Just when we started to feel like we knew what was going on in the NFL, the league threw us a massive curveball in Week 14. We thought the Texans had joined the contenders list in the AFC after beating the Patriots, only to turn up lifeless at home against the Broncos. The Chargers had played close games all year, so naturally they blew out the Jaguars by 35. With the 49ers beating the Saints, the door was open for the Seahawks to seize control of the NFC playoff picture. Seattle ended up being soundly beaten by the rival Rams.

Even Eli Manning added to the fun with a return as the starting quarterback for the Giants. We are also seeing trends we are not used to seeing in the NFL. The Patriots have lost back to back games. Aaron Rodgers had another off week as Green Bay narrowly escaped a scrappy Washington team. The Steelers continue to win despite missing just about every meaningful skill position player. Football is an unpredictable sport, and there are sure to be a few more wrinkles before the playoffs get underway.

1. Baltimore Ravens: 11-2 (Last Week: 1)
Won 24-17 at Buffalo
Baltimore is now going toe-to-toe with the best the NFL has to offer. During this nine-game win streak, the Ravens have beaten the Steelers, Seahawks, Patriots, Texans, Rams, 49ers and now Bills. Lamar Jackson did not have his best game, but still threw three touchdown passes. Baltimore’s defense is playing at an elite level, holding Josh Allen to 3.7 yards per attempt. That was in addition to racking up six sacks. Until someone can stop these runaway Ravens, they will be glued to the top spot of these rankings.

2. San Francisco 49ers: 11-2 (Last Week: 4)
Won 48-46 at New Orleans
I will admit that I was skeptical of this 49ers team despite all the wins. I knew the defense was really good, but could they find a way to win if they had to rely on the offense? Clearly, the answer is yes. This was a respectable Saints defense that Jimmy Garoppolo had a lot of success against. He spread the ball around and showed he has developed a connection with Emmanuel Sanders. San Francisco is going to be tough to stop given their ability to adjust from week to week. However, the defense mysteriously disappeared. Drew Brees had five touchdown passes and the 49ers had no sacks in the contest.

3. New Orleans Saints: 10-3 (Last Week: 3)
Lost 48-46 vs. San Francisco
This a bitter pill to swallow for the Saints. Heading into the game, the focus was on how well New Orleans’ offense would fare against a dominant San Francisco defense. Clearly, the Saints forget to prep their own defense for the challenge. Any time you give up 48 points, a lot of things went wrong. New Orleans gave up huge chunk plays and had no way to slow down the running game, as the 49ers gained 6.8 yards per carry. All of this boils down to the Saints giving up the top seed in the NFC.

4. Seattle Seahawks: 10-3 (Last Week: 2)
Lost 28-12 at Los Angeles
Maybe I am making too much out of one game, but this was a troubling loss for the Seahawks. The Rams have their number. Los Angeles was just a missed field goal away from knocking off Seattle earlier this year. This time around, the Rams rolled to a convincing win. The Seahawks could not get into the end zone on offense, with their lone trip coming on a pick-six. Again, it was just one game, but this is a bad sign for Seattle come the postseason, where one bad game will end your year.

5. Kansas City Chiefs: 9-4 (Last Week: 6)
Won 23-16 at New England
Kansas City finally won in Foxborough. It wasn’t always pretty, but there is a lot to like about this performance. Patrick Mahomes did not play his best. However, he made enough plays in the first half for the defense to close things out. It was a rough night running the ball as well, making this defensive showing even more impressive. The Chiefs appear to be back on track after some midseason struggles. Assuming Mahomes can get back to full strength, this team will be poised for a deep playoff run.

6. New England Patriots: 10-3 (Last Week: 5)
Lost 23-16 vs. Kansas City
Simply stated, New England was outplayed. There is no question the Patriots ended up on the wrong side of a couple of bad calls on Sunday. However, that does make up for what was another poor outing for the offense. Jakobi Meyers dropped passes, Tom Brady missed throws and Sony Michel managed eight yards on five carries. New England has now lost against the other three teams currently leading their divisions in the AFC. Between injuries and declining play, this team is at risk of missing out on a first-round bye in the playoffs.

