NFL Power Rankings, Week 14: Packers keep getting better while 49ers reclaim the top spot following a statement victory.
The same as the previous boss, meet the new one.
With a stunning display in Philadelphia, the 49ers ended the Eagles’ five-game winning streak and took the top spot back. The scorching Niners have now won four in a row, and their season can be divided into three uneven halves: the 5-0 start, the three-game losing run, and now this current four-game winning streak. They’ve been fantastic this season, for the most part. If San Francisco’s victory over Philadelphia on Sunday night wasn’t enough to convince you, then nothing will.
However, it seems that five-game winning streaks were supposed to end in Week 13. The young Texans, who could quickly establish themselves as America’s Team, held off the other team carrying one of those into Sunday, Denver. Now, could they take the AFC South? Even though the Texans lost at home to Jacksonville in Week 12, the Jaguars’ shocking loss on Monday night, which included injuries to Christian Kirk and Trevor Lawrence, has turned the tide in their favor. The AFC field, which would go into Week 14 with four of its seven current playoff teams playing with backup quarterbacks—including the lurking Colts—would be significantly weakened if Lawrence misses any time.
This is how I envision the structure of the league hierarchy:
They have returned. The 49ers are in first place for the first time since Week 7. In terms of these rankings, anyhow. Even after the team’s overwhelming, decisive victory in Philadelphia on Sunday, finding the NFC’s top seed is still a work in progress. Did the Niners come across an Eagles team that had recently been through a lot? Yes. But the playoffs are about that, right? Weekly prizes for first place include an additional week off. It’s a deathmatch.
Who is up for another postseason meeting between these two teams? Yes, almost all of us do, and at this point it seems almost inevitable. In a rematch, the 49ers’ potent offense might prove to be too much for the Eagles—or any other opponent, for that matter. Throughout the team’s three-game losing streak, Brock Purdy has provided answers to any questions you might have had. Before then, and ever since, he has been the maestro.
The Ravens more than deserved their rest during the Week 13 bye after playing 12 straight weeks of games, which included a trip across the pond to London, two separate trips to the West Coast, and back-to-back prime-time games. They’ve put themselves in a great position to win the division and challenge for the top playoff seed in the AFC, even though they’ve made a few mistakes. Others have also contributed. Sunday’s losses by the Steelers, Browns, and Chiefs eased the division’s downward spiral, and made it easier to secure a first-round bye. Fortunately, Baltimore is in charge of its destiny. The bad: There are games left against Miami and Jacksonville, two teams that are also vying for the top spot, making for a daunting schedule. Additionally, there’s
The trade secret has been revealed. During the Eagles’ lopsided loss to San Francisco on Sunday, the 49ers’ run game and coverage weaknesses were made clear to them. Deebo Samuel gained 116 receiving yards, but 115 of those yards came after the catch due to poor tackling. Although this has been a problem for a few weeks, Philadelphia made significant stops in their games against Buffalo, Dallas, and Kansas City. That simply did not occur when San Francisco was involved. After punting twice in their opening two plays, the Niners went on to score six touchdowns in a row. Even though the Eagles are allowed to lose games occasionally, it was an incredible sight to behold in such a significant game at the Linc. However, this is the first time in a number of years that they’ve truly been from time to time. However, this is the first time they’ve really been outclassed in a few years. It’s not your fault that Jalen Hurts missed time; the score was 28-13 at the time of his departure and 35-13 when he came back, which is probably what it would have been if he hadn’t missed a play. Shaq Leonard, a veteran LB, was added on Monday. This is an interesting addition, especially since Philly signed him before Dallas, but did the playoff-hungry Colts cut a player who can actually turn around the Eagles’ recent defensive collapse?
