NFL Power Rankings | Week 13

Week 13 NFL Power Rankings is full of Ups and Downs for certain Teams

The coach of the league’s least winning squad was sacked. The team with just one loss of the week produced its second exciting comeback. The division between the Philadelphia Eagles and Carolina Panthers is at an all-time high right now, with the former undergoing yet another coaching change and the latter winning back more games than any other club in recent memory after losing in the Super Bowl.

But earlier in the season, the Panthers defeated the Texans, and the Eagles suffered a loss to the Jets. Parity is somewhat erratic.

Oh, and the other club that the Eagles and they have won five straight games together? That would be the scorching Denver Broncos, who were tied with the Panthers for the most wins not too long ago. The Broncos now have a three-game road trip ahead of them as they attempt to storm their way into the playoffs. They will, however, need to overtake the cunning Colts, who were 3-5 prior to going on a three-game winning streak of their own.

To clarify, the NFL Power Rankings have undergone many makeovers since Halloween. This week, they underwent yet another change, and we plan to add several more throughout the holiday season. If there’s one thing the NFL campaign of 2023 has taught us, it’s to stay agile in this area.

Rank 1 Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)

Once more, the Eagles prevailed despite being outplayed for extended periods of time by a skilled opponent. Two of the team’s most poignant and significant nonconference wins came last week, as Jalen Hurts led Philadelphia to victory on Monday and Sunday with exactly the number of second-half touchdown drives. During the third quarter of Monday night’s game at Arrowhead in Week 11, the Eagles were behind by ten points. On Sunday, they trailed the Bills by 10 points as well, but a play from James Bradberry was sufficient to turn the tide of the game in Philly’s favor. Of course, the Eagles needed roughly 14 more things to go their way after that, and in order to win, the defense needed to force many plays off the field. As it was, they played 92 plays in the rain and gave up 505 yards.

Rank 2 Baltimore Ravens (9-3)

This season, the Ravens have led at the beginning of each fourth quarter. They have a 1.5-game lead in a division where two other teams have lost their starting quarterbacks and one club isn’t exactly blown away by its quarterback. They have the bye in the top spot in the AFC. However, Baltimore has a terrible tendency of leaving the door open late, sometimes against weaker teams, for whatever reason. Although the Chargers emerged victorious on Sunday night, the Ravens had numerous opportunities to steal the game. This has occurred in Bengals and Cardinals victories, and it was undoubtedly an issue in Colts, Steelers, and Browns defeats. But the Lions and Seahawks were trampled by the Ravens.

Rank 3 San Fransisco 49ers (8-3)

The division title isn’t yet decided, but it’s getting close. With ten consecutive victories over their most recognizable opponents, the 49ers have recently ruled the NFC West. Next up is the NFC’s top seed, which will be decided this week in Philadelphia against the Eagles. Winning on Sunday would be a major step toward San Francisco’s goal of catching Philly, but they still have work to do. This win will boost 49ers towards top in NFL Power Rankings.After losing three straight games, this club radically realigned and won the last three by double digits. The return of Brock Purdy and the rediscovery of the pass rush are the two biggest holes we found in the Niners during the slide that have now been filled. They now face Philadelphia at an intriguing time, as the Eagles are coming off an emotional seven-day stretch that included victories over the Chiefs and Bills via comebacks. When will the 49ers halt Philly’s magical run, or will they be the next team to fall victim to a late-game meltdown?

Rank 4 Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)

After falling behind the Raiders 14-0 early in the game, the offense found its groove, scoring four touchdowns in five drives to take a two-score lead and used more than three minutes of clock on the last field goal drive that sealed a 31-17 victory. Sunday’s performance by rookie receiver Rashee Rice and second-year wideout Skyy Moore was their best since September. With no turnovers, only one sack allowed, and only one obvious dropped pass on Patrick Mahomes’ 34 throw attempts, it was a start—and a fairly encouraging one at that. Kansas City’s defense was awful for the opening twenty minutes and excellent for the last forty.

