National Football League

NFL Power Rankings Week 13: Cowboys Remain at the top

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 9:35 p.m. ET

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The NFL Power Rankings for week 13 are still led by the Dallas Cowboys. The New England Patriots and Oakland Raiders had a scare but held onto the second and third spots.

The NFL Power Rankings saw a shake up from the fourth spot on, with the Seattle Seahawks and Denver Broncos losing. The New York Giants continue to climb the rankings after handily defeating the Cleveland Browns. Kansas City Chiefs took five quarters to get a win and stay hot on the trails of the Raiders.

The Atlanta Falcons continue to dominate on offense and the Detroit Lions keep coming from behind to win. The Cowboys are becoming the team to beat with those dynamic rookies running the show. The Week 12 showcased some exciting games. Teams are fighting to get into a position to get into the playoffs.

With their 10th straight loss to the Miami Dolphins, the San Francisco 49ers are eliminated from the playoffs. The Tampa Bay buccaneers have been inconsistent but were able to dominate the Seattle Seahawks. The Chargers got the best of Houston pulling off a 21-13 victory.

The NFC East and the AFC West are the best divisions in the NFL. They could each get three teams in the playoffs, if they continue to play the way they have.

Mandatory Credit: Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports

Dallas Cowboys

10-1

Last week: 9-1Last rank: 1st

The Cowboys went 5-5 in the red zone and had a total of 353 yards in the game. They swept the Redskins with this victory. Ezekiel Elliott rushed 20 times for 97 yards and two touchdowns. Dak Prescott went 17-of-24 for 195 yards and a touchdown and rushed eight times for 39 yards and a touchdown.

Dallas dominated the first half, going into halftime with a 17-6 lead. In the third quarter, the defenses held strong with neither team scoring. The Redskins stormed back in the fourth quarter to pull within five with less then two minutes remaining. The onside kick went out of bounds sealing the Cowboys victory.

The Cowboys play the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday night. It has been proven to be difficult to defeat the Cowboys. The Vikings have a top defense and the Cowboys rookies will need to adjust quickly to pull off the win. This week will be a test for the Cowboys.

Mandatory Credit: Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports

New England Patriots

9-2

Last week: 8-2Last rank: 2

Tom Brady became the fifth player with 60,000 career passing yards during this game. This win was the 200th career victory for Brady, tying him with Peyton Manning for most career wins. Brady went 30-of-50 for 286 yards and two touchdowns. Julian Edelman grabbed eight catches for 83 yards.

The Patriots didn’t get their first lead of the game until the 7:34 mark of the third quarter. The Jets took back the lead in the fourth quarter going up 17-16. With less than two minutes remaining, the Patriots scored a touchdown to go up 22-17. They didn’t get the two-point conversion.

The Jets had the ball with less than two minutes remaining when Chris Long strip sacked Ryan Fitzpatrick, getting the ball back to the Patriots. LeGarrette Blount struggled all game but broke out for a first down with less then a minute remaining. This allowed the Patriots to line up in victory formation and walk away with their ninth win of the season.

This week the Patriots play the LA Rams. The Rams have a rookie quarterback that is getting his third start. The Patriots should have no problem dominating the Rams. They need to get the win to stay at the top of the AFC.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland Raiders

9-2

Last week: 8-2Last rank: 3

Khalil Mack recorded his first interception and touchdown of the season in the second quarter. His touchdown put the Raiders up 24-7. In the third quarter, the Panthers scored 25 unanswered points to take a 25-24 lead. Derek Carr dislocated his pinky finger on his throwing hand but instead of sitting out the rest of the game, he put a glove on and came back in.

The Panthers took a 32-24 lead, but Carr answered and converted the two point conversion to tie the game. With a little over four minutes left in the game, Carr moved the Raiders down the field to get into field goal range. Sebastian Janikowski gave the Raiders a 35-32 lead with 1:45 left.

Panthers got the ball back but Mack forced a strip sack on fourth down to seal the Raiders victory. This is the Raiders fifth straight victory. Up next, they play the Buffalo Bills. The Bills have been inconsistent this season but are always a tough opponent. The Raiders defense will have a tough job of containing Tyrod Taylor. Carr should be able to play despite dislocating his finger.

