NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Biggest risers and fallers after wild Week 15
10. Washington Commanders
It wasn’t a pretty finish, but it doesn’t matter what it looks like at this time of year. If you can find a way to get wins in December, especially for a team like the Commanders, you’re going to take it.
The Commanders had to fend off a late push by Spencer Rattler and the New Orleans Saints, but who said making the playoffs was going to be easy?
The important thing is that the Commanders now have nine wins. The pressure is on in the NFC every single week with so many teams vying for even the three available Wild Card spots, and everyone is having to keep up with the ridiculous depth of the NFC North overall.
The Commanders managed to keep pace and get a crucial win, but things are going to get tough for them this week. They are playing host to the division-leading Philadelphia Eagles, who are fighting for that top overall seed in the NFC.
It’s going to be a pressure-packed weekend for Washington and rookie sensation Jayden Daniels. We’re about to find out what this team is made of but a game like this late in the season can be super valuable even if the Commanders lose.
But if they lose, their margin for error in the final two games nearly disappears.
9. Houston Texans
Derek Stingley Jr. is an absolute menace.
Although the Houston Texans have largely been disappointing this year despite their 9-5 record up to this point (as well as their AFC South division championship), you can’t deny that Stingley is one of the top playmakers at the cornerback position in the game today.
The Miami Dolphins and Tua Tagovailoa are going to have nightmares about throwing the ball in his direction.
And Houston has a chance to ride that talented secondary into a little bit of a hot streak into the postseason. This team has a tremendous young quarterback in CJ Stroud. They have outstanding playmakers offensively. They can rush the passer. They have a guy you simply don’t want to throw the ball at.
Even though the Texans haven’t been as impressive offensively as many of us thought they would be going into this season, they are still going to host a playoff game and have a chance to knock off another Wild Card. After this weekend, it’s looking like that might end up being the Baltimore Ravens, who the Texans actually play in a couple of weeks.
We might be getting an early look at this Texans team’s playoff mettle as they play their next two games against Kansas City and Baltimore before closing out against the Titans.