NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Updated 2014 Analysis for Final Week of Season

Week 17 of the NFL season is riddled with playoff implications. The Kansas City Chiefs, San Diego Chargers, Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens continue to claw at their shot at a postseason appearance. Division titles continue to hang in the balance. 

With so much on the line and only four teams who have clinched their respective divisions thus far, the regular-season finale will be more gripping than any week thus far. 

Here is how the league stacks up heading into the final week of the season, from the teams jockeying for draft position to teams eyeing the Lombardi Trophy.

32. Tennessee Titans (2-13)

The Titans have lost nine straight games and are struggling to find an identity. Losing to the New York Jets and the Jacksonville Jaguars in back-to-back weeks has the fanbase longing for Oregon quarterback Marcus Mariota in the 2015 NFL draft. Taking on Andrew Luck and the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 will be no easy task for a team struggling to remain relevant.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-13)

The Bucs haven't scored over 17 points since Week 11. With a miserable quarterback situation and the second-worst rushing offense in the league, Tampa Bay doesn't have the firepower to compete with the New Orleans Saints in Week 17. Finishing in last place in the worst division in football is not an encouraging result in Lovie Smith's first season with the Buccaneers. 

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30. New York Jets (3-12)

Geno Smith and Rex Ryan enter what could be their final game in their respective roles. With just three wins on the season, the Jets are in need of a personnel makeover. The league's worst passing offense has the team searching for answers it won't find under this regime. The Miami Dolphins should have no problem mopping up the lowly Jets in another disappointing season.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars  (3-12)

Blake Bortles and the Jacksonville Jaguars have had a rocky season. Gus Bradley seems to be putting the team together one piece at a time, but questions remain with the team amassing only three wins this season.

The jury is still out on Bortles, who has thrown 11 touchdowns and 17 interceptions in 2014. A meeting with J.J. Watt's Texans to close out the season isn't exactly the easiest way to wrap up a pedestrian rookie season. 

28. Washington Redskins (4-11)

The Washington Redskins pulled out a victory against their division rival Philadelphia Eagles in Week 16. While Robert Griffin III continued to look mediocre, throwing an interception and failing to find the end zone, Washington found a way to pull out the victory with DeSean Jackson and Alfred Morris picking up the slack.

While the Redskins find themselves playing a game in Week 17 without playoff implications, a victory over the first-place Dallas Cowboys would be a gratifying way to end the season.

27. Oakland Raiders (3-12)

After winning three of their last five, the Oakland Raiders are finding their stride. With big wins over the Chiefs, San Francisco 49ers and Buffalo Bills, the Raiders and Derek Carr are establishing themselves as a bottom-feeder on the rise.

While there are still a lot of pieces missing and playing the Denver Broncos on the road is no easy task, the Raiders will head into next season as a team on the rise. With a high draft pick and a certain other Bay Area head coach on the way, the Raiders could be a force to be reckoned with in 2015. 

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26. Chicago Bears (5-10)

The Bears are deciding whether Jay Cutler or Jimmy Clausen is the quarterback who can lead the franchise going forward, though the answer is likely neither of them.

The Bears take on the Minnesota Vikings Sunday in a game that will determine who will hold the title as the worst team in the NFC North. Marc Trestman's introduction to NFL head coaching hasn't been an easy one by any means, but he has an opportunity to end it on a good note.

25. Minnesota Vikings (6-9)

After yucking five interceptions in his first four games, Teddy Bridgewater has leveled his touchdown-to-interception ratio to 13-11.

Although Matt Asiata rushed for two touchdowns against the Dolphins in Week 16, if Minnesota is going to take down a reeling Chicago Bears squad in Week 17, they need their rookie signal-caller to improve upon the 158-yard performance that rendered the Bears a loss in Week 11.

24. San Francisco 49ers (7-8)

The San Francisco 49ers choked away a 21-point lead against the Chargers in Week 16 in a loss that epitomized their 2014 season. With Jim Harbaugh rumors swirling, injuries running rampant and distractions flooding the locker room, the 49ers don't have the means to compete with the NFC-leading Arizona Cardinals in Week 17.   

23. Cleveland Browns (7-8)

While the Cleveland Browns have been eliminated from playoff contention, the team made a run at the postseason and has a chance to finish .500. While that doesn't seem like an accomplishment worthy of bragging about, it would be the first time since 2007 that the team has closed out the season without a losing record.

Brian Hoyer and Johnny Manziel have dominated the Cleveland narrative this season, but snapping a four-game losing streak and taking down the Ravens in Baltimore would provide a welcomed distraction to the quarterback fiasco in Cleveland. 

