NFL POWER RANKINGS WEEK 18

BY ADAM GREENE

This is it. Our last Power Rankings before the playoffs and the rankings that really count. Let’s deliver our penultimate hazzahs, kudos and wedgies before the brackets are officially set.

1. BALTIMORE RAVENS (13-3)

Lamar Jackson has all but pocketed the 2023 NFL Most Valuable Player award and no one who knows anything about the sport would argue against it. He’s the only quarterback in the league to win 10 or more games against franchises that have a winning record in a single season. He’s the first QB to achieve that since at least 1950, the first season stats like that were tracked. Last week: No. 1

2. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (12-4)

With everything they could possibly clinch already clinched, the 49ers have announced they’ll sit Christian McCaffrey in Sunday’s season finale game against the Los Angeles Rams, a team that’s already announced they will sit Matthew Stafford, Cooper Kupp, Aaron Donald, Ernest Jones and Kyren Williams. Also, the Niners will probably only see Puka Nacua long enough for him to set the rookie receiving yardage record. There’s no official word on the Niners sitting anyone besides McCaffrey, but considering how their Super plans were obliterated by Brock Purdy’s injury, and three of their four losses came with starters, including Deebo Samuel who says he’ll play, was injured, maybe it’s time to think about a Sam Darnold vs Connor Wentz classic in Santa Clara? (Update from Thursday morning. It’s official. Purdy is out and Sam Darnold is getting the call). Last week: No. 2

3. CLEVELAND BROWNS (11-5)

Here’s something I’m not sure any of us would think that I would write this year. The Browns have already locked in their playoff position heading into the final week of the season and, as such, will not take any chances with their record-setting starting quarterback Joe Flacco. They’re sitting him and starting Jeff Driskel against the Cincinnati Bengals Sunday. You can see why this team thought it was a real quarterback away from contending. They just picked the wrong quarterback to pay in Deshaun Watson. Last week: No. 6

4. BUFFALO BILLS (10-6)

The Bills have the oddest playoff situation maybe in NFL history. They would not be the first team to win 10 games and miss the playoffs in NFL history, but they could be the first squad to do it now that the league has gone to seven playoff teams in each conference (It’s going to happen for sure. It’ll be Buffalo, the Indianapolis Colts or Houston Texans. Some 10-win team is getting left out). Sunday, if they beat the Miami Dolphins, win the NFC East and they could be as high as the No. 2 seed. If they lose, they could be out of the playoffs entirely. Its’ crazy but shows that the AFC is the logjam we all suspected it would be in the preseason. Last week: No. 7

5. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (10-6)

To call a 10-win, AFC West Championship season a disappointment just shows what Andy Reid has built in Kansas City. They’ve now won eight consecutive AFC West titles, literally doubling the number of AFC West titles in the team’s history. No, they don’t look like they’ll get the opportunity to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl this year and Patrick Mahomes will play his first road playoff game ever, but this is as good a run as we’ve seen outside of New England and San Francisco. Last week: No. 8

6. DALLAS COWBOYS (11-5)

Thanks to some referee idiocy and some Detroit Lions chicanery, the Cowboys now control their own destiny. They can claim the NFC East and the No. 2 seed in the NFC officially Sunday with a victory over the hapless Washington Commanders, who have gone back to Sam Howell at quarterback. That leaves only one final question — how exactly will Mike McCarthy screw this up? Last week:  No. 9

7. LOS ANGELES RAMS (9-7)

In a season where most of punditry thought the Rams were tanking, where media members openly talked about Sean McVay retiring in the offseason, Los Angeles is back in the playoffs, has an Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate in Puka Nacua and the guy that should win the Defensive Rookie of the Year in Kobie Turner, along with the NFL’s second leading rusher who’s only No. 2 because he missed four games with an injury in Kyren Williams. All in a “remodel” year as general manager Les Snead called it. Oh, and he should be the NFL’s Executive of the Year and there’s no argument there. And, not to be missed, linebacker Ernest Jones, in his third campaign, set a new franchise record for tackles in a single season. Last week: No. 10

8. MIAMI DOLPHINS (11-5)

Miami had another shot to prove it belongs in the conversation of the NFL’s true contenders and, like every chance they had (with the exception of their game against the Cowboys), they fell flat on their rostrum. They get one final chance Sunday when they host the Bills with the AFC East on the line. They can do themselves, and every other AFC playoff team a favor, by winning and keeping Buffalo out of the bracket. Last week: No. 2

