B/R Experts Week 16 NFL Power Rankings

You never know what might happen in an NFL season. And in many respects, Week 15 was a microcosm for the entire 2025 campaign, because it was madness.

The team that has represented the AFC in five of the last six Super Bowls not only won't be going to Santa Clara for Super Bowl LX, but they also won't be making the playoffs at all. Oh, and the team's megastar quarterback tore his ACL.

One of the NFC's leading contenders lost its best defensive player to the same injury. The Los Angeles Rams won a major NFC showdown but lost a key offensive piece in the process.

The Houston Texans won their sixth straight—and they aren't even in first place in the AFC South. The Buffalo Bills made the AFC East interesting again with a victory in New England. And a 44-year-old quarterback who hadn't played since the 2020 season nearly led the Indianapolis Colts to a win in Seattle.

After another wild week, the league's hierarchy has again been joggled from top to bottom. Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Kris Knox, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have come together to attempt to make sense of it all and rank the league's teams from worst to first.

32. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)

AP Photo/Matt Slocum

Raiders QB Kenny Pickett

Last Week: 32

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Philadelphia 31-0

An opportunity to select Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Fernando Mendoza is all that matters to the Raiders at this point in time. Sure, the coaches and players in the locker room still want to win. If that actually happened, the Raiders would be taking a step back.

Right now, Las Vegas features the league's worst quarterback situation. It's been that way for some time. The Raiders also own a top-three draft pick if the regular season ended today. Las Vegas can't miss another opportunity to address the game's most important position with a legitimate prospect. -- Sobleski

31. New York Giants (2-12)

AP Photo/Yuki Iwamura

Giants QB Jaxson Dart

Last Week: 30

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Washington 29-21

New York is a two-win team with a rookie quarterback that has already fired its head coach and lost both its top running back and wide receiver to season-ending injuries. The 2025 season has been a wash for a while. After falling to the Commanders, the Giants are currently slated to have the first overall pick next year.

That's exactly what the team needs.

The Giants believe they have their quarterback of the future in Jaxson Dart. That puts the Giants in the potentially enviable position of being able to deal that first pick to a team that doesn't have a long-term answer under center—and amass a boatload of draft capital doing so.

Given New York's needs on both sides of the ball, that's the ideal end to a miserable season—so keep losing. – Davenport

30. Tennessee Titans (2-12)

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

Titans QB Cam Ward

Last Week: 31

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. San Francisco 37-24

The Titans entered Sunday's action with the second-worst offense and seventh-worst defense in the NFL. Bright spots are few and far between for the franchise.

But Titans quarterback Cam Ward quietly had one of his better games as a pro in the loss. He only threw for 170 yards in the game, but he tossed two touchdowns with no interceptions and posted the first game of his career with a passer rating of 100-plus.

That has to be the focus over the final three games of the season. Develop Ward. See what the team has in younger players. Then the focus will shift to finding a new head coach willing to accept the challenge of making this team competitive. - Davenport

29. Cleveland Browns (3-11)

AP Photo/Erin Hooley

Browns EDGE Myles Garrett

Last Week: 29

Week 15 Result: Lost 31-3 vs. Chicago

The Cleveland Browns defense is on a rapid decline. Over the last three weeks, they've allowed 88 points, at least 26 in each of those games. After his most productive pro outing, Shedeur Sanders struggled mightily in Chicago, throwing for 177 yards and three interceptions with a 51 percent completion rate.

With a 3-11 record, Cleveland is in full evaluation mode. Is Sanders good enough for the club to pass on a quarterback twice in the first round of the 2026 draft? As of now, no, but there are three weeks left in the season. In the meantime, keep an eye on Myles Garrett's sack total. He needs one more to break the single-season record. -- Moton

28. New York Jets (3-11)

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Jets QB Brady Cook

Last Week: 28

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Jacksonville 48-20

The New York Jets might as well use the final three weeks of the season to get an extended look at Brady Cook.

The undrafted rookie quarterback had a largely forgettable first start in a blowout loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars. However, the Jets have soured on Justin Fields and know what Tyrod Taylor can offer as a backup.

Head coach Aaron Glenn and general manager Darren Mougey should have everyone under the microscope while searching for long-term contributors. The Jets began their teardown at the trade deadline. Their rebuild will begin, in earnest, in the spring. -- Knox

27. Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

AP Photo/Jessica Tobias

Cardinals EDGE Josh Sweat

Last Week: 26

Week 15 Result: Lost 40-20 vs. Houston

When you look at the box score, Jacoby Brissett's passing numbers look good enough for the Arizona Cardinals to compete in close games, but you must consider the team's defensive decline. Over the last two weeks, the Cardinals have allowed 85 points. They've surrendered 40 or more points in four of their last six games.