7. Green Bay Packers: 10-3 (Last Week: 7)
Won 20-15 vs. Washington
It was another questionable outing by the Packers, failing to put away a team it should have battered. Green Bay got off to a hot start, but that quickly fizzled into a slugfest. The passing game continues to underwhelm, as Aaron Rodgers finished under 200 yards passing again. Aaron Jones made up for a lot of that with 134 yards and a touchdown. At some point though, it would be good to see the Packers get back to beating up on teams lower down in the standings, especially starting rookie quarterbacks. Green Bay finishes with three straight divisional games, so the margin for error is going to disappear quickly.

8. Minnesota Vikings: 9-4 (Last Week: 9)
Won 20-7 vs. Detroit
Minnesota rode its defense to a comfortable victory over Detroit. It wasn’t flashy, but there was never a point where this game felt in doubt. Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook did enough to lead the offense, but it would be good to see them pick up the pace a bit. This Lions defense had been one of the worst in the league entering the weekend, so 20 points is far from impressive. With the Vikings still trailing the Packers by a game in the NFC, Mike Zimmer needs to get this group to click in the final few weeks of the season.

9. Los Angeles Rams: 8-5 (Last Week: 12)
Won 28-12 vs. Seattle
For the first time since the Super Bowl, the Rams looked a lot like the team who won the NFC last year. Los Angeles ran the ball 35 times and set up Jared Goff to be comfortable. The heavy run focus allowed Goff to utilize play action against a Seahawks defense that already struggles to rush the passer. Give the defense a lot of credit as well for shutting down Russell Wilson. Seattle failed to reach the end zone on offense, which is a testament to how well Los Angeles played on Sunday night. Suddenly, the Rams are back in playoff contention.

10. Tennessee Titans: 8-5 (Last Week: 11)
Won 42-21 at Oakland
Ryan Tannehill has to win some kind of award for his performance this season. He has led an explosive offense in the second half of the year, highlighted by throwing for 391 yards and three touchdowns against the Raiders. With the Texans losing to the Broncos, the possibility for a division title is more real than ever. However, the Titans will get tested in these final three games. Two games with Houston sandwich a visit from New Orleans. Time to see if Tannehill can continue to shine with the pressure on.

11. Houston Texans: 8-5 (Last Week: 8)
Lost 38-24 vs. Denver
In terms of shocking results, this one takes the cake for Week 14. Hosting a Broncos team that has struggled all year featuring a rookie quarterback making his second career start, this should have been a comfortable victory. The Texans beat the Patriots a week ago after all. Instead, the defense made Drew Lock look like a Hall of Famer. Deshaun Watson accounted for three total scores, but he also threw a pair of interceptions. This game was 38-3 before Denver just hit cruise control the rest of the way. This was a colossal failure by Houston, as it lost ground in the AFC and the division.

12. Buffalo Bills: 9-4 (Last Week: 10)
Lost 24-17 vs. Baltimore
A rough day from the Buffalo offense cost it a chance to knock off the kings of the NFL. Josh Allen was ineffective against a talented Ravens defense. On the flip side, the Bills actually did a pretty good job of containing Lamar Jackson. With three games left, Buffalo only trails New England by one game in the division and heads to Foxborough in Week 16 for an AFC East showdown.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers: 8-5 (Last Week: 13)
Won 23-17 at Arizona
Pittsburgh held on for another road win with a limited offensive lineup. That is most because defensively the Steelers are playing about as well as anyone else in the league. With five sacks, three interceptions and a punt return touchdown, Pittsburgh made up for a banged up offense. Joe Haden came up with a game-sealing interception for the second week in a row. The race for the final playoff spot is going to be tight between the Steelers and Titans.

14. Chicago Bears: 7-6 (Last Week 15)
Won 31-24 vs. Dallas
Has Mitchel Trubisky finally broken out of his funk? I think its too early to tell, but his play of late has kept the Bears’ playoff hopes alive. He tore apart a woeful Dallas defense. Chicago’s run defense did just enough to limit Ezekiel Elliott, despite giving up two touchdowns on the ground. There is still a long way to go if the Bears are truly going to reach the postseason, but they are not mathematically eliminated yet.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 6-7 (Last Week: 18)
Won 38-35 vs. Indianapolis
Jameis Winston has become the league’s ultimate gunslinger. He racked up 456 yards passing and four touchdowns against the Colts. Winston also tossed three interceptions, including a pick-six. Still, he lead Tampa Bay to 17 unanswered points to close the game. One of the most interesting questions to be answered this offseason will be what the Buccaneers decide to at quarterback, because the former Florida State star is quite the conundrum.