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

New York Giants

8-3

Last week: 7-3Last rank: 6

This game was the Jason Pierre-Paul show. In the fourth quarter, the Giants were hanging on to a 14-6 lead. With 10:58 left in the game, JPP grabbed a fumble and ran it in for a 43 yard touchdown to put the Giants ahead 20-6. Cleveland answered on the next drive to pull within seven points. On the next drive, Eli Manning moved the ball down the field ending in a touchdown pass to Odell Beckham Jr.

The Browns tried to put another drive together but with 51 seconds left in the game, JPP forced a fumble and the Giants recovered. This sealed their victory. OBJ finished with six receptions for 96 yards and two touchdowns. This was OBJ’s third game with multiple receiving touchdowns tying him with Antonio Brown for most in the NFL this season. Manning went 15-of-27 for 194 yards and three touchdowns.

This week, the Giants play the Pittsburgh Steelers. This is going to be a real test for the Giants. The defense is going to have to contain Brown and Le’Veon Bell. Manning is going to have to control the game on offense and not turn the ball over.

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-USA TODAY Sports

Kansas City Chiefs

8-3

Last week: 7-3Last rank: 7

The Chiefs were in a defensive battle with the Broncos all game. Both teams struggled to find an offense in the first half. It wasn’t until the 6:16 mark of the second quarter that either team scored. Kansas City got on the board first with a safety and on the free kick Tyreek Hill ran it back 86 yards for a touchdown, to give them a 9-0 lead.

In the fourth quarter, the Chiefs went down 24-17 with three minutes left in the game. They didn’t respond until Alex Smith found Tyreek Hill for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the game. They converted the two point conversion to tie the game and sent it into overtime.

In overtime, both teams scored a field goal. The Broncos had the opportunity to end the game with 4:03 left in overtime. They sent out their kicker for a 62 yard field goal. The Broncos missed giving the Chiefs the ball in Bronco territory.

The Chiefs moved down the field and with five seconds left Cairo Santos hit the upright and the ball went through to win the game. Justin Houston had three sacks and a forced fumble in his return for the Chiefs.

This week, the Chiefs play the Atlanta Falcons. The Chiefs are going to have to find way to stop the high-powered offense of the Falcons to get the win.

Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Atlanta Falcons

7-4

Last week: 6-4Last rank: 8

Matt Ryan is the first player in NFL history to pass for at least 200 yards in 50 consecutive games. Ryan went 26-of-34 for 269 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The Cardinals locked down Julio Jones only allowing him four catches for 35 yards.

Ryan proved that Jones wasn’t the only receiver capable of carrying the team. Ryan connected with Taylor Gabriel four times for 75 yards and two touchdowns. Devonta Freeman also helped the Falcons by rushing 16 times for 60 yards and two touchdowns. The Falcons attack defenses from every position, making them hard to contain.

This week the Falcons play the Chiefs. Both teams are in contention to make the playoffs if they keep winning. The Falcons remain on top of their division by one game. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are hot on their trails for the lead of the division. The Falcons offensive line is going to have to find a way to contain Justin Houston, for Ryan to be able to throw the ball.

Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Detroit Lions

7-4

Last week: 6-4Last rank: 9

The Lions were down 13-10 in the fourth quarter. With 30 seconds left and the game tied at 13, the Lions intercepted Sam Bradford. Matthew Stafford completed a couple of throws to get the Lions in field goal range. Matt Prater converted the game winning field goal with four seconds left in the game.

Stafford went 23-of-40 for 232 yards and a touchdown. Anquan Boldin grabbed seven receptions for 69 yards and a touchdown. The Lions offense didn’t produce much but did get just enough to win the game. The theme of the Lions season is coming from behind to win games. They have trailed in all the games they have played in this season.

This week, the Lions play the New Orleans Saints. If the Lions aren’t careful they can fall too far behind in this game. The Saints put up a lot of points so in order to win, the Lions will need to keep up with the Saints. To stay at the top of their division, the Lions will need to continue to win.

Mandatory Credit: Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Denver Broncos

7-4

Last week: 7-3Last rank: 5

Trevor Siemian found Bennie Fowler for a touchdown to give the Broncos a 24-17 lead with three minutes left in the game. The Broncos defense that had been lights out all game, allowed the Chiefs to move down the field. Alex Smith found Tyreek Hill for a touchdown with 12 seconds left in the game. The Chiefs converted the two point conversion to send the game in overtime.

