NFL Power Rankings |Week 16

Rank 11 Houston Texans (8-6)

Following their thrilling overtime victory over the Titans on Sunday—in which Case Keenum replaced C.J. Stroud—the Texans now have three options: they can win the AFC South, earn a wild-card spot in the playoffs, or miss out on the postseason altogether. They are currently one position off of the lead in the AFC South, trailing both the Jaguars and the Colts but ahead of Buffalo in the AFC wild-card battle. The victory on Sunday can be characterized as “fortunate” or “grittier.” Houston continued to settle for field goals and endure lengthy offensive droughts as the Titans jumped out to a 13-0 lead. While it was evident that Stroud, Nico Collins, and Tank Dell were missing, Devin Singletary had a fantastic day, and Dalton Schultz and Noah Brown also made catches that changed the course of the game. Major props to the Texans defense for keeping Tennessee to 204 total yards and three points in the second half even in the absence of Blake Cashman and Will Anderson Jr. However, Sunday’s game versus Cleveland will be the true test, as Stroud Watch goes into overdrive this week.

Rank 12 Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)

Every week, the Bengals discover fresh methods to turn adversity into victory. The incredible comeback on Saturday, which was sparked by Tee Higgins’ late Catch of the Year contender, was only the most recent chapter—another unexpected one, A.B. (After Burrow). Despite having a slow start, Jake Browning finished with 324 passing yards. To complete the comeback, he led three touchdown marches in the fourth quarter and a field goal drive in overtime (without Ja’Marr Chase). Have you followed Cincy through this crazy year’s journey? After early-season setbacks, a two-TD victory over the 49ers, the loss of Joe Burrow, three straight victories, and the AFC’s sixth seed heading into Week 16, there were high expectations for the Super Bowl. With a shoulder injury, Chase will probably miss some time, which seems like just one more challenge to conquer.

Rank 13 Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

The Colts, who had no one on the roster just a few months prior, had noteworthy contributions from D.J. Montgomery, Tyler Goodson, and Trey Sermon with the playoffs perhaps in jeopardy. The Colts weren’t alarmed at all, even though the most of it occurred after the Steelers had taken a 13-0 lead. After the performance in the second half of the Bengals game, it was an excellent response. We are now awaiting word on the injuries sustained by Zack Moss (arm) and Michael Pittman Jr. (concussion) during the victory, as well as any developments regarding Jonathan Taylor’s condition. Nonetheless, Gardner Minshew had a huge game here. However, Minshew’s three-TD performance was a confidence booster because, prior to Saturday, he had been rather inconsistent and prone to errors. Though his passing totals (18-of-28, 215 yards) weren’t very impressive, it seemed like his best outing of the year.

Rank 14 Denver Broncos (7-7)

The Broncos’ crushing defeat at Detroit came down to a mid-game argument, and Sean Payton appeared to throw fuel on the flames when he responded to queries regarding it following the game. The majority of the games were close and edgy, even during the Broncos’ baptismal hot streak—they were six games to one heading into Week 15—and it hasn’t exactly felt like Payton has accepted Russell Wilson into the Circle of Trust. It appeared as though Payton vented his annoyance at a harsh penalty that cost Wilson a score, but maybe it’s all talk and no action. What appears more concerning is that, even with three winnable games remaining, the Broncos are on the outside looking in for the playoffs after being dominated from the second quarter on against the Lions.

Rank 15 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)

In addition to being their largest victory of the year, Baker Mayfield had his best performance as a Buccaneer. He has played a fair game all year, but occasionally the outcomes haven’t lined up. Before Green Bay, Mayfield guided the Bucs to two thrilling victories, but he only completed 48.3 percent of his passes in those games. He was an incredible 22 of 28 throwing for 381 yards and four touchdowns on Sunday against the Packers, the most since his rookie campaign. A different receiver was the beneficiary of each touchdown pass, and Chris Godwin’s outstanding performance elevated this attack to a new level. It seemed like a graduation drive, this late touchdown drive to seal the victory. It put a stop to the Packers’ danger, drove the Bucs to 452 yards this season, and gave them their greatest point total in a victory. When the Bucs were having trouble late in games, they lost 39-37 to Houston early in the season. Have those demons been exorcised by the last few games?