16. Philadelphia Eagles: 6-7 (Last Week: 16)
Won 23-17 (OT) vs. New York
That was ugly in every sense of the word. The Eagles slept walked through the first three quarters of this game. Philly is about as banged up as any team in football. Greg Ward was the team’s most productive wideout. If it wasn’t for Zach Ertz and Boston Scott, the Eagles would never have been able to make this comeback. This concerning win brings Philadelphia level with Dallas in the division though, meaning the season is far from over. While the Eagles have looked really rough this year, if they can get healthy in time, they might just surprise some people.

17. Cleveland Browns: 6-7 (Last Week: 19)
Won 27-19 vs. Cincinnati
Cleveland avoided the embarrassment of losing to Cincinnati and kept its slim playoff chances afloat. Baker Mayfield had a terrible outing, completing under 50 percent of his passes. He added two interceptions to the mix as well. Thankfully the running game and defense bailed him out. Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt both punched in a score, while Denzel Ward took one of Andy Dalton’s passes to the house. The Browns are not playing great football, but this was a solid win.

18. Dallas Cowboys: 6-7 (Last Week: 14)
Lost 31-24 at Chicago
The sky is falling in Dallas as the Cowboys fall below .500. America’s team has been a mess in recent weeks, especially defensively. Mitchell Trubisky looked like one of the league’s best passers facing that Dallas secondary. On the flip side, Dak Prescott is moving the ball down the field, but too many drives have come up empty. A late surge made the scoreline look respectable, but this was another beatdown for a team lacking an identity. Despite all the well-documented problems, the Cowboys are still in control of the NFC East.

19. Indianapolis Colts: 6-7 (Last Week: 17)
Lost 38-35 at Tampa Bay
I still don’t know the Colts lost this game. Jameis Winston threw three interceptions, including one that was returned by Darius Leonard for a touchdown. Tampa Bay had no real success running the ball either, yet Indianapolis continued to get burned by Winston through the air, squandering a 14-point second half lead. The path to the playoffs is a lot tougher now as Indy trails Houston and Tennessee by two games. This defense needs to step it up down the stretch if the Colts are going to catch either of them.

20. Denver Broncos: 5-8 (Last Week: 21)
Won 38-24 at Houston
The Drew Lock era picked up a monumental win over the Texans. The Broncos had easily their best offensive game of the year in a thrashing. Lock looked great, as did fellow rookie Noah Fant. Defensively, Denver took its foot off the gas after building a 35-point lead, but this was a real showcase of how good the unit can be. This final stretch could go a long way in building a bright future for the Broncos.

21. Los Angeles Chargers: 5-8 (Last Week: 23)
Won 45-10 at Jacksonville
Finally, the Chargers featured in a lopsided game. Los Angeles blew the doors off an overmatched Jacksonville squad. Austin Ekeler accounted for over 100 yards rushing and over 100 yards receiving. The contest got so out of hand that Tyrod Taylor made an appearance and threw a touchdown pass. This is the type of showing the Chargers have been waiting for all year long. It is likely too little too late, but it certainly gives them something to build on.

22. Atlanta Falcons: 4-9 (Last Week: 24)
Won 40-20 vs. Carolina
Once again, Atlanta dominated Carolina. Matt Ryan carved up the Panthers secondary, while Devonta Freeman and Brian Hill turned in solid performances on the ground. With four forced turnovers, this was a complete showing. The struggles for the Falcons this year have been around keeping everyone healthy, evidenced by the latest news that Calvin Ridley is done for the rest of the season. There is talent on this roster, Atlanta just can’t seem to get everyone on the field together.

23. Oakland Raiders: 6-7 (Last Week: 20)
Lost 42-21 vs. Tennessee
Things have gone sideways in Oakland. After a 6-4 start, the Raiders have lost three straight in incredible fashion. The latest one secured the AFC West for Kansas City. The offense played reasonably well in Josh Jacob’s absence, but the defense has fallen off a cliff. Ryan Tannehill shredded the secondary and Derrick Henry ran all over the front seven. Tennessee is certainly headed in the right direction, but Oakland offered little resistance.

24. Carolina Panthers: 5-8 (Last Week: 22)
Lost 40-20 at Atlanta
It was another uninspiring day for the Panthers defense. Turns out that firing Ron Rivera did nothing to solve the problems currently facing this team. It is clear Carolina needs Cam Newton back and desperately needs to find some more talent to add to the secondary. Getting blown out by a combined total of 46 points by Atlanta is just a sign of how far this team needs to go in order to get back on track.

