With Week 17 of the 2024 NFL Season about over, let's dive into our latest power rankings. Who are the biggest risers and fallers? Oh man, the games have some insane stakes at this point. We are now approaching the final two weeks of the regular season, and there will be some playoff scenarios that could come down to the final games.
The NFL is kind of weird this year; there are a ton of bad teams in 2024, but the parity also seems to be quite strong. The NFL 'middle class' is evident, and there is also a clear tier of good-not-great teams. Additionally, most of the bad teams in the NFL this year do need to figure out a long-term QB situation, and with the coming NFL Draft class not projected to be that strong at the QB position, there could be a ton of bad teams yet again in 2025.
Anyway, we will soon close out Week 16 of the 2024 NFL Season and will pivot to Week 17. Let's dive into our latest NFL power rankings.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Playoff pictures gets more and more clearer
32. New York Giants (3-12)
Getting blown out in Atlanta, the New York Giants are losers once again. Now 3-12 on the season, they'll likely have to lose their last two games to secure the no. 1 overall pick in the 2025 NFL Draft. And to the surprise of no one, they are probably eyeing one of Shedeur Sanders or Cam Ward, who seem to be the top QB prospecfts in the NFL Draft.
The Giants went downhill in a big way when they decided to give Daniel Jones a four-year, $160 million contract extension two offseasons ago. They cut Jones several weeks ago and have sinced turned to Tommy DeVito and Drew Lock, so it's not been pretty. And both head coach Brian Daboll and Generel Manager Joe Schoen could be on their way out the door in 2025.
New York has just about nothing working for them at the moment, and the path to success for them has to revolve around taking a QB in a few months. They continue to circle the drain in our latest NFL power rankings.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12)
Oh boy. The Jacksonville Jaguars are among the worst teams in the NFL this year and are clearly headed toward the 2025 NFL Offseason. The team is likely to part ways with head coach Doug Pederson when the season is over, and their main goal should center around doing whatever it takes to make it work with Trevor Lawrence, who has not been as good as we thought he would be when he came into the NFL.
The Jaguars lost to the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 16 and are about as low as you can get in our NFL power rankings. This team is circling the drain.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (3-12)
I mean, a win is a win, right? It does not help their first-round pick status in the 2025 NFL Draft, but the current players surely do not care about that. The Las Vegas Raiders beat the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 in what was perhaps the least-viewed game in the NFL this year. Head coach Antonio Pierce may not survive into 2025, so he'll take any win he can get.
The Las Vegas Raiders must try to target one of the top QB prospects in the 2025 NFL Draft. They feel like the perfect team to draft Shedeur Sanders from Colorado, even if Sanders isn't a first-round caliber QB. It just feels like Sanders and the Raiders are that type of culture fit that makes the most sense.
Anyway, the Raiders are at no. 30 in our latest NFL power rankings and must enact some massive changes to fix their franchise.
29. Cleveland Browns (3-12)
An 18-point loss against the Cincinnati Bengals, the Cleveland Browns now drop to 3-12 on the year with their latest loss. The Browns season has just totally imploded, as they are looking toward the 2025 NFL offseason. The main issue with this team is that the Browns traded for Deshaun Watson a couple of years ago, and it turned out to be the worst transaction in the history of professional sports.
The Browns were a scrappy franchise with Baker Mayfield under center, and Mayfield has since revived his career with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Cleveland lost Deshaun Watson to a torn Achilles a while ago this year, and I am not sure it would do the franchise any good to have Watson come back out there when he is healthy.
Cleveland should look to the 2025 NFL Draft and see if there is a developmental QB prospect out there that Kevin Stefanski can work with for a year or two. At that point, they can at least lay the groundwork to move on from Deshaun Watson, which is something they should look to do as soon as possible. The Browns continue to fall in our NFL power rankings.
28. Chicago Bears (4-11)
Oh boy. It's a tough time to be a fan of the Chicago Bears, who have now lost nine games in a row and are firmly among the worst teams in the NFL. If you ask me, this team has enough talent to be an eight or nine-win team at this stage of the 2024 NFL Season. Rookie QB Caleb Williams has not thrown an interception since October 13th, and it just looks like he is going to be a very good QB in this league.
