NFL Power Rankings: Initial Post-Sunday Breakdown Ahead of Week 14

Isn't the NFL's playoff picture supposed to become clearer at this point in the season? The league continued its unpredictable nature in Week 13, as upsets ran rampant on Sunday. These unexpected results shook up both the postseason's outlook and the league's power rankings.

So, which results had the most impact? Well, the AFC North didn't look quite as strong as it had in the past, one particular NFC West squad may need to break the glass over the panic button and a battle of NFL juggernauts saw a shift atop the league's hierarchy.

Yes, those are somewhat vague examples, but being any more specific would take all of the excitement out of scrolling through the power rankings. Except for Oakland Raiders fans. You should know where your team stands following Sunday's disaster.

That said, here's a look at the NFL's updated pecking order.

32. Oakland Raiders

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How do the Raiders follow up their first win of the season? By getting blown out 52-0. This team failed in every single phase of the game against the St. Louis Rams on Sunday, but there's a light at the end of the tunnel. His name is Amari Cooper.

31. Tennessee Titans

The Titans don't have much longer to figure out if Zach Mettenberger is the answer at quarterback. He's been about average for a rookie, but this team is on the fast track to a high draft pick. Could Tennessee possibly pass on Marcus Mariota?

30. Carolina Panthers

Carolina continues to disappoint and Cam Newton continues to struggle. This tweet from SportsCenter is very telling of the quarterback's season:

With the Panthers close to falling out of contention in the NFC South, it's time to start thinking about the draft. The decision to add protection or weapons for the quarterback is the source for ongoing debates.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay continues to be unimpressive, but a high draft pick is the reward for their woes this season. After another below-average performance, it's clear Josh McCown isn't the answer at quarterback. This team could be faced with a franchise-changing decision when the 2015 NFL draft rolls around.

28. New York Jets

New York faces the Miami Dolphins on Monday night, and this team will get one more look at what it has in quarterback Geno Smith. He was benched for poor play earlier this season, and this may be his last chance to remain a starter in the NFL.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars

Blake Bortles is still struggling as a passer, but young players continue to step up on Jacksonville's offense. Marqise Lee made his presence felt Sunday, hauling in six passes for 75 yards and a touchdown. It will be interesting to see how Lee and others continue to develop.

26. Washington Redskins

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Let's get something out of the way: Colt McCoy is a better option at quarterback for Washington than Robert Griffin III. McCoy put on another impressive performance Sunday, throwing for 392 yards and three touchdowns, but it's tough to generate wins with a defense that allows 49 points.

25. New York Giants

The Giants have a solid quarterback in Eli Manning, a breakout wide receiver in Odell Beckham Jr. and a good running back in Rashad Jennings. Still, this team couldn't get out of its own way and lost to the Jaguars. Upgrades on both sides of the ball are necessary before this team will be able to compete once again.

24. Chicago Bears

Jay Cutler continues to throw interceptions, Chicago's defense continues to allow a bevy of points and this team continues to lose football games. There's simply too much talent on this team to warrant a 5-7 record, and some drastic changes must be made over the offseason.

23. St. Louis Rams

The Rams seem to really be headed in the right direction. That's great news for a franchise chock-full of young, talented players. Although, while Shaun Hill played well in Week 13, there's still a matter of the future at the quarterback position in St. Louis.

22. Minnesota Vikings

Minnesota doesn't do anything flashy on the offensive side of the ball, but the team's defense and special teams continue to help the Vikings win football games. Adding a couple more weapons after this season could propel this team into contention.

21. New Orleans Saints

The Saints produced a big surprise Sunday, ending their three-game skid and defeating the Pittsburgh Steelers thanks to five Drew Brees touchdown passes. Tight end Jimmy Graham didn't catch a pass, but that didn't matter for New Orleans, as the team still managed to rack up 35 points.

20. Cleveland Browns

Brian Hoyer continued to produce some terrible numbers Sunday, throwing two interceptions against the Buffalo Bills before being yanked in favor of rookie Johnny Manziel, who rushed for a touchdown. We could have a quarterback controversy in Cleveland, but that may not be a good thing, as this team's Cinderella story seems to be coming to an end.

19. Atlanta Falcons

Despite holding a 5-7 record, this team is still in contention for the NFC South title. All of a sudden, Matt Ryan and Julio Jones looked in top form during a drubbing of the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, and even Steven Jackson got into the mix, rushing for over 100 yards. Atlanta is clicking at the right time.

18. Houston Texans

Perhaps Ryan Fitzpatrick wasn't too happy about being benched. He returned to the field with a vengeance, accumulating 358 yards and six touchdowns. The Texans notched a very impressive win in Week 13, and Brian T. Smith of the Houston Chronicle tweeted an early look at the paper's cover for Monday:

However, at 6-6, this team is still a long shot for a postseason berth.

17. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs defense played well against Peyton Manning, holding the future Hall of Famer to 179 passing yards and two touchdowns; however, Kansas City just doesn't have the offensive firepower to be a serious threat for the remainder of the season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers are very difficult to figure out. Some weeks they blow opponents out of the water, but they can't seem to put it all together on a consistent basis. Pittsburgh needs to right the ship quickly or it will quickly find itself out of postseason contention.

15. Buffalo Bills

Buffalo notched another win thanks to its stout defense. At 7-5, the Bills are well in the AFC's playoff hunt; although, until this team figures out how to find the end zone when inside the 20-yard line, it won't be able to compete with the NFL's elite.

14. Miami Dolphins

The 6-5 Dolphins will be facing the Jets on Monday night, and a win will be crucial to remain in the mix for a playoff spot. Five AFC teams boast a 7-5 record right now, and Miami should be expected to make it six due to a favorable matchup featuring a red-hot Ryan Tannehill against a shaky Jets secondary. 

13. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens were given every opportunity to put the San Diego Chargers way Sunday and remain a half game behind the Cincinnati Bengals in the AFC North. However, the team's secondary couldn't contain Philip Rivers and fell into a three-way tie at 7-5 as a result.

12. San Francisco 49ers

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Colin Kaepernick couldn't get anything going against the Seattle Seahawks, and a vaunted 49ers running game only produced 3.6 yards per carry. These aren't good signs for a team that's currently on the outside looking in on the NFC's playoff picture.

11. San Diego Chargers

Keenan Allen is making a world of difference in San Diego's offense right now. The team's defense continues to give up yards and points, but its offense is finally able to keep up. Four different Chargers racked up over 80 receiving yards Sunday, and Around the NFL summed it all up perfectly:

San Diego is in great position for another trip to the playoffs.

10. Arizona Cardinals

If things don't improve quickly, this will be the last time the Cardinals find themselves in the top 10. Drew Stanton isn't capable of leading this team to the postseason, let alone a division title, and a defensive meltdown against the Falcons isn't a good sign going forward.

9. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas reverted to its old ways against the Philadelphia Eagles and was blown out as a result. DeMarco Murray only averaged 3.7 yards per carry and Tony Romo threw two interceptions and zero touchdown passes. This isn't a good sign at the start of December.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton may have been ill during Cincinnati's contest against the Buccaneers, but he did throw three ugly interceptions. The Bengals have plenty of talent but will only go as far as their quarterback will take them. This team appears to be headed for the playoffs, where it will attempt to claim that elusive postseason win.

7. Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck continues to put up some gaudy numbers each and every week. He utilized all of his offensive weapons en route to 370 passing yards and five touchdowns. Daniel Herron was phenomenal out of the backfield, and it may be time for the Colts to cut ties with the plodding Trent Richardson.

6. Detroit Lions

The Lions finally showed what they can do when firing on all cylinders. Detroit's defense stifled the Bears on Thanksgiving Day, while Matthew Stafford, Calvin Johnson and Joique Bell helped the offense accumulate 34 points in a dominant victory.

5. Seattle Seahawks

Tony Avelar/Associated Press

Seattle is finally looking like its old self, as Russell Wilson is playing efficiently, Marshawn Lynch is wearing down defenses and Richard Sherman and Co. are begging to dominate games once again. This is all coming at a very good time, as the Seahawks have a chance to overtake the Cardinals in the NFC West.

4. Philadelphia Eagles 

The Eagles are now in full control of the NFC East. With LeSean McCoy finally finding his form, much of the burden has been taken off quarterback Mark Sanchez, allowing him to cut down on mistakes. If Philadelphia can keep up this run-first mentality, it will be very dangerous come January.

3. Denver Broncos

The Broncos notched another victory thanks in part to the emergence of running back C.J. Anderson. He accumulated 168 rushing yards and added a touchdown reception. This running game could give Manning the offensive balance he's generally lacked late in the season.

2. New England Patriots

New England may not have pulled off a win in Green Bay, but no one has been able to accomplish that feat this season. Still, Tom Brady played well on the road and Rob Gronkowski continues to be a human wrecking ball. Limiting the Packers to 26 points isn't too terrible, either.

1. Green Bay Packers

The Packers took down the former No. 1 team in the NFL's pecking order, and as a result, they claim the top spot for themselves. Aaron Rodgers has now thrown 20 touchdown passes and zero interceptions at Lambeau Field this season, and he has no shortage of weapons to work with.

Brandon Browner mentioned the Packers' ability to spread the ball around as one of the keys to the team's victory, according to Mike Reiss of ESPNBoston.com:

With the Cardinals faltering, the Packers are in great position to claim home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. If that's the case, judging by the way this team has been playing in Green Bay this year, we're looking at our NFC representative for the Super Bowl.