NFL Power Rankings Week 15
1. Green Bay Packers – 10-3 SU, 7-4-1 ATS: Shocker, Aaron Rodgers was spectacular again in a 43-37 victory over Atlanta, throwing for 327 yards, three touchdowns and a 123.3 passer rating as he continues to run up the score on this year’s NFL MVP competition. Last week: 1
2. New England Patriots – 10-3 SU, 8-5 ATS: The Patriots staked their claim to the top spot in the AFC with a win 23-14 win over San Diego, the last legitimate contender on their schedule. The road to the Super Bowl will go through New England barring an historic collapse or an electromagnetic sun flare knocking out all their video recording equipment. Last week: 2
3. Seattle Seahawks – 9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS: The Seahawks are no more than two weeks away from taking the lead in the NFC West and likely the No. 2 seed in the NFC. Everything in Seattle is peaking at the right time and the only reason I don’t have them ranked above the Patriots is their record. If those two teams meet up in the Super Bowl, the Seahawks very well could win. Last week: 6
4. Denver Broncos – 10-3 SU, 6-7 ATS: Peyton Manning played a lackluster game (for him), but the Broncos still easily beat the Bills, doing just enough in the running game to make it look easy. The fact that Kyle Orton was able to put 355 yards on Denver’s defense should worry everybody. Last week: 3
5. Arizona Cardinals – 10-3 SU, 9-4 ATS: The Cards were left for dead after starting quarterback Carson Palmer was carted off the field a month ago and consecutive losses to the Seahawks and Falcons only seemed to back that theory up. But the Drew Stanton that helped Arizona stay on track early in the season showed up again Sunday, leading the Cardinals to a 17-14 win over the Chiefs. Last week: 7
6. Indianapolis Colts – 9-4 SU, 9-4 ATS: A scare from Cleveland was solved with 32 seconds left in the game when Andrew Luck found T.Y. Hilton in the end zone for the game-winning touchdown. The Colts have all but clinched a playoff spot of their own and are the one AFC team that can spoil the Broncos-Patriots rematch in the AFC Title game. Last week: 9
7. Pittsburgh Steelers – 8-5 SU, 6-7 ATS: The Steelers make a significant move in this week’s poll after a 42-21 dominating win over the AFC North-leading Bengals. It seems the only time you can count on Pittsburgh playing well is when they face good teams. Over the last seven weeks they’ve beaten the Texans, the Colts, the Ravens and the Bengals. They’ve lost to the Jets and the Saints. Last week: 12
8. Dallas Cowboys – 9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS: The Cowboys not only have a winning record for the first time in five years, but they did it with a win in December. We’re in all in undiscovered country now. A victory over Philadelphia this week and they’ll all but guarantee a playoff appearance and probably an NFC East Championship. Last week: 8
9. Baltimore Ravens – 8-5 SU, 7-5-1 ATS: The Ravens put a beatdown on Miami a week after a killer loss to San Diego. Baltimore’s path to the playoffs is right in front of them, with games against Jacksonville, Houston and Cleveland left on the schedule. Last week: 19
10. Philadelphia Eagles – 9-4 SU, 8-5 ATS: The 24-14 loss to Seattle was a demoralizing one that the score does not do justice. Mark Sanchez looked a whole lot like Mark Sanchez with just 96 yards passing in the game. And while that might have been expected, LeSean McCoy only rushing for 50 yards wasn’t. Last week: 4
11. Detroit Lions – 9-4 SU, 7-6 ATS: I’m not sure who’s more shocked that Jim Caldwell has coached the Lions to a winning record this season, me or anyone and everyone that has ever met or worked with Jim Caldwell in his life. Last week: 5
12. San Diego Chargers – 8-5 SU, 6-7 ATS: In early October the Chargers looked like a potential Super Bowl team. Now, four losses later (all to teams with winning records), they look like a team that might be watching the playoffs on TV. Really nice TVs, but still. Last week: 11
13. Cincinnati Bengals – 8-4-1 SU, 6-6-1 ATS: The Bengals still control their own destiny, with games against the Browns, the Broncos and the Steelers left. The AFC North might come down to that final game against Pittsburgh if the Ravens don’t steal it first. Last week: 10
14. Houston Texans – 7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS: J.J. Watt has 14.5 sacks and three receiving touchdowns this season. He has single-handedly cost opposing offenses 94 yards in sacks and tackles for loss this season. If he never played another down this season he’d still be Defensive Player of the Year. Last week: 17
15. St. Louis Rams – 6-7 SU, 7-6 ATS: The Rams won their first back-to-back games this season and their first back-to-back shutouts since 1945. Shaun Hill played mistake-free football, throwing for 213 yards and two touchdowns, and, with its dominating defense, that’s all St. Louis needs. Last week: 20
16. Buffalo Bills – 7-6 SU, 7-6 ATS: The Bills hung with the Broncos for a half and kept Peyton Manning below 200 yards passing and without a touchdown. Unfortunately for them, their anemic offence couldn’t do anything until the game was already decided. Last week: 15