Defensive-minded head coach Jonathan Gannon's seat is scorching hot following the team's 11th loss in its last 12 games. -- Moton

26. Washington Commanders (4-10)

AP Photo/Seth Wenig

Commanders WR Terry McLaurin

Last Week: 25

Week 15 Result: Won vs. New York Giants 29-21

Sunday's win over the New York Giants doesn't change much for the Washington Commanders this season. A team that entered the season with Super Bowl aspirations has won four games. By just about any estimation, the 2025 campaign has been a massive disappointment.

The question now becomes where Washington goes from here.

A "win now" mentality last offseason has saddled the Commanders with the oldest roster in the NFL. Washington has struggled much of the season to run the ball or rush the passer with any consistency.

Washington appears headed toward a high draft pick, even if the win over the Giants didn't help. It's critical they make good use of it and the fifth-most cap space in the NFL next year.

Because the clock is ticking on a massive extension for quarterback Jayden Daniels. -- Davenport

25. Cincinnati Bengals (4-10)

(AP Photo/Kareem Elgazzar

Bengals QB Joe Burrow

Last Week: 23

Week 15 Result: Lost 24-0 vs. Baltimore

The Cincinnati Bengals should be concerned about Joe Burrow. In back-to-back weeks, he's thrown a pick-six. Moreover, the quarterback's comments about his mindset shouldn't be taken lightly, given his history of injuries. Burrow may be experiencing personal struggles that are affecting his performance on the field.

Eliminated from playoff contention with an underperforming squad, Cincinnati may fire head coach Zac Taylor within the next few weeks. -- Moton

24. New Orleans Saints (4-10)

AP Photo/Ella Hall

Saints QB Tyler Shough

Last Week: 27

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Carolina 20-17

The Saints are starting to build some positive momentum, with two straight victories over the two teams currently atop the NFC South standings. Granted, neither the Panthers nor the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are playing particularly well as of late, with both teams owning .500 records.

The Saints may be eliminated from the postseason, but they're easily better today than when the team began the season with eight losses in its first nine games. New Orleans is better because it may have found a legitimate long-term starting quarterback Tyler Shough. -- Sobleski

23. Atlanta Falcons (5-9)

AP Photo/Jason Behnken

Falcons TE Kyle Pitts

Last Week: 24

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 29-28

The Falcons had nothing but pride to play for Thursday against the Buccaneers. Raheem Morris' squad didn't need anything more. Atlanta relished the role of playing spoiler and continued to make life difficult for Tampa Bay.

As part of the victory, the version of Kyle Pitts the organization originally wanted when it drafted the tight end with the fourth overall pick in the 2021 NFL draft finally showed up, with a dominant 11-catch, 166-yard and three-touchdown performance. -- Sobleski

22. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

AP Photo/Adam Hunger

Dolphins QB Tua Tagovailoa

Last Week: 21

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Pittsburgh 28-15

The Miami Dolphins' four-game winning streak was fun, but Monday night's loss showed just how far away this team is from legitimate contention.

Miami is still playing hard for head coach Mike McDaniel, so there's a chance he'll be back to oversee an offseason reloading period. However, it's becoming harder to believe Tua Tagovailoa will be at the center of anything the Dolphins do moving forward.

The Dolphins can still play spoiler over the final three weeks of the season, but they'll need to win in spite of Tagovailoa, not because of him. -- Knox

21. Dallas Cowboys (6-7-1)

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott

Last Week: 18

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Minnesota 34-26

Technically, the Cowboys aren't eliminated from postseason consideration just yet. But the team was never really a threat to make the playoffs; not while fielding one of the NFL's worst defenses.

Those defensive shortcomings were on full display Sunday night. This was a game where Dallas outgained Minnesota by nearly 100 yards and the Vikings converted just two of nine third-down tries. But when the Cowboys had to make a play on that side of the ball they didn't.

Expectations will be sky-high for Dallas again in 2026. But this is a team $48 million or so over next year's projected salary cap, so the idea a quick fix is coming is like the soap opera of the same name: completely unrealistic. -- Davenport

20. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Vikings QB J.J. McCarthy

Last Week: 22

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Dallas 34-26

J.J. McCarthy threw another interception on Sunday, but aside from that, he had an impressive game for the second straight week. In doing so, he gave fans a glimpse of what sort of team the Minnesota Vikings can be in 2026.

Minnesota went on the road against a Dallas Cowboys team that desperately needed a win to keep its dwindling playoff hopes alive. Though they struggled to run the ball consistently, the Vikings got plenty from their passing game, played timely defense on third downs, and walked away with a fairly convincing win.

