NFL Week 15 Power Rankings and Playoff Predictions

By Adam Hughes | Dec 9, 2014

Dec 7, 2014; Philadelphia, PA, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) looks to throw the ball against the Philadelphia Eagles during the second half at Lincoln Financial Field. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey G. Pittenger-USA TODAY Sports

Week 14 NFL season brought us some surprises, some clunkers and some blowouts, but it also brought a bit of clarity to some of the playoff races. With just three weeks left in the regular season, it’s time again to rank the 32 teams from top to bottom. As usual, we throw in our playoff predictions with just a bit more confidence than we’ve had the last two weeks.

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The rankings …

32. Tennessee Titans – Even at home and against the terrible Giants, the Titans could not avoid a blowout loss.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars – Jacksonville will battle Tennessee for the worst record in the NFL.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Another week, another big loss for the Bucs. Smells like 1977 in TB.

29. Washington Redskins – That the Redskins have three wins in 2014 seems utterly impossible after the last two weeks.

28. New York Jets – The Jets took an improving Vikings team to OT before succumbing. Close-but-no-cigar won’t save Rex Ryan.

27. Oakland Raiders – The Raiders won the Battle of the Bay and probably cost themselves the first pick in the 2015 NFL Draft.

26. Chicago Bears – The Bears were outclassed by Dallas on Thursday, and Chicago is done for the season.

25. New York Giants – The last time the New York Giants won a football game, Jimmy Carter was the President, but they demolished the Titans in Tennessee.

24. New Orleans Saints – The Saints are just all over the place, and they look like a playoff long-shot.

23. Carolina Panthers – The Panthers went into New Orleans and crushed their division foes to keep their playoff hopes alive.

22. Minnesota Vikings – The Vikes hold on for a big OT win over the Jets.

21. Atlanta Falcons – The Falcons couldn’t take control of the division, but the sure played the Packers tough in the second half. Prediction: NFC South Champion

20. San Francisco 49ers – The Raiders may have just two wins, but they stuck a fork in the Niners, and in Jim Harbaugh’s San Fran tenure.

19. Kansas City Chiefs – Chiefs couldn’t take advantage of a weakened Cardinals team, and the playoffs look further away with each passing week.

18. St. Louis Rams – The Rams are all of a sudden more than respectable, and nobody should want to play them in the coming weeks.

17. Cleveland Browns – The only AFC North team who failed to gain on Cincinnati, Cleveland is a mess at QB.

16. Houston Texans – The Texans smashed the Jags on the road to keep faint playoff glow alive.

15. Buffalo Bills – The Bills tried to come back in Denver but fell short, and so may their playoff push.

14. Miami Dolphins – Even at home, the Dolphins were no match for the Ravens.

13. Cincinnati Bengals – The Bengals fell apart in the fourth quarter against the Steelers, whom they’ll face in Pittsburgh in the season’s last game.

12. San Diego Chargers – Losing to the Patriots in Foxboro happens to all teams at some point, but the Chargers still have a shot at the playoffs. Prediction: AFC Wild Card

11. Arizona Cardinals – The Cardinals finally got another win, but it was far from convincing over the Chiefs at home. Prediction: NFC Wild Card

10. Pittsburgh Steelers – A fourth-quarter fire gave the Steelers a big win over the Bengals as the stretch run unfolds. Prediction: AFC North Champion

9. Baltimore Ravens – The Ravens once again look like the best team in the AFC North, but they were swept by Cincy, and that will hurt their playoff chances. Prediction: AFC Wild Card

8. Dallas Cowboys – Trouncing the Bears helped a lot, and so did the Eagles’ home loss. Prediction: NFC East Champion

7. Philadelphia Eagles – The Eagles took one on the chin on Sunday, and it might be tough to recover from.

6. Detroit Lions – The Lions beat up on the Bucs just like they were supposed to. Prediction: NFC Wild Card

5. Indianapolis Colts – Whew! The Colts barely overcame the Browns, but Indy maintains its two-game lead in the division. Prediction: AFC South Champion

4. Seattle Seahawks – The Seahawks kept rolling on Sunday and will be tough to beat from here on out. Prediction: NFC West Champion

3. Denver Broncos – Peyton Manning was not very good against the Bills, but the Broncos held on to beat the Bills. Good omen in Denver. Prediction: AFC West Champion

2. New England Patriots – December in New England means the Patriots will probably win, and they did. Prediction: AFC East Champion

1. Green Bay Packers – The Pack avoided a complete collapse against Atlanta, but disaster was thisclose. Prediction: NFC North Champion

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