- Broncos (12-2); Up 1 Spot
Week 15 result: W vs. #7 Packers 34-26
Denver looked to be figured out entering the third quarter, but man did they come alive. Green Bay lost many players in this game due to injury, and Denver capitalized big time, putting the pressure on Jordan Love while also not leaving him many options downfield. But I cannot write this without giving a bulk of the credit to Bo Nix. I’ve been very critical of the second-year starter, but he put together a very solid performance, being accurate, mobile, and leading his team to a signature win. If this is what he can be consistently capable of, then the Broncos won’t just be contenders for the AFC, they’ll be contenders for the whole thing.
Week 16 matchup: vs. #6 Jaguars
2. Seahawks (11-3); Up 1 Spot
Week 15 result : W vs. Colts 18-16
Speaking of speaking ill of quarterbacks, Sam Darnold may soon get the short end of the stick, because we’re seeing something very reminiscent of his skid in the middle of last season. Now I won’t say he’s playing bad, largely because he did have a 3 TD game against the Falcons fairly recently, and he did just come off a game winning drive. But I would chalk up a lot of these wins to just how phenomenal the defense has played, blossoming into a top unit in the league. And while I’m not going to say he’s played bad, I will say that his hot start has once again cooled off, but not as dramatically as last season. However, if he wants to prove me wrong and really cement the Seahawks as THE Super Bowl contender out of the NFC, then this next game against the team that’s had his number is one that he must win, and play well in. Otherwise, Darnold might be seeing the ghosts of Playoffs Past from last year come January.
Week 16 matchup: vs. #4 Rams
3. Texans (9-5); Up 1 Spot
Week 15 result: W vs. Cardinals 40-20
Ahh, the annual Demeco Ryans hot streak entering the playoffs has come once again, and man are the Texans hot. Houston has won out of the wild card round in Ryans’ first two seasons, and with games like this, it could be 3 for 3 for the former linebacker. The question come playoff time though is can the offense replicate this type of performance again. If they can, Houston could break through to appear in the AFC Championship Game for the first time in franchise history. If not, it could mean a wild card exit and some difficult questions during the off-season.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Raiders
4. Rams (11-3); Up 1 Spot
Week 15 result: W vs. Lions 41-34
So far when the topic of Super Bowl contenders comes up, the Rams are one of the first names people blurt out, and it’s not hard to see why. A top-flight offense headed by the Stafford-McVay partnership that is almost a full half-decade old. A running game that might not wow you, but is still decent with Williams and Corum. But the real talking point has been the number one receiver duo in the league of Nacua and Adams, which took a hit on Sunday with Adams’ hamstring acting up again, taking him out of the high-scoring contest and putting the duo in jeopardy for January when LA needs them together most. First thing’s first though, the Rams need to beat up on their punching bag one more time, as taking down Darnold and the Seahawks is almost a guarantee for the tight NFC West, and could lead to a bypass for wild card weekend, giving Adams time to recover.
Week 16 matchup: @ #2 Seahawks
5. Jaguars (10-4); Up 3 Spots
Week 15 result: W vs. Jets 48-20
When the NFL is weird, always bet on the Jaguars to be competitors in the AFC, and this past Sunday locked them into a bout with the top dogs. Sunshine himself shined bright, tossing six touchdowns against the grounded Jets in a total blowout. And while he likely won’t have such a performance against the Broncos defense, you can’t help but think the Jaguars got the momentum they needed to fight in Mile High.
Week 16 matchup: @ #1 Broncos
6. Patriots (11-3); Down 5 Spots
Week 15 result: L vs. Bills 31-35
Man this was a tough one to swallow for Patriot believers. Critics were proven right when New England blew what was a 21-0 lead to their division rivals, and Drake Maye couldn’t lead a game winner to save them in the end. Now Maye’s MVP case has stalled out, the Patriots’ odds for the top seed are slim, and the division crown is all but secured when it could’ve been locked up. Now thankfully the Patriots do have three games to build back up momentum heading into the postseason, but man this will be a tough game to overcome.
Week 16 matchup: @ Ravens
7. Bears (10-4); Up 2 Spots
Week 15 result: W vs. Browns 31-3
After a heartbreaker against a division rival of their own, the Bears rebounded quite nicely against the Browns, putting on a defensive clinic. Caleb Williams had more phenomenal throws, setting the stage for a revenge rematch against their arch rivals from Green Bay, this time at Soldier Field (where the Bears should always play!). Odunze getting scratched after an injury in warmups and Williams’ inconsistency does have me concerned, but if lady luck smiles down on the Bears headed into Saturday, then they very well could jump right back into the race for the top spot in the NFC.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Packers
8. 49ers (10-4); Up 1 Spot
Week 15 result: W vs. Titans 37-24
The 49ers have had a quiet, yet solid campaign this season despite the injuries, and not enough people are taking notice, because as crazy as this sounds, this very well could be the team to represent the NFC again this season. The 49ers have made surprise runs before like in 2021, and are no stranger to being the overshadowed underdogs. And with one of the biggest underdogs in Brock Purdy coupled with a young defense ahead of schedule, this very well could be another season where the 49ers run through the conference to make another NFC title game.
Week 16 matchup: vs. Colts
9. Bills (10-4); Not Ranked Last Week
Week 15 result: W @ #2 Patriots 35-31
This might sound insane, but this game might’ve been the wakeup call Josh Allen and the Bills needed to really show themselves as the top team in the AFC this season. Coming back from 21 down is not an easy feat, especially against a division rival, but the Bills did it, and played very fluidly. The past few seasons the Bills have come into the postseason sluggish and sliding, not really selling themselves as realistic contenders. But with this win (and three more strong ones to end the year) and Kansas City out of the picture, this may finally be Buffalo’s year.
Week 16 matchup: @ Browns
10. Chargers (10-4); Not Ranked Last Week
Week 15 result: W @ Chiefs 16-13
Of all the wins the Chargers have had this decade, this one might be the greatest of them all. Finally getting rid of the thorn in their side by sweeping them on the season, and beating them to knock them out of the playoffs on their home turf is something the biggest haters dream of. And Charger fans lived it. Make no mistake though, this Charger team has plenty of big time wins this season, and while they need some help to win the AFC West, it’s not out of the question.
Week 16 matchup: @ Cowboys
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.
