The 2023 NFL Season has given us some amazing matchups this year. The playoff picture continues to take shape and divisional battles become more heated.
Thus far, there hasn’t really been much of an upset in the NFL during Week 13. All of the teams that seemed to be favored, for the most part, won on Sunday. We’ve still got a couple of games left, though, as the Green Bay Packers and Kansas City Chiefs have yet to kick off as I type these words.
And we’ve stull got Monday Night Football, too. The NFL playoff picture is beginning to take shape, and the Carolina Panthers have mathematically been eliminated from playoff contention. I don’t think the New England Patriots have yet been mathematically eliminated, but they’re surely not making the postseason.
Anyway, let’s get into NFL Power Rankings as Week 13 closes out.
Fresh NFL Power Rankings sees Patriots and Panthers bottom out once again
32. Carolina Panthers (1-11)
The worst record in the NFL belongs to the Carolina Panthers, who lost again in Week 13 and have now lost five games in a row. Nothing is working, but the team did show some fight in the first game after Frank Reich’s firing. This team needs a serious makeover going into 2024.
31. New England Patriots (2-10)
I mean, this is just bad. Bill Belichick should have been fired weeks ago for the monstrosity of a team and coaching staff he assembled, but I don’t think we’ll see any major changes made until the end of the 2023 NFL Season. I’d expect there to be wholesale changes.
30. Washington Commanders (4-9)
The Washington Commanders have lost four games in a row and are learning the hard way with head coach Ron Rivera. He was the wrong hire from the beginning and is a below-average head coach. Tyreek Hill went off against this bad Commanders’ defense in Week 13.
29. New York Jets (4-8)
Lol. Sean Payton’s USA Today comments about the New York Jets don’t look as bad now, do they? Aaron Rodgers has to have already ruled out coming back in 2023, since this team is going nowhere, fast.
28. Arizona Cardinals (3-10)
I’m going to say that the better team between the Arizona Cardinals and Pittsburgh Steelers won in Week 13. The Steelers are extremely overrated and are nowhere near as good as their record, and I think the Cardinals are the opposite with Kyler Murray back in the lineup.
27. Tennessee Titans (4-8)
The Tennessee Titans lost in overtime to the Indianapolis Colts that would have put these teams just one game apart from each other. I don’t know where the Titans go from here, since they seemed to want to try to make it work with this core of players one more time in 2023. The team is mixed with young, developing players and veterans that probably need dumped next offseason.
26. Chicago Bears (4-8)
A nice win keeps the Chicago Bears not quite circling the drain in 2023. Justin Fields might not be with the team as the starter in 2024, but the team is clearly still playing hard and have put some nice football on tape in recent weeks.
25. New Orleans Saints (5-7)
What are we doing here? This team dumped over $100 million into signing Derek Carr and have nothing to show for it. Carr has been awful for the Saints and the team is eventually going to have to deal with pushing their cap space down into further years. They’re again projected to be over the cap this coming offseason and have virtually no positive long-term outlook here.
24. New York Giants (4-8)
This is still a bad team even with them winning two games in a row. The team needs to figure out their QB situation for the long-term and have serious questions along their offensive line. I think this team has to come away with a QB in the 2024 NFL Draft at some point.
23. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7)
No one is taking the Las Vegas Raiders seriously. They’re a flawed football team with an interim head coach and a rookie QB taking the snaps. Having an interim HC and a rookie QB at the same time means something went seriously wrong.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers might be the most uninteresting team in the NFL. Sure, they are still hanging around in the NFC South race, but the team has a middling QB in Baker Mayfield and no real long-term structure in place. They also just barely escaped the Carolina Panthers in Week 13.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (5-7)
Is it possible to have a horrible win? Well, the Los Angeles Chargers won 6-0 in Week 13 against the New England Patriots. The Chargers have a fine quarterback, but a pretty bad everything else. Them being 5-7 with Justin Herbert is pretty inexcusable.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5)
This is not a good football team. They stink. The QB is bad. The defense gives up a ton of yards, and everything is just meh. I don’t know how this Steelers team is 7-5, but they took a pretty awful loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 13.
19. Cincinnati Bengals (5-6)
The Cincinnati Bengals play on Monday Night Football against the Jacksonville Jaguars and are probably going to lose. The defense is also pretty bad, but the secondary does feature a ton of young talent, for what it’s worth. Joe Burrow returning to the lineup in 2024 and reinforcements along the offensive line and defense should make this team elite again.
18. Seattle Seahawks (6-6)
The Seattle Seahawks have lost three games in a row and look like they have absolutely no identity on offense. Well, they don’t. Geno Smith has regressed from last year and the team doesn’t feel like a Wild Card one. Where does this franchise go in 2024?
17. Green Bay Pakcers (5-6)
The Green Bay Packers probably begin Monday at a 5-7 record. I don’t think they beat the Kansas City Chiefs, but I could definitely see them pulling off the upset and extending their win steak to three games.