Rank 5 Dallas Cowboys (8-3)

With an 18:2 TD-to-INT ratio and an average of 312.3 passing yards per game, Dak Prescott is having a fantastic run of six games. I doubt he has ever had a more impressive run of six games at a more crucial time for the squad. At this same point last year, Prescott was beginning an embarrassing run that would eventually extend to seven games with at least one pick. But Dak has been on point this season, ever since that embarrassing loss at San Francisco back in Week 5. At this point, he’s at least a dark horse candidate for MVP and may win the trophy if the Cowboys have a disastrous final stretch. Dallas hasn’t been in a conference final for nearly thirty years. Is this the season?

Rank 6 Miami Dolphins (8-3)

After Jaelan Phillips suffered a season-ending Achilles injury, Black Friday took a gloomy turn. That doesn’t take away from the defensive gains the Dolphins have made since around Week 8, nor does it discount the seven sacks, two interceptions, and game-changing 99-yard score Vic Fangio’s unit amassed in destroying the Jets. Unquestionably strong points have been the run defense and pass rush, both of which Phillips contributed significantly to. It’s also not a simple task to replace him as a player. Nevertheless, it was heartening to see that Emmanuel Ogbah, who has been a letdown since his huge deal in March 2022, had possibly his finest game of the year on Sunday. Both Andrew Van Ginkel and Bradley Chubb have entered the game. The backup is beginning to malfunction. Therefore, even if the loss of Phillips is significant, Miami’s improving defense shouldn’t collapse in the absence of the outstanding edge rusher.

Rank 7 Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)

Although his output hasn’t been astounding, Trevor Lawrence’s third NFL season is turning out to be a pretty strong one after a little slow start. Lawrence went close to setting a career best in passing yards during Sunday’s victory over the Texans. Lawrence has been playing at his best lately, and even after the humiliating 49ers loss in Week 10, he has shown a noticeable increase in confidence when it comes to taking deeper kill shots. With six games remaining and just one major powerhouse (Baltimore in Week 15) left on their schedule, the Jaguars are able to stave off the Texans and keep a strong lead in the AFC South thanks to his outstanding second half versus Houston. Since the offense never quite found its best form, we are aware of what transpired when he missed the first four. The Jags can’t afford to let the offense collapse as December approaches, even though they are almost certain in the postseason.

Rank 8 Detroit Lions (8-3)

Although it hasn’t been a season-long problem, the absence of defensive plays has recently grown more persistent. Anyone who has seen Lions football over the last two months or so wasn’t entirely surprised to see that unit fail to stop the Packers on Thanksgiving. The shocking thing was that Jared Goff had no pass protection. The offensive line’s collapse against Green Bay was unexpected if you’ve been paying attention to Detroit, even though the seasoned quarterback was always his own worst enemy and has recently developed a terrible propensity for turnovers. Is that how things will stay moving forward? In actuality, the Lions are still capable of winning the division despite a few setbacks. But these problems must be resolved by January if they hope to win their first postseason game in more than thirty years.

Rank 9  Pittsburgh Steelers (7-4)

We received a clear message from the opening scrimmage play of Sunday’s victory over the Bengals: our offensive approach will be different. Pat Freiermuth was hit by a pass that Kenny Pickett lobbed straight down the heart of the Cincinnati defense. After missing the first two games due to a hamstring injury sustained in Week 4, Freiermuth made his return on Sunday and, in a fortunate turn of events, was actually deployed down the seam. Pickett had spent the majority of the season blatantly ignoring that part of the field. Although the Steelers’ offense only managed 16 points under the direction of new play-caller Mike Sullivan, they amassed 424 yards of offense—the first time Pittsburgh has outgained an opponent this season—and nearly doubled the Bengals’ production (222). Sullivan took over for the dismissed Matt Canada and had a strong first outing; we’ll see if more points follow those yards the next time around.

Rank 10 Cleveland Browns (7-4)

Another week means a new quarterback scenario for Cleveland. When Dorian Thompson-Robinson left Sunday’s game against Denver due to a concussion, he was playing really well. Enter PJ Walker, who was sacked for a safety late in the game and only completed six of his thirteen pass attempts. Whatever you think of Walker, he did lead the 49ers and Colts to significant victories, and if DTR is unable to play this Sunday against the Rams, Walker is likely to start at quarterback. Remember that Cleveland also signed Joe Flacco to the practice squad, so if things go sour in the final few games, it’s not out of the question that the 7-4 Browns might start a fourth quarterback. They’re still in a better position to make the playoffs than to miss them, but the timing of the problems with their run defense and quarterback instability is terrible.

