NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Philadelphia Eagles and More Season Surprises

This season may just be one of my favorites when I sit down and think about all the surprises that were delivered. This was one year in which the safest assumptions were struck down en masse. A special thank you to these teams that proved nothing can be taken for granted.

As we meander to the playoffs, we take a look back a marvelous season. There are millions of fans that were thrown from their precipices of privilege this season.

Upsets and parity are great for the sport, and the NFL showed once again it reigns supreme in such things. Here is a brief look at some teams we never thought would be at the ranking they are in this week's assessment.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

This is by far the most surprising club of the lot. The Eagles actually get a slight bump in the rankings this week after delivering a win against a surging Miami team. 

I will assume they wish they were on their way to the playoffs instead of knocking Tony Sparano from his job. Yet, that is the sort of thing the Eagles have to cling to in a season where nothing has gone right. 

2. Chicago Bears

The playoffs may be a foolish hope at this point. However, that is not what stings at the moment. It would have been laughable to think Tim Tebow would deliver a devastating blow to the Bears at any point this season. 

It shows you how far off the mark we were in some respects. I don't see the Bears righting the ship with far too many injuries to vital staff. 

3. San Francisco 49ers

Sure, the 49ers lost this weekend, but we will forgive them of such things. This is a team that was a couple years and one quarterback from competing. 

Instead, they have been one of the most consistent winners in the NFL. They play hard-nosed defense and have a terrific commitment to the run. This has all but negated the issues they once had. I keep watching this team and think, "I never saw this coming."

I guess the same could be said for the rest of these teams. 

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