NFL Power Rankings: Week 16 Expert Consensus from Around the Web

Remarkably enough, with only two weeks remaining in the regular season, 21 teams are still in contention for a spot in the playoffs. That leaves just 11 teams that have more than likely begun preparing for the 2015 NFL draft, most of which may be looking to nab Heisman-winning quarterback Marcus Mariota.

As for the teams still in contention, only four are locks for the playoffs. The New England Patriots, Denver Broncos and Indianapolis Colts have clinched their respective divisions, and the Arizona Cardinals have locked down a postseason berth. The final eight positions will be decided between 17 teams.

So, which squads are the most likely to find themselves in action come January? Well, look no further than the latest power rankings to receive the answer to that question. The higher a team ranks in the league's current pecking order, the greater their chances of reaching the playoffs.

To get a broader perspective before we delve into this week's rankings, here's a look at the NFL hierarchies put together by some experts around the Web.

Rank	Matt Miller	Frank Schwab	USA Today
1	Patriots	Patriots	Patriots
2	Seahawks	Seahawks	Seahawks
3	Packers	Broncos	Broncos
4	Broncos	Packers	Packers
5	Lions	Cowboys	Cowboys
6	Cowboys	Colts	Colts
7	Colts	Lions	Cardinals
8	Cardinals	Ravens	Lions
9	Eagles	Cardinals	Steelers
10	Steelers	Bengals	Eagles
11	Bengals	Steelers	Bengals
12	Ravens	Eagles	Ravens
13	Bills	Chiefs	Bills
14	Chargers	Bills	Chargers
15	Chiefs	Chargers	Chiefs
16	Texans	Dolphins	49ers
17	Dolphins	49ers	Saints
18	49ers	Texans	Dolphins
19	Browns	Rams	Texans
20	Rams	Browns	Panthers
21	Vikings	Vikings	Browns
22	Panthers	Saints	Falcons
23	Falcons	Panthers	Rams
24	Saints	Giants	Vikings
25	Giants	Falcons	Giants
26	Bears	Jets	Bears
27	Jets	Bears	Redskins
28	Raiders	Redskins	Jets
29	Redskins	Raiders	Buccaneers
30	Jaguars	Buccaneers	Jaguars
31	Buccaneers	Jaguars	Titans
32	Titans	Titans	Raiders

Matt Miller's power rankings can be found at Bleacher Report.

Frank Schwab's power rankings can be found at Yahoo Sports.

USA Today's power rankings can be found at USAToday.com.

Sean O'Donnell's Power Rankings

32. Tennessee Titans (2-12)

Things just went from bad to worse in Tennessee. The team lost its eighth straight game and another quarterback in the process. With Zach Mettenberger already done for the year, Jake Locker followed suit, suffering a season-ending shoulder injury and leaving the team with Charlie Whitehurst at the helm. Uncertainty continues to surround the future of this team.

But, there is some bright side for this team, as it was a part of history in Week 15, according to ESPN Stats & Info:

Yeah, that's about as good as it gets right now.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-12)

This team is still young and very inexperienced. Blake Bortles isn't improving much, if at all, and his learning curve appears to be rather steep. The Jaguars do have some talented players, but it won't matter if the franchise's quarterback of the future can't start throwing touchdown passes.

30. Washington Redskins (3-11)

Robert Griffin III returned to the starting lineup in place of the injured Colt McCoy. He didn't put on a brilliant showing, but he did look better than in previous performances this season. Griffin will get another start in Week 16, per John Keim of ESPN.com, and that may turn into an audition for other potentially interested franchises.

29. Oakland Raiders (2-12)

Oakland came back down to earth in Week 15, getting trounced by the Kansas City Chiefs 31-13. Latavius Murray looked good, averaging 4.9 yards per carry, but it's difficult to rack up any kind of yards on the ground when the offensive game plan calls for rookie quarterback Derek Carr to throw 56 times. Rotoworld's Patrick Daugherty tweeted just how bad the quarterback's numbers were on Sunday:

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-12)

Tampa Bay put up a valiant effort in Week 15 against the Carolina Panthers, but the fact of the matter is this team doesn't have enough talent to keep up with a backup quarterback. The Buccaneers racked up just 287 yards of offense and really need to find answers at both the quarterback and running back positions.

