NFL Power Rankings Week 14: Are The Steelers Back in The Top 5 With Big Win?
NFL Power Rankings Week 14 changed with the outcome of several huge divisional games Sunday and Monday.
The league made a great decision by backloading the end of the season with mounds of divisional games and last weekend was just the first of a great division-heavy slate of December games.
It's far too early to declare champions in each of the divisions...even if the Patriots sure looked like they locked up the AFC East last night, thumping the Jets 45-3.
And as always, overall records aren't the only way to declare a weekly hierarchy. So just because a team is 9-3 doesn't mean they are necessarily better than a 8-4 or even a 7-5 team.
More so than record, the last four-games of a team's schedule is often a better indication of a team's place on the NFL totem pole.
Here are the power rankings heading into Week 14. Let the debate begin.
No. 32 To 21
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No. 32: Carolina Panthers (1-11)
Last Week's Rank: 32
There's a pretty good chance this is John Fox's last month on the job.
No. 31: Arizona Cardinals (3-9)
Last Week's Rank: 29
Seven straight losses and a 3-9 record aren't as bad as the Bengals resume, aside from two meaningless fourth quarter touchdowns, the Cardinals have not scored an offensive touchdown in 18 quarters.
No. 30 Cincinnati Bengals (2-10)
Last Week's Rank: 31
The Bengals gave the Super Bowl champs a major scare last week. Fittingly, they squandered their shot with that fourth-down offsides penalty.
No. 29: Denver Broncos (3-9)
Last Week's Rank: 30
On the road against their rival and division leader, the Broncos did a pretty good job, especially considering the fact that their head coach would be tossed the next day.
No. 28: Buffalo Bills (2-10)
Last Week's Rank: 27
A thumping at the hands of Minnesota ruins drops this team back down to the bottom of the pile.
No. 27: Detroit Lions (2-10)
Last Week's Rank: 28
The Lions got hosed (again!) against the Bears, but those things seem fitting when you're third string quarterback.
No. 26: Tennessee Titans (5-6)
Last Week's Rank: 25
Absolutely terrible again, this time against the Jags. Why does Chris Johnson have 20 carries in the last two games?
No. 25: San Francisco 49ers (4-7)
Last Week's Rank: 28
Two games back in the NFC West, the 49ers owner will be searching for an explanation to his prediction.....and probably a head coach.
No. 24: Washington Redskins (5-7)
Last Week's Rank: 24
Maybe Mike Shanahan can ask Pat Bolen for his job back in Denver.
No. 23: Dallas Cowboys (4-8)
Last Week's Rank: 26
Another impressive win for Jason Garrett, but a month ago defeating Indy in Indy would have been more impressive.
No. 22: Houston Texans (5-7)
Last Week's Rank: 17
That win over Tennessee (their only one in the past six games) is looking less and less impressive now.
No. 21: Cleveland Browns (5-7)
Last Week's Rank: 22
Although they aren't going to make the playoffs, they have a serious shot at a surprising .500 record.
No. 20: Minnesota Vikings (5-7)
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Last Week's Rank: 23
Week 13 Result: 38-14 win vs. Buffalo
Maybe the Vikings would have been better off had Tarvaris Jackson came in and played horrible in place of Brett Favre.
He wasn't outstanding (he did throw three picks) but he was effective. Now what does Leslie Frazier do?
Regardless of who was under center, the team won their second straight game and have a chance at finishing over .500, even if a playoff spot is terribly unlikely.
It has to be encouraging for next year, however, to see Adrian Peterson play outstanding, Sidney Rice return to top form, and the defense yield just only one meaningless garbage-time touchdown.
No. 19: Seattle Seahawks (6-6)
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Last Week's Rank: 20
Week 13 Result: 31-14 loss vs. Carolina
The Rams and the Seahawks might as well be even right now.
But since the Rams defeated Seattle back in Week Four, the Rams have the upper hand for now.
That and because the Seahawks are 2-4 in their last six games, with wins over the 1-11 Panthers and the 3-9 Cardinals.
Still, Seattle is looking much improved. Marshawn Lynch ran well last week and if Mike Williams returns healthy they may be able to sneak into the playoffs.
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No. 18: St. Louis Rams (6-6)
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Last Week's Rank: 19
Week 13 Result: 19-6 win at Arizona
Sure the Rams defense stifled the Cardinals offense, allowing just 224 yards and no points after the middle of the first quarter. But Arizona's prolonged offensive woes are well documented.
Across the ball, St. Louis offense needs to improve if they expect to win the NFC West. They cannot afford to settle for field goals (five of them in the win over Arizona) instead of touchdowns, even with Stephen Jackson back to 100% and running great, and Sam Bradford continuing to avoid turnovers.
And the schedule is going to get very tough the next two weeks: at New Orleans and Kansas City at home.
