2023 NFL power rankings, Week 11: 49ers, Vikings soaring

16. New Orleans Saints (5-5)

As of right now, the New Orleans Saints are on top of the NFC South. This is a division that could come down to a photo finish between the Saints and Buccaneers, and whoever wins this division might only need eight or nine wins again to do it.

New Orleans was forced to play Jameis Winston against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 10 after Derek Carr went out with a shoulder injury as well as a possible concussion. Not good.

The Saints can ill-afford anything to halt whatever progress had been made for the offense finally starting to click, and you especially hate to see any player dealing with a head injury. As far as this team as a team, it’s just hard to view them as a legitimate contender. What is it the Saints do exceptionally well? What makes them a playoff team?

At this stage, for pure entertainment purposes, you almost find yourself rooting for the Buccaneers to find their way in to at least provide some intrigue out of this division.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-3)

The Pittsburgh Steelers do not make sense.

They are simply getting out-gained by everyone they go up against. Their offense is not putrid, but it’s not good. Yet they somehow do just enough every week. 

They did just enough in Week 10 against the Green Bay Packers, winning by a final score of 23-19 for my Monsters, Inc. fans out there. It’s one of my favorite scores to predict every week on this site.

I mean, Kenny Pickett is basically doing nothing for this Steelers team. The defense is doing the heavy lifting, and I guess as long as the Steelers are winning, who really cares? That is a long-term question that can be answered when football isn’t being played, but as of right now, the Steelers don’t look like they’re going away anytime soon.