Rank 11 Houston Texans (6-5)

The Texans will need to work hard if they hope to qualify for the playoffs after losing to the Jaguars. This one hurts because the Jaguars have better division and conference records and are currently leading the AFC South by more than a game. They also currently hold the tiebreaker. The Texans undoubtedly had opportunities to win, but some excruciating penalties on both sides of the ball caused great anguish. So were Matt Ammendola’s failed field goals at the end of each half, C.J. Stroud’s three second-half sacks, and the secondary’s shoddy coverage (Tavierre Thomas had a forgettable day). Houston still has a clear route to the postseason, but it begins in Week 13 with a victory over 6-5 Denver and may go as far as Week 18 at Indianapolis.

Rank 12 Buffalo Bills (6-6)

Although they are still alive, Buffalo’s chances of making the playoffs are slim given that the Bills failed to secure what would have been a thrilling road victory at Philadelphia in the rainy weather. Joe Brady called some excellent plays, and Josh Allen occasionally donned his superman suit, but it was all in vain due to a number of mishandled kicks, Allen’s pick in the fourth quarter, several defensive lapses, some unfortunate fumble/non-fumble situations, and a misunderstanding with Gabe Davis on the overtime throw. Yes, a few plays ended the Bills’ best offensive display since their Week 4 victory over Miami. Allen also made progress by using his legs far more than he had in previous games. After their bye this week, Buffalo’s next assignment is to travel to Arrowhead and then play at home against the Cowboys, who are on the rise. These days, every loss seems existential.

Rank 13 Indianapolis Colts (6-5)

When the Colts were ranked ninth in the AFC, we issued you a premonitory postseason warning in last week’s rankings. The Colts have moved into the seventh and final playoff spot—for the time being—after their convincing victory over the Bucs on Sunday and the losses suffered by Buffalo and Houston. Why is there not more hype surrounding Shane Steichen’s Coach of the Year award? Maybe it’s because the Colts recently dropped three straight games and his offense has been mediocre at times, especially with the QB issue. However, they have now quietly won three straight, with Tampa Bay being punished for four quarters by the Jonathan Taylor-Zack Moss combination on Sunday. Since mid-October, Michael Pittman Jr. has also been playing well, and his value as a free agent is rising as he piles more huge games. However, that’s a discussion for another time. There’s a playoff mutter in Indianapolis right now.

Rank 14 Seattle Seahawks (6-5)

With the 8-3 Cowboys, 8-3 49ers (who thrashed them on Thanksgiving in Seattle), and 10-1 Eagles, the first two of whom are on the road, they are by no means in great shape at 6-5. Should they lose all three, the playoffs could be over. Even if you succeed, there is still more work to be done. That’s what the Seahawks team, who haven’t looked quite right since October, is up against. It will hurt in retrospect to be swept by the Rams (especially that awful performance in Week 11). If the ‘Hawks miss the playoffs, the red zone disaster against the Bengals will also be remembered. The overwhelming losses to the 49ers and Ravens indicate that this club may find it difficult to overcome a formidable schedule of opponents in the final stretch, particularly if Geno Smith and the offense are unable to make swift corrections.

Rank 15 Denver Broncos (6-5)

After forcing just one turnover in their first three games, the Broncos have astonishingly moved up to the top of the NFL with 22 takeaways. Of those, twenty-one have occurred in the last eight games, including an astounding fifteen in the last four. It should come as no surprise that Denver’s 0–3 start was accompanied by a minus–4 turnover differential; since then, the Broncos have won five straight and are 6-2 with a plus–12 turnover differential. In the last six games combined, the defense has given up nine touchdowns, making it appear completely different from the squad that lost to Miami by 10 touchdowns in Week 3. This is hardly the time for parades, as Denver has four of its last six games—including the next three—on the road. However, the enormous turnaround has already made Sean Payton’s first season a success.

