgers or Eddie Lacy.

They might not be playoff contenders this year, but with promising rookies like Bridgewater and Anthony Barr, this team could make some noise down the road.

24. Atlanta Falcons

It seems like no one wants to win the NFC South this season, and the Falcons are no exception. Just when they were looking like the favorites with two straight wins, they ended up losing to the Browns on a game-winning field goal.

Matt Ryan has enough weapons to work with on offense, but the offensive line and defense have made things much more difficult. Injuries haven't helped either, but it's safe to say that this team has failed to live up to their expectations.

23. New York Giants

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Tom Coughlin may very well be gone after this season for the New York Giants. Their offense was supposed to be a game-changer this season, but poor offensive line play and consistent turnovers from Eli Manning have hindered their ability to score.

The Giants did show up and play a strong game against the Dallas Cowboys, however, and that helped them move up a few spots in this week's power rankings.

22. St. Louis Rams

For a team that hasn't been able to figure out who to start at quarterback, the St. Louis Rams have actually been able to compete with just about anyone this season. After taking down the Denver Broncos last week, they gave the San Diego Chargers a scare on Sunday.

Tre Mason looks like the long-term answer at running back, and with a few more pieces on offense, including a new quarterback, the Rams could end up making some noise sooner than people would expect.

21. Chicago Bears

The Chicago Bears might have gotten the win on Sunday, but it still wasn't pretty. Offensively, this team has the talent to compete with anyone, but sloppy play in all three phases of the game have made it very hard to compete.

Marc Trestman and the rest of the coaching staff should be held responsible at some point, but since it's the head coach's first season with the team, the Bears will likely be reluctant to send him packing until he gets another year or two to prove himself.

20. Buffalo Bills

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I'm not expecting the Bills to come out and play flawlessly after the week that they've been through, but I do expect them to beat a less talented Jets team. 

Sammy Watkins has looked like he was worth everything the Bills gave up to get him, catching 45 passes for 649 yards and five touchdowns. Jets head coach Rex Ryan wasn't afraid to praise the rookie wide receiver, either.

“After getting scorched by him, my feeling has not changed at all,” Ryan told Howie Kussoy of the New York Post. “He had like 150 yards against us, had the touchdown and then the celebration for 80 yards. I think it just kind of confirms what everybody in our building thought, that this guy was an outstanding player and a guy that doesn’t come down the pipe very often.”

There were definitely weapons on Buffalo's offense, and once they find a franchise quarterback, I'd expect the Bills to start competing for a playoff spot in the AFC East.

19. Houston Texans

J.J. Watt may be the easy choice for this year's Defensive Player of the Year award, but he's been about the only bright spot for the Houston Texans this season. They had a chance to keep up in the AFC South race with a win this week, but they ended up losing 22-13 to the Cincinnati Bengals.

The problem for the Texans has been their offense, which has been pretty sporadic throughout the year. Ryan Mallett is trying to prove that he's their starting quarterback, but according to John McClain from the Houston Chronicle, he could miss a couple of weeks after injuring his right pectoral muscle.

The Texans still can't find consistency at the position where they need it most, and that's a big reason they've struggled so much.

18. New Orleans Saints

There might not be a more disappointing team this season than the New Orleans Saints. Coming into the season, the Saints were considered a legitimate contender, but some rough play defensively has kept them from reaching their full potential.

Defensive coordinator Rob Ryan looked like a genius last season after turning the Saints defense around, but they've come back down to Earth, allowing 25.2 points per game. The Saints will have a chance to keep their lead in the NFC South with a win against the Baltimore Ravens on Monday, but their defense will need to turn things around if they want to make any kind of run in the playoffs.

17. San Diego Chargers

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Even though they won against the Rams, the Chargers have not looked like the same team compared to earlier in the season. After three straight losses, the Chargers have won against the Raiders and Rams by just a combined 10 points.

The road to the playoffs won't get any easier for the Chargers, who will finish their season with five games against teams with winning records, so they'll need to play like they did at the beginning of the season if they're going to grab a wild-card spot. 