No. 17: Miami Dolphins (6-6)
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Last Week's Rank: 15
Week 13 Result: 13-10 loss vs. Clevleand
And here is where it gets messy: the Dolphins beat the Raiders, but the Raiders beat the Chargers, but the Chargers beat the Colts. And all of those AFC teams are 6-6.
Miami, with their problems at quarterback (Chad Henne now has an interception in every start since Week Two, and 15 total) is not good enough every where else to make up for those mistakes.
And since they have no hope of winning their division (unlike San Diego, Oakland, and Indianapolis) their playoff hopes are almost nil.
No. 16: Indianapolis Colts (6-6)
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Last Week's Rank: 14
Week 13 Result: 38-35 loss vs. Dallas
If the Colts somehow end up winning the AFC South, they are certainly going to be dangerous in the playoffs. Their passing attack is still very good.
And maybe those injured players at other key spots (linebacker, defensive back, running back) will heal up in time.
But they have got to cut down on the mistakes. 13 interceptions during the last five games from Peyton Manning is too much to overcome.
No. 15: San Diego Chargers (6-6)
7 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 12
Week 13 Result: 28-13 loss vs. Oakland
Of all the 6-6 teams, the Chargers are probably the most complete: they have been able to run the ball with Mike Tolbert, their defense has been very efficient and able to pressure opposing quarterbacks, and Phillip Rivers is having a great year.
That is what makes their loss on Sunday to the Raiders so surprising. Tolbert ran for just 17 yards on only six carries. The defense allowed over 200 yards rushing. And Rivers early interception put the Chargers in a huge hole.
No one wants to face the Chargers in the playoffs (except maybe the Patriots). But another loss this year will probably keep them home after January 2.
No. 14: Oakland Raiders (6-6)
8 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 18
Week 13 Result: 28-13 win at San Diego
The Chargers are probably better than the Raiders....maybe even the Colts are too, and the Dolphins did defeat Oakland in the Coliseum just a week ago.
But the Raiders have the upper hand in the AFC West, so that has to account for something.
And with a two-headed running game of Darren McFadden and Michael Bush, they cannot be overlooked.
No. 13: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
9 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 18
Week 13 Result: 28-24 loss vs. Atlanta
Losing a tight game to the conference's best team is nothing to be ashamed of. The throwback uniforms and squandering a 10-point fourth quarter lead, might be, however.
Josh Freeman made a bad and ill-conceived throw at the end of the game, but he still played very well.
The defense did a fine job against the potent Falcons. They didn't allow Michael Turner to reach 100 yards for a seventh time in ten games. And the secondary did a fairly excellent job against Roddy White.
They may not have a victory against a team with a winning record and their playoff chances are pretty slim, but they are a very good team.....though, Coach Morris, not nearly the best in the NFC.
No. 12: Jacksonville Jaguars (7-5)
10 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 16
Week 13 Result: 17-6 win at Tennessee
Defeating the Titans doesn't necessarily make the Jags an elite team, but they are starting to look the part.
Their defense continues to play fairly steady. David Garrard is still completing two-thirds of his passes. And Maurice Jones-Drew is again playing like one of the NFL's best running backs: he had a career day against a pretty stout Titans run defense.
No one is going to concede the AFC South to the Jags until at least their Week 14 rematch with the Colts.
But they have the inside track.
No. 11: Kansas City Chiefs (8-4)
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Last Week's Rank: 11
Week 13 Result: 10-6 win vs. Denver
The Chiefs were fortunate to escape with a home win against the woeful Broncos. But good teams show they can win games in which they don't play their best and Kansas City did that.
Dwayne Bowe was held without a catch all day long, snapping his touchdown binge, but Matt Cassel still had a pretty good afternoon, spreading the ball around well to seven different receivers.
Still, much like the Jaguars, the only way the Chiefs are going to completely silence their critics is once the Chargers and Raiders are eliminated from the AFC West race.
No. 10: New York Jets (9-3)
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Last Week's Rank: 3
Week 13 Result: 45-3 loss at New England
One game doesn't ruin a season, even if it's a horrific, six-touchdown loss on Monday Night football.
But the Jets have been playing with fire for weeks now. Ever since the home shutout at the hands of the Packers, the Jets have not been very consistent.
They needed miracle last second wins over Cleveland, Lions, and Texans and they trailed the pitiful Bengals at the half on Thanksgiving.
Maybe the got all their inconsistencies out of their system against New England. If they haven't they will be lucky to earn a six seed in the playoffs.
No. 9: New York Giants (8-4)
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Last Week's Rank: 10
Week 13 Result: 31-7 win vs. Redskins
Without Hakeem Nicks the running game stepped up big in the win over division rival Washington.Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw are becoming a pretty good duo, which is something they will need greatly with the remainder of the schedule.
After traveling to Minnesota, they have the critical rematch with Philadelphia, then trips to Green Bay and Washington.
