NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Latest Outlook and 2014-15 Super Bowl Odds
The Super Bowl hopefuls are dwindling by the week, and by the end of Week 17, the list will be down to just 12 contenders headed to the postseason.
While there are fringe teams on the cusp of making the playoffs, there are also league heavyweights that have separated themselves from the pack. Anything can happen in the NFL, especially come playoff time, but certain teams look more and more likely to be heading to Glendale, Arizona for the Super Bowl.
Let's break down the latest Super Bowl odds, then take a look at power rankings entering Week 17.
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| Seattle Seahawks | 11-4 |
| New England Patriots | 13-4 |
| Denver Broncos | 61-10 |
| Green Bay Packers | 137-20 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 73-2 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 233-20 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 45-2 |
| Detroit Lions | 53-2 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 41-1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 41-1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 47-1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 75-1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 75-1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 100-1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 200-1 |
| Houston Texans | 300-1 |
Note: Odds courtesy of Odds Shark, last updated December 22
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The improvements have been minimal since the start of Lovie Smith's first season, and the Buccaneers will welcome an offseason to get their feet back on the ground. The likely addition of Marcus Mariota with a top draft pick will only help an offense that has nowhere to go but up.
31. Tennessee Titans
In Week 1, the Titans laid a resounding victory on the Kansas City Chiefs. Since then, Tennessee has lost 13 of its 14 games—with the lone win coming against the Jaguars in a game Jacksonville could have won with a game-winning field goal.
Along with rebuilding a talent-lacking roster, Ken Whisenhunt's biggest worry over the offseason is the long-term outlook at the quarterback position. Is Zach Mettenberger really the future?
30. Jacksonville Jaguars
For the first time in years, the Jaguars have shown the smallest of signs that they can make the climb out of the league cellar. Jacksonville's pass rush is quickly becoming one of the league's more formidable units, and the offense will just need a few years to develop under Blake Bortles and a young crop of receivers.
29. Oakland Raiders
The Raiders won't be picking atop the draft after getting to three wins entering Week 17, but that won't matter much compared to the building of momentum going on in Oakland. It remains to be seen whom the next coaching staff will include, but they will inherit a team starting to find some confidence.
28. New York Jets
As the Jets showed once again in Week 16 with a one-point loss to the Patriots that they can put it together at times against even the league's best teams. But the inconsistency in New York has been palpable, and it will almost certainly lead to the exodus of Rex Ryan and possibly quarterback Geno Smith.
27. Washington Redskins
A short glimmer of promise shone through in a ghastly ending to 2014, as the Redskins were able to knock off the Eagles and end their playoff hopes in Week 16. But with an ailing defense and all sorts of question marks under center entering the offseason, there's no telling what Washington will look like in 2015.
26. Chicago Bears
With Jimmy Clausen and not Jay Cutler, the Bears hung around more than expected against the Lions before Detroit put them away. Add Chicago to the growing list of teams that will either see a new coaching staff, a ton of new talent coming on board or both.
25. St. Louis Rams
Week 16 against the lowly Giants at home are the types of games mediocre NFL teams win. But the Rams fell to New York in their final home game of the season, and a visit to Seattle to close the year should send St. Louis to 6-10 and produce another decent draft pick for Jeff Fisher.
But after failing to make any sort of playoff push and regressing down the stretch, there's no doubt that the clock is starting to tick, even for such a well-respected coach.
24. Cleveland Browns
The start to the Johnny Manziel era couldn't have begun much worse. The Browns were shut out 30-0 in his starting debut, then Manziel turned around to get injured in their Week 16 loss to the Panthers.
The offensive struggles have dominated the headlines, but don't let that distract you from an NFL-worst run defense—allowing 142.4 yards per contest on the ground.
23. Minnesota Vikings
The Vikings pulled off the never-before-heard-of safety to lose the game against the Dolphins. But it should be noted that for about 58-and-a-half minutes, Minnesota had the edge over a team with playoff talent on both sides of the ball.
If Mike Zimmer can find some talent early in the draft to protect Teddy Bridgewater on the offensive line, the Vikes could make serious strides in 2015.
22. New York Giants
Whether it's 68-year-old head coach Tom Coughlin manning the sidelines or somebody else, the Giants should enter next season brimming in confidence. Yes, they did lose seven straight during a recent stretch. But they've followed it up with three straight wins and can end the season 7-9 by topping Philadelphia in Week 17.
21. New Orleans Saints
It's not often that a team will fall from the thick of playoff contention to near the bottom of the league, but that's just what the NFC South has formulated this season. After the Saints' tough Week 16 loss to Atlanta, they're all but eliminated from the postseason unless somehow the Panthers and Falcons tie in their season finale.
20. San Francisco 49ers
For so much of Saturday's game against the Chargers, San Francisco looked like the team we all had been accustomed to over recent seasons. Then, San Diego hung 28 on the Niners in the second half en route to a 38-35 victory.
No team will receive more much-needed clarity over the offseason than the 49ers.
19. Carolina Panthers
Two weeks ago, the Panthers were 4-8-1. Now, they're leading the division. Don't you love the NFC South?
Alas, if Cam Newton and Co. truly want to make a repeat trip to the postseason and host a playoff game, they'll have to get through a Falcons team in Week 17 that beat them the last time out.
18. Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins miraculously found a way to get back in the game against the Vikings and win it on a crazy blocked punt for a safety, but it doesn't erase the sour memories from this season. Once again, a Miami team looking the part of a playoff contender will barely miss out on the playoffs down the stretch.
17. Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are 6-9, but you wouldn't know it from their play in recent weeks. After drubbing Arizona at home, Atlanta hung in there against Green Bay and Pittsburgh before throttling New Orleans in a must-win game.
All of that will be for naught if they can't top Carolina at home in Week 17 for the division.
16. Buffalo Bills
Buffalo's sour loss to the Raiders in Week 16 made certain that the Bills wouldn't be a part of the postseason, extending a ridiculous drought, as NFL.com's Chris Trapasso pointed out:
Although not too many folks expected a playoff push from the Bills in 2014, they certainly showed signs of having it in them during the season's second half. With a few new pieces in place for next season, Buffalo could end the drought.
15. Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are—technically—still alive in the playoff hunt, but they will need a win over San Diego along with considerable help for a wild-card spot. If they somehow make it there, don't sleep on Kansas City, who has knocked off both the Patriots and Seahawks this season—albeit at home.
14. Houston Texans
Houston just won't die when it comes to competing for a playoff spot. The Texans toppled the hungry Ravens in Week 16, leaving a sliver of hope open for a postseason wild-card spot that will most likely be filled by an AFC North team.
13. Baltimore Ravens
If Joe Flacco plays like he did Sunday in Houston, the Ravens will have their hands full in Week 17—even against the hapless Browns. Baltimore's postseason chances should still be liked, but it remains to be seen whether Flacco and the Ravens offense have enough firepower to take down an AFC division-winner on the road.
12. San Diego Chargers
The Chargers made a furious comeback over the 49ers to keep their playoff aspirations somehow alive, and all it will take is a victory in Week 17 to clinch a wild-card spot, as the Chargers' Twitter noted:
There are few teams gunning for wild-card spots that could be as dangerous as Philip Rivers and Co. come January.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are on prime time twice to close out the season, and their performance on Monday Night Football's finale against the Broncos will go a long way toward telling how it will shake out. All it takes is one victory to clinch a playoff spot, and they can win the AFC North by beating Pittsburgh on the road in Week 17.
10. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia's chances of finishing 2-0 were liked as much as anyone's entering Week 16, with closeout games against the Redskins and Giants. Then the Eagles were toppled by Washington in Week 16 and the Cowboys beat the Colts to completely end their playoff hopes.
Don't be surprised if Chip Kelly gets involved in the quarterback carousel this offseason.
9. Arizona Cardinals
The overall result was gut-wrenching, but the Cardinals shouldn't be too down from their 35-6 drubbing by Seattle. Not only was it 14-6 entering the fourth quarter, but the Seahawks are blowing over everybody they play.
Of course, that doesn't make it any less worrisome, with Arizona almost guaranteed to be a wild-card team now.
8. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts still had a first-round bye to play for after having already wrapped up the division, but it didn't seem to matter, as Indy was trounced 42-7 in Dallas. Andrew Luck and Co. had better hope that was a one-time issue, because the defenses they'll go up against in the AFC playoffs will be even tougher.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
After taking care of business in Week 16 against the Chiefs, Pittsburgh was able to wrap up a wild-card spot in the playoffs. But entering the season finale against Cincinnati, the Steelers can win the AFC North, and the game will be on prime time, as SportsCenter noted:
The motivation of winning the division and securing a home playoff game won't be lost on the Steelers, who have only lost twice at home this year.
6. Detroit Lions
Simply securing a playoff spot will be a weight off the Lions' shoulders, as they did just that in Week 16. But what's keeping Detroit from emerging as a truly elite team is the fact that it hasn't done anything against elite teams—ignore the win over Green Bay in Week 3, when the Packers were nowhere near their current level.
Should they beat the Pack again at Lambeau Field, win the division and secure a first-round bye, however, folks will take notice.
5. Dallas Cowboys
Yes, Cowboys fans, it really happened. Even with a banged-up DeMarco Murray, Dallas absolutely throttled the playoff-bound Colts 42-7 at home in AT&T Stadium—a venue in which they've struggled this season—to clinch the NFC East.
Turning around their home woes could not have come at a better time, as they'll welcome a similarly talented wild-card team in early January.
4. Green Bay Packers
Did Green Bay peak at the wrong time? After five straight wins entering Week 15, the Packers fell to the Bills before struggling against the Bucs in a still-easy win.
Pack fans don't have too much to worry about, as the visit from Detroit in Week 17 should get the team amped up for more battles like that in January.
3. Denver Broncos
Although the Broncos receiving a first-round bye is a mere formality at this point, they have their sights set higher—the AFC's top seed. It will take a New England loss along with two Broncos wins down the stretch, but the importance of that won't be lost on a Denver team that was trounced in Foxborough earlier this season.
2. Seattle Seahawks
Remember when the Seahawks were no longer the dominating power we knew them to be? Yeah, those were the times. Now, Seattle has ripped off a five-game winning streak—all wins of 10 points or more, coming against a gauntlet schedule.
Seattle has rediscovered its success on the ground, ranking atop the league in rushing, and it's largely due to Marshawn Lynch, as NFL Network's Ian Rapoport noted:
The Seahawks clinch the NFC West and a first-round bye with a win over the Rams or a Cardinals loss in Week 17.
1. New England Patriots
Seattle may be doing it more convincingly, but winning a game—even one to a lower-tier team—doesn't drop you in the power rankings. That's largely due to the Patriots having won 10 of their last 11 games.
With Sunday's 17-16 win over the Jets, the Patriots clinched a first-round bye for the fifth consecutive season. That's unheard of.
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