NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Grades for Every Team

There's one week to go in the NFL regular season. Which teams are sitting on top of the pecking order as we enter the end of the season?

The Indianapolis Colts have won two straight, but is that enough for them to move up in the power rankings for the first time this season? We may have a new team at the bottom.

The Green Bay Packers have lost a game, are they ready to be threatened by the New Orleans Saints or San Francisco 49ers?

Sit back and enjoy the final entry of our 2011 regular-season power rankings.

32. St. Louis Rams

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The St. Louis Rams take up a new position in this week's rankings...dead last. Thanks in part to the Indianapolis Colts winning two straight, and the sad state of the Rams roster, no team is worse than St. Louis right now.

A beating from the Pittsburgh Steelers this week certainly hurt, but the Rams season was over long ago. The good news is that the Rams are still in the hunt for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2012 NFL draft.

Season Grade: F

31. Indianapolis Colts

Playoff Breakdown: Out

Congratulations are in order, as the Colts have now won two straight games. No easy feat considering the opponents—the Titans and Texans—are both playoff contenders. 

It's way too little, too late for the Colts, but ending the season with at least two wins will be a forgotten season soon enough in Indiana. Ending the season without a win would have never been forgotten.

Season Grade: F

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The season for the Jacksonville Jaguars has been a disappointment, but there are good things to take away from this year—like the play of Eugene Monroe at left tackle, the continued excellence of Maurice Jones-Drew and the stout play of the defense when healthy.

A new regime will step in next season, with a new head coach and new philosophy. The key to turning things around in Jacksonville will be the development of Blaine Gabbert, the team's 2011 first-round selection. If Gabbert can't get it done, no coach will be able to win in Jacksonville.

Season Grade: F

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Playoff Breakdown: Out

If anyone is counting at home, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have lost nine straight games. Giving that the proper emphasis: the Buccaneers have lost NINE straight games!

There's no way head coach Raheem Morris can survive the coming collapse of this team. The Bucs look flat, uninspired and ready to head for their vacation homes in early January.

Season Grade: F

28. Minnesota Vikings

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The season in Minnesota has been an odd one. With Donovan McNabb at quarterback to start the year, the playoffs were not an unreasonable expectation. Now look at them. 

A win on Sunday kept the Vikings from competing for the bottom spot on the power rankings this week. How they won without Adrian Peterson and Christian Ponder is a testament to how bad the Washington Redskins are.

Season Grade: F

27. Cleveland Browns

Playoff Breakdown: Out

If you listened to preseason NFL previews, you surely heard the Cleveland Browns were a sleeper pick to make the playoffs this year. Someone forgot to tell the Browns.

I commend the team for their late-game heroics on Saturday, even if coming up just short against the Baltimore Ravens. There is a lot of talent in Cleveland to build around, but the team also needs major help at wide receiver and on the offensive line before they can contend in the NFL's best division.

Season Grade: F

26. Washington Redskins

Playoff Breakdown: Out

When Mike Shanahan announced he was rolling with Rex Grossman and John Beck at quarterback this season, nothing more than six wins could have been expected. With one week to go, that's about where the Redskins find themselves.

I would argue that Washington lived up to expectations this season. The team wasn't expected to win many games or be competitive, but they started strong and were a tough out almost every week. That's good enough for a passing grade.

Season Grade: D+

25. Buffalo Bills

Playoff Breakdown: Out

Early season success had too many in Buffalo expecting big things. The reality is that this is the team I predicted to have the worst record in the NFL before the Peyton Manning injury news hit, and while a 6-10 or 7-9 record is far from the worst, it's no consolation that once again Bills fans are watching the playoffs from the outside.

Chan Gailey may have saved his job with a win on Sunday, but big changes are needed to the offensive line, maybe at quarterback and to the defense as a hole.

Season Grade: D+

24. Carolina Panthers

Playoff Breakdown: Out

Not only did the Carolina Panthers improve on their 2-14 record from 2011, they were able to find a quarterback who now holds the record for most rushing touchdowns in a single season by a passer and the most passing yards by a rookie. 

If you haven't heard, Cam Newton is pretty good. He's the type of electric leader and player to get Carolina into the playoffs. And soon.

Season Grade: A

23. Chicago Bears

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The Chicago Bears' playoff hopes died when Jay Cutler and Matt Forte were lost to injury. What's more scary is that Forte may have already played his last game in Chicago—the talented back enters free agency this summer and isn't happy with his contract.

