NFL Power Rankings: Breaking Down Sunday's Action Ahead of Week 15

December football never disappoints. 

It was a wild week in the NFL, with multiple upsets of teams likely headed toward the playoffs.

This week's power rankings feature the usual suspects at the top due to the enormous lead the elite teams had built, but the gap has definitely closed for a few teams this week. 

Injuries are starting to take their toll on the top teams, which may actually create a more competitive playoff season than expected.

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

Notable Teams

5. Cincinnati Bengals

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Just when it looked like Andy Dalton was finally in position to answer his doubters in the playoffs, a broken thumb puts that in doubt. 

According to ESPN's Adam Schefter, Dalton's status for the playoffs is up in the air:

"

For all of his success this season, there's a real chance we're not going to see whether Bengals' QB Andy Dalton can win in the postseason.

— Adam Schefter (@AdamSchefter) December 13, 2015"

A.J. McCarron took over for Dalton on Sunday, but threw two costly interceptions which allowed the Pittsburgh Steelers to cruise to an easy victory. 

The Bengals remain high in the power rankings due to the strength of their record, but their position could shift dramatically in the coming weeks depending on McCarron's performance.

12. Philadelphia Eagles

Michael Perez/Associated Press

The NFC East is a mess, but things might be starting to click for the Eagles. 

After a loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving Day, head coach Chip Kelly's seat was red-hot and the Eagles appeared to be headed toward spending their postseason on the couch. But after two straight victories over the New England Patriots and Buffalo Bills, the Eagles have momentum. 

They're still 6-7, so it's tough to get too excited about their position in the playoff picture. However, if the Eagles continue to play like they have over the past two weeks, the NFC East winner may not be as easy a playoff opponent as we all assumed. 

17. Indianapolis Colts

Brian Spurlock-USA TODAY Sports

The Matt Hasselbeck magic had to run out eventually. 

After starting 4-0 as the starter, the Colts have been outscored 96-26 in their past two games with Hasselbeck under center against the Steelers and Jacksonville Jaguars. 

The Colts were the clear favorites in the AFC South with Andrew Luck under center, but that status is in doubt as long as Hasselbeck remains the starter. 

In his past two games, Hasselbeck has managed Total QBR outputs of just 10.3 and 23.2, respectively, according to ESPN—performances which make it nearly impossible for a team to be competitive. 

Luck's return date is still up in the air, but Colts owner Jim Irsay recently told NFL.com's Ian Rapoport he expects Luck to return in Week 15.