Rank 16 Minnesota Vikings (6-6)

On Monday night, Josh Dobbs nearly erased all the goodwill he had accrued since coming to Minnesota for three and a half quarters. While it wasn’t all his responsibility, Dobbs made some terrible choices at crucial junctures. The first choice was never in the running. The second was not caught by Jordan Addison, albeit it could have been thrown more accurately. K.J. Osborn was struck by the third, but it was a fourth down, so it wasn’t a foul. Dobbs needed to eat the fourth one. In his more recent starts in Arizona, Dobbs began to make plays like this more frequently. In the beginning, there was some charm in the desert, but it soon faded. Is that what’s happening in Minneapolis again? The game-winning field goal was ultimately scored by Chicago after Minnesota eventually mustered a touchdown drive to grab the lead in the fourth quarter. The five-game winning streak suddenly seems oddly far away as the Vikings’ bizarre season has tumbled into the bye.

Rank 17 New Orleans Saints (5-6)

The offense is once again in a slump after a midseason production burst. Despite amassing 305 passing yards against the Falcons, Derek Carr is unable to find the end zone for this team. The game was essentially decided by his pick and Taysom Hill’s fumble in the red zone. Although they might have easily won by two scores, New Orleans fell by two. That illustrates the NFC South’s and this team’s mediocrity, which keeps things open for the time being. Simply put, Carr hasn’t assembled this offense the way I had envisioned. It’s impossible to overlook the early-season OL problems, and when Carr and his receivers aren’t communicating well, it can be difficult to assign responsibility. The Saints’ communication problems and red-zone issues must be resolved quickly because a strong run game can overcome this defense.

Rank 18 Green Bay Packers (5-6)

Now that the Packers are 5-6, it’s not out of the question that they could make the playoffs. As a matter of fact, Green Bay has already surpassed its performance in 2022, when the Packers advanced to the postseason only to lose in Week 18. The thrilling Thanksgiving victory over the Lions was fueled in large part by Jordan Love and Rashan Gary, which is exactly what every Packers fan wants. After missing four games due to a torn ACL last season, Gary, who had recovered, received a $96 million contract deal about the same time that Love threw 10 picks in Weeks 3 through 10. Even though the squad was without a number of important players on both sides of the ball, both were playing well in a crucial game. That’s what you love to see this time of year.

Rank 19 Atlanta Falcons (5-6)

There’s a reason why the Falcons, win or lose, have fluctuated between the mid-20s and the teens in the Power Rankings this season. With the win on Sunday, the club made progress toward capturing the NFC South and took a significant step in the right direction. The Falcons triumphed by two scores, but Atlanta had to survive two red-zone blunders by the Saints, both of which were outstanding plays by Jessie Bates III. Atlanta’s offense has relied heavily on the run game this season, and Cordarrelle Patterson even contributed to it on Sunday. Despite two poor interceptions, Desmond Ridder rebounded to lead two late touchdown drives. We’ve seen this same formula numerous times. Will the Falcons be able to win the division with this?

Rank 20 Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)

It seems that Joe Burrow’s loss was significant. Although he didn’t win it for the Bengals, Jake Browning wasn’t the only reason they lost to Pittsburgh on Sunday. The person who devised the strategy may wish to reevaluate the run-pass ratio. Browning dropped back to throw 32 times (including his two scrambles), and the Bengals threw the ball to Joe Mixon eight times. Given the injuries to Tee Higgins and Burrow, that is a 4:1 pass-to-run ratio. Despite making five trips across midfield, the Bengals managed just 10 points. They had their longest and most promising drive early in the second half, covering 57 yards in almost six minutes, but it was cut short by a poor Browning pick in the red zone. At that point, the Bengals were ahead 7-3, but they would lose their next three games.

Rank 21 Los Angeles Chargers (4-7)

With Josh Palmer and Mike Williams down, first-round selection Quentin Johnston has had the chance to share the load offensively. But except from a few fleeting moments, Johnston has not lived up to expectations. Following a loss and a trip to the medical tent during Sunday night’s game against the Ravens, Johnston never returned to a close, winnable contest. Similarly, since the J.C. Jackson scandal was resolved by Jackson’s trade to the Patriots, Michael Davis has had a clear opportunity to prove he was worthy of the $25 million contract extension the team signed him to a few years ago. However, Davis voted in Deane Leonard’s favor on Sunday. We (Chargers) can discuss coaching until we’re blue in the face, but we also need to have a sincere discussion about personnel. Brandon Staley is not solely to blame for the team’s 4-7 record.

