Chargers move into top five as Steelers fall out
NFL power rankings, post-Week 12 edition:
1. Saints (previous: 1): Even on a night when the stars are coasting, they’ll score 31. New Orleans hasn’t even bothered to incorporate Brandon Marshall on game day yet.
2. Rams (2): The magic number to clinch the NFC West remains at one. They should get the job done in Detroit on Sunday, when they’d enjoy a boost if Aqib Talib returns.
3. Chiefs (3): The remaining schedule is a Raiders sandwich with the Ravens, Chargers and Seahawks in between. K.C.’s path to a No. 1 seed is likely to be very bumpy.
4. Patriots (5): Sunday would seem to be a strong indication they have all the primary chess pieces back and are ready to peak at the right time. As usual.
5. Chargers (6): Not sure why Melvin Gordon was playing with the Bolts up by
18, but it’s the kind of move a franchise averse to prosperity too often makes.
6. Steelers (4): If they’d done the right thing and continued deploying
6-9, 320-pounder Alejandro Villanueva in the red zone, this other nonsense is immaterial. 7. Texans (8): A franchise-record eighth consecutive victory comes on a night they rush for a franchise-record 281 yards. The first team to win eight in a row following a 0-3 start to the season. Throw out those record books when Houston takes the field. 8. Bears (7): S Eddie Jackson has five touchdowns since the start of the 2017 season. Atlanta’s Julio Jones has six TDs since the start of the 2017 season.
9. Vikings (9): My favorite play of the weekend was G Mike Remmers taking the phrase “human turnstile” to an entirely unfamiliar level. Uh, sorry, Kirk??!! 10. Colts (11): I like just about everything Frank Reich has done to help Andrew Luck, but I don’t understand his recent obsession to make him a receiver. 11. Broncos (21): If any AFC team is set up to sweep its final five games (at Bengals, at 49ers, Browns, at Raiders, Chargers), it could be these streak snappers. 12. Seahawks (13): On a day they couldn’t stop a nosebleed or run the ball, you wouldn’t think they’d hand Carolina its first home loss. Bravo, Russell Wilson.
13. Ravens (14): Lamar Jackson has lifted them back into the playoff picture, albeit against two of the league’s worst defenses. Is he ready for the next level?
14. Cowboys (16): Amari Cooper has caught 22 of 32 targets for both Oakland and Dallas in 2018 but averages nearly twice as many yards per game for the Cowboys. 15. Redskins (12): Kudos to S D.J. Swearinger for keepin’ it 100. “If you don’t do the simple things right, you gonna get embarrassed on national TV.” Yup. 16. Panthers (10): Christian McCaf- frey has a shot to join Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk as the only players with 1,000 yards rushing and receiving in the same season.
17. Titans (15): The defense is suddenly unraveling, allowing 72 points in consecutive losses to AFC South foes. Can’t expect Marcus Mariota and company to overcome that.
18. Eagles (22): Too bad they don’t see the Giants every week. Philly’s beaten Big Blue five in a row and nine of 10 ... but won’t see them again until 2019.
19. Lions (18): Did you know they have never won an NFC North crown? It’s been 25 years since their last firstplace finish, that coming in the defunct NFC Central. 20. Packers (20): If any NFC team is set up to sweep its final five games (Cardinals, Falcons, at Bears, at Jets, Lions), it could be these road worriers. 21. Browns (23): So maybe Baker Mayfield doesn’t yet appreciate the NFL’s business side. But some Hue Jackson shade gives the Cincy-Cleveland rivalry a needed boost.
22. Bengals (17): Crazy to think they got off to a 4-1 start. But this season was over long before Andy Dalton’s thumb gave out. Is Marvin Watch back on?
23. Falcons (24): Welp. At least they can be entertaining on the way down, and maybe that means a push to make Julio Jones the first to reach 2,000 receiving yards. 24. Dolphins (19): Just no weapons on this offense. Kenyan Drake is only player on pace to reach 1,000 yards from scrimmage, and he’s in line for 1,027.
25. Giants (26): Well, Odell, if Pat Shurmur did let you call the plays, hopefully you’d have the good sense to force feed Saquon Barkley rather than yourself. 26. Buccaneers (27): Jameis Winston has played really well in stretches and now has eaten W’s in half his 2018 starts. But could the Bucs get anything in a trade? 27. Bills (28): They’re bad. They’re bland. They’re probably a long way from contending. But they sure do continue playing hard for coach Sean McDermott.
28. Jaguars (25): They’re bad. They’re colorful. They could turn around fast in 2019. But will they play for Doug Marrone now that he’s cleaning house? 29. Jets (29): Allowed 28.4 points per game during the five-game losing streak, and the defense doesn’t have one takeaway. Still a long way from being competitive.
30. 49ers (30): The latest chapter of the 2018 debacle occurred over the weekend when troubled LB Reuben Foster essentially forced the team to cut the cord after another arrest.
31. Raiders (31): Sigh. Now they must go “home” to face two teams looking to get right coming off streak-snapping losses, Kansas City and Pittsburgh.
32. Cardinals (32): Getting blown out is one thing; it’s been a regular occurrence in 2018. Appearing listless while being blown out? See ya, Coach Wilks.