McCarthy has only made eight career starts, and while he's had his fair share of rookie-esque struggles this season, he appears to be on the upswing. The Vikings should feel a lot better about where they can go next season than they did just a few weeks ago. -- Knox

19. Kansas City Chiefs (6-8)

AP Photo/Reed Hoffmann

Chiefs QB Patrick Mahomes

Last Week: 17

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Los Angeles Chargers 16-13

The Chiefs' stranglehold over the AFC came to an end when quarterback Patrick Mahomes crumpled to the field and immediately grabbed his left leg. Unfortunately, Mahomes suffered a torn ACL.

The injury could have lasting repercussions depending on how long it takes the future Hall of Fame quarterback to return to the lineup. In the short term, the Chiefs were eliminated from the postseason and won't appear in the playoffs for the first time since the 2014 campaign. -- Sobleski

18. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

AP Photo/Stephen Brashear

Colts QB Philip Rivers

Last Week: 20

Week 15 Result: Lost at Seattle 18-16

For a fleeting moment, it appeared the Colts were going to stop the bleeding—after a 60-yard field goal, an Indy team led by Philip Rivers had a one-point lead over a 10-win Seattle team on the road.

But the Colts defense couldn't hold, and after Jason Myers kicked his franchise-record sixth field goal, Seattle had a two-point win and Indy's nightmare second half continued.

The Colts were 8-2 at the bye week and one of this year's biggest surprise successes. Since then? Four straight losses, a starting quarterback with a torn ACL and a "new" starter who is (and I am not making this up) hadn't played a down of football since 2021 before Sunday.

The Colts aren't making the playoffs. Next year's first-round pick belongs to the Jets. And a season that once showed so much promise is now just another blah year in Indianapolis. -- Davenport

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Buccaneers QB Baker Mayfield

Last Week: 15

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Atlanta Falcons 29-28

The Buccaneers don't seem to want to win the NFC South. Everyone in Tampa Bay's locker room will say otherwise, but the team's recent performance is a better indicator of how it actually feels. The Bucs lost five of the six games since the squad's Week 9 bye.

During Thursday's meeting with the Falcons, quarterback Baker Mayfield threw the game away with an interception and poorly-placed pass toward Emeka Egbuka. Those misses directly led to the Falcons scoring 10 points for the win. -- Sobleski

16. Carolina Panthers (7-7)

AP Photo/Butch Dill

Panthers RB Rico Dowdle

Last Week: 16

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. New Orleans 20-17

The Panthers had the red carpet rolled out with the opportunity to saunter toward the top of the NFC South standings. Instead, they allowed the Saints to move the ball 62 yards in 55 seconds to kick the game-winning field goal.

The inconsistency the Panthers have shown is frustrating. Over the course of the team's last eight games, it has neither won nor lost two straight games.

To make matters worse, Carolina entered Sunday's contest after having two weeks to prepare for the rival Saints and still couldn't get the job done. -- Sobleski

15. Baltimore Ravens (7-7)

AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster

Ravens QB Lamar Jackson

Last Week: 19

Week 15 Result: Won 24-0 vs. Cincinnati 

The Baltimore Ravens aren't the juggernaut they were in the previous two years. Still, Baltimore can win the AFC North title for the third consecutive year. The Ravens have a tough pathway to accomplish that feat, though. Next week, Baltimore hosts the New England Patriots for its home season finale, then travels to Green Bay and Pittsburgh.

Even after a shutout win over the Cincinnati Bengals, the Ravens are a tough team to trust with all their inconsistencies on both sides of the ball, which is why they're a middling team in the power rankings. -- Moton

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6)

AP Photo/Matt Durisko

Steelers WR DK Metcalf

Last Week: 14

Week 15 Result: Won 28-15 vs. Miami

The Pittsburgh Steelers have responded well since their home fans chanted "Fire Mike Tomlin" a couple of weeks ago. Atop the AFC North, they've won consecutive games, beating the Baltimore Ravens and snapping the Miami Dolphins' four-game winning streak.

Despite multiple fractures in his left wrist, Aaron Rodgers is playing at a high level and is superbly efficient, throwing for 468 yards and 6 touchdowns without an interception. Asante Samuel Jr. provided a defensive boost with an interception Monday night.

This week, Pittsburgh will face a challenging road test in Detroit. The Steelers are a middling team that could push for a top-10 spot in the power rankings if they beat the Lions on Sunday. -- Moton

13. Los Angeles Chargers (10-4)

AP Photo/Kyusung Gong

Chargers EDGE Tuli Tuipulotu

Last Week: 12

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Kansas City 16-13

The Los Angeles Chargers have quietly won 10 games, which is weird to say considering they're one of five AFC teams with double-digit wins. However, the Chargers' performances haven't been pretty, particularly with the offensive line issues the team continues to overcome.