Rank 22 Los Angeles Rams (5-6)

The NFC is currently overflowing with teams that have five or six wins, all vying for the two wild-card places that will likely be available (assuming either the 10-1 Eagles or the 8-3 Cowboys will get one), and the Rams are right back in the middle of things. Undoubtedly, this season has been peculiar, but the offense received the much-needed lift from Kyren Williams’ comeback and Tyler Higbee’s surprising performance on Sunday (after it was anticipated he might not play). Even against the Cardinals, the Rams defense put out one of its best performances, which had to be a confidence-boosting showing for a team that has gone through a lot together. The team still has four winnable road games remaining, starting with Sunday’s matchup against a Browns squad that may start Joe Flacco. The two remaining road games are against Baltimore and San Francisco.

Rank 23 Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)

Maxx Crosby played 49 of a potential 60 defensive snaps despite having a knee ailment that the Raiders listed as doubtful. He helped Las Vegas get out to a quick start against the Chiefs by sacking Patrick Mahomes on a crucial third down early in the second half. Josh Jacobs, who had the second-longest run of his career and exceeded 100 rushing yards for the second time in his last three games, also had a fantastic game for the Raiders. Jakobi Meyers and Davante Adams both contributed right away. Nevertheless, Kansas City outscored Las Vegas 31-3 over the game’s last 40 minutes, and it was still insufficient to hold on. However, the offensive has been far too erratic to complete drives, therefore Aidan O’Connell cannot be solely blamed for this. If Pierce wants to get the full-time position, he needs to get more points.

Rank 24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-7)

With a 4-7 record, the Bucs are still in the running, while the Saints and Falcons are both 5-6. While it’s encouraging that Tampa has participated in every game since the Week 5 bye, the team’s 1-6 run has shown some concerning patterns. The defense has had serious tackling problems and has ceased trying to take the ball away. On offense, red-zone performance has proven to be problematic. Nor have injuries been helpful. In spite of having to leave the game temporarily due to an ankle injury, Baker Mayfield made some audacious throws on Sunday, but he also committed two costly errors that harmed his team’s chances of winning away from the hungry Colts club. Every week, it seems like the Bucs are just four or five plays away from winning. It’s difficult to be overly optimistic about their prospects of making it to the Big Dance, despite their offensive team’s evident strengths.

Rank 25 Chicago Bears (4-8)

Give Justin Fields some credit for persevering after two fumbles in the fourth quarter to lead the game-winning field goal drive on the road against a club that is still in the running for the playoffs, even though it was by no means a “I’m the guy” performance. On a night when Fields left a lot of meat on the bone, the 36-yard pass to DJ Moore was a well-planned play and a nice throw. He missed a few major plays that may have been made. Fields made a couple runs with his legs to start the game 13-of-13 for 122 yards, but the Bears were unable to find the end zone throughout the entire evening. Still, a victory is a victory. Give the defense credit for the three-and-out following Fields’ second fumble, as well as the four interceptions. Late in the season, Matt Eberflus’ team is performing really well and with a lot of effort.

Rank 26 Tennessee Titans (4-7)

With four more games remaining at Nissan Stadium, the Titans, who are currently 4-0 at home against teams other than London, are a team that knows how to win games in Nashville. Though Tennessee can finish strong and determine whether Will Levis is the right player to develop around, the playoffs are most likely out of reach. I’m still pretty optimistic. Levis led two touchdown marches and a spectacular field goal drive in the last thirty seconds of the first half against Carolina. After that, he calmed down and nearly got into some trouble when attempting to force the ball to DeAndre Hopkins, but generally, Levis demonstrated more strengths than weaknesses, which is in line with my conclusion for the entire season. It’s fair to say that he has shown more promise with the Titans than Bryce Young has with the Panthers, even though it’s unfair to compare the two scenarios as apples and cherries.

