Welcome to December, folks. 13 NFL regular-season weeks down and just five to go. The NFL playoff races are heating up — and the tank job for the first overall pick still has a surprisingly large field of teams.
With December upon us, let’s dive into our Week 14 edition of the 2024 NFL power rankings.
Which teams are at the top of the NFL rankings after week 13?
32. New York Giants (32)
The Giants couldn’t even beat a hapless Dallas Cowboys squad that hadn’t won a home game all season. That’s how ugly this has gotten for Big Blue.
The Giants fell 27-20, with Drew Lock doing next to nothing in jump-starting this offense. If only they had someone like Saquon Barkley on their roster, huh?
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (31)
The Jags kept it close against the superior Houston Texans even though Trevor Lawrence was knocked out of the game with a concussion. But it’s hard to find any positives in another uneventful defeat.
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The Jaguars are now 2-and-10 and remain in the running for the first-overall pick. But with their final five games taking place against NFL teams with losing records, the Jags could still play themselves out of tanking territory.
Man, could they ever use someone like Travis Hunter?
30. Las Vegas Raiders (30)
The Raiders were oh-so-close to upsetting the Kansas City Chiefs at Arrowhead for the second straight year. But Aidan O’Connell’s admirable effort went to waste on a botched snap with the team in range for Daniel Carlson’s game-winning field goal attempt.
Just another example of nothing going right for the Raiders. At least the NHL’s Golden Knights look good.
29. New England Patriots (29)
The Pats nearly upset the Indianapolis Colts, but Anthony Richardson’s late heroics handed Jerod Mayo’s dropped their third in a row to clinch a second consecutive season of double-digit losses.
This was always going to be a trying year in New England. The main positive is Drake Maye’s stellar production behind center. The future certainly looks like it has arrived in Foxborough, so we’ll see if he can finish these last four games on a high note following the Week 14 bye.
28. New York Jets (28)
Another week, another letdown by Aaron Rodgers and the Jets. What else is new?
The Jets kept it close against the Seattle Seahawks on Sunday, but they once again failed to close it out late — falling 26-21 in a sloppy afternoon affair.
With the loss, the Jets have clinched a fifth straight season of 10 or more losses. The more that stays the same!
27. Tennessee Titans (27)
The Titans were no match for Jayden Daniels and the desperate Washington Commanders. A 42-19 blowout loss was quite a letdown, considering Tennessee had upset Houston one week earlier.
Will Levis had another inconsistent outing, which is further proof that the Titans need to get a new quarterback next year. On the bright side, the first-overall pick is very much in play for Brian Callahan’s squad.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams After Week 12 Games
26. Cleveland Browns (26)
Jameis Winston threw for a franchise-record 497 yards in Monday night’s road loss to the Denver Broncos. But of course, it wasn’t enough.
Consider this your most Jameis Winston-esque stat line: 497 yards. Four touchdowns. Three interceptions — two of which were pick-sixes.
Hey, credit to the Browns for dropping 31 on a stingy Denver defense. If you ask us, Winston deserves an extended look as the Browns’ starting QB in 2025. I mean, Deshaun Watson hasn’t looked a fraction as good as Winston has in this offense.
25. Chicago Bears (24)
Matt Eberflus’ pathetic and inexcusable clock management in the Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions was mercilessly the final straw. The Bears finally fired a man who was a terrible hire of a head coach to begin with.
NOW, will Caleb Williams and the offense get going with the offensive-minded interim HC Thomas Brown taking over for Eberflus? Stay tuned.
24. Carolina Panthers (25)
Bryce Young had another excellent outing on Sunday. But since Panthers fans can’t have nice things, Of course, they blew multiple chances to upset Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a tough OT loss.
But you take the good with the bad. Young has gone three straight games now without an interception. Going toe-to-toe with Patrick Mahomes and Baker in back-to-back weeks is nothing to be ashamed of.
So hold your horses, folks. Young might not be a bust in Carolina after all….
23. New Orleans Saints (22)
The Saints blew another close game — this time at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams — to fall to 4-8 on the year. That already means a fourth straight season of less than double-digit wins in the post-Drew-Brees era.
Yet this NFL won’t commit to a rebuild. That’s how you stay mired in mediocrity, folks.
New Orleans really blew a chance to get back in the NFC South race, with the Atlanta Falcons also losing. Another uneventful and boring season in NOLA can’t end soon enough.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (21)
If this meme doesn’t sum up the 2024 Cincinnati Bengals, what does?
How can Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase BOTH have MVP-caliber seasons? And yet, will this NFL team finish with a losing record? Bengals fans really can’t have nice things.
