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Week 15 started out with a stinker of a Thursday night matchup between the Los Angeles Rams and San Francisco 49ers, but it finished strong, making our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings quite volatile at the top. With matchups dictating playoff seeding and divisional races, there was quite a lot on the line this week.
Come along as we provide in-depth analysis every week on how each team fared in the NFL, important stats/takeaways from each contest, and storylines to follow heading into the following games. Without further ado, here's ClutchPoints' latest NFL Power Rankings.
1. Buffalo Bills (+2)
We have a new team atop our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings, as the Buffalo Bills proved that they are for real, even after their Week 14 slip-up against the Rams. Matched up with the red-hot Detroit Lions, Josh Allen led the offense to 48 points, which was the second straight game in which Buffalo's offense surpassed the 40-point threshold.
Allen accounted for four touchdowns (two passing, two rushing), 362 passing yards, and 68 rushing yards as Buffalo's offense continued its torrid streak. Buffalo still faces an uphill climb in their quest to earn the No. 1 seed in the AFC playoff picture, but there's no doubt that they are the most dangerous team in the league currently.
2. Detroit Lions (-1)
It certainly wasn’t the offense’s fault that Detroit dropped their second game of the season, as Jared Goff (five TDs) fell six yards short of throwing for 500 yards. Amon-Ra St. Brown (14 receptions, 193 yards, one TD) and Sam LaPorta (seven receptions for 11 yards) led the way in the pass-catching department, while Jahmyr Gibbs found the end zone twice.
But the defense was not able to keep up with the Bills offense, as they allowed Buffalo to hang 48 points and 559 yards of total offense on them. Aaron Glenn’s unit certainly did not do its fair share of heavy lifting, and injuries to both Alim McNeill and Khalil Dorsey added even more issues to this side of the ball for the Lions.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (-1)
An ankle injury suffered by QB Patrick Mahomes hangs a dark cloud over the Week 15 win for the Kansas City Chiefs, as they held on for a 21-7 victory over the Cleveland Browns. Mahomes connected with Noah Gray and JuJu Smith-Schuster for scores, while Xavier Worthy found the end zone on the ground, accounting for all 21 points in the win.
The defense picked off Jameis Winston three times and sacked him five times, only giving up seven points and 266 yards in a win that was never really in doubt.
4. Philadelphia Eagles (+1)
A home win over the Pittsburgh Steelers painted a real healthy picture of the potential that the Philadelphia Eagles' offense possesses, especially when the trio of Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith are all on the same page. Both receivers crossed the century mark and found the end zone, Hurts ran for a score on 15 carries, and the offense finally looked like a well-oiled machine again.
5. Green Bay Packers (+2)
As one of two 10-4 teams in the NFL currently, the Green Bay Packers are on the precipice of earning a spot in the playoffs this year. Their 30-13 win over the Seattle Seahawks in unfriendly confines was a huge step forward for this team, as they will almost certainly end up as a wild card team if they find their way into the playoffs, meaning they will be spending a lot of time on the road.
Josh Jacobs earned a huge workload again for the Packers offense, Jordan Love connected with Romeo Doubs for two scores, and the pass rush was ferocious against Seattle.
6. Minnesota Vikings (no change)
It was a fairly easy Monday Night Football win for the Minnesota Vikings, as they hosted the Chicago Bears. Three field goals from rookie Will Reichard, a TD pass to Justin Jefferson, and two rushing scores accounted for all the scoring for Minnesota.
The win ties the Vikings atop the NFC North, as the looming Week 18 matchup between these two squads could create a major domino effect in the NFC playoff picture.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)
The passing attack for the Steelers was really missing George Pickens, as the offense struggled to do much, which led to their 27-13 defeat. Russell Wilson only threw for 128 yards and a TD (to Pat Freiermuth) in Week 15, and the rushing attack failed to help at all, as Najee Harris (14 yards) and Jaylen Warren (12 yards) struggled all game long.
8. Denver Broncos (no change)
Facing a three-point deficit heading into the fourth quarter, the Denver Broncos put up 21 unanswered points in the fourth quarter to earn their ninth win of the season in their Week 15 matchup with the Indianapolis Colts.
Nick Bonitto is tied for 2nd in the NFL in sacks…
And now has TWO pick-6s on the season @nikkkkbonitto pic.twitter.com/G9ukoet08U
— NFL (@NFL) December 16, 2024
Bo Nix threw for three TD’s but also had three INT’s, as he found Courtland Sutton, Adam Trautman, and Nate Adkins for scores. While Nix needs to clean up the turnovers, the defense bailed him out, as Nik Bonitto picked off a double-pass from Adonai Mitchell to help turn the tide in favor of Denver.
9. Baltimore Ravens (no change)
An easy win for the Baltimore Ravens helped their Week 15 go smoothly, as they went on the road and held court against the New York Giants. Lamar Jackson had a franchise day, passing for five touchdowns, while Derrick Henry had a relatively quiet day, only rushing for 67 yards on 14 carries.
