NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Updated Standings After Thursday Night Football

Needing a victory to stave off elimination, the St. Louis Rams kept their small playoff chances alive with a 31-23 victory over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both 6-8 squads technically remain in the hunt, but their slim playoff hopes could be shattered as soon as Sunday.  

The Rams and Buccaneers are each one misstep away from joining prominent teams in elimination. Due to brutal starts and a barrage of injuries, two squads won't replicate last year's postseason appearance. Another preseason playoff hopeful is now playing out the season with nothing at stake other than pride and draft positioning.

After assembling the league's power rankings heading into the NFL's weekend matchups, let's look at what went wrong for those terminated squads.

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

Detroit Lions

Tom Gannam/Associated Press

Maybe the Detroit Lions are afraid of spoiling a suffering fanbase. After breaking an 11-season playoff drought in 2011, they promptly went 4-12 the following year. They returned to the playoffs with their highest win tally (11) since 1991 last year, but they again failed to attain long-term success.

At 4-9, the Lions have cemented their 13th losing season since 2000. Given 2014's plus-39 scoring margin, hardly befitting an 11-5 squad, some regression was predictable. Yet even the most jaded pessimist would not have predicted an 0-5 start.

Their last two losses may sting even more. Erasing the positive vibes of a three-game winning streak, they squandered a 17-0 lead to the Green Bay Packers during Week 13, losing on a last-play Hail Mary made possible by a needless penalty. Then they lost to the Rams, who entered their meeting with five consecutive defeats.

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Outside of their first and last losses, the Lions have only fallen to teams currently holstering eight or more victories. Aside from their stunning loss to the Packers, they also would have topped the Seattle Seahawks if Calvin Johnson didn't fumble on the 1-yard line. A 6-7 record isn't significantly better, but they would be mathematically alive with wins over two teams they're chasing.

Their minus-69 point differential ranks No. 23, but Football Outsiders rates them No. 15 in overall efficiency. A brutal schedule has caused them to allow the fifth-most points per game (25.8). Those losses prevented the team from properly celebrating Matthew Stafford becoming the fastest quarterback to ever reach 25,000 career yards. NFL.com's Gil Brandt listed the legends he beat out:

Of course, Stafford plays in an era conducive to passing. He has also attempted 37.8 passes per game due to Detroit owning the league's worst rushing offense. Over the final three weeks, the Lions should place a brighter spotlight on rookie running back Ameer Abdullah to see if they can count on him meeting the lofty hype next season.

Baltimore Ravens

Nick Wass/Associated Press

Unless they find a way to win five times in three games, the Baltimore Ravens will endure their first losing campaign since drafting Joe Flacco in 2008. A playoff mainstay is withering away with Flacco, Justin Forsett, Steve Smith and Terrell Suggs headlining a crowded list of injuries.

According to BaltimoreRavens.com's Garrett Downing, the team has placed a whopping 38 players on the injured reserve or physically unable to perform list during the last two seasons. The outbreak of ailments has led to head coach John Harbaugh wondering if it's more than a string of bad fortune.

“We’re going to have to do a study," Harbaugh told Downing. "We do this every year, and I want to do it even more in depth this year in terms of what we do, how we do it, and all of those things. I’m looking for the reason, and I want to find out.” 

Left without their regulars, the overmatched Ravens crumbled against the Seahawks last Sunday. Looking at their remaining schedule, the 35-6 stomping serves as a harbinger for how the season will likely end:

Week	Opponent	Record
15	vs. Kansas City Chiefs	8-5
16	vs. Pittsburgh Steelers	8-5
17	at Cincinnati Bengals	10-3

Even if they fall to 4-12, don't assume they'll stay down next year. Before getting demolished by Seattle, Baltimore suffered each of its eight losses by eight points or fewer. High draft picks—and the debut of 2015 first-round selection Breshad Perriman—should offer reinforcements for a stable organization needing a clean bill of health.

San Diego Chargers

Reed Hoffmann/Associated Press

The San Diego Chargers haven't looked like a legitimate Super Bowl contender in years, but they're usually pushing nine wins and a wild-card bid. This year, however, they have bottomed out with 10 losses, their worst mark since a 4-12 finish in 2003 led them to Philip Rivers.

A relocation candidate this offseason, Sunday could mark their last game at Qualcomm Stadium. Per the team's Twitter page, Rivers addressed the uncertainty during a press conference earlier this week:

While Rivers has compiled the third-most passing yards (3,976) behind Tom Brady and Carson Palmer, San Diego ranks No. 14 in offensive efficiency, according to Football Outsiders. The franchise's decision to defy drafting norms has backfired. Running back Melvin Gordon hasn't come close to properly returning value on his first-round investment, averaging 3.6 yards per carry and no touchdowns for the NFL's second-worst rushing attack.

The defense has also sputtered, ranking No. 24 in total yards and No. 31 in Football Outsiders' defensive efficiency. These deficiencies proved too much for Rivers to overcome, and Keenan Allen's lacerated kidney turned the Chargers' one strength into a weakness. In five games without the star wide receiver, Rivers has mustered 6.34 yards per pass attempt.

San Diego ended three of those games, all within the AFC West, with exactly three points. While Antonio Gates is leaning toward returning for another season, the 35-year-old tight end won't stick around much longer. Rivers turned 34 earlier this month, which should have the organization thinking about an uncertain future.