It finally happened, but truly our long national nightmare won’t end until the New England Patriots are evicted from the playoffs. Still, it’s nice to see them drop for the first time in 13 weeks.
1. Carolina Panthers – (11-0) The Panthers are the only undefeated team left in the league and there’s not a team left on their schedule that won’t come into the game as a legitimate underdog. It might be time for the ’72 Dolphins to get nervous. Last week: No. 2
2. Arizona Cardinals – (9-2) The Cardinals’ schedule is stacked here over the next five weeks with games against the Vikings, Packers and Seahawks coming up and they could lose all of them and still come in as the No. 2 seed. Last week: No. 3
3. Denver Broncos – (9-2) Brock Osweiler is 2-0 and has just beaten Tom Brady in a head-to-head match up. Something Peyton Manning rarely did, even at his best. Last week: 4
4. New England Patriots – (10-1) A loss to the Broncos wasn’t bad, because only the craziest Pats fans believed an undefeated season was possible. What really hurts is losing Gronk for God knows how long. That’s the difference in a Super Bowl run and a first-round exit. Last week: No. 1
5. Cincinnati Bengals – (9-2) With the Patriots mortal, it’s tome for another team to step up and take the reins of the AFC. The Bengals have five weeks to do it. Last week: No. 5
6. Minnesota Vikings – (8-3) The Vikings can’t beat the Packers, but it seems that everybody else can. The last time Minnesota led the AFC North it lasted just a week. Last week: No. 9
7. Seattle Seahawks – (6-5) The Seahawks are suddenly back in the playoff race, but to stay that way they’ll have to beat the Vikings and Cardinals to secure it. Minnesota is up first. Last week: No. 10
8. Green Bay Packers – (7-4) A month ago this Packers team seemed unbeatable. Then they lost to the Lions and it’s been downhill from there. Detroit is on the schedule again this week, so what better time than now to start that postseason run? Last week: No. 6
9. Pittsburgh Steelers – (6-5) Ben Roethlisberger says he’s out of the concussion protocol. Mike Tomlin says he isn’t. I still think he’ll play Sunday and he’ll have to if the Steelers want to beat the resurgent Colts. Last week: No. 7
10. New York Giants – (5-6) I guess the bye didn’t help. This Giants team is the biggest mystery in football and comes in as the underdog against the team they share a stadium with. That’s probably bad news for the Jets. Last week: No. 8
11. Indianapolis Colts – (6-5) Matt Hasselbeck is now 4-0 and people, dumb people, are starting to say the team should roll with him when Andrew Luck is healthy. Running your franchise quarterback out of town after one injury-riddled year is how you kill a dynasty and end up sending another team to the Super Bowl with your guy, Colts. Just ask the St. Louis Rams. Last week: No. 12
12. Kansas City Chiefs – (6-5) The Chiefs are not only alive for the playoffs, but they’re the top AFC wild card team right now. The AFC West title is completely out of reach, but this is a team that can win a playoff game. Mainly because it’ll be against the Texans or the Colts. Last week: No. 15
13. Houston Texans – (6-5) The Texans are also suddenly alive for the playoffs as they’ve decided to go ahead and play defense, whether their offense shows up or not. It’s worked out so far. Last week: No. 14
14. Buffalo Bills – (5-6) The loss to the Chiefs was inexcusable and with Houston coming up on the schedule, the Bills have to play playoff teams to get into the playoffs. They don’t seem to have it in them to get it done. Last week: No. 11
15. Atlanta Falcons – (6-5) The Falcons have lost four straight games after opening the season 5-0. Now they face a defacto elimination game against the Bucs with the Panthers still on the schedule twice. Last week: No. 13
16. New York Jets – (6-5) I think Brandon Marshall is good on TV, but the effort the hosts take in not being honest about the Jets when he’s on is head-scratching. This is a mediocre team that will miss the playoffs. Last week: No. 16
17. Oakland Raiders – (5-6) The Raiders are not only still alive for the playoffs, they can spoil the Chiefs playoff positioning while they make their own run. Last week: No. 17
18. Chicago Bears – (5-6) A huge win over the Packers and suddenly no one is laughing about the Chicago Bears anymore. They aren’t ready to do the Super Bowl Shuffle there, but a “.500 Shuffle” is not out of the question. Last week: No. 18
19. Washington Redskins – (5-6) Look who’s leading the NFC East. Seriously, look. Because it’s just going to be for a week or two so you might as well enjoy it, Redskins. Last week: No. 31
20. New Orleans Saints – (4-7) The Sean Payton farewell tour gets a visit from Cam Newton this week, so adapt your Daily Fantasy roster accordingly. Last week: No. 20
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – (5-6) Jameis Winston has the Bucs in playoff contention in December. Who could have written that script out last season. But, maybe we should have suspected. Winston always seems to play his best come January. Last week: No. 21
22. Baltimore Ravens – (4-7) Two wins in a row and one with Matt Schaub throwing pick-sixes about half the time he drops back. Man, this has to be a frustrating year for the Ravens. But, those high draft picks are going to be nice come April. Trust me. Last week: No. 23
23. Dallas Cowboys – (3-8) The Cowboys and Ravens are kind of in the same boat. They’re good teams having bad seasons thanks to poor luck, big plays and key injuries. The Cowboys too will load up in the upcoming draft and after the haul they had last season, including signing La’el Collins as a street free agent, that could be bad news for the rest of the NFC. Last week: No. 24
24. Jacksonville Jaguars – (4-7) The Jaguars have won just enough to knock themselves out of their usual spot in the draft’s Top Three and if they get the job done against the Titans, they may not even be in the Top Five. Strange times in Jacksonville. Last week: No. 25
25. Detroit Lions – (4-7) The Lions have won three games in a row and while Aaron Rodgers and the Packers will probably put a stop to that streak Thursday night, Jim Caldwell might not be leaving town after all. Last week: No. 26
26. Miami Dolphins – (4-7) The Dan Campbell fantasy has become a Miami Dolphins reality and all they can do now is mess up their draft position for their next head coach. Last week: No. 28
27. Philadelphia Eagles – (4-7) Sam Bradford should be back under center just in time for the team he’s quarterbacking to not make the playoffs again for the sixth season in a row. Last week: No. 19
28. San Diego Chargers – (3-8) The Chargers won this week but I still couldn’t write this without Googling to make sure he hadn’t just been fired. The ax is that close. Last week: No. 30
29. St. Louis Rams – (4-7) Speaking of fired, Jeff Fisher should be and, frankly, it should be the minute the Rams secure their fourth straight losing season under him. So two weeks, then. Last week: No. 22
30. San Francisco 49ers – (3-8) And also speaking of fired, you know who’s name you never hear listed in firing rumors? Let me give you a hint. His name rhymes with Slim Bomsula. The Yorks are determined to destroy this team. Last week: No. 27
31. Tennessee Titans – (2-9) The Titans and Raiders put on a barn-burner just like I expected. The Titans are probably two seasons away from really being something but they’ll get to load up in the draft this year to get there. Last week: No. 29
32. Cleveland Browns – (2-9) Austin Davis gets the starting nod this week, just as I suggested in my What We Learned column, so Ray Farmer and Mike Pettine. You are welcome. Now let’s talk about those uniforms. Last week: No. 32
