National Football League

2016 NFL Power Rankings Week 13: Chiefs Crack the Top 5

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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NFL Power Rankings for Week 13 of the 2016 season after another exciting weekend of action, including a great overtime win by the Kansas City Chiefs.

The NFL is the most exciting sport in the world. The action on any given weekend is non-stop and covers the span of the entire day on Sunday. With this being Thanksgiving week, the action started earlier than normal thanks to there being three great games on Thanksgiving Day.

That slate started with the two first place teams in the NFC North, the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings. From there the NFC East-leading Dallas Cowboys took center stage against the Washington Redskins.

After both of those exciting games were played out, the first place team in the AFC North was set to go as the Pittsburgh Steelers took on the Indianapolis Colts.

All those games were fun, but they were nothing compared to the action that took place throughout the day on Sunday, which included a defensive showdown in Denver that evolved into an offensive explosion to end the game.

With all the craziness finally sorted out, how does each team in the NFL stack up? That’s the exact question we look to answer with our NFL Power Rankings for Week 13 of the 2016 season.

Nov 27, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Giants defensive end Jason Pierre-Paul (90) sacks Cleveland Browns quarterback Josh McCown (13) during the first half at FirstEnergy Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

32. Cleveland Browns (32)

Cleveland Browns head coach Hue Jackson said this week that the Thanksgiving Day games made him mad this year because he wants to be a part of the action. Well, what would make NFL fans mad would be seeing his Browns on their television screens during such a high-profile day of football.

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The Browns just keep free-falling. They’re a complete dumpster fire and all they accomplished on Sunday was tugging at the heartstrings of their fans. They kept it close against a much better team as it was a one-score game for the most part against the New York Giants.

Then, in the fourth quarter they simply let all hope go away. With their record now a putrid 0-12, the Browns are now a huge favorite to tie the worst record in the history of the NFL. The 2008 Detroit Lions went 0-16 and Cleveland could very well do the same.

Cleveland finishes their season playing the Cincinnati Bengals, Buffalo Bills, San Diego Chargers and finally the Pittsburgh Steelers. None of those look to be a “winnable game” for the Browns, although next week against the Bengals may be their best chance.

At least the players don’t have to worry about having to work on Thanksgiving Day, despite their coach’s wishes.

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; San Francisco 49ers running back Carlos Hyde (28) scores a touchdown during the first half against Miami Dolphins at Hard Rock Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

31. San Francisco 49ers (31)

Sunday wasn’t a terrible day for the San Francisco 49ers. They held the Miami Dolphins explosive running back Jay Ajayi to just 45 yards on the ground. The Niners also had a good offensive outing by quarterback Colin Kaepernick, who may be the most disliked person in all of sports.

The dual-threat passer threw for 296 yards and three touchdowns, though. He also added another 113 yards on the ground and running back Carlos Hyde pitched in another 65 yards on 13 carries. In the end they came up just short as a last second drive fell about two-yards shy of tying the game against the streaking Dolphins.

Despite brief flashes, it was another rough day for Niners fans as their defense couldn’t stop any receivers for the Dolphins and ultimately surrendered 31 points. It was also their 10th-straight loss of the season after opening up the season with a 28-0 victory against the Los Angeles Rams.

Now sitting at 1-10, the 49ers have nothing to look forward to except next year’s draft. For fans, they need to start looking at who plays in the Pac-12 that can help their team, because head coach Chip Kelly still is unaware that you can actually scout outside of that division.

Nov 27, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Jacksonville Jaguars wide receiver Marqise Lee (11) runs the ball in after a catch for a touchdown during the second half against the Buffalo Bills at New Era Field. Buffalo beats Jacksonville 28 to 21. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (30)

It’s hard to say what the problem in Jacksonville really is. The Jaguars have some talented players on both sides of the ball, yet they’re just not very good in any areas. On Sunday quarterback Blake Bortles managed just 126 yards passing, although he did play the part of a running quarterback with eight rushes for 81 yards.

Chris Ivory added another 44 yards and a score on the ground, but they were forced to go with Denard Robinson for most of the game, who had 13 carries for just 39 yards after a hamstring issue limited Ivory.

The Jags also have receivers Allen Robinson, Allen Hurns and Marqise Lee on offense to help Bortles. Such great receivers should open up their running game and take pressure off the passer, but instead they tend to only get garbage time production and refuse to ever stick with one strategy on offense.

Defensively they have a lot of talent too, but they can’t put it together. They were run all over by running back LeSean McCoy and quarterback Tyrod Taylor as they dropped to 2-9 on the season. Once again, the Jaguars are already going to be focused on what to do in the offseason. No. 1 on the list of priorities may be to fire their coach. No. 2 may be to find an identity.

Nov 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Chicago Bears wide receiver Marquess Wilson (10) drops a pass in the end zone during the second half against the Tennessee Titans at Soldier Field. Tennessee won 27-21. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

29. Chicago Bears (28)

Probably the worst thing that the Chicago Bears did this season was win a couple of games. Their two wins puts them a couple of games back from the first-overall pick. Instead they may have to try and make some trades to get a quarterback in the draft come April.