They dropped 38 points on an elite Pittsburgh Steelers defense and still lost. We’re out of words at this point. It’s unbelievable.
21. Dallas Cowboys (23)
Well, the Cowboys sure aren’t going away quietly.
The season has been a disaster, no doubt. But back-to-back wins against division rivals always feel good — regardless of where you are in the standings.
The Cowboys gave their fans a nice Thanksgiving treat with a home win over the Giants. They’ve still got games against Tampa, Philly, and Washington, so Mike McCarthy’s group has some golden opportunities here to play spoiler.
20. San Francisco 49ers (18)
Stick a fork in ‘em.
The 49ers shouldn’t have bothered making the trip to snowy Buffalo. That was a pathetic and inexcusable primetime performance in Sunday’s loss to Josh Allen’s Bills.
Now, it’s fair to question if Kyle Shanahan deserves another season at the helm. Every NFL team deals with injuries. The 49ers still have too much talent to be a 5-and-7 team. Not only can you kiss the playoffs goodbye, but they’re now the favorites to finish last in the NFC West.
Good grief. And to think they were one play away from winning the Super Bowl a season ago…
19. Miami Dolphins (17)
The Dolphins already-slim playoff hopes took the final nail in the coffin with an ugly loss to the Green Bay Packers at Lambeau Field. Game, set and match. It’s over.
Tua Tagovailoa did nothing to shed the notion that he can’t win in cold weather games. Now, at 5-7, winning out probably still isn’t enough to make the playoffs. And the hot-and-cold Dolphins have given us little reason to believe they can win out.
18. Indianapolis Colts (20)
It wasn’t at all pretty, but Anthony Richardson’s late-game heroics propelled Indy to a heart-pounding road win in New England. And with that, the Colts playoff hopes are very much alive.
After their Week 14 bye, the Colts have a must-win game against the Broncos — holders of one of the AFC’s 3 wild-card spots. After that, they have 3 straight games against bottom-feeders.
All Shane Steichen’s group can do now is win out and hope for some help.
17. Atlanta Falcons (15)
A four-pick day from Kirk Cousins doomed the Falcons in a 17-13 loss to the visiting Chargers. Now losers of three straight, the Falcons have opened the door for the Bucs to swoop in and take the division crown themselves.
If Cousins’ return to Minnesota doesn’t go well, calls will mount for the Falcons to bench him and give rookie Michael Penix Jr. a look.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (19)
The Bucs have refused to die. And now they’re in the driver’s seat to win the NFC South following Sunday’s thrilling victory in Carolina.
Two straight wins, coupled with the Falcons’ losing skid, has the Bucs tied for tops in the division at 6-6. Tampa has the easier remaining schedule, with four of their final five games taking place against NFL teams below .500.
15. Los Angeles Rams (16)
T’was a great week for the Rams, alright. They kept their playoff hopes alive with a road win over New Orleans and got to watch the Cardinals and 49ers also lose on Sunday.
Los Angeles is a game behind Seattle for tops in the NFC West. Keep in mind they own the head-to-head tiebreaker and finish the season at home against Geno Smith and company — so the division is very much in play.
But first, the Rams oughta stay focused and prepare for Josh Allen and the visiting red-hot Bills on Sunday.
14. Arizona Cardinals (13)
The Cardinals need to be kicking themselves for blowing a 13-point second-half lead to the Vikings on the road. The upset was right there for the taking, but Jonathan Gannon’s group collapsed in the fourth quarter, dropping them to 6-6 and a game behind Seattle for the NFC West lead.
Sunday’s home game against Seattle is truly a must-win. Lose that game, and the Cardinals are basically three games out because of the tiebreaker with four games to go. Time to turn the page.
13. Houston Texans (14)
One week after losing to the lowly Titans, the Texans barely beat a Jacksonville team that had to throw in Mac Jones, with Trevor Lawrence suffering a concussion in the second quarter.
The Texans are one step closer to an AFC South division. But this is who they are: A barely above-average NFL team. The best in football’s weakest division. It’s just already difficult to imagine them getting out of the Wild Card round.
12. Seattle Seahawks (12)
The Hawks narrowly squeaked by Aaron Rodgers’ Jets to extend their win streak to three. With the Cardinals and 49ers also losing, Geno Smith and company are in the driver’s seat and control their own destiny for the division crown.
Seattle can essentially eliminate Arizona with a road win over the Cardinals on Sunday. Then it becomes a two-team race with the Rams, whom Seattle visits in Week 18. It’s giddy-up time in Emerald City, folks.
11. Washington Commanders (11)
Jayden Daniels and the Commanders took advantage of their get-right game against the hapless Titans, cruising to a 42-19 home win that ended the three-game losing skid.