9. DETROIT LIONS (11-5)

Alright, so let’s get into it. I hate being the guy that says, “everybody’s at fault here,” but, you know, everybody’s at fault here. Yes, Dan Campbell warned the ref crew ahead of time they’d have a trick play installed with an offensive lineman eligible. What he didn’t warn them about was that he’d send multiple O-Linemen at the ref, with only one of them claiming to be eligible. Also, while the ref did lie as say that No. 70 reported instead of No. 68, they did announce that No. 70 was eligible over the stadium PA, which means that Dan Campbell, his players and his offensive staff, all heard the wrong player declared eligible before running the play. Last week:  No. 4

10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (11-5)

Of all the collapses in modern NFL history, the Eagles’ finish to the 2023-23 regular season might be the strangest we’ve ever witnessed. For three months they looked like the best team on the planet, but since December it’s like they’ve completely forgotten how to play football. They looked as if they’d walk into the NFC East title, the No. 1 seed and the Super Bowl. Now, it feels as if they could lose to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in the Wild Card round. Apparently, there’s some issues with AJ Brown now, being a locker room problem. They’ve got one week to fix it. Last week: No. 5

11. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (9-7)

Shane Steichen isn’t getting enough love for a potential NFL Coach of the Year nod. He has the Colts in for what could be a winner-take-all game Sunday against the Houston Texans with a backup quarterback on a team that was so bad a season ago they fired their coach in the middle of the season. It could also be for nothing, but to finish with 10 wins, even missing the playoffs, would be phenomenal. Last week: No. 11

12. GREEN BAY PACKERS (8-8)

Jordan Love has the chance to do something that Aaron Rodgers did not in his first season as a starting QB for the Pack, make the playoffs. All Green Bay has to do is win. Coming into a must-win game against the Minnesota Vikings Sunday night, Love has completed 63.1 percent of his passes for 3,833 yards, 30 touchdowns and 11 interceptions. Last week: No. 14

13. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (9-7)

How good is Mike Tomlin as a head coach? For the 17^th straight year, he’s not recorded a losing season and for the 17^th consecutive season, Pittsburgh is alive for a playoff spot entering the final week of the season. Pittsburgh now has 20 straight winning seasons, second only to the Cowboys’ stretch from 1965-1985. If the Steelers win and the Bills lose, they’re in the bracket once again. Last week: No. 16

14. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (9-7)

The Jaguars, in spite of injuries to Trevor Lawrence and flailing around on the football field for the past month, can win the AFC South and secure the fourth seed with a win over the Tennessee Titans Sunday. Last week: No. 18

15. HOUSTON TEXANS (9-7)

The Texans are in the same boat as the team they’re facing Sunday. They could win the game, get to 10 wins, and still be left out of the playoffs if the Buffalo Bills defeat the Miami Dolphins. It should do nothing to stop DeMeco Ryans from winning the NFL’s Coach of the Year award, though his opponent Shane Steichen, along with the Rams’ Sean McVay, should also be on the short list. Last week: No. 19

16. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-8)

Thanks to a monster, and unexpected, victory over the Buccaneers last week, the Saints remain alive for the playoffs until probably around 4:30 p.m. Sunday. Last week: No. 20

17. CHICAGO BEARS (7-9)

As the Bears have plenty of tough decisions to make starting Sunday night after the Carolina Panthers officially clinched them the No. 1 pick in April’s NFL Draft, it’s important to realize the value they have with Justin Fields, even if they decide to move on from him and draft Caleb Williams (and they should). As good as Fields has been, he’s nowhere near even 3,000 yards passing this season (and, yes, he missed some time). Chicago has never had a 4,000 yard passer in its organization’s history. I’d take Williams and trade Fields and I like Fields. I’ll like him more when he’s an Atlanta Falcon next year. Last week: No. 22

18. DENVER BRONCOS (8-8)

As the Broncos’ season and Russell Wilson’s tenure come to an end, it’s important to realize one final fact. Wilson has more bathrooms in his Colorado home than he does wins in a Denver uniform. And there’s no way that’ll change now. Last week: No. 23

19. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (8-8)

In spite of losing last week in surprising fashion to the Saints, the Bucs control their own destiny. A win over the Carolina Panthers secures the fourth seed in the NFC and an absolute ass beating in the playoffs by the Eagles or Cowboys. Should be fun. Also, important to note, Mike Evans has already secured his 10^th consecutive 1,000-yard season, tied for second all-time with Randy Moss. Last week: No. 12

20. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-8)

With a chance to make the final week of the playoff hunt interesting, the Seahawks took a mighty dump in the bed last week against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Last week: No. 13

21. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-9)

