NFL: WEEK 17

Power Rankings

Last week’s rankings in parenthesis

1. Patriots 12-3 (1): Once again, they’re the favorite to win the Super Bowl.

2. Steelers 12-3 (3): They had a first-round bye when they reached the Super Bowl in 2008 and 2010. Can they do it again?

3. Saints 11-4 (5): Combination of Drew Brees and a strong defense makes them the most dangerous NFC team.

4. Vikings 12-3 (7): Case Keenum might not be sharp every week—he wasn’t in Green Bay—but the defense doesn’t take games off.

5. Rams11-4 (4): Maybe Jeff Fisher “left them in pretty good shape,” but he certainly didn’t do enough when he was the coach.

6. Panthers 11-4 (6): Running game is operating at a high level, and that makes them a threat in wide-open NFC.

7. Eagles 13-2 (2): Pressure is on coach Doug Pederson to get the passing game going before a bye week as the NFC’s No. 1 seed.

8. Chiefs 9-6 (9): They look like the greatest threat in the AFC to the Patriots and Steelers.

9. Jaguars 10-5 (8): Young team needs to rebound quickly after a lousy showing in San Francisco.

10. Falcons 9-6 (10): Entering the final week, Matt Ryan has 19 touchdown passes, half his total in 2016.

11. Seahawks 9-6 (11): Safety Earl Thomas seems unhappy, making you wonder if he’ll make a play for a new contract in the offseason.

12. Ravens 9-6 (12): As awful as the offense looked in the first half of the season, they can clinch a playoff berth with a win over the Bengals.

13. Chargers 8-7 (14): Melvin Gordon is the Chargers’ first 1,000-yard rusher since 2013, but an ankle injury is an issue.

14. 49ers 5-10 (23): In his fourth straight win, Jimmy Garoppolo helped hang 44 points on the Jaguars, who had the No. 1 scoring defense.

15. Cowboys 8-7 (13): Jerry Jones isn’t holding a disappointing season against Jason Garrett, the NFL’s coach of the year in 2016.

16. Titans 8-7 (16): Despite dropping three straight and being trampled by Todd Gurley, they’re in the playoffs if they beat the Jaguars at home.

17. Bills 8-7 (17): Hopes of ending a 17-year playoff drought appear slim, and the team has itself to blame. Why turn to rookie Nathan Peterman?

18. Redskins 7-8 (20): They can win three straight for the first time this season if they close out with a victory over the lowly Giants.

19. Cardinals 7-8 (22): Some things come around every quarter-century. A shutout for the Cardinals defense is one of them after blanking the Giants.

20. Lions 8-7 (15): Jim Caldwell’s time in Detroit appears up after a loss to the nothing-to-play-for Bengals ended the Lions’ playoff hopes.

21. Packers 7-8 (18): In five starts at Lambeau Field, Brett Hundley threw 162 passes, zero for touchdowns.

22. Raiders 6-9 (19): Jack Del Rio has swapped defensive coordinators, and offensive coordinator Todd Downing probably is next.

23. Dolphins 6-9 (21): Wide receiver Jarvis Landry got in a shouting match with Adam Gase on the sideline in Kansas City.

24. Broncos 5-10 (24): Wouldn’t say there is fire but there sure is a lot of smoke about John Elway making a run at Kirk Cousins in the offseason.

25. Bears 5-10 (27): They’re riding an eight-game winning streak against the AFC North. Just have to wait until 2021 to build on that.

26. Bengals 6-9 (28): It’s not out of the realm of possibility for Browns coach Hue Jackson to land here.

27. Jets 5-10 (25): Safe to say they’ve learned in a short period that Bryce Petty isn’t the answer. Time to finally find a quarterback.

28. Buccaneers 4-11 (26): Rumors persist Jon Gruden is finally going to leave the broadcast booth and take this job.

29. Texans 4-11 (29): Continue to hear rumblings about coach Bill O’Brien. Could he win a power struggle with GM Rick Smith?

30. Colts 3-12 (30): Blocked punt late in the fourth quarter gave them a shot in Baltimore, but they stalled out. Story of their season.

31. Giants 2-13 (31): Eli Manning will start Sunday; the real question is who the starting quarterback is when the 2018 season begins.

32. Browns 0-15 (32): Loss to the Bears locked up the No. 1 pick.