If there is any consolation here, Williams is going to be a stud in the NFL, but the hard part here is finding the correct coaching staff, as they fired former head coach Matt Eberflus after the Bears' loss to the Detroit Lions on Thanksgiving. If you ask me, Mike Vrabel is the right man to get this franchise back on track.
An objectively successful head coach who would inherit a franchise QB and a good defense would be a dangerous team in the NFL for years to come. But for now, the Bears continue falling down our NFL power rankings. They lost by multiple scores against the Detroit Lions in Week 16, who came into that game perhaps the most injured team in the NFL, so you would have liked to have seen a closer game.
27. Tennessee Titans (3-12)
I have called the Tennessee Titans the most irrelevant team in the NFL this year. I mean, what is this team trying to do? Well, it did seem like they were giving Will Levis every chance to be the guy this year, and all he did was get benched last week. Mason Rudolph, their backup QB, has gotten a good bit of action this year, and right now, the Titans have no direction.
I mean, they have some young players that they can build around, but they also made a ton of win-now moves this past offseason. GM Ran Carthon really put nearly all of his chips in the middle of the table last offseason, and it didn't work. The Titans will now embark on a search for a franchise QB, and with the recent news that the Atlanta Falcons are going to move on from Kirk Cousins, they could pivot to that veteran QB to be a bridge QB option in 2025. That doesn't sound like the sexiest move, but they may be left with no choice.
And the Titans are one of many teams that are going to have a hard time finding a QB in the 2025 NFL Draft, as the coming QB class does not appear to be that good.
26. New England Patriots (3-12)
You have to give the New England Patriots a ton of credit for hanging around in Week 16 versus the Buffalo Bills. They did lost by three points, but the first half belonged to New England, and this team did not have a ton of margin for error. They have a rookie QB in Drake Maye and a bad roster, so they cannot afford many mistakes. This was about as good of a loss as any team could have in the NFL.
And if you ask me, Drake Maye is absolutely going to be a problem in the AFC for years to come, but it will be interesting to see if de-facto GM Eliot Wolf can rebuild their offensive line and give Maye some more weapons on offense. If that can be done, this team is going to be frisky in 2025 and could be a legitimate contender in 2026.
Look at what teams like the Denver Broncos and Washington Commanders are doing this year for what the Pats could do in 2025 in a year-two situation with Drake Maye. To me, this team is just missing some more talent. They come in at no. 24 in our latest NFL power rankings.
25. New York Jets (4-11)
Now 4-11 after a loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams, the New York Jets fall to 4-11 on the season, but don't look now, Jets' QB Aaron Rodgers has been relatively efficient in recent weeks and may be playing himself into the starting role with the Jets in 2025. Honestly, as dysfunctional as this team has been this year, the Jets would be one solid coaching staff away from being on the right track.
This team does have a ton of talent, as previous GM Joe Douglas did hit a home-run with a good bit of his draft picks in recent years. The Jets do not necessarily need to rip this thing down to the studs, but there is still a chance that Aaron Rodgers isn't with the team in 2025. The Jets must try and find a long-term QB situation, and they could always take a chance on someone in the 2025 NFL Draft. New York was 2-1 at one point much earlier in the 2024 NFL Season, and it seemed like they were on the right track.
The wheels definitely began to fall off after their shocking loss to the Bo Nix-led Denver Broncos, who kind of put themselves on the map in that game. The Jets nestle in quite low in our latest NFL power rankings.
24. New Orleans Saints (5-9)
In a year marred by injuries, the New Orleans Saints have to blow this thing up. They made a horrific decision two offseasons ago to sign Derek Carr in free agency, and I have no idea what their purpose was in doing that. Carr has been in and out of the lineup all season, and the Saints can get out of his deal in 2025. It would make sense for them to do that and try to reset at QB.