And although the Redskins offense is below average, the Giants defense allowed almost nothing against the Redskins.
No. 8: Green Bay Packers (8-4)
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Last Week's Rank: 8
Week 13 Result: 34-16 win at Green Bay
The 49ers aren't a fantastic litmus test, nevertheless, the Packers won the game handily.
Arguably more important than the win: the balance that the offense showed. Aaron Rodgers has been fantastic all season, with the inclusion of Brandon Jackson in the passing game as well as the surprise emergence of James Starks last week, the Packers don't have to rely on the big play.
And although their two stars, Clay Matthews and Charles Woodson, get most of the credit, the entire defensive unit has been extremely consistent. They haven't allowed more than two offensive touchdowns since Week Seven, their ranked sixth in the league in pass defense, and their tops in the NFC in sacks.
No. 7: Philadelphia Eagles (8-4)
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Last Week's Rank: 7
Week 13 Result: 34-24 win vs. Houston
The Eagles bounced back very nicely from the disappointing loss at Chicago. Despite falling behind in the second period, Michael Vick rallied the offense to two huge fourth quarter touchdowns to preserve their slight lead in the NFC East.
Vick, LeSean McCoy, DeSean Jackson, and the rest of that potent unit have been able to bail the defense out several times this year, but with a rematch against the Giants and their balanced attack, that might not be the case two weeks from now in the Meadowlands.
No. 6: New Orleans Saints (9-3)
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Last Week's Rank: 10
Week 13 Result: 34-30 win at Cincinnati
It wasn't easy, and they got a great help from the Bengals Pat Sims, but they won the game.
That makes five in a row for a team that was allegedly far from their Super Bowl form.
With Reggie Bush back, Chris Ivory running hard, and a Pierre Thomas return around the corner, the ground game should be able to take some pressure off of Drew Brees: his high interception total (16) is partially due to their lack of balance.
There should be some concern about the defense however. They continue to come up with the big play at the end of the game, but they can't count on one each week.
No. 5: Baltimore Ravens (8-4)
17 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 5
Week 13 Result: 13-10 loss vs. Pittsburgh
This team was one missed tackle away from putting the Steelers away on Sunday night so they don't deserve to fall very far in the rankings.
It will be an uphill climb, considering their schedule and the Steelers schedule, but this is still a very good team.
The defense looked outstanding against Pittsburgh and, despite his fumble at the end of the game, Joe Flacco came up with several big plays.
No. 4: Chicago Bears (9-3)
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Last Week's Rank: 5
Week 13 Result: 24-20 win at Detroit
Maybe their wins aren't the most aesthetically pleasing, and maybe they don't come by huge margins, but it's hard to argue against the case that the Bears are the runner up to the Falcons in the "best in the NFC race."
Their three losses have come by a combined 20 points and they have met every since divisional test they've had: Atlanta is the only other team in the NFL with a perfect record in their division.
The Lions again gave the Bears a full 60 minute test, but when Jay Cutler plays turnover-free, the Bears are almost a lock to win.
No. 3: Pittsburgh Steelers (9-3)
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Last Week's Rank: 6
Week 13 Result: 13-10 win at Baltimore
The Ravens dominated Pittsburgh throughout most of the game Sunday evening, yet Ben Roethlisberger found a way to win the ball game with a JV offensive line, minus one of his favorite targets (Heath Miller) and with very little production from Rashard Mendenhall.
The secondary has some issues to be concerned about, like the play of Bryant McFadden, but because they have Troy Polamalu and the league's best corps of linebackers, they have the inside track on the AFC North and the two-seed.
No. 2: Atlanta Falcons (10-2)
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Last Week's Rank: 2
Week 13 Result: 28-24 win at Tampa Bay
Of all the club's wins this season, Sunday's might have been the most incredible.
Yes they defeated the World Champion Saints in Week Three at the Superdome, and last week's home triumph over the Packers was great, but to be trailing Tampa on the road by 10 points with 10 minutes remaining and come back, shows this team's amazing perseverance.
And because a kick return for a touchdown and Brent Grimes interception of Josh Freeman were the deciding factor in the game, the Falcons proved they are capable of beating good opponents in all three phases of the game.
No. 1: New England Patriots (10-2)
21 of 21
Last Week's Rank: 1
Week 13 Result: 45-3 win vs. New York Jets
Just like the Jets, one game doesn't make an entire season. But the Patriots have been playing outstanding ever since the loss in Cleveland a month ago.
Furthermore, no team has three wins in a four week stretch over a better crop of opponents: defeating playoff contenders Pittsburgh, Indianapolis, and the Jets makes the Patriots look near-invincible.
Well, that and the fact that Tom Brady is playing the best football of his career, there are two good runners in the backfield, and the young defense continues to create turnovers, eight in the last three games.
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