With Week 14 now in the books, we are officially into the final quarter of the NFL season. All the focus now turns to playoff seedings and tiebreakers, especially in a crowded NFC wild card picture. As for the divisions, only two have been all but locked up. The AFC North for example features three teams within one game of first as it shapes up to be one of the more intriguing races.Â
1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 10-3
Previous ranking- 2
Tampa Bay reclaims the top spot after surviving a late surge from the Bills in a 33-27 overtime win. Tom Brady’s second touchdown pass of the game, and the 700th of his career, was a game-winning 58-yarder to Breshod Perriman. Brady has now beaten the Bills on ten consecutive occasions.Â
2. New England Patriots 9-4
Previous ranking- 3
The Patriots had their bye this week. They’ll face the Colts on the road Saturday night at 8:15.Â
3. Green Bay Packers 10-3
Previous ranking- 4
The Packers rode 4 TD passes from Aaron Rodgers to a 45-30 win at home over the Bears. Rodgers finished with 341 yards along with those four scores on 29/37 passing. Davante Adams hauled in 10 of those completions for 121 yards and two scores. Cornerback Rasul Douglas had a pick-six for the second week in a row, this time a 55-yard return.Â
4. Kansas City Chiefs 9-4
Previous ranking- 5
The Chiefs made the Raiders pay for standing on their logo with a 48-9 beat down. In fact, the first play of the game was a fumble recovery for a touchdown by Kansas City. They led 35-0 before Las Vegas added a field goal before halftime. Patrick Mahomes has a near-perfect QB rating, finishing 20/24 for 258 yards and two TDs.Â
5. Los Angeles Rams 9-4
Previous ranking- 7
Matthew Stafford led the Rams offense and Aaron Donald led the defense to a huge 30-23 win on the road over the Cardinals on Monday Night Football. Stafford threw for 287 yards and 3 TDs while Donald tallied three sacks of Kyler Murray. The Rams are now suddenly just one game behind the Cardinals for first place in the NFC West and in the hunt for a first-round bye.Â
6. Dallas Cowboys 9-4
Previous ranking- 6
Dallas survived a near collapse at the hands of Washington in a 27-20 win. The Cowboys defense dominated for the majority of the game, sacking Taylor Heinicke four times and forcing four turnovers. However, sloppy play from their offense, including a late pick-six from Dak Prescott, almost led to Dallas blowing a 24-0 second half lead.Â
7. Arizona Cardinals 10-3Â
Previous ranking- 1
The Cardinals squandered an opportunity to nearly wrap up the NFC West and keep pace in the race for the number one seed in their loss to the Rams. Despite out-gaining L.A. 447-356, the Arizona offense couldn’t do enough and suffered from four sacks and two interceptions. Their defense would surrender touchdowns following both of those turnovers.Â
8. Tennessee Titans 9-4
Previous ranking- Unranked
The Titans reappear on the rankings thanks to a 20-0 win over the hapless Jaguars in a much-needed get-right game. It was Tennessee’s first shutout at home since 2000. They picked off Trevor Lawrence four times and sacked the Jacksonville rookie three times. The Titans allowed just 8 rushing yards on eight total attempts and just 192 yards overall.Â
9. Los Angeles Chargers 8-5Â
Previous ranking- 9
Justin Herbert unleashed perhaps the best throw of the season in the Chargers’ 37-21 win over the Giants. Herbert threw a 59-yard touchdown pass that traveled 65 yards in the air to extend L.A.’s halftime lead to 24-7. It was part of Herbert’s overall 3 TD performance, his second in back-to-back weeks and third in four weeks.Â
10. Baltimore Ravens 8-5
Previous ranking- 8
The Ravens suffered a troubling loss to the Browns in which Lamar Jackson gingerly left the field early in the 24-22 defeat. Tyler Huntley subbed for the former MVP and finished 27/38 for 270 yards and a TD. A fumble return touchdown by Myles Garrett for his first career score late in the first half proved to be the difference despite 17 unanswered points from Baltimore in the second half.Â
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