25. Arizona Cardinals: 3-9-1 (Last Week: 26)
Lost 23-17 vs. Pittsburgh
It was a bit of a bounce back for the Cardinals despite the final result. However, the same issues cropped up once again. Kyler Murray took five sacks and tossed three interceptions. Defensively, Arizona played one of its better games of the year, but it was against a decimated Pittsburgh offense. In the end, the errors and inexperience proved to be too much as the Cardinals dropped their sixth straight contest.

26. Washington: 3-10 (Last Week: 27)
Lost 20-15 at Green Bay
It was ultimately a loss, but honestly this was closer than Washington ever should have been with Green Bay. There are some brutal stats in this game for Dwayne Haskins and company. Aaron Jones outrushed the entire Washington team and the offense as a whole barely managed over 250 yards. Defensively, Bill Callahan has this team playing the best it has all season. Four sacks coupled with holding Aaron Rodgers under 200 yards passing, Washington has plenty to hang its hat on. Now if only Haskins would start to show signs that he is taking the next step.

27. New York Jets: 5-8 (Last Week: 30)
Won 22-21 vs. Miami
This team is unbelievably banged up. With Le’Veon Bell, Jamal Adams, most of the offensive line and a good chunk of the defense unavailable, this was a gutty performance. On one hand, New York held Miami out of the end zone, giving up seven field goals. On the other, Sam Darnold had an uneven performance, but it ultimately ended in a win. The Jets still have plenty of holes on the roster, but they are starting to identify a decent base to rely on going forward.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-9 (Last Week: 25)
Lost 45-10 vs. Los Angeles
Turning the offense back over to Gardner Minshew did not provide much of a spark. The Jaguars got steamrolled at home in an embarrassing meeting with the Chargers. Jacksonville has to do a better job establishing the run and figure out what happened to its once-dominant defense. With five straight losses and a mess of problems, it would not be a surprise to see the team move on from coach Doug Marrone at the end of the year.

29. Miami Dolphins: 3-10 (Last Week: 28)
Lost 22-21 at New York
At least Miami knows it has a good kicker. Otherwise, this was a disappointing follow up to knocking off the Eagles the week prior. Ryan Fitzpatrick did his best to power a lackluster offense, leading the team in rushing. It was also a bit ridiculous to not see more of DeVante Parker against a banged up Jets secondary. No one expected the Dolphins to be competitive this season, but now that they have shown the capability, it is tough to stay positive when they drop games like this.

30. Detroit Lions: 3-9-1 (Last Week: 29)
Lost 20-7 at Minnesota
If there is any team wishing for the season to end right now, it is the Lions. With Matt Stafford and Jeff Driskel hurt, David Blough has been thrust into action. He proved to be outmatched by a good Vikings front seven on Sunday, taking five sacks, including three at the hands of Danielle Hunter. It is hard to judge this team right now given the lack of talent it has to work with, but that doesn’t make the slow crawl to the end of the year any less painful.

31. New York Giants: 2-11 (Last Week: 31)
Lost 23-17 (OT) at Philadelphia
For one half, it looked like Eli Manning was going to channel some of that mind-boggling magic as he has done so often throughout his career. Instead, the offense flopped in the second half and the defense could not hold on to see the game out. There were some positive signs as Darius Slayton continues to look like a diamond in the rough, but the secondary is still a joke and Saquon Barkley still has not been able to get back into the same groove he was in a year ago. Given how far this young team feels from competing right now, the result is probably a good thing. Chase Young is well within reach.

32. Cincinnati Bengals: 1-12 (Last Week: 32)
Lost 27-19 at Cleveland
Cincinnati could not find a way to string together wins, but played tough in the loss. Andy Dalton is clearly not the future at quarterback, but his play relative to Ryan Finley indicates Finley isn’t the future either. This team seems like a lock for a top-two pick, meaning they should have their preference of the current college quarterbacks. There is a very good chance we will see Joe Burrow suiting up for the Bengals in the not-too-distant future.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone! We had a loaded week of games, including three on turkey day. There were a ton of notable results this week. The Ravens edged the 49ers to maintain their spot atop the power rankings. Seattle downed Minnesota and moves into first place in the NFC West with San Francisco losing. Baltimore also takes over in the AFC with New England falling in Houston.

