NFL Power Rankings Week 13: Post-Thursday Night Football Standings, Review

The Buffalo Bills arrived on the national stage and throttled the Dallas Cowboys on Thanksgiving. Now 9-3, the AFC East club deserves a little more respect in the power rankings.

After the Cowboys' first scoring drive, the offense went flat, following up with two drives that ended with punts and a pair of possessions that resulted in turnovers before a missed field goal with time expiring in the first half.

Perhaps the sum of the Cowboys' talented parts doesn't measure up to what they look like on paper.

Quarterback Dak Prescott leads the league in passing yards (3,788), three-time Pro Bowler Amari Cooper has put together some big games and Ezekiel Elliott is one of the best running backs in the league behind a solid offensive line, but all this amounts to a 6-6 record.

Where do the Cowboys land in the Week 13 power rankings after a 26-15 loss? Will talent and a slight division lead keep them ahead of streaking teams like the Tennessee Titans and Cleveland Browns?

In Thursday's final contest, the New Orleans Saints clinched the NFC South title with a 26-18 victory over the Atlanta Falcons. Where do they rank among the top teams in the league?

Check out the Week 13 standings and power rankings below for a review of the NFL hierarchy following Thanksgiving action.

Week 13 Standings

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (10-1)

2. Buffalo Bills (9-3)

3. New York Jets (4-7)

4. Miami Dolphins (2-9)

AFC North 

1. Baltimore Ravens (9-2)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

2. Cleveland Browns (5-6)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (0-11)

AFC South

1. Houston Texans (7-4)

2. Indianapolis Colts (6-5)

3. Tennessee Titans (6-5)

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7)

AFC West 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)

2. Oakland Raiders (6-5)

3. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7)

4. Denver Broncos (3-8)

NFC East 

1. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)

2. Philadelphia Eagles (5-6)

3. New York Giants (2-9)

4. Washington Redskins (2-9)

NFC North 

1. Green Bay Packers (8-3)

2. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)

3. Chicago Bears (6-6)

4. Detroit Lions (3-8-1)

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints (10-2)

2. Carolina Panthers (5-6)

3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)

4. Atlanta Falcons (3-9)

NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-1)

2. Seattle Seahawks (9-2)

3. Los Angeles Rams (6-5)

4. Arizona Cardinals (3-7-1)

Week 13 Power Rankings

Tier 1

1. San Francisco 49ers (10-1)

2. Baltimore Ravens (9-2) 

3. New England Patriots (10-1) 

4. New Orleans Saints (10-2)

5. Seattle Seahawks (9-2)

6. Green Bay Packers (8-3)

7. Kansas City Chiefs (7-4)

8. Minnesota Vikings (8-3)

Jayne Kamin-Oncea/Getty Images

The Baltimore Ravens and San Francisco 49ers will square off Sunday, and the winner should unofficially hold the crown for the top team in the league through 13 weeks.

In Week 9, Baltimore beat the New England Patriots 37-20 amid a seven-game win streak. If the 49ers can put a stop to the Ravens' run, they'd clearly deserve to stay atop the rankings.

As one of two 10-1 clubs, San Francisco holds the No. 1 spot and receives the nod over Baltimore based on record alone. The Ravens' victory over the Patriots slots them between the best teams in the AFC and NFC. 

Despite a Week 9 loss to the Matt Moore-led Kansas City Chiefs, the Minnesota Vikings would move up a couple of spots if they're able to take down the Seattle Seahawks on the road Monday. For now, the NFC North squad lists eighth because of losses to the two teams listed ahead of them.

Tier 2 

9. Buffalo Bills (9-3)

10. Houston Texans (7-4) 

11. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)

12. Tennessee Titans (6-5)

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-5)

14. Los Angeles Rams (6-5) 

15. Philadelphia Eagles (5-6) 

16. Cleveland Browns (5-6) 

Wesley Hitt/Getty Images

The Bills earned their second win over a club with a winning record Thursday—arguably their most impressive victory. Buffalo's third-ranked scoring defense slowed down Dallas' No. 6 offense in points and forced two turnovers.

More importantly, quarterback Josh Allen made shrewd decisions with the football but still played with flair, recovering a fumble to convert on a fourth-down attempt. The Bills also added trickery to their offensive attack, designing a pass play that set up wideout John Brown for an open touchdown-throw to running back Devin Singletary.

For the second time this season, the Bills have put together three consecutive wins. They'll host the Ravens for a must-see matchup in Week 14. 

The Titans don't have much buzz, but they're 4-1 with quarterback Ryan Tannehill leading the huddle. Indianapolis Colts wide receiver T.Y. Hilton suffered a setback with his injured calf, per The Athletic's Zak Keefer, which deals a huge blow to the offense, specifically a passing attack that lacks reliable alternative receiving options. 

If the Titans beat the Colts and the Patriots beat the Houston Texans Sunday, we'll have a tie for the AFC South division lead. Keep in mind, Tennessee and Houston are scheduled to play in Weeks 15 and 17.

Tier 3 

17. Oakland Raiders (6-5) 

18. Chicago Bears (6-6)

19. Indianapolis Colts (6-5)

20. Carolina Panthers (5-6)

21. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-7) 

22. Los Angeles Chargers (4-7) 

23. New York Jets (4-7)

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)

Sarah Stier/Getty Images

The Oakland Raiders fall into tier three after an embarrassing 34-3 road loss to the New York Jets. They have an uphill climb going to Kansas City to face a well-rested Chiefs team coming off a bye week.

If the Raiders lose their season series to the Chiefs, they'd likely have to claim a wild-card spot to reach the playoffs. Oakland will face stiff competition for the sixth seed. The Pittsburgh Steelers, Titans, Colts and Browns are all vying for that spot.

The Silver and Black field a porous pass defense that ranks 28th leaguewide, but the coaching staff should rely heavily on running back Josh Jacobs to keep opposing offenses off the field. He ranks sixth in rushing (957) following Elliott's 71-yard Thanksgiving performance.

The Colts' playoff chances may completely evaporate with Hilton's setback, his calf injury will keep him sidelined for Sunday's contest. Indianapolis hasn't won a game without the four-time Pro Bowl wide receiver since he entered the league in 2012.

Tier 4 

25. Arizona Cardinals (3-7-1) 

26. Atlanta Falcons (3-9) 

27. Detroit Lions (3-8-1) 

28. Denver Broncos (3-8)

29. New York Giants (2-9)

30. Washington Redskins (2-9)

31. Miami Dolphins (2-9)

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-11)

Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images

The Arizona Cardinals are the most impressive team in the fourth tier because of their recent offensive production, scoring at least 25 points in each of the last three outings. Rookie quarterback Kyler Murray has thrown just one interception since Week 4.

Unfortunately for the Cardinals, their defense has allowed at least 28 points in each of the last three contests and ranks 30th in scoring for the season. If general manager Steve Keim overhauls the unit during the upcoming offseason, Arizona could quickly jump into the second tier at the beginning of the 2020 term.

Typically, winless teams don't deserve mention, but the Cincinnati Bengals will reinsert quarterback Andy Dalton into the starting lineup over rookie fourth-rounder Ryan Finley. Perhaps the organization would like to avoid an 0-16 campaign.

Cincinnati will host Gang Green Sunday. Even if the Bengals win, they'll hold on to the No. 1 spot in the 2020 draft. 

We'll see how many games the Bengals win before the coaching staff yanks Dalton again to preserve the top spot in April's draft. For now, Cincinnati is clearly the worst team in the league.