NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Reaction, Standings Ahead of Saturday Night Football

The lack of a Thursday Night Football game in Week 16 doesn't change the fact NFL power rankings will receive another massive shake-up once the 16 games conclude. 

After all, Week 16 arrives on the heels of the previously top-ranked Kansas City Chiefs going down, and now the new No. 1—the New Orleans Saints—will be getting a visit from the Pittsburgh Steelers. 

The action starts Saturday, where the Washington Redskins and Tennessee Titans meet in a game with playoff implications for both conferences. It shifts to an AFC-only affair for the late kickoff, with the Los Angeles Chargers looking to ruin playoff aspirations for the Baltimore Ravens while furthering their own. 

Before the Saturday kickoffs, let's take a look at where the league stands with the playoffs approaching. 

2018 NFL Power Rankings

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

Los Angeles Chargers 

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

The Chargers were the team to knock off the Chiefs last week. 

And while the feat wasn't enough to move the Chargers to the top overall slot, they have all the attributes to go all the way. 

Quarterback Philip Rivers is casually cruising with a 69.4 completion percentage with 31 touchdowns and eight interceptions. Both of his top running backs have 496 or more yards, and Melvin Gordon has hit the nine-touchdown mark. 

On the other side, the Chargers only surrender an average of 21.3 points per game, even holding explosive Pittsburgh and Kansas City offenses to 30 points or less. 

Even better, the Chargers seem to be getting healthy at just the right time: 

The result has the Chargers fifth in the AFC right now, but only because the Chiefs also sport an 11-win record. Next up is a chance to take down an AFC playoff hopeful with the Baltimore Ravens in town. 

Either way, the fact the Chargers have lost one game dating back as far as Week 3 isn't too surprising with a quarterback like Rivers and an excellent draft approach that in recent years has landed them Gordon, Joey Bosa and Derwin James, among others. 

Come playoff time, the Chargers have already shown they can play with any team in the AFC. 

Tennessee Titans 

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

The Titans are one of the more perplexing teams left in the playoff race. 

They boast a franchise quarterback in Marcus Mariota. But over their last two games—both wins and part of a three-game streak—Mariota has thrown no touchdowns with one interception. 

And on the year, Mariota has just 11 touchdowns and eight interceptions. 

Part of this speaks to the strength of the Titans outside the quarterback position. They quietly rank tied for best in the league by only allowing 18.1 points per game and running back Derrick Henry has come alive over the second half of the season, boasting 882 yards and 11 touchdowns while averaging five yards per carry. 

The problem for the Titans now is that their playoff destiny is almost outside of their control, as they sit tied with the Indianapolis Colts in the AFC South and well behind the 10-win Houston Texans. However, they have a Week 17 game against the Colts at home that could decide everything. 

But it could all come back to Mariota, who has battled injuries and limitations for most of the season. This has seemed to skew the public perception around him, but it is important to keep in mind this is the guy who threw for 13 touchdowns and 15 interceptions a year ago before sneaking into the playoffs and going to Kansas City to upset the Chiefs behind his two touchdown passes. 

The Titans already have the playoff concoction brewing thanks to a strong defense and running game. If Mariota gets into the playoffs and flips a switch again, the AFC could have a problem on its hands.

Philadelphia Eagles

Marcio Jose Sanchez/Associated Press

The Philadelphia Eagles are still alive. 

By now, fans should know better than to count out the Eagles no matter what happens, especially once quarterback Nick Foles gets involved. 

All Foles did this time was take over for the injured Carson Wentz in Week 15 on the road against the Los Angeles Rams and keep his head above water while helping the Eagles pull off the 30-23 upset. A win there made them 7-7 while Dallas lost, making the NFC East interesting. 

And like clockwork, Foles should only improve over the course of the next two weeks as he gets more reps in and establishes timing with the first team. 

Foles, as usual, knows how to deliver when it matters: 

The Eagles, as disappointing as they have been at times this year, play Houston in Week 16 before going to Washington to take on a hobbled Redskins team they already beat this year in 28-13 fashion. 

It might take some luck, but if the Eagles keep taking care of business and building on the fact they have won three of their last four, fans could be looking at another Foles playoff scenario with an unknown end result. 

Keep in mind, too, the Eagles never placed Wentz on injured reserve. Call it a pot boiling over with intrigue in the middle of the winter months as the playoffs near.