BY ADAM GREENE<\/p>\n\n\n\n
We\u2019re heading into the final four games of the season and the rankings, at least if you look at them in thirds, seem to be set in stone. The Top 10 remains the same, only the teams move up or down. The rest all keep to their bracket as well, most determining draft positions with a few vying for the sixth and seventh seeded Wild Card spots.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
1. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n After spending most of the season as the maid of honor, the best team in the NFL can now enjoy the peaceful transfer of power back into the stop spot. Last week: No. 2<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (11-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Losing a game at this point, to an NFC opponent, is absolutely the best thing that could happen for the Steelers and their Super Bowl hopes. This team was in no way prepared to enter the postseason 16-0. Last week: No. 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 3. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (10-2)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sean Payton\u2019s hubris might cost him a chance at a Super Bowl or two, but the man can unquestionably coach. The Saints are 8-0 without Drew Brees on the field over the last two seasons. And you can understand that with Teddy Bridgewater. No one can figure out how he\u2019s doing it with Taysom Hill. Last week: No. 3<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 4. BUFFALO BILLS (9-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Josh Allen is a postseason run away from passing over into franchise quarterback territory. His performance against the 49ers last Sunday is one of the best from anyone this season. Last week: No. 4<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 5. GREEN BAY PACKERS (9-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of franchise quarterbacks, Aaron Rodgers has surpassed Russell Wilson in the MVP race. His problem is that Patrick Mahomes may simply be running away with it. Last week: No. 7<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 6. CLEVELAND BROWNS (9-3)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Sticking with the franchise QB angle, Baker Mayfield will probably never be on the trajectory of Josh Allen. But he could be on the trajectory of Jared Goff and considering there\u2019s a conference title and Super Bowl appearance in there, that\u2019s not so bad. Frankly, if Mayfield does the same he\u2019ll lay claim to be the best Browns quarterback since Otto Graham. Last week: No. 8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 7. LOS ANGELES RAMS (8-4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Rams have the toughest remaining schedule of all the \u201crealistic\u201d NFC playoff teams. If they navigate it to the finish line, no team in the postseason tournament will be more battle tested. Last week: No. 9<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 8. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (8-4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Colts remain in the playoff hunt by beating a horribly coached Texans team and watching their arch rivals, the Titans, get shocked by the Browns. Last week: No. 8<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 9. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Russell Wilson\u2019s MVP campaign might be over, but this team could still win it all if he rekindles that September magic in January. Last week: No. 5<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 10. TENNESSEE TITANS (8-4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Titans literally got beaten at their own game by the Browns. Tennessee remains in control of the AFC South, so they could get a chance to make it right in the playoffs on their homefield (if their home state isn\u2019t overrun by COVID-19 by then). Last week: No. 6<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 11. MIAMI DOLPHINS (8-4)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Mike Tomlin has likely already pocketed the NFL\u2019s Coach of the Year Award, but the Browns\u2019 Kevin Stefanksi and the Dolphins\u2019 Brian Flores should really get an honorable mention there. Last week: No. 14<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 12. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (7-5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n They Raiders are currently right outside the playoff bracket, but would have plenty further to go with just four games left on the schedule if not for Gregg Williams delivering an early Christmas gift. Last week: No. 11<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 13. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (7-5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Bucs had a week off to face a suddenly resurgent Vikings team that finally has something to play for. Last week: No. 12<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 14. BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-5)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Nothing like a game against a Mike McCarthy coached team to fool you into thinking you\u2019ve fixed any of the problems that cost you against quality opponents. Last week: No. 15<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 15. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (6-6)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Patriots season might be on the line Thursday night when they play a Rams team they built a two-decade long dynasty on defeating. Last week: No. 16<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 16. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-6)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Vikings spent the first half of the season being invisible and the second half being impossible to ignore. Last week: No. 19<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 17. ARIZONA CARDINALS (6-6)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n A month ago Sunday\u2019s game against the Giants looked like it would be a walk. Now it looks more like a wall. Last week: No. 13<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 18. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Giants have won four straight and everyone is rooting for them to win their next four as well. No one wants to see a losing team make the playoffs. Last week: No. 22<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 19. WASHINGTON FOOTBALL TEAM (5-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin told Washington defensive end Chase Young that he hoped he\u2019d never lose enough games to draft a guy like him. Because it takes \u201closing 14, 15 games.