NFL Power Rankings 2015: Week 13 Standings, Team Stats and Season Review

The playoff chase has begun. 

While Monday night's game between the Baltimore Ravens and Cleveland Browns did nothing but ensure more clarity on who wants the top pick in the NFL draft, there was plenty of intrigue to be had after Week 12.

The Carolina Panthers are the last unbeaten team in the NFL after the legend known as Brock Osweiler beat Tom Brady and the New England Patriots on Sunday night. The Kansas City Chiefs are, arguably, the hottest team in the NFL. Oh, and the Minnesota Vikings are closing in on a first-round bye. There's plenty of storylines to enjoy as we near the home stretch of the NFL season.

Let's take a look at power rankings after Monday night's game, as well as updated standings and more.

Week 13 Power Rankings

Rank	Team	Record
1	Carolina Panthers	11-0
2	Denver Broncos	9-2
3	Cincinnati Bengals	9-2
4	New England Patriots	10-1
5	Arizona Cardinals	9-2
6	Minnesota Vikings	8-3
7	Kansas City Chiefs	6-5
8	Green Bay Packers	7-4
9	Seattle Seahawks	6-5
10	Houston Texans	6-5
11	New York Jets	6-5
12	Washington Redskins	5-6
13	Indianapolis Colts	6-5
14	Oakland Raiders	5-6
15	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5-6
16	Pittsburgh Steelers	6-5
17	New York Giants	5-6
18	Chicago Bears	5-6
19	Detroit Lions	4-7
20	Buffalo Bills	5-6
21	St. Louis Rams	4-7
22	Baltimore Ravens	3-7
23	Atlanta Falcons	6-5
24	New Orleans Saints	4-7
25	Jacksonville Jaguars	4-7
26	Miami Dolphins	4-7
27	Philadelphia Eagles	4-7
28	Dallas Cowboys	3-8
29	San Francisco 49ers	3-8
30	San Diego Chargers	3-8
31	Cleveland Browns	2-8
32	Tennessee Titans	2-9

Updated Standings

AFC East	Record		NFC East	Record
AFC West	Record		NFC West	Record
AFC South	Record		NFC South	Record
AFC North	Record		NFC North	Record
New England Patriots	10-1		Washington Redskins	5-6
New York Jets	6-5		New York Giants	5-6
Buffalo Bills	5-6		Philadelphia Eagles	4-7
Miami Dolphins	4-7		Dallas Cowboys	3-8
Denver Broncos	9-2		Arizona Cardinals	9-2
Kansas City Chiefs	6-5		Seattle Seahawks	6-5
Oakland Raiders	5-6		St. Louis Rams	4-7
San Diego Chargers	3-8		San Francisco 49ers	3-8
Indianapolis Colts	6-5		Carolina Panthers	11-0
Houston Texans	6-5		Atlanta Falcons	6-5
Jacksonville Jaguars	4-7		Tampa Bay Buccaneers	5-6
Tennessee Titans	2-9		New Orleans Saints	4-7
Cincinnati Bengals	9-2		Minnesota Vikings	8-3
Pittsburgh Steelers	6-5		Green Bay Packers	7-4
Baltimore Ravens	4-7		Chicago Bears	5-6
Cleveland Browns	2-9		Detroit Lions	4-7

Season Review: Most Meaningful Games

Week 12: Denver Broncos over New England Patriots, 30-24 (OT)

Might as well start with the biggest win of the year for the Broncos, and did they ever need it?

Inserting Brock Osweiler into the starting lineup may turn out to be the moment that turns Denver's season around. Although he wasn't the main reason why the Patriots are no longer undefeated (give that distinction to C.J. Anderson and Ronnie Hillman), Osweiler threw for 270 yards and the go-ahead touchdown with over a minute left to give Denver the lead.

Mind you, this was all taking place in the snow.

Osweiler's starts have also paved the way for said running attack of Anderson and Hillman. The Broncos have run for 170 and 179 yards, respectively, in the last two games, which makes life easier for head coach Gary Kubiak, per ESPN's Trey Wingo:

It's not a knock on Peyton Manning and his greatness, but the Broncos need to roll with the hot hand if they want to make a deep playoff run. That hot hand is the very tall quarterback out of Arizona State.

Week 11: Arizona Cardinals over Cincinnati Bengals, 34-31

The Cardinals had played a weak schedule up until this point. Credit to them for taking care of business and now having a 9-2 record to show for it, but it wasn't until Week 11 that Arizona showed the world it is really good.

Yes, Arizona got lucky toward the end with the help of an odd 15-yard penalty that set up the game-winning field goal, but the Cardinals' resiliency was on full display in the second half, scoring 21 points in the third quarter and 27 in the half.

But this was the game that showed that if the Cardinals want to go far this year, Palmer will have to take them there. Palmer only threw three passes on that final drive to set up Chandler Catanzaro's kick, but he threw for 57 yards with those passes, two of those to Larry Fitzgerald.

Since then, the Cardinals followed that with a lackluster 19-13 win over the San Francisco 49ers and also lost running back Chris Johnson to a fractured tibia. 

Nevertheless, they find ways to win and proved that they can beat top-tier teams. They'll find a way to make it through this as long as Palmer is healthy.

Week 10: Kansas City Chiefs over Denver Broncos, 29-13

The Kansas City Chiefs may not win the AFC West, as they trail the Broncos by three games for first place in the win column.

But if we're talking about a team that's peaking at the right time and could be a dangerous threat come playoff time, it's the Chiefs.

This game will be remembered as the day Peyton Manning was benched for Osweiler. But it's also the day that Kansas City, who came into Mile High on a two-game winning streak, became a legitimate playoff threat.

It hasn't been an easy transition for the Chiefs without Jamaal Charles in the lineup, but they've found ways to make up for his absence in Charcandrick West and Spencer Ware. It seems like no matter who the Chiefs put behind Alex Smith, he's going to rush for 100 yards, per ESPN Stats & Info:

The Chiefs haven't lost since Oct. 25 and have only allowed 20 points or more once. That was on Sunday against the Buffalo Bills. This was the landmark win of the Chiefs' winning streak, and there's a chance it can grow, with Kansas City closing against the Raiders, Chargers, Ravens, Browns and Raiders.