Subscribe
Follow Us
Week 15 of the NFL season saw a few playoff-bound teams struggle in winnable games, while the Wild Card race in both the AFC and NFC grew even tighter. The NFL Power Rankings have not seen a change at the top in a bit, and Week 16 is no different as the Philadelphia Eagles continue to hold down the top spot.
While it was not easy, the Eagles hung on over the Bears on the road to continue to lead the NFL in wins. The Bills, Vikings, and Chiefs all won as well, even though it took overtime for both the Chiefs and Vikings (and a record-setting comeback) to make that happen.
On the flip side, an overtime loss by the Cowboys makes the NFC East even murkier (behind the Eagles), the Jets falling to the Lions showed that their fast start may have just been that and nothing more, and the Dolphins and Ravens have a lot of work left to do if they want to make the postseason.
Previous NFL Power Rankings: Week 15 | Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8
With Philly remaining at the top of the NFL Power Rankings, take a look at what changes happened from Week 15 to Week 16.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)
While it was a much tougher win than expected, the Philadelphia Eagles earned their 13th win of the year by beating the Chicago Bears on the road. 181 yards from A.J. Brown and a 300-yard outing for Jalen Hurts helped keep the Eagles on top in these Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
2. Buffalo Bills (no change)
Clinching a playoff berth in the snow, the Buffalo Bills were able to hold off the Miami Dolphins to conclude the Saturday slate. Their 11th win of the year was due in large part to Josh Allen’s four-TD performance in the elements, and it looks like the Bills may just be hitting their stride at just the right time.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)
Much like the Eagles, the Kansas City Chiefs had to fight much harder than expected against the Houston Texans. But in their overtime victory, they were able to clinch the AFC West title for the seventh consecutive year, due to the arm of Patrick Mahomes (336 yards, two TDs).
4. Cincinnati Bengals (no change)
Luck just so happened to be on the side of the Cincinnati Bengals in their matchup with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, but only in the second half of their late-afternoon game. Having only scored a measly field goal in the first half, the Bengals used a bunch of Tampa Bay miscues to their advantage, turning the tide amid their streak of 27 unanswered points.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals' offense struggled mightily against the Buccaneers, but they were eventually able to get things figured out, relying on a good blend of running and throwing the ball.
5. San Francisco 49ers (+1)
Kicking off the week early with a win, the San Francisco 49ers relied on a two-TD performance from George Kittle to earn their 10th win of the year. Brock Purdy was efficient again and Christian McCaffrey ran for 100+ yards on 26 carries, helping keep San Francisco atop the NFC West division and safely in the top-10 of the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
6. Minnesota Vikings (+1)
The Minnesota Vikings will forever (until the record is broken) be a part of NFL lore, having been on the winning side of the biggest comeback victory in NFL history. Helping kick off the first slate of Saturday games in the NFL season, Kirk Cousins produced a career performance, and Justin Jefferson was his main beneficiary.
7. Dallas Cowboys (-2)
It is getting to the end of the season, and a team led by Mike McCarthy is starting to trip over its own two feet. Where have we heard this story before? The Dallas Cowboys were unable to put the surging Jacksonville Jaguars away on the road, limping into overtime before a pick-6 thrown by Dak Prescott buried the Cowboys.
8. Los Angeles Chargers (+2)
Not only did their Week 15 win help solidify the Los Angeles Chargers in the AFC playoff bracket, it came against a division leader, helping show that they definitely belong in the conversation.
Justin Herbert was okay (313 passing yards, two INTs), but he, Keenan Allen (8 receptions for 86 yards), and Cameron Dicker (game-winning field goal) did just enough to outlast the Tennessee Titans, 17-14.
9. Baltimore Ravens (-1)
The middle game of the Saturday slate saw the Baltimore Ravens travel to Ohio to face the Cleveland Browns. The offensive struggles that ensued for the Ravens without Lamar Jackson were hard to watch.
Tyler Huntley (138 passing yards, one INT) only led the offense to three points in the game, and he struggled to find any sort of success, whether it was through the air or on the ground.
10. Miami Dolphins (-1)
Facing the Bills in an occasional blizzard, the Miami Dolphins relied on Raheem Mostert and the ground game, as well as an improved game from Tua Tagovailoa, but they still ultimately came up short.
If the Dolphins want to make any headway with their postseason aspirations, Tagovailoa will need to find his early-season success again if they want to be a part of the remaining AFC teams.