Rank 16 Los Angeles Rams (7-7)

Los Angeles raced out to a 20-0 lead early in the second half and had to hang on to win, 28-20, as the offense and defense kind of yanked and yanged with each other’s plays. Although it wasn’t a particularly strong effort against a weak Commanders team, the task was completed. In addition, the Rams received assistance from longtime friend Baker Mayfield. If Los Angeles were to win two more games and Carolina defeated Atlanta, they would be in good shape. Next up for the Rams are the Saints and Giants, two games that they can win but also two that they need to watch their Ps and Qs. Since the bye, they have a 4-1 record with two decisive victories, two closely contested victories, and one admirably close defeat to the Ravens. However, Sunday served as a reminder that early blunders, such fumbles and red-zone mistakes, can allow weaker opponents to steal a game. The Rams are not unbeatable, but they are competitive right now thanks to their strong coaching.

Rank 17 Seattle Seahawks (7-7)

Drew Lock’s first game-winning drive in over three years has kept the Seahawks in the running for the playoffs. Lock learned he was starting ahead of time, proceeded to play a largely prudent and safe game (despite a late sack that nearly cost him), and then put up the drive of his career—92 yards, 10 plays, and 84 seconds—to start the game. Although things were a bit shaky at the beginning, Lock converted two third-and-10 plays: the first for DK Metcalf for 34 yards, and the second for Jaxon Smith-Njigba for 29 yards on a stunning touchdown pass. The Seahawks struggled to generate much offense in the beginning, but they persisted in applying pressure and kept the Eagles at bay on defense. Even though Geno Smith is anticipated to return to the saddle this Sunday, Lock became emotional afterwards while discussing his opportunity, and Pete Carroll was in unusual form as he celebrated his team and his quarterback. Not that it matters. On Monday, the Seahawks found their little spark again.

Rank 18 Minnesota Vikings (7-7)

The Vikings appear to have a statistically reasonable chance of making the postseason based on the standings and schedule. However, there is no denying the quarterback regression at this point. Kevin O’Connell has referred to it as a “week-to-week” operation, and I completely understand what he means. After jolting the team, Joshua Dobbs crashed. On Saturday, Nick Mullens appeared ready to lead his team to a significant victory on the road. Rather, he concluded with two picks deep in Cincinnati territory (one to a defensive end weighing 311 pounds), and though the Bengals were offsides, he should have completed with a pick-six. The Vikings were defeated by that as well as an odd, late breakdown by Minnesota’s much improved defense.

Rank 19 Green Bay Packers (6-8)

Although there has always been tension between Packers fans and their defensive coordinators, Joe Barry has come under intense criticism during the team’s recent two-game losing streak (and even earlier). Although the issues with the run defense have been discussed endlessly, Baker Mayfield’s demolition of the Packers’ secondary on Sunday gave rise to a new talking point. You can see why the Packers’ prospects of making the playoffs have almost vanished over the last week and a half when you combine that with their defensive lapses in the closing minutes against the Giants. Though Matt LaFleur’s offense hasn’t been great and hasn’t had a healthy backfield in a while, he also hurt the Packers’ chances by forcing a pointless challenge in the fourth quarter and forcing them to settle for a field goal, only to watch Tampa Bay score a touchdown on the next drive to seal the victory. It appears as though this heroic postseason run may fall just a little short.

Rank 20  Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)

After back-to-back home defeats to teams ranked 2–10, we should have known which way the wind was blowing, but Saturday’s loss marked essentially the end of Pittsburgh’s season. Given that things truly started to spin out of control when Kenny Pickett got hurt, this may momentarily raise his stock. However, I don’t think Pickett was going to save this club because the Steelers’ offensive problems were partly caused by his limitations in the first place. Although this team’s defense propelled them to seven victories, it is currently disintegrating, particularly in the secondary. Though there were postseason hopes at the beginning of the season, there was always a smoke and mirrors aspect to the victories and a sobering truth to the defeats, which included three early-season setbacks and three late-season collapses.

Rank 21 New Orleans Saints (7-7)

After two consecutive easy wins at home on Sunday, how much have we learned about New Orleans during that time? Like the Saints’ encounter with Carolina in Week 14, the Giants’ quarterback Tommy DeVito had to exit the game for a brief period of time before the Saints could take a two-score lead. However, it was a good sign that Derek Carr played without wide receiver Chris Olave or running back Ryan Ramczyk and had his cleanest, most effective game in a while. Carr completed 23 of his 28 throws, and the Saints offensive rhythm improved despite punts on three of the first four drives. Additionally, they did not cause any harm to themselves through penalties, turnovers, or red-zone mishaps. In fact, two flags in the first half stopped a potentially successful drive. That was sufficient to keep New Orleans in the chase for the division, along with a strong defensive showing (seven sacks, two of sixteen from the Giants on third down).

