1. Patriots (11-2); No Movement
Week 13 result: W vs. Giants 33-15
After Matthew Stafford and Jonathan Taylor had pretty quiet weeks, it left the door open for young Drake Maye to take the lead in the MVP race. And while the second-year signal caller didn’t put on a spectacle, he did play a solid game, flashing two touchdowns, just under 300 total yards, and most importantly, no turnovers. The Patriots got out to an early lead and just coasted from there, scoring only a field goal more in the second half to put the game to bed. Now they’ll enter their bye with week 15 on their mind, a rematch with the big brother from Buffalo. If they win that game, they take the division for the first time since 2019. And then the comparisons to a certain quarterback for Drake may never stop.
Week 14 matchup: BYE
2. Broncos (11-2); No Movement
Week 13 result : W @ Commanders 27-26
Another week, another Broncos win that leaves a lot of questions. Bo Nix put up a solid performance, with over 300 passing yards and a score, though it came with a pick. And while the defense let up 26 points, they didn’t let up the 27th, batting the ball down on a two point conversion in overtime to end the game. Denver’s defense makes this team incredibly intriguing come playoff time, but for now, the offense, specifically the quarterback, will keep many fans away from picking this team in their brackets in January.
Week 14 matchup: @ Raiders
3. Seahawks (9-3); Up 1 Spot
Week 13 result: W vs. Vikings 26-0
“Sam Darnold got his revenge against his former team” is probably the tagline you’re expecting here, but to tell you the truth, the Ginger Hammer didn’t really do much for his team, being sacked a staggering four times, throwing for under 130 yards and not even scoring. But to his defense, he didn’t have to, as the defense picked up the slack. Even JSN was quiet, flashing only two catches for 23 yards on the day, a stinker for the OPOY-contending receiver. Darnold’s been in a similar funk to the one he was in against the AFC South last season, and it’s somewhat concerning, as while they did just win a shutout game, they can’t play the Vikings every week.
Week 14 matchup: @ Falcons
4. Bears (9-3); Up 1 Spot
Week 13 result: W @ #9 Eagles 24-15
Speaking of QBs that didn’t do much for their team this week, Caleb Williams had a very quiet day, though unlike Darnold, he did contribute a score. The real story of the day is the Bears defense that received much-needed reinforcement before kickoff, with Jaylon Johnson and Kyler Gordon rejoining the secondary, and boy did that pay off, as Jalen Hurts and the Eagles offense struggled mightily. Kevin Byard was even able to pass his own teammate Nahshon Wright for the league lead in picks. And on the offensive side, Swift and Monangai each had over 100 yards rushing before the end of the third quarter, showcasing a rushing attack that would make even Sweetness himself blush. All of these performances locked in the first winning Bears season since 2018, and coach Ben Johnson looks to be the best Bears coach since Lovie Smith, completely shifting Chicago’s culture in his first season. Now they’ll face arguably their most important foe of the season, and they are more than familiar.
Week 14 matchup: @ #8 Packers
5. Texans (7-5); Up 2 Spots
Week 13 result: W @ #10 Colts 20-16
This team is unreal. Like last season when CJ Stroud was going through his sophomore slump, the Texans have been sleepwalking for the bulk of the season. But now they’re finally up and at it, coming evermore closer to three-peating as AFC South champs. Stroud still had a very “meh” day, throwing for 276, but also a pick with no TD to compensate. Nico Collins had himself a day, coming just two yards shy of a hundred only five grabs. Shockingly, the defense didn’t save the day with turnovers, but just holding MVP-candidate Jonathan Taylor to under 90 yards (Yes, holding him to sub-100 yards is the benchmark of shutting him down). It spells out the domination of the defense, and that this is a team not to trifle with in a close game late. Now they’ll look to continue on with their winning ways, this time looking for revenge for January.
Week 14 matchup: @ Chiefs
6. Dolphins (5-7); Up 2 Spots
Week 13 result: W vs. Saints 21-17
When talking about teams that are coming back from the dead, the Dolphins have to be involved. And while their stretch of wins haven’t been against the greatest of opponents, Miami has still won those games. And while I’m not trying to predict the future or get ahead of myself, this very well could be Mike McDaniel’s path to saving his job. Because while the remaining games on the schedule aren’t ideal, anything is truly possible.
Week 14 matchup: @ Jets
7. Rams (9-3); Down 4 Spots
Week 13 result: L @ Panthers 28-31
This game might’ve been the funeral service for Matthew Stafford’s MVP case, because man what a rough day for the 37-year-old. Two interceptions and a strip sack fumble that ended up putting the game away, a far-cry from the efficient performances we’ve been accustomed to seeing thus far. Sure he tossed two touchdowns to match, but a pick six on one of his two picks made it so they didn’t even up. This game also cost the Rams the top spot of the NFC, at least for the moment. And while they’ll have plenty of chances to rebound back, their schedule is mixed, with some tough matchups in there.
Week 14 matchup: @ Cardinals
8. Packers (8-3-1); Not Ranked Last Week
Week 13 result: W @ Lions 31-24
We all should’ve known as soon as Toyotathon rolled out that Jordan Love would ball out. The third-year starter had some truly beautiful passes, as Matt Lafluer finally allowed the young gunslinger to let it rip. And the defense was absolutely ferocious, with Micah Parsons shutting the Lions down both in the air and on the ground, sacking Goff multiple times and stuffing the lightning-quick Gibbs as well. The Packers looked dominant, but also lost a valuable piece in Devonte Wyatt on the defensive line. Now they’ll have to head into a matchup with their arch rival without their prominent nose tackle available.
Week 14 matchup: vs. #4 Bears
9. Jaguars (8-4); Not Ranked Last Week
Week 13 result: W @ Titans 25-3
When an NFL season is a little odd, always watch out for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence had a superb performance, tossing two TDs on the way to a 111.5 passer rating. And the Jaguars finally look back in sync, with their defense shutting down the lowly Titans to just 3 points. Now they’re right back in the mix for the AFC South crown, as with a win against their foes from Indy will give them the division lead. History is also on Jacksonville’s side, as the Colts have not won in Jacksonville since 2014.
Week 14 matchup: vs. Colts
10. Cowboys (6-5-1); Not Ranked Last Week (FIRST APPEARANCE)
Week 13 result: W vs. Chiefs 31-28
This might be the most fun I’ve had watching a Cowboys team in quite some time. Are they dominant? No. Will they win their division? Not likely. Are they insanely fun to watch on offense? You bet! The George Pickens deal looks better by the second, as he and CeeDee Lamb both flourished, combining for 200 yards on the money. Dak also had an exciting day, throwing for over 300 yards and two TDs, including many beautiful deep balls on the way to another massive win by Dallas. With their turkey day win over KC, Dallas was able to achieve something practically unheard of: Beating both the teams in the previous Super Bowl in the span of just five days. This win also put into focus just where exactly the Cowboys season could be heading, as their remaining schedule paints a favorable picture in terms of playoff odds. And that tie with Green Bay now also acts as extra insurance, as the odds they’ll have to worry about tiebreakers is incredibly slim.
Week 14 matchup: @ Lions
NOTE ABOUT RANKINGS: Rankings don’t follow one or two key factors other than winning and losing. The phrase “What have you done for me lately?” describes my thought process fairly well, as I only consider results from the current season, and thus rankings aren’t created until a full month of football has passed.