In overtime, both teams scored a field goal. The Broncos got the ball back with a chance to win the game, but were unable to advance the ball into Chiefs territory. With 4:03 left in the game, the Broncos attempted a 62-yard field goal but missed. This gave the Chiefs the ball in good field position.

Alex Smith converted a couple of passes to get within field goal position. Cairo Santos hit the upright but it went through, sealing the Chiefs victory. Siemian went 20-of-34 for 368 yards and three touchdowns. Von Miller had three sacks.

The Broncos are now in third place in the AFC West. This week, they play the Jaguars. This should be an easy win for the Broncos. The Jaguars are capable of putting up points but that will be difficult against the Broncos defense.

Mandatory Credit: Reinhold Matay-USA TODAY Sports

Seattle Seahawks

7-3-1

Last week: 7-2-1Last rank: 4

Russell Wilson couldn’t get the offense going. In the first half, Wilson went 3-of-10 for 20 yards and an interception. He finished the game going 17-of-33 for 151 yards and two interceptions. Wilson was sacked six times by the Buccaneers. The defense didn’t get to Jameis Winston and only grabbed one interception and one forced fumble.

The Seahawks have a comfortable lead in the NFC West. With the loss, they still lead the division by three games. They will have to collapse in order to lose their lead on the division. The Cardinals are in second place with only four wins.

This week, they play the Carolina Panthers. This game has become a rivalry in the recent years. The Seahawks defense will need to play better in order to beat Cam Newton. The Panthers just put up 32 points against the Raiders. Wilson is going to be under attack again this week and if he can’t produce, they will lose.

Mandatory Credit: Jasen Vinlove-USA TODAY Sports

Miami Dolphins

7-4

Last week: 6-4Last rank: 13

The 49ers were driving down the field with less than a minute remaining in the game. On the six yard line with five seconds left, Kaepernick’s pass was blocked. The 49ers had another shot to tie the game with two seconds left. Kaepernick tried to run for the touchdown but Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso tackled him to end the game.

Ryan Tannehill went 20-of-30 for 285 yards and three touchdowns. Kenny Stills grabbed three receptions for 72 yards and a touchdown. After struggling against the LA Rams, the Dolphins offense bounced back in a big way. The Dolphins are two games behind the New England Patriots for the lead of the AFC East.

This week the Dolphins play the Baltimore Ravens. The Dolphins are playing to get a wild card or win their division. They want to keep their winning streak going, so they can have a chance at the playoffs. The Ravens defense is going to be tough to score against. Tannehill and the offense can’t have any turnovers.

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

6-5

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 16

The defense held the Seahawks offense in check. They sacked Russell Wilson six times, grabbed two interceptions and forced two fumbles. The defense kept the Seahawks off balance and never allowed them to get comfortable. Bradley McDougald grabbed the second interception with seconds left to seal the Buccaneers victory.

Winston went 21-of-28 for 220 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. Mike Evans grabbed eight receptions for 104 yards and two touchdowns. Evans is the fourth player in NFL history with 1,000 receiving yards in each of his first three seasons. The offense came out hot in the first quarter scoring two touchdowns but were stagnant the rest of the game.

The Buccaneers are only a game behind the Falcons for the lead in the NFC South. This week, the Buccaneers play the San Diego Chargers. The Buccaneers and the Chargers are both inconsistent. It will depend on which team comes to play. The Buccaneers need to get the win to stay within striking distance of the Falcons.

Mandatory Credit: Tim Heitman-USA TODAY Sports

Washington Redskins

6-4-1

Last week: 6-3-1Last rank: 10

The Cowboys were leading 17-6 in the third quarter. In the fourth quarter, the Redskins stormed back. Kirk Cousins found Jordan Reed for a touchdown with less than two minutes remaining, to pull within five points. The Redskins tried an onside kick to get the ball back but it went out of bounds sealing the Cowboys victory.

The Redskins went 2-5 in the red zone and had 505 total yards. Jordan Reed suffered an AC Joint separation in his shoulder, but came back and finished out the game. Reed grabbed 10 receptions for 95 yards and two touchdowns. Cousins went 41-of-53 for 449 yards and three touchdowns.

The offense had no problem scoring in the fourth quarter. They did miss two field goals that could have given this game a different outcome. The defense just couldn’t stop the Cowboys rookies.