Rank 22 Atlanta Falcons (6-8)

Amazingly, the Falcons will almost certainly advance to the postseason if they win out. But even though they’ve never won three in a row with Arthur Smith as head coach, asking them to do so feels a bit like putting “Escalade” on your Santa list the night before Christmas, especially since two of those three games are away from home (where they’re 2-5). Indeed, miracles do happen and all that, but they rarely follow tragedies as soul-crushing as what happened on Sunday. Up until Desmond Ridder’s late pick, I kept saying, “This is where they turn the game around,” after one excruciating possession after another. I ought to have been aware. Ridder’s ceiling has always seemed obvious to me, even from his college tape, although I did give him credit for scoring game-winning drives in five of his initial eleven NFL starts. Since then, Ridder’s completion % has decreased and his INT percentage has increased, and he has both lost and reclaimed his starting position. As of Tuesday morning, NFL Network Insider Ian Rapoport claimed that Taylor Heinicke is expected to start Sunday’s game against the Colts, meaning the 24-year-old signal-caller is once again sitting on the bench.

Rank 23 Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)

They say the best way to bounce back from a shutout is to hit your opponent with a nine-TD bomb four days later. Over an eighty-hour period, the team went from (tied with) the fewest points scored to the most points ever for the franchise. In theory, the Raiders are in the running for the playoffs, but a flawless season and a number of other circumstances must align for them to advance. However, the 63-21 match revealed that Las Vegas has a few young players to watch out for. In an attempt to keep Jimmy Garoppolo at bay and position himself to contend for the starting job in the upcoming season, Aidan O’Connell exerted every effort. With Kolton Miller out, Dylan Parham took over at center in lieu of Andre James, while Thayer Munford shifted to left tackle, making room for RB Zamir White to replace an injured Josh Jacobs. All positive signs of progress.

Rank 24 Chicago Bears (5-9)

Over the last four games, the defense has forced 14 turnovers, going on a tear. With three interceptions of Joe Flacco on Sunday—a pick-six and another that was returned to the Cleveland 1-yard line—Chicago’s season total of 18 interceptions (second only to the 49ers) has been reached. Even with three sacks and a total eradication of Cleveland’s run game, the Bears were unable to hold onto a 17-7 lead going into the fourth quarter. After the break, Justin Fields was 7 of 19 throwing for 65 yards with 21 incompletions. Every half, he also had a Hail Mary interception. The second one fell into the hands of Bears wide receiver Darnell Mooney, who had the opportunity to score the game-winning touchdown. However, Mooney was unable to grab the pass, and D’Anthony Bell of the Browns ended up with possession of the ball. If you understand what I mean, the playoffs aren’t precisely flirting back, but the brief flirtation with them isn’t mathematically dead either.

Rank 25 Tennessee Titans (5-9)

Although they were officially eliminated from the postseason after the loss, the Titans had little chance of making the playoffs this year despite their surprising victory at Miami in Week 14. The 3-7 start proved to be too big of a hole to emerge from since too many things went wrong. Even though Will Levis still has a lot to learn, he has clearly improved since being given the starting position. If he’s not the clear favorite come August, I believe he’s at least given himself a shot to contend for the starting job in 2024. The attraction is clear: He is gifted, youthful, and inexpensive. With respect to the salary cap, the Titans should be in excellent position to make offseason investments and address any issues. They also stand to gain a top-10 pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. Derrick Henry might not be included in the rebuild if he plays more 16-carry, 9-yard games in the remaining games. As the offseason approaches, this is an intriguing squad for a number of reasons, not the least of which being who will return and who won’t.

Rank 26 New York Jets (5-9)

Despite the Jets’ dismal season, we have continued to follow them despite Aaron Rodgers’ injury because of these strange hints along the way that things might get better. Defeating Rodgers and the Bills Week 1. the winning run of three games, which included the triumph against the Eagles. The remote chance Rodgers would come back. the decisive victory in Week 14 over the playoff-hungry Texans. Those maintained hope. However, it’s perhaps appropriate that Rodgers is getting cleared to move on to the next phase of his return, while the Jets’ 30-0 loss on Sunday marked their formal elimination from the postseason. The Jets can no longer harm you or themselves since the season is now thoroughly cooked. This game was a terrible way for Robert Saleh to develop his résumé. There will undoubtedly be changes the following year, though it may not be immediately apparent how much they will be trimmed.

