Official r/NFL Week 15 Power Rankings

Welcome to the week 15 Official r/NFL Power Rankings! With an easy win over the Cardinals, did Detroit luck out or does Goff see red every time he...sees red? Did the Packers earn a close win, or like the Rams/Seahawks, did the refs tarnish yet another outcome? Discuss! 31/32 reporting.

#		Team	Δ	Record	Comment
1.		Packers	+1	11-3	The Packers seem to always let mobile QB's run wild, but Tyler Huntley couldn't quite materialize a comeback this week, and Green Bay squeaked by with a win. Darnell Savage got dunked on by Mark Andrews all game except on the decisive 2pt conversion, which is all that matters I guess. To be honest I was kinda hoping the Ravens scored that because I was terrified our special teams would mess up and let Baltimore recover the onside kick and then have Justin Tucker strut all over us. Don't let the hands team fool you: our special teams is still garbage, just slightly less garbage than I dreaded.
2.		Chiefs	+3	10-4	A gutsy win to secure the 1 seed in the AFC in week 14 was not how the Chiefs season seemed to be going as they sit at 3-4 a few months ago. However, here we are. The defense deserves a lot of credit for the turnaround going from a historically bad defense to a legitimate top 10 defense in the NFL. Happy feelings are only fleeting in a world with Covid though, as now the Chiefs have a Covid outbreak. Who knows if this will derail their attempts for the 1 seed, but I wouldn't bet out a team that has already overcome a lot of adversity already.
3.		Buccaneers	-2	10-4	Bruce Arians can't seem to figure out the New Orleans Saints (in the regular season, at least). In his three seasons with the Bucs, they've gone a poor 0-6 against them in the regular season. Sunday's 9-0 shutout was yet another example of Arians playing Checkers against Dennis Allen's game of Chess. The Buccaneers' offensive line forgot how to block, the receivers forgot how to catch, and despite the absence of Head Coach Kevin James, the Buccaneers still got shut out. The NFC one seed is still in reach, but the Bucs will need a perfect finish to the season to keep that dream alive.
4.		Rams	+2	10-4	Despite a chaotic covid week where McVay didn’t even know if he would even field a full roster, the Rams came out, still short handed, and gave Seattle their first losing season in 10 years. This signals a more concrete look into the end of an era for Sea…hawks fans with Carroll and Wilson’s future unknown. Elsewhere, the Stafford-to-Kupp magic continues as Kupp is on pace for a historic season, even without an extra game. P.S. Thanks Jared
5.		Cowboys	+2	10-4	Dallas played a flawed game and got an ugly but convincing win, which is better than most of the top teams this week. This was the third straight game with 4 turnovers forced by the defense, the running game looked like its getting right, and we even had time to attempt a fat guy TD play on offense (which didn't work, because guards run shitty routes). After a disappointing November, the Cowboys are as closed to clinching the division as humanly possible without actually doing it (the Eagles have a <0.1% chance, per 538), and have a realistic shot at the 1 seed if the Packers shit their pants even a little.
6.		Cardinals	-3	10-4	What an absolute trainwreck. It is honestly disgusting the amount of strife this organization puts on its fans. I have no respect for anybody on our offensive or defensive line except Markus Golden and Rodney Hudson. Minus those two, the rest need to be replaced. It is sickening to watch the body language of Kyler Murray and AJ Green when things don’t go their way. Like two children who are in the process of losing at kickball and have no way to fix it. This team needs to shape up, right now. The Cardinals are no longer allowed to act like they’re hot stuff, as they have done NOTHING worthwhile yet. They are in the doghouse with the fanbase. That said, they are 10-4, have a chance at the #1 seed, and I still love them. Go Cardinals.
7.		Patriots	-2	9-5	Shoot yourself in the foot and you’re going to have a hard time standing. Shoot yourself in both feet and you’re going to have a hard time walking. Shoot yourself in both feet and the dick and you’re going to have a hard time winning a football game. Mistakes and uncharacteristic errors cost the Patriots their game against the Colts. Mac showed promise mounting a comeback in the 4th quarter but it was too little, too late. Bill needs to get these issues ironed out if the team hopes to make a deep playoff run as they now face a rematch with Buffalo.
8.		Colts	+2	8-6	Earlier in the season following the loss to the Ravens, I had called for defensive coordinator Matt Eberflus to be fired. In retrospect, that was an extremely short-sighted statement. The defense has settled into an imposing unit that leads the league in takeaways and is currently ninth in Points Allowed. Indeed, they smothered the Patriots throughout the game, shutting them out for three quarters and coming up clutch in the fourth to prevent a comeback. The team is also now third in Points Scored after Jonathan Taylor's game-sealing 67-yard touchdown run that will surely be projected onto your television screen when he wins the MVP award. While Carson Wentz did not have a good game, completing only five passes and throwing an interception, he wasn't asked to do much and the Patriots also have the league's best pass defense. Considering his solid play throughout the year, this performance seems more like an outlier than anything. It's also indicative of the team's capabilities when their quarterback has a rough game and they still beat one of the league's best teams by two scores. If the Colts can win on Christmas against the Cardinals, their playoff chances jump up to 98%. Good luck and good hunting.