This week, the Redskins play the Arizona Cardinals. The Redskins are in third place in the NFC East and are two games out of second place. They can still claim a wild card spot, but they need to keep winning.

Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports

Minnesota Vikings

6-5

Last week: 6-4Last rank: 11

The Vikings were winning 13-10 going in the fourth quarter. The Lions were able to tie it at 13. The Vikings got the ball back, but with 36 seconds left Sam Bradford threw an interception. This set up the Lions with the game winning field goal.

This loss puts the Vikings a game out of first place in the NFC North. Now is the time to start making a run for the playoffs and the Vikings will need to start playing better to make it. If they can get back to the way they started the season, they will have no problem making the playoffs.

This week, the Vikings kickoff week 13, Thursday night against the Dallas Cowboys. The Cowboys are currently the best team in the NFL, a title the Vikings held onto to start the season. The Vikings defense is going to be stuck with the task of stopping the Cowboys dominant rookies. The offense is going to have to put up points and not turn the ball over.

Mandatory Credit: Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports

Baltimore Ravens

6-5

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 17

The Ravens took a 16-3 lead going into halftime and the defense protected that lead to get the win. Elvis Dumervil returned in this game and had a impact. Dumervil strip sacked Andy Dalton in the final minute of the game to claim the victory. The defense had three sacks and three forced fumbles. Two of the turnovers the defense caused came in the red zone.

Joe Flacco went 25-of-36 for 234 yards, one touchdown and one interception. Justin Tucker went 4-of-4 on field goals. Tucker tied an NFL record with three field goals of 50+ yards in a half. The offense is going to need to get better, with the Ravens heading into the hardest part of their schedule. They will play four straight teams with winning records.

This week the Ravens play the Dolphins. With the Steelers right on their heels for the lead of the AFC North, the Ravens will need to win. The defense is going to have the tough task of containing the Dolphins offense. The Ravens offense will need to be able to score more than field goals to win this game.

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Pittsburgh Steelers

6-5

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 18

Antonio Brown had a big game against the Colts. Brown grabbed five receptions for 91 yards and three touchdowns. Ben Roethlisberger 14-of-20 for 221 yards and three touchdowns. LeVeon Bell rushed 23 times for 120 yards and a touchdown. The offense exploded on the Colts defense. They made it look easy.

The defense had three sacks, two interceptions and one forced fumble. The Colts only score came in the second quarter. The Steelers defense kept the Colts from scoring in three quarters. William Gay had one sack, one interception and one forced fumble for the Steelers.

This week, the Steelers will play the New York Giants. The Giants defense keeps getting better every week. Roethlisberger is going to have to be turnover free to get the win. The defense will be tasked with stopping the Giants top receivers. The Steelers need to stay on the heels of the Ravens in order to get into the playoffs.

Mandatory Credit: Kevin Hoffman-USA TODAY Sports

Buffalo Bills

6-5

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 15

Tyrod Taylor earned his fifth rushing touchdown of the season, tying him with Dak Prescott for most among quarterbacks. Taylor went 12-of-18 for 166 yards, one touchdown and seven rushes for 38 yards and one touchdown. LeSean McCoy rushed 19 times for 103 yards and two touchdowns. One of McCoy’s touchdowns was a 75 yard run.

In the third quarter, the Bills put up 14 points to take over the lead. In the fourth quarter, they were able to get eight more points which proved to be enough to walk away with the win. The Bills are currently in third place in the AFC East. They are three games out of first place. In order to make the playoffs, they are going to need some help.

This week, they play the Raiders. The Raiders are hot right now. The Bills are going to have to play flawless to pull off the victory. The Raiders have proven to be resilient, so the Bills are going to have to play their best.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

Houston Texans

6-5

Last week: 6-4Last rank: 12

Brock Osweiler went 22-of-37 for 246 yards, three interceptions and three rushes for 23 yards and one touchdown. The Chargers defense kept the Texans out of the end zone. In the second quarter, The Chargers took a 14-7 lead and never relinquished the lead. DeAndre Hopkins grabbed five receptions for 70 yards.

The Texans need to play better if they plan on winning their division. The Titans are right on their trails and are ready to take over the lead. The AFC South is wide open with the three teams separated by a game. It is going to come down to who wants it more. The Texans controlled the AFC South, before they lost two straight games. They are up against the wall now and need to be more consistent in order to win the division.