As if that wasn’t enough, the Jets made the wrong kind of history by becoming the first team to lose two games in one season against teams that entered the game with an 0-7 or worse record. The Bengals can celebrate like they just won the Super Bowl, because they avoid joining the Browns, Buccaneers and Lions in the winless season club, but still hold onto the first overall pick at the moment. This might be the most active week yet in terms of teams shifting in the rankings. They look almost unrecognizable compared to a week ago given all the significant results.

1. Baltimore Ravens: 10-2 (Last Week: 1)
Won 20-17 vs. San Francisco
Week after week, Baltimore continues to show why it is the toast of the NFL right now. There is a mess of teams sitting at 10-2 right now, but the Ravens look the best of the bunch, besting the 49ers in some miserable weather on Sunday. It was far from a dominant showing, but Lamar Jackson continued to wow and the defense stepped up big time to make some critical plays. It felt like an old-school contest with both teams eclipsing the 150 yard-mark on the ground. Justin Tucker hit the walk-off winner and the road to the Super Bowl might just run through Baltimore.

2. Seattle Seahawks: 10-2 (Last Week: 2)
Won 37-30 vs. Minnesota
Seattle’s impressive run continues despite a near collapse. The Seahawks definitely let Kirk Cousins and company back into the game with a couple of costly mistakes, but made enough plays down the stretch to seal the win. The run game carried Seattle much of the night, finishing with 218 yards and a pair of touchdowns. It allowed the Seahawks to dominant time of possession at a nearly two to one ratio. Pete Carroll has this team atop the NFC West and in line for a first-round bye, but it cannot afford any slip ups with how tight the conference is at the moment.

3. New Orleans Saints: 10-2 (Last Week: 5)
Won 26-18 at Atlanta
The end of this game got very interesting in all the wrong ways for Saints fans, but the defense held on for a significant victory. New Orleans sacked Matt Ryan nine times and locked up the NFC South in the process. Pair that with a loss by the 49ers and suddenly the Saints can think about homefield advantage throughout the playoffs. Those two teams will face off in the Bayou in the biggest matchup of Week 14. Winner will likely get that coveted first-round bye.

4. San Francisco 49ers: 10-2 (Last Week: 3)
Lost 20-17 at Baltimore
This was a tough way to lose given how well the defense played. Lamar Jackson tore up the 49ers on the ground, but San Francisco did a good job limiting him as a passer. Jimmy Garoppolo just could not find a way to spark the offense in the second half. It has been a great start to the season for San Francisco, and losing on the road to a top team is forgivable, but the offensive showing left a lot to be desired. Suddenly, San Francisco is facing the prospect of a road playoff game after leading the conference heading into the weekend.

5. New England Patriots: 10-2 (Last Week: 4)
Lost 28-22 at Houston
Welcome to the point in the year where everyone panics about the Patriots. It is happening a little later than usual, and this time might actually be warranted. Despite the final scoreline, New England trailed 28-9 in the fourth quarter of this game. A late push almost saw the Pats come all the way back, but it is clear this offense is not in a good place. Tom Brady struggled for most of the game, while the defense was far from dominant. There isn’t really much of a resume to make you think this team is ready to contend either, with only two wins over teams currently above .500. With Kansas City up next, the Patriots need to get back on track fast if they hope to hang onto that first-round bye.

6. Kansas City Chiefs: 8-4 (Last Week: 7)
Won 40-9 vs. Oakland
This felt like the weirdest Chiefs’ dominant performance in recent memory. Patrick Mahomes barely completed 50 percent of his passes, threw for one touchdown and was held under 200 yards passing. Kansas City did not break 100 yards rushing and averaged just 3.3 yards per carry. Naturally, KC won by 31. The Chiefs defense led the way, forcing three turnovers. It was a bizarre game, but the result is all that matters as Kansas City builds a cushion in the AFC West. A showdown with the Patriots awaits.

7. Green Bay Packers: 9-3 (Last Week: 8)
Won 31-13 at New York
The Packers did what they needed to do in dominating the Giants. There were still some signs of recovering from last week’s beatdown against San Francisco. It took Green Bay a long time to truly put the game out of reach and the ground game struggled a lot in the snow. Aaron Rodgers was red hot despite the wintry weather, tossing four touchdowns. The Pack are back on track heading into the final four games of the regular season.