16. Baltimore Ravens

Even though they come in with a better record than the Saints, I expect the Baltimore Ravens to have some trouble on Monday Night Football, even if they escape with a win. An extra week of rest should help too, but playing in New Orleans is no easy task.

Both sides of the ball have been playing well, but the defense has been the real story. Rookie C.J. Mosley has been a Pro Bowl candidate at inside linebacker, providing the piece that the Ravens defense was missing last year. There are still some holes in the secondary, however, and that could be trouble against Drew Brees and company.

15. Miami Dolphins

It feels like the Miami Dolphins are better than their 6-5 record indicates. Their last three losses have come against teams that will most likely be in the postseason by a combined 10 points, while all of their wins have been pretty convincing.

Ryan Tannehill is progressing, but not as fast as the Dolphins would like. Fortunately, the defense has been playing great for most of the year due to a number of effective pass-rushers and a solid secondary led by Brent Grimes. The rest of their schedule is a bit easier, and they should be one of the teams fighting for a playoff spot by the end of the year.

14. Cleveland Browns

They haven't always won with style, but the Browns are still somehow on top of the AFC North and looking to go to the playoffs for the first time since 2002. The offense got a big lift this week with Josh Gordon finally returning, catching eight passes for 120 yards.

Josh Katzowitz from CBS Sports wasn't afraid to call Gordon one of the best receivers in the league once again after his strong season debut.

Now that Gordon is back, the Browns should be even deadlier on offense. The defense has been solid as well, and with some luck, this team could win a game or two once the playoffs begin.

13. Cincinnati Bengals

When they aren't playing on prime time, the Cincinnati Bengals are usually just fine. Andy Dalton seems to struggle when on the national stage, and that's been apparent in each of his postseason appearances.

Now that A.J. Green is back, the Bengals have been better on offense, but the defense needs to play up to its full potential before they can be considered a serious threat in the AFC.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers

Because of their age, the Pittsburgh Steelers might not have many more good years in them before they need to rebuild, but they've done a good job surprising many critics this season because of their offense.

Le'Veon Bell has paved the way on the ground, opening up the passing game for Ben Roethlisberger. Big Ben may be having one of the best seasons of his career with 24 touchdowns and just six interceptions while posting a 105.3 passer rating. 

The secondary still needs to add some youth at some point, but this team has the experience and the talent to be as good as anyone when they're hot.

11. San Francisco 49ers

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Three straight wins for the San Francisco 49ers have put them back in the playoff race, but none of them have been very impressive considering the teams they've played. On the bright side, the defense has been playing well despite not having some of its best players thanks to the emergence of Chris Borland and Aaron Lynch.

Colin Kaepernick and the offense still haven't been putting up big numbers on the board, but that could change. Next week's Thanksgiving game against the Seattle Seahawks should provide a better indication as to whether or not this team is really back on track.

10. Kansas City Chiefs

Few things are more embarrassing than losing to an 0-10 team, especially after winning five straight. The Chiefs have been a tough team to figure out this year, and they'll have some tough upcoming games to stay in the playoff race.

Jamaal Charles has had another productive year, rushing for 772 yards and eight touchdowns on just 152 carries, but the passing game needs to be a more reliable option for the Chiefs if they're going to keep up with the rest of the AFC West.

9. Seattle Seahawks

As the defending Super Bowl champions, the Seattle Seahawks haven't exactly been playing like contenders this year, but a big win against the Arizona Cardinals helped them out quite a bit in the playoff race this week.

The Legion of Boom and the rest of Seattle's defense has been better recently, but the offense has been a bit more questionable. The passing game needs to start producing more, because defenses will start to focus in more and more on Marshawn Lynch as the season continues, especially with some tough upcoming run defenses on the schedule.

8. Indianapolis Colts

After the blowout loss last week and a rough first half on Sunday, the Indianapolis Colts finally got back on track in the second half against the Jaguars. Ahmad Bradshaw and Dwayne Allen were clearly missed in the red zone, but Allen should be back soon, and Daniel Herron looked like a potential replacement for Bradshaw after running for 62 yards on 12 carries.