9.		Bills	+1	8-6	In a continued domination of middling-to-bad teams, Panthers North got the win they needed vs. the actual Panthers. The defensive line got after the QB better than it has at any other point this season, notching four sacks —two coming in the same set of downs from former Panther Efe Obada. On offense, Josh Allen wasn’t asked to do too much on his sprained foot (other than this absolute hose to Gabriel Davis), and the running game was more efficient than it’s been through most of the season. The red zone offense also took steps in the right direction again, capitalizing on most of their opportunities. In typical Bills fashion it wasn’t always pretty, but it was comfortable and much needed. This next game against New England will be huge, and likely for the AFC East crown.
10.		Chargers	-1	8-6	Hell of a game. There's certainly been a lot of debate among national (and internet) pundits who question Brandon Staley's 4th down aggressiveness since it failed to produce results in this contest, but the team is likely not in playoff position as it stands without that kind of aggressiveness that the Chargers have been doing all season. Against a good team like Kansas City, it isn't the craziest thought to gamble inside the 5 for a chance at a touchdown instead of an easy field goal. Donald Parham appears to be okay though, and that's a victory that we can all be happy for. Next up, the team heads to Houston.
11.		Titans	-3	9-6	The Titans were once again hampered by an ailing roster and turnover issues in their 19-13 loss against the Steelers Sunday. The Titans control their path to the AFC South title by needed 2 out of the last 3 games to secure the AFC South without any help.
12.		49ers	+1	8-6	The defense was dominant in this one, controlling the game and causing the Falcons to turn over on downs 3 times inside the 10 yard line. The offense moved efficiently, with Jimmy G completing 18/23, and the run game averaging over 5 yards per carry. The has a quick turnaround this week with a TNF meetup in Tennessee.
13.		Bengals	+1	8-6	The Bengals made enough plays to sneak by the Broncos and thanks to a last second Raiders FG and a missed Ravens two point conversion, the Bengals are in first place in the division. Current standings hardly matter as the Bengals still have games against the Ravens and Browns to close out the season. Win both and the division is likely theirs.
14.		Ravens	-2	8-6	This is probably the most confident team on a three game skid you can imagine, given they had two major comebacks in two games on the back of Tyler Huntley. Another failed two point conversion to win it, but given the state of the secondary and the team rallying behind the call, it was still the best decision that could be made given a close call with Mark Andrews. This team has a lot of work to do to make the playoffs, but hanging tough with the Packers with your backup QB is a good sign moving forward. Sit Lamar until he's 100% and play Huntley until then, honestly, because Huntley has been fucking good.
15.		Steelers	+3	7-6-1	As Big Ben moved to 5th all-time in passing yards, his Steelers topped their old rivals the Titans in what was a pretty ugly game replete with officiating that left both fanbases scratching their collective heads. Tennessee escapes bruised, but in cruise control for the playoffs with a very winnable schedule from here on out. Like many AFC teams, the Steelers control their own destiny, but unlike the Titans, their remaining 3 with KC, CLE, and BAL are all very tough games. The Chiefs must win - their final schedule is brutal and they have to get to 11 wins like the Titans must as well, while Pittsburgh needs to get to 10. Pittsburgh didn't play well enough vs the Titans and they will be facing a Chiefs team with no margin for error, either. These Steelers need to learn from last week's game and bring more energy and momentum into Kansas City.
16.		Vikings	--	7-7	Against a depleted Bears' secondary, Kirk Cousins averaged just 2.2 net yards per attempt. Yet for the second week in a row, Zimmer's defense managed to bail out poor quarterback play by holding the Bears to 2/12 on third downs and just total three points despite four red zone trips until the final garbage time drive.
17.		Browns	-2	7-7	Rarely is a team in a position where a win will put them first in the division, a loss last.Half the team out? Yeah that is a problem. Even with a end of game interception the Browns failed to stop the Raiders. The Browns will need to win the final two games of the year AND have division rivals more or less lose out or tie to even sneak into the playoffs. It's not looking good. The Browns will (checks schedule) play Green Bay at home on Christmas. Oh lord.
18.		Dolphins	+1	7-7	Duke Johnson put 2 rushing TDs and 100+ yards on the field for the first time since he was playing for the U in the Rock against North Carolina in 2014. And his return to Miami was inspiring, as Tua Truckdaboiova follows his lead to the pain of Michael Carter. And the last time anyone saw a worm this big, people had to worry about some Tremors, so be careful down in Miami.
19.		Saints	+3	7-7	In a week of COVID-19, it was a good time to be Ceedy Duce and a bad time to be a <insert corporate sponsor product>. He and Marshon Lattimore are anchoring a very good defensive unit, and his troll antics are entertaining. But he also has a cool story: https://youtu.be/kQrzn2JZM_g
20.		Raiders	+3	7-7	The Raiders continue to torture their fan base by giving them hope. With most of the AFC being within one game of .500 the Raiders have a chance to sneak their way into the playoffs. They won't, but technically the chance is still there.
