“Rams and Bucs are pushing playoff picture”

NFL power rankings entering Week 15 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1.Detroit Lions (1): Their position at the top seems pretty unassailable – the NFC leaders have the best record in the league (12-1), are in control of back-to-back playoff berths for the first time in 29 years and have the NFL’s largest point differential (+183). . And yet there are the mounting defensive injuries, the potential double-edged sword that comes from HC Dan Campbell’s fearless decision-making, not to mention the fact that Minnesota (11-2) simply won’t go away — no matter how overshadowed the Vikings tend to be. In short, the Lions are the best team right now, but they are operating in an environment where a hard left turn is increasingly looking possible.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (2): QB Jalen Hurts is two wins away from reaching the third 11-game winning streak (excluding playoffs) of his career. But instead of focusing on such successes, he is at the center of another potential collapse as internal complaints surface about Philly’s faltering passing game despite the team’s strong win column. It seems unlikely to help Hurts’ cause to have to deal with Pittsburgh’s TJ Watt and Co. this Sunday, who hasn’t passed 200 yards in a month.

3. Buffalo Bills (3): “Josh Allen is an alien.” That’s exactly the assessment of Rams HC Sean McVay, who played to the very legal alien account for six touchdowns on Sunday, even though the AFC East champs suffered a 44-42 decision. The effort could help Allen earn MVP honors, but the loss seriously hurt Buffalo’s bid to clinch the conference’s No. 1 playoff spot.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (5): Sunday night’s two-point, division-clinching win was pretty much a microcosm of KC’s bizarre season — including the fact that the champs had three kickers, two more than any other team in league history in a season , scored a game-winning field goal on the final play of the game. But it’s nice to have a two-game lead in the AFC standings, especially since Myles Garrett, Danielle Hunter and Watt will test the Chiefs’ simmering inability to protect QB Patrick Mahomes next month.

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5. Minnesota Vikings (9): They are 11-2. Seriously, they’re 11-2 and have as good a chance as the Eagles of stealing home field advantage from Detroit. After a career performance on Sunday (347 yards, 5 passing touchdowns), the future of QB Sam Darnold, whose contract is expiring, will be one of the most intriguing topics of the offseason.

6. Green Bay Packers (4): The really tough loss in Week 14 in Detroit puts them in a very strange situation: They have to navigate the final month of a season in which they are already all but assured of a wild card spot but essentially have no chance of making the NFC. North crown have.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (6): And now begins the phase – in Philadelphia, in Baltimore, against Kansas City and against Cincinnati – that should really show how legitimate a contender this team really is.

8. Baltimore Ravens (7): How will they ever handle the Giants on Sunday without suspended WR Diontae Johnson? Perhaps one of many latent, if less serious, questions about the Ravens as they try to avoid a similar fate to Green Bay in December.

9. Washington Commanders (8): The last time they won more than 10 games was 1991 – also the last time Washington enjoyed a Super Bowl season. With the Commanders coming out of their bye at 8-5, they appear likely to be favorites in three of their last four games to fend off NFC West teams for the conference’s final playoff spot.

10. Los Angeles Rams (18): They’re making a late push for the second straight season and have won six of their last eight – Sunday’s upset of the Bills is a proclamation that LA could be a force to be reckoned with if they advance…if all of them Strong boys remain in the lineup.

11. Seattle Seahawks (10): The current NFC West leader will not remain in his position if the Rams win. The Hawks currently have four games of their own, the defense is playing much better, while RB2 Zach Charbonnet balanced the offense on Sunday. But tests are imminent as the Packers and Vikings come to Lumen Field in the next two weeks.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (12): Pretty good performance Sunday night in Arrowhead, especially since RB JK Dobbins and WR Ladd McConkey, the Bolts’ leaders in yards from scrimmage, were both unavailable. Their six turnovers are the fewest in the league, but it doesn’t seem like a conservative, error-avoiding approach will pay much dividends in the playoffs.