Right now, Los Angeles' success is built around a swarming defense. The unit hasn't allowed more than 20 points since before Halloween. As a result, the Chargers own the AFC's No. 5 seed if the playoffs began today. -- Sobleski

12. Detroit Lions (8-6)

AP Photo/Caroline Brehman

Lions WR Amon-Ra St. Brown

Last Week: 9

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Rams 41-34

The Detroit Lions went head-to-head with arguably the best team in the NFL on Sunday and managed to make things interesting. However, the Lions can't feel good about where they stand heading into the final three weeks.

Detroit's offense continues to show that it can score on anyone. However, its defense might simply be too injured to make any significant run if the Lions can get into the postseason.

Unfortunately, the Lions wouldn't be in the playoffs if the season ended today. Even if they win their final three—vs. Steelers, at Vikings, at the Bears—11 wins might not guarantee a wild-card spot in the NFC this season. -- Knox

11. San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

AP Photo/Godofredo A. Vásquez

49ers RB Christian McCaffrey

San Francisco 49ers (10-4)

Last Week: 11

Week 15 Result: Won 37-24 vs. Tennessee

In a gradual rise in the power rankings, the San Francisco 49ers aren't generating much buzz while averaging 31 points on a four-game winning streak because they've beaten the Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Panthers, Cleveland Browns and Tennessee Titans in that stretch. None of these teams has a record above .500. -- Moton

The 49ers should garner a little more respect in the rankings with a road game against the Indianapolis Colts and a couple of contests at home, hosting the Chicago Bears and Seattle Seahawks, to finish the season. -- Moton

10. Philadelphia Eagles (9-5)

AP Photo/Matt Patterson

Eagles LB Zack Baun

Last Week: 13

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Las Vegas 31-0

After three straight losses, the defending Super Bowl champions badly needed a "get right" game. And there isn't a team in the NFL better at providing those in 2025 than the Las Vegas Raiders.

The thing is though, as impressive as Philly's shutout win was, it says more about how bad the Raiders are than how good the Eagles are. The win doesn't erase questions about offensive inconsistency. Or about Philadelphia's inability to generate pressure on opposing quarterbacks.

The Eagles are all but certainly going to win the NFC East—two of their last three games are against a 10-loss Commanders team. But a Week 16 trip to Buffalo could offer a barometer of how much damage the Eagles can do once the postseason tournament begins – Davenport

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (10-4)

AP Photo/Peter Joneleit

Jaguars QB Trevor Lawrence

Last Week: 10

Week 15 Result: Won vs. New York Jets 48-20

OK, so beating a bad Jets team starting an undrafted rookie at quarterback isn't exactly a tall ask. But the Jaguars didn't just beat the Jets at EverBank Stadium Sunday. They thumped them—and made some history doing it.

Jaguars quarterback Trevor Lawrence had himself a day against the Jets, throwing for 330 yards and five touchdowns while rushing for another. He's the first player ever to accomplish that feat while adding at least 50 rushing yards in a game.

The Jaguars are playing excellent complimentary football of late, winning six of seven and three straight games by three scores. If the team can play at that level in Week 16 on the road against the AFC's No. 1 seed, it will establish the Jaguars as a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the AFC—if they aren't already. – Davenport

8. Green Bay Packers (9-4-1)

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Packers EDGE Micah Parsons

Last Week: 4

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Denver 34-26

Things couldn't have gone much worse for the Packers in Week 14.

Green Bay couldn't find answers for a dominant Denver defense, blew a nine-point second-half lead and lost while watching the Bears retake the NFC North lead. During the loss, the Packers saw Zach Tom, Christian Watson and Mich Parsons all leave with injuries.

Parsons is believed to have suffered a torn ACL, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport.

The Packers can retake the division lead next week in Chicago, and they have winnable games against the Ravens and Vikings to close out the season. The unknown is whether they can challenge the NFC's elite at less than full strength. -- Knox

7. Chicago Bears (10-4)

AP Photo/Kamil Krzaczynski

Bears QB Caleb Williams

Last Week: 7

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Cleveland 31-3

The Chicago Bears picked up their 10th win of the season in impressive fashion. Chicago topped 350 yards against a good Browns defense, Caleb Williams played efficiently, and the Bears' opportunistic defense had one of its most complete performances of the year.

The Bears picked rookie Shedeur Sanders three times while holding Cleveland below 200 yards and 10 first downs.

