NFL Power Rankings Week 16- Erasing The Normal

Time is almost up on the NFL’s regular season and it’s getting a bit complicated. The playoffs are altered at a flick of the wrist touchdown pass. Fan bases are annoyed at their team for winning. Others are wondering how their teams could lose to the opponent in front of them.

Would be division winners could be traveling on Wild Card weekend. Border line post season competitors could be on vacation after week 17. Yes, this regular season is looking very strange and getting more complicated every week.

 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)
The Chiefs are the first team to 13 wins and sit firmly at the top of the AFC West. Their last two opponents have nine wins combined.

2. Green Bay Packers (11-3)
Aaron Rodgers has now thrown for 40 or more touchdown passes in three different seasons. Rodgers leads the NFL in touchdown passes this year.

3. Buffalo Bills (11-3)
The last time the Bills clinched an AFC East title, you could probably hear the song “Gangstas Paradise” by Coolio blasting on the radio.

4. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)
The Colts are on a three game winning streak, with hopes of still winning the AFC South. They play an (all of a sudden) vulnerable Pittsburgh team Sunday.

5. Tennessee Titans (10-4)
Tennessee has outscored their opponents 77-35 during their current two game win streak. They average 31.1 points per game, which is a tie for first place.

6. New Orleans Saints (10-4)
Alvin Kamara has 1,516 yards from scrimmage this season. He has ten rushing and five receiving touchdowns on 245 touches.

7. Seattle Seahawks (10-4)
Russell Wilson is averaging 271.9 passing yards per game with 37 touchdown passes. He’s on pace to reach the 40 touchdown mark for the first time in his career.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)
The Steelers have lost three games in a row and two of those were against teams with a losing record. They have failed to reach the 20 point mark in their last four games.

9. Cleveland Browns (10-4)
The Browns have won five out of their last six, averaging 27.0 points per game. That week 17 match up versus the Steelers could be for the division title.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5)
Tampa Bay has won two straight since it’s late season bye week. Their last two opponents are a combined 9-19.

11. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)
Baltimore has won three games straight, scoring a total of 121 points. Baltimore needs to win out and get a little help for a playoff berth.

12. Miami Dolphins (9-5)
The Dolphins’ defense ranks first in forced turnovers and points allowed per game. Opponents are converting only 32.2% of third downs against them, which also ranks them number one in the NFL.

13. Los Angeles Rams (9-5)
The Rams might’ve lost a “trap game” to the Jets with a division match up against Seattle coming up. It still has to sting losing to a previously winless team.

14. Arizona Cardinals (8-6)
DeAndre Hopkins leads the NFL with 1,324 receiving yards to go along with six touchdown catches. He also made another highlight reel catch on Sunday.

15. Chicago Bears (7-7)
Chicago has now won two straight games, outscoring their opponents 69-34 during the streak. They still have a slim chance at a playoff berth.

16. Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)
The Raiders record stood at 6-3 at one point of the season and they have gone 1-4 since. Their playoff hopes are fading rapidly.

17. Washington Football Team (6-8)
Washington’s lead in the NFC East is still secure with almost the entire division losing over the weekend. If they win their last two games they will clinch the division and host a first round playoff game.

18. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)
Dalvin Cook leads the NFL in yards from scrimmage with 1,833 total yards. He has 16 total touchdowns which also ranks him first in the NFL.

19. New England Patriots (6-8)
The Patriots will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008. That was the year Tom Brady missed pretty much the entire season with a knee injury.

20. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)
The Chargers are on their first win streak of the season with back to back dramatic finishes. Justin Herbert has now tied a rookie record with his 27th touchdown pass of the season and he has three more games to add to that total.

21. Denver Broncos (5-9)
Denver gave up one less point to Buffalo than they allowed in the previous two contests. They’ll finish off their season against division foes the Raiders and the Chargers.

22. New York Giants (5-9)
New York has lost two straight games, getting outscored 46-13. They still have a chance at the division title, but will need Washington to lose a couple.

23. San Francisco 49ers (5-9)
The 49ers have lost three in a row, turning the ball over nine times during that stretch. They’ll finish off their injury-laden season with two games versus divisional opponents.

24. Dallas Cowboys (5-9)
Dallas had their highest point total of the season on Sunday. They’ve scored a total of 71 points in their last two games, resulting in two victories.

25. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)
Jalen Hurts in start number two was even better than the Hurts we saw in his first start. He threw for 338 yards and three touchdowns, literally doubling his passing yards from the previous week. He also had a rushing touchdown and 63 yards on the ground.

26. Detroit Lions (5-9)
Detroit has lost four out of their last five games. They have allowed an average of 33.6 points per game during that stretch.

27. Carolina Panthers (4-10)
The Panthers have lost three in a row, allowing a total of 84 points. They have scored a total of 70 points in that span.

28. Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1)
Cincinnati almost had the upset of the year with its wire-to-wire victory over the Steelers. The Bengals play Houston this week and then have a chance to play spoiler again versus the Ravens in week 17.

29. Atlanta Falcons (4-10)
So the Falcons build a big lead versus a Tom Brady led team and then blow it in the second half. Where have I heard this story before?

30. Houston Texans (4-10)
Houston has played two close games versus the Colts, but have failed to pull out a win. They’ve lost both games by a total of 13 points.

31.  New York Jets (1-13)
Let’s be honest, everybody will remember a team that goes 0-16. The Jets get off the snide and avoid living in infamy for the rest of eternity.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13)
Jacksonville now takes over sole possession of the first overall pick. They have tied the Jets for the longest losing streak of the season (13 games).