They could roll with Spencer Rattler in 2025 or even try to make a huge move in the 2025 NFL Draft for a potential QB of the future. The Saints could also elect to part ways with long-time GM Mickey Loomis, who has kicked the salary cap-can down the road for years now. He's had some awful roster-building over the years, so a full-scale reset is needed.
The Saints are in Lambeau Field in Week 16 to play the Green Bay Packers, and I am not sure the Saints are even going to reach double-digit points in this game. If you are a Saints' fan, maybe cleaning the house would be a better usage of your time than watching this game.
23. Carolina Panthers (4-11)
How about the Carolina Panthers? This team just stays in games, and here in Week 16, they were able to earn an overtime victory over the Arizona Cardinals, who saw their playoff chances come to an end. It's just baffling that the Cardinals collapsed like they did. Anyway, with the win, the Panthers have now doubled their win total from 2023, earning their fourth victory of the season.
They were not going to go anywhere this year, but the Bryce Young benching several weeks ago really seems to have helped him out a lot, and there is a good bit to like about Young and this offense heading into the 2025 NFL Season. And while Young may not develop into a high-end QB in the NFL, it's clear that Carolina does have something substantive to latch onto heading into the offseason.
It's not like they haven't seen growth from Young; they have, and perhaps a second year playing in Dave Canales' offense coupled with some more additions at WR and TE could help make the Panthers a fun team in 2025. There does now seem to be some hope for Panthers fans, but they are still quite low in our latest NFL power rankings.
22. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)
The Dallas Cowboys are playing on Sunday Night Football at home this week against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and the Cowboys are also eliminated from playoff contention. It's been a year to forget for the Cowboys, who lost QB Dak Prescott weeks ago to a season-ending hamstring injury.
If you ask me, the Cowboys would benefit from blowing this entire operation up an starting fresh, and that could include trading guys like CeeDee Lamb an Micah Parsons. That may sound aggressive, but I believe it's needed for this team. The Cowboys also recently extended Dak Prescott on a contract worth $60 million per year, which reset the QB market.
Prescott is not a $60 million per year QB, but here we are. Dallas has so many issues and no clear way to fix them. They could use multiple starters along their offensive line, at the play-making positions, and even on defense. This could be a long process to become relevant against for Dallas.
21. San Francisco 49ers (6-9)
Ugh. I mean, what else do we have to say about the San Francisco 49ers here in the 2024 NFL Season? They are among the most injured teams in football and saw some of their best players go down with some serious injuries this year. Running back Christian McCaffrey was on the field for a cup of coffee, and Brandon Aiyuk tore his ACL weeks ago.
The 49ers lost in Miami to the Dolphins, and current Dolphins’ head coach Mike McDaniel did get hired from San Francisco a few years ago. The Niners need to not double-down on this current era; this team needs to hit the reset button, as this team’s Super Bowl window slammed shut in just one year.
They have to part with some of their more veteran players, clear some cap space, and build for the future. This era is over, and with this latest loss, they now have nine on the season and are 6-9 on the year. San Fran was already eliminated from playoff contention, so this game only really impacts their draft status in 2025.
20. Arizona Cardinals (7-8)
The Arizona Cardinals were 6-4 at one point in the 2024 NFL Season and are now 7-8 after their latest loss. It was a horrible, no good overtime loss against the Carolina Panthers. The Cardinals are now eliminated from playoff contention. They felt like one of the breakout teams in the NFL this year, but this recent collapse over the last month has to be so frustrating for the fanbase and for the team.
Now let’s have some perspective here; the Cardinals have nearly doubled their win total from 2023, and this team was not going to be a contender in 2024 or even make the playoffs this year. GM Monti Ossenfort does need another offseason to bring in some more talent on this roster. Once he does that, the Cards would end up being much more formidable.
However, this loss in Week 16 was awful - and there isn’t any reason to beat around the bush there. It’s now on to the 2025 NFL Draft for Arizona. They could have a prolific offseason ahead of them.
19. Indianapolis Colts (7-8)
With a win here in Week 16 over the Tennessee Titans, the Indianapolis Colts have stayed alive in the AFC playoff race. This was an interesting game where the Colts got out to a huge lead, and it seemed like this was going to be a blowout, but the Titans battled back and made it a 38-30 contest by the time the clock showed zeroes.