This week, they play the Green Bay Packers. The Packers have been struggling with injuries the past few weeks. On Monday night, they looked like they were getting back to their style of play. The Texans are going to need to do a lot of work in order to pull out the win. Both teams are desperate for the win to keep their season alive.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Philadelphia Eagles

5-6

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 14

The Eagles scored a touchdown in the first quarter but were unable to find the end zone the rest of the game. Carson Wentz went 24-of-36 for 254 yards, one interception and four rushes for 33 yards and one touchdown. The only other points the offense produced were two field goals.

The defense was taken apart by Aaron Rodgers. They gave up three touchdowns and forced no turnovers. They were unable to get to Rodgers giving him plenty of time in the pocket to throw the ball down the field.

In the beginning of the season, the Eagles looked like they were going to be the team to beat in the NFC East but now, they are in jeopardy of not making the playoffs. They are five games out of first place in the division, making it nearly impossible to catch up. Wentz started the season great but now looks like a rookie trying to figure everything out.

This week, the Eagles play the Cincinnati Bengals. The Bengals are without some key players. The Eagles might be able to take advantage of the Bengals and bring their record back up to .500.

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Carolina Panthers

4-7

Last week: 4-6Last rank: 19

The Panthers were down 24-7 at the half. In the second half, Cam Newton staged a come back that almost won his team the game. The panthers were down 24-19 when Thomas Davis intercepted the ball and ran it back 36 yards. This set up a three-yard touchdown by Jonathan Stewart, giving the Panthers a 25-24 lead. On the next drive, Newton found Kelvin Benjamin for a 44-yard touchdown to increase the lead to 32-24.

The Raiders answered with a touchdown and two point conversion to tie the game at 32. Then the Raiders kicked a field goal to go up 35-32. The Panthers had an opportunity to take the lead or tie the game but on fourth down, Khalil Mack forced a fumble to end the game. Newton went 14-of-29 for 246 yards, two touchdowns, one interception and three rushes for six yards and a touchdown.

The Panthers are only three games out of first place but are running out of time to turn their season around. This week, they play the Seattle Seahawks. This game has become a rivalry in recent years. The Panthers know how to defeat the Seahawks, it is just a matter of executing the game plan.

Mandatory Credit: Dennis Wierzbicki-USA TODAY Sports

Tennessee Titans

6-6

Last week: 5-6Last rank: 22

The Titans went up 27-7 in the fourth quarter before the Bears made their comeback. The Bears were able to pull within six but that was as close as they could get. The defense was unable to get a sack but didn’t grab two interceptions.

Marcus Mariota went 15-of-23 for 226 yards, two touchdowns and four rushes for 46 yards. Rishard Matthews grabbed three receptions for 64 yards and a touchdown. This win was big for the Titans. It pulls them within a half game of the division leader. There are three teams that could win this division and the Titans just made sure they stay right in the mix.

This week, they have a bye. This gives them an extra week to prepare and come back to finish out the season strong.

Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

New Orleans Saints

5-6

Last week: 4-6Last rank: 23

Drew Brees went 28-of-36 for 310 yards and four touchdowns. Brees has 30 touchdown passes in a season for the ninth time in his career, tying Brett Favre and Peyton Manning for most 30-TD season in NFL history. Michael Thomas grabbed nine receptions for 109 yards and two touchdowns. Mark Ingram rushed 14 times for 146 yards and a touchdown.

WIllie Snead also got in on the action of throwing touchdown. Snead threw a 50-yard touchdown pass to Tim Hightower. He also grabbed five receptions for 35 yards. The Saints offense is hard to stop. They are capable of putting up a lot of points, making it hard for opposing teams to keep up.

This week, the Saints play the Lions. The Lions have fallen behind in every game before making a comeback. The Saints score a lot, which will make it hard for the Lions to come back. If the Saints can get ahead early they may be able to pull out the win.

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

San Diego Chargers

5-6

Last week: 4-6Last rank: 24

Philip Rivers recorded his 11th consecutive season with 3,000 passing yards, tying him for the 4th longest streak in NFL History. Rivers went 22-of-30 for 242 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Dontrelle Inman grabbed six receptions for 119 yards and one touchdown. The offense is capable of having big games, but the team has been inconsistent.