It’s time for them to get a young guy in the position, although Matt Barkley showed on Sunday that he has a small chance to be the stop-gap quarterback. He wasn’t necessarily great, but he was very good and much better than many expected. Barkley led a furious comeback and, with the game within six points, he delivered two passes right on the money that should have won the game. Both passes were dropped by receivers, an issue he fought with all day.

Chicago isn’t a good team, though. So if they want to win, they need a transcendent player at the position. Well that, or they need to completely remake the entire roster so a game-manager like Barkley has a chance.

They’re bad on both sides of the ball and had a ton of trouble keeping up with the dual-threat quarterback of the Tennessee Titans, Marcus Mariota. Head coach John Fox has a history of building good defenses and ultimately creating a winning organization. So far in Chicago he hasn’t been able to do that. Maybe in another year or two he will though. If he still has a job by then, of course.

Nov 27, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; Los Angeles Rams quarterback Jared Goff (16) drops back to pass against the New Orleans Saints during the third quarter of a game at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints defeated the Rams 49-21. Mandatory Credit: Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports

28. Los Angeles Rams (27)

Listening to the announcers during the Los Angeles Rams game this weekend, you may have thought rookie quarterback Jared Goff was going to put up 300 yards and six touchdowns. A big deal was being made of his 162 yards and three touchdowns in the first half. Sure, that’s impressive, but look at who it was against. Goff was playing against one of the worst defenses in the league, the New Orleans Saints.

New Orleans has terrible defense that also had limited tape on the guy they were trying to stop. Then after the half, things changed. Goff managed just another 52 yards and the Rams never scored again. They were completely throttled by the Saints in a game that ended with a score of 49-21.

Such a loss is bad enough, but this was against a team that had the same record as L.A. coming into the game, 4-6. They played a bad team and they were manhandled in the loss. The worst part is that their defense is what really let them down.

This is supposed to be the strength of the team, but they looked like anything but in this contest. Head coach Jeff Fisher has a reputation of going 7-9 on the season every year. This season, even that may be tough to reach.

Nov 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Cincinnati Bengals head coach Marvin Lewis on the sideline prior to the game against the Baltimore Ravens at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

27. Cincinnati Bengals (26)

It’s time for a change in Cincinnati. Most people would probably think that change needs to be quarterback Andy Dalton as the Red Rifle has been up-and-down to say the least this season. That may not be the right move, though, as Dalton has put forth some very good seasons in this league. Cincinnati does need to decide soon if they want to try and shift to the younger A.J. McCarron, who was good in relief of Dalton last season, or stick with the vet. There are those who think such a move would be prudent, but it’s dubious at best.

The real spot that may need to be changed is at head coach, as Marvin Lewis seems to have lost control of his team. The Bengals are now sitting at 3-7-1 on the season and they are all out of hope to catch back up in a rather weak AFC North.

They have weapons all over both sides of the ball that they should be able to expose teams with. Before his injury, they had one of the best receivers in the game, A.J. Green. Moreover, they have one of the best tight ends in the league in Tyler Eifert. Their running back combo of Giovani Bernard and Jeremy Hill is one of the best as well, when they are both healthy.

Then on defense, they have great players like linebacker Vontae Burfict and defensive linemen Carlos Dunlap and Geno Atkins. Even with all of that they haven’t been able to put any of that together and the man to blame has to be Lewis. His team is sorry in 2016 and he should be held accountable.

Nov 27, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New York Jets wide receiver Quincy Enunwa (81) catches a touchdown pass over New England Patriots corner back Malcolm Butler (21) during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

26. New York Jets (29)

The New York Jets have that one game every single season. We all know what game that is; it’s the one where they go toe-to-toe with the New England Patriots and either steal a win or drop a heartbreaker. It doesn’t matter how good the Pats are and doesn’t matter how bad the Jets are. This season, the Pats are really good and the Jets are really bad. Yet for some reason, they always have that one game where the Jets make New England look average.

That one game happened in Week 12 this season, but it wasn’t the upset variety. Instead, it was the heart breaking loss as the Patriots scored nine points in the final quarter to upset New York.

Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick played great with 269 yards passing. He threw two touchdowns and, more importantly, had no interceptions. That was without much help from the run game as running back Matt Forte was held to just 27 yards on 13 carries. They also had explosive games from receivers Quincy Enunwa and Brandon Marshall. Enunwa brought in five catches for 109 yards and a score while Marshall had six catches for 67 yards and a touchdown.

For one game they looked like the team that won 10 games a season ago. Unfortunately, they’ve shown no other signs that this trend will continue.

Nov 27, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer (3) and running back David Johnson (31) walks off of the field after their loss to the Atlanta Falcons at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 38-19. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

25. Arizona Cardinals (25)

Before the season started, there were questions about whether or not the Arizona Cardinals could stay successful given the age and health concerns surrounding their quarterback Carson Palmer. After going 4-6-1 so far those questions seem to have been answered. Or have they? Palmer hasn’t been great, but he really hasn’t been a liability.

