NFL Week 16 power rankings: Evaluating all 32 teams as Bills, Eagles rise

The New York Giants have officially reached the point where this thing needs to be blown up. While being forced to turn to quarterback Tim Boyle didn’t help matters, the Giants looked lifeless in Week 15. This looked like a team that isn’t just ready for the season to be over, but is completely done with this Giants coaching staff. The good news is that New York is positioning itself nicely for the first overall pick and that will add to the attractiveness of the gig if it becomes available.

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The much better team won, it’s that simple. Against an aggressive defense, Drake Maye stood no chance behind this New England Patriots offensive line and even more so since Marcus Jones was one of his top pass-catchers. Sunday just reinforces what Patriots Nation knows, New England needs to invest $70-plus million of its cap space into this offense during the spring.

Related: Jacoby Brissett puts New England on blast after early benching

The Will Levis experiment might finally be over. After two years, he still has failed to fix any of the turnover woes and baffling decision-making that plagued him at the end of his college career. While the Tennessee Titans supporting cast certainly isn’t the greatest, Levis rarely put the team in a position to succeed. While spending a first-round pick on a QB might be the more popular decision, it might be a better idea to pursue Sam Darnold.

The Las Vegas Raiders coaching staff might be one of the biggest in the NFL, in terms of the number of personnel. That’s in large part because the Raiders wanted to surround Antonio Pierce with help because he lacks any real experience, even as an assistant and he’d never been a coordinator. Fittingly, this is the worst-coached team in the NFL. This was always going to be a disaster and the Raiders are getting exactly what they signed up for. Change must come this spring.

Related: Las Vegas Raiders coaching candidates

After winning a battle between two of the worst NFL teams last week, Mac Jones and the Jacksonville Jaguars couldn’t pull it off in Week 15. There were opportunities to beat the New York Jets, Jones just threw them away or stepped out of bounds. We’re really just waiting for the Jaguars’ season to mercifully come to an end with the hope that ownership will finally do the right thing and clean house. A new GM and head coach won’t fix everything, but it’d be a step in the right direction.

Related: Jacksonville Jaguars coaching candidates to replace Doug Pederson

This is who Jameis Winston is and always has been. There are moments, often a single game, where he looks like he can be an above-average quarterback who can take advantage of the talent around him and put his pass-catchers in a position to make big plays. Then the other shoe drops. Unfortunately for Cleveland, it doesn’t have a lot of better quarterback options in 2025. The Browns could spend that first-round pick on a quarterback, but this roster isn’t exactly well-equipped to support a young QB and you’re asking a rookie to deal with the Deshaun Watson situation. So, see you back here in 2025 Jameis.

Bryce Young wasn’t great by any means in Week 15, but it’s hard to do that when your offensive line allows 6 sacks and 10 QB hits. The Carolina Panthers needed their offensive line to step up because an effective passing game was the only chance this team had considering the defense surrendered 211 rushing yards and a 5.9 yards-per-play average to the Dallas Cowboys offense. The loss certainly hurts, but it shouldn’t take away from the fact that Young’s overall improvement since returning absolutely warrants being the unquestioned starting quarterback in 2025.

It’s at this point we become concerned the Chicago Bears franchise is doing long-term damage to Caleb Williams. The rookie quarterback’s confidence has been shattered, he’s hesitant with reads and his play is spiraling downward with everything around him speeding up the descent. Between that and the front-office turmoil it’s very difficult to even feel optimistic about the Bears’ future even after they make a head-coaching change in 2025. Maybe some franchises are just cursed and subject to a lifetime of mismanagement.

Related: Chicago Bears coaching candidates to replace Matt Eberflus

Aaron Rodgers has 4 touchdown passes with 628 passing yards over the last two games and he’s posted a 100-plus QB rating in three of his last four starts. It would still be a massive blunder for the New York Jets to bring him back for the 2025 season. Just as bad of a mistake would be hiring Jon Robinson, whose draft classes in his final years with the Tennessee Titans produced little starting-caliber talent, as the Jets general manager. Unfortunately, NFL news broke before Week 15 that Robinson is the first candidate the Jets are meeting with. Even worse, the team wants a GM who can work with Woody Johnson, so it appears he might not leave for four years as an ambassador after all.

Related: 2025 NFL Draft order

The Indianapolis Colts gave Sunday’s game away. A few self-inflicted wounds will cost you against a better team, Indianapolis repeatedly shot itself in the foot with 5 turnovers. Remarkably it was a one-score game in the fourth quarter then Indianapolis allowed 21 fourth-quarter points, taking itself out of the playoff picture and potentially ensuring that general manager Chris Ballard won’t be back next season.

