NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Bills and Bengals on the rise, Broncos fall
By Grant Tuttle
Another week is in the books and the NFL's regular season schedule has nearly concluded. The Chiefs won in Foxborough and kept the pressure on other AFC powers but they responded in kind while others kept things very interesting—we're looking at you Buffalo.
Here are your Week 16 NFL Power Rankings after another great weekend of footballl.
1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3)
Last week: 1 (-)
The 49ers continue to decimate their opponents. At this point, it is difficult to see another team in the NFC making a Super Bowl run. As much as everyone wants to point to Brock Purdy as a reason that they can't be considered the favorites for the Super Bowl, he has been excellent. If Purdy continues to play at this level and the weapons on the team continue to stay healthy, they should be the Super Bowl favorites without a doubt.
2. Baltimore Ravens (11-3)
Last Week: 3 (+1)
The Ravens look polished. Not dominant, but polished. It appears that the Ravens are in the driver's seat for the one seed in the AFC. Unlike the Chiefs or Dolphins, the Ravens have avoided key mistakes and embarrassing losses. Lamar Jackson is playing some of his best football. He will never have the arm talent of Patrick Mahomes or Joe Burrow, but what he does to make guys miss in and out of the pocket is truly a generational talent.
3. Miami Dolphins (10-4)
Last Week: 6 (+3)
No Tyreek Hill was no problem for the Dolphins as they took on the New York Jets in Miami. Of course, the Jets are bad, but it is never easy to defeat a team 30-0. What a showing from Vic Fangio and the Dolphin defense that has seemingly improved every week. Miami is a legitimate threat to the AFC, even if they struggle against tougher opponents.
4. Buffalo Bills (8-6)
Last Week: 5 (+1)
The Bills continue to rise in our power rankings. They hit a huge bump in the road that looked as though it had totaled their season, but they have played with incredible grit and determination. Now in back-to-back weeks, they have defeated the Chiefs and the Cowboys. As long as the Bills continue to tally wins like that, it's difficult to drop them out of the top-tier.
5. Dallas Cowboys (10-4)
Last Week: 2 (-3)
Just when I started feeling confident in the Cowboys, they looked completely outclassed by the Bills in Buffalo. If the Cowboys are unable to beat tough teams on the road, they should not be in the Super Bowl conversation. Nothing looks right on the road and that is a huge problem for a team that would need to string together road wins en route to the NFC Championship.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4)
Last Week: 4 (-2)
The Eagles seem to be falling off of a cliff. They have looked much shakier on both sides of the ball in recent weeks and "quietly" gave Matt Patricia the defensive coordinator position this week. There are more questions than answers after the Eagles fell to Drew Lock and the Seahawks a week removed from getting blown out by the Dallas Cowboys.
7. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)
Last Week: 7 (-)
Once again, the Chiefs look like a mess. Luckily, they were playing one of the NFL's worst teams in the New England Patriots. Had they been playing a decent team, they might have lost their third straight. I'm beginning to wonder if there is a "method behind the madness" for Andy Reid. Why in the world does Kadarius Toney keep getting reps? Toney has, by himself, cost the team two football games. Sunday was almost a third. Enough is enough.
8. Detroit Lions (10-4)
Last Week: 10 (+2)
After a handful of bad weeks, the Lions finally looked good again. This week, the Lions obliterated the Broncos and effectively ended their season when Jared Goff threw five touchdown passes and led the offense to a whopping 42 points. I don't know whether to think the Lions are back or whether to chalk this up to Russell "cooking."