We’re essentially halfway through the third quarter of the 2023 NFL regular season — and the races are heating up. Three divisions are still very much up for grabs — as are five of the six wild card spots.
Oh, and the Caleb Williams sweepstakes are now a three-way horse race with five weeks to go. Things are getting juicy entering December, alright. So without further ado, let’s dive into our Week 13 editions of the 2023 NFL power rankings.
32. Carolina Panthers (32)
Sunday’s ugly road loss to the Tennessee Titans clinched a fifth straight season of double-digit losses for the Panthers and led to Frank Reich’s dismissal.
Young and fellow rookie Will Levis both struggled to move the ball in a tight 17-10 Tennessee victory. The only bright side for Carolina is that this miserable season has just six games remaining.
31. New England Patriots (31)
Just how bad are the Patriots these days? Chad Ryland missed so badly on his game-tying attempt in the waning seconds that some fans accused Bill Belichick of telling his rookie kicker to miss intentionally for tanking purposes…
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Try to stay calm, Pats fans. Your team is this-close to guaranteeing themselves one of Caleb Williams, Drake Maye and Marvin Harrison Jr.
30. Arizona Cardinals (30)
Arizona’s embarrassing 37-14 blowout loss at home to the Los Angeles Rams serves as a reminder that this team needs more than Kyler Murray to realistically compete again.
The defense allowed four passing TDs to a struggling Matthew Stafford. They didn’t record a single sack while allowing Murray to take four sacks himself. There just isn’t enough star power or depth on this team to compete with tough opponents.
At least Arizona is closing in on a top-three pick of their own, because they desperately need a game-changer like Marvin Harrison Jr…
29. Washington Commanders (26)
It’s pretty amazing that Ron Rivera remains head coach after a 45-10 blowout loss to the Dallas Cowboys. He was allowed to fire defensive coordinator Jack Del Rio and yet will presumably finish out this lost season as Washington’s coach? Okay then.
28. New York Jets (24)
Even if Aaron Rodgers gets the clean bill of health before Week 18, what’s the point? These Jets are helpless and nowhere close to playoff contention.
Four straight losses now — three of them by 21 or more points. Wasn’t Robert Saleh supposed to be a defensive guru?
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (25)
Sunday marked the Bucs’ fourth one-score loss this season — and it was a lost opportunity with the NFC South-leading New Orleans Saints losing to the Falcons.
Even with a manageable schedule the rest of the way, the Bucs don’t inspire any reason for optimism. This is an ageing and sluggish team in need of a giant overhaul in the offseason.
26. Tennessee Titans (28)
Derrick Henry carried the Titans offense with two rushing scores in a 17-10 win over Carolina that snapped a three-game losing skid.
The Titans’ final six games come against teams with winning records — so they have the enthralling opportunity to play spoiler and shake up the AFC playoff picture.
25. Chicago Bears (29)
What a gutsy win for Matt Eberflus and the Bears in Minnesota. The Justin Fields-DJ Moore connection led the offense, while Chicago’s D put the clamps down on a red-hot Josh Dobbs-led Vikings offense.
Cairo Santos booted the game-winning field goal in the waning seconds to move Chicago to 4-and-8 — thereby already surpassing last year’s win total. And how fun it had to be to put a major dent in a division rival’s postseason hopes!
24. Los Angeles Chargers (23)
We feel terrible for Justin Herbert, Keenan Allen and Khalil Mack at this point. Yanno, three superstars who are giving it their all each week and still having their efforts go to waste?
The Bolts’ rapidly shrinking playoff hopes took a brutal blow in Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens. The 4-and-7 Chargers have already matched last year’s losing total and would be lucky to avoid double-digit losses at this point.
Turn off the lights. The party’s over.
23. New York Giants (27)
Well, the Giants are giving their fans something to cheer about this year. Undrafted rookie Tommy DeVito won his second straight start on Sunday, with the Giants narrowly outlasting the Patriots 10-7 at MetLife Stadium.
Unlike the Panthers and Patriots, these Giants are showing some fight and pride. They simply aren’t going down without a fight.
22. Las Vegas Raiders (19)
The Raiders jumped out to a 14-0 lead on Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs…only to watch it evaporate in a flash. Vegas was outscored 31-3 the rest of the way in another game that shows just how far away they are from making noise in the crowded AFC.
One consolation: Aidan O’Connell is showing some promise as a rookie….