The problem as of late has been their defense. Over the past four games, the Cardinals have allowed 30 points or more. This used to be the strength of their team, but now it has become a weakness. In their latest loss, the team gave up three rushing touchdowns and two long passing touchdowns. The two long passes were actually dump offs where they couldn’t tackle receiver Taylor Gabriel.

After winning 10 or more games for the first three seasons in the Bruce Arians era, the head coach is in danger of having double-digit losses this season. While that has yet to be decided, what can be assumed is that in 2017 they will have a new quarterback. Even though Palmer hasn’t been the reason for the losses, they may need someone who is better at putting points up in case this defense doesn’t turn things around by next year.

Nov 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Carolina Panthers coach Ron Rivera reacts during a NFL football game against the Oakland Raiders at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Panthers 45-42. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

24. Carolina Panthers (20)

At 4-7, the Carolina Panthers record says they’re a bad team. Yet they seem to get some love as a team that plays opponents tight. To open the season, they lost to the Denver Broncos by just a point. Since then, the Panthers have three more losses by just three points.

Unfortunately, there are no awards for coming close. Good teams find ways to win these kind of games. The Detroit Lions have found ways to win them and are 7-4. The Oakland Raiders have found ways to win them and are 9-2. Carolina has not found ways to win them. That’s the reason they find themselves with more losses than wins. They aren’t a good football team this season, unlike last year when they went to the Super Bowl after a 15-1 regular season.

Part of the problem is how flat they come out. They’ve made a habit of spotting their opponents a ton of points, just like they did this weekend with the Raiders. Down 24-7 at the half, Carolina woke up and scored 18 in the third quarter. They ended up going ahead 32-24 as well and had a chance for a huge upset.

Instead, they allowed Oakland to march down the field and seal the win. That’s not how good teams finish comebacks. Normally, a quality comeback from a quality team necessitates one thing: a win. Carolina didn’t leave the Bay Area with one of those.

Nov 20, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers (12) throws the ball against the Washington Redskins in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 42-24. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

23. Green Bay Packers (23) – Play Monday Night

On Monday Night Football, the Green Bay Packers will have a huge audience to watch as they finally wake up, right? That’s what you would think if all you heard was the musings of the talking heads during every Green Bay game.

Last Sunday night people like Super Bowl winning head coach Tony Dungy said that, as long as they have quarterback Aaron Rodgers, they will be just fine. Super Bowl winning safety Rodney Harrison echoed those comments as they both believed the Packers were just a play away from reminding us all how great they truly are.

Then the game started and Green Bay was absolutely destroyed in a 42-24 beat down by the Washington Redskins. This game was not a reminder of how good the Packers are, but a bright announcement saying the 2016 version of this team plain stinks.

Rodgers is still a great quarterback, but no one player can do it alone. The front office has failed to get him adequate protection as well as any semblance of a running game. The defense is also a mess as they were carved last outing by Redskins quarterback Kirk Cousins worse than any turkey this week. So back to Monday Night. Maybe they will wake up like everyone wants, or maybe the Eagles will have some fun playing against a team that can’t stop any passing games.

Nov 24, 2016; Indianapolis, IN, USA; Indianapolis Colts head coach Chuck Pagano on the sideline in the second half of the game against the Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium. The Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Indianapolis Colts 28-7. Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

22. Indianapolis Colts (15)

Everything that’s wrong with the Indianapolis Colts was unintentionally summed up by Indianapolis Star columnist Gregg Doyel when he was reminiscing about the team’s Thanksgiving night loss. Doyel was bringing up some positives about the Colts despite the loss, but reminded us all that this team is not a team, but a group pf guys relying on one man to do everything for them.

“The Indianapolis Colts were losing, but the Colts were never going to win this game.” Doyel said in his column. “Not without quarterback Andrew Luck, who missed the game with a concussion.”

That statement was harmless enough as this is not meant to call out Doyel. Instead, it highlights the issues created by the culture in Indy. For years this franchise relied on quarterback Peyton Manning to do everything on his own. They were a perennial 12-win team with him at the helm, but his one missed season left them a pathetic two-win team. Again the Colts have done this to Luck. He is being forced to will a team to victory every week that has no running game, no offensive line, no defense and a lack of playmakers.

As long as the powers that be stay where they are in Indianapolis, things won’t change much. They will win plenty with Luck, but will never see their true potential thanks to failing to surround him with a great team.

Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; San Diego Chargers running back Melvin Gordon (28) rushes as Houston Texans strong safety Quintin Demps (27) defends during the second quarter at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

21. San Diego Chargers (24)

At 5-6, the San Diego Chargers have fallen too far behind in their division. The AFC West is just way too good to compete with when you have lost so many games. That doesn’t mean this is a wasted season for the Bolts. They have done some good things that they can build on moving forward.