The Colts are not a good football team if you ask me; their defense is nothing special and they have a bottom-5 starting QB in the NFL at the moment. I am not sure the NFL needs to see the Colts in a playoff game. Second-year QB Anthony Richardson has been horrific in the early stages of his NFL career, but it does seem like he is going to get a third season to try and develop into a franchise passer.
The Colts went 9-8 last year with former QB Gardner Minshew taking most of the snaps. They may again finish with nine wins and again not make the playoffs. This team could enact some changes in the front office in 2025 and beyond if they fail to get into the postseason, as the Chris Ballard era has been a massive failure if you ask me. Barely beating a bad Titans' team is not a good look.
18. Atlanta Falcons (8-7)
With a blowout win over the New York Giants in Week 16, the Atlanta Falcons move to 8-7 on the season and stay alive in the NFC South race. The Falcons made the shocking decision to bench Kirk Cousins this past week. Cousins was enduring a stretch of games with one touchdown pass against a whopping nine interceptions.
And on a side note, the Falcons will also be moving on from Kirk Cousins in the 2025 NFL Offseason, so it'll be interesting to see where Cousins would land. Penix looked solid in his first NFL start, and his interception was not at all his fault. Right now, Atlanta is in an interesting position; they are clearly still in a mode where they want to win now, but they also have an eye on the future with Penix.
Since the Falcons did bench Kirk Cousins, the entire franchise can now turn their attention to doing whatever it takes to ensure Michael Penix Jr is the QB of the future for them. The Falcons are an average football team.
17. Seattle Seahawks (8-7)
The Seattle Seahawks are now 8-7 on the season after their latest loss to the Minnesota Vikings. Now two losses in a row, Seattle was unable to beat the Green Bay Packers at home in Week 15 and were unable to beat the Minnesota Vikings at home in Week 16. It’s been an NFC North takeover in Seattle in recent weeks.
And this is the most predictable team in the NFL; some have said that Seattle is a frisky team and that Geno Smith is a better QB than we think, but this is their ceiling. At best, they are a nine-win team and won’t go anywhere substantive until they bring in a franchise QB.
They have gone 9-8 in each of the last two seasons and could again go 9-8 here in 2024. It’s actually hilarious how “mid” they are, as the cool kids would say. Losing again against a much better team, the Seahawks fall a bit more in our NFL power rankings and are coming in at no. 17.
Let’s see how this team operates in the offseason and if they make a big play for a potential franchise QB.
16. Miami Dolphins (7-8)
With a win over the San Francisco 49ers in Week 16, the Miami Dolphins improve to 7-8 and stay alive in the AFC playoff race. It is very confusing to keep track of all of the various scenarios where Miami and some of these other 7-8 playoff teams can get it. Even with this win, the Dolphins do not have a very good chance at the postseason, and they have deeper issues than just trying to make the playoffs this year.
I mean, are we sure Tua Tagovailoa is a legitimate franchise QB in this league? He suffered yet another concussion earlier this year and has never stayed consistently healthy in the NFL. It's a legitimate concern, as the Dolphins also tend to implode when the weather gets a little bit colder. Miami has strung together some nice games here in recent weeks, but they may be a ways away from competing.
Miami also extended Tua Tagovailoa recently, so it's not like they can just start fresh at the QB position. The flawed Dolphins slowly rise in our latest NFL power rankings and would need to win out if they wanted any shot at making the playoffs here in 2024.
15. Houston Texans (9-6)
The Houston Texans just aren't a very good football team at all, and if the rest of the AFC South wasn't so awful, Houston would be right in the middle of a fierce divisional race. They wrapped up the AFC South about a week ago, and at this point, they are pretty much locked into the fourth seed in the AFC. This team is flawed, and the only way this team can win a playoff game in 2024 is if they take advantage of that home playoff game, which will likely come against the Baltimore Ravens or Pittsburgh Steelers.