The Raiders players are all actively campaigning for Antonio Pierce to keep the job and knock the interim off his name. As someone who has no rooting interest in Las Vegas, I don’t care. But, if I’m Mark Davis, I would certainly trust the players’ thoughts on the subject more than my own. Bucky Larson is batting .000 in coaching hires in his tenure. Last week: No. 15

22. CINCINNATI BENGALS (8-8)

Well, if the Bengals have figured out anything in a season lost to injuries it’s that they should keep Tee Higgins, Zac Taylor is a good head coach and Jake Browning is a backup at best. They could still finish with a winning record facing a Browns team led by Jake Driskel. Last week: No. 17

23. ATLANTA FALCONS (7-9)

Math says there’s a scenario where Atlanta can still sneak into the playoffs, but since I looked out my window and didn’t see it raining frogs, I’m pretty sure it’s not going to happen. Last week: No. 21

24. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (7-9)

The Vikings, with a win and some help, can sneak into the playoffs as the seventh seed to get blown out of the water in the Wild Card round and ruin any chance at taking a quarterback in the top half of next year’s draft. So, you know, it’s a real danger for them.  Last week: No. 24

25. ARIZONA CARDINALS (4-12)

It appears that Kyler Murray has officially received a rose from his head coach and will get to remain in the Bachelor house for another season. And, if the first three picks in April’s draft are all quarterbacks, and they could be, then Murray will be tossing passes to Marvin Harrison, Jr. next season. Last week:  No. 31

26. NEW YORK JETS (6-10)

Well, the crazy shoe officially dropped for the Jets thanks to their acquisition of Aaron Rodgers this past offseason, and I’m not talking about cutting Dalvin Cook or basically shoving Zach Wilson out the door. No, it’s Rodgers and his stupid mouth on the Pat McAfee show putting ESPN, the Jets and himself in legal peril with his dumbass conspiratorial ramblings. Rodgers is an idiot and Green Bay should be glad he’s gone. Jimmy Kimmell should sue him today. Last week: No. 25

27. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-11)

Yes, heartbreaking losses this season are tough to deal with for a recently maligned Giants fanbase but, make no mistake. Every single “L” this season will pay dividends next season. Especially if New York makes a push for Russell Wilson or drafts one of the top three QBs coming out in April. Last week: No. 27

28. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (4-12)

I do hate that the Pats are still close enough to the top of the draft to select Drake Maye or Jayden Daniels, but I’m happy they have no shot to grab Caleb Williams. And, with the chance to beat the Jets Sunday to remove even that hope, I have a feeling that Bill Belihchick, the super genius, has one more franchise ruining move to make.  Last week: No. 26

29. TENNESSEE TITANS (5-11)

The joke for DeAndre Hopkins, when he signed with the Titans, is that he “wanted to go to a contender” then picked a team that would not contend for anything but the top overall pick in the draft. That part was true, but Hopkins has balled out. With a game to go, Hopkins has recorded his seventh 1,000-yard season and first since 2020. Hopkins has 68 receptions for 1,011 yards and six touchdowns this season. Last week: No. 28

30. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (5-11)

Michigan fans, you might think you’re rooting hardest for the Wolverines to win the National Title next Monday, but you have no idea how badly the Chargers want that to happen. They already have the Jim Harbaugh contract ready to go. Last week: No. 29

31. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (4-12)

The tank is now complete as the Commanders rest comfortably with the No. 2 overall selection in April’s NFL Draft and Ron Rivera is already packing up his U-Haul. Last week: No. 30

32. CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-14)

In what has been a season full of farcical moments and self-inflicted wounds for the Panthers, the penultimate week of the year might be the most emblematic. Team owner David Tepper, quickly rushing up the charts as the worst owner in the NFL… and considering this is a league with Jimmy Haslam running a franchise, that remains an accomplishment, showed exactly how terrible a human being he is by tossing a drink on a Jaguars fan last Sunday as his team fell 26-0. Tepper, in every move he’s made since buying the team, has been the architect of his own destruction. He was fined for the drink toss by the NFL to the tune of $300,000 but I’d doubt there’s not more money coming out of his pocket for that moment of sheer, unadulterated stupidity. Because that fan should sue him for assault. As for what the NFL can do about Tepper? Honestly, probably a lot, including forcing him to sell the team. The problem is, if the league does pull the trigger on something like that, then the playbook to remove an owner exists. And no other owner in the NFL, even the good ones (and most of them don’t flat out suck like Tepper and Haslam) could get caught up in it. No one wants that. So, sorry Carolina. You’re stuck with this moron and the horrible team he will continually field. This is Dan Snyder 2.0.  Last week: No. 32

Follow Adam Greene on Twitter @TheFirstMan.

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