NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Eagles edge Bears to stay on top, Cowboys fall and Chiefs survive

What a wild Week 15 we had in the NFL. We saw the Bears almost knock off the Eagles, the Chiefs need overtime to escape out of Houston with a win, the Bills beat the Dolphins on a snowy game winning drive while the Raiders keep their playoff hopes alive with the most improbable ending in NFL history

Here is how are Power Rankings stand after a fantastic week of football full of games loaded with playoff implications.

1) Philadelphia Eagles 13-1, last week 1

Even if you are the best team in the league, you can’t blow everyone out every week. After three straight dominant performances, the Eagles had to squeak by the Bears in a division game on the road. Hurts threw two interceptions but had over 300 yards in the air (181 of them to AJ Brown), and ran in three touchdowns in the Eagles fifth straight win.

2) Buffalo Bills 11-3, last week 4

The Bills needed every second of the 60 minutes to beat the Dolphins on Saturday Night, and are now the favorites for the one seed in the AFC. If they lock that up, watch out. This team turned things around once the snow started to fall against in Buffalo late in the game, and in January the weather is only going to get worse.

3) Kansas City Chiefs 11-3, last week 3

The Chiefs went into Houston in a game loaded with trap potential and survived. There is a bit of cause for concern for the Chiefs who at one point in the season looked invincible, but almost gave up a huge lead to the Broncos last week and nearly lost to the worst team in the league this week. They need to win out if they want any chance of a fist round bye.

4) San Francisco 49ers 10-4, last week 5

Brock Purdy made his first start on the road in a crucial divisional game, and looked like a seasoned vet in a hostile environment against bitter rival desperate for win. The defense locked down the Seahawks offense and allowed Purdy to manage the game instead of having to win it.

5) Cincinnati Bengals 10-4, last week 5

We got the best and worst of the Bengals on Sunday. They started the game with an interception and then three straight three and outs, but the defense stepped up in the second half forcing four turnovers and Burrow and the Bengals lit up the Bucs defense for 31 second half points to take the out right lead in the AFC North.

6) Dallas Cowboys 10-4, last week 2

The Cowboys streak had to come to an end at some point, and even though the loss may hurt better to lose to the Jags in overtime than to have the streak end in the playoffs. This will be a mini wake up call for Dallas to let them know they aren’t invincible. Despite the loss they still clinched a playoff with the Giants win against Washington.

7) Minnesota Vikings 11-3, last week 7

What am I even supposed to say about the Vikings historic comeback win over the Colts on Saturday? I’m still trying to process it, Minnesota is probably still trying to process it, and the Colts definitely are still trying to process it. The Vikings have won in every way possible this season, but most of their wins have come in tight games late in the fourth quarter. There may not be a lot of belief in this team around the country, but their tendency to win deep in the fourth quarter will help them ones the post season comes around.

8) Los Angeles Chargers 8-6, last week 11

The Chargers have an M.O. of being a flashy, offensive minded team that can wear you down by airing it out, but on Sunday against the Titans they out muscled one of the most physical teams in the league. They held Derrick Henry to just 104 yards on the ground. When they needed it, Herbert and the passing game came through marching down the field in under a minute and setting up the game winning Cam Dicker field goal.

9) Baltimore Ravens 9-5, last week 8

The Ravens have let their stranglehold on the AFC North slip in the last few weeks and the Bengals leapfrogged them after their win over Tampa Bay. Is this going to be another year where Baltimore fails to reach the playoffs because of a late season injury to Lamar Jackson?

10) New York Giants 8-5-1, last week 13

What a time to break a late season winless skid. The Giants went on the road, against a division rival, and let their defense do the talking in Washington as Kayvon Thibodeaux made big play after big play in the first half. The defense came up huge in the second half, keeping the Commanders off the board on both for their trips inside the NY 10 yard line.

11) Miami Dolphins 8-6, last week 9

Three straight losses have the Dolphins clinging on to their Wild Card spot in the AFC. They would have to have a monumental collapse not to make the post season, but even if they do the kind of football they have been playing in December doesn’t give you much hope about their chances in January.

12) Washington Commanders 7-6-1, last week 10

The Heinicke magic took a night off in a pivotal division game at FedEx field on Monday night. He was strip sacked for a fumble, on one for the Giants’ two TDs on the night, and couldn’t get the Commanders on the board in either one of the two fourth quarter trips to inside the NY 10 yard line. They are hanging on to the final Wild Card spot by a thread, but the Lions and the Seahawks are lurking right behind them

13) New York Jets 7-7, last week 12

With Mike White sidelined with three fractured ribs, Zach Wilson took over under center, and didn’t play terribly. He had over 300 yards and a TD against the Lions, and even had the Jets in a position to win late in the game, but the defense gave up a TD drive on a 51 yard TD shot with under 2:00 to go and now sit on the outside of the AFC Wild Card picture looking in.

14) Detroit Lions 7-7, last week 14

Don’t call it a comeback… yet. The Lions have had a meteoric surge up the standings and their win over the Jets has the post season door wide open. Jared Goff’s late TD pass to Brock Wright sealed Detroit’s six win in their last seven, and if the Commanders slip up the Lions will be right there waiting to ponce on their prey.