Rank 27 New York Jets (4-7)

When the Jets acquired a quarterback from the Packers in the past only to have their season collapse, it cost people their jobs. After Brett Favre spent one optimistic but unsuccessful season with New York, head coach Eric Mangini was sacked after his third season in 2008. There’s something weirdly comparable about the current state of Jetsdom. To what extent is Aaron Rodgers’ timeline for his Achilles injury recovery still intact? Could he provide a lifeline to Robert Saleh, who is in risk of having a losing season for the third time in a row? Was there any way Rodgers could put out the fire under this burning group? At 4-7 and most likely out of the playoffs, that might seem like a far-fetched prospect. Maybe Rodgers is thinking ahead, building on his successful comeback in 2024, or he is hoping to get some insight from this season after the Jets went all-out in the summer to accommodate his demands. In any case, the Jets’ last major intrigue is around the possibility of a Rodgers return.

Rank 28 New York Giants (4-8)

This season, a Giants player topped 100 receiving yards in a game for the first time! Twelve weeks and three different quarterbacks were all that was needed. Scenes from August that were repeated in late November saw Jalin Hyatt reach the century milestone on Sunday while receiving passes from Tommy DeVito against the Patriots. After a disappointing season, the two rookies rose to the occasion and contributed to the team’s second straight triumph. Hyatt’s productivity has been a little erratic, even accounting for the fluctuations at quarterback this season, but he has the ability to turn a game with a few clutch catches. The question at hand is whether Brian Daboll will continue to use the developing DeVito or return to Tyrod Taylor, who may be activated from injured reserve in Week 14. That’s probably going to be the topic of the Week 13 bye, which is a lot better than what most 4–8 teams have to deal with.

Rank 29 Washington Commanders (4-8)

With the exception of the owner, the futures of almost every significant player in the organization could be in jeopardy during the final five games of the 2023 season. Sam Howell: The quarterback of the future? Even a strong season from Howell won’t guarantee his spot in the team’s plans because the organization can find itself in a draft position where choosing a quarterback in 2024 is feasible. Will Eric Bieniemy continue to be a member of the team in the future? It’s practically hard to say until we learn Josh Harris’ plans for head coach Ron Rivera and the front office, but it wouldn’t be out of the ordinary for a holdover coordinator to stay on even if (many) others do not. Howell’s presence on a rookie contract is one of the more encouraging aspects of this rebuild, but there are still a lot of things to work out over the course of the next six months or so.

Rank 30 Arizona Cardinals (2-10)

This was a setback for the Kyler Murray Refurbishment Project, since following the opening-drive touchdown on Sunday against the Rams, the offense appeared to be struggling miserably. All day, there were issues with expensive fines, ongoing pressure, and missed (simple) connections. These are the kinds of plays that will impede Murray’s progress and the Cardinals’ assessment of him in the last stretch of these somewhat significant games. With the Rams leading by a significant margin in the fourth quarter, Murray completed nearly half of his passing yards, failed to scramble, and was sacked four times—twice on third down. The Cardinals’ defense lacked answers for Kyren Williams and the Rams’ attack, and the run game as a whole wasn’t functioning.

Rank 31 New England Patriots (2-9)

Irrespective of Bill Belichick’s decision to stay as New England coach, the Patriots may have a high enough 2024 draft pick to look at quarterback prospects next season besides Mac Jones and Bailey Zappe. It seems that the current quarterback situation has been spoilt, as the Pats botched up another game in which their defense kept the opposition to 10 points. After Zappe provided some sunshine in the form of a touchdown drive, Jones was benched (for the fourth time this season) in the second half. He then turned heel and threw a poor pick into dense coverage. Maybe in the last stretch, New England will choose Zappe. Perhaps it won’t have any effect. At this stage, these are Sisyphean things. The brutally awful season has gotten even worse. With teams outside of the AFC East, the Patriots are currently 0-7.

Rank 32 Carolina Panthers (1-10)

These Panthers haven’t reached the 15-point threshold since mid-October, so nobody should have expected them to light up scoreboards every week. Before the head coach was fired on Monday, it was evident that Bryce Young and Frank Reich, whose specialty is offensive, were not progressing at the rate that one would have hoped. We’re not avoiding the talent issue; the offensive line and receiver positions are severely limited. Still, it’s been aggravating to watch the same station-to-station attack waste a strong defensive effort while crawling up the field for one or two touchdown drives. With another change as offensive coordinator (Jim Caldwell will counsel Thomas Brown, who takes back the play-calling responsibilities he held earlier in the season), Young is now working with his second head coach. And in a few more, Young very well might have a new combination to work with.