10. Houston Texans (+3)
Jumping into the top 10 of our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings, the Houston Texans clinched the AFC South divisional crown for the second year in a row, as they held on late over the Miami Dolphins in Week 15. Three interceptions of Tua Tagovailoa, including one that sealed the game late in the fourth quarter, helped the defense support the offense, as C.J. Stroud found Nico Collins twice in the end zone but only threw for 131 yards on the day.
11. Washington Commanders (no change)
It may have taken until the final play of the game, but the Washington Commanders earned their ninth win of the year in Week 15. Jayden Daniels connected with Terry McLaurin for his two passing touchdowns, and the defense held serve at the end of the game, keeping the New Orleans Saints from converting a game-winning two-point conversion with no time left on the clock.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+3)
After their Week 15 win, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are still atop the NFC South, as they are the only team in their division with a record above .500. A 23-point blowout win over the Los Angeles Chargers on the road wasn’t likely the expected outcome, but a four-TD performance from Baker Mayfield (two to Mike Evans) paved the way for a strong offensive showing.
Evans hauled in nine receptions and 159 yards in the win, with Jalen McMillan and Rachaad White also catching TDs from Mayfield. Bucky Irving, who was questionable all week with various injuries, led all rushers with 117 rushing yards on 15 carries, as the Buccaneers are one of our biggest risers in our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
13. Los Angeles Rams (+1)
Coming out on top in the sloppy Thursday Night Football matchup in Week 15 might actually be the turning point for the Rams and their playoff hopes. Four field goals from kicker Joshua Karty was all that the Rams needed, as their defense did the rest in the rainy conditions in Santa Clara.
Matthew Stafford connected with Puka Nacua seven times for 97 yards, while Cooper Kupp put up a goose egg on three targets, throwing a wrench into the plans of fantasy football managers who started him in the first round of the playoffs. Now boasting an 8-6 record, the Rams smell blood in the water and are looking to make a final push to lock up the top seed in the NFC West.
14. Seattle Seahawks (-4)
A knee injury suffered by Geno Smith derailed any shot that the Seahawks had of winning their Week 15 matchup with the Packers, and it also made it a bit tougher to win the NFC West. Locked into a battle with the Rams atop the division, Sam Howell had to step in with Smit suffering an ankle injury, and outside of a few field goals from Jason Myers and a late rushing score from Zach Charbonnet, the offense faltered in this loss.
15. Los Angeles Chargers (-3)
A 17-point, first half paved the way for a zero-point second half for the Chargers, as their fast start turned into a complete letdown in their Week 15 home affair. Dropping this game to the Buccaneers bumped them down to the seventh seed in the AFC, a full game back of the Broncos and Ravens in the wild card race.
16. Arizona Cardinals (+1)
It was James Conner’s day in Week 15, as the veteran running back found the end zone twice and ran for 110 yards in a 30-17 for the Arizona Cardinals over the New England Patriots. Even with this win, Arizona remains behind the eight ball for the NFC wild card hunt, but they still have a shot to sneak their way in over the last three games.
17. Cincinnati Bengals (+4)
While still facing a two-game deficit to make the AFC playoffs, the Cincinnati Bengals are fighting for every last win this year, which includes their Week 15 win over the Tennessee Titans. Another strong offensive performance from the Bengals was headlined by the usual suspects, as Joe Burrow heavily involved his trio of weapons.
Ja’Marr Chase (nine catches for 94 yards) and Tee Higgins (five catches for 88 yards and a score) were big-time contributors through the air, while Chase Brown (113 total yards) scored touchdowns both through the air and on the ground in the win. Burrow had three turnovers in addition to his three scores, but he did enough to help lead the Bengals to their sixth win of the year.
18. Miami Dolphins (-2)
Needing a win to help keep pace in the AFC playoff race, the Dolphins gave away a winnable game against the Texans, knocking them to 6-8 on the year and down to 18th in our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings. A turnover-heavy game from the Miami offense was the reason why they lost, but not getting De’Von Achane or Tyreek Hill going hurt just as much.
19. Dallas Cowboys (+3)
It has been an impressive showing for the Dallas Cowboys on the road this season, and they earned their fifth win (in seven tries) as the visitor this season in Week 15 over the Carolina Panthers. Cooper Rush looked really strong in the win, finding CeeDee Lamb (nine receptions for 116 yards and a score) for one of his three touchdowns.
Rico Dowdle ran for 149 yards on 25 carries, as the offense was able to maintain a healthy balance between running and throwing the ball against the Panthers lackluster defense.
20. San Francisco 49ers (-2)
The floor has dropped out from underneath the San Francisco 49ers, as they have now lost four of their last five games. And as a result, San Francisco truly doesn’t have a realistic path into the postseason with only three games left in the regular season after their Week 15 loss to the Rams.
