NFL Power Rankings - Week 15

The Saints fell, leaving only the Colts as unbeaten.  They have stated a commitment to playing full out and going unbeaten, but I know that they won't push key players if they aren't physically 100%, preferring to keep them available for the playoffs.  That could open the door to a defeat in the next two weeks, especially since they face the tough Jets defense this week.

Tampa Bay won, leaving just the hapless Rams with a single victory.  It looks like the Rams will gain the first pick in the draft.

Division titles are getting locked up, as three of them were awarded this week.  Only three divisions remain contested, although each could be awarded this week.  The wildcard race is still open, with eight potential AFC teams.  The NFC is a bit less open, with only four non-divisional leading candidates remaining.  I'll add wildcard considerations to this week's blog, after the division title races section.

This week's ranking [Last week's position]
1.  Indianapolis Colts (14-0) [1] : the sole remaining unbeaten team!
2.  New Orleans Saints (13-1) [2] : The Saints haven't yet secured home field advantage throughout the playoffs
3.  Minnesota Vikings (11-3) [3] : The Vikings haven't yet guaranteed themselves a first week bye
4.  San Diego Chargers (11-3) [4] : The Chargers HAVE secured a first week bye, as they are the AFC Second seed
5.  New England Patriots (9-5) [8] : The Pats won they needed to
6.  Philadelphia Eagles (10-4) [6] : Strong win, but still battling Dallas for the division title
7.  Green Bay Packers (9-5) [5] : The Steelers ended their losing streak with a last second touchdown
8.  Dallas Cowboys (9-5) [11] : The Cowboys did something no other team has done - beat the Saints.  Could they face them again in the playoffs?
9.  Baltimore Ravens (8-6) [9] : Two huge victories in a row are shrinking the gap between them and the top of the league
10. Cincinnati Bengals (9-5) [7] : They still lead the division, but their non-division performance makes their playoff situation questionable
11. Arizona Cardinals (9-5) [14] : Lowest ranked division winner, mainly because the rest of the division has been knocked out of the playoffs - the only division with that distinction at this moment
12. New York Jets (7-7) [10] : Best defense in the league, but the offense continues to sputter
13. Denver Broncos (8-6) [11] : Tough loss to Oakland
14. New York Giants (8-6) [15] : One of their best offensive performances of the season
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7) [21] : They preserved their playoff chances with a shocking last second upset of Green Bay
16. Houston Texans (7-7) [17] : Still in playoff contention, although a lousy divisional record won't help them
17. San Francisco 49ers (6-8) [12]
18. Atlanta Falcons (7-7) [20] : Atlanta beat the Jets despite missing their two best offensive players
19. Tennessee Titans (7-7) [19]
20. Miami Dolphins (7-7) [16]
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (7-7) [19]
22. Carolina Panthers (6-8) [24] : The Panthers stung the Vikings.  They may be out of the playoff race, but they still want to make matters difficult for opponents
23. Chicago Bears (5-9) [22]
24. Buffalo Bills (5-9) [23]
25. Washington Redskins (4-10) [25]
26. Seattle Seahawks (5-9) [26]
27. Oakland Raiders (5-9) [27]
28. Cleveland Browns (4-10) [29]
29. Kansas City Chiefs (3-11) [28]
30. Tampa Bay Bucs (2-12) [31]
31. Detroit Lions (2-12) [30]
32. St Louis Rams (1-13) [32]

Biggest gainer - Pittsburgh Steelers:  Their last second touchdown ended their losing streak and propelled them back into the playoff hunt
Biggest sack - San Francisco 49ers:  Their vaulted defense didn't look too good against the Eagles

Division rankings [Last week's position]
1.  NFC East [2] : Two Top Ten teams, nobody dropping in strength, and a still tight divisional race makes this an interesting division
2.  AFC South [1] : Everyone is still playoff eligible - no other division can say that
3.  AFC East [3] : Despite drops by everyone but New England, this division still remains tightly in the hunt
4.  AFC North [5] : Two Top Ten teams and a tightly contested divisional crown makes things interesting, but it was Pittsburgh's performance that really pushed them up
5.  NFC North [4] : Wither the division, although Green Bay remains in the playoff hunt
6.  NFC South [7] : Everyone moved up except for the Saints, and the Falcons remain strong despite key injuries
7.  AFC West [6] : Denver remains a top wildcard contender, but this division is showing cracks
8.  NFC West [8] : The only division where all non-title teams are playoff-ineligible

Divisional races:
AFC East:  The Patriots hold a two-game lead.  They gain the crown if they win OR if the Dolphins lose
AFC North: The Bengals lost a game on their lead, opening the door for Baltimore.  The Ravens need to win out, and hope the Bengals lose both of their remaining games.  A win by Cincy assures them the title, thanks to their unbeaten divisional record
AFC West: San Diego won it
NFC East:  The only NFC division still in contention.  Philly has a game over Dallas and two over New York.  An Eagles win this weekend locks it up.

Playoff races:
AFC - Baltimore and Denver hold a one-game lead over everyone else.  A win by either one practically seals it.  Jacksonville is the 7-7 team in best position, as they have the best in-conference record.  Miami is in good position, too.
NFC - Dallas and Green Bay are in the best position.  A win by Green Bay gives them the wildcard position.  Dallas needs a Giants loss, as the tiebreaker would go to New York.  Atlanta is still mathematically eligible, but they need A LOT of help!