2022 NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Jaguars and Steelers soaring
26. Los Angeles Rams
Previous: 28th. Los Angeles Rams. 28. team. 51. .
Baker Mayfield hasn’t been the “starter” for all three of his games with the Los Angeles Rams, but he’s effectively 2-1 since taking over the operation there just a handful of weeks ago. Mayfield’s emergence under Sean McVay, if only for brief moments in his first two games with the team, blossomed in Week 16 against a good Broncos defense.
Mayfield was efficient, accurate, and highly effective running McVay’s offense as the Rams improved to 5-10 on the season. They’re still not making the postseason, but at least this time with Mayfield now will give the Rams a leg up on re-signing him as Matthew Stafford’s backup and perhaps even their starter for some time in 2023 depending on Stafford’s health situation.
25. Las Vegas Raiders
Previous: 20th. Las Vegas Raiders. 25. team. 28. .
The Las Vegas Raiders are the NFL’s living embodiment of, “You’re killing me Smalls!”
That’s what you want to scream at this team almost week in and week out. Last week, the Raiders have one of the most exciting walk-off wins you’ll ever see as a football fan. This week, they’re trading interceptions all game long with the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Although the Raiders have some of the most exciting wins of the year for any NFL team, this is a crew that’s only going to be playing spoiler the rest of the way. We’ll see what happens in the offseason for these Raiders but you can’t help but feel like some big changes will be coming.