This team has upset the Atlanta Falcons, Denver Broncos and Tennessee Titans this season. They also hung tight with the Oakland Raiders and Miami Dolphins. On Sunday they delivered yet another upset as they knocked off the AFC South leading Houston Texans, 27-13, on the road. The Texans were 5-0 at NRG Stadium until San Diego came in and took over.

San Diego also forced four turnovers in the game, including three interceptions. They also had some explosive plays like the deep touchdown pass from quarterback Philip Rivers to receiver Dontrelle Inman.

They also have shown this season that they have some youth they can count on moving forward. Second-year running back Melvin Gordon has proven to be worth the premium draft pick spent on him last season. They also have seen rookie tight end Hunter Henry show that their passing game can survive without veteran Antonio Gates when he decides to hang it up.

Nov 27, 2016; New Orleans, LA, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees (9) talks to wide receiver Michael Thomas (13) after his touchdown catch against the Los Angeles Rams in the third quarter at the Mercedes-Benz Superdome. The Saints won, 49-21. Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

20. New Orleans Saints (21)

If the New Orleans Saints could play defense they way they did in the second half of their game against the Los Angeles Rams, they could be a great team. Their offense can play with anybody, but their defense usually can’t stop a soul. This weekend they gave up 21 points in the first half, but none at all in the second. They ended up with a 49-21 victory thanks to the effort.

Quarterback Drew Brees threw for 310 yards with four touchdowns and no picks. Wide receiver Willie Snead also got in on the fun as he threw a 50-yard touchdown on a receiver pass to Time Hightower. Running back Mark Ingram also had a great day as the bruising running back went for 146 yards and a score on just 14 carries while adding another 38 through the air. Their defense had an interception and recorded three sacks on the night.

There’s a lot of youth on that side of the ball as they’re trying to rebuild the unit. Sunday showed that there could be some promise there moving forward for the now 5-6 Saints. They may not be able to catch the Atlanta Falcons without a complete letdown and/or collapse by the Falcons, but they can still finish the season on a positive note.

Nov 27, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans running back Lamar Miller (26) runs out of bounds as San Diego Chargers inside linebacker Denzel Perryman (52) defends during the second half at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

19. Houston Texans (10)

The Houston Texans are, in all honesty, a bad football team. They may be 6-5 and in first-place in the AFC South, but this is thanks to sheer luck. Houston was able to beat teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Detroit Lions on bad days. They also got easy wins thanks to playing teams like the Jacksonville Jaguars, Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears. When they play good teams though, they usually get embarrassed.

Their first shameful game came on Thursday Night Football when the New England Patriots shut them out. Against the Denver Broncos on Monday Night Football they looked almost as bad.

A perfect home record was the one and only thing that was their saving grace. That perfect record is gone now thanks to another pathetic offensive outing by quarterback Brock Osweiler and company as they lost at home to the San Diego Chargers. A high-priced free agency signing, Osweiler has been a huge disappointment. After throwing three interceptions this weekend, he now has 13 interceptions to just 12 touchdowns on the season.

With the Tennessee Titans now just a half a game back from the Texans, the pressure will be on them to maintain their lead. Considering the Titans can actually move the football on offense, they could very well be the favorites down the stretch.

Nov 27, 2016; Orchard Park, NY, USA; Buffalo Bills running back LeSean McCoy (25) runs the ball against Jacksonville Jaguars outside linebacker Telvin Smith (50) during the second half at New Era Field. Buffalo defeated Jacksonville 28-21. Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

18. Buffalo Bills (22)

Playing in the AFC East has long been a burden for the Buffalo Bills and this season is no different. Their 6-5 record is good enough for third-place in that division as they are still behind the New England Patriots and the Miami Dolphins.

They do, however, have an outside shot at getting into the playoffs, but it will take some serious luck on their part. They need a couple losses to fall upon the teams currently ahead of them for the Wild Card spots, but all they can do is take care of what’s in front of them.

On Sunday that’s exactly what they did as the Bills hung on for a one-score win against the Jacksonville Jaguars. Their defense limited quarterback Blake Bortles to just 126 yards passing and they did a good job slowing down the running backs on the day as well.

Offensively they were led by LeSean McCoy who carved his way through the Jags defense for 103 yards on the ground and two scores. They also had their explosive receiver, Sammy Watkins back. He finished with 80 yards on just three catches, including an impressive 62-yarder. Buffalo is a good team, they just may not be good enough to get into the post season in the AFC.

Nov 27, 2016; Chicago, IL, USA; Tennessee Titans quarterback Marcus Mariota (8) runs with the ball during the second quarter against the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

17. Tennessee Titans (19)

What a great time to get a bye week. The Tennessee Titans are fresh off their sixth win of the season and at 6-6 they are just a half game behind the AFC South leading Houston Texans. Those very Texans dropped a home game on Sunday to the San Diego Chargers which could very well have opened the door for the surprising Titans to sneak in and steal the division. Now they get to rest up with their Week 13 bye, but they do have a tough challenge ahead of them if they do want to claim their spot in the post season.

In Week 14 they host the Denver Broncos and the following week they head to Kansas City for another tough game against the Chiefs. If they can get through that stretch still in the mix, they finish the year up with two divisional foes as they head to Jacksonville to face the Jaguars and then play at home against the Houston Texans.