16. Atlanta Falcons (6-6)
The Atlanta Falcos are not a serious team but are 6-6 and do have the lead in the NFC South. The team doesn’t get consistent quarterback play from Desmond Ridder and should not be much of a three if they get into the playoffs this year.
15. Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
Eh. They’re on their bye week and have lost two games in a row. I do think Josh Dobbs gets replaced in the starting lineup. His poor performance against the Chicago Bears cannot be overlooked, in my opinion. The Vikings still hanging around with backup QBs is pretty impressive nonetheless.
14. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
Well, the Los Angeles Rams are all of a sudden 6-6 and are firmly in the mix in the NFC. Hats off to Sean McVay for the work he’s done with this young roster that still has some wiley ole’ veterans on it. I don’t think the Rams are a threat in the playoffs, but it’s a fun story.
13. Buffalo Bills (6-6)
The Buffalo Bills are on their bye week and probably need to go 4-1 down the stretch to make the playoffs in the crowded AFC. They currently sit 10th in the AFC playoff race, behind the Denver Broncos and Houston Texans. The Bills lost to the Broncos and are behind the Texans by one game.
12. Denver Broncos (6-6)
Even though the Denver Broncos lost in Week 13, this team is still 6-6 and did still begin the year 1-5. Going 5-1 over the last month and a half is impressive, and the Broncos are still just one game out of a Wild Card spot. However, Russell Wilson threw three interceptions in the loss, which was almost his season INT total coming into the game (4)
11. Cleveland Browns (7-5)
The Browns have dropped a couple in a row and are now just barely hanging onto a Wild Card spot in the AFC. This team was definitely equipped to win the AFC North this year, but Deshaun Watson going down with a season-ending injury has hurt their chances. Joe Flacco, of all people, started for the Browns in Week 13.
10. Indianapolis Colts (7-5)
The Indianapolis Colts going 7-5 with a rookie head coach and Gardner Minshew is something that I don’t see talked about nearly enough. I think the main issue with the Colts is that they don’t really have a evergreen, elite player on their team that NFL fans can easily latch onto. Yeah, Minshew is a bubbly personality, but he’s also a low-end starter. Nonetheless, the Colts, of all teams, are in a playoff spot and have won four games in row.
9. Houston Texans (7-5)
The Houston Texans are 7-5 with a rookie head coach and a rookie quarterback. That is outstanding. The roster has been bit by the injury bug this year, but this team is well-coached and have their franchise QB in the building. I don’t think it’s outrageous to think that the Texans can win a playoff game this year if they get it. They are actually the eighth seed in the AFC, so they aren’t in a playoff spot.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-3)
The Jaguars get to face off against the Joe Burrow-less Bengals on Monday Night Football. I’d be shocked if they didn’t win. Jacksonville still has the Houston Texans breathing down their necks in the AFC South race, so they haven’t shut the door on that. Trevor Lawrence also hasn’t been quite as efficient through the air this year as he was last year.
7. Detroit Lions (9-3)
The Detroit Lions defense is going to end up ruining things for this team that has all but wrapped up the NFC North trophy in 2023. This is still a great team, but man I do have questions about the defense. Luckily, QB Jared Goff has been in this spot before and has played in a Super Bowl, so that definitely helps.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
I don’t think the Eagles are nearly as good as their record indicates. This feels more like a seven or eight win team. The defense is pretty iffy and the offense seems to be missing that element from last year, whatever that element may be. They just don’t feel like the 2022 Eagles that dominated opponents.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (8-3)
I think the Chiefs wake up on Monday at 9-3. They are currently battling the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football and should come out of this game with a W. If not, they fall behind the Dolphins and Ravens and could even fall behind the Jaguars if they win in Week 13.
4. Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
Man, the Dallas Cowboys offense is just scarily good. This team has all the potential in the world and are plenty talented enough to win a Super Bowl. The biggest question, as always, is if this team can show up when the playoffs roll around. They can do wonders on offense and defense but if they can’t win playoff games, they it’s all for nothing.
3. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
The Baltimore Ravens do not play this week and get to sit back and watch their AFC rivals beat up on each other. Baltimore is currently tied for the best record in the AFC and are also in a heated battle with a few other teams for the #1 seed in the conference. The Ravens might be the most complete team in the AFC.
2. Miami Dolphins (9-3)
A commanding win for the Miami Dolphins in Week 13 further extends their lead in the AFC East and gives them continued hope for the #1 seed in the AFC. Tyreek Hill had about 529 yards receiving this week against Washington, and this team is simply rolling.
1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
I think the San Francisco 49ers proved to the entire world in Week 13 that they are the best team in the NFL. They took it to the Philadelphia Eagles, who are perhaps not quite as good as their record says. Even with the 49ers winning, they still sit one game behind the Eagles for the #1 seed in the entire NFC.