It is hard to believe, but it is already December, and the playoff picture is starting to sharpen. In this edition of our NFL Power Rankings for Week Fourteen, we take a deeper look at where things stand as contenders separate themselves from the pack and pretenders start to fade while the league’s top teams navigate injuries, short weeks, and high-pressure games that will shape the postseason landscape. December football exposes strengths and weaknesses quickly, and the path to division titles and playoff spots becomes clearer with each matchup. We also check in on the New York Jets, who finally showed signs of life and now have an opportunity to build momentum, evaluate emerging talent, and potentially play spoiler as the season winds down.
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Seattle Seahawks 9-3 (Last Week, 3)
The Seahawks take the top spot for the first time this season. Seattle is now even with the Rams atop the NFC West.
Schedule, ATL, IND, LAR, @CAR, @SF. The rematch with the Rams is the biggest game of the season, and this time it is in Seattle.
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New England Patriots 11-2 (Last Week, 4)
New England beat the Giants physically on Monday night. The Pats do not beat themselves and will be tough to deal with if they get home field in the playoffs.
Schedule, BUF, @BAL, @NYJ, MIA. The Pats can seal the division with a win after the bye against the Bills. If they do, they are likely to be the AFC’s top seed for the playoffs.
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Los Angeles Rams 9-3 (Last Week, 1)
The Rams defense was a no show Sunday against the Panthers. Every team is entitled to a bad week, but this one was very ill timed as it dissolved the Rams margin for error in the NFC.
Schedule, DET, @SEA, @ATL, AZ. That clunker against Carolina threw a monkey wrench into things. The Rams will need to bounce back against the Lions, then win on the road in Seattle to take the division.
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Denver Broncos 10-2 (Last Week, 7)
The letdown from beating the Chiefs almost cost the Broncos in Washington. The Broncos have become experts in winning tight games.
Schedule, @LV, GB, JAC, @KC, LAC. The schedule is manageable. Denver has no excuse now in the AFC West.
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San Francisco 49ers 9-4 (Last Week, 8)
The Niners are a very dangerous team. They are quietly moving up and becoming serious players in the NFC.
Schedule, TN, @IND, CHI, SEA. The Niners could slide into the division crown while everyone is watching the Rams and Seahawks.
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Philadelphia Eagles 8-4 (Last Week, 5)
The Eagles are searching for answers on offense at a bad time in the season to be searching for any answers. The team needs to find something close to the running game they had last season. That will open things up for the grounded Birds.
Schedule, @LAC, LV, @WAS, @BUF, WAS. Things set up for Philadelphia to run the table, but we thought they could beat the Bears and Cowboys.
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Chicago Bears 9-3 (Last Week, 10)
The Bears are winners of five in a row and nine out of ten. Chicago was nobody’s pick for the division, but the Bears are in front by a neck in the NFC North.
Schedule, @GB, CLE, GB, @SF, DET. The Bears success will largely come down to how they play in the two games against Green Bay over the next three weeks.
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Indianapolis Colts 8-4 (Last Week, 2)
The Colts have gone from top seed to a dogfight for the AFC South. This week in Jacksonville is the team’s biggest game of the season.
Schedule, @JAC, @SEA, SF, JAC, @HOU. There are no easy ones left for the Colts. Fading into a wildcard or out of the playoffs completely is a very real possibility.
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Green Bay Packers (Last Week, Unranked)
Winning in Detroit has changed the complexion of the Packers season. The Packers will either step forward over the next three weeks, featuring two games against Chicago with Denver in between, or they will step out.
Schedule, CHI, @DEN, CHI, BAL, @MIN. The Packers will show who they are in these next three weeks.
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Buffalo Bills (Last Week, Unranked)
Buffalo kept their season alive on Sunday in Pittsburgh. The Bills need to finish off the Bengals this week. That will set up a showdown with New England and a must win for the Bills.
Schedule, CIN, @NE, @CLE, PHI, NYJ. The Bills need to stay focused this week on Cincinnati. The New England game will be meaningless if Buffalo trips up against the Bengals.
27, New York Jets 3-9 (Last Week, 29)
Tyrod Taylor was unspectacular but did enough for the Jets to get their third win of the year Sunday. Taylor has given the Jets a chance to compete since taking over at quarterback. The Jets were able to force just their second turnover of the season and finish the game at plus one in the turnover battle. It was a rare event for the Jets to have the upper hand in turnovers, as the team now sits at minus twelve for the year. Only the Vikings have a worse turnover ratio.
Newly acquired wide receiver Adonai Mitchell caught eight passes for 102 yards and a touchdown against Atlanta. Mitchell was the only wide receiver league-wide to eclipse 100 yards on a very slow week for offense.
This week, the Jets host division rival Miami. The Dolphins have won three straight games after handling the Saints in Miami. Miami is favored by two and a half points against New York. The Dolphins come into the game with the tenth-worst defense overall and the fourth-worst rushing defense in the league. Teams have been stacking the line against the Jets, limiting New York’s running game. The Dolphins might not have the horses for that strategy. The Jets can get a big day on the ground this week, complemented by some timely connections in the passing game, to upset Miami.
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