11. New York Giants (+2)
The New York Giants were able to win the back-and-forth NFC East battle on Sunday Night Football, mostly due to Saquon Barkley's performance on the ground. Rushing for over 80 yards and a TD, Barkley looked like his vintage self.
With the loss by Dallas, the Giants were able to make up some ground in the NFC East while creating some space in between them and Washington in the Wild Card race.
12. Tennessee Titans (no change)
Once staked out to a big divisional lead, the Tennessee Titans have left the door open for the Jacksonville Jaguars to come in and steal the division away. Sunday’s last-second loss to the Chargers epitomized the type of season the Titans have been having so far — one that includes plenty of happiness and heartbreak.
13. Detroit Lions (+4)
Written off before the season even began, the Detroit Lions have inserted themselves into the postseason picture, whether you like it or not. Their Week 15 win over the New York Jets was impressive, seeing as how both teams are fighting for their postseason lives.
Jared Goff continues to look the part of a long-term QB solution in Detroit, Amon-Ra St. Brown had his way with another secondary, and the punt return TD from Kalif Raymond (his only return on the day) helped set the tone early for the visiting Lions as one of the big risers in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
14. New York Jets (-3)
Zach Wilson actually resembled the QB that you draft in the first round, which is who the Jets want to see on a more consistent basis. But even with Wilson’s 315, two-TD performance, the Jets fell to the Detroit Lions, falling to an even 7-7.
The Jets' hot start looks to be wearing off, but don’t write this team off quite yet because they still have some time to make up ground in the postseason race.
15. Washington Commanders (-1)
In a game that the Washington Commanders desperately needed, it was their offense that failed them on multiple occasions when they needed them the most. Taylor Heinicke struggled under pressure from NYG's pass rush, Brian Robinson had some success on the ground but game script took the ball away from him, and Jahan Dotson hauled in a TD, but the offense was unable to find the end zone on its final drive of the game.
16. Seattle Seahawks (-1)
Seattle’s TNF loss showed that they still have a lot left to do if they want to capitalize on their surprising season. Facing a tough Niners defense, Geno Smith helped keep the offense on task with a turnover-free game, but seven punts and only 277 yards of total offense speaks to just how rough this unit was.
Currently on the outside looking in, the Seahawks have to have a few things go their way if they want their season to continue past Week 18.
17. New England Patriots (-1)
Not only did the New England Patriots find a way to bury their playoff hopes even deeper in the ground, but they managed to do so in one of the wackiest ways possible — on a last-second intercepted lateral as time ran out.
On the wrong side of a piece of NFL history, the Patriots now must dig themselves out of a large hole after their loss to the Raiders, a loss that should have never happened.
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (+4)
An impressive home win for the Jacksonville Jaguars keeps them safely in the hunt for not only the playoffs, but for potentially stealing the AFC South divisional title away from the Titans. Their overtime victory over the Dallas Cowboys was not an easy one, as they needed a last-second field goal to even get into overtime.
Their defense picked off Dak Prescott in overtime and took it to the house to end the game, getting their sixth win on the board while now only sitting one game back in the loss column in the division.
Article Continues Below
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)
After an early lead, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers took their foot off the gas pedal and left it in neutral for the second half, ultimately rolling backward down a hill. Letting the Bengals back into the game in the second half ultimately spelled disaster for the Bucs, but so did their four turnovers and their inability to string together second-half drives. Their footing in these NFL Power Rankings is loosening by the minute.
20. Green Bay Packers (-1)
Green Bay's MNF win over the Los Angeles Rams instilled some hope into their small playoff chances, even though they are still fighting an uphill battle. After a gritty performance from AJ Dillon that saw him leave with a concussion, their playoff hopes rest on the legs of Aaron Jones and the arm of Aaron Rodgers.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (+2)
While Mitch Trubisky may not have thrown for over 200 yards or throw for a TD, he did take care of the ball and run the offense smoothly for their sixth win on the year. Stepping in for the injured Kenny Pickett, Trubisky connected with his favorite target Diontae Johnson 10 times in the win.
22. Las Vegas Raiders (+2)
For the Raiders and their lost season, it matters more how they won and not that they just won — and this moment will certainly be on SportsCenter for a very long time.