The season has been a major disappointment. The Bears were in the NFC Championship game last season, and even before injury hit this was a team holding on to hopes of a wild-card berth.

Season Grade: F

22. Kansas City Chiefs

Playoff Breakdown: Out

No team hurt more from injury this season than the Kansas City Chiefs. When the team lost Eric Berry, Jamaal Charles and Tony Moeaki early on, we all knew things were going to be bleak. 

Todd Haley has been fired, and rumors are Romeo Crennel's interim tag will be turned in for the full-time job as soon as the season ends. Crennel has the Chiefs playing their best football of the year. The biggest uncertainty heading into 2012 is if Matt Cassel will be the quarterback or if he will have to compete with Kyle Orton. I know a good number of KC fans who want to see Orton in red and white next season.

Season Grade: F

21. Arizona Cardinals

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The Arizona Cardinals were supposed to challenge for a playoff berth this season, and they did. No one thought they would do so on the strength of John Skelton's arm, though.

Kevin Kolb looks like a wasted second-round draft pick, plus a starting cornerback, but the team had rallied late this season and were in the playoff hunt until Week 16. That's quite a feat considering the lack of talent and experience at many key positions on the Arizona roster.

Season Grade: B-

20. San Diego Chargers

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The San Diego Chargers' playoff hopes died Saturday when the team lost to the Detroit Lions. Not only did that loss end their season, it will also end the tenure of A.J. Smith as general manager and Norv Turner as head coach. Both firings have been a long time coming.

The best move for Dean Spanos, owner of the Chargers, would be to call Bill Cowher Monday morning, wish him a Merry Christmas and offer him the job of head coach and president of football operations.

Season Grade: F

19. Miami Dolphins

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The Miami Dolphins were such a great story down the stretch, it's sad to see the season coming to an end for one of the most fun teams in the NFL to watch.

What we learned in Miami this season is that Reggie Bush can be a featured back, Cameron Wake is indeed a stud and that the Dolphins badly need a quarterback.

If there's one team I had to bet on trying to move up for Andrew Luck or Robert Griffin III in the 2012 NFL draft, it would be Miami.

Season Grade: C+

18. Oakland Raiders

Playoff Breakdown: Still Kicking, With Complications

The playoff breakdown for Oakland is worth discussing here. The Raiders can clinch the AFC West with a Week 17 win and a Denver loss. Easy enough. However, if the Jets, Bengals, Raiders and Titans all finish 9-7, the Raiders would get the No. 6 playoff seed because of a superior strength of victory.

So, that's all fine and dandy, but the fact is the Raiders have a pretty damn good chance at a playoff berth. And if that happens, I'll be among the most shocked analysts. I expected this team to limp through the season, but Hue Jackson has done well and the players have responded. A playoff berth for Oakland is something I'm hoping to see.

Season Grade: B+

17. Philadelphia Eagles

Playoff Breakdown: Out

No team can be labeled as more of a disappointment this season. Hell, even a winless Indianapolis Colts season would have been less of a disappointment than the Eagles. 

No, I don't care that they almost made the playoffs. This isn't horseshoes, and almost means nothing in the NFL. History will show that the Eagles' front office built an All-Star team and then forgot that those forgotten positions like offensive guard, middle linebacker and safety are just as important as Pro Bowl cornerbacks.

How Andy Reid will survive the poo-storm that was the Eagles' 2011 season is beyond me. He can be glad I'm not running the team.

Season Grade: F

16. New York Jets

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The playoff scenarios for New York is pretty complicated, but here goes. The Jets clinch a wild-card berth with a win and a Bengals loss, plus a Titans loss and a loss by Oakland or Denver. Got all that?

I'll echo Jimmy Johnson, former head coach and now Fox analyst, in saying that I really don't like Rex Ryan and was openly rooting for the Jets to lose this week. He's loud, he's brash and no one calls him on his loud mouth when his team loses like they did today. I've never been an Eli Manning fan, but today I was.

A hyped-up season in which the Jets were supposed to take over the East from the Patriots will see the overrated Jets spending the playoffs at home. And by home I mean their couches, not the Giants stadium.

Season Grade: F

15. Seattle Seahawks

Playoff Breakdown: Out

The playoffs were thrown out of reach when the Seahawks lost to the 49ers on Saturday, but this season wasn't and will not be a disappointment. Seattle has a shot to finish with the same record they did last season, if not better. That in itself is worth a round of applause.