Brock Purdy threw for 142 uninspiring yards and an interception, Deebo Samuel put up another disappointing performance (which included multiple dropped passes), and the Niners offense failed to get anything going when they needed it the most.
21. New Orleans Saints (-2)
With not much to play for the rest of the season, it made sense that the Saints went for a two-point conversion to try and win their Week 15 matchup. However, the failed conversion when an extra point would have sent the game into overtime certainly could weigh heavily on future personnel decisions when building out the new coaching staff.
Spencer Rattler stepped in for Jake Haener and led the offense to a late score, but the failed two-point conversion sent the Saints to their ninth loss of the year.
22. Indianapolis Colts (-2)
Anthony Richardson and the Colts offense got out to a hot start, putting up 13 points on the Denver defense to head into halftime with a lead. But a scoreless second half, headlined by a big-time miscue from Jonathan Taylor as he headed into the end zone, helped drop the Colts down a few spots in our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
Call overturned! This TD was ruled a touchback 😳 pic.twitter.com/jRlTeq9QQs
— NFL (@NFL) December 15, 2024
Richardson threw two picks and was generally inaccurate throughout the day, but he did find the end zone on the ground to help the offense. Overall, the Colts offense has been incredibly inefficient with Richardson at the helm, as this staff really needs to reassess how they are building the scheme around their franchise signal caller.
23. Atlanta Falcons (no change)
A win is a win for the struggling Atlanta Falcons, but their Week 15 showing against the Las Vegas Raiders shows that this team is not a playoff-built team.
A 15-9 win in which Kirk Cousins threw for only 112 yards on 17 attempts shows that the coaching staff does not trust their high-priced veteran, and the offense suffers because of it. While Bijan Robinson ran for 125 and was the offense, they can’t just rely on one facet to win games down the stretch.
24. New York Jets (+4)
Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams rejuvenated their connection from their Green Bay days, as the two combined for two scores and almost 200 yards in their Week 15 win. Needing every single yard to beat the Jacksonville Jaguars, the New York Jets certainly have a lot of things that they need to change for next season, which could include both of these veterans suiting up for different franchises.
25. Chicago Bears (-1)
The 2024 NFL season cannot end soon enough for the Bears, as they need to undergo yet another round of organizational changes if they want to succeed. Their 12-point performance on MNF shows that while the offense around Caleb Williams has shown growth, there is quite a lot of hill left to climb.
Keenan Allen hauled in Williams’ lone TD, DJ Moore hauled in eight passes, and D’Andre Swift ran for 79 yards, but as a whole, the offense struggled to move the ball all night.
26. Cleveland Browns (-1)
A lone Jerome Ford touchdown in the third quarter was all the Browns could muster in their Week 15 matchup with the Chiefs. The bad side of Winston came out in Cleveland’s loss, as he reverted back to his turnover-prone ways, paving the way for Dorian Thompson-Robinson to step in for him late in this one.
27. Carolina Panthers (-1)
Despite being favored to win a game for the first time in over two seasons, the Panthers were not able to come through for any of their backers, as they dropped their matchup with the Cowboys. Bryce Young connected with Jalen Coker (four receptions, 110 yards, one touchdown) on an 83-yard score for his only passing TD on the day, but two interceptions doomed Carolina’s chances at winning their fourth game of the season.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (-1)
It wasn’t a terrible showing for the Jaguars in Week 15, as they threw everything they had at the Jets, but their defense allowed a late score that resulted in them suffering another loss. Mac Jones restarted his connection with Brian Thomas Jr. (10 receptions, 105 yards, two touchdowns) in the loss, with tight end Brenton Strange (11 receptions, 73 yards) also playing a big role in the passing game.
29. New England Patriots (no change)
Two fourth-quarter touchdowns were not enough for the Patriots to win their Week 15 matchup with Arizona, but the offense did show some flashes of life. Drake Maye connected with DeMario Douglas for his only passing TD, but a Maye interception late in the third quarter was a big-time, second half blemish that New England couldn’t overcome.
30. Tennessee Titans (no change)
Another disappointing performance from Will Levis led to Mason Rudolph replacing him, as Levis’ three interceptions ended his day early. Rudolph contributed to the interception total with one himself, as the Titans offense as a whole struggled in their 11th loss of the year, keeping Tennessee near the bottom of our Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
31. New York Giants (no change)
Rookie wideout Malik Nabers (10 receptions, 82 yards, one touchdown) led all receivers in the Giants Week 15 matchup with the Ravens, but inefficient quarterback play buried any chance of a major upset. Tommy DeVito had to leave the game early with a concussion, which forced journeyman backup Tim Boyle into the action for the second half of this one.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (no change)
By not getting star tight end Brock Bowers involved in the offense, the Las Vegas Raiders struggled their way to nine points in a winnable MNF matchup with Atlanta. Desmond Ridder was not able to extact any revenge on his old team, and the lack of offensive firepower was on display all night for a Raiders team with eyes on April’s NFL Draft.
