The big game in NFL Week 14 in terms of our Pickswise Power Rankings was the clash between last week’s #3 and #4 teams in Dallas. The impressive win for the Cowboys sees them jumping up to #2 this week, with former chart-toppers the Eagles falling down to #3. We also have a change in the last place after the Patriots decided they didn’t like being #32 and rose from the grave to beat the Steelers.
You can check out our NFL Week 15 predictions and look at the NFL odds any time you like, but now, let’s get to this week’s rankings.
Pickswise NFL Power Rankings for Week 15
1 (-) San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers have become the first team in the NFL to clinch a playoff spot this season and a win this week would bring them the NFC West title too. It’s 5 wins in a row now for Kyle Shanahan’s team since their mid-season blip and there’s a growing gap between them and the field in the Super Bowl odds, with FanDuel making the 49ers +260 odds favorites for the Super Bowl (from +320 last week) and every other team available at +600 or better. Defeats for the Chiefs, Eagles and Dolphins this week have strengthened their position.
2 (up 2) Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys posted the most important win of the week, climbing above the Eagles in the NFC East with an impressive 33-13 success against Philly for their 5th straight win. That was eye-catching enough to move them above last week’s #2 team, the Ravens. The Cowboys are only 6th favorites in FanDuel’s Super Bowl list, though, at +850 odds.
3 (down 1) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens got the W this week, but only just and they could easily have lost to the Rams on Sunday (before we even address the question of the blocks in the back on their game-winning punt-return touchdown). The win was huge, though, as it maintains a 2-game gap between them and the Browns in the AFC North. Baltimore has the tougher run-in with the Jaguars, 49ers, Dolphins and Steelers still to play, but 2 wins should be enough to take the division and they are +240 odds favorites with FanDuel to represent the AFC in the Super Bowl.
4 (up 1) Buffalo Bills
The Bills are a LOT higher here than in the Super Bowl odds list because they are still only 11th in the AFC playoff rankings. However, at 7-6 they’re now tied with five other teams, and the Dolphins’ loss to the Titans just about kept the AFC East title in play too. The sportsbooks have faith, with the Bills +1800 odds 7th favorites for the Super Bowl with FanDuel.
5 (down 2) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles suffered a second straight costly loss to their biggest NFC rivals, with Dallas following in San Francisco’s footsteps and the Birds are out to +750 odds from +500 at FanDuel Sportsbook for the Super Bowl. They have no more nasty games left on their schedule, but the Seahawks, Giants (twice) and Cardinals are all in better shape now than they were earlier in the season.
6 (-) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs get to stay where they were last week despite their third defeat in 4 games and their fourth in the last 6. If we could move them down for the unbelievable whining coming out of Arrowhead after a correct call by the refs we would. Why not pick a call that they did get wrong — there’s enough of those to choose from.
7 (up 2) Denver Broncos
The Broncos are only a game behind the Chiefs in the AFC West after winning 6 of their last 7 games and they’re right behind them in the rankings too. They’re still +900 odds to win the division, though.
8 (down 1) Miami Dolphins
A bigger worry for the Dolphins than their stunning loss to the Titans on Monday night is the ankle injury sustained by star wide receiver Tyreek Hill. It’s not time to panic just yet, but they have given the Bills hope. It has also added fuel to the argument of critics who see them as fraudulent, but with the Cowboys, Ravens and Bills in their last 3 games, that argument should be settled one way or another by the end of the regular season.
9 (up 3) Los Angeles Rams
This one might look odd (there are more questionable moves further down!) as the Rams move up after losing to the Ravens last week, but they could easily have beaten our former #2 team, which suggests they might be better than last week’s 12th place. They also have a recent head-to-head win over the team that’s coming next, so it makes sense to put them ahead.
10 (up 3) Cleveland Browns
Who knew that the argument over whether Joe Flacco was elite would finally be settled with him leading the Browns to Super Bowl glory in 2023? Okay, that’s going too far, but he did become the fourth quarterback to win a game for the Browns this season (after Deshaun Watson, PJ Walker and Dorian Thompson-Robinson) when beating the Jaguars. Flacco is just +3000 odds to be named Comeback Player of the Year at DraftKings Sportsbook. The injuries keep coming for the Browns, though, and they are now starting their 4th and 5th-choice offensive tackles.
11 (up 3) Cincinnati Bengals
Last week’s positions 12, 13 and 14 become this week’s 9, 10 and 11 as the Bengals also move up 3 following their impressive win over the Colts under Jake Browning. They’re still last in the AFC North (although not in these rankings) but they have shown no sign of throwing in the towel since Joe Burrow’s injury, to their credit.
12 (down 4) Detroit Lions
The path was clear for those teams to rise thanks to Detroit’s second loss in 3 games (and they almost threw away the other one, too). They still have games against the Broncos and Cowboys, plus a pair of divisional battles with the Vikings, so the end to their regular season may not be as comfortable as it should have been.
13 (up 2) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars move up despite losing thanks to weaker efforts from others, but also because last week’s 6-place drop had included the idea that Trevor Lawrence was injured. Ha! No, T-Law bounded onto the field in Cleveland as if there had never been an issue, but it wasn’t a great day for him as he was picked off 3 times.
