We took Christmas week off for the Power Rankings and we’ve had a major upheaval with teams that will not factor into the postseason at all. Hey, it’s December. The Cream has already risen to the top. Off we go. Courage!
1. Carolina Panthers – (14-1) The Panthers take their first loss of the season and of all the things that all but ensured they’d get to the Super Bowl, this one is the biggest late in the season. It’s the best thing that could have happened to them. Last week: No. 1
2. Arizona Cardinals – (13-2) No team has looked better in the NFL over the last couple of weeks than the Cardinals. Considering that the playoffs are a week away that might spell bad news for the other 15 NFL playoff teams. Last week: No. 2
3. Denver Broncos – (11-4) Peyton Manning will be in uniform backing up Brock Osweiler this week. Will it stay that way for the playoffs? As long as Denver wins Sunday they’ll have a couple of weeks to figure it out. Last week: 5
4. New England Patriots – (12-3) As long as the Patriots get the job done against the Dolphins this week, they’ll have home field advantage in the playoffs. Fantastic. Just what we all wanted. Last week: No. 4
5. Cincinnati Bengals – (11-4) A.J. McCarron was OK against Denver, but losing out on that first-round bye may cost them an Andy Dalton appearance in the playoffs. Last week: No. 6
6. Green Bay Packers – (10-5) The loss to the Cardinals was as bad as it gets for the Packers. It showed them that, as good as they are, there’s a large gap between them and the top two teams in the NFC. Last week: No. 3
7. Kansas City Chiefs – (10-5) The Chiefs continue building on their win streak, doing something no team has ever done before; win 10 games in a row after starting the season 0-5. Last week: No. 10
8. Minnesota Vikings – (10-5) The Vikings have a chance to stick the Packers with the wild card spot with a win Sunday. The problem is the last time these two teams met Green Bay spanked them 30-13. Last week: No. 9
9. New York Jets – (10-5) It’s a “win and you’re in” situation for the Jets this week, but you know their former coach Rex Ryan would love nothing more than to screw up their postseason plans one last time. Last week: No. 11
10. Houston Texans – (8-7) The Texans have fought their way into the lead in the AFC South and only have to get past the Jagaurs to secure a division title and a first-round playoff defeat. Last week: No. 18
11. Seattle Seahawks – (9-6) The Rams simply have the Seahawks’ number this season and likely for seasons to come as three of their best defensive players weren’t even on the field in last week’s game. Seattle is already in the playoffs, but might have to take a beating from the Cardinals anyway. Last week: No. 7
12. Pittsburgh Steelers – (9-6) The Steelers took back control of their playoff destiny then immediately surrendered it again with a bad loss against the Ryan Mallett-led Ravens. Last week: No. 8
13. Washington Redskins – (8-7) They’ve done it. A team no one had ranked higher than No. 30 on their opening week Power Rankings has made the playoffs. Cats and dogs living together, etc… Last week: No. 13
14. St. Louis Rams – (7-8) A frustrating Rams season comes to an end with Jeff Fisher getting the chance at his first non-losing record since coming to St. Louis. The Rams lost three games by six points or less this season and took a horrible, stupid loss to Chicago. Just getting the job done in one of those games would have equaled a wild card spot this season. This team finds new ways to break my heart every season. Last week: No. 27
15. Oakland Raiders – (7-8) The Raiders too get a chance to finish up .500, they just have to beat the Chiefs who haven’t lost in recent memory and are fighting for an AFC West title. So good luck, guys. You’ll need it. Last week: No. 20
16. Atlanta Falcons – (8-7) The Falcons finally halted their six-game losing streak, winning their last two including the biggest upset of the year against the Panthers. It’s good for the Falcons who at least stopped the bleeding and it was good for the Panthers, all but ensuring they’ll win the Super Bowl. So really everybody won. Last week: No. 19
17. Indianapolis Colts – (7-8) Andrew Luck is out, Matt Hasselbeck is out and Charlie Whitehurst is out. Who are the Colts starting at quarterback? Former Miami Hurricane QB Stephen Morris, who they just signed from the Eagles’ practice squad. He’ll be backed up by washouts Josh Freeman and Ryan Lindley. None of these guys were even on the team two weeks ago, so things look good. Last week: No. 14
18. Buffalo Bills – (7-8) The Bills can’t make the playoffs this year, and can’t even match the record they put up last year under head coach Doug Marrone. What they can do is ensure that the New York Jets don’t make it either. Last week: No. 15
19. New York Giants – (6-9) The Giants sleepwalked through last week’s game against the Vikings after whatever playoff hopes they had were dashed. The heart is out of this team. They need a new head coach. Last week: No. 12
20. New Orleans Saints – (6-9) The best thing the Sean Payton farewell tour can do is take a few bad coaches out with him as he goes. Jim Caldwell of the Lions is a good start this week. Last week: No. 17
21. Chicago Bears – (6-9) Is 7-9 a good finish for this Bears team? I don’t know. I also don’t know if they can actually finish 7-9 since the game between them and the Lions is basically a pick ’em. Last week: No. 21
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – (6-9) The Jameis Winston vs Todd Gurley rookie of the year battle goes into the final week of the season. The Panthers’ defense may help put Gurley over the top. Last week: No. 16
23. Philadelphia Eagles – (6-9) The Chip Kelly experiment came to an inglorious end in Philadelphia. Sam Bradford’s tenure as quarterback could soon follow after this week. Last week: No. 23
24. Jacksonville Jaguars – (5-10) I could act like the Jaguars have a chance to spoil Houston’s postseason party, but with the crew of Subway sandwich artists and Waffle House fry cooks the Colts are starting at quarterback, winning this game probably does nothing to the playoff seeds. Last week: No. 24
25. Miami Dolphins – (5-10) Dan Campbell probably won’t be kept as the Dolphins’ head coach, but he can pad that resume for his next job with a win over the Patriots Sunday. Last week: No. 22
26. Baltimore Ravens – (5-10) You could do worse than keep Ryan Mallett as their back-up next season. Let the record show he’s not as prone to throw touchdowns to the other team as Matt Schaub. Last week: No. 25
27. Detroit Lions – (6-9) Remember when the Lions were talking like they were gearing up for a playoff run? Who knew Jim Caldwell was such an avant garde comedian. Last week: No. 29
28. Dallas Cowboys – (4-9) Just like the Ravens, the Cowboys need to look at their current quarterback and realize he’s probably the right guy to back-up their starter next season. It wouldn’t hurt to draft one in the middle rounds either. Last week: No. 26
29. San Francisco 49ers – (4-11) Usually when a coach is about to be fired there’s a palpable buzz that begins long before the season is actually over. I’ve heard no real buzz on Jim Tomsula and he should be wearing a beard of bees at this point. Last week: No. 28
30. Cleveland Browns – (3-12) The Browns are safe as of this moment to get the quarterback they really want in April’s draft, but a win Sunday could screw all that up. The 49ers are buzzing down their necks. Last week: No. 30
31. San Diego Chargers – (4-11) While Jim Tomsula isn’t getting the “fired” buzz, Mike McCoy is screaming “Bees! Bees!” from the head of the wicker man. Last week: No. 32
32. Tennessee Titans – (3-12) Hey, Titans. Bet I know who you’ve been on on the phone with all night, you crazy, flirty kids. Last week: No. 31
