Week 15 of the NFL season is officially wrapped up and there is a new number one at the top of the power rankings. Some massive games highlighted the week, with the late afternoon slate proving mightily important.
Compared to last week’s edition, here are the week 16 NFL power rankings!
1. Buffalo Bills (11-3) ↑3
A week after surprisingly falling to the Los Angeles Rams, the Bills marched into Ford Field and snapped the 11-game winning streak of the Detroit Lions, winning 48-42. Now, for the first time since week 12, we have a new number one in the power rankings. The Bills now own wins against the current top seeds in the AFC and NFC (Chiefs and Lions). In the win over Detroit, Josh Allen had another magnificent performance, putting up 362 yards passing for two touchdowns, along with two more touchdowns on the run. The Bills will head back home to take on the New England Patriots this Sunday.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2) ↔
It is now 10 straight wins for the Eagles. In the “Battle of Pennsylvania,” the Eagles defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers by two touchdowns, 27-13. In the win, the passing game, finally, looked sharp. Jalen Hurts threw for nearly 300 yards, with two passing touchdowns and one rushing touchdown. After all the reports of unhappiness in the relationship between Hurts and his star wide receiver A.J. Brown, he had a big day, catching eight out of 11 targets for 110 yards and a touchdown. It was the first game since week 1 where Brown had recorded at least 10 targets. The Eagles’ hunt to wrap up the division crown and inch closer to the No. 1 overall seed in the NFC, continues this week in a big-time matchup with the Washington Commanders.
3. Detroit Lions (12-2) ↓2
After a somewhat slow start, Jared Goff ended the day with an MVP performance of his own, gaining 494 yards through the air along with five touchdowns. Unfortunately for Goff and Co, the Lions long win streak snapped in front of a raucous home crowd. Dan Campbell continued his gutsy coaching, controversially attempting an onside kick at a questionable moment in the game. Still, this game felt more about the Bills win rather than the Lions losing. Detroit is still a top Super Bowl contender and the only question that remains is whether the Lions can continue to triumph despite a lengthy injury reserve list, with running back David Montgomery now suffering the same faith. Next, the Lions will try to bounce back at Chicago.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) ↓1
The Chiefs’ 21-7 win over the Cleveland Browns was overshadowed by the late-game injury of Patrick Mahomes. He left the game with an ankle injury and there remains uncertainty on whether the star quarterback will be able to give it a go in the Chiefs contest against the Houston Texans on a special Saturday slate of football. As far as the game itself, the Chiefs’ defense continued its impressive string of play, forcing a remarkable six Cleveland turnovers.
5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2) ↔
With the Lions losing a day earlier, the Vikings’ Monday night matchup with the Chicago Bears proved to be even more important. The Vikings defeated the Bears 30-12, thus making a tie atop the NFC North. Minnesota remains in eyeshot of home-field advantage and it may all come down to the last week of the season when the Vikings go toe-to-toe with the Lions. The Vikings visit the Pacific Northwest on Sunday against the Seattle Seahawks.
6. Green Bay Packers (10-4) ↑1
The Packers bounced back from a heartbreaking loss to the Lions in week 14, defeating the Seahawks in Seattle on Sunday night. Jordan Love continued his play of turnover-free football, throwing for 229 yards and two touchdowns. Josh Jacobs was also heavily counted on once again, taking 26 carries for 94 yards and a rushing touchdown. Currently, the Packers sit at the No. 6 slot in the NFC playoff picture. Green Bay will try to keep that trajectory going in another primetime bout on Monday night against the New Orleans Saints.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4) ↓1
The Steelers struggled mightily in their loss to the Eagles. Pittsburgh only had 163 total yards, had only 20 minutes of possession, and accounted for just 10 first downs compared to 26 by the Eagles. It was a regressive game for an offense that has surprised many due to the bounce-back year of Russell Wilson. The Steelers will try and regroup for a crucial division matchup with the Baltimore Ravens on Saturday, with a win giving Pittsburgh the division crown.
8. Denver Broncos (9-5) ↑2
After being down 13-7 heading into the half, Denver blanked the Indianapolis Colts in the second half with 24 unanswered points, winning 31-13. The win is the Bronco’s fourth in a row and they are currently in the sixth position of the AFC playoffs. Bo Nix had an up-and-down day, throwing for three touchdowns and three interceptions, with only 130 passing yards. The Denver defense forced five Colt turnovers, including a 50-yard fumble recovery for a score in the fourth quarter. The Broncos will look to stay hot and lock up a playoff berth with a division clash against the Los Angeles Chargers.
9. Baltimore Ravens (9-5) ↑2
In a get-right game, the Ravens pounded the New York Giants 35-14 on the road. It was an MVP-type performance from Lamar Jackson, who tossed five passing touchdowns with just four incompletions on the day. He also added 65 yards on the ground. Rashod Bateman led Baltimore receiving with 80 yards and two touchdowns on just three catches, good for nearly 27 yards per reception. The Ravens host the Steelers on Saturday.