\u201d For the WFT, now that they\u2019ve got the QB settled with Alex Smith\u2019s near miraculous return to form, Young (along with nailing the head coaching hire of Ron Rivera) might be the reason they never lose that many games again. Last week: No. 24<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 20. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (5-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n It\u2019d be a shame if the 49ers didn\u2019t at least finish 8-8 with the coaching job Kyle Shanahan has done with his JV squad for most of the season. Last week: No. 17<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 21. DETROIT LIONS (5-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Matthew Stafford celebrated Matt Patricia\u2019s firing by picking up his 31st<\/sup> career fourth quarter comeback win over the Bears. Last week: No. 26<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 22. CHICAGO BEARS (5-7)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Speaking of the Bears, Mitchell Trubisky is coming up with brand new ways to lose at this point. I don\u2019t think the NFL should give up on Trubisky just yet, but Chicago probably can. Last week: No. 18<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 23. ATLANTA FALCONS (4-8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n You know what, I\u2019ve figured the Falcons out. If I pick them to win, they lose. If I pick them to lose, they win. I\u2019m the guy. The secret\u2019s clear for all to see. Bet accordingly. Last week: No. 20<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 24. HOUSTON TEXANS (4-8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Deshaun Watson was asked, in what could be the first losing season of his life as a starting quarterback, if playing the Bears this week gave him extra motivation since they passed on him in the 2017 NFL Draft like it would ever cross his mind. For the record, he said, \u201cno.\u201d<\/a> Last week: No. 21<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 25. CAROLINA PANTHERS (4-8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Panthers got a week off and probably feel like hitting sim on the rest of the season, but this is a team building something good for next year. They\u2019re not as far away as they looked back in August. Last week: No. 25<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 26. DENVER BRONCOS (4-8)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n While the Panthers look like a team that could be formidable in 2021, the Broncos are much harder to read. Certainly getting back guys like Von Miller, Jurrell Casey and Courtland Sutton will help. Last week: No. 25<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 27. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3-9)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Chargers\u2019 problems are easier to diagnose. I don\u2019t hate their offensive coordinator, Shane Steichen. Justin Herbert\u2019s development at QB has been no accident. Pep Hamilton, the QB coach, can keep a job too, but the rest of the guys have to go. Last week: No. 27<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 28. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (3-8-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 2020 second round pick Jalen Hurts will make his first official start for the Eagles far too late for it to actually matter. Last week: No. 29<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 29. DALLAS COWBOYS (3-9)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Here\u2019s what everyone needs to remember as Mike McCarthy grinds this team right into the turf. Andy Dalton is not a bad quarterback. In fact, with Marvin Lewis as his head coach, he had exactly three losing seasons total as a starting QB and the worst was a 5-6 mark as a starter in 2018. His record under Lewis (a relationship that ended two seasons ago) was 69-51. He has a 62.1 career completion percentage and has thrown for 32,749 yards and 211 touchdowns. That\u2019s the guy McCarthy can\u2019t score more than 17 points with, playing alongside Ezekiell Elliott and Amari Cooper. Last week: No. 28<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 30. CINCINNATI BENGALS (2-9-1)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Head coach Zac Taylor might survive the culling this offseason, but he\u2019s got one more year to turn this thing around tops. Last week: No. 30<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 31. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (1-11)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n The Jags were already filling out their Trevor Lawrence draft card when Gregg Williams unleashed the stupidest defensive call in NFL history. Last week: No. 31<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n 32. NEW YORK JETS (0-12)<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Gregg Williams getting fired has become a bi-annual tradition for me. It\u2019s like a half-leap year and something to celebrate every time it happens. Who will be the next team to rope in one of the dumbest defensive minds of the era and then fire him 600-ish days later? Last week: No. 32<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n Follow our BetOnline Twitter accoun<\/a>t for the latest sports news and betting odds, and stay tuned on the Instagram feed<\/a> for more good information too.<\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" BY ADAM GREENE We\u2019re heading into the final four games of the season and the rankings, at least if you…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":13,"featured_media":14768,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"inline_featured_image":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[129],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-14767","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-nfl"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14767","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/13"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=14767"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14767\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":14769,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/14767\/revisions\/14769"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/14768"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=14767"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=14767"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.betonline.ag\/news-room\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=14767"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}