This win is extra sweet for Josh McDaniels, as he was able to get a win against Bill Belichick and the team that he used to be a part of. It’s safe to say that the Raiders are likely not going to be in the playoffs or move up much more in the NFL Power Rankings, but they likely will take putting a dent in the hopes of the Patriots as a consolation.
23. Cleveland Browns (+2)
A surprising win over the Ravens gave the Cleveland Browns their sixth win on the year and the second since Deshaun Watson returned to the team. While their postseason hopes are not fully dashed at this point, there are plenty of teams ahead of them that are fighting for the Wild Card spots.
24. Carolina Panthers (-4)
It is very hard to win a game in the NFL when a team runs for only 21 yards, and the Carolina Panthers found that out in their loss to the Steelers. Sam Darnold’s 225-yard performance was fine, as was DJ Moore’s 5/73/1 line, but running 25 fewer offensive plays and getting sacked four times is all it took for the Panthers to lose their ninth game of the year and to remain near the bottom of the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.
25. New Orleans Saints (+1)
A close win over a division rival like the Falcons certainly is a nice way to end a week for the New Orleans Saints, even if they let Atlanta back into the game after a 14-point first quarter.
Andy Dalton threw two TDs to Juwan Johnson, Rashid Shaheed hauled in a long TD pass from Taysom Hill, and Alvin Kamara rushed for over 90 yards on the day, a solid offensive performance across the board.
26. Atlanta Falcons (-5)
The first career start for rookie Desmond Ridder was a bit rough, seeing as how he threw for under 100 yards on 13 completions. While he did produce a game free of turnovers, it looks like it will take a bit for Ridder to get used to the NFL, which fits the timeline for the Falcons perfectly.
Their rushing attack was solid, churning out over 230 yards on the ground, led by Tyler Allgeier’s 139 yards on 17 carries. This team has some growing to do, and they certainly are not a team you expect to see anywhere but the bottom in the NFL Power Rankings, but getting a look at who Ridder is will help them determine if they need to select another QB in the 2023 NFL Draft.
27. Los Angeles Rams (+3)
Things were much better this time around for Baker Mayfield at Lambeau Field, but he and the Rams still came up short. Mayfield looked fairly comfortable in his first start with LAR, setting up for the end of the year that could act as a dress rehearsal for his potential 2023 landing spot.
28. Chicago Bears (No change)
A close loss to the Eagles saw the Bears show just enough for their fan base to be excited about what is to come in 2023 and beyond. Justin Fields continues to amaze, the offensive play calling has improved for Luke Getsy, and while the defense saw two of its top playmakers traded away before the deadline, rookies like Kyler Gordon and Jaquan Brisker both have looked good in expanded roles.
29. Indianapolis Colts (-2)
With the type of headline-making year the Indianapolis Colts have had (and not for good reasons), it shouldn’t be a surprise how Saturday’s shocking loss to the Vikings transpired. Blowing a 33-point lead resulted in being on the wrong end of NFL history, and the team continues to show exactly why hiring Jeff Saturday was a highly questionable decision to make.
30. Denver Broncos (+1)
In the battle of backup QBs, it was Brett Rypien and the Denver Broncos that managed to come out on top against the Cardinals in their Sunday afternoon matchup. Latavius Murray turned back the clock in rushing for 130 yards and a TD, Rypien was the best passer in this game somehow (197 yards), and the Broncos earned a victory in a matchup that means little to the rest of their year.
31. Arizona Cardinals (-2)
It was bad enough that the Arizona Cardinals lost Kyler Murray for the season due to a torn ACL last week, but they also lost backup Colt McCoy to a concussion in this game, forcing Trace McSorley into action.
Without laying out exactly how things went, it’s fair to guess how well the QB play went for the Cardinals in this game entirely, ultimately leading to them losing to the Denver Broncos.
With AZ finally eliminated from postseason contention, the future of the coaching staff, front office, and roster will all be under the microscope, so there could be a lot of changeover for this franchise heading into next season. The Cardinals may be one of the most surprising bottom-dwellers in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings, and their fall has certainly been something to watch.
32. Houston Texans (no change)
They put up a fight, but the Houston Texans fell to the Chiefs in overtime on Sunday, 30-24. Putting up less than half (502 to 219) of what the Chiefs produced for total offensive yards, the Texans somehow managed to get this game into overtime, even though the game ultimately resulted in their 12th loss of the season.
Even with surprising performances like this, they won't be moving out of the bottom of the NFL Power Rankings list anytime soon.
