NFL power rankings for Week 12: Titans surge to No. 4 after powering past the Colts, while the Browns crack the top 10
The Tennessee Titans were big movers in Brad Biggs’ NFL power rankings for Week 13 after a 45-26 rout of the Indianapolis Colts in an AFC South showdown. And don’t look now, but the Cleveland Browns are 8-3 and looking like one of the league’s best teams.
Last week’s ranking in parentheses.
Chiefs 10-1 (1)
Tyreek Hill already has 1,021 receiving yards, and tight end Travis Kelce has 978. The Chiefs could finish with two players north of 1,200 yards, and that’s with modest production over the final five games.
2. Steelers 11-0 (2)
Five games stand between the Steelers and the NFL’s second 16-0 regular season: Washington on Monday night, followed by the Bills, Bengals, Colts and Browns.
3. Saints 9-2 (3)
The Falcons and Eagles are next with Drew Brees on the mend. Then comes a showdown with the Chiefs — a tough game to win with Taysom Hill at quarterback.
4. Titans 8-3 (10)
The run-first offense has scored 30 or more points in six games. Powered by Derrick Henry and a play-action passing game, the Titans rank sixth in the league in scoring.
5. Seahawks 8-3 (5)
The Seahawks rank 32nd in total defense and pass defense, but after getting after the Eagles’ Carson Wentz, they should gradually improve. They play the Giants, Jets and Washington the next three weeks.
6. Bills 8-3 (6)
The Bills tangle with the Steelers in two weeks — a chance to measure themselves against the best in the AFC. But they shouldn’t look beyond the 49ers this week.
7. Packers 8-3 (9)
As the Packers chase the Saints for the top spot in the NFC, they have one game remaining against an opponent with a winning record: a Dec. 27 home date with the Titans.
8. Browns 8-3 (15)
Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt are both on pace to rush for 1,000 yards, something teammates have accomplished only six times in NFL history. The Ravens’ Lamar Jackson and Mark Ingram did it last year, and the Browns pulled it off in 1985 with Kevin Mack and Earnest Byner.
9. Colts 7-4 (8)
DeForest Buckner sure looks like the Colts MVP because without him in the middle of the defense Sunday, the Titans went wild.
10. Rams 7-4 (4)
Sean McVay held Jared Goff accountable after a loss to the injury-wracked 49ers, as he should have. Goff threw two interceptions and lost a fumble in a bad loss.
11. Dolphins 7-4 (11)
There has been a ton of focus on the quarterback position with rookie Tua Tagovailoa dealing with a thumb injury, but the defense has been excellent. Cornerback Xavien Howard is among the two or three best in the league.
12. Buccaneers 7-5 (7)
Tom Brady was intercepted twice in a second straight home loss, this time to the Chiefs, and the Bucs can’t lean so heavily on him to carry them to victory. They have to get right Sunday against the Vikings.
13. 49ers 5-6 (16)
The Niners got a gritty road win over the Rams, then got booted from Santa Clara County because of COVID-19 restrictions. They will play their next two home games at the Cardinals stadium in Glendale, Ariz.
14. Ravens 6-5 (14)
With Lamar Jackson sidelined on the reserve/COVID-19 list, Robert Griffin III got the start and looked like a rusty backup — made rustier by the Ravens having almost no practice the previous week because of coronavirus issues.
15. Cardinals 6-5 (12)
The Cardinals are struggling for consistency, having lost three of four after a setback at New England. They are in danger of falling out of the playoff picture and will be challenged with the Rams coming to town this week.
16. Vikings 5-6 (17)
The Vikings are fortunate Dalvin Cook’s ankle injury in a comeback victory over the Panthers wasn’t serious because as he goes, so goes their offense.
17. Raiders 6-5 (13)
A blowout loss in Atlanta provided more examples of how wobbly the Raiders defense has been. It will be a focus in the offseason.
18. Patriots 5-6 (24)
Cam Newton isn’t going to apologize for winning, nor should he, but he needs to be better than his stat line in an ugly win over the Cardinals: 9 of 18 for 84 yards with no touchdowns, two interceptions and a 23.6 passer rating. He also carried nine times for 46 yards.
19. Texans 4-7 (23)
Wide receiver Will Fuller and cornerback Bradley Roby were popped with six-game suspensions for violating the NFL’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs. Both said they unknowingly took the wrong substance and weren’t trying to cheat.
20. Falcons 4-7 (27)
Is it possible owner Arthur Blank would warm to the idea of retaining interim coach Raheem Morris? He’s 4-2 since taking over for Dan Quinn, and the Falcons pounded the Raiders. Blank also has to hire a GM.
21. Panthers 4-8 (19)
Rookie safety Jeremy Chinn scored two touchdowns on fumble returns, but the defense couldn’t get a stop when it needed to at Minnesota and Joey Slye’s 54-yard field goal at the end wasn’t close.
22. Bears 5-6 (18)
The Bears are running out of time to rescue a season that began with such promise at 5-1.
23. Giants 4-7 (22)
With Daniel Jones sidelined by a hamstring injury, it’s up to Colt McCoy to help keep the Giants atop the NFC East.
24. Washington 4-7 (29)
Before the season, no one would have predicted Alex Smith as the player who could decide the NFC East race. Washington is firmly in the mix because of the veteran quarterback.
25. Broncos 4-7 (20)
One day, Kendall Hinton will be the answer to a trivia question: Who was the wide receiver the Broncos had to start at quarterback when their other options all wound up on the reserve/COVID-19 list? Only in 2020.
26. Chargers 3-8 (26)
Clock management — or rather mismanagement — continues to haunt coach Anthony Lynn, and Sunday’s loss at Buffalo was the most recent example.
27. Eagles 3-7-1 (25)
Owner Jeff Lurie soon might be playing the game of who stays and who goes among GM Howie Roseman, coach Doug Pederson and quarterback Carson Wentz. Wentz’s contract could make it tough to jettison him.
28. Cowboys 3-8 (21)
As this season continues to unravel, the Cowboys could have to choose between drafting a quarterback or continuing to chart a course with Dak Prescott. The plot thickens.
29. Lions 4-7 (28)
The Ford family blew up the operation after an unsettling effort on Thanksgiving, firing GM Bob Quinn and coach Matt Patricia. It’s back to the drawing board in Motown.
30. Bengals 2-8-1 (30)
The Bengals should dial in on offensive linemen to draft in Round 1, and it might be a good idea to double down and grab another one early in Round 2.
31. Jaguars 1-10 (31)
Owner Shad Khan fired GM Dave Caldwell, ending a run that began in 2013, and the Jaguars almost certainly will be seeking a new coach to replace Doug Marrone as well.
32. Jets 0-11 (32)
If the Jets manage to win a game — a huge if — they figure to lose a strength-of-schedule tiebreaker with the Jaguars for the No. 1 pick and quarterback Trevor Lawrence.
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