NFL Power Rankings: Initial Post-Sunday Breakdown Ahead of Week 14

Don't look now, but the Seattle Seahawks are coming. Their 43-16 drubbing of the San Francisco 49ers was their third in a row and fifth in their last seven games.

The Dallas Cowboys are trending up, too, with four straight victories in the bag. Maybe you weren't impressed by single-score triumphs over the Philadelphia Eagles or Atlanta Falcons, but everyone took notice when the Cowboys clipped the New Orleans Saints' wings on Thursday night.

Not everyone is living a charmed life, of course. The Green Bay Packers dropped their third contest in a row Sunday, a stretch that cost former coach Mike McCarthy his job. NFC South rivals the Carolina Panthers and Atlanta Falcons both suffered their fourth consecutive defeats Sunday.

There's plenty to unravel with Week 13 mostly in the books, so let's get to it with pre-Week 14 NFL power rankings.

2018 NFL Power Rankings

1. Los Angeles Rams (11-1)

2. New Orleans Saints (10-2)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (10-2)

4. New England Patriots (9-3)

5. Houston Texans (9-3)

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9-3)

7. Chicago Bears (8-4)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4-1)

9. Seattle Seahawks (7-5)

10. Dallas Cowboys (7-5)

11. Baltimore Ravens (7-5)

12. Minnesota Vikings (6-5-1)

13. Indianapolis Colts (6-6)

14. Denver Broncos (6-6)

15. Carolina Panthers (6-6)

16. Washington Redskins (6-5)

17. Tennessee Titans (6-6)

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)

19. Philadelphia Eagles (5-6)

20. Green Bay Packers (4-7-1)

21. Miami Dolphins (6-6)

22. Atlanta Falcons (4-8)

23. Cleveland Browns (4-7-1)

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-8)

25. Cincinnati Bengals (5-7)

26. Detroit Lions (4-8)

27. New York Giants (4-8)

28. Arizona Cardinals (3-9)

29. Buffalo Bills (4-8)

30. New York Jets (3-9)

31. San Francisco 49ers (2-10)

32. Oakland Raiders (2-10)

On Fire: Houston Texans

Sam Craft/Associated Press

Two-plus months can feel like an eternity nowadays, but the Houston Texans' transformation makes that time period seem even longer. Back on Sept. 23, a 27-22 loss to the New York Giants had everyone wondering whether we'd overvalued the Texans and overshot their ceiling with Deshaun Watson under center.

Well, wonder no more. Houston has been too hot to touch ever since, with Sunday's 29-13 victory over the visiting Cleveland Browns stretching the Texans' win streak to an NFL-best nine games. For context, the Dallas Cowboys have the league's next-longest streak at four wins in a row.

"It means a lot especially from where we came from 0-3 ... but it's not the Super Bowl so we're still fighting," receiver DeAndre Hopkins said.

Watson is peaking at the right time, amassing 12 touchdown passes against just two interceptions over his last six outings. Lamar Miller has the league's fifth-highest rushing total (876 yards) and his second-best yards-per-attempt average (5). Hopkins ranks among the top 10 in receptions (80, tied for seventh), yards (1,115, tied for sixth) and touchdowns (eight, tied for eighth).

Not to be outdone, the defense is third in scoring (19.6 points per game) and sixth in both interceptions (12) and forced fumbles (15).

This team looks terrifying, and it may grow even scarier without a winning franchise on its remaining schedule.

Ice Cold: Green Bay Packers

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Remember when Aaron Rodgers famously calmed the troops with his "R-E-L-A-X" advice? Well, with three consecutive losses all but extinguishing their playoff hopes, this might be the time to P-A-N-I-C.

"Teams that want any shot of having some postseason success have got to win these games," Rodgers said after the Packers joined the rebuilding San Francisco 49ers as the only teams to lose to the Arizona Cardinals this season. "Dome team, [34] degrees, snow, wind, it's playing right into our hands and we just came out flat."

Green Bay's minus-6 point differential suggests this team is better than its record, but that's still a troubling mark for a club with an all-time great at quarterback. It doesn't help that said quarterback isn't quite playing up to his own standards—albeit with a ridiculous 21:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio—with his lowest completion percentage in three seasons (61.8) and lowest touchdown percentage as a full-time starter (4.5).

But that speaks to a team-wide trend. Save for Rodgers' incredible turnover avoidance and Davante Adams' emergence (85 receptions for 1,115 yards and 11 touchdowns), there isn't much special with this group.

Lead rusher Aaron Jones ranks 19th with 642 yards. No pass-catcher other than Adams has more than two touchdown receptions. The Packers have yet to return a punt or kickoff for a score. Mason Crosby has only converted 76 percent of his field goals. The defense is tied for 26th in interceptions (six) and tied for 23rd in forced fumbles (seven).

Maybe McCarthy's ouster provides some type of spark, but this group is going nowhere fast this season.

Most Intriguing: Baltimore Ravens

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The Baltimore Ravens are the official leaders in the unofficial-but-let's-pretend-it's-real category of "Teams That Make You Go Hmmm."

This defense is ridiculous. It leads the NFL in both points (17.8) and yards against (281.7). On Sunday, it held the previously high-flying Atlanta Falcons to just 131 yards of total offense while returning a fumble for a touchdown for the second-straight week.

This offense is something...maybe mystifying is the best way to put it.

The Ravens have played 12 games now, and it's still unclear whether Lamar Jackson or Joe Flacco is their best option under center.

While Jackson has won his three starts, he's passed for 453 yards (yes, total) in those contests with one touchdown throw to three interceptions. The former Heisman Trophy winner has also rushed for 265 yards and a pair of scores, which has helped this club suffocate the clock. But one wonders if Jackson's limitations as a passer caps this offense's ceiling. And if we're being honest, it's not like Flacco is the type of thrower who can transform an attack.

This receiving corps has been all over the map. The ground game, while mostly effective, is now spearheaded by undrafted rookie Gus Edwards.

The defense looks ready to contend for a Super Bowl right now. The offense makes you think this is a developmental season. The Ravens' reality likely lies somewhere in the middle, but we're intrigued to find out just where that is.