13. Denver Broncos (13): Surtain Island? CB Patrick Surtain II plays like the premier Darrelle Revis, thriving in all aspects of the game and allowing just 26 receptions (one for a touchdown) this season, according to PFF. He has to be on the shortlist of candidates for Defensive Player of the Year.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16): QB Baker Mayfield leads the league in fumbles (12) and fumble recoveries (7). Seems fitting for a first-place team that had lost four straight before the Week 11 bye but has won every game since.

15. Houston Texans (14): “No one embodies our program more than Azeez,” GM Nick Caserio recently said of the (rightly) suspended LB Azeez Al-Shaair. Still, it’s worth asking whether Caserio should have continued to produce players like DE Jonathan Greenard and LB Blake Cashman instead of building this program on free-agent signings like Al-Shaair and the aging Danielle Hunter.

16. Arizona Cardinals (11): An important reason for their early exit after three games? QB Kyler Murray has posted multiple INTs in consecutive games for the first time in his NFL career.

17. Cincinnati Bengals (19): QB Joe Burrow’s recent (if not worthy) MVP-caliber performance, as well as an inspired defensive performance, are the latest signs that this team could be a dangerous spoilsport in the final weeks of the season.

18. San Francisco 49ers (21): They could potentially rely on RB4 Patrick Taylor Jr. this Thursday, although that might not be a big problem considering the Niners’ top three runners have all averaged at least 5.4 yards per reception this season .

19. Indianapolis Colts (20): Sunday’s game in Denver is practically a must-win if Indy wants to have a realistic shot at the playoffs. And while many of QB Anthony Richardson’s passing stats are frightening, the man who leads the NFL in yards per completion (14.8) can still pull off plays… it just remains to be seen if he can do it often enough.

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20. Miami Dolphins (17): They narrowly escaped the weak Jets at home, but finished the season with three of four road games, including possible cold-weather games in Cleveland and New York. Even QB Tua Tagovailoa’s league-best accuracy (73.8% completion rate) may not be enough to overcome the problematic narratives this team has yet to defeat.

21. Atlanta Falcons (15): Wouldn’t it be wild to see their season shattered even further by former QB1 Desmond Ridder on Monday night in Las Vegas, while their season collapses with the immediate disintegration of QB Kirk Cousins?

22. New England Patriots (22): Seriously, is there any real doubt that former HC Bill Belichick’s flirtation with the University of North Carolina is actually a scouting mission surrounding current Pats quarterback Drake Maye and BB’s desire to neutralize him if he takes on Don Shula’s record Going for all-time NFL wins? as a coach, what will undoubtedly be at stake the next time Belichick takes on the Pats? Right?

23. Carolina Panthers (24): They’ve lost three games in a row since their bye, but they’re playing much better football and are just three plays away from being 6-7 and right in the middle of the NFC South race. However, RB Jonathon Brooks’ new ACL injury is quite a disappointment given the future role envisioned here for the explosive rookie.

24. Chicago Bears (23): Thomas Brown will never forget his debut in the interim HC role, when his offense outgained the Niners by 315 yards and outscored them 24-0… in the first half.

25. New Orleans Saints (25): Even though things have been going well under fiery interim HC Darren Rizzi, who is now 3-1, if the Saints want to extend their season, they will likely have to do so with a backup quarterback and certainly with a schedule that suits theirs Purpose accomplished Three teams (Commanders, Packers, Bucs) wanted to make the playoffs in the next four weeks.

26. Dallas Cowboys (26): “I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. To be honest, there’s no way to put this (loss) into words, bro.” I don’t want to read too much into LB Micah Parsons’ words after another painful loss on Monday…but speculation is likely to mount that maybe The best thing would be if he and the Cowboys went their separate ways in the coming months.

27. Cleveland Browns (27): No team has a higher percentage of drives (73.9%) that end without points… which is what happens when you commit 21 turnovers and miss nine field goal attempts.

28. New York Jets (28): If you consistently fail to make the playoffs, you’ll be linked to the likes of the Buffalo Sabers and Los Angeles Angels. But rejoice, Jets fans — even if QB Aaron Rodgers won’t be around much longer to let you down, new Mets OF Juan Soto will reportedly be breaking your hearts for the next 15 years.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (29): Brock Bowers’ record-setting season — which will almost certainly be the best ever by a rookie tight end — is all the more impressive given the overall limitations of this offense.

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