NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Looking at the League's Top 10 Teams

Week 15 was an eventful one in the NFL, proving that though the season may be winding down, the opportunity for a week full of good, competitive football hasn't waned in the least.

That strange week has caused my power rankings to undergo quite a shift.

Though the movement is less pronounced in the top 10, teams have still entered an exited from the very top of the rankings this week.

Here are the top 10 teams in the NFL headed into Week 16, closing with my full 32-team power rankings for this next-to-last week of regular season football.

No. 10: Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos' six-game win streak was snapped in Week 15 when the New England Patriots came to town.

Quarterback Tim Tebow had his five solid minutes of dominating play in the beginning of the game and then generally fell silent for the rest of the game, while the Patriots built themselves a lead he couldn't overcome.

Now at 8-6, the Broncos' hold on their lead in the AFC West has shrunk to just a single game.

Though their remaining schedule is fairly favorable, with the Buffalo Bills up next and the Kansas City Chiefs to round out the year, they're going to have to win out if they want to see the postseason.

That might be hard for Tebow and his receivers, but at least his offense is supplemented by running backs Willis McGahee and Lance Ball, and the team has quite a good defense.

The Broncos, while notching a loss, can't be ignored, considering the recent successes they've piled up.

No. 9: Detroit Lions

The Detroit Lions are back in the top 10 thanks to a late-game win over the Oakland Raiders in Week 15.

The Lions now have their first winning season since 1999 and are one victory away from clinching a Wild Card playoff berth.

Though they've struggled this year when faced against the NFL's top teams—notching back-to-back losses in Weeks 6 and 7 and Weeks 12 and 13 against four of the NFC's strongest squads—they've also proven themselves to be among them.

They might not put up the most yards per game, and their wins might not come from the kind of polished play we expect from the likes of the New England Patriots or Green Bay Packers, but they're still a serious contender and will be dangerous in the playoffs.

Ahead of them are the surging San Diego Chargers and the aforementioned Packers—it will be hard for the Lions to grab one, let alone both of these wins, but they're more than capable.

And with the playoffs on the line, they'll be bringing their best game to the field in both weeks.

No. 8: Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have remained one of the most consistently high-performing teams in the NFL, with just five losses to their names, four of them coming from some of the league's strongest opponents (though their Week 3 close loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers happened at a time when the Bucs were playing well).

They're a win away from a guaranteed Wild Card playoff berth, but it's not going to be an easy path to secure that spot, with the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints on tap in Week 16 and a rematch against the Buccaneers to close out the season.

The Falcons are solid in the passing game, thanks to quarterback Matt Ryan's reliability and the sure hands and playmaking abilities of wide receivers Julio Jones and Roddy White.

On the ground, running back Michael Turner is averaging 80 yards per game, and the defense is in the top 10 in stopping the run.

No strangers to the postseason, the Falcons have earned a reputation as a team to beat. If they can best the Saints on Sunday, there will be no doubt that Atlanta is going to be a tough opponent come January.

No. 7: Houston Texans

The Houston Texans dropped a few spots in my power rankings this week after being manhandled by the Carolina Panthers in Week 15.

The Texans have secured themselves the AFC South title and a playoff spot despite the loss, but they have the odds against them when it comes to having much postseason success.

Beyond just being inexperienced in the playoffs, they're also going to have to win in January in the tough AFC with rookie quarterback T.J. Yates under center and a potentially less-than-healthy Andre Johnson catching his passes.

Their Week 16 loss was their first in eight weeks, which means that they've the skills to overcome the injuries plaguing their team, injuries of the sort that would have collapsed most other teams in the league.

But the fact that the Panthers defense, one of the weakest in the league, could stop the Texans' considerable running attack and force Yates into making mistakes in the passing game doesn't bode well for their postseason chances.

But for now, the Texans are still one of the top teams in the league and deserve to remain in the top 10 of my power rankings this week.

No. 6: Pittsburgh Steelers

The Pittsburgh Steelers are consistently one of the NFL's top teams season after season, and this year is no different.

Though they started slow, they've marched into December with a 10-4 record and a chance to end up the AFC's top-seeded playoff team should they win their remaining three games.

However, that's a tall order, considering the first of the three games, scheduled for tonight, is against the venerable San Francisco 49ers.

With quarterback Ben Roethlisberger nursing a sprained ankle and linebacker James Harrison serving a one-game suspension, the team will have to dig deep to defeat one of the league's most dangerous defenses.

Regardless of the outcome of tonight's game, the Steelers have secured themselves a playoff berth.