8. Houston Texans: 8-4 (Last Week: 9)
Won 28-22 vs. New England
Welcome to the party Houston. The Texans announced themselves as contenders on Sunday night by taking down the reigning champs. While they almost blew it, this was truly a dominant display. Deshaun Watson was masterful and the defense did a good job of frustrating Tom Brady for most of the night. I’m sure Bill O’Brien will have much to say about the near collapse, but the win keeps Houston atop the AFC South.

9. Minnesota Vikings: 8-4 (Last Week: 6)
Lost 37-30 at Seattle
Minnesota dug itself another hole, and this one was too deep to climb out of. The Vikings will have no one to blame but themselves after committing a number of errors that ultimately cost them a chance to win. Dalvin Cook had a game to forget, but Mike Zimmer did not do enough to establish the run in this game. There were things to like from this outing though, as Minnesota hung tough on the road with one of the best teams in the NFC. Close only counts in horseshoes, but the Vikings have easily-identifiable areas for improvement.

10. Buffalo Bills: 9-3 (Last Week: 11)
Won 26-15 at Dallas
Don’t look now, but the Bills are just one game behind the Patriots in the AFC East. Can Buffalo really start thinking about its first division title since 1995? It might be a bit early for that, but beating the Cowboys on Thanksgiving keeps those dreams alive. Josh Allen played great, accounting for two scores and no turnovers. Devin Singletary continues to emerge as a true multi-use back as well. Defensively, the Bills gave up a ton of yards, but forced two turnovers. Buffalo gets it biggest test yet with a visit from Baltimore on the horizon.

11. Tennessee Titans: 7-5 (Last Week: 12)
Won 31-17 vs. Indianapolis
Are the Titans for real? Tennessee currently sits just outside the AFC playoff picture and is just a game back of Houston in the division. The Titans also own a win over the Chiefs this year as well. Ryan Tannehill is 5-1 as the starter as he and Derrick Henry continue to revitalize this offense. The defense continues to make big plays as well with two interceptions and a blocked field goal returned for a touchdown. Tennessee will get a chance to prove itself in this final stretch with games against Oakland and New Orleans and a pair of contests with Houston remaining.

12. Los Angeles Rams: 7-5 (Last Week: 14)
Won 34-7 at Arizona
These are the Rams we expected to see for most of this season. Jared Goff threw the ball all over the yard, hitting the 300-yard mark before halftime, and finishing with 424 and a pair of scores. Los Angeles had a productive day running the ball as well, led by Todd Gurley. This might have been against one of the worst defenses in the league, but it keeps LA’s playoff hopes alive and provides something to build on moving forward.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers: 7-5 (Last Week: 15)
Won 20-13 vs. Cleveland
Pittsburgh won again and I’m still extremely confused as to how. The offense is missing it’s starting quarterback, running back and wide receiver. Delvin Hodges made his first NFL start against the Browns and led them to an important victory. The defense got after Baker Mayfield and Joe Haden pulled the plug on his former team’s comeback bid with a late interception. Pittsburgh is holding onto the final AFC playoff spot at the moment, but must face the Bills and Ravens to close the season.

14. Dallas Cowboys: 6-6 (Last Week: 10)
Lost 26-15 vs. Buffalo
Dallas got punched in the mouth on Thanksgiving, losing the third of its last four games. That once prolific offense struggled to put up points for the second week in a row as well. The deficit was really instrumental in how this game unfolded. After falling behind early, the Cowboys had to abandon the run. That played right into the Bills’ hands, who have a great secondary, but are suspect against the run. Dallas is somehow still comfortably leading the NFC East, but this team has first-round exit written all over it right now.

15. Chicago Bears: 6-6 (Last Week 20)
Won 24-20 at Detroit
Are the Bears finally on the right track? Maybe. Their jump in rankings is more about the teams around them struggling and less about them. So many teams on the outside of the playoff bubble lost this week, but Chicago pulled out a much-needed victory. Even though Detroit’s defense is terrible, it was good to see Mitchell Trubisky excel. He finally got over the 300-yard mark passing on the year. The Bears are truly a long shot to reach the playoffs, but they have another winnable game coming up when they face the Cowboys.

