NFL Power Rankings: Tight Race Brewing At The Top Entering Final Stretch

The road to the Super Bowl goes through Kansas City and Philadelphia for now, but there’s a host of hot teams climbing into contention.

 

1. Kansas City Chiefs (9–2)

 

Last week: win vs. Los Angeles Rams, 26–10

 

Next week: at Cincinnati

 

The Chiefs remain at No. 1 because they have the MVP front-runner, and, in games when almost nothing seems to be working, something still works.

 

Their game against the Rams reminded me a bit of L.A.’s playoff run last year, when they were forced away from Cooper Kupp and showed us enough grit to make sure it didn’t matter.

 

2. Philadelphia Eagles (10–1)

 

Last week: win vs. Green Bay, 40–33

 

Next week: vs. Tennessee

 

Please, Offensive Line Gods, protect this Eagles’ front and allow them to be fully healthy come playoff time to see them absolutely maul people again.

 

Their win over Green Bay on Sunday featured more rushing yards in one game than the franchise has logged in almost a century. They are at No. 2 this week because, despite their injuries in the secondary, a running game like this alters any plans an opponent has.

 

3. Dallas Cowboys (8–3)

 

Last week: win vs. New York Giants, 28–20

 

Next week: vs. Indianapolis

 

A late Giants touchdown made the Cowboys’ Thanksgiving victory seem a little more narrow than it actually was. The truth: They’ve twice disposed of one of the NFL’s stickiest teams and won a critical divisional matchup when they needed to.

 

Their Christmas Eve tilt against the Eagles could be a conference title game preview (we hope). They are No. 3 this week because I see few flaws, especially with the run defense improving

 

4. Buffalo Bills (8–3)

 

Last week: win at Detroit, 28–25

 

Next week: at New England

 

The Bills are showing us they are survivors, albeit beatable ones. While no one should be punished for coming down to the wire with the Fighting Dan Campbells, a continued reliance on Josh Allen’s legs late in the season makes us nervous.

 

5. San Francisco 49ers (7–4)

 

Last week: win vs. New Orleans, 13–0

 

Next week: vs. Miami

 

The 49ers shut out an opponent, which is not an easy thing to do in the NFL. They also showed, as we wrote Monday, that they are taking ugly winning to another level this season. I’m not sure they can be stopped unless defenses flood Garoppolo’s checkdown options at the snap and dare him to throw deep, and throw quickly.

 

6. Minnesota Vikings (9–2)

 

Last week: win vs. New England, 33–26

 

Next week: vs. New York Jets

 

To make the Patriots’ defense look as silly as the Vikings did at times on Thanksgiving was significant. Bill Belichick has been calling some of the best defense in the NFL this year and saw his veterans get trapped in an accidental triple team.

 

7. Miami Dolphins (8–3)

 

Last week: win vs. Houston, 30–15

 

Next week: at San Francisco

 

I think the Dolphins could have started Tyreek Hill at quarterback and soundly defeated the Texans. Podcast cohost Gary Gramling was right: Houston offered one of the worst performances of the season. Miami, rightfully, dominated. I have them at No. 7, which, to me, represents the outer fringe of our circle of potential Super Bowl winners.

 

8. Cincinnati Bengals (7–4)

 

Last week: win at Tennessee, 20–16

 

Next week: vs. Kansas City

 

Now winners of three straight, the Bengals are 7–4, dueling with the Titans and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks. Boy, it feels familiar, no? In all seriousness, they are playing some fantastic complementary defense right now. No one can question their place as a top-five offense, and soon, no one will question their status as a top-five defense.

 

9. Baltimore Ravens (7–4)

 

Last week: loss at Jacksonville, 28–27

 

Next week: vs. Denver

 

We drop the Ravens to No. 9 this week because they seem to look out of rhythm offensively. At their best, there is such a notable flow and rhythm to this scheme. Jackson is involving a lot of receivers (eight were targeted Sunday), but without some connectedness, and with their defense reverting to late-game porousness, they are hard to trust.

 

10. Tennessee Titans (7–4)

 

Last week: loss vs. Cincinnati, 20–16

 

Next week: at Philadelphia

 

The Titans lost a coin-flip game to one of the best teams in football on an afternoon where Derrick Henry was gaining fewer than three yards per carry. Treylon Burks made one of the biggest catches of his NFL career to date. They deserve to be considered a top-10 threat from here on out.

 

11. Los Angeles Chargers (6–5)

 

Last week: win at Arizona, 25–24

 

Next week: at Las Vegas

 

I love this team. What incredible body contortion from Austin Ekeler on the end-of-game touchdown. What a play call for the two-point conversion.

What a call by Brandon Staley, who is feeling the heat and everyone knows it. If they can continue to put one foot in front of the other, they may walk deep into the playoffs and surprise some teams

Source S.I. Conor Orr:

For Expanded Rankings ??

https://www.si.com/nfl/2022/11/29/nfl-power-rankings-chiefs-eagles-lead-top-teams-week-12