22. St. Louis Rams (6-9)

While they may only have six wins on the season, the Rams are a team no NFC West foe wants to face. After beating Seattle earlier in the season, St. Louis is seeking another division win to end the season on.

A fake punt helped spark their win over the Seahawks in Week 7, and their up-and-coming squad will need to pull out all the stops once again to take out the Seahawks in Seattle. 

21. New York Giants (6-9)

The Giants has won three straight games and rookie sensation Odell Beckham Jr. is must-see TV. With a staggering 421 yards and six touchdowns in his last three outings, Beckham is making his case for Rookie of the Year in a class featuring wide receivers like Sammy Watkins, Kelvin Benjamin and Mike Evans.

Though the Giants are out of contention, a win over the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 17 would signify the franchise is turning a corner.

20. Carolina Panthers (6-8-1)

After winning three consecutive games, the Carolina Panthers have set themselves up for a playoff berth.

In the Panthers' last outing against the Atlanta Falcons, Cam Newton threw two touchdowns and two interceptions in a losing effort. He'll need to be more efficient to launch the Panthers into the playoffs.

19. New Orleans Saints (6-9)

Jimmy Graham had six games with over 100 yards receiving last year. This season, he has one. Teams have found a way to slow him down, and it has made the Saints less scary. Drew Brees has still thrown for nearly 300 yards per game, but the Saints remain out of whack, dropping five of their last seven games.

They take on a lowly Tampa Bay Buccaneers squad that took them to overtime earlier in the season, as both teams battle for dignity in the final game of each team's campaign.

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18. Atlanta Falcons (6-9)

The Falcons are a mediocre team nobody in the NFL wants to play. With everything on the line heading into Week 17, the Falcons take on the Panthers at home with a shot at a 7-9 record and a postseason berth.

In their first game, the Falcons took down the Panthers with a final score of 19-17. Expect Matt Ryan and the Falcons' top-five passing attack to surpass that mark by a mile en route to an NFC South title.

17. Buffalo Bills (8-7)

The Bills haven't made it easy on themselves all season long. With playoff aspirations for the first time in years, the Bills completely dropped the ball against the Raiders in Week 16. Now, they head into Foxborough against a New England Patriots squad nobody wants to face.

Tom Brady dismantled the Bills with a 361-yard, four-touchdown performance in Week 6. With the Patriots rolling, there is no reason to believe the Bills won't fall short of reaching their first winning season since 2004.

16. Baltimore Ravens (9-6)

The Ravens let a golden opportunity slip through their fingers in Week 16. Now, they stare up at the elite of the ultra-competitive AFC North with their playoff hopes in question.

Joe Flacco has a chance to get back on track against the Browns in Week 17 after falling victim to a 21-of-50 passing performance featuring three interceptions and two touchdowns against Houston. Given that J.J. Watt is not currently on the Browns roster, Flacco should encounter more success this week. 

15. Miami Dolphins (8-7)

The up-and-down Dolphins find themselves within striking distance of a winning record as they take on the lowly Jets in Week 17.

Ryan Tannehill only managed to throw for 235 yards in a game where he had no touchdowns and an interception the first time he took on the Jets in Week 13. After back-to-back games over 300 yards, he'll be looking to prove the Dolphins will be a team to be reckoned with in 2015. 

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14. Kansas City Chiefs (8-7)

The Chiefs are melting down. After losing four of their last five, Kansas City is a far cry from the 7-3 team they once were; however, they took down the Chargers in San Diego in Week 7 and have a chance to play spoiler to the Chargers' playoff hopes. With Alex Smith coming off his first 300-yard performance of the season, the Chiefs are finding a rhythm and have a real shot at spoiling the Chargers' season.

13. Houston Texans (8-7)

J.J. Watt and the Houston Texans are no longer the AFC bottom-feeder they once were. Watt is an MVP candidate, finding the end zone five times on both the offensive and defensive side of the ball. Bill O'Brien has his team on the move, and a very winnable game against the Jaguars is exactly what the Texans need to close out what has been a remarkable season for Houston. 

12. San Diego Chargers (9-6)

The San Diego erased a 21-point deficit and added to the mystique of Philip Rivers in December. The Chargers have a shot at redeeming a Week 7 loss to Kansas City this week, and with a shot at an AFC wild-card berth, San Diego has a chance to blow the Chiefs away. 

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11.  Philadelphia Eagles (9-6)

At their best, the Eagles are the most dangerous team in the NFC. At their worst, the Eagles drop three straight games and head into New York with a reeling offense led by Mark Sanchez. Right now, the Eagles are the latter, and they face a major challenge ahead against the streaking Giants.

