Crowe - NFL Week #17 Power Rankings
John Crowe, Sports Contributor
Crowe - NFL Week #17 Power Rankings
The first 16 weeks of the season have certainly been topsy-turvy with teams at the top of our list early in the season, like the Cardinals, Bills, and Rams seeing their share of struggles along the way. Now, with just two weeks left in the regular season, it’s time for us to reset things as we look towards the postseason.
Are the Bills and Rams primed to take back their top spots? Can the Titans get healthy again and make a run? Can the Cardinals, Ravens, and Patriots rebound from their recent bad stretches? It’s all about who is playing the best right now with the league beset with Injuries and COVID-19 positive tests. Bucs head coach Bruce Arians head that COVID-19 list as the league enters its new five-day return protocol. It truly makes rosters in flux right up to game day.
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10. New England Patriots (9-6, Last week: ranked 5th)
The Patriots’ two-game losing streak couldn’t have come at a worse time for New England. Losses to the Colts and Bills have turned the Pats from a number one seed in the AFC into wild card contenders, currently ranked sixth in the conference. New England’s vaunted defense, once ranked number one at midseason, allowed Buffalo to waltz into the red zone seven times last Sunday, scoring on four of those chances. Meanwhile, rookie QB Mac Jones struggled on a 14-32, 143-yard day with two interceptions. They’ll need to rebound this week at home against Jacksonville to stay in the playoff race.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (9-6, Last week: not ranked)
If the Bengals could play the Ravens every week, they’d be a more dominant force rather than a team that’s up and down the last six weeks. Cincy put up 41 points for the second straight time against Baltimore as Joe Burrow threw for a career-high 525 yards and 5 touchdowns. This week, they get to prove if they’re for real as the Bengals host the top-seeded Chiefs.
8. Tennessee Titans (10-5, Last week: ranked 9th)
Welcome back, A.J. Brown. In his first action in over a month, the Titans wide receiver sliced through the San Francisco secondary for 11 catches, 145 yards, and a touchdown to rally Tennessee to a 20-17 victory. Now, if the Titans could get Derrick Henry (foot) and Julio Jones (hamstring/COVID-19) back healthy, they could return to being serious contenders in the AFC.
7. Indianapolis Colts (9-6, Last week: ranked 8th)
Without four starters on the offensive line and then losing a fifth plus tight end Jack Doyle on Christmas Day in Arizona, the Colts still managed to beat the Cardinals, 22-16. Carson Wentz threw a pair of touchdowns while Jonathan Taylor racked up 108 yards. The bad news for Indy is that Wentz could be out for week 17’s game against Las Vegas now that he’s on the COVID-19 reserve list. He’s eligible to come back on Sunday if he clears all the protocols with the Colts saying he’ll start if he’s cleared despite missing a full week of practice.
6. Buffalo Bills (9-6, Last week: not ranked)
The Bills are officially my yo-yo team of 2021. They’ve seen the tops of our weekly rankings back in week six while also finding themselves completely out of our top 10 over the past few weeks after back-to-back losses to the Patriots and Bucs. But, watching QB Josh Allen put the Bills on his back (314 yards, 3 touchdowns) while the defense shut down the Patriots in Foxboro in week 16, the Bills are now ready to reclaim the AFC East crown as long as they beat the Falcons and Jets at home the next two weeks.
5. Los Angeles Rams (11-4, Last week: ranked 6th)
The Rams survived three Matthew Stafford interceptions on the road in Minnesota Sunday, stopping the Vikings 30-23. That’s now three wins in a row for LA that puts them in the driver’s seat atop the NFC West standings. They could catch a break in Baltimore Sunday if quarterback Lamar Jackson (questionable – ankle) can’t play.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11-4, Last week: ranked 4th)
Not even the loss of Chris Godwin (torn ACL), Mike Evans (hamstring), Lavonte David (foot), and Leonard Fournette (hamstring) could slow the Bucs down. All Tampa Bay did was control Carolina from the get-go for a 32-9 victory to clinch the NFC South title. This week, it should be another easy one at the Jets as TB12 tries to improve the Buccaneers’ fourth-seeded spot in the NFC standings.
3. Dallas Cowboys (11-4, Last week: ranked 3rd)
We’ve been asking for weeks when the Cowboys’ offense would get going. Well, after putting up 49 offensive points led by Dak Prescott’s four touchdown passes in routing Washington 56-14, we’re waiting no more. Dak Prescott was doing anything he wanted Sunday night and now awaits the slumping Cardinals at home in week 17. Dallas is just one game behind the Packers for that top spot in the NFC and that coveted first-round bye.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (11-4, Last week: ranked 2nd)
Make no bones about it, the Chiefs are again the class of the AFC. Eight wins in a row have certainly proven that. Not only has Patrick Mahomes returned some consistency to the offense, beating the Steelers 36-10 without Travis Kelce (COVID-19) and Tyreke Hill only catching two passes after missing most of the week due to being on the COVID-19 list. KC’s defense has allowed an NFL best 12.8 points the last six weeks while netting two turnovers in seven straight games, will have its hands full Sunday at Cincinnati.
1. Green Bay Packers (12-3, Last week: ranked 1st)
Call the Packers the most consistent team of an inconsistent season. Since being routed in week one by the Saints in Jacksonville, Green Bay only has blemishes in a final-second loss at Minnesota and a 6-point loss at Kansas City when Aaron Rodgers was out on the COVID-19 reserve list. Now, has it been picture-perfect? Absolutely not. Example number one is Christmas Day’s 24-22 win over the Browns in which Baker Mayfield threw four interceptions, one coming on the final drive of the game. Still, the Pack is now just two victories over the Vikings and Lions away from the NFC Championship presumably coming through Lambeau Field again, a place in which Green Bay is 7-0 this season. They’re 11th ranked defensively, 15th ranked offensively, but combined, they’re #1 in our power rankings once more.
Games to watch in week 16:
Rams at Ravens – The Ravens have picked a bad time to lose four in a row.
Raiders at Colts – Both teams control their playoff destiny. One won’t at the end of this one.
Chiefs at Bengals – KC’s defense will get a stiff test from Mr. Burrow’s boys.
Cardinals at Cowboys – Kyler Murray is 7-0 at Jerry World.
Browns at Steelers – Could be Big Ben’s last home game as a Steeler Monday night.
Last week:
10. 49ers
9. Titans
8. Colts
7. Cardinals
6. Rams
5. Patriots
4. Buccaneers
3. Cowboys
2. Chiefs
1. Packers