That win puts Washington one step closer to securing a wild-card berth. They’re sitting comfortably at 8-5 heading into the bye week, with a road game in New Orleans next on the schedule.
10. Baltimore Ravens (8)
The Ravens were outclassed in every aspect by the Philadelphia Eagles in their ugly 24-19 home loss. Oh, and the most reliable kicker of all time, Justin Tucker, suddenly can’t make a kick to save his life.
Tucker missed three kicks and now has a horrid 70.4 FG percentage this season — nearly 20 percent below his career 89.0 percentage. Never mind Lamar Jackson’s hot-and-cold play or the atrocious defense. These guys won’t go anywhere if Tucker keeps missing kicks.
The slumping Ravens get a chance to reset during the bye week with the 2-win Giants next on their schedule in Week 15.
9. Denver Broncos (10)
It wasn’t pretty, but Bo Nix and the Broncos barely outdueled Jameis Winston’s Browns in a surprisingly thrilling Monday night affair in Mile High City.
The Broncos’ defense made up for their blown coverages with two game-changing pick-sixes. Now at 8-5, Sean Payton’s squad heads into the bye week with a playoff berth firmly in their grasp.
8. Los Angele Chargers (9)
After a sloppy home loss to the Ravens in Week 12, Jim Harbaugh’s crew bounced back nicely with a 17-13 victory over the Falcons in a defensive slugfest.
The Bolts’ lockdown defense picked off Kirk Cousins four times in the victory. They’re one week away from securing a winning season, but more importantly, they are much closer to locking down another postseason berth.
7. Green Bay Packers (7)
Jordan Love and the Packers carved up the Dolphins like Turkey, if you will, in their Thanksgiving victory at Lambeau Field.
The Packers also pushed themselves even closer to securing a playoff berth. If they can upset the Lions on the road Thursday, Green Bay will have a small chance of stealing the NFC North for themselves.
The Pack have won their last four road games. Just saying!
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (6)
Russell Wilson had his best day as a Steeler against Cincy, tossing 414 yards and three touchdowns. What a story he has been for Mike Tomlin and company this year.
The cruising Steelers also got to enjoy a Ravens loss to Philly, putting them even closer to their first AFC North division crown since 2020. On a side note, the Steelers have extended their streak of non-losing seasons to 21. Great show, chaps!
5. Minnesota Vikings
Sam Darnold shrugged off a sloppy first half and led Minnesota to a thrilling comeback win over Arizona to keep pace with the Lions for the NFC North crown.
As the winner of five straight, Minny has a favorable short-term schedule with home games against the Falcons and Bears. After that? At Seattle, vs. Green Bay, and at Detroit. The path to the division isn’t easy, but it’s there for the taking.
4. Philadelphia Eagles
Saquon Barkley continued his MVP push with 107 rushing yards and a TD in Sunday’s win over Derrick Henry’s Ravens. Oh, and the red-hot Eagles have now won eight in a row.
Not impressive enough? While Barkley chases Eric Dickerson’s single-season rushing record, Vic Fangio’s D has held opponents to 20 points or less seven times during the win streak. Yep, these guys are as dangerous as anybody in the push for Super Bowl 59.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (3)
If you didn’t think the Chiefs had enough luck to begin with, how about the Raiders botching a snap while in range for a game-winning field goal on Black Friday?
Quite frankly, we’re not sure what to make of the defending Super Bowl champions. Are they due to regress with all these improbable one-score wins? Or are the Chiefs just going to keep finding ways to win?
You interpret their performance however you wish. All that matters is that they keep winning. For now, the AFC still runs through Arrowhead.
2. Buffalo Bills (2)
Josh Allen did it all – literally – in the Bills’ prime-time destruction of the 49ers: The first QB ever to throw for a touchdown, rush for a TD and catch a TD. If not Saquon Barkley, how can it not be Josh Allen for MVP?
The win helps Buffalo keep pace with the Chiefs, who remain one game up for the AFC’s top seed. The Bills need some help to surpass Kansas City, but regardless of record, there’s little doubt who the AFC’s most dangerous NFL team is right now.
1. Detroit Lions (1)
No, it wasn’t pretty. And yes, they were gift-wrapped that win because of the Bears’ inept clock management. But with the way the Lions have been dominating opponents, they were due for a closer game, if you will.
What matters most is the W. The Lions stay ahead of the Eagles and Vikings for the NFC’s top seed. With the Packers and Bills next on the schedule, the Lions need to clean up the play a bit and bring their A-game against two other Super Bowl players.
Also Read: Ranking All 32 NFL Teams’ Defenses From WORST To FIRST After Week 12 Of The 2024 Season