Rank 27 Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

Although it doesn’t seem like the Chargers intended to fire a player during the season, head coach Brandon Staley and general manager Tom Telesco had to go after the Raiders’ crushing of them last week. There were indications before the playoff collapse in January of last year, but basically from then on it wasn’t working. With numerous important players—including quarterback Justin Herbert—are undergoing offseason rehabilitation, the entire season is now lost. The job will be more appealing with Herbert in tow during his prime years, and even with some significant contract decisions up ahead, the roster isn’t in terrible shape. In addition, the Bolts are expected to be selected in the top 10 in April. If this season has shown us anything, it’s that Patrick Mahomes may not be unbeatable. Nevertheless, those are stinging comforts for now that the Chargers are hoping will, thankfully, pay off eventually.

Rank 28 New York Giants (5-9)

It’s difficult to hold Tommy DeVito too much for Sunday’s defeat because his wide receivers didn’t contribute much and the offensive line went back to some old bad habits while the game was still close. DeVito was likely accountable for a couple of the seven sacks, but he persevered throughout the fight despite taking several hard hits, one of which resulted in a concussion test. Nothing that happened on Sunday should make him less of a favorite to be Daniel Jones’ backup quarterback for the upcoming season. Although Wan’Dale Robinson and Jalin Hyatt’s contributions have fluctuated greatly from week to week, it was encouraging to see Darren Waller returning and having an influence. Towards the end of the season, it would be ideal if the Giants could highlight those two young wideouts.

Rank 29 Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

There were undoubtedly good things to take away from each of the Cardinals’ two games this season against the 49ers, despite the fact that they lost by 19 and 16 points, respectively. Let’s start with the 399 yards of offense the team averaged. Without Kyler Murray, they completed 257 yards of passing in their first game and 234 yards of running in their second. Arizona may want to make changes to its defense before playing the 49ers for the first time in the next season. With a defensive success percentage of 49.7, that unit is ranked dead last in Next Gen Stats, where six teams are functioning at a rate above 60 percent and the league average is 56.2 percent. In terms of pressure percentage (31.1), the Cardinals rank near the bottom, and they share the highest completion percentage (69.6) versus the Vikings. Although defensive end Jonathan Gannon has motivated his squad to play well in his first season, there is still room for development if the Cardinals are to defeat opponents like the 49ers.

Rank 30 New England Patriots (3-11)

Maybe we could have had a conversation if Bailey Zappe had continued his strong first-half performance against the Chiefs, building on his victory over the Steelers. That being said, even though New England forced three turnovers from Kansas City and momentarily made the game competitive in the closing minutes, the Patriots’ own mistakes—often penalties wiping away large plays—and Zappe’s poor interception ultimately proved to be the undoing of the team. With the Patriots presently ranked No. 2 and the 3-11 Cardinals picking third in the 2024 NFL Draft, we can definitely shift our focus there. At the very least, New England’s move into the top slot was made possible by the Panthers’ victory in their second game of the season. However, with eight other teams sitting at 5-9 or worse, Bill Belichick has taught teams to win games and isn’t stopping, so the Pats could just as easily fall out of the top five.

Rank 31 Washington Commanders (4-10)

Sam Howell completed 7 of 16 passes for 52 yards in the first half, and the Commanders were behind 13-0 at the intermission. Then, following a thrilling touchdown drive, Howell went three and out, lost an interception, and was replaced by Jacoby Brissett with Washington down 28-7. Brissett helped the team rally late on Sunday. Howell’s season has been peculiar while showing some very remarkable runs and output for a rookie. It’s impossible to ignore his tenacity and bravery in trying risky throws, and he has definitely shown a playmaking knack. However, there is no way that Brissett and Howell (or any other player of comparable skill) will be the only players competing for the starting job at Washington come football season, regardless of the head coach. Howell will be better served if he is really pushed, whether it’s a young starter who has been benched from somewhere else or a draft pick. In addition, Howell isn’t skilled or effective enough at this point to be cast in any capacity for the 2024 Commanders’ offensive, and we don’t know what kind of game plan they will employ.

Rank 32 Carolina Panthers (2-12)

Bravo to Chris Tabor, the acting head coach on Dub No. 1. He’s a funny man and an excellent football coach. As a first-time head coach, he has a rare opportunity to sting his previous employer while increasing his win total. With a win and the suddenly unstable Green Bay and Jacksonville up next on the schedule, the Panthers may entirely flip the top spot in the draft order, with the 3-11 Patriots and Cardinals following closely behind. Currently, the Bears hold the top overall pick in Carolina. And Bryce Young’s second victory was vaguely encouraging, defined by a game-winning, clock-draining 90-yard drive in the rain against a desperate team and zero turnovers. The owner, David Tepper, is very keen to win, so envisioning the Young we saw on Sunday improving his blocking and having better targets puts a positive (but realistic) perspective on things. The Panthers should have cash to spend this offseason.