NFL POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 17

BY ADAM GREENE

We’ve reached the end, with our final Power Rankings of the season. The playoffs are mostly set, with a few surprises possible. But, for the most part, we can see how this is all going to play out and nobody would be shocked to see my Top Four be the Final Four this season.

1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (14-1)

Patrick Mahomes is sitting out this week in a meaningless game and they’ve spent the second half of the season playing down to every opponent. In spite of that, they’re the best team in the NFL and it’s not relatively close. Last week: No. 1

2. BUFFALO BILLS (12-3)

If the Chiefs do have a team that can knock them out before hoisting their second Lombaridi, it’s the Bills, who bring a complete team to play every week with a quarterback leaping into superstar status. Last week: No. 2

3. GREEN BAY PACKERS (12-3)

The Pack can secure home field advantage and a first round bye with a victory over the Bears Sunday. They can also keep Chicago out of the postseason, which would have to be an NFC North bonus. Last week: No. 3

4. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (11-4)

The Seahawks opened the season playing great offense and bad defense. Now they play good defense and bad offense. They have exactly a week before the playoffs to try to get it together. Last week: No. 5

5. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-4)

This could very well be Drew Brees’ final run with the Saints. They’re in the playoffs and have the talent to beat everyone in the NFC. If this is it, they need to make it count. Last week: No. 6

6. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (12-3)

For weeks people have been saying the Steelers offense is broken. In the second half against the Colts last week, it got unbroken. They need to break out the duct tape and keep it that way. Last week: No. 11

7. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (10-5)

Tom Brady left the Patriots and they missed the postseason. He did not. That’s quite the statement right there. Last week: No. 9

8. MIAMI DOLPHINS (10-5)

After Ryan Fitzpatrick’s late game heroics, the Dolphins are going back to Tua Tagovailoa at QB. But don’t be surprised to see Brian Flores head out to the mound tapping his elbow at any point Sunday. Last week: No. 10

9. TENNESSEE TITANS (10-5)

The Titans can secure the AFC South and a home field playoff game with a win. With a loss, and a Colts victory, they could be watching the postseason from their couches. Last week: No. 7

10. CLEVELAND BROWNS (10-5)

Nothing the Cleveland Browns could do would be more Cleveland Browns-y than finish 10-6 for the first time in since 2007 and miss the playoffs. Because that’s exactly what they did in 2007. Last week: No. 8

11. BALTIMORE RAVENS (10-5)

If the Ravens win, they’re in the playoffs. They’re playing a Bengals team that’s shocked people the last two weeks, so they can’t take it for granted. After all, Baltimore has a first round playoff loss to get to. Last week: No. 13

12. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (10-5)

The Colts, in spite of their record, need some help to make the postseason. First off, they have to win, then they need either the Browns, Ravens, Dolphins or Titans to lose. If Tennessee manages to take the “L” and Indy is victorious, they get the AFC South title and a home playoff game. Last week: No. 4

13. CHICAGO BEARS (8-7)

To make the playoffs the Bears must beat the Packers, a team they’ve lost to 21 times since 2008. In that same span they won five. Last week: No. 15

14. ARIZONA CARDINALS (9-6)

A win over the Rams automatically puts the Cards in the playoffs as does a Bears loss. But no one wants to back into the postseason and they’re facing a team fielding its backup QB. Last week: No. 14

15. LOS ANGELES RAMS (9-6)

Backup QB John Wolford has a chance to secure a playoff spot for the Rams Sunday and, if he plays well enough, a starting job for himself during their postseason run. Jared Goff has not gotten the job done. Last week: No. 12

16. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (6-9)

Another valiant effort from a 49ers team that never quit in the face of a season that was all but lost in September. Last week: No. 23

17. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (6-9)

Justin Herbert continues to play so well that the idea of being saddled with Anthony Lynn as a head coach for another season seems like a crime against humanity. Chargers, don’t do what you did to Philip Rivers. Give this kid a chance. Last week: No. 21

18. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-8)

Three years of Jon Gruden. No playoff appearances. No winning seasons and Las Vegas is a loss away from their fourth straight losing season. This has been a disaster. Last week: No. 16

19. DALLAS COWBOYS (6-9)

Speaking of losing seasons, there’s only one reason the Cowboys sit where they are this year and it’s not losing Dak Prescott. It’s head coach Mike McCarthy. Jerry Jones needs to wise up and pull the ripcord on that firing the second the final whistle echoes Sunday. Last week: No. 20

20. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (6-9)

With a victory, the Washington Football Team will win the NFC East and make the playoffs. If they lose, something even worse could happen; a different and even more terrible NFC East team will make the playoffs. On the bright side, WFT did send COVID-19 and Chlamydia disease vector Dwayne Haskins packing. Last week: No. 17

21. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-9)

Dalvin Cook is out Sunday for “personal reasons.” That reason might be that his back is sore from carrying this team for two years. Last week: No. 18

22. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-9)

Not only is the evil empire dead, they’ve been buried with their first losing record under Bill Belichick if you needed at least one good thing to come out of 2020. Last week: No. 19

23. NEW YORK JETS (2-13)

This is probably too high for the Jets, but there has to be some reward for screwing up your future this bad for a couple of meaningless end of the year victories. Last week: No. 27

24. CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-10-1)

You can not stop Ryan Finley. You can only hope to contain him. Is it too late to get him in the NFL MVP odds? Last week: No. 26

25. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-10)

On the bright side, the Giants aren’t as bad as they looked like they’d be. They need some major roster help and it won’t take much to take over the NFC East next season. Especially if the Cowboys keep McCarthy. Last week: No. 22

26. DETROIT LIONS (5-10)

There’s a lot of talk around moving Matthew Stafford in the offseason, but if I’m the next head coach I build with him as my QB. If you’ve got a quarterback and a head coach, you have a team. For his entire career Stafford has been alone in that equation. Last week: No. 24

27. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-10-1)

Jalen Hurts finally takes a loss and suddenly the quarterback situation doesn’t seem so clear. I do think the Eagles would love to move on from Carson Wentz this offseason. I’m just not sure they can. And, if they can’t, they need to go all in both these QBs this offseason to develop one into what they need and it doesn’t matter which. Last week: No. 25

28. ATLANTA FALCONS (4-11)

Roster wise, the Falcons and the Texans look like the two best open jobs out there. But for some reason the players keep showing that might not be the case. Last week: No. 28

29. HOUSTON TEXANS (4-11)

Yes, their coaching is abysmal and has been all year, before and after Bill O’Brien was fired. But there is no excuse for a team this talented to lose this many games. Last week: No. 29

30. CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-11)

Reality and injuries doomed the Panthers in the second half of the season. Christian McCaffrey’s struggles to get and stay on the field is just another reason no running back should get that kind of contract. Last week: No. 30

31. DENVER BRONCOS (4-11)

The Broncos are keeping Vic Fangio and I’m not sure that’s the wrong move. But they’re back to square one on their quarterback situation. With the guys that could be hitting the market this offseason, that might not be as hard a fix for 2021. Last week: No. 31

32. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-14)

You did it, Jags. You tanked for Trevor and, with a spectacular come from ahead victory, you sealed the deal thanks to consecutive wins from the Jets. And, hey, Trevor Lawrence, at least the tax situation is good in Florida. Last week: No. 32

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