21. Cincinnati Bengals (18)
The Bengals surprisingly kept it close against the heated rival Steelers, but the Jake Browning-led offense just couldn’t do much against the TJ Watt-led defense.
This season is lost without Burrow. But as we saw in Week 12, the Bengals aren’t going down easy — and they can play spoiler for playoff hopefuls.
20. New Orleans Saints (16)
Sunday’s loss to Atlanta was the Saints season in a nutshell. More yards of offense and time of possession than the opponent…but the awful red zone issues and costly turnovers once again doomed Derek Carr and company.
0-for-5 in the red zone. Two costly turnovers — including a game-sealing pick-six to Jessie Bates. Losers of two straight, the 5-and-6 Saints are just giving this division away to Atlanta.
And they gave Carr $150 million for this?
19. Los Angeles Rams (22)
Don’t look now, but the Rams are now just a game out of the playoffs following their Week 12 demolition of the Cardinals. The Rams, by the way, performed a season series sweep of the Seahawks — the very team they’re catching for the NFC’s final wild card spot.
LA’s offense is slowly but surely rounding into form at the most pivotal time. A return to the postseason is not out of the question for Sean McVay and company.
18. Green Bay Packers (21)
Like the Rams, the Packers aren’t to be overlooked in the NFC wild card race. Green Bay made a big-time statement on Thanksgiving Thursday by dominating the NFC North-leading Detroit Lions at Ford Field.
Don’t let the seven-point victory fool you — the Packers completely dominated from start to finish.
After hosting the Chiefs on Sunday, the Packers face just one more team with a winning record: The Minnesota Vikings — one of the team’s Green Bay is trying to catch in the playoff race — in Week 17. Buckle up.
17. Atlanta Falcons (20)
It wasn’t pretty, but the Falcons made fewer mistakes than New Orleans in a sloppy 24-15 victory that catapulted them into sole possession of first in the NFC South.
Atlanta and New Orleans are both 5-and-6 with six games to go. Chances are high that their Week 18 showdown at the Superdome will be for all the marbles. And by marbles, we basically mean the opportunity to get crushed by the Dallas Cowboys in the Wild Card Round…
16. Minnesota Vikings (14)
An absolutely deflating loss for a playoff-hopeful Vikings team to the Bears on Monday night. From 1-and-4 to 6-and-4 to back to .500.
The Vikings head into the bye week before visiting the Raiders in Las Vegas in Week 14. On the bright side, Justin Jefferson should be back for the final stretch run and postseason push.
15. Buffalo Bills (13)
The Bills gave it their all against the NFL’s best team on the road…but they just couldn’t stop MVP front-runner Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense when it mattered most.
The gut-wrenching loss dropped the Bills to 6-6 — half a game out of the final playoff berth in the AFC. Easier said than done, but if Buffalo can somehow win out — not impossible with Josh Allen at the reins — they’ll be back in the playoffs.
They’ll head into their bye week with extra time to prepare for a pivotal Week 14 road contest against Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs.
1r. Seattle Seahawks (11)
Woof. What an ugly showing at home against the 49ers in the third Thanksgiving Thursday game. Not only did the loss end any hope Seattle had at winning the division, but now their wild card hopes are on thin ice.
Geno Smith is choosing a bad time to play pre-2022 Geno Smith-like football. And it’s probably a bad time to mention that the Cowboys, 49ers and Eagles are next on their schedule.
It’s officially put up or shut up time in Emerald City.
13. Houston Texans (10)
The Texans blew a golden opportunity to season sweep the Jaguars and take first place in the AFC South. Matt Ammendola’s 58-yard game-tying field goal attempt in the final seconds went “doink” off the crossbar to seal the Jaguars’ 24-21 win.
It was a tough loss for CJ Stroud and company, but the Texans once again reminded everyone that they can hang in there with the AFC’s very best. Time to turn the page and prepare for the also-playoff-hopeful Broncos this Sunday.
12. Indianapolis Colts (16)
Indy’s nail biting victory over Tampa Bay propelled them to 6-5 and into the AFC’s final playoff spot…for now. Once again, Jonathan Taylor, Michael Pittman Jr. and Gardner Minshew II led the way with a dazzling performance on offense.
Indianapolis faces just two teams with winning records the rest of the way: Pittsburgh and Houston, both home games. Winning those 2 contests is probably enough to sneak into the postseason…just saying.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (15)
Well would you look at that! The Steelers make a change at OC. Lo and behold, they put up 400 yards of offense for the first time since 2020 and outgain their opponents yardage-wise for the first time all year! Who saw that coming?!
