NFL Power Rankings: Stock Watch for Teams Making Late Playoff Pushes

In our Week 12 NFL power rankings, the following three teams are making late playoff pushes:

Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)

It's tough to say the Eagles are trending up, especially with the up-and-down nature of this football team in 2011. However, the Eagles just beat the NFC East leader in their house, and they now sit just two games back with six games left.

Could they pull it off? Can they sneak into the playoffs?

You'd still have to think that Philly needs to go 6-0 down the stretch to make the postseason, but they've at least given themselves a chance.

Atlanta Falcons (6-4)

After a 2-3 start, the Falcons have won four of their last five and now sit just a game back in both the NFC South and the wild card. Atlanta still has a game to go with the 7-3 Saints and they hold a tiebreaker with the Lions by virtue of a Week 7 win in Detroit.

Add in the fact that the Bears just lost their starting quarterback for the rest of the season, and you get a Falcons team that looks like a good bet to sneak into the NFC playoff picture over the last month and a half.

Denver Broncos (5-5)

It's pretty amazing that we're even having this talk about the Broncos in 2011, but they've won four of their last five games to get to .500. Denver is now just a game back of Oakland for first place in the watered-down AFC West.

Could Tim Tebow really march this team to the playoffs?

A lot will ride on Tebow and how he plays the last six games, but it's on the defense to keep the Broncos playing well. That side of the ball has been the driving factor for Denver's revival. This should be a fun race to watch in the AFC West.  

Week 12 Power Rankings

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