14 (up 2) Seattle Seahawks
It’s a similar story with the Seahawks moving up despite losing. It was their fourth straight loss, but with 2 of them to the 49ers and the other to the Cowboys, it’s hard to be too down on them. Drew Lock was solid enough in place of Geno Smith, and Smith seems likely to be back this week.
15 (down 5) Green Bay Packers
Here come those teams whose issues got those other teams moved up. The Packers tripped up in New York to fall to 6-7, no doubt glad that only half as many were watching them due to the baffling simultaneous MNF doubleheader. They are out to +104 odds to make the playoffs at FanDuel.
16 (down 5) Houston Texans
The Texans wasted the good work of their win over the Broncos with a 30-6 thrashing by the Jets, who had lost their previous 5 games. The Texans also lost QB CJ Stroud to a concussion, while wide receiver Nico Collins suffered a calf injury a week after Tank Dell sustained a broken leg. It’s fair to say the needle in pointing down for the Texans at the moment.
17 (up 6) Tennessee Titans
A Titans win over the Dolphins can be filed as one of the most unexpected results of the season as they headed to Miami with a 0-6 road record. The upset didn’t even seem likely until the home team imploded in the final 4 minutes, but the Titans were good enough to make the most of their chance.
18 (-) Indianapolis Colts
The Colts had their 4-game losing streak snapped in convincing fashion by the Bengals, missing their big chance to draw level with the Jaguars. Their schedule is soft enough that they should remain in the AFC playoff mix, though.
19 (up 2) Minnesota Vikings
Well, they won. They scored only 3 points against the Raiders, but they won by 3 points. The good news is the chest injury that knocked Justin Jefferson out of the game on his return is not thought to be serious, but we may see a quarterback change this week, with Nick Mullens replacing Josh Dobbs, who was benched on Sunday.
20 (up 4) Arizona Cardinals
Sometimes the best thing you can do to move up in the rankings is not play, and the Cardinals got that one right this week, watching on as teams around them did play and struggled. The smiles may come off their faces when they remember they return against the 49ers on Sunday.
21 (down 2) Pittsburgh Steelers
It seems a long time since the Steelers lost to last week’s #32 team, the Patriots, on TNF, but the rankings remember. That’s 3 losses in 4 games now and it seems all the Steelers’ offensive struggles were not solved by firing their OC after all.
22 (up 4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
If the Saints had played only in Weeks 13 and 14 this season, they would still be ahead of the Panthers in the NFC South. Back-to-back wins over the Panthers and Falcons have taken the Bucs to the lofty heights of first place in football’s worst division, albeit at 6-7. Whoever wins the division will likely be hosting someone with a much better record in the wild-card round.
23 (down 6) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers are just about the most disappointing team in football this season, and that’s saying something. It is being reported that QB Justin Herbert will have season-ending surgery on his finger injury, leaving Easton Stick to run their offense. The surgery the team needs most is a headcoachectomy.
24 (up 3) Chicago Bears
The Bears are finding form a lot later in the season than they would have liked, but they have won 3 of their last 4 and Justin Fields is giving the team’s front office something to think about. Fields was sacked 9 times the last time he visited Cleveland as a rookie, so Sunday’s game will be a chance to see how much progress he has made.
25 (down 3) New Orleans Saints
All it took to shake the Saints out of their slump was to play the Panthers, but that doesn’t count for a whole lot in rankings land. Things are somehow slightly tougher for them than facing the first overall pick in the draft this week as they take on the undrafted Tommy DeVito and the New York Football Giants.
26 (up 2) New York Giants
Did somebody say Giants? The Big Blue earned a raise with their Monday triumph over the Packers for their third straight win. They are 6-point underdogs against the Saints, but there may be takers for that price.
27 (down 7) Atlanta Falcons
This might seem really harsh for a team that only lost by 4 points to the Bucs this week but they have an obvious chance to bounce back up a little this week as they’re playing the Panthers.
28 (up 2) New York Jets
Zach’s back, baby! The Jets threw away a couple of games by pointlessly benching Zach Wilson, but after turning back to their former starter they won for the first time in 6 games. They will escape the bottom 5 for sure if they even go close to taking down Miami this week.
29 (down 4) Las Vegas Raiders
If you lose 3-0 you can’t complain about however many places you fall in the rankings. It’s 3 losses in a row now for the Raiders, but they are favorites to beat the stumbling Chargers on Thursday night.
30 (up 2) New England Patriots
Zappe days are here again! The Patriots beat the Steelers on TNF, freeing up coach Bill Belichick to reveal the fun side of his personality on College GameDay — it has been a weird week in the National Football League.
31 (down 2) Washington Commanders
The Commanders were on vacation this week, much like their defense in the previous 3 games. The wins by the Patriots and Jets have pushed them down to 31st.
32 (down 1) Carolina Panthers
The Panthers are back home in 32nd spot after a poor effort against the Saints and they could make it 3 straight divisional losses against the Falcons this week.