That game could very well be the one that decides who keeps playing and who sees their season end after 16 games. As for Tennessee, they are built for such a stretch. They are a power running team with DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry in the backfield and also feature an underrated defense along with an explosive quarterback, Marcus Mariota.

Nov 24, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions defensive end Ezekiel Ansah (94) pressures Minnesota Vikings quarterback Sam Bradford (8) during the first quarter at Ford Field. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

16. Minnesota Vikings (13)

Hope everyone is sitting down for this one: The Minnesota Vikings are 5-5 with Sam Bradford as quarterback. They’re 6-5 on the year, but the most beloved journeyman with a record of mediocrity has been incredibly mediocre yet again. His lackluster play highlights what a terrible move it was to give up a first-round pick for the former No. 1-overall bust.

After hearing all season about how wonderful he is because of his great completion percentage (he has the lowest air yards per attempt in the league at 5.9 yards, according to Bill Barnwell of ESPN), Bradford reminded us all why the Rams and Eagles were thrilled to be rid of his perpetual averageness. Bradford spent all day on Thanksgiving dumping passes off (his passes traveled a pathetic 3.4 yards per attempt through the air) and padding his over-embellished completion percentage.

He threw plays short of the sticks all night, content to punt until the game was on the line. With time nearly gone and the game tied, Minnesota tried to finally let Bradford throw the ball, which he did—right to Lions cornerback Darius Slay. It was a terrible throw by any player, let alone someone who has been in the league since 2010. The Vikings jumped to a 5-0 start and are now 6-5. They haven’t been a very good team since the first month of the year and it’s not likely things will improve quickly.

Nov 27, 2016; Baltimore, MD, USA; Baltimore Ravens linebacker Terrell Suggs (55) high fives fans after beating the Cincinnati Bengals 19-14 at M&T Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

15. Baltimore Ravens (18)

First-place in the AFC North belongs now to the 6-5 Baltimore Ravens, thanks to a tie breaker they hold over the Pittsburgh Steelers. They are now 4-0 against teams from the AFC North, but just 2-5 outside of it. On Sunday they won yet again in a very uninspiring performance.

Quarterback Joe Flacco threw for 234 yards with one touchdown and one interception. Such a performance is about par for the course with Flacco, who may be one of the most overrated players in the league.

Their running backs do little to help him either, as they got 49 yards out of rookie running back Kenneth Dixon and another 48 out of veteran Terrance West. Both of them had 13 carries to get the nearly identical numbers with neither distinguished themselves as superior. Their strength, and the reason for their winning record, is their defense.

This unit is carrying their less-than-impressive offense as they have slowed down every running back in the NFL so far. They even managed to slow down the league leading rusher Ezekiel Elliott a couple of weeks ago. He had 97 yards against them, but was held a full yard under his per carry average on the season. They will need that defense to be full strength down the stretch as they get ready to face off against Miami, New England, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh over the next four games.

Nov 27, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Tampa Bay Buccaneers wide receiver Cecil Shorts (top) celebrates with wide receiver Mike Evans (13) his touchdown during the first quarter of an NFL football game against the Seattle Seahawks at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17)

Well, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are for real. All season they’ve featured a good offense with quarterback Jameis Winston and receiver Mike Evans leading the charge. The only thing they needed was for their young defenders to start making plays.

On Sunday, that’s what they did. Against the NFC West first-place team, the Seattle Seahawks, the Bucs defense was outstanding. They harassed quarterback Russell Wilson all night and held them to just three points on offense. The final score was 14-5, thanks to the offense giving up a safety on top of the field goal.

The win was not just impressive, but also put them over .500 after 11 games. All 14 points in the game were courtesy of Winston and Evans as the tall receiver caught two touchdown passes in the first half. He is developing into one of the best receivers in the game and even the feared Seahawks Legion of Boom defense couldn’t slow him down—albeit a Legion without Earl Thomas.

If there was any negative on the day, it would have to be kicker Roberto Aguayo. The second-round selection missed yet another kick on Sunday. They have too much invested in him to simply move on, but being one game behind the division leaders, Atlanta, they cannot afford such a crapshoot at the kicking position.

Nov 20, 2016; Seattle, WA, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) hands off to running back Wendell Smallwood (28) during the third quarter at CenturyLink Field. The Seahawks won 26-15. Mandatory Credit: Troy Wayrynen-USA TODAY Sports

13. Philadelphia Eagles (16) – Play Monday Night

This is a good football team. At 5-5 they aren’t bad, but they aren’t outstanding. They’re simply just a competitive bunch that normally would be in the mix. Heck, if they were in the AFC North, they would have been tied for first until this Thursday. If they were in either the NFC or AFC South, they would be within striking distance of first place. They aren’t in those divisions though; they are in the NFC East.