The Eagles are 8-0 when they score 30 or more and 1-5 when they don't. They must find a way to keep pace with Odell Beckham and the white-hot Giants. 

10. Indianapolis Colts (10-5)

Being humiliated by the Cowboys in a 35-point Week 16 loss isn't exactly how the Colts saw last week playing out.

While the Colts have struggled against the top teams in the league this season, they have made a living off dismantling bottom-feeders. They beat the Titans 41-17 earlier in the season and should have no problem replicating that success in Week 17.

Andrew Luck has already thrown 600 balls this season, so you can expect Indy to air it out early and often against a Titans squad that gave up 393 yards and four touchdowns in their first meeting this season. 

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)

After getting off to a shaky start, the Steelers are clicking on all cylinders. Antonio Brown leads the league in receiving with 1,570 yards and has established himself as the best playmaker in the NFL. LeVeon Bell has 1,341 rushing yards and has found the end zone eight times in his last five games.

Pittsburgh is a rapidly-rising AFC team that presents a lot of problems for not only the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 17, but also any team they face in the postseason.

8. Arizona Cardinals (11-4)

The Arizona Cardinals still have something to prove. Though they come into the final game of the season with an 11-4 record, they still have a chance to let the NFC West crown slip through their fingers, as the defending Super Bowl champion Seattle Seahawks have won five straight and are tied with the Cardinals atop the division.

Still, Arizona has faced adversity—and overcome it—all season long. With key members of their team like defensive end Darnell Dockett and quarterback Carson Palmer sidelined with injuries, the Cardinals are in a position to win the division outright when nobody thought they would come close this season.

They have a winnable game against the struggling 49ers on Sunday, and a division title would be well-deserved for a team Bruce Arians has gotten the most out of all season long.

7. Detroit Lions (11-4)

The Detroit Lions head into the last game of the season with a chance to take down the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field and win the NFC North crown. While tempting, the feat is easier said than done.

The last time the two teams played, Aaron Rodgers was held to 162 yards. It's a mark that Rodgers could eclipse by the second quarter this week. The Lions have already proved they can contend with the Packers, but taking them down in Green Bay in a must-win matchup is a tall task for Detroit.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1)

In Week 16 against the Broncos, Jeremy Hill rushed for 147 yards and Andy Dalton didn't turn the ball over once. However, the real story was the Bengals defense picking off Peyton Manning four times and keeping the Broncos' high-octane offense in check.

Ben Roethlisberger lit up Cincinnati in Week 14, throwing for 350 yards and three scores; however, the Bengals have proved they can hold their own against any quarterback and will need to create the same sort of havoc they did on Monday night against Manning.

5. Dallas Cowboys (11-4)

The Dallas Cowboys are more offensively balanced than they have ever been with Tony Romo under center. DeMarco Murray has rushed for a whopping 1,745 yards and Romo has thrown 10 passing touchdowns in his last three games.

The Cowboys have had a problem getting over the hump in previous years, but an improved offensive line and balanced attack has Dallas thinking Super Bowl as they take on the Redskins in the final game of the season. 

4. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)

Marshawn Lynch is a different kind of creature. His 113-yard, two-touchdown performance against the vaunted Arizona Cardinals defense shows that Beast Mode won't be checking out of the league any time soon. The Seahawks have won eight of their last nine and will be looking to avenge their Week 7 loss to the Rams as they look to repeat as Super Bowl champions.

3. Denver Broncos (11-4)

Peyton Manning and the Broncos weren't themselves last Monday night. In rainy conditions, the Broncos allowed themselves to fall victim to the Bengals' ground-and-pound attack, while Manning hurled four interceptions in a game that has people wondering about Denver heading into the playoffs.

The Broncos will want to prove they aren't the same team that was lambasted in the Super Bowl a season ago. The Raiders are a victim of circumstance in Week 17, as they'll serve as a harsh reminder that the Broncos are still one of the teams to beat in the AFC.

2. New England Patriots (12-3)

Do not poke the New England beast. While detractors questioned the Patriots' validity when they posted a 2-2 record through the season's first four weeks, New England got back to their dominant ways and has jumped out to the best record in the league.

Rob Gronkowski is on a terrifying stretch with 12 touchdowns this season. While they squeaked by the Jets a week ago, look for them to roll the Bills in a Week 17 finale that will give them a lift before heading into their first-round bye. 

1. Green Bay Packers (11-4)

The Packers are 6-1 since coming off their bye week, and everything is clicking for Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers has already eclipsed 4,000 yards passing, and with 36 touchdowns on the year, he has a real shot at winning the MVP award.

Rodgers was held to a pedestrian 162 yards last time he took on the Lions. He'll need to be at his best to take down Detroit and win the NFC North.