NFL Power Rankings After Week 14

The fourth quarter of the 2020 NFL season began with Week 14 action. Now that Week 14 is over, teams have just three games left to try and get ready for the playoffs. Or, in the case of teams that are eliminated, they have three weeks to improve their draft positioning. In this edition of our weekly NFL power rankings, find out if the Chiefs are still at the top of our list of the league’s best squads.

In an impressive testament to ineptitude in the NFL, the New York Jets moved to 0-13 after Week 14. Their blowout loss to the Seahawks put them just three games away from going 0-16 and locking up the first pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. In our weekly check of the Jets’ odds to go 0-16 during these NFL power rankings, NFL betting odds have them at -250 to finish the job now.

Jacksonville extended its losing streak to 12 with a 31-10 loss to the Titans in Week 14. The Jags gave up an unbelievable 215 rushing yards to Derrick Henry in the loss. It is safe to say that the Jaguars might regret their upset win over the Colts to start the season, as a loss there would have put them in position to potentially draft Trevor Lawrence first overall.

Without Joe Burrow, the Bengals’ season has gone fully off of the cliff. They were drubbed 30-7 by the Andy Dalton-led Dallas Cowboys this past week. Backup quarterback Brandon Allen could not get much of anything going offensively. That is something that Bengals fans may need to get used to for the remainder of the year.

The Atlanta Falcons fired their head coach earlier this season, but arguably had a coaching advantage over Anthony Lynn and the LA Chargers in Week 14. That advantage didn’t amount to a win, though, as interim head coach Raheem Morris’ team lost 20-17 in Los Angeles. Atlanta was held scoreless in the second half of that game, in which they blew a touchdown lead at the half.

Dallas kept itself within shouting distance of the top of the NFC East with a win in Week 14. Mike McCarthy’s team enjoyed a comfortable 30-7 win over the Bengals, with Andy Dalton getting a measure of revenge against his former team. With a winnable game against the 49ers coming in Week 15, the Cowboys could still be in the mix for a division title and a playoff berth in spite of their dreadful season.

While the Detroit Lions lost to the Green Bay Packers last week, they showed plenty of fight in defeat. They lost 31-24 to the best team in their division, with an interim coach and a banged up Matt Stafford. At 5-8, and with Stafford’s status uncertain for the rest of the season, it is another bleak year in Detroit. But the Lions are playing respectable football in spite of their struggles.

Another week, another head scratching performance from the Carolina Panthers. At home, against a Broncos team traveling for an early East coast game, the Panthers lost 32-27. The Panthers are the only team in the NFC South with a negative point differential for the season. And that point differential may get even worse in Week 15 when they play a Saturday night game against the Packers.

The 49ers are really starting to fall apart late in this season without some key players. Week 14 saw the Niners lose in a home game in Arizona against the Washington Football Team. San Francisco is now two games worse than the third place Cardinals in the NFC West. And while nobody expected them to make the playoffs without Jimmy Garoppolo, their late season swoon has been a disappointment.

Changing quarterbacks appears to have given the Eagles a bit of a spark over the last two weeks. Jalen Hurts’ first career start was a success, as Philly beat the New Orleans Saints in one of the surprises of the weekend. Whether or not Hurts can keep this up remains to be seen. But a Week 15 matchup between Hurts and the Kyler Murray-led Cardinals will be appointment viewing.

The Chargers picked up their fourth win of the season over the Atlanta Falcons last week. Down 17-10 at halftime, the Chargers outscored Atlanta 10-0 in the second half. The Chargers still have yet to beat a team with five wins on the season, though they could change that with a Thursday night victory against the Las Vegas Raiders this week.

Don’t look now, but the Washington Football Team has sole possession of first place in the NFC East. The Football Team improved to 6-8 with a win over the 49ers last week. And at -305 odds to win the division, after that victory, there aren’t many brave enough to make their NFL betting picks on another NFC East team to win that division.

Houston was blown out on the road by the Chicago Bears this past week. Chicago’s offense is known for being inept, so it says a lot about the Texans’ defense that they gave up 36 points to Mitchell Trubisky and company. Week 15 pits the Texans against a Colts team that is fighting for its playoff life, which could mean another long Sunday for Texans fans.

Also fighting for their playoff lives are the Las Vegas Raiders, who did not play like it in Week 14. They were blown off of their home field by the Indianapolis Colts, losing 44-27 in a make or break contest. Now the Raiders find themselves in ninth place in the AFC standings, and they are running out of time to make up enough ground to finish in the top seven.

Minnesota had a tough task this past week. They had to go to Tampa to take on a Buccaneers team that was coming off of a late season bye week. Despite winning the time of possession battle, the Vikings couldn’t turn their possessions into enough points to win. Tampa rattled off 23 straight points at one point in this game, with Kirk Cousins and company moving back under .500 as a result.