10. Washington Commanders (9-5) ↑2
Despite facing two inexperienced quarterbacks, the Commanders just barely survived against a pesky Saints squad. The Commanders’ defense stood tall in a Saints two-point conversion attempt that would’ve given them the upset win. With the victory, the Commanders remain in the hunt for the NFC East title. Jayden Daniels had an efficient day of 25/31 passing with 226 yards and two touchdowns, while also leading the team in rushing.
11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6) ↑3
The Bucs are one of the hottest teams in the league and if they can stay atop the NFC South, Tampa Bay will be a dangerous team in the postseason. The Bucs toppled the Chargers in LA 40-17, a dominant performance. Tampa Bay, down 17-13 at the half, crushed the Chargers through the air with three Baker Mayfield passing touchdowns in the third and fourth quarters. Overall, Mayfield finished with four total touchdowns and 288 yards. Mike Evans also had himself a day with two touchdowns on a season-high 159 yards off nine catches. The Bucs will continue to ride this momentum in week 16 with a primetime fight in Dallas against the Cowboys.
12. Houston Texans (9-5) ↑1
It wasn’t the prettiest brand of football, but the Texans held off the Miami Dolphins for a 20-12 victory. It was another average day for CJ Stroud, who struggled to gain much despite throwing two touchdowns. The win plus the Colts’ loss gave the Texans their second straight AFC South title. A lot of thanks has to be given to the Houston defense, who forced four turnovers with Henry To’oTo’o leading the way for 11 tackles.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6) ↓5
The Chargers dropped their second straight and third out of their last four after a defeat to the Bucs. They were lifeless in the second half. In their six possessions, the Chargers went punt, punt, interception, turnover on downs, turnover on downs, and fumble. The running game was nonexistent and Justin Herbert was shut out through the air and onto the turf with three sacks. The Chargers’ matchup with the Broncos proves to be a mightily important one for LA, as they hang on to the seventh and final seed in the AFC playoffs.
14. Seattle Seahawks (8-6) ↓5
It was an ineffective day at the office for Seattle. The offense barely had 200 total yards and quarterback Geno Smith also came down with an injury, replaced by Sam Howell. The lone touchdown came from Zach Charbonnet in the fourth quarter. Jaxon Smith-Njigba also had a productive day with 10 catches for 83 yards. This loss knotted Seattle with the Rams for first place in the NFC West division.
15. Los Angeles Rams (8-6) ↔
In a sloppy field goal-filled game, the Rams left Santa Clara with a 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers. There was nothing flashy about this one, as the Rams used a balanced attack and strong defensive performance (3 sacks) to earn the division win. Kyren Williams had a heavy workload with 29 carries for 108 yards. Puka Nacua once again led the receiving core with seven receptions for 97 yards. The Rams now head to the East Coast for a pivotal week 16 bout with the New York Jets.
16. Arizona Cardinals (7-7) ↑2
In a must-win situation, the Cardinals comfortably snapped their three-game losing streak by beating the Patriots 30-17. James Conner had a 110-yard and two-touchdown day. Kyler Murray was turnover-free, and Trey McBride continued his breakout tight end season with nine more grabs for 87 yards. Arizona will now face the Panthers in Carolina, for what is another must-win game.
17. Atlanta Falcons (7-7) ↑3
The Falcons’ 15-9 win over the Raiders in Las Vegas isn’t even the biggest story to come out of Monday night. After another dismal performance from Kirk Cousins, Raheem Morris announced that rookie quarterback Michael Penix Jr will get the starting nod for week 16’s matchup with the Giants. Atlanta, sitting still firmly in the division and playoff race as a whole, is rolling the dice in hopes of trying to spark this talented offense. As for Cousins, his time as a Falcon appears to already be done.
18. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8) ↑3
It was a sloppy and high-scoring day of football between the Bengals and Titans, a game which saw a combined 10 turnovers and 744 yards of total offense. The Bengals though, using a strong first half, prevailed 37-27 to earn their second straight win and stay alive in the crowded AFC playoff picture. Cincinnati will try to stay alive when they come back home for the Battle of Ohio against the Cleveland Browns.
19. Miami Dolphins (6-8) ↓3
The Dolphins desperately needed a win to remain solidly in the playoff hunt. Their loss to the Texans hurts those changes but they’re not out just yet. Against Houston, Tua Tagovailoa struggled, tossing three interceptions and failing to eclipse the 200-yard mark. Miami needs a much better effort on Sunday against the San Francisco 49ers, in hopes of completing a last-second turnaround to end the season.
20. San Francisco 49ers (6-8) ↓1
Saying this season for the 49ers has been rough would be an understatement. The 49ers failed to reach the end zone against the Rams, with Brock Purdy and the entire offense not able to move the ball down the field for all 60 minutes. San Francisco had just under 25 minutes of possession, 10 fewer minutes than the Rams. This disaster of a season now heads south for a date with the Dolphins.