16. Philadelphia Eagles: 5-7 (Last Week: 13)
Lost 37-31 at Miami
The spiral continues for Carson Wentz and the Eagles. Philly dropped its third game in a row with a devastating loss to Miami. Wentz actually played fairly well, with his interception coming on a Hail Mary that was batted around to end the game. It was the Eagles defense that had absolutely no answer for Ryan Fitzpatrick and DeVante Parker. Parker had 159 yards and two touchdowns, while Fitzpatrick threw for 365 yards and three touchdowns. The Eagles still control their playoff fate, but this team seems to have a new unit that falls apart every week.

17. Indianapolis Colts: 6-6 (Last Week: 17)
Lost 31-17 at Tennessee
In what was a clear litmus test for both teams in this contest, Indy proved once again that injuries and kicking woes were too much to overcome. With Marlon Mack and T.Y. Hilton still out, this offense is playing with a skeleton crew. It is a testament to this team’s core that they are still competitive and sitting at .500, but the Colts need to get healthy to really make a playoff push. It might not take anything more than a 9-7 record to reach the postseason in the AFC after all.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: 5-7 (Last Week: 21)
Won 28-11 at Jacksonville
Jameis Winston failed to throw a touchdown pass and the Bucs won by 17. This defense came to play, chasing Nick Foles from the game. Tampa came up with three turnovers and scored a touchdown on one of them. Peyton Barber punched in a pair of touchdowns as well. There is definitely something to be excited about for this club after winning back-to-back games for the first time this season. It is not out of the question for the Buccaneers to win out, but it is just as likely they finish 0-4. Time to see if Tampa Bay can find some consistency.

19. Cleveland Browns: 5-7 (Last Week: 19)
Lost 20-13 at Pittsburgh
It was another frustrating loss for the Browns, who lost all the momentum they had built in recent weeks. Pittsburgh was about as beat up and inexperienced at key positions as Cleveland could have hoped, but it could not make that matter. Baker Mayfield was uninspiring. Nick Chubb had a subpar game. The Steelers also got to Mayfield five times in the contest. Considering the expectations for this team, specifically the offense, heading into the year, Freddie Kitchens is in some hot water with this latest performance.

20. Oakland Raiders: 6-6 (Last Week: 16)
Lost 40-9 at Kansas City
Oakland entered Sunday with a chance to take the lead in the AFC West. Instead, the Raiders laid an egg for the second week in a row, getting blown out in a game they needed to win. It was an awful performance from the offense. It committed three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown. After a second-straight lackluster performance, Oakland has to stop worrying about the playoffs and simply focus on executing. The AFC’s final playoff spot is still up for grabs, but the Raiders will have no shot at it if they keep playing in their current form.

21. Denver Broncos: 4-8 (Last Week: 27)
Won 23-20 vs. Los Angeles
Drew Lock played much like you would expect from a rookie quarterback making his first NFL start. He had some good plays mixed with some bad and really didn’t light up the box score. Lock did push the ball downfield and make some tough throws to lead the Broncos to a victory. Without Von Miller or Bradley Chubb, the defense still played well and made enough plays to give Denver a chance to win. With injuries piling up, these final four games represent nothing more an evaluation period for young players, mostly notably Lock.

22. Carolina Panthers: 5-7 (Last Week: 18)
Lost 29-21 vs. Washington
I wanted to drop Carolina even further after this dismal performance, but so many teams around them in the rankings also lost. Saw what you want about Kyle Allen, I expected a lot more from this defense. The Panthers gave up 248 yards rushing, 8.3 yards per carry and three rushing touchdowns. Considering Washington is playing with a rookie quarterback, this is completely unacceptable. Carolina is in free fall right now after losing four straight and looking like it might be headed for a rebuild of some kind.

23. Los Angeles Chargers: 4-8 (Last Week: 25)
Lost 23-20 at Denver
Los Angeles lost its eighth game of the season and its eighth one by fewer than eight points. This last one was unbelievably unlucky considering the controversial pass interference call that set up the Broncos winning field goal. Defensively, the Chargers need more out of their front seven playing against a rookie quarterback in his first start. LA hit Drew Lock exactly zero times. It has been a lost season for the Chargers, who may have to start thinking about moving on from Philip Rivers.