17. Miami Dolphins – 7-6 SU, 7-6 ATS: The Dolphins led the Ravens 10-0 in the opening quarter before deciding to stop playing long before the final whistle. Inexplicably, not only are the Dolphins still alive for the playoffs (with games against the Vikings and Jets still on the schedule), they’ve somehow saved Joe Philbin’s job. They’ll probably regret that. Last week: 13
18. Kansas City Chiefs – 7-6 SU, 8-5 ATS: The Chiefs dropped their third straight game with their 17-14 loss to Arizona and probably cost themselves a playoff spot in the process. The Chiefs defense has played well in strong safety Eric Berry’s absence but the offense hasn’t been awful. They’re just losing the numbers game in the AFC playoff race and that loss three weeks ago to Oakland will cost them. Last week: 14
19. Cleveland Browns – 7-6 SU, 7-4-2 ATS: Another week, another horrible performance from Brian Hoyer. Was it horrible enough for him to get the hook for Johnny Clipboard? It is if the Browns are giving up on their season. We’ll all know Sunday at 1 p.m. EST if it’s Johnny Football time or not. Last week: 18
20. San Francisco 49ers – 7-6 SU, 6-7 ATS: As fantastic as the 49ers’ 24-13 loss to the Raiders was for comedy’s sake, it was even better for Jim Harbaugh, who got to move three trunks of his khaki pants and black sweatshirts into the office he’ll use in Oakland next season. Last week: 16
21. Minnesota Vikings – 6-7 SU, 8-5 ATS: Teddy Bridgewater made a statement in the Vikings 30-24 overtime win over the Jets. His 87-yard touchdown pass to Jarius Wright shows the training wheels are off. The fact that Minnesota could finish .500 or better without Adrian Peterson shows exactly why Mike Zimmer should have gotten a head coaching job a long time ago. Last week: 24
22. Carolina Panthers – 4-8-1 SU, 7-6 ATS: Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you your possible NFC North champions. Yes. It could really happen. Last week: 26
23. Atlanta Falcons – 5-8 SU, 6-7 ATS: ‘Twas a spirited effort Monday night against the Packers, chaps, but maybe if you didn’t give up 24 points over a 15-minute span in the second quarter, that near-perfect second half may have meant something. Last week: 21
24. New Orleans Saints – 5-8 SU, 5-8 ATS: And that could happen because of how pitiful the Saints played the Panthers this week, losing 41-10. New Orleans started the game with Rob Ryan’s defense spotting Carolina 17 points. He then spotted them another 21 over the next two quarters. Last week 22
25. New York Giants – 4-9 SU, 5-8 ATS: On the internet I’ll see memes and jokes about Eli Manning and his brother Peyton, comparing the two unfavorably and, frankly, that’s just not fair… to Peyton. Eli doesn’t lose Super Bowls. Last week: 25
26. Chicago Bears – 5-8 SU, 5-8 ATS: The Bears put up plenty of garbage-time points in their Thursday night 41-28 loss to Dallas, all without star wideout Brandon Marshall who left the game in the second quarter. Marshall is out for the season, but the good news for Chicago is that they can still score just enough points to lose without him. Last week: 23
27. Oakland Raiders – 2-11 SU, 7-6 ATS: Look who sneaked another one in the win column. Oakland’s soon to be fired coach, Tony Sparano, outplayed the guy that is the odds-on favorite to replace him, beating the 49ers 24-13 Sunday. Will the Raiders win again this season? Frankly, when it started I didn’t think they’d win at all. Last week: 32
28. Tennessee Titans – 2-11 SU, 3-9-1 ATS: Zach Mettenberger is out for the season after an 36-7 loss to the Giants Sunday. Now the Titans are back in the completely incapable hands of Jake Locker, until he gets injured again. Last week: 29
29. Washington Redskins – 3-10 SU, 4-9 ATS: The Redskins skip places with the Titans this week because, if possible, they’re in even worse shape than the Titans at quarterback. Robert Griffin III could get a chance to start the final three games of the season after the Rams knocked out Colt McCoy last week with a neck strain. Last week: 28
30. Jacksonville Jaguars – 2-11 SU, 3-9-1 ATS: Believe it or not Jaguars, there seems to be some actual hope building in your continual failures. You have a QB and a couple of offensive weapons. Another couple of good drafts and maybe you could be on the road to mediocrity. I’d have Amari Cooper’s ticket to Jacksonville already purchased. Last week: 30
31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – 2-11 SU, 5-8 ATS: The Bucs are the only NFC South team not still fighting for a playoff berth. The good news for the Bucs is their next quarterback is in the upcoming draft. The bad news is it might be Jameis Winston. Last week: 27
32. New York Jets – 2-11 SU, 3-9-1 ATS: Geno Smith took back the quarterback job for the Jets and they quickly became the worst team in football. Smith wasn’t horrible in the 30-24 overtime loss to the Vikings and he might even have a future in the NFL as a backup. Nothing would be worse for New York than to pull out a win in the final three weeks of the season, ruining their draft position. Luckily, they don’t have anything to worry about. Last week: 31
