We have made it to December. All any fan can hope for is that their team is playing meaningful football at this time of year. The good news is, most teams are still in the playoff hunt. So as we enter the last real month of the regular season, here are my week 13 NFL power rankings.
32) Detroit Lions
Call me when the Lions win a game. Any game at all. They are the least talented team in the league as well as the worst.
31) Houston Texans
The Texans lost at home to the Jets over the weekend. If you knew nothing else about them, wouldn’t that be enough to put them here.
30) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jags have no answers right now. Despite some nice pieces on a rebuilding team, they remain awful.
29) New York Jets
No one earns style points for beating the Texans, particularly when you struggle with them. The growing pains are obvious for this rebuilding team. Hopefully it is more growing than pain moving forward.
28) Chicago Bears
The Bears squeaked past the winless Lions on Thanksgiving. There are questions at coach, quarterback and the offensive line. They are spiraling down the drain.
27) Seattle Seahawks
Even after getting Russell Wilson back from injury, the Seahawks have looked as lifeless as they had without him. It may be too late for them to salvage their season at this point.
26) Carolina Panthers
Getting blown out by the Dolphins and losing Christian McCaffery to injury is….well, adding insult to injury. This felt like a defining moment in the Panthers season and it wasn’t pretty.
25) New York Giants
The Giants got a key divisional win in Philadelphia over the weekend. I doubt they have the offensive competency to hang around much longer, but for now they are still in the back of the pack in the playoff race.
24) Miami Dolphins
Don’t look now, but the Dolphins have won four games in a row. Granted, three of them came against some of the worst teams in the league, but that has elevated them to almost respectable. If they win their next two games vs the Giants and Jets then they will have flippered their way back to .500.
23) Atlanta Falcons
I find it somewhat amazing that the Falcons have done as well as they have this year. Their latest win against Jacksonville brings them up to a 5-6 record and are still in the thick of the playoff hunt.
22) Minnesota Vikings
Every time I think Minnesota might be a good team, they remind me why they’re not. Really the truth lies somewhere in the middle as a team that will likely float around .500 all year.
21) New Orleans Saints
Who would have thought that Jameis Winston was the key to the Saints success? Without him the offense has been nearly nonexistent.
20) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles had been cruising along as of late, led by a strong rushing attack. However, they dropped a key game to the division rival Giants and are once again looking at an uphill battle.
19) Washington Football Team
All of a sudden, Washington is once again fighting for a playoff spot. With the defensive talent they have they can’t be counted out.
18) Las Vegas Raiders
Beating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving is a nice win for the Raiders as they continue to keep their season afloat. Derek Carr deserves all the credit in the world for this team’s success.
17) Pittsburgh Steelers
Tying the Lions and getting blown out by the Bengals should leave Steelers fans feeling uncomfortable. I have no reason to believe in this Pittsburgh offense.
16) Denver Broncos
It’s a simple formula in Denver. Play defense, run the ball and manage the game. This is a winning formula, but it leaves little room for error with subpar quarterback play.
15) Cleveland Browns
The ground and pound Browns are as tough in the trenches as anyone in the league. However, they can’t seem to put it together and are held back by their quarterback situation.
14) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have a lot of good things going for them, but their inability to stop the run is a serious problem. Such a glaring weakness can’t be overlooked.
13) San Francisco 49ers
Outside of the Rams, the 49ers still haven’t beat a team that I would consider a contender…or even good for that matter. There’s a real chance they are fools gold, but they’re hot right now.
12) Indianapolis Colts
The Colts have battled back all year and look to be one of the better teams in the NFL despite their record. Just ask the Bucs and Bills who had trouble containing this Colts team.
11) Cincinnati Bengals
Here we are in December and the Bengals still look like they’re for real. Not something I expected before the season, but I have no choice but to believe what my eyes are telling me now.
10) Tennessee Titans
The Titans have lost two games in a row. They have begun to feel the effects of the Derek Henry injury and it’s not good.
9) Dallas Cowboys
Cowboys fans might be feeling a little uncomfortable right now. The gap in the NFC East has narrowed after dropping three of the last four.
8) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens have climbed to 8-3 in ugly fashion. However, there are no styles points awarded in the NFL.
7) Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been hot and cold this season. If the can consistently play their best game then they’re one of the best teams in the NFL.
6) Los Angeles Rams
After looking like the best team in the NFL early on, the Rams look human. This team will go as far as Matthew Stafford takes them and he hasn’t been great in recent weeks.
5) New England Patriots
The more things change the more they stay the same. There is no reason the Patriots should be as good case they are from a talent perspective, but they’re playing great football right now.
4) Kansas City Chiefs
After looking like a Super Bowl hangover early in the season, the Chiefs are back on track to potentially be the best team in the AFC. Never rule out Patrick Mahomes.
3) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
A road win over a good Colts team was an encouraging sign for the NFL champs. As the Bucs are starting to get healthy they may be hitting their stride at the right time.
2) Arizona Cardinals
Even without Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins in recent weeks, the Cardinals are still at the top of the standings. A testament to how good they really are.
1) Green Bay Packers
Aaron Rodgers has put together another great season. The Packers keep winning and have the talent to go all the way.