In that group, the Eagles 5-5 record finds them sitting all alone in last place. They have no chance of catching the 10-1 Cowboys, who are controlling the division. What they do have, though, is the ability to find a way into the Wild Card. They need some help as Washington and the New York Giants need to drop some games, but they also have to take care of their own business. Step one in that department would be to handle the defensively challenged Green Bay Packers on Monday Night Football.

It will be a huge stage for rookie Carson Wentz to try and show people that he belongs. It will also be a nice arena for some of the youngsters on the team to step up and shake off some of their recent bad press. A loss on Monday night could do too much damage for them to recover. A win keeps them within range of a Wild Card spot.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (14)

It looks like the Pittsburgh Steelers survived their rough stretch of the season and will live to tell about it. They were without starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger for a game and he didn’t look much like himself the game after.

His second game back, he looked rusty and they dropped that one to their biggest divisional rival, the Baltimore Ravens, by a score of 21-14. That meant they dropped the game Big Ben was hurt in, the one he missed and the following where he was still trying to recover.

As fate would have it, when the big quarterback was ready to go. they were hit by a freight train out of Dallas. Roethlisberger had a monster night, but defense couldn’t stop the Cowboys and the Steelers had a four-game losing streak and they were sitting at 4-5.

Thankfully they had the Cleveland Browns to stop their skid and followed that up with a date with the Indianapolis Colts without Andrew Luck on Thanksgiving night. That game was a blowout and it helped Pittsburgh get their offense back on track. They now find themselves on the right side of .500 and in control of their own destiny from here on out.

Nov 24, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Washington Redskins tight end Jordan Reed (86) scores a touchdown as Dallas Cowboys free safety Byron Jones (31) defends during the second half at AT&T Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

11. Washington Redskins (9)

How could one team look so lost for 45 minutes, but so great for 15? In all fairness, the odds were not in the Washington Redskins’ favor this week. They played a late game on Sunday Night football in Week 11 and had to travel to Dallas for a Thanksgiving Day game on Thursday of Week 12.

To top it off, Dallas played a noon game and was at home the week before. They had more recovery time and no travel. That could explain why for the first three quarters the Redskins managed just six points and gave Dallas a comfortable 17-6 cushion going into the fourth.

The Boys would need that cushion as Washington exploded for 20 points in the final quarter. It wasn’t enough as Dallas was able to keep them at bay and wound up with a 31-26 victory and a season sweep of the Redskins.

What was good for Washington in this one was seeing that explosive passing game. Quarterback Kirk Cousins went off for 449 yards and three touchdowns. Receiver DeSean Jackson had 118 yards and a score and tight end Jordan Reed had 95 yards and two touchdowns. If these guys could ever put it all together for 60 minutes, they would be able to beat anyone.

Nov 27, 2016; Miami Gardens, FL, USA; Miami Dolphins head coach Adam Gase looks on in the game against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half at Hard Rock Stadium. The Miami Dolphins defeat the San Francisco 49ers 31-24. Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

10. Miami Dolphins (11)

Sunday marked the sixth-straight win for the suddenly dangerous Miami Dolphins. They beat one of the worst teams in the NFL in the San Francisco 49ers, so that’s not a whole lot to be excited about. They also did it by just seven points and nearly allowed the Niners to tie it up at the end, so that also was a negative.

The positive in this sixth-straight win was how they did it. Miami scored 31 points on the day and did so with running back Jay Ajayi rushing for just 45 yards on 18 carries. The second-year running back has been the catalyst to their offense this season, so winning when he was off his game was huge.

Quarterback Ryan Tannehill was impressive in the latest win as well. He threw for 285 yards with three touchdowns and no turnovers. He could have done even more damage had it not been for a couple of near catches by receiver DeVante Parker being overturned.

They also had a great stand to end the game. San Francisco quarterback Colin Kaepernick rushed for over 100 yards on the day and brought the ball to within two yards of a potential tying touchdown. The Dolphins stuffed his final rush attempt and were able to escape a tough game. They now sit at 7-4 on the season and have a shot at earning a Wild Card spot this post season.

Nov 27, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Denver Broncos quarterback Trevor Siemian (13) attempts to pass across the field in the first half against the Kansas City Chiefs at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

9. Denver Broncos (5)

Ask a Denver Broncos fan if their quarterback Trevor Siemian throws 368 yards with three touchdowns and no picks if they win the game and they will all tell you yes. The defensive-minded Broncos only need Siemian to play decent to win, but that kind of production is fantastic and should result in an easy victory.

On Sunday Night Football against the Kansas City Chiefs, they weren’t enough. The Broncos held Kansas City to nine points in the first half, but they couldn’t hold an eight-point lead with three minutes remaining as KC tied it up at 24 with 12 seconds to play.

Siemian was able to lead them down the field for the go-ahead score as Denver prayed a field goal would be enough to beat their divisional foes. The Chiefs tied it up and again the Broncos offense went to work. After their final drive stalled, they attempted a 62-yard field goal, which was off the mark and set the Chiefs up for the win.

It was a tough loss, but nothing the defending champs should be down on themselves about. The Chiefs are a fantastic team and the loss doesn’t knock them out of playoff contention. It does however make trying to catch the 9-2 Oakland Raiders for first place in the AFC West seem nearly impossible.