27. New York Jets (3-11)

The good news is the Jets won their third game of the season in Week 15. The bad news is they are probably out of the Mariota sweepstakes because of it. It's funny to think, but there is a possibility that rough-looking win over Tennessee may end up setting the franchise back several years.

26. Chicago Bears (5-9)

Chicago's offense gets booed early and often by its fans, and rightfully so. There's plenty of offense on this squad, yet quarterback Jay Cutler can't seem to take advantage of it. That led to a painful loss to the Saints on Monday night and will bring about an offseason full of questions and concerns.

25. New York Giants (5-9)

Rookie wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. is the biggest bright spot in an otherwise dismal season for the Giants. He's making this team look better than it really is by lighting up opposing secondaries on a weekly basis. Now, if only this team could find more stability in several other departments.

24. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

The Vikings wound up losing to the Detroit Lions, yet they put on a very solid performance, getting out to a 14-0 lead early and just barely being unable to maintain it. Teddy Bridgewater is coming along nicely at the quarterback position and Charles Johnson has been a revelation. With a Mike Zimmer-coached defense, this team could be competitive as soon as next season.

23. Carolina Panthers (5-8-1)

The Panthers earned a division lead for a day, and they should go ahead and consider that a moral victory. With Cam Newton's status still unclear heading into Week 16, according to Dan Hanzus of NFL.com, it will be increasingly difficult to keep up with both the New Orleans Saints and Atlanta Falcons, as both are beginning to play better of late.  

22. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)

Atlanta put up a solid effort against the Pittsburgh Steelers, losing 27-20 in an entertaining game. Quarterback Matt Ryan appears more comfortable in the pocket recently, and he notched his third consecutive 300-yard passing performance—this time, without Julio Jones in the fold. The Falcons still control their own destiny in the NFC South, and they're clicking at the right time.

21. Houston Texans (7-7)

With Ryan Fitzpatrick out for the season, Houston turned to Tom Savage. Well, even he couldn't stay healthy and is expected to miss Week 16 with a knee injury. This team has no idea who will start against the Baltimore Ravens, and any hope of a playoff berth should be dashed soon. But, hey, let's look on the bright side: J.J. Watt will probably win the league's MVP honors, right?

20. Cleveland Browns (7-7)

Well, Johnny Manziel was certainly worth the wait. All sarcasm aside, he was pretty dreadful, but that's what you get when you put an inexperienced quarterback into a playoff atmosphere against a good team. Is Manziel Cleveland's savior? Possibly, but not this year.

19. San Francisco 49ers (7-7)

San Francisco is the epitome of a team in disarray. Head coach Jim Harbaugh is long gone after this season, and it's easy to wonder if quarterback Colin Kaepernick will be following him. The 49ers have a playoff-caliber defense, but their offense will continue to hold them back until some changes are made.

18. New Orleans Saints (6-8)

The Saints really looked like a competitive football team on Monday night; however, will they again next week? This team has been terribly inconsistent this season, but that must end immediately, as its most important game of the season is on the horizon—a Week 16 clash against the Falcons that could ultimately decide the division.

17. St. Louis Rams (6-8)

St. Louis suffered a tough loss on Thursday night, losing 12-6 to the Arizona Cardinals. The Rams have really stepped up in a big way in recent weeks, and the team's defense has become a force to be reckoned with. If St. Louis could get a hold of a legitimate quarterback, the sky will be the limit.

16. Miami Dolphins (7-7)

The Dolphins will only go as far as Ryan Tannehill will take them, and right now that distance is questionable. Tannehill went on a nice run in the middle of the season, but he hasn't been on point in recent weeks. With games against the Vikings and Jets forthcoming, Miami has an outside shot at making the playoffs. But it's really going to need better play from its quarterback.

15. Kansas City Chiefs (8-6)

Kansas City managed to defeat Oakland with several big plays, but this team is still hurting at the wide receiver position. It will need to get a lot more creative with the usage of running backs and tight ends if it is to reach the postseason with the Pittsburgh Steelers up next and the San Diego Chargers in Week 17. This won't be an easy run to the playoffs.

14. San Diego Chargers (8-6)

San Diego isn't out of the playoff picture, but it is teetering on the brink of elimination. Philip Rivers and Co. haven't been able to move the ball well in either of their last two games, and now wide receiver Keenan Allen's status is in doubt with an ankle injury. Ending the season against the defenses of the 49ers and Chiefs doesn't exactly provide comfort, either.