24. Atlanta Falcons: 3-9 (Last Week: 22)
Lost 26-18 vs. New Orleans
After an uninspiring first 55 minutes, the Falcons suddenly sprang to life and almost made an unthinkable comeback. In the end, Atlanta dropped to 3-9. The patchwork offensive line gave up nine sacks to the Saints and failed to open too many holes for the run game. It has been another injury-plagued year that will end in disappointment. Atlanta will have some major questions surrounding the franchise this offseason.

25. Jacksonville Jaguars: 4-8 (Last Week: 23)
Lost 28-11 vs. Tampa Bay
Nick Foles has only played three games for the Jaguars, but looks like he might be a very expensive mistake. Doug Marrone pulled the former Super Bowl MVP in favor of Gardner Minshew. The offense responded better under Minshew and finally stopped turning the ball over. The 2017 AFC championship game feels like a lifetime ago now and Jacksonville feels much closer to a rebuild than it does a return to the postseason.

26. Arizona Cardinals: 3-8-1 (Last Week: 24)
Lost 34-7 vs. Los Angeles
Even when they weren’t winning, it was easy to highlight the positives in every performance for Arizona. That was much harder to do on Sunday. The Cardinals were overmatched by a Rams team that seemed very prepared for the matchup. The secondary continues to rival the worst in the league after giving up an astronomical number of yards to Jared Goff in the first half. Kyler Murray also looked lost and confused for much of the game, taking six sacks and tossing an interception. Expectations were never high for Arizona this year, but performances like this should not be happening.

27. Washington: 3-9 (Last Week: 28)
Won 29-21 vs. Carolina
Wait. Washington has won back-to-back games? Adrian Peterson and Derrius Guice powered the offense to an impressive win. Dwayne Haskins continues to look very raw, missing on a lot of passes and showing lots of room for improvement. Still, he avoided turning the ball over, which has to count for something. There is no way this team will rush for nearly 250 yards every week, but this looks like a winning formula.

28. Miami Dolphins: 3-9 (Last Week: 31)
Won 37-31 vs. Philadelphia
Miami definitely isn’t tanking anymore after taking down the Eagles. The Dolphins still have a long way to go, but Brian Flores deserves a lot of credit for this team’s recent success. Ryan Fitzpatrick continues to make plays for an offense lacking proven playmakers and DeVante Parker played the best game of career. The defense did just enough to hang on for the win. The result won’t really mean much in the standings, but it a sign this team is headed in the right direction.

29. Detroit Lions: 3-8-1 (Last Week: 29)
Lost 24-20 vs. Chicago
I’ve got to give the Lions a lot of credit. Most teams would’ve folded heading into a divisional game on a short week with an undrafted rookie quarterback making his first start. Instead, Detroit was incredible competitive and actually looked fairly polished offensively, given the circumstances. Having Kenny Golladay made that easier, but when David Blough and and Bo Scarborough are doing a lot of the heavy lifting, this was impressive. The defense is still a mess, but that’s nothing new. The Lions are approaching things with 2020 vision.

30. New York Jets: 4-8 (Last Week: 26)
Lost 22-6 at Cincinnati
Welcome back to the roller coaster ride that is the New York Jets. After battering a playoff-hopeful Raiders team, the Jets looked lifeless against a winless Bengals team. It is clear Adam Gase is still struggling to figure out how game plan for the talent he has available. Injuries have decimated this roster, but that humility remains the same. New York continues to end up on the wrong side of historic losses and the list of offseason needs continues to grow.

31. New York Giants: 2-10 (Last Week: 30)
Lost 31-13 vs. Green Bay
Not to be outdone by the inept Jets, the Giants were overmatched in a snow storm on Sunday. The Packers are a very good opponent, but there is a lot to be concerned about with this team. Saquon Barkley seems to have regressed from last season. Daniel Jones had a rough outing, but those are to be expected from a rookie quarterback. The larger issues exist on defense, where New York offered little resistance for Aaron Rodgers. It is hard to stop the future Hall of Famer, but this was another questionable showing defensively.

32. Cincinnati Bengals: 1-11 (Last Week: 32)
Won 22-6 vs. New York
It finally happened! The Bengals will avoid the company of the Browns, Lions and Buccaneers after winning their first game of the year. Predictably, it was against the Jets. Andy Dalton looked pretty sharp in his return to the starting lineup. His stats don’t even do his performance justice given how many touchdown passes Cincinnati dropped in the contest. This probably doesn’t save Dalton’s job long term, but it does buy him credit from grateful fans who are undoubtedly thankful to avoid that embarrassing bit of history.

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