The big storyline from the Texans Week 16 loss was the severe leg/knee injury that Tank Dell suffered on a touchdown reception from CJ Stroud. Dell likely being out for the long-term is yet another offensive weapon out of the lineup for Stroud. I will admit that I was 100% wrong about the Texans; I thought this team would win the Super Bowl, and I even thought that CJ Stroud would win the NFL MVP as well.
They continue their gradual fall in the latest NFL power rankings.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (7-8)
Let's remind ourselves here that the Cincinnati Bengals only beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 16. And the Browns were giving them fits in the second half. The Bengals now feel like a painfully average football team. They do still struggle to protect Joe Burrow at times and are obviously bad on defense.
The Bengals will need to win out and get some help in order to make the postseason, and if the Denver Broncos are able to come to town in Week 17 and take care of business, they will knock Cincy out of the postseason. At 7-8, they are just barely clinging to life, but QB Joe Burrow did have yet another insane performance in Week 16.
Even if the Bengals were to win out and make the postseason somehow, the MVP-caliber season from Burrow may not be enough for him to actually win the MVP award. Even if the Bengals had an average defense, this team would probably have 10 or 11 wins, but that's the issue. And it's OK for us to admit that Cincy isn't that good of a team; it's not like they don't have flaws. They do have an urgent offseason ahead to fix their defense.
13. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)
In Dallas on Sunday Night Football this week, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are now kind of faced with a huge game, as the Atlanta Falcons did stay alive in the NFC South race with a win over the New York Giants in Week 16. And the main issue for the Bucs is that the Falcons did sweep them earlier this year, so if the Bucs and Falcons both finish with, let's stay, nine wins, the Falcons win the division.
The Buccaneers have to stay one game ahead of the Falcons, and the Bucs are in Dallas to play the Cowboys, who have seen their season fall off the rails. It was never going all that great to begin with, but a season-ending injury to QB Dak Prescott truly put the nail in the coffin.
The Bucs have seen QB Baker Mayfield play the best football of his career, and while I am not sure Tampa is going to ever win a Super Bowl with Mayfield, it's clear that he is an above-average starter in the NFL. Tampa has won four games in a row and will probably make it five here on Sunday Night Football in Week 16. Do not be surprised if they continue rising in our NFL power rankings.
12. Denver Broncos (9-6)
The Denver Broncos saw their four-game winning streak come to an end in Week 16 versus the Los Angeles Chargers. Denver did have an 11-point lead at one point in the second half, but their top-notch defense was anything but the rest of the game. Between some shaky decisions by the Broncos and some interesting officiating, Denver falls to 9-6.
They are still pretty likely to make the postseason in 2024 and just have to win one more game against the Cincinnati Bengals or Kansas City Chiefs. They could also get in if the Bengals, Miami Dolphins, and Indianapolis Colts all lose one more game. For all of the negative chatter that came the team's way for drafting Bo Nix in the 2024 NFL Draft, Denver clinched their first winning season since 2016 and do still have a path to double-digit wins in 2024.
Let's not overthink the Broncos; they are a good-not-great team with a lot going for them this year and for the future.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (9-6)
Having lost three of their previous four games, the Los Angeles Chargers notched a season-sweep over the Denver Broncos on Thursday Night Football in Week 16. It was a huge win for LA, who could have dropped to 8-7 with a loss. That would have really put a wrench into their playoff hopes this year in year one of the Jim Harbaugh era.
The Broncos defense was not at their best, so the Chargers offense pretty much did what they wanted to. LA is kind of like the Denver Broncos; they are also a good-not-great team who have a lot going for them in the present and the future. It'll be interesting to see how far LA goes when the playoffs roll around. They do have a good enough defense to hang around some of the tougher opponents in the AFC, but they lack explosion on offense.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5)
Over the last two weeks, the Pittsburgh Steelers have lost by multiple scores to the Philadelphia Eagles and Baltimore Ravens, two elite teams in the NFL. I have no clue what the objective is for the Steelers; do they just want to be good or compete for Super Bowls? They aren't a great team by any means and will not go anywhere as long as Russell Wilson is still their starter.