21. Indianapolis Colts (6-8) ↓4
Maybe if Jonathan Taylor hadn’t dropped the ball before reaching the end zone, things would’ve turned out differently. But sadly for the Colts, it was a second half of hell for them. All of their possessions ended in either a punt, turnover, or a turnover on downs. A 13-7 halftime lead was quickly erased by the Broncos, eventually losing by 18 points. The Colts head into a crucial matchup with the Titans this week.
22. Dallas Cowboys (6-8) ↑1
The Cowboys continued their string of competitive performances, beating the Panthers on the road 30-14. Cooper Rush had an efficient day with no turnovers, 214 yards, and three touchdowns. CeeDee Lamb had 116 yards with one touchdown and Rico Dowdle racked up his third straight 100+ yard game with a season-high 149 yards off 25 carries. The Dallas defense also turned the Panthers over four times.
23. New Orleans Saints (5-9) ↓1
Jake Haener may have gotten the start, but he did not finish the game, being replaced midway by rookie Spencer Rattler. The fifth-round draft pick crawled the Saints out of a 17-0 deficit, going 10/21 for 135 yards and one touchdown. In the last series, Foster Moreau’s 1-yard score led the way for the Saints to attempt a game-winning two-point conversion. Unfortunately for them, the home team was unsuccessful in their upset bid. Another major thing of note from this contest was the season-ending injury to star running back Alvin Kamara, who was ranked in the top 20 in both carries and yards across the league.
24. New York Jets (4-10) ↑4
In another close game, the Jets finally pulled through, leaving Jacksonville with a 32-25 win over the Jaguars. Aaron Rodgers had one of his better games of the year, throwing for 289 yards with three touchdowns. Davante Adams also exploded for his best game of the season, going nine receptions for 198 yards and two touchdowns. The Jets will now head back home for a duel with the Rams.
25. Cleveland Browns (3-11) ↓1
The Browns seem to be moving on from Jameis Winston. After another turnover-filled day against the Chiefs, Cleveland turned to Dorian Thompson-Robinson for the remainder of the game, and he will also be getting the start against the Bengals this coming week. Against the Chiefs, Jerry Jeudy had another impressive stat line with 11 catches for 108 yards, and Jerome Ford scored the lone Browns touchdown.
26. Chicago Bears (4-10) ↔
The troubles continue to rain down for the Bears in another blowout loss to the Vikings on Monday night. The Bears have struggled to remain competitive for weeks upon weeks, including in this game when Chicago was once again shut out in the first half. The Bears will try to snap their eight-game losing streak against the NFC leading Lions.
27. New England Patriots (3-11) ↔
New England’s trip to Arizona ended in a multi-touchdown loss. Drake Maye didn’t have a bad day, with only four incompletions for 202 yards, alongside an interception and touchdown. The loss though is the Patriots’ fourth in a row and things don’t get easier this week with a matchup against the Bills.
28. Carolina Panthers (3-11) ↓3
The Panthers could not replicate what they’ve done in the past few weeks, comfortably falling to the Cowboys. Bryce Young had a down game with four turnovers, two interceptions, and two fumbles lost. The only positive was rookie Jalen Coker having a career-high 110 yards and a touchdown in the loss. Carolina faces the Cardinals this week.
29. Tennessee Titans (3-11) ↔
After three early interceptions, Will Levis was benched in favor of Mason Rudolph. Rudolph finished the 37-27 loss to the Bengals with a 209-yard, 2 touchdowns, and one interception outing. Rudolph now seemingly has the starting job as he will get the full start this coming week against the Colts.
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11) ↔
The Jaguars had arguably their best offensive game of the season. Even in their loss to the Jets, Jacksonville had more total yards, first downs, and time of possessions. Mac Jones had nearly 300 yards and turned to rookie Brian Thomas and tight end Brenton Strange all afternoon. Strange led the team with 11 catches for 73 yards, and Thomas had 10 receptions for 105 yards with two touchdowns. This showing inches Thomas even closer to reaching 1,000 yards in his rookie season.
31. New York Giants (2-12) ↔
Tommy DeVito didn’t do the trick, so insert Tim Boyle, who came in mid-game against the Ravens. The Giants stood no chance and the offense continues to be a drag week in and week out. The only highlight is rookie Malik Nabers still somehow managing to have solid numbers despite the non-existent quarterback play. Nabers finished with 10 grabs for 82 yards and a score. The Giants face the Falcons in week 16.
32. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) ↔
The Raiders made it 10 straight losses on Monday, losing 15-9. Desmond Ridder had more turnovers than touchdowns, but Las Vegas still had a shot towards the end to tie or win the game. Jakobi Myers had a big last drive, having most of his five catch-59-yard performance in those last two minutes of play. The Raiders will face the equally bad Jaguars this Sunday.