There are few teams better equipped to win in January than Pittsburgh, but they're not going to lie down though they're already guaranteed to play in the postseason.

A win tonight will rocket them up the power rankings.

No. 5: New England Patriots

Notching a win in Week 15 has secured the New England Patriots the AFC's top seed, at least for one week, and it's proven that the team is still a force to be reckoned with after all these years.

Excellent at adapting, the Patriots have employed a brand new offensive strategy to great success, with quarterback Tom Brady's top targets no longer the traditional wideout but two extremely versatile tight ends, augmented with shots to reliable slot receiver Wes Welker.

The Patriots have been held to 20 or fewer points just twice this season, and those games make up two of their three losses.

It's hard for defenses to stop that highly productive offense, and it's hard for opposing offenses to keep up with Brady and company pass for pass, score for score.

Things in the NFL may change, but one thing has remained the same—the New England Patriots are one of the strongest, most talented teams in the league.

No. 4: Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens haven't been far from the top five all season long, either, though they dropped on this week after being blown out on Sunday night by the up-and-down San Diego Chargers.

Though the Ravens have the top defense in the league, their Achilles heel is their offense.

Depending on which Joe Flacco shows up—the game-managing quarterback who makes smart decisions or the risk-taker whose missteps can cost his team a win—dictates how the game will likely end.

The latter showed up in Week 15, and the Ravens fell 34-14.

If the Pittsburgh Steelers win out the remainder of the season, then the Ravens will find themselves as Wild Card playoff entrants and not the AFC's second seed and North division champions.

Their remaining two games, against the Cleveland Browns and Cincinnati Bengals, are certainly winnable for the Ravens and will help their divisional cause.

But the fact that the Ravens offense is in the middle of the pack (in terms of yardage) could do them in in the postseason is of no concern just yet.

Right now, the Ravens just need to concern themselves with winning their two remaining games, strengthening on offense while they do it and maintaining the high level of defensive play they've displayed all season long.

No 3: San Francisco 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers haven't dipped out of the top five in the power rankings for months now, as the league's most surprising team just keeps notching wins.

Though they experienced a small power rankings drop between Weeks 15 and 16, thanks to their upset loss to the Arizona Cardinals last Sunday, it's still not enough to engender much doubt about their considerable skills.

Those considerable skills will see a major test on Monday night, when the team hosts the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Niners struggled with a similarly strong defense in Week 12, when they fell to the Baltimore Ravens, 16-6.

However, the Steelers have a better overall offense than the Ravens, and thus the Niners' top-three defense will need to show up in a big way if the team hopes to best a squad as battle-tested as the Steelers tonight.

Should the Niners fall tonight, they'll likely trade places with Pittsburgh in the power rankings. But, at least for the moment, San Francisco remains a top-five team.

No. 2: New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are on a roll.

They've won their last six games in a row, scored as many as 49 points in the process and have on their roster the NFL's best quarterback.

Based on record, there's only one team better.

But in terms of consistency, there may be no team as complete and reliably dominant than the Saints.

Much of the credit can go to quarterback Drew Brees and his cadre of extremely talented receivers. On the season, he's completed 71.5 percent of his passes, for 4,780 yards, 37 touchdowns and 11 interceptions, and he's just 305 yards shy of beating Dan Marino's single-season passing yardage record.

In Week 15, Brees had one of the best performances of his career, throwing for 412 yards and five touchdowns while completing an astounding 80 percent of his passes.

With offense like that, the Saints are certainly one of the hardest-to-beat teams in the NFL and they may just carry this momentum all the way to a second Super Bowl victory in the past three years.

No. 1: Green Bay Packers

If the New Orleans Saints want to win another Super Bowl, they'll likely have to go through the Green Bay Packers to get it.

Though the Packers lost in Week 15, in a classic trap game against the clearly fired-up Kansas City Chiefs, that single blemish on their path to perfection is not enough to knock them out of the No. 1 spot in the power rankings this week.

Yes, there is a way to beat the Packers, but it's hard to do.

To field a defense strong enough to stop Aaron Rodgers while at the same time putting up enough points on offense to notch a win isn't a common occurrence, and it's hard to imagine many teams doing so as the season and postseason wears on.

Despite the loss, the Packers are still favorites to win the Super Bowl—a rare feat for a team to accomplish in back-to-back years.

Green Bay is unfazed by any opponent and that fearlessness, in concert with their considerable talent, should take them far into the playoffs for a second straight season.

Full 32-Team NFL Power Rankings for Week 16

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

*Subject to change pending outcome of Monday night's Steelers-49ers contest