15) New England Patriots 7-7, last week 16

If the Patriots go on to miss out on the playoffs they will know exactly which game and which play to pin point. They still have three games to try to seal their post season future, but a play like the Chandler Jones game winning touchdown could have an implosion effect on the Pats final stretch of the season.

16) Seattle Seahawks 7-7, last week 15

The Seahawks chances for a post season appearance are getting slimmer by the minute. They have lost four of their last five including Thursday Night’s loss to the San Francisco to kiss their chances of a division title good bye. Now they have to catch up with the Commanders who lead them by a half game, and have to travel to Kansas City this week needing a win to keep their hopes alive.

17) Jacksonville Jaguars 6-8, last week 19

Right now Jacksonville is a living embodiment of their mascot. They see their prey, the Titans, wounded and they are sitting in the tall grass just waiting to make their move. They have won three of their last four and sit a game behind the Titans for the AFC South lead, and could have everything to play for against Tennessee in their Week 18 match up.

18) Green Bay Packers 6-8, last week 20

The Packers knew they had to win in Lambeau on Monday Night, and they took care of business against the Rams. It’s not going to be easy for Green Bay to make it to the post season, but if they win out and get some external help they might just have a chance.

19) Las Vegas Raiders 6-8, last week 25

The Raiders kept their playoff dreams alive with one of the most incredible, head scratching, dramatic plays you will ever see. Las Vegas should have been buried well before Chandler Jones’ Sin City miracle, but New England went three and out on their last three possessions and let Keelan Cole tied up the game with 32 seconds left. What happened after will go down in NFL history as an all time ending to a game with plenty of playoff implications on the line.

20) Tennessee Titans 7-7, last week 17

If the Titans miss out on the playoffs you can bet there will be a country song written by someone in Nashville after Tennessee’s late season collapse. The Titans didn’t do nearly enough to beat the Chargers and were lucky to tie the game up late, but left enough time on the clock for Justin Herbert and the Chargers a chance to drive down the field and win the game with a last second field goal.

21) Pittsburgh Steelers 6-8, last week 22

Mitch Trubisky and the Steelers had a chance to play spoiler against the Panthers on Sunday while keeping their minuscule chances playoff chances alive. Najee Harris was instrumental in the 24-16 win, and now Pittsburgh is going to need to win out and get some help from outside if they are going to make a shock run to the playoffs.

22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 6-8, last week 18

Turning the ball over four times in the second half in a crucial game late in the season is no way to win your division. Luckily for the Bucs, no one else seems to want to win the NFC South, so they remain on top of the standings for another week. Two of their last three games are against the division opponents, and those games will determine if Brady and the Bucs are playing post season football come January.

23) Atlanta Falcons 5-9, last week 21

The Falcons had a golden opportunity to draw level with the Bucs on Sunday, but were dominated by the Saints in the first half. They couldn’t draw level with Tampa, but their Week 18 throw down with the division leaders might just determine who wins the NFC South.

24) Carolina Panthers 5-9, last week 23

Another NFC South team that doesn’t look like they have any interest in knocking Tampa Bay out of their post as the division leaders. After going down 21-7 at half, the Panthers tried to battle back but could only muster field goal on their three trips deep inside Steelers territory.

25) New Orleans Saints 5-9, last week 29

New Orleans went on the road against a division rival needing a win and got it. The offense hasn’t looked great lately but they got Taysom Hill involved in the passing game and that paid dividend as the Saints inched closer to the division leading Bucs.

26) Indianapolis Colts 4-9-1, last week 26

An absolute debacle by the Colts, who weren’t playing for anything but pride on Saturday in Minnesota but this collapse will be hard to swallow. After going up 36-0 in the first half, they gave up the biggest comeback in NFL history, and that is not going to help Jeff Saturday’s case to stay in Indy next season.

27) Cleveland Browns 6-8, last week 27

Another ugly day for the Browns defense with Deshaun Watson under center. In the 12 quarters he has been with Cleveland this season, the offense has scored just two touchdowns. They got the win against Baltimore, but in utterly unimpressive fashion.

28) Arizona Cardinals 4-10, last week 24

The nightmare continues for the Cardinals, who will have to wait another three weeks to sweep this season under the rug and forget about it forever.

29) Chicago Bears 3-11, last week 30

The Bears may not be going anywhere this year, but these games are the games that will fill Chicago fans with belief in the near future. They hung with the one loss Eagles until the bitter end while Justin Fields continued to dazzle with this incredible touchdown run on second and forever.

30) Los Angeles Rams 4-10, last week 28

The Mayfield Magic ran out in Lambeau as the Packers defense kept the Rams in check on Monday night. The offense totaled just 153 yards and failed to get in to the end zone. The Rams have three more games left in this disappointing season, but they can use it to get Baker more familiar with the offense.

31) Denver Broncos 4-10, last week 31

There will certainly be some questions in Denver surrounding their $250 million dollar quarterback and the back up who led them to a win over the Cardinals in Week 15. Brett Rypien didn’t just lead the Broncos to victory, but did it by scoring points, and not just relying on the defense. That something that Russell Wilson has yet to prove he can do in Denver.

32) Houston Texans 1-12-1, last week 32

It shouldn’t surprise us that the Texans gave the Chiefs all they could handle on Sunday. They took one of the top teams in the league to overtime, but as so often has happened this season, Houston couldn’t make the play to win the game in the final moments.