The history of success for interim coaches after they become the full-time head coach the following season isn’t promising. With that said, the New Orleans Saints show tremendous fight under interim coach Darren Rizzi. It’s night and day compared to the Dennis Allen era, which helps explain how the Saints nearly beat one of the best NFL teams despite being forced to roll with their third-string quarterback. If Rizzi keeps the job, we’ll at least understand what led to it.

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We believe the NFL rumors now. Jerry Jones and Stephen Jones have said all the right things in defense of head coach Mike McCarthy’s status for the 2025 season. After the Dallas Cowboys offense put up 30 points and over 400 total yards, pushing this team to a 3-1 record in the last four games, keeping McCarthy feels inevitable. It seems baffling to give McCarthy a new contract after failing to make the playoffs, considering he didn’t receive one after his third consecutive 12-win season, but the decision-making from the Cowboys’ front office hasn’t made much sense for a while now.

Related: Dallas Cowboys coaching candidates to replace Mike McCarthy

The moment the Miami Dolphins were forced to start their backup offensive tackles, that was essentially a wrap for this game. It allowed the Houston Texans to easily dial up the pressure on Tua Tagovailoa, with his sacks and turnovers gift-wrapping this win for Houston. Unfortunately, injuries just derailed this Dolphins season. At the very least, this year should demonstrate that Tua Tagovailoa is an integral part of this team’s success because the offense was abysmal without him. Miami is effectively out of the playoff mix, which should make things very interesting this offseason.

It’s time for the Atlanta Falcons to end this. The Kirk Cousins contract was a disastrous mistake, it will go down as one of the worst moves in NFL free agency over the last decade-plus. He doesn’t have it anymore and his very presence on the field puts restraints on the Falcons offense. It’s time to start Michael Penix Jr, that’s the only option for the Falcons to salvage some legitimacy and respect out of this season. Starting Cousins again would just be an indictment on the entire organization.

The San Francisco 49ers season is, for all intents and purposes, over. Essentially eliminated from playoff contention, the rest of the year should be used to evaluate Ricky Pearsall, Dre Greenlaw (return from injury), Isaac Guerendo and some other young players. As for the offseason, moving on from Deebo Samuel is an obvious call and so too should be extending Brock Purdy, as long as that price doesn’t eclipse $56 million per season.

Related: NFL Execs showing concern over Brock Purdy contract

With some help from Will Levis, the Cincinnati Bengals survived a rare three-turnover game from Joe Burrow. The positive here is that the core of Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins and Chase Brown continue to produce like premium playmakers and there seems to be a growing confidence that Higgins might re-sign with the Bengals this offseason. Of course, it doesn’t change the fact that the Bengals coaching staff, defense and front office are all likely going to prevent this team from becoming a top-tier contender in the AFC anytime soon.

Related: Cincinnati Bengals coaching candidates to replace Zac Taylor

The Arizona Cardinals convincingly beat one of the worst NFL teams on Sunday, but the past few weeks just aren’t working out for their playoff hopes. Winning the NFC West is out of the question and the three Wild Card spots are firmly in control. Maybe a surprise happens, but a young team will just have to learn from its mistakes and hope to end the season with momentum to carry into 2025.

The Los Angeles Chargers kept it close early, leading the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 17-13 at halftime. The wheels fell off after that, with Tampa Bay responding with a 21-0 third quarter and then piling on with 10 more unanswered points in the fourth quarter. From 7-3 to 8-6, the Chargers’ playoff odds have taken a massive blow since late November. If they don’t recover quickly, the Denver Broncos will bury them further down the NFL standings on Thursday Night Football.

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Sunday Night Football highlighted just how much Geno Smith is elevating this offense. That’s not to say this is an above-average unit, not by any means, the Seahawks offensive line doesn’t allow it to be. If Smith misses any time, given the state of the pass protection up front, it will cost the Seahawks another game and that can easily be the difference between making the playoffs or not.

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That’s a small step forward for the Houston Texans, but it doesn’t move the needle very much. A turnstile Texans offensive line continues to be the anchor that drags down this performance and C.J. Stroud has another game with a turnover. Houston did just enough to beat the Miami Dolphins, but even if it wins the AFC South, this team feels destined for a quick one-and-done in the playoffs.

The Washington Commanders seemed to be on track for a blowout victory early in Week 16, taking a 14-0 lead with 5:38 remaining in the second quarter. Then, the Commanders were outscored 19-6 the rest of the way. Considering expectations for Washington coming into the year, the win is really all that matters as it moves this team to 9-5 with a great shot at making the playoffs. However, recent weeks have also demonstrated how much work still needs to be done this offseason. Fortunately, the Commanders have the cap space and the front office to do it.

