NFL Power Rankings Week Seventeen – The Day Of The Curtain Call

The last week of the NFL regular season usually comes down to the same thing. First we get playoff scenarios on top of playoff scenarios. Then we get teams with nothing to lose trying their hardest to play spoiler.

Then you get the teams that still have something g to play for, fighting for position or fighting for their playoff lives. Yes, this last week of the regular season should be very interesting.

 

1. Baltimore Ravens (13-2)
Baltimore has wrapped up the top seed in the AFC. If I was head coach John Harbaugh, I would rest everybody this week, including the ball boys.

 

2. New Orleans Saints (12-3)
The Saints have a real shot to have home field advantage throughout the playoffs if the 49ers lose. They have already won the NFC South and set numerous individual records this season.

 

3. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)
The Chiefs can lock up a first round bye with a win and a Patriots loss.

 

4. Green Bay Packers (12-3)
The Packers have won the NFC North division for the first time since 2016. They will try to sew up a first round bye this weekend.

 

5. San Francisco 49ers (12-3)
The 49ers can sit atop the NFC Playoffs if they can knock off the Seattle Seahawks in their second match up of the season.

 

6. New England Patriots (12-3)
The Patriots have won the AFC East for the millionth time in the last twenty years.

 

7. Seattle Seahawks (11-4)
After a bad loss to the Cardinals, Seattle will have to defeat San Francisco to avoid going on the road in round one.

 

8. Buffalo Bills (10-5)
The Bills have now made the playoffs for the second time in three years under Sean McDermott.

 

9. Minnesota Vikings (10-5)
The Vikings will have to go on the road in round one of the playoffs and that will be a tough blow to the team that’s at home.

 

10. Houston Texans (10-5)
The Texans have won the AFC South for the fourth time in the last five seasons.

 

11. Philadelphia Eagles (8-7)
Philadelphia has won three straight games to catapult them into a playoff spot. They still need some help to secure that spot and win the division.

 

12. Tennessee Titans (8-7)
Right now Tennessee is in the sixth playoff spot. They will face a Houston team this weekend who could rest some of their key players.

 

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-7)
The Steelers blew a huge opportunity with the loss to the Jets. They will need a win and some help to sneak into the playoffs.

 

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-8)
The Bucs have the number three overall offense in the NFL and they can avoid a losing season with a win over Atlanta.

 

15. Los Angeles Rams (8-7)
The Rams current two game losing streak has knocked them out of the playoffs. They become the latest in a long line of casualties that lost the Superbowl the previous season.

 

16. Dallas Cowboys (7-8)
After their disappointing loss to the Eagles, the Cowboys can only pray that the New York Giants can do what they couldn’t.

 

17. Chicago Bears (7-8)
The Bears disappointing season can be a result of many things but I’d have to say their rushing attack (or lack thereof) is the biggest reason. The 2018 Bears finished eleventh in rushing while this season they rank 29th in the NFL.

 

18. Cleveland Browns(6-9)
The Browns disappointing season will end without a playoff berth. A far cry from the Superbowl contenders some people thought they were.

 

19. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
The Colts hung around in the division for awhile but they ultimately lack talent in key places. They will have to draft well, especially picking towards the middle of each round.

 

20. Oakland Raiders (7-8)
The Raiders can finish out their tenure in Oakland with a non-losing season if they can defeat Denver on Sunday.

 

21. Denver Broncos (6-9)
Denver will have a ton of work to do on offense in the off season. The defense looks like it will be a force in the upcoming seasons.

 

22. Atlanta Falcons (6-9)
Atlanta’s season could be viewed as a tragedy and amazing at the same time. The win total doesn’t equal the talent they have.

 

23. New York Jets (6-9)
The Jets have won five out of their last seven games. The defense has started to look the way the team envisioned before the season.

 

24. Arizona Cardinals (5-9-1)
The rookie combination of head coach Kliff Kingsbury and quarterback Kyler Murray has been impressive. The play of Kenyan Drake has been eye opening and the fact that Larry Fitzgerald is still playing has been amazing.

 

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-10)
Back to back losing seasons has put Jaguars head coach Doug Marrone firmly on the hot seat.

 

26. Los Angeles Chargers (5-10)
The Chargers have fallen on hard times this season. They haven’t even won half of the amount of games they won last year.

 

27. Carolina Panthers (5-10)
Christian McCaffrey has gained 2,294 yards from scrimmage while scoring 18 touchdowns. Nothing else to really talk about in Carolina other than some Mike McCarthy rumblings.

 

28. New York Giants
The Giants’ two game winning streak will prevent them from finishing in last place of the NFC East for a third year in a row.

 

29. Miami Dolphins (4-11)
Head coach Brian Flores has squeezed four wins out of a team that gave away it’s best players before and during the season.

 

30. Washington Redskins (3-12)
Washington has the worst record in the NFC and they have locked up the number two overall draft pick with their loss to the Giants.

 

31. Detroit Lions (3-11-1)
Detroit will finish fourth in the NFC North for the second consecutive season under Matt Patricia. They finished no worse than third place under previous coach Jim Caldwell.

 

32. Cincinnati Bengals (1-14)
The Bengals have locked up the first overall draft pick in the 2020 NFL draft. The biggest question for the team will revolve around veterans Andy Dalton and A.J. Green.