Yes, not having to face Joe Burrow made it a lot easier on Sunday — but the Steelers don’t owe anyone an apology for how they win. They just keep doing it despite their limitations on offense and look poised to earn a wild card spot at the very worst…with the AFC North still very much in play.
10. Denver Broncos (12)
Would you look at that?! The Broncos just keep riding the W’s — if you catch our drift — and are now tied for the AFC’s final playoff spot.
Denver annihilated the Cleveland Browns in every aspect on Sunday to extend their winning streak to five. A win over Houston this Sunday pushes the Broncos one step closer to ending an eight-year postseason drought — not to mention that five of their final six games are against teams that are multiple games below .500!
9. Cleveland Browns (5)
The Browns never stood much of a chance against a red-hot Broncos team on the road with a third-stringer at QB.
They’re still in a good spot at 7-4, but it’s probably time to give Joe Flacco a look with a playoff berth very much within their grasp. teams that are multiple games below .500!
8. Detroit Lions (2)
“Same old Lions”? That’s what many folks were stating during Detroit’s ugly Thanksgiving home loss to the rival Packers.
It’s worrisome because Jared Goff’s careless turnovers once again served as a reminder that you can’t fully trust this inexperienced Detroit team. They’ll win the NFC North, sure, but it’s hard to bet against them over a more well-rounded and battle-tested team like the 49ers or Eagles come playoff time.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (9)
They say your best players have to be your best players in big situations. The Jaguars’ best players got that memo in Houston, alright: 364 passing yards from Trevor Lawrence, 89 yards receiving from both Calvin Ridley and Christian Kirk and 2.5 sacks from Josh Allen.
Not only are the Jaguars poised to win their second straight AFC South division crown, but they’re still very much alive in the race for the AFC’s top seed and lone first-round bye.
6. Miami Dolphins (7)
The Dolphins made easy-peasy work of the hapless Jets on Black Friday. Couple that with the Bills loss, and it was a great week for Mike McDaniel and company — who are now on cruise control for their first division crown since 2008.
Like the Jaguars, of course, Miami is still in the running for the AFC’s top seed.
5. San Francisco 49ers (8)
The 49ers’ mid-season three-game losing skid feels like a lifetime ago now. They cruised to a third straight victory on Thanksgiving Thursday by humiliating the Seahawks on their own turf by a final score of 31-13.
San Fran may as well pull out the NFC West champions hats and shirts now. They can keep their slim hopes of winning the NFC’s top seed alive by defeating the Eagles in Sunday’s NFC Championship rematch.
4. Baltimore Ravens (6)
The Ravens rushing game flexed its muscles — again — and the defense stymied Justin Herbert and the Bolts’ high-powered offense in Sunday night’s 20-10 victory.
Baltimore improved to 9-3, putting them in sole possession of the AFC’s top seed. They now get to enjoy their Week 13 bye before returning home for a showdown with the Rams on Dec. 10.
3. Dallas Cowboys (4)
Dak Prescott turned in another fine chapter in his 2023 MVP bid — throwing for 331 yards, four touchdowns and no picks in Dallas’ 45-10 blowout of the Commanders on Thanksgiving.
The 8-and-3 Cowboys face a gauntlet of a schedule ahead. First thing’s first: Take care of business against Seattle on Thursday and hope the 49ers beat the Eagles on Sunday. Then their NFC East division hopes will be alive.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (3)
After going down 14-0 to the Raiders, the Chiefs brought back championship football and outscored their longtime rivals 31-3 to avoid a second consecutive loss. Now they’ll travel to Titletown for a showdown with Jordan Love and the surging Packers.
KC, Baltimore, Jacksonville and Miami all have three losses. Who wants the AFC’s top seed? Come and get it.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (1)
No change in the No. 1 spot. The Eagles brought their C-level game on Sunday and still outlasted a dangerous Buffalo Bills team in overtime. That’s what a championship team does — win games they deserve to lose against tough competition.
We still don’t know how Jake Elliott booted a game-tying 59-yarder in the rain to force overtime which set the stage for Jalen Hurts’ heroics. If the 49ers can’t beat the Eagles on Sunday…? Well, the race for the NFC’s top seed is basically over. \
What changes would you make to our Week 13 power rankings?