Under Ben Johnson, the Bears are beating the teams they're supposed to. The final three weeks will show whether Chicago is prepared to beat playoff-caliber foes in critical situations. The Bears will finish against the Packers, 49ers and Lions. -- Knox

6. Houston Texans (9-5)

AP Photo/Ashley Landis

Texans QB C.J. Stroud

Last Week: 8

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Arizona 40-20

The Houston Texans are on fire.

For much of what is now a six-game winning streak, Houston's top-ranked defense is what has carried the team. But while the defense played relatively well Sunday against the Cardinals, it was Houston's offense that really showed up in Week 15.

Quarterback C.J. Stroud had one of his best games of the season, throwing three touchdown passes and posting a passer rating north of 135. Second-year running back Jawhar Jordan had 101 yards on the ground after taking over for an injured Woody Marks. Houston had almost 400 yards of offense and converted over half of their third downs.

If Houston can continue to play that well offensively and maintain their defensive dominance, this team could be a handful in the playoffs. – Davenport

5. Seattle Seahawks (11-3)

AP Photo/Lindsey Wasson

Seahawks QB Sam Darnold

Last Week: 5

Week 15 Result: Won 18-16 vs. Indianapolis

At home, the Seattle Seahawks eked out a win over the Philip Rivers-led Indianapolis Colts. At 44, Rivers looked about as good as anyone would after a five-year stretch away from the game, but Sam Darnold's inconsistent streak raises some concerns. In the Seahawks' last six games, he's thrown for six touchdowns and six interceptions.

Though Darnold threw most of those interceptions in a loss to the Los Angeles Rams, his accuracy has fluctuated as well. The Seahawks signal-caller completed less than 62 percent of his passes in three of his last four outings. Seattle needs him at his best in a divisional matchup with the Rams Thursday night. -- Moton

4. Buffalo Bills (10-4)

AP Photo/Gene J. Puskar

Bills RB James Cook

Last Week: 6

Week 15 Result: Won vs. New England 35-31

The Buffalo Bills got a little revenge against the New England Patriots, keeping themselves alive in the AFC East race in the process.

Buffalo got another MVP-caliber performance from Josh Allen in Week 15, but James Cook's outing might be the one that raises the most eyebrows. New England came in with one of the league's top run defenses, and Cook went for 107 yards and two touchdowns on the ground.

Defense remains this team's liability. However, it's a weakness the Bills can overcome when they're able to lean on their ground game and get mistake-free play from Allen. -- Knox

3. New England Patriots (11-3)

AP Photo/Gregory Payan

Patriots QB Drake Maye

Last Week: 1

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Buffalo 35-31

For the first time since September, the Patriots have appeared vulnerable. They raced out to a 21-0 lead over Buffalo on Sunday before starting to sputter offensively.

New England's defense, which came in ranked seventh overall, had no answers for Josh Allen, James Cook and the Bills once they got going. That's concerning since the Patriots and Bills could easily meet for a third time in the playoffs. Just as alarming was New England's inability to close out a playoff-caliber matchup after cruising early.

The Patriots are still one of the AFC's top squads, but it's fair to wonder if Drake Maye and Co. are truly ready for championship expectations. -- Knox

2. Los Angeles Rams (11-3)

AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin

Rams WR Davante Adams

Last Week: 3

Week 15 Result: Won 41-34 vs. Detroit

After weeks in the No. 1 spot, the Los Angeles Rams dropped a couple of rungs following their Week 13 loss to the Carolina Panthers, but they didn't fall out of the top three. With the New England Patriots' loss to the Buffalo Bills, one can argue that it's between the Denver Broncos and Rams for No. 1 in the power rankings.

Unlike the Broncos, the Rams have shown they can blow out teams in decisive wins. They needed to rebound from a mistake-filled first half against the Detroit Lions and still scored 41. Los Angeles is one of the league's best, competing for home-field advantage in the NFC playoffs, though Davante Adams' injury could deal a blow to its high-powered offense. Still, you trust head coach Sean McVay and this team more than any of the other Super Bowl contenders. -- Moton

1. Denver Broncos (12-2)

AP Photo/Jack Dempsey

Broncos QB Bo Nix

Last Week: 2

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Green Bay 34-26

If Bo Nix continues to play like he did against the Packers, the Broncos aren't just the best team in the AFC. They should be considered the best team in professional football.

Nix threw for 302 yards and a season-high four touchdowns against Green Bay's talented defense. He pushed the ball down the field and made the Packers pay. Nix's slow starts have been an issue throughout the season. Now, the Broncos could be rounding into a complete team capable of taking down any opponent. -- Sobleski