Nov 27, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; New York Giants quarterback Eli Manning (10) walks off the field after the game against the Cleveland Browns at FirstEnergy Stadium. The Giants won 27-13. Mandatory Credit: Scott R. Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

8. New York Giants (8)

Are the New York Giants the best team not in first place? Or are they the worst eight-win team in the league. It’s really hard to tell. One week they look like an unstoppable offensive force, the next week they look flat and out of sorts. On Sunday against the hapless Cleveland Browns, they should have been able to get things rolling, right? Wrong.

They spent the majority of the game in a dogfight with a team that’s now 0-12. In the end, they wound up making it a two-score victory thanks to a 13-point fourth quarter. Quarterback Eli Manning threw three touchdowns as well in the win. It wasn’t a prefect outing for him as he completed just 15-of-27 passes and had fewer than 200 yards.

Again the running game was weak as Rashad Jennings led all runners with just 55 yards on 15 carries. Rookie Paul Perkins had 29 yards on nine carries on the day, as well. The only saving grace in their running game was a 22-yard receiver run by wideout Sterling Shepard.

The Giants are in a perfect spot to make the playoffs. They need to clean some things up and find a running game, though, if they hope to do anything with that berth.

Nov 24, 2016; Detroit, MI, USA; Detroit Lions cornerback Darius Slay (23) celebrates with defensive end Kerry Hyder (61) after making an interception during the fourth quarter against the Minnesota Vikings at Ford Field. Lions win 16-13. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

7. Detroit Lions (7)

The Detroit Lions have done a good job getting to 7-4 this season. They don’t have a strong defense and their running game has been scarce to say the least. Despite that, they’ve been winning games this season, often in tight contests. Detractors can say they’re a coin flip from being 1-10, whereas supporters of the team can say they’re just as close to 11-0. Their worst loss of the season for Detroit was by a touchdown, which has happened twice (Week 3 at Green Bay, 34-27; Week 8 at Houston, 20-13).

Their biggest win came in Week 11 when they defeated the Jacksonville Jaguars 26-19 at home. That Jacksonville win was the only game all season that Detroit was involved in that was decided by more than a single score.

While there’s a question about the sustainability of winning so many close games, that’s simply what good teams do. They find a way to win and understand the margin of victory means nothing as long as you land in the “W” column.

On Thursday, they pulled off a close one again, defeating the formerly feared Vikings 16-13 on a last second field goal. The final score was set up by an interception courtesy cornerback Darius Slay. The victory gave Detroit sole possession of first place in the NFC North as they head down the stretch.

Nov 27, 2016; Atlanta, GA, USA; Atlanta Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan (2) celebrates with running back Devonta Freeman (24) after a touchdown run by Freeman in the fourth quarter of their game against the Arizona Cardinals at the Georgia Dome. The Falcons won 38-19. Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

6. Atlanta Falcons (6)

So much for a second-half meltdown. The Atlanta Falcons got to 7-4 on the season in Week 12 and did so in tremendous fashion. This weekend, they doubled up on the Arizona Cardinals with a 38-19 beat down.

After a bye week allowed them to get refreshed, Atlanta came out firing. Running back Devonta Freeman had two touchdowns and 60 yards on the ground. Quarterback Matt Ryan added another 269 yards passing and two touchdown passes.

The one gaffe on the day for Atlanta may have been the lone interception thrown by Ryan. He hit wide receiver Julio Jones right in the hands on a slant pattern, but Jones was unable to haul it in. In a very uncharacteristic move, he ended up batting the ball right into the hands of Arizona safety D.J. Swearinger. Outside of that, it was a near perfect game. It also was a game that put many fans fears to rest.

In the past, Atlanta has had problems with winning a lot of games early on in the season before falling apart to end the year. There’s still a lot of football to play, but the Falcons looked like a team that is still on fire and will be able to wrap up the NFC South pretty soon.

Nov 27, 2016; Tampa, FL, USA; Seattle Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson (3) runs the ball during the second quarter of an NFL football game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Raymond James Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

5. Seattle Seahawks (3)

Just when we all thought the Seattle Seahawks were back. This weekend they looked absolutely lost once again, scoring just five points against the Buccaneers. Yes, five. That means all of their points came from a safety and a field goal, against a team that came in at 5-5 no less. The defense stayed strong, giving up just 14 points, but that was all the Bucs needed to upset the Seahawks.

So what’s the deal? One easy answer is that the offensive line is a mess. Quarterback Russell Wilson spent most of the day on Sunday running for his life. They were also unable to get running back Thomas Rawls moving in the ground game. Despite the up-and-down games out of Seattle, they are still 7-3-1 and easily in first place in the weak NFC West.

Seattle should have no problem wrapping their division up, the only question will be if they can turn the postseason berth into something special. To do so, they need Wilson to get healthy. He can say all he wants and that he’s fine, but something is off with him. The O-line is doing him no favors, but he also has made more happen with less help in the past.