The core talent to build around is on the roster for the Seahawks. This team is a quarterback and maybe a cornerback and defensive end away from winning multiple playoff games. If I'm Pete Carroll, there are two back-up quarterbacks in Green Bay and New England I would take a look at—Matt Flynn and Brian Hoyer.

Season Grade: C+

14. Denver Broncos

Playoff Breakdown: Alive and In Control

The Broncos had a chance to lock up the AFC West on Saturday but were dominated by the Buffalo Bills. Tim Tebow must have been distracted by tomorrow being Jesus' birthday.

Denver can clinch the AFC West with a win vs. Kansas City in Week 17 or with a Raiders loss. The Broncos will be fans of the San Diego Chargers this week, hoping and praying for an Oakland loss.

All Tebow-smashing aside, this has been a very good season for the Broncos. No one expected them to contend for the playoffs, and here they are in position to win the division. Credit John Fox, an amazing defense, a refreshed Willis McGahee and some kid you've probably never heard of named Tebow.

Season Grade: A-

13. Tennessee Titans

Playoff Breakdown: Alive, but on life support

The Tennessee Titans are still holding on to a shot at the playoffs. They need to beat the Houston Texans (doable) and hope the Cincinnati Bengals lose to the Baltimore Ravens. If that happens, the Titans hold the tie-breaker over the Bengals, Jets and Raiders.

The playoff implications are huge this week. It's win or go home in Tennessee and many other locker rooms. Win or lose, this season has been a success. Mike Munchak emerged as a legitimate NFL head coach in his first season, Jake Locker looks like a stud at quarterback and rookies Akeem Ayers, Colin McCarthy and Jurrell Casey will anchor a damn good defense for the next decade.

Looking for a way-too-early prediction? The Titans will make the playoffs in 2012.

Season Grade: A

12. Dallas Cowboys

Playoff Breakdown: Win and In

You wanna talk about pressure? The Cowboys take the NFC East with a win against the Giants. If they lose, they go home and can forget the playoffs. It's brutal, but it makes for damn good football. Every fan in America will be tuned in Sunday night for this one.

The season has to be considered a success so far. The Cowboys are always a playoff contender, and were it not for some late-game mistakes by the coaching staff and players, the team would be in much better shape. It's been a learning season for new head coach Jason Garrett, but the Cowboys are built to make a run again next season.

Season Grade: B

11. Cincinnati Bengals

Playoff Breakdown: Win and In

Read this slow and let it sink in. The Cincinnati Bengals are one win away from clinching a playoff berth. 

There are things that as writers we don't expect to type much. That was one of them until Andy Dalton, A.J. Green and Mike Zimmer showed up in Cincinnati. These aren't your daddy's Bengals. This is a team with a stout defense, a pounding run game and excellent play from two rookies, which has been enough to win shootouts. 

Winning in Week 17 vs. Baltimore won't be easy, but Cincinnati can do it. And even if they don't, this season has been a remarkable success.

Season Grade: A+

10. Houston Texans

Playoff Breakdown: Clinched AFC South, Clinched No. 3 Seed

The Texans are guaranteed the third seed in the playoffs, which means hosting a game at Reliant Stadium in the opening round against the six seed. 

It is unfortunate, but no one will be picking the Texans to win that opener. Injuries have decimated the roster to a point where the team lost to the 1-13 Colts on Thursday night. If the Texans come out like they did this past week, it'll be one and done in the 2011 playoffs.

The good news is that this is a team built for continued success, especially if they can keep defensive coordinator Wade Phillips in town for another season.

Season Grade: B+

9. New York Giants

Playoff Breakdown: Win and In

The Giants can win the NFC East by beating the Dallas Cowboys in a game that's been moved to Sunday Night Football on NBC. Talk about pressure.

The Giants have been great, good and bad this season. You really don't know what you're going to get from them, but there's no doubting their potential. Eli Manning is playing like a Pro Bowler, with great production from Mario Manningham, Hakeem Nicks and Victor Cruz at wide receiver.

The defense is stout as well. No one wants to see Jason Pierre-Paul opposite them this season. The rest of the unit is equally solid and dangerous.

If the Giants get in to the playoffs, they'll be one of the most dangerous teams for any of the higher seeded opponents.

Season Grade: B+

8. Detroit Lions

Playoff Breakdown: Wild-Card Berth Clinched, No. 5 Seed Currently

It's been a good season in Detroit. 