The Cowboys have gone 4-0 since the Eagles game, winning the first three of those contests by an average of thirty points. The victory this past Thursday stood out because, despite Seattle’s lead for the majority of the second half, Dallas never gave up. Even though the defense had trouble getting off the field against the Seahawks, it’s a testament to how dangerous the Cowboys offense has become. However, the ‘Boys will get more sleep before their crucial rematch with the Eagles in Dallas this Sunday night. The competition for the NFC East title and the top seed in the conference was greatly heightened by the Eagles’ Week 13 defeat. At AT&T Stadium, Dallas has won 14 straight games, but the defense will need to improve.
I predicted last week that the Dolphins would be able to overcome the injury to Jaelan Phillips, and they have already proven me right with one victory against the Commanders, displaying a strong defensive performance on the road. However, the 45–15 victory over Washington was not without a price: LB Jerome Baker, who has been a stealthily important member of this Miami defense, suffered a knee injury. Additionally, the injuries weren’t limited to the opposition’s defensive end, as overtime Both OG Robert Hunt and Terron Armstead left the game, exposing the offensive line. The Dolphins have shown their mettle this season against the NFL’s lower-tier clubs, but they will need to do it against Dallas, Baltimore, and Buffalo in three straight weeks from Weeks 16 through 18. Miami is currently sitting pretty at 9-3, but this not so healthy team can’t afford too many more major injuries. There are two home games against also-rans before that.
You have the right to complain about officiating, but only for uncomfortably long periods of time. Patrick Mahomes was making some odd-looking passes on Sunday night, and the defense was being outplayed. For the past few games, Kansas City’s offense has struggled to come back from an early two-score deficit caused by Steve Spagnuolo’s unit. It did not work against the Packers, but it did work against the Raiders. This wasn’t a major concern before, but it certainly is now. The Chiefs didn’t run the ball more, which surprised me.Sunday evening. In the first half, they gained 6.3 yards per carry on average, and in the second, 5.7. Travis Kelce (four receptions) was the only Chief to catch a pass longer than sixteen yards on a night when Mahomes was not playing well. Isiah Pacheco was the best player for Kansas City. Does Kansas City have a chance to make the playoffs if Mahomes isn’t nearly perfect? That’s how it feels, kind of.
The Lions’ record after twelve games is the best it has been since 1962, and they would need to lose 14 straight games between now and Week 18 in order to miss the postseason. They have a very good chance of hosting a postseason game and are still in the running for the top seed. Why, then, does Detroit seem to be experiencing a mild panic? Because the Lions have insisted on adding unnecessary stress to the trip, they have almost coughed up multiple-score leads against the Chargers and Saints and have barely recovered to defeated the Bears, making it possible for the Packers to take over the NFC North. The offense, which had committed a total of seven turnovers in the previous two games, played a cleaner game against New Orleans. Even though Derek Carr was taken out of the game on Sunday, the defense is still a cause for concern as it collapsed in the second half. The Lions are currently experiencing a general sense of unease, particularly in light of some difficult games coming up.
With the opportunity to move up into the top playoff seed in the AFC, the Jaguars went into Monday night’s game. After suffering a shocking defeat to Jake Browning and the Bengals, they ended it with their season suddenly in jeopardy due to injuries to wide receiver Christian Kirk (groin) and quarterback Trevor Lawrence (ankle). In an ugly night at EverBank Stadium, where the home team fell to 2-4 on the season, several other Jaguars sustained injuries. While there is still hope, the Jaguars will have to endure one more grueling week without Lawrence
It appears that Saints supporters are still a little cold toward quarterback Derek Carr, and Sunday was an interesting example of how that relationship is developing. Carr got off to a slow start, and even though Juwan Johnson mishandled his interception, Carr was jeered by Saints supporters. Then he started to heat up, making 15 straight passes in the second quarter to help spark a third-quarter comeback that reduced a 24-7 deficit to 24-21. But the fans jeered even more when Carr fumbled on a bad center exchange. His injuries forced him to leave the game a few minutes later, and Jameis Winston gave the Saints a late chance to win, but quarterbacking wasn’t the only factor in this case. The Saints’ because The Lions frequently displayed their strength against the Saints’ defense, which was once the team’s undisputed strength.