The defense had one sack, three interceptions and one forced fumble. The Chargers have what it takes to be a good team but they can’t keep it going week in and week out. They are at the bottom of the tough AFC West. They are currently four games out of first place.

This week, the Chargers play the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The Buccaneers have also been inconsistent this season. This game will come down to which teams show up.

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

Green Bay Packers

5-6

Last week: 4-6Last rank: 26

Rodgers went 30-of-39 for 313 yards and two touchdowns. Davante Adams grabbed five receptions for 113 yards and two touchdowns. There was no stopping the Packers offense in this game. They played the way the wanted to play all season.

The defense had four sacks and one interception. This win moves the Packers to only two games out of first place in the NFC North. With five more games to play, they still have a shot at grabbing first place in their division.

This week, they play the Houston Texans. The Texans have lost their last two games. Rodgers is a competitor and wants to win every game. The Packers will be ready for the Texans.

Mandatory Credit: Jason Getz-USA TODAY Sports

Arizona Cardinals

4-6-1

Last week: 4-5-1Last rank: 20

Larry Fitzgerald grabbed four receptions for 53 yards. This was Fitzgerald’s 190th straight game with a reception, tying him with Marvin Harrison for the third longest streak in NFL History. He also moved past Tim Brown to 5th place on the all time list for most career receptions. This season has been big for Fitzgerald as he keeps climbing up in the record-books.

Carson Palmer went 25-of-45 for 289 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. David Johnson grabbed eight receptions for 103 yards, a touchdown and rushed 13 times for 58 yards. The Cardinals kept it close in the first half but in the second hal,f they had no answer for the Falcons offense.

This week doesn’t get any easier. The Cardinals play the Washington Redskins next. The Redskins are also capable of putting up a lot of points. The Cardinals will need to get after Kirk Cousins in order to keep this game close.

Mandatory Credit: Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Indianapolis Colts

5-6

Last week: 5-5Last rank: 21

The Colts fell to the Pittsburgh Steelers 28-7. Tolzein went 22-of-36 for 205 yards, one touchdown and two interceptions. He wasn’t afraid to air the ball out. This wasn’t Tolzein’s first time starting so he was comfortable in the game. Tolzein gave it a good effort but he came up against a tough Steelers defense.

Despite the loss, the Colts are still in contention to win the AFC South. They are only a game out of first place. Any of the three teams can win the division and the Colts want to be the team that comes out on top.

This week, the Colts play the New York Jets. The Colts hope to have Luck back for the game. The Colts will need to get the win to stay alive in their division. With only five games left, they need to make a push to claim the top spot.

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

New York Jets

3-8

Last week: 3-7Last rank: 27

The last six meetings between the Jets and the Patriots have been decided by seven points or less. This game wasn’t any different. In the first quarter, the Jets held New England to 35 yards and no points. In the second quarter, the Jets led 10-0 before the Patriots got some points on the board. They went into halftime tied at 10.

In the fourth quarter, the Jets took a 17-16 lead. Tom Brady answered the Jets touchdown with a Patriots touchdown going up 22-17. The Patriots missed on the two point conversion.
The Jets got the ball back with under two minutes and a chance to win the game. The Patriots defense forced Ryan Fitzpatrick to fumble, sealing their victory. Fitzpatrick went 22-of-32 269 yards, two touchdowns and a fumble. Quincy Enunwa grabbed five receptions for 109 yards and a touchdown.

This week, the Jets play the Indianapolis Colts. The Jets offense has been struggling this season but their defense has played well. They are one of the top rushing defenses in the NFL. The Jets are going to make Andrew Luck have to win it in the air.

Mandatory Credit: Chuck Cook-USA TODAY Sports

LA Rams

4-7

Last week: 4-6Last rank: 25

This was Jared Goff’s second start of the year. Goff went 20-of-32 for 214 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. Makes you wonder why Jeff Fisher waited so long to start the rookie. Goff has real potential and it is hard not to think about how much better he would be if he started playing earlier in the season.

Goff was put into a terrible situation. His team already had a losing record and he was thrown out their never playing in a NFL game. Goff is only going to get better going forward. He is a rookie and has some learning to do but in his first two games he has secured his starting job.

This week the Rams play the New England Patriots. The Patriots just played a close game with the Jets. Wouldn’t that be something if the rookie can pull off a win against the Patriots? He will get the chance this week. They’ve got nothing to lose.