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The Denver Broncos caught a small break with Jonathan Taylor giving a touchdown away, but the fourth-quarter rally is really what turned things around. Bo Nix (3 interceptions) certainly had plenty of issues on Sunday, but just as it did early in the season, the Broncos’ defense rose to the occasion and delivered a win. Good teams find ways to victories and Sean Payton’s guys keep doing that which is why they have a strong chance of making the playoffs.

Baker Mayfield needed a big game to help the Tampa Bay Buccaneers keep some distance from the Falcons in the NFC South and he did that and then some. Facing a top-five defense, Mayfield lit up the Chargers with four touchdowns and a 130-plus QB rating with Mike Evans and Jalen McMillan combining for over 220 receiving yards with 3 touchdowns. This is a huge win that further shifts power in the division to Tampa Bay’s favor, putting them in the driver’s seat to host a playoff game.

We had some concerns with the Los Angeles Rams after the MNF loss to the Miami Dolphins on Nov. 11. Credit to Sean McVay and this roster, though, for buckling down and winning four of their last five games. Now two games above the .500 mark, the Rams have an offense that can make noise if they make the playoffs and this defense is much better than people realize. If Los Angeles makes it in, there’s a chance we could see a first-round upset with McVay and Matt Stafford taking this team on a postseason run.

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Utter domination by the Baltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson delivered one of his best performances of the season, completing over 80 percent of his passes with 5 touchdowns before Baltimore took its foot off the break with a 35-7 lead in the fourth quarter. It’s great to see the Ravens dominate like this, but it doesn’t change how they are stacked up among Super Bowl contenders. If Baltimore wants to be viewed as a team that can win the AFC, it must beat the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 16.

Even with George Pickens and a healthy defense, the Pittsburgh Steelers probably lose to the Philadelphia Eagles. The lingering concern is what happens if Pickens, Larry Ogunjobi and DeShon Elliott aren’t cleared to play by Saturday against the Ravens. Pittsburgh is clinging to a tight lead in the AFC North and if they drop that Week 16 matchup, with the Chiefs still looming on the schedule, it could be a very tricky path through the playoffs with every game coming on the road.

Romeo Doubs just takes this Green Bay Packers offense to another level. It completes the Packers’ receiving props, giving coach Matt LaFleur options in frigid playoff games (Josh Jacobs) or in a dome for a potential shootout (Jordan Love). Green Bay is also poised to get Jaire Alexander back soon, which should cement the Packers as one of the best NFL teams for the playoffs.

This is the highest the Kansas City Chiefs have been in our NFL power rankings in several weeks. Part of it goes beyond the decisive and stress-free Week 15 win over Cleveland, instead, it’s about the looming return of Marquise Brown. Even with Kansas City’s lingering issues at offensive tackle, a pass-catching corps of Travis Kelce, DeAndre Hopkins and Brown with Isiah Pacheco at running back eases a lot of our concerns with this unit. While the defense remains a question mark, the Chiefs are headed in the right direction and that’s dangerous for the rest of the AFC with the playoffs nearing. As for the Patrick Mahomes injury, all that matters is his being healthy enough to play in January.

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The injuries are far more responsible for the Detroit Lions dropping three spots than the loss to the Buffalo Bills. Alim McNeill has been one of the best defensive tackles in football for over a year now and his knee injury could be a devastating blow for a defense that can’t afford to lose another starter. An injury-depleted Lions roster should still handle its business in Week 16 against the Bears, but 2 losses now put Detroit in jeopardy of losing home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs, or even worse, being a Wild Card team, if they get passed up by the Minnesota Vikings.

The Minnesota Vikings knew they were the better football team and, with nothing to really prove, they just handled their business against the Bears. Week 15 really worked out perfectly for Minnesota, moving into a tie for first in the NFC North. In the wake of the Lions’ season-ending injuries, the healthier team gets a higher spot in our NFL power rankings.

Related: Love Minnesota Sports? Check Out Minnesota Sports Fan

Just give Josh Allen the NFL MVP right now. After a record-breaking performance in last week’s loss to the Los Angeles Rams, Allen went into Detroit and beat the team that sat at No. 1 in consensus NFL: power rankings entering Week 15. Buffalo’s defense just has to be ‘good’ for Allen to carry this team on a deep playoff run, even if that means winning on the road. With three weeks left in the regular season, the Bills look like the best team in the AFC.

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The Philadelphia Eagles won convincingly over the Steelers, giving A.J. Brown what they wanted and making a strong case that this is the best NFL team right now. Philadelphia’s defense remains outstanding, arguably the best in football, perfectly complementing an elite offense that can beat you in so many ways. The turnaround compared to last season is remarkable as Philadelphia looks like the Super Bowl favorite heading into Week 16.