NFL Power Rankings: Broncos rise, Panthers bottom out

12. Houston Texans (6-5)

CJ Stroud still looks awesome in his rookie season.  The Houston Texans are still a good team.  Losing a tough divisional game does not erase anything they’ve done and should not change your opinion of them.  This is a playoff team, somehow.

11. Minnesota Vikings (6-5)

A huge Monday Night Football game for the Minnesota Vikings can help keep their playoff push in a great spot.  Josh Dobbs and the Vikings saw their win streak get snapped last week against the Denver Broncos.  They get the Chicago Bears in Week 12, so an easier opponent should lead to a win for the Vikes.

10. Cleveland Browns (7-4)

The Cleveland Browns not having Deshaun Watson in the lineup is huge.  Them racing out to a 7-3 start before losing in Week 12 has certainly given them a cushion.  The defense is good enough to win the Super Bowl, but the offense is just not going to get it done with Dorian Thompson-Robinson and PJ Walker.

9. Denver Broncos (6-5)

The longest winning streak in the NFL belongs to the… Denver Broncos!  Man, after getting 70 points hung on them and starting 1-5, this Broncos team has truly turned the corner, winning five games in a row, which includes wins against the Kansas City Chiefs, Buffalo Bills, Minnesota Vikings, and Cleveland Browns in consecutive weeks.  This team is on fire.