Week 15 in the NFL started with the Colts getting themselves back in the playoff race and ended with the Giants and Ravens keeping themselves in it. Our big movers in the power rankings this week are the Steelers, who have a real decent shot at running the table and taking the #2 seed in the AFC, the Eagles, who staked their claim as the second best team in their conference, and Jags who just keep winning.
The ranks this week were not kind to the New York Jets or the Green Bay Packers, who may be crumbling at the worst possible time.
Here are your power rankings for week 15 of the NFL season.
(1) New England Patriots – Another week, another blowout win over an opponent with a good record. Last week they blew out the Jets in Foxboro, this week they blew out the Bears in Chicago. Not really any debate over this one. (LW: 1)
(2) Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons look like they’re going to ride their cupcake remaining schedule straight to the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They face one more test against the Saints, but of course the game is at home. (LW: 3)
(3) Pittsburgh Steelers – If you’re a QB facing the Steelers how is the first thing you do before any play not find out where Troy Polamalu is and plan accordingly? (LW: 6)
(4) New Orleans Saints – It’s kind of a joke that the Saints are going to be a wild card with probably 12 or 13 wins and a sub .500 team from the NFC West is going to get a home game. (LW: 4)
(5) Philadelphia Eagles – A win on the road against Dallas sets up a showdown with the G-men next week which will likely decide the NFC East. (LW: 9)
(6) Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens beat the Texans just like everyone does. Get up early, watch them stage a comeback, then break their heart at the end. (LW: 6)
(7) Chicago Bears – The Bears headed into last weekend with the toughest last four games of any team in football. They failed their first test miserably by getting blown out at home by the Patriots. The Pats are a great team and I don’t think there’s a ton of shame in losing to them, but getting blown out at home is inexcusable. You don’t get to be considered a top 5 team after that. (LW: 5)
(8) New York Giants – They looked pretty slopping doing it, but the Giants beat up on the Favre-less Vikings. Next week they host the Eagles for NFC East supremacy. (LW: 9)
(9) Jacksonville Jaguars – You have to give this team some respect, they just keep winning. Having said that… I kinda feel the same way about them as the Bears. Yes they keep winning, but I still don’t think they’re that good. They’ll have a chance to prove me wrong next week against the Colts. (LW: 12)
(10) New York Jets– If the Packers and Chiefs hadn’t lost this week, I would have been tempted to push them out of the top 10. They got a lot of wins against bad teams and are starting crumble now that the season is getting tougher. Rex Ryan admitted he thought about benching Mark Sanchez during Sunday’s game. He may want to think harder if the second year man continues to struggle. (LW: 7)
(11) Kansas City Chiefs – I certainly didn’t expect them to win on the road against San Diego without Matt Cassell, but I didn’t think they look that bad either. When healthy and at home they’re a tough team. Outside of Arrowhead who would be scared of them in the playoffs? (LW: 12)
(12) Green Bay Packers – If Aaron Rodgers misses another game there’s a very good chance this team doesn’t make the playoffs. They’ve already lost the ability to control their own fate. (LW: 8)
(13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Got maybe the luckiest win of the year at Washington this week and it kept them alive in the NFC wildcard race. Still haven’t beaten a team with a winning record though. (LW: 13)
(14) San Diego Chargers – If they hadn’t choked against the Raiders two weeks ago, they could be wrapping the AFC West up. They kept themselves alive with a convincing win over KC. (LW: 17)
(15) Indianapolis Colts – Got a big win Sunday and can possibly take back the division with a win over Jacksonville next week. (LW: 21)
(16) Miami Dolphins – I’ll just copy and past what I wrote the last two weeks about this team “I have absolutely no idea what to expect of this team from week to week.” After stinking it up for a couple weeks they go to New York and manhandle the Jets. (LW: 22)
(17) St. Louis Rams – So much for the NFC West leader maybe getting over .500. They’re in line to play the Saints in the first round of the playoffs, which New Orleans fans are licking their chops over. (LW: 14)
(18) Seattle Seahawks – Does no one want to win the NFC West? (LW: 15)
(19) Oakland Raiders – Like Miami, this team could look really good or really terrible on any given week. They kinda looked both at times against Jacksonville. (LW: 16)
(20) San Francisco 49ers – The NFC West, where tanking for a better draft pick and trying to win the division are almost the same thing! (LW: 26)
(21) Minnesota Vikings – Was there a team in a worse spot this week than the Vikings? They lose their stadium, their QB, Percy Harvin, & Ray Edwards all in the same week. Then they get to play a “home” game in the stadium of a division rival. Having said that… they stink. (LW: 18)
(22) Cleveland Browns – Being without Colt McCoy has really slowed their momentum. (LW: 19)
(23) Dallas Cowboys – They didn’t get a win from Philly, but at least they were able to get Michael Vick’s autograph. (LW: 20)
(24) Houston Texans – It’s groundhog day again for the Texans. Fall behind early, stage a comeback, lose at the end. (LW: 17)
(25) Tennessee Titans – Randy Moss was not targeted once during their Thursday night loss to Indy. Win-win scenario huh Jeff Fisher? (LW: 24)
(26) Detroit Lions - The takeaway from Sunday is that the Lions were beating the Packers even before Rodgers got hurt. (LW: 29)
(27) Washington Redskins – Since their playoff hopes are over, Redskins fans should just enjoy the comical ways their teams comes up with to lose games every week. That Hunter Smith botched extra point might have helped you to a top 5 pick. (LW: 22)
(28) Buffalo Bills – They won, so that’s something. (LW: 27).
(29) Arizona Cardinals – Fordham University has produced Vince Lombardi, myself, and Cardinals QB John Skelton. NOT TOO SHABBY! (LW: 31)
(30) Denver Broncos – Last week, I seriously pondered whether Arizona was the worst team in the NFL. Then they blew out Denver this week, what does that say about the Broncos? (LW: 27)
(31) Cincinnati Bengals – Stretched the longest losing streak in the NFL to ten games. (LW: 30)
(32) Carolina Panthers – Not only is this a bad team, but they’re in a division with two great teams and one good one. (LW: 32)