21.		Eagles	--	7-7	What's eating Gilbert, Garrett? The Eagles defensive line.
22.		Broncos	-5	7-7	The Broncos' season ends as the season has ended for years and years now — an offense unable to drive or score making a situation where if the defense blinks once they die. Bridgewater's second concussion this year likely ends his tenure as Broncos QB, inserting the human turnover machine back into the starting lineup. Peyton Manning and a consortium of Denver billionaires, our country turns its lonely eye to you.
23.		Washington FT	-3	6-8	Washington’s playoff hopes took a huge hit after consecutive NFC EAST losses. Down to a fourth string QB with both Heinicke and Allen out via COVID protocol, the writing was on the wall with this one. WFT will get a chance at redemption with rematches against both Dallas and Philly followed by The Giants to end the season. If they can string together 3 more wins and claw their way to 9-8 they stand a very good chance to snatch that final wildcard. Make no mistake though, every game here on out is an elimination game.
24.		Seahawks	--	5-9	Despite losing Jamal Adams for the season and missing DJ Reed, the Seahawks defense held their own against the Rams. The pass rush sacked Stafford a season-high 4 times (3 for Carlos Dunlap) and Quandre got to pick off his former teammate (again). Jordyn Broooks also had one of his more promising games. The offense, however, was pitiful. While the reffing was a huge story from the game last night, the Seahawks did themselves 0 favors on offense and really did not deserve to win the game. Russell Wilson played one of his worst professional games, completing 17 of 31 passes for a whopping 156 yards, an interception, and a PFF grade of 33.6 (lowest on entire offense). It would have been nice to have Tyler Lockett, but DK was getting open throughout the game only to be missed by Russ. Hopefully playing Chicago this week alleviates some pain.
25.		Falcons	--	6-8	Looks like Kyle Shanahan finally learned to run with a lead. It didn't matter, quarterbacks don't win games when they're pressured on 27 of 35 drop backs. From jumping back in the first round to grab a second lineman to hiring an ex lineman coach, it seems the harder Atlanta tries the worse they get. Not Terrell though, his full season stats look like one bad game. 23 catches for 150 yards through 14 games. All pro.
26.		Bears	+1	4-10	During this game, new tackle Tevin Jenkins stood up for his quarterback after a borderline late hit - marking maybe the first time someone has actually helped Fields out all season. He then got sucker punched by a Viking. Veteran Germain Ifedi then got in Jenkins face. From top to bottom the entire culture if this insipid team is dumb.
27.		Panthers	-1	5-9	I had planned on writing a big spiel about Rhule being visited from the Ghosts of Christmas Past (Cam), Present (Sam Darnold), and Christmas Yet to Come (potential drafted QB), but honestly it's not even worth the effort. Rhule's tenure has been an absolute disgrace, coming to a head with him publicly throwing Cam under the bus, and wondering if Sam Darnold is a better offensive option. Apparently Bills players called this game #OperationSendRhuleBacktoSchool. I'm done with Rhule, the fans are done with Rhule, and the players are done with Rhule. Just end this clown show already.
28.		Lions	+2	2-11-1	60 minutes of complete football, and domination by the Lions. After taking the lead early, the Lions kept the pressure on. When the Igwebuike fumbled the ball, an Oruwariye interception set up a short TD for Goff and Cabinda. That string of plays may have sealed the game entirely, because the Cardinals were never able to recover. The Lions are 2-3-1 in their last 6, and really showing what that hard work has been toward. The wins are going to do more for the young roster than the draft pick will, but the Lions will still most likely be picking 1st/2nd. Enjoy the win Detroit, don't ruin this week by stressing over the draft. Our draft picks this year have largely worked out and produced for the team, believe in Holmes to find talent next year.
29.		Giants	-1	4-10	Expect disappointment, and you'll never be disappointed. Giants fans had nothing else to expect when a Mike Glennon-led offense took the field on Sunday. After throwing 3 interceptions, the bad giraffe man was benched in favor of Jake Fromm State Farm, who promptly looked far better the man he was replacing. Now, that was the smallest of small sample sizes, but Fromm will likely have his shot to prove himself this weekend against the Eagles. Giants fans getting hyped for a third-string QB... it's all we got at this point.
30.		Jets	-1	3-11	This week you can look at the players on offense around Zach Wilson and say that the loss was more on them than him. Wilson wasn't great or anything, he put up a pretty typical rookie performance. But between really poor offensive line play by a bunch of back ups, and no Corey Davis or Elijah Moore, Wilson was put in a pretty impossible situation. Knowing the Jets, they'll beat Jacksonville next week because it's probably in their best interest to lose.
31.		Texans	+1	3-11	While this is a year we're meant to tank, it's a huge morale boost to at least be better than the Jags. This won't be the worst season in Texans history, which is at least some cold comfort for fans. Another positive is that Mills looked like a better QB than Lawrence on the field, which is gives the team at least something to work with.
32.		Jaguars	-1	2-12	Incredible! The science has finally been done. Our experts finally found the time, resources, and methods to put together the ultimate test. After years of speculation and wondering, we now know what happens when you pit a movable force against a stoppable object! It turns out, one of those is even more falible than you'd ever imagine dear reader. However, I'm not sure which it was, but the punchline is the Jaguars.