13. Buffalo Bills (8-6)

This is the team no one wants to play right now. Just one week after shutting down Peyton Manning, the Bills shut down Aaron Rodgers in impressive back-to-back displays of defense. Buffalo may not have a strong offense, but it doesn't need one when it can limit the Green Bay Packers to just 13 points.

12. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Despite a rough game against the Jaguars in which running back Justin Forsett averaged just three yards per carry, the Ravens did enough to get a win, remaining deeply entrenched in the hunt for the AFC North crown. With two games left against the Texans and Browns, they just might get it.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4-1)

The Bengals have one of the most dangerous backfields in the league right now. They rushed for a total of 244 yards and three touchdowns against Cleveland. With A.J. Green out wide and a defense that has become rather stingy of late, this is beginning to look like a playoff team. Although, Cincinnati will be highly tested in prime time against Peyton Manning in Week 16.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-5)

Pittsburgh continues to win games with offense. Sunday in Atlanta, Ben Roethlisberger thew for 360 yards, running back Le'Veon Bell rushed for two touchdowns and wide receiver Antonio Brown racked up 123 receiving yards. That's all well and good, but the team's secondary remains a liability, and that won't fly in January against the league's elite signal-callers.

9. Arizona Cardinals (11-3)

The quarterback position continues to plague Arizona. With Drew Stanton out of commission, third-string quarterback Ryan Lindley will start in Week 16 against the Seattle Seahawks. Lindley completed just four of his 10 passing attempts for 30 yards against the Rams. The Cardinals shouldn't get too comfortable atop the NFC West.

8. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)

Philadelphia's quarterback position is a growing cause for concern. Mark Sanchez continues to make poor decisions with the football, throwing another two interceptions in a loss to the Dallas Cowboys. Rob Tornoe of Philly.com summed it up with one cartoon:

This team is likely to miss the playoffs if it doesn't win out, so head coach Chip Kelly is really going to need to get creative with his offense quickly.

7. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)

The Colts notched another win in Week 16, but they also produced another lackluster offensive showing. That's becoming a trend, and it's beginning to be a cause for concern. Indianapolis has the AFC South wrapped up, but it won't advance deep into the postseason unless Andrew Luck can start generating some points.

6. Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

Remember when Dallas used to struggle in December? Yeah, that's not the case anymore. Tony Romo threw for three touchdowns and DeMarco Murray rushed for two in a bit win over the Eagles in Week 15. If Dallas can keep it up and win out, it will take the NFC East and have a chance at a first-round bye.

5. Detroit Lions (10-4)

Detroit's offense is a bit concerning at this time of year. It hasn't been able to find consistency, and despite a very good defense, it could ultimately be the team's undoing in the postseason. The Lions notched just 11 first downs and 233 yards of offense against the Vikings in Week 15. That kind of performance won't allow the team to play deep into January.

4. Green Bay Packers (10-4)

The Packers were completely shut down by the Bills in Week 15, possibly missing out on home-field advantage throughout the playoffs as a result. Still, Rodgers and Co. lead one of the league's most potent offenses, and we'll see that on display once again in a Week 16 clash with the Buccaneers.

3. Denver Broncos (11-3)

Denver appears to be getting ready to play in the cold weather of the postseason, as it notched its most recent victory by allowing running back C.J. Anderson to carry 29 times compared to Manning's 20 passing attempts. This offense hasn't been lighting it up of late, but it has more than enough weapons to do so at a moment's notice.

2. Seattle Seahawks (10-4)

Russell Wilson didn't put together his best performance in Week 15, but Seattle's defense played well and Marshawn Lynch ran all over San Francisco. That's what makes this team so scary: It's deep at so many positions, it can win big games against decent teams even on a down day.

1. New England Patriots (11-3)

The Patriots are the absolute most dominant team in the NFL right now. Brady continues to play efficient football, taking advantage of all his offensive weapons. The team's makeshift backfield is playing well enough, and its defense is sound in all areas. New England is simply a deep, well-rounded squad.

Now 7-0 for the season in Foxborough, watch out if this team claims home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Former NFL quarterback and current CBS Analyst Boomer Esiason thinks that will be the case, via NFL on CBS:

If that turns out to be the case, there's no reason to think the Patriots won't be huge favorites to earn a trip to the Super Bowl.