One of the biggest disappointments last week was the performance of the New York Giants. After a shocking win in Seattle, the Giants laid an egg at home against the Arizona Cardinals. Daniel Jones’ return from injury was full of three and outs, as the Giants came back down to Earth a bit in the loss. Now the Giants have to recover the game they lost in the NFC East race if they want to make the playoffs.

Denver really took it to the Panthers on the road in Week 14. Drew Lock threw four touchdown passes in the win, with a special teams touchdown also propelling the Broncos to victory. Denver suffered too many injuries to make the playoffs this year, but a day like the one Lock had is a much-needed reminder that the future for this Broncos team could be bright.

The Chicago Bears still have quarterback issues to worry about, but they enjoyed one week without those issues when they demolished the Texans. For all of Chicago’s struggles moving the ball this season, their point differential is only -9. With a defense that can slow most teams down, the Bears are just a quarterback away from a much more successful 2021 and beyond.

Playing in their second straight West coast road game, on short rest, the Patriots looked completely out of rhythm against the Los Angeles Rams. Cam Newton and the Patriots offense managed just a field goal for the entirety of the game. Of course, some mismanaged red zone trips did not help matters for the Pats, who are a below .500 team this late in a season for the first time in what feels like an eternity.

The Arizona Cardinals defense came to play last week against the New York Giants. They made life very difficult for Daniel Jones, as the Giants scored a single touchdown for the entire game. Arizona is 7-6 with that win, but has a lot of work to do if they are going to hold off the rest of the NFC for a wild card spot.

Yes, the Dolphins lost in Week 14. But they lost to the defending Super Bowl champion Kansas City Chiefs. And that loss only came by six points, as the Dolphins did a decent enough job of mounting a late comeback so as to make the game respectable. Miami’s defense is good enough to stop most offenses, but most offenses don’t have Patrick Mahomes leading them.

The Buccaneers played very well defensively in their win over the Minnesota Vikings. They held Kirk Cousins to 225 passing yards, and the Vikings to just 14 points for the game. Now that they have had their bye week, it will be interesting to see if the Bucs come out rejuvenated for the remainder of the regular season as they look to lock down a postseason position.

While the Cleveland Browns lost to the Baltimore Ravens, there was a lot to like in their performance. Baker Mayfield led the offense to a 42 point eruption, even if the defense could not figure out how to stop Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense. Cleveland did not fold in this game, and Browns fans should feel optimism for the first time in a long time.

Indianapolis just crushed the Las Vegas Raiders’ defense in Week 14. The Colts scored 44 points and moved the ball for 456 total yards in their 44-27 win over the Raiders. Jonathan Taylor’s 150 rushing yards and two touchdowns could have very well helped the Colts move too far in front of the rest of the AFC wild card hopefuls for Indy to be overtaken.

Seattle demolished the hapless New York Jets in Week 14, putting up 40 points on the worst team in the sport. Seattle needed a bounce back game after they fell to the Giants two games ago, and they certainly got that here. Next up for Seattle is a cross-country trip to take on the Washington Football Team, which could be a preview of a first round playoff matchup in the NFC.

Sean McVay’s Rams put together a defensive performance for the ages against the Patriots on Thursday Night Football. They allowed just three points, which was the amount that they scored against New England in their Super Bowl LIII loss. The Rams are playing incredible defense this season, as they have allowed the fewest points in the NFC through 14 weeks.

Pittsburgh lost a second consecutive game in Week 14, after starting the season with an 11-0 record. The Steelers got crushed in the second half by the Buffalo Bills, with a 9-7 halftime deficit ballooning into a 26-15 loss. Pittsburgh managed just 47 rushing yards for the game, as the Steelers need to figure things out offensively after two consecutive poor showings on that side of the ball.

Green Bay needed to hold on late, but they did manage to score a seven point victory over the Detroit Lions. The Packers clinched the NFC North with the victory, which means that they can focus their attention on earning the best possible seed in the NFC the rest of the way. Aaron Rodgers is now firmly in second place in the MVP race, as Green Bay has reached double digit wins for the second straight season.

The Buffalo Bills were a slight favorite against the Pittsburgh Steelers, but blew their doors off in the second half to earn a signature win on the season. That win over Pittsburgh put the Bills two games up on the Miami Dolphins for first place in the AFC East. With just three games to go, the Bills can all but put the division title to bed with a win on Saturday against the Denver Broncos.

Sean Payton’s Saints suffered a surprising loss to the Eagles in Week 14. But there were extenuating circumstances to that game, as the Saints had to face a quarterback for which there was no film in Jalen Hurts. New Orleans should be getting Drew Brees back before the postseason, which is a scary thought given how well the Saints’ defense has been playing all season long.

Playoff football requires teams to run the ball and play defense. And while defense isn’t the Titans’ best quality, their running game is otherworldly. The Titans proved that in their Week 14 win over Jacksonville, in which Derrick Henry rushed for 215 yards. If the Titans can keep clearing out running