Nov 27, 2016; Denver, CO, USA; Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Alex Smith (11) passes in the first quarter against the Denver Broncos at Sports Authority Field at Mile High. Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

4. Kansas City Chiefs (12)

Quarterback Alex Smith showed a glimpse of how good the Kansas City Chiefs could be if he was ever truly unleashed. His whole career he has been seen as a game-manager, and with good reason.

His play callers always seem to draw up plays where he throws it for minimal gains and his team wins with defense. Trailing the Broncos 24-16 with three minutes remaining on Sunday night, though, the Chiefs finally unleashed Smith and he delivered a 75-yard drive, which included a touchdown pass with 12 seconds left and no timeouts. From there he then calmly delivered a two-point conversion that sent it to overtime in a battle of AFC West powerhouses.

After the Broncos were able to get down the field and score a field goal, Smith again calmly led his team down to tie things back up at 27 apiece.

Denver then attempted a 62-yard field goal, which missed. After giving the Chiefs a short field, Mr. Calm himself just marched right down again and hit a couple of quick passes to get his team in position for a game winning field goal that bounced off the upright and in, as they moved to 8-3 on the season and knocked off the Broncos. Their defense is outstanding and, if they keep trusting Smith, they could be special.

Nov 27, 2016; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Raiders quarterback Derek Carr (4) celebrates with game ball after a NFL football game against the Carolina Panthers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. The Raiders defeated the Panthers 45-42. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

3. Oakland Raiders (4)

The Oakland Raiders dodged a couple of bullets on Sunday. After taking a commanding lead into halftime, they allowed the Panthers to get back into the game. By surrendering 18 points in the the third quarter, Carolina took a 32-24 lead. They were then able to come back and earn narrow win, but not without surviving yet another scare.

Quarterback Derek Carr left the game with a pinky injury to his throwing hand in the second half. His backup, Matt McGloin, had to come in, which left the team wondering what would happen to their magical season if their MVP candidate was lost for significant time. Thankfully Carr returned and he led the Raiders down for the tie and, after a stop, led them again for the field goal and the win, 35-32. The win was big, especially when you look at the importance of this one.

Now at 9-2, Oakland is guaranteed a winning season. Even if they implode down the stretch, they will finally have more wins than losses. This is the first time since 2002 that the Raiders can say that. Since that year, they have never recorded more than eight wins season. They still have a long way to go as their defense is a weak spot. Right now, that doesn’t mean they aren’t the third best team in the league. Because they are.

Nov 27, 2016; East Rutherford, NJ, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady (12) reacts against the New York Jets during the fourth quarter at MetLife Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

2. New England Patriots (2)

No Gronk? No Problem. The New England Patriots escaped their game this weekend against the New York Jets, despite seeing tight end Rob Gronkowski leave the game in the first half. Without him, the Patriots did what the Patriots do. Tom Brady threw two touchdowns to a guy no one was expecting to have a huge game. This time it was rookie receiver Malcolm Mitchell.

The fourth-round pick out of Georgia had five catches for 42 yards to go along with his two touchdowns. He was one of the many guys that Brady got involved in the game on Sunday as he completed passes to eight different receivers in the win. Brady threw the ball 50 times in the comeback victory, which normally isn’t a recipe that leads to sustainable success. In New England, things are different as that many pass attempts is the norm.

Now at 9-2, they are keeping the streaking Dolphins at more than an arm’s length in the AFC East, which surprises no one. This team looks poised to make a deep run. And the scariest thing of all for opponents is they have yet to have their entire arsenal fully healthy and on the field at the same time this season.

Nov 24, 2016; Arlington, TX, USA; Dallas Cowboys running back Ezekiel Elliott (21) and quarterback Dak Prescott (4) celebrate Elliott

1. Dallas Cowboys (1)

As is tradition, the Dallas Cowboys played on Thanksgiving Day this week. Facing the rival Redskins, this was never going to be an easy win. Behind the power of their rookies and with the defense continuing to bend and not break, though, the Boys pulled it off in the holiday game.

Can this team go 15-1? The question may be out there now to stew on after 10-straight wins by the Cowboys. They just keep defying the odds and stacking up wins at a record pace. It sure doesn’t seem like it will last forever though. Dallas has an incredibly tough schedule down the stretch with the Minnesota Vikings in Week 13 on Thursday night followed by the New York Giants, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Detroit Lions and Philadelphia Eagles.

Even with such a rough road ahead, it feels foolish to bet against these guys. Ever. Rookie Ezekiel Elliott is clearly the best running back in the NFL this season. He leads the league in rushing and is in talks for not just the Rookie of the Year Award, but for the MVP as well.

His fellow rookie, quarterback Dak Prescott, has been just as impressive. The fourth-round pick has been as efficient as anyone in the league and also has picked opponents apart with his legs. He too is in the discussion for both the Rookie of the Year as well as the MVP. With that rookie duo, there may not be a defense that can stop Dallas right now. Barring a setback, they have a legitimate chance at 15-1 and at winning the Super Bowl.

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