NFL Power Rankings: Contenders That Need to Make a Move in Week 14

When it comes to crunch time in the NFL, the old cliche about the men being separated from the boys definitely rings true. Same goes for the one about the cream rising to the top.

In plain English, only teams that deserve to make the playoffs are actually going to make it. The playoff races in either conference are as wild as ever, and it's hard to imagine any teams backing into the postseason this year.

Make no mistake, the time is now for would-be playoff teams to make a move. The good news for some of them is that they have major opportunities to make a move in Week 14. If each of them can find a way to pull out a win, they'll be in good shape for the final three weeks of the season.

Let's discuss four teams in particular.

Detroit Lions (No. 14)

It hasn't been fun to watch the Lions self destruct in recent weeks, but they're still very much alive in the postseason chase. They can thank the Chicago Bears' injuries for that.

The Lions have a golden opportunity to leapfrog the Bears in the NFC wild-card hunt this weekend. The Bears have to go to Denver to take on Tim Tebow and the Broncos, whereas the Lions get to stay at home to take on a 2-10 Minnesota Vikings squad.

The Vikings are a team the Lions should be able to beat, but in all honesty you can't rely on the Lions to do anything these days. This is an excuse for them to snap out of it and beat up on an inferior team, but they're going to have to get their heads on straight in order to do that.

No small task.

My gut tells me that the Lions will find a way to get it done. If so, they'll likely be in a position where all they'll have to do is hold on.

That will be another tall task.

New York Jets (No. 13)

By my reckoning, the Jets may very well have to win out in order to secure a wild-card berth. It just so happens that their schedule in the closing weeks isn't particularly tough, so they may be able to get it done.

It starts with a home tilt against the Kansas City Chiefs on Sunday. The Chiefs have virtually no offense to speak of these days, so the Jets have every excuse to dominate this game from the start to earn an easy victory.

The only trouble is that you can't count on the Jets to do anything, and it doesn't help that the Chiefs defense is not exactly helpless. If it has a good day against Mark Sanchez, the Jets are going to be in trouble.

Will the Jets win? I think so, but it's going to be a close one. If the Jets do win, they stand to benefit from losses by the Tennessee Titans (vs. the New Orleans Saints) and the Oakland Raiders (at the Green Bay Packers).

Dallas Cowboys (No. 11)

Truth be told, this Sunday's tilt between the New York Giants and Dallas Cowboys could easily be called a must-win game for the Giants. They've fallen on hard times, but a win against the Cowboys will put them right back into the NFC East chase.

But I think this game is more important for the Cowboys. They'll be the home team, and that's no small advantage given how well Dallas has played at home this season. 

Essentially, this is the Cowboys' chance to bury the Giants for good. A win will knock the Giants under the .500 mark and give the Cowboys a two-game lead in the division with three games to go.

I like Dallas to win this game, but at the same time I'm not about to sleep on Eli Manning. He's been outstanding this year and may shock the Cowboys with a late comeback.

If he does, the Cowboys are going to be in trouble.

Cincinnati Bengals (No. 9)

The Bengals have been a great surprise this season, but the one thing they still need to prove is that they are capable of beating superior teams. 

The Bengals will have a shot to do that against the Houston Texans on Sunday, and it's an opportunity they need to take advantage of. The Texans are a very good team, but they're not as much of a threat as they once were thanks to the key injuries they've suffered. This is a game the Bengals can win.

Winning this game will be huge for Cincinnati's playoff outlook. It would further cement the Bengals as one of the AFC's two wild-card teams, and it will give them a boost of confidence that they're going to need for their regular season finale against the Baltimore Ravens.

If the Bengals want to prove they're for real, there's no time like the present.

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 14 Power Rankings

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