Mandatory Credit: Timothy T. Ludwig-USA TODAY Sports

Jacksonville Jaguars

2-9

Last week: 2-8Last rank: 28

Blake Bortles went 13-of-26 for 126 yards, two touchdowns and rushed eight times for 81 yards. The Jaguars have been in the games all season. They just can’t figure out how to pull off the win. The defense had five sacks.

Even though the Jaguars are 2-9, they are only four games out of first place. They aren’t out of it yet with five games to go. If the Jaguars can go on a run, they can make the AFC South very interesting. They can not be counted out yet.

This week, they play the Denver Broncos. Blake Bortles will need to get the running game going in order to win this one. The Broncos have one weakness and that is their rushing defense. The Jaguars will need to expose that weakness to pull out this win.

Mandatory Credit: Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Cincinnati Bengals

3-7-1

Last week: 3-6-1Last rank: 29

The Bengals are playing without key players and were still able to keep it close against the Ravens. They went down 16-3 in the first half but battled back to make the game interesting. Andy Dalton went 26-of-48 for 283 yards and a touchdown. Tyler Eifert grabbed five receptions for 68 yards and a touchdown.

The defense had two sacks, one interception and one safety. They held the Ravens to one offensive touchdown. The defense stepped up to hold the Ravens to four field goals.

This week the Bengals play the Philadelphia Eagles. The Eagles have lost two straight games. The Bengals defense will need to get after Carson Wentz in order to keep this game close. The Eagles defense got exposed on Monday night and will be looking to redeem themselves in this game.

Mandatory Credit: Mike DiNovo-USA TODAY Sports

Chicago Bears

2-9

Last week: 2-8Last rank: 30

Barkley went 28-of-54 for 316 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. It took Barkley a while to warm up, but once he did, he was decent. Barkley put the Bears in a position to win the game in the fourth quarter. Marquess Wilson grabbed eight receptions for 125 yards and a touchdown.

This game looked like it was going to be a blow out. The Bears never gave up and stormed back to make it an interesting game. There is no hope for the Bears to make the playoffs, even though they haven’t been officially eliminated yet. They sit at the bottom of the NFC North.

This week, the Bears play the San Francisco 49ers. The 49ers are capable of putting up offense. The Bears defense is going to have the hard task of containing Colin Kaepernick. Barkley will be more comfortable this week and should be able to put up points from the start of the game.

Mandatory Credit: Steve Mitchell-USA TODAY Sports

San Francisco 49ers

1-10

Last week: 1-9Last rank: 31

The 49ers had a chance to win the game. They were down 31-24 with five seconds left and had the ball on the six yard-line. On second down Colin Kaepernick’s pass was batted down. On third down he tried to run for it but got tackled by Ndamukong Suh and Kiko Alonso to end the game.

Kaepernick went 29-of-46 for 296 yards, three touchdowns and one interception. He also rushed 10 times for 113 yards. That is the most rushing yards by a quarterback this season. Kaepernick if the fifth player since the merger with 100 rushing yards and three passing touchdowns in a game.

The 49ers have nothing to lose going forward. They have been knocked out of the playoffs. This week, they play the Chicago Bears. The 49ers offense is getting better every week. It is going to be hard for the Bears to stop them.

Nov 27, 2016; Cleveland, OH, USA; Cleveland Browns center Cameron Erving (74) and wide receiver Corey Coleman (19) celebrate Coleman

Cleveland Browns

0-12

Last week: 0-11Last rank: 32

The Browns never gave up and kept the game close until the fourth quarter. With 10:58 left in the game, Josh McCown fumbled and it was run in for a touchdown putting the Giants up 20-6. The Browns answered pulling within seven but the Giants scored again putting the game out of reach.

McCown went 25-of-43 for 322 yards and a touchdown. He was sacked six times and knocked down 10 times in the game. That made it hard for him to move the ball down the field. After losing 12 straight games, the Browns get a break. This week is their bye week. Maybe the extra time off will help them come up with a way to close out a game and get their first win.

The NFL is going to get interesting with five games left in the season. Teams are going to start securing playoff spots. The top four teams right now are the Cowboys, Patriots, Raiders and Giants. These teams will need to keep winning to hold on to their lead over everyone else.