NFL Power Rankings Week 14
“Who is the best team in the NFL?”
Over the past two weeks, everyone that I have come across that wants to talk football asks me that question.
My honest answer is, “there isn’t one.”
That’s kind of surprising, right? I mean – these are NFL power rankings, after all. There has to be a No. 1 team, doesn’t there?
Yeah, I have the Rams in the No. 1 slot this week, despite their loss at Carolina last week. That loss was a fluke. (And for everyone that thinks that West Coast teams going east doesn’t matter, that game was another example of why it does.) And I didn’t want to put the Seahawks ahead of the Rams since they just played a few weeks ago and the Rams won (albeit barely).
Here is the reality: parity has always been the goal of the NFL structure. Everything, from the draft to scheduling to the salary cap, is set up to achieve balance and parity. And that’s what we have.
Dynasties like the Chiefs and the Patriots are the outliers. People have forgotten that because we’ve lived the shadow of these two dynasties for this entire century. But this is what the NFL really is, stripped down to its core.
And isn’t this what everyone wants? People hate the Chiefs. Just like they hated the Patriots before them. Well, now there is no top team. There’s a vacuum. And this is what pro football looks like
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Here is Doc’s Sports NFL Power Rankings:
1. Los Angeles Rams (9-3) – I know Sean McVay is an offensive genius. But he put some stupid on display in that Carolina game. The Rams were averaging 7.9 yards per carry heading into their final drive, down 31-28, against the Panthers. Yet, on that final drive McVay called for seven passes and just three runs, the last of which led to Matt Stafford’s sack and fumble and ended the game.
2. Seattle Seahawks (9-3) – The Seahawks have won 11 of 12 road games but will have a tricky task this week. They must avoid the letdown this week while also traveling to Atlanta for the dreaded 10 a.m. PST start. The Seahawks are 6-2 straight up and against the spread in the EST the last two years, including a 34-14 thrashing of this same Falcons team in Atlanta last October.
3. Buffalo Bills (8-4) – This week’s weather forecast has a 50 percent chance of snow and a high of 24 degrees. The Bills are 15-1 straight up in their last 16 home games but just 1-5 against the spread in their last six games against the Bengals. Buffalo is 14-1 SU in its last 15 games played in December.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6) – This is the game. Kansas City must beat a surging Houston team that has a healthy C.J. Stroud and the best defense in football. If Kansas City does that, I do think that they win out and get to 11 victories and the playoffs. If they can’t overcome this punishing Texans group (whom they’ve beaten five straight times; including last year in the playoffs) then I think the Chiefs come up short.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) – Nick Sirianni has been to two Super Bowls, winning one, and his record as an NFL head coach is 56-24 through his five years at the helm. It is absolutely insane that he didn’t know to kick the extra point when his team scored a touchdown to go down 24-15 with 3:10 remaining. That is high school-level game management and grade school-level math.
6. Green Bay Packers (8-3-1) – Jordan Love was absolutely dealing last Thursday. When he gets in a groove like that this offense is tough to stop. Green Bay feels a little strong as a six-point favorite against Chicago…until you remember that the Packers are 22-7 ATS in their last 29 games against their rivals.
7. Chicago Bears (9-3) – This offense is so diverse. Right now, Chicago and Dallas seem like the two toughest offenses to stop. The Bears have two different backs, four different receivers, and two different tight ends that can go off on any given day. Braxton Jones was a horror show last week and needs to clean it up at right tackle. He was singlehandedly keeping the Eagles in the game last week.
8. New England Patriots (11-2) – Another completely uninspiring win against a sad sack opponent. I do give the Patriots credit for being physical as hell, though, and the rebuilt left side of their offensive line held up well against the Giants.
9. Denver Broncos (10-2) – Another completely uninspiring win against a sad sack opponent. The Broncos are 16-1 SU in their last 17 games as a favorite under Sean Payton but have covered just two of their last nine games when laying points.
10. Detroit Lions (7-5) – The foundation of this team has been its offensive line and its power running game. The Lions are too beat up along their starting five to control games anymore. Trying to bring Frank Ragnow out of retirement – only to have him fail his physical – was a sign of desperation from the organization. They know they are in trouble. The Lions are just 1-4 ATS in their last five Thursday games and just 9-21 SU in games played on Thursday.
11. Indianapolis Colts (8-4) – I am surprised to see the Colts as road favorites this week against the Jaguars. They haven’t played well in Jacksonville (2-9 SU and 3-8 ATS) and the Colts only have two wins (none since mid-October) against teams projected to make the playoffs (Chargers, Broncos).
12. Los Angeles Chargers (8-4) – For as good as the Chargers have been defensively, they have allowed opponents to score on over 75 percent of their red zone appearances over the last month. The Chargers are just 1-12 SU in their last 13 games as an underdog and 12 of their last 15 games on Monday Night Football have gone ‘under’.
13. Houston Texans (7-5) – DeMeco Ryans’ decision not to kick the field goal to go up 23-16 with 3:55 was egregious stupidity. Just because his defense bailed him out that doesn’t mean he made the right decision. I don’t want to hear the, “I just believe in my guys” crap. That was ridiculous.
14. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) – That is now three straight wins and the 49ers have done a great job of beating up bad teams this year. Their last five wins (Browns, Panthers, Arizona, Giants, Falcons) have all come by double-digits.
15. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) – Despite one of the weakest home crowd advantages in all of football, Jacksonville is 5-2 SU and ATS in its last seven games at home. The Jaguars have dominated the Colts, going 17-4 ATS in their last 21 games against Indianapolis and winning nine straight home games against the Colts.