Andrew Luck should continue to lead one of the league's best offenses, but questions about the defensive front seven will continue to haunt the Colts. The pass rush has only shown up against weaker offenses, and the run defense was exposed last week. The return of Arthur Jones should help to a degree, but the defense still has more questions than answers at this point.

7. Detroit Lions

An ugly loss to the New England Patriots dropped the Detroit Lions down a couple of spots this week, but this is still one of the better teams in the NFC. Before allowing 34 points on Sunday, the Lions defense had been very solid, not allowing more than 24 points in any other game.

For some reason, the Lions offense has been in a funk all year, but the talent is definitely there. Matthew Stafford has Calvin Johnson and Golden Tate to throw to, and once they all get on the same page, this is going to be a very tough team to stop.

6. Dallas Cowboys

A rough game against the Giants has put the Cowboys back a bit, but this is still a very good team. The offense is as complete as you can get, with one of the best offensive lines in the league, a strong quarterback, great running back and an elite receiver in Dez Bryant.

Unfortunately, the defense that was playing well above its talent early on is starting to go back to having some questions. The Giants were able to score with ease on this defense, and that can't happen if the Cowboys are going to win the NFC East.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

Mark Sanchez hasn't been the best quarterback replacing Nick Foles, but the Philadelphia Eagles were still able to blow out the Titans this week with a 43-24 win. The special teams was a factor once again, with Josh Huff returning a kickoff 107 yards for the touchdown.

LeSean McCoy is finally starting to look like his old self, running for more than 100 yards three times in the past six games, and as long as he keeps running like a Pro Bowler once Foles returns, the Eagles have enough talent on both sides of the ball to make a run at the Super Bowl.

4. Arizona Cardinals

Drew Stanton has done what he can replacing Carson Palmer at quarterback, but it's quite clear that the Arizona Cardinals are missing the veteran. The offense has taken a step back, scoring just 17 points in the past two games, but that could change with upcoming games against the Falcons and Chiefs.

If it doesn't, however, then the defense is going to need to keep making big plays and forcing turnovers. The secondary has enough playmakers to disrupt opposing quarterbacks, and their entire defense is going to have to keep it up to put Stanton in position to lead his team to wins.

3. Denver Broncos

The past two weeks have been pretty shaky for the Denver Broncos, who are starting to show signs of vulnerability. Fortunately for them, Peyton Manning was able to help the Broncos escape this week with a win over the Dolphins.

Julius Thomas' absence has been a bigger blow to the offense than many expected, but he should be back in the near future. The defense gave up an uncharacteristic 36 points against Miami, which is concerning, but they have too many key players on that side of the ball for that to be a recurring problem.

2. Green Bay Packers

Even when Aaron Rodgers has an off game, he still puts up big numbers. Rodgers has become the clear MVP front-runner this season, throwing for 30 touchdowns and just three interceptions up to this point, and with Eddie Lacy in the backfield, the Packers may very well have the best offense in the NFL right now.

The defense was very ugly to start the season, but now that they've decided to move Clay Matthews around, it's been a different story. The Packers have allowed just 18.3 points per game since their bye week, and with players like Julius Peppers and HaHa Clinton-Dix filling key holes, this team looks complete enough to get a first-round bye in time for the playoffs.

1. New England Patriots

A blowout win against the Lions shows just how good the Patriots have been recently. Since losing 41-14 to the Chiefs in Week 4, the Patriots have won seven straight while averaging a very impressive 39.6 points per game.

Rob Gronkowski looks like he's finally 100 percent after tearing his ACL last season, catching 53 passes for 734 yards and nine touchdowns. Gronk, Shane Vereen and Brandon LaFell have been key weapons on the offense, and so far no NFL team has had an answer for them.

Tom Brady is nearing the end of his career, and this year's team might be his best chance to get another Super Bowl under his belt before he retires.