I understand that Wilson has been efficient this year, but their is a clear QB mismatch when Wilson competes against others in the NFL. The Steelers are still 10-5 and could still win the AFC North, and they are yet another playoff-caliber team that would probably need to have a playoff game at home to win one. The Steelers are another example of a good-not-great team in the NFL and need to get out of the 2008 line of thinking with their QB position.
This team needs to invest into a legitimate QB prospect if they want to get back to being an elite team. Two losses in a row for Pittsburgh has them sliding in our latest NFL power rankings.
9. Los Angeles Rams (9-6)
Now winners of four games in a row, the Los Angeles Rams are riding high and could find themselves winners of the NFC West in 2024. The division has been pretty even most of the season, but the Arizona Cardinals and San Francisco 49ers have been eliminated from playoff contention, so it'll be down to the Rams or Seattle Seahawks. The main issue with the Rams to open up the 2024 NFL Season was their mounting injuries.
And since starting 1-4, they have since gone 8-2, which is an .800 winning percentage. Their latest win was a victory over the New York Jets in Week 16. If you ask me, the Los Angeles Rams would be the one team I would hate to face in any round of the NFC playoffs, as this team is largely battle-tested, and they also made a late-season run in 2023 to finish with 10 wins.
The Rams also have a Super Bowl-winning head coach and QB duo with Sean McVay and Matthew Stafford, so that is at play here too. The LA Rams keep rising in our latest NFL power rankings. They are in a great spot as the playoffs near in the 2024 NFL Season.
8. Washington Commanders (10-5)
Oh man, how about those scrappy Washington Commanders? The Commanders are now 10-5 on the season and just won in a game for the ages against the Philadelphia Eagles. Rookie QB sensation Jayden Daniels threw for five touchdown passes on the day and pretty much wrapped up the NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award. With the win, the Commanders also stay alive in the NFC East race, and on the other side of things, Eagles' QB Jalen Hurts left with a concussion early in this game, so if that does keep him out the last two games, you just never know.
Washington has been one of a small handful of breakout teams this year, and another up-and-coming team led by their rookie QB, the Denver Broncos, are in a similar position. Daniels has been electric this year, and it seems like he is as close to being the next Lamar Jackson as we can possibly get. And if you ask me, Daniels is very much on pace to eventually win multiple MVP awards as well.
If Jayden Daniels can ride this into the postseason, the Commanders can absolutely win a game or two and put the NFC on notice. This was a huge win for Washington that shoots them up our NFL power rankings.
7. Baltimore Ravens (10-5)
The Baltimore Ravens kind of got over the hump a bit and took apart the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16, which makes the AFC North race that much more interesting. Had the Steelers won this game, they would have swept the Ravens and won the division with a combination of Russell Wilson and Justin Fields at the QB position. Right now, I would take the Ravens down the stretch to win the division, as the Steelers just do not have a high enough ceiling as a team to compete with the big boys in the AFC.
And I have kind of changed my opinion here; Lamar Jackson is absolutely the MVP of the NFL yet again. The season he is having is going to end up being more productive and efficient than his previous two MVP seasons. Jackson won his second MVP in the 2023 NFL Season and could join and even more elite company if he could come away with this third MVP award.
The Ravens may not have what it takes to make a Super Bowl run, as they are flawed on the defensive backend, but you just never know. Can Jackson carry them to the big game in 2024?
6. Kansas City Chiefs (14-1)
Another week, another Kansas City Chiefs victory, and another week where some questionable officiating seemed to go the Chiefs way. When the clocks hit zero, let again, the Chiefs had more points than their opponent, but this is not a 14-win team. The Chiefs are flawed - they aren't great on offense and can allow a ton of yards through the air on defense.
It'll be interesting to see if they can get back to the Super Bowl for the third year in a row. They also look to become the first team in the history of the NFL to win three Super Bowls in a row. If you ask most people, they may say that the Buffalo Bills are the team to beat in the AFC this year, and I would tend to agree. Buffalo is the only team to have beaten the Chiefs this year. KC has been near the top of our power rankings for weeks now and won't go anywhere anytime soon.
5. Green Bay Packers (10-4)
Playing on Monday Night Football at home against the New Orleans Saints, the Green Bay Packers are likely looking at their 11th win of the season unless the Saints are able to pull off some sort of legendary upset. The Packers are very good on both sides of the ball, but I am not sure this is their year to make a Super Bowl run.
They are still quite young, and I would honestly look at them being a huge problem in 2025. Something is missing, and I cannot quite put my finger on it. Nonetheless, the Packers are among the best teams in football and have to be feeling very good about themselves for the present and future.
With Eagles' QB Jalen Hurts going down with a concussion here in Week 16, the Philly being down their starting QB could end up being something that the other top NFC teams pay attention to down the stretch. Packers' QB Jordan Love is right on the cusp of superstardom, and to me, the Packers are right on the cusp of being Super Bowl contenders. They should be 11-4 when Week 16 is over.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (12-3)
Jalen Hurts left this game pretty early on with a concussion, so it was backup QB Kenny Pickett for most of the game, which is never a good thing. Pickett is awful, and the Eagles just did not have enough to get it done, as a late touchdown sealed the deal for the Washington Commanders, who also still stay alive in the NFC East race.
The Eagles had won 10 games in a row coming into this one, and Hurts' status will be interesting to monitor over the next couple of weeks. The NFL does have a pretty involved concussion protocol, so we'll see if Hurts can clear it before their Week 17 and 18 games. If you ask me, a healthy Eagles' team is the best in the NFC at the moment, but they fall below the Detroit Lions in our latest NFL power rankings.
Philly did make the Super Bowl two years ago with a similar coaching staff and many of the same players. When Hurts gets healthy, they could make a run at the big game again.
3. Detroit Lions (13-2)
The Detroit Lions left no doubt in Week 16 of the 2024 NFL Season, having beating the Chicago Bears, handing them their ninth loss in a row. The main issue with the Lions as of late has been their mounting injuries, but Dan Campbell and his team didn't seem to be too concerned with that in Week 16. The Lions now move to 13-2 on the season, and with the Philadelphia Eagles losing in Week 16, the Lions are one step closer to securing the no. 1 overall seed in the NFC playoffs.
I am not sure Detroit is the best team in football at this point, but you just never know if they could some people back as the playoffs near their end. Detroit probably has Super Bowl aspirations this year, but it may be too hard to overcome their mounting injuries.
2. Minnesota Vikings (13-2)
Now 13-2 on the season after a huge win in Week 16 over the Seattle Seahawks, the Minnesota Vikings are riding high and are winning a ton of games with Sam Darnold at QB. I think it is time for us to admit that Darnold may be a franchise QB, and I have no idea how the Vikings do not bring him back in 2025. I mean, I guess if the Vikings lose these next two regular season games and also lose in the first round of the playoffs, conversations can be had.
But if you ask me, Darnold has earned a long-term contract from the Vikings, and let's not forget that this team also has former New York Giants' QB Daniel Jones on the roster as well. The Vikings may just be a QB repair factory at this point.
The three-point win in Seattle was very impressive, and this team is legitimate. It's abundantly clear that this team has a top-3 coaching staff in the NFL, and head coach Kevin O'Connell could even be the NFL Coach of the Year at this rate. Can the Vikings win the NFC North with how banged up the Detroit Lions are?
1. Buffalo Bills (12-3)
An interesting game for Buffalo in Week 16, they got past the New England Patriots by three points. Buffalo fell behind early in this game, and it seemed like New England had their number. However, they were able to rip off some scoring drives and did get the win at home. I am not sure this was anything more than an ugly win, and when we get this late into any NFL season, ugly wins are still wins.
Buffalo is clearly the best team in the AFC, and even though the 14-win Chiefs are atop in the standings, they are clearly not nearly as good as their record indicates. In fact, the only loss the Chiefs have on the season has come from the Buffalo Bills, so that is worth noting here. Josh Allen could still be in the lead for the NFL MVP this year, but this Week 16 performance definitely does not help his case.
We'll see how the final two games go, but there really isn't any reason to move Buffalo down in our NFL power rankings. They retain their top spot.