16. Baltimore Ravens (6-6) – The Ravens are just 3-8 SU in their last 11 games against the Steelers. Nine of the last 12 games between these two teams have gone ‘under’ and the favorite has gone 3-1 SU and ATS in the last four meetings.
17. Dallas Cowboys (6-5-1) – This team is playing with the two most important factors in late season football: confidence and momentum. They’ve won and covered three straight. The defense has improved enough to allow their nearly unstoppable offense to do its thing. If this team can avoid turnovers and general stupidity – two staples of Dallas football for decades – then they are going to be tough to beat down the stretch.
18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) – The Bucs are still just 1-5 ATS in their last six games – and they coved last week by a half point. They are 1-6 ATS in their last seven home games and this team is still leaking oil. Tampa Bay is just 2-5 SU and 0-7 ATS in their last seven home games against the Saints. The Bucs are 22-8 SU in their last 30 divisional games.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-6) – I hate to say it, because I love the guy, he’s been a great moneymaker, and I would take him as my coach in a heartbeat. But it is time for Mike Tomlin to go. He would be unemployed for about 15 minutes. But Pittsburgh needs a change – and I think Tomlin does too.
20. Carolina Panthers (7-6) – Now that Jalen Coker is back healthy this passing offense has significantly more juice. He’s been good for 14 catches (on 18 targets) over the last four games and he and Tet McMillan (who I’ve been saying is awesome all year) make a solid pair. If only they had a quarterback.
21. Miami Dolphins (5-7) – Tua is trash. The end. So many of his throws are simple five-yard rollouts to wide open guys that aren’t moving (or are barely moving). And he can barely handle that. The Dolphins are 15-6 SU in their last 21 games against the Jets and 11-4 ATS in their last 15 versus New York. Miami is 5-2 ATS in their last seven games in New York.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8) – The Bengals have had Buffalo’s number, going 6-2 SU in their last eight games against the Bills and 5-1 ATS in the last six meetings.
23. Minnesota Vikings (4-8) – That was bleak. Minnesota’s offensive output, rated with the EPA per play metric, ranked as the second-worst performance of any NFL this season. Las Vegas’ 31-0 loss at Kansas City in Week 7, in which the Raiders gained all of 95 total yards, was the only one worse.
24. Arizona Cardinals (3-9) – That was one of the most hapless two-minute drills I’ve ever seen. Arizona got the ball back, down 3, with 1:49 remaining at their own nine-yard line. They completed two passes for all of eight yards, burning 51 seconds in the process, before throwing two more incompletions to end the game. Just a work of art.
25. Atlanta Falcons (4-8) – There is no rational explanation why Atlanta special teams coordinator Maurice Williams is keeping his job. Atlanta has been a mess on that side of the ball all season long. And my only thought is that Raheem Morris, whose own coaching career is hanging by a thread, thinks another staff shakeup (he already fired his receivers coach after Week 3) would be a sign of weakness. I think it would be a sign that he finally notices the problem.
26. Washington Commanders (3-9) – That was a great showing by Washington’s offensive line against a dominating Denver front seven. Washington rushed for 143 yards and allowed just two sacks, going 3-for-3 in goal-to-go situations. That’s still seven straight losses, but that was Washington’s first ATS win during this losing streak.
27. Cleveland Browns (3-9) – There is no way that this team should be favored over anyone, yet they are laying four points to Tennessee this week. The Browns have lost six of their last seven games outright when posted as a favorite, going 1-6 ATS (obviously). This passing offense is a wreck and Kevin Stefanski really looks like a guy that’s mailing it in at the moment.
28. New York Jets (3-9) – That is now four straight covers for the Jets, who are a meaty 8-4 ATS on the season. New York was outgained by over 100 yards in that win over the Falcons last week. They also outgained the Dolphins by over 100 yards in their loss at Miami earlier in the year. So maybe the Laws of Football just don’t apply to this team.
29. New Orleans Saints (2-10) – Tyler Shough stinks. That he showed baseline competence for one quarter against a Miami team in full ‘prevent’ mode shouldn’t obscure the fact that he is just not an NFL-caliber quarterback. The Saints are 7-0 ATS in their last seven games in Tampa Bay.
30. New York Giants (2-11) – You know what happens when you fire a head coach midseason? The details start getting missed. Things like, I don’t know, special teams. That was a putrid effort from the Giants special teams on Monday, allowing over 200 yards on returns, a return touchdown, and a botched field goal. Also, it’s clear that Jaxon Dart just doesn’t get the whole, “protect yourself” thing.
31. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10) – Since Las Vegas’ gritty 10-7 loss at Denver on Nov. 6, the Raiders have been outscored by a combined 88-40 over their last three games, all ATS losses, and have fired their offensive coordinator. They have actually been excellent against the Broncos over the past decade, going 15-6 ATS in the last 21 meetings and 7-3 SU and ATS in the last 10.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-12) – “To win, you got to lose,” Cam Ward said after that embarrassing 25-3 loss to the Jaguars on Sunday. The Titans offense is impossible to watch. They were 2-for-12 on third down again Sunday and are now converting a league-worst 29.4 percent of their third downs.
Robert Ferringo has posted seven of 10 winning football seasons, including last year thanks to an astounding +10,660 football run last season. Robert banked nearly +40,000 in profit between 2010-2019 for a 10-year average profit of nearly +4,000. He has earned 11 of 16 overall winning years and 69 of 114 winning months while also going 23-9 with his football futures rated 5.0+ and earning 16 of 19 winning Super Bowls. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and he is set for another amazing football season.
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