NFL Power Rankings - Week 15
Fri, Dec 16, 2022
by
BondMoney.cappertek.com
Ahhh, the playoff races. What a time to be alive. Did your team look hopeless, pulse-less, destined for a top ten pick in the 2023 NFL Draft a month ago? Carolina? Washington?? Detroit?!? How are things looking now? On the other side of the stadium sit my fellow Dolphins fans, gnawing fingernails as 8-3 suddenly becomes 8-5 with a snowy Buffalo game on the horizon. We are not alone. The Seahawks, Giants, Jets, and Titans fans are similarly shifting in their seats. 4 weeks my friends. 4 weeks will separate the pretenders from contenders. Who’s hot? Who’s not? Bond Money power rankings are on deck…
#1. Eagles (12-1) — Most complete in the NFL. QB Jalen Hurts is playing MVP-caliber football. (same ranking as last week)
#2. 49ers (9-4) — Brock Purdy is a great story, but this defense is suffocating. (same ranking as last week)
#3. Chiefs (10-3) — Squeak by in Denver, but was the outcome ever really in doubt? (same ranking as last week)
#4. Bills (10-3) — Avenged early midseason to rival Jets. Next up on the revenge tour: the Miami Dolphins. (up from 5th last week)
#5. Bengals (9-4) — Cincinnati heating up behind Joe Cool. Saw this movie last year. (up from 6th last week)
#6. Cowboys (10-3) — Barely survived what would have been a humiliating loss in the battle for Texas. (dn from 4th last week)
#7. Ravens (9-4) — Defense starting to awaken. LB Roquan Smith is a scary dude. (up from 11th last week)
#8. Vikings (10-3) — How was this 10-2 team a 2-point underdog versus lowly Detroit? Sometimes Vegas knows best. (dn from 7th last week)
#9. Dolphins (8-5) — Dolphins are fading. McDaniel was outcoached on Sunday night. (dn from 8th last week)
#10. Titans (8-5) — Secondary shredded in consecutive weeks. The blueprint to beat the Titans is in: Throw the ball. (dn from 9th last week)
#11. Seahawks (8-5) — This team is tough in the trenches, but issues at the running back position threaten to derail a magical season. (dn from 10th last week)
#12. Commanders (7-5-1) — Well rested off a bye and ready to drive a stake into the playoff hopes of the rival Giants. (same ranking as last week)
#13. Lions (6-7) — Most exciting team in football. They’ve already won in the Meadowlands once this year. (up from 14th last week)
#14. Patriots (7-6) — The offense may have issues, but this defense might be the best that Belichick has ever fielded. (up from 15th last week)
#15. Chargers (7-6) — Defense may be hurt, but the offense is getting healthy at just the right time. (up from 18th last week)
#16. Jets (7-6) — Does the QB really matter with this defense? (dn from 13th last week)
#17. Jaguars (5-8) — Statement game against the rival Titans. Cowboys coming to Duval next. (up from 26th last week)
#18. Panthers (5-8) — Don’t look now, but the left-for-dead Panthers are one game out of first place in the NFC South. (up from 25th last week)
#19. Browns (5-8) — Come on… did you really think they were going to remain undefeated against Joe Burrow? (dn from 16th last week)
#20. Raiders (5-8) — The silver and black laid an egg last Thursday night in Los Angeles. HC Josh McDaniels’ old boss is in town this weekend. Should be an interesting matchup. (dn from 17th last week)
#21. Packers (5-8) — Fresh off the bye week, they get Baker Mayfield and the Los Angeles Rams on the frozen tundra this weekend. (same ranking as last week)
#22. Giants (7-5-1) — After a hot start, the Giants continue their tailspin. (dn from 22nd last week)
#23. Buccaneers (6-7) — Brock Purdy begins his NFL career 1-0 versus Tom Brady. (dn from 19th last week)
#24. Falcons (5-8) — The Desmond Ridder era begins. (dn from 23rd last week)
#25. Saints (4-9) — Such a waste of a season. What might have been… (dn from 24th last week)
#26. Steelers (5-8) — After rookie QB Kenny Pickett got knocked out of the Ravens game, Mitch Trubisky promptly came in and threw three picks. (dn from 22nd last week)
#27. Rams (3-10) — After a miraculous comeback last Thursday night, newly signed QB Baker Mayfield tries to keep the drive alive in Lambeau. (up from 30th last week)
#28. Bears (3-10) — The record does not reflect how competitive the Bears have been this year. (same ranking as last week)
#29. Broncos (3-10) — Broncos played their best game of the season in a home loss against the Chiefs last week. (up from 31st last week)
#30. Cardinals (4-9) — Despite the Kyler Murray injury on Monday night, I think the Kliff Kingsbury coaching experiment has come to an end. (dn from 27th last week)
#31. Colts (4-8-1) — One of the year’s biggest disappointments. There is always next year. (dn from 29th last week)
#32. Texans (1-11-1) — And the first pick of the 2023 NFL Draft goes to… (same ranking as last week)