The Lions will make their first playoff appearance since 1999 and could win their first playoff game since 1992. I'm sure some readers weren't even alive then. We may even have employees who weren't alive then.

The turnaround in Detroit has been great to watch. Like them or not, the Lions are fun to watch and bring it every week. Sure, that "it" may be a brash attitude, but unlike the Jets, who are brash to the media, the Lions are nasty on the field and quiet off it. And that's something I can respect.

If Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson get hot like they have over the last several weeks, the Lions will be a very tough matchup in the postseason.

Season Grade: A+

7. Atlanta Falcons

Playoff Breakdown: In

Despite an embarrassing loss to the New Orleans Saints on Monday night, the Atlanta Falcons are already in as a wild-card team. There are serious questions about this team though, especially on defense.

The Falcons struggle against high-octane offenses, which means their potential wild-card round match up with the Saints (in New Orleans) will likely end the Falcons' season. It's hard to picture Atlanta winning in New Orleans.

The season is still a large success. Even if the Falcons have regressed from 2010, when they were the No. 1 seed, this marks first back-to-back playoff seasons in franchise history.

Season Grade: B

6. Pittsburgh Steelers

Playoff Breakdown: In

The Steelers have clinched a playoff berth, we're just not sure yet which position. They can win the AFC North with a win over Cleveland and a loss by the Baltimore Ravens.

The 2011 season was status quo for the Steelers. They battled injuries and a much improved division to, once again, win (at least) 11 games and a shot for the No. 2 seed in the conference. I'd say that's pretty good.

Pittsburgh will be a tough out in the playoffs, whether at home or on the road. The defense is built for the playoffs, and Rashard Mendenhall should be fresh after a lighter load at running back in the regular season.

Season Grade: A

5. Baltimore Ravens

Playoff Breakdown: In

The Ravens are assured of a playoff berth, but they need to beat the Cincinnati Bengals to win the AFC North and take the No. 2 seed in the conference. If they lose, the Pittsburgh Steelers can take the division with a win over the Cleveland Browns. 

Fans in Baltimore have to be happy. They beat the Steelers twice, have a chance to win the division and once again have the look of an elite team. If the Ravens can get a bye and then home-field advantage in the divisional round, it's hard to see them not making the AFC Championship game.

Season Grade: A

4. New England Patriots

Playoff Breakdown: Clinched AFC East Title, Currently No. 1 Seed

Is it any surprise that the New England Patriots are once again the top team in the AFC? It shouldn't be.

Bill Belichick can take heat for the Patriots defense, but you can't deny he has built a perennial contender. The Patriots simply get it done, and even with a defense that's full of holes, New England ranks fourth in point differential.

A win in Week 17 means all games in the AFC playoffs will go through Foxborough, as long as Tom Brady and Co. can stay alive in the postseason.

Season Grade: A

3. San Francisco 49ers

Playoff Breakdown: Clinched NFC West Title, Currently No. 2 Seed

A great season in San Francisco will end with the team hosting a playoff game. San Francisco clinches a first-round bye with a New Orleans loss, but should both teams win, the 49ers still get the No. 2 seed thanks to their division record.

Jim Harbaugh has locked up my vote for Coach of the Year this week. Traveling to Seattle on a short week with the distraction of Christmas, a thrilling Monday night win over the Pittsburgh Steelers and getting a last-minute win, is enough to have me hopping on the Harbaugh bandwagon.

Season Grade: A+

2. New Orleans Saints

Playoff Breakdown: In

The New Orleans Saints were more impressive in Week 16 than any other team in the league. Having said that, I can't quite move them up above the Green Bay Packers due to the lack of a pass rush on defense.

The Saints will be tough to beat in the playoffs, but they'll have to travel to San Francisco in the second round (assuming the 49ers can beat the Rams next week). Winning on the road, especially in windy San Francisco, will be a true test for the squad.

The Saints are dangerous, though, and they'll be picked by many as an upset pick to win the NFC.

Season Grade: A+

1. Green Bay Packers

Playoff Breakdown: In

The Green Bay Packers officially clinched the No. 1 seed in the NFC this week with their win over the Chicago Bears. 

It will be interesting to see how many starters play this week, and if they do start, how long they will play. The Packers have nothing to gain by playing their starters, but an injury at this point in the season would be devastating. If Mike McCarthy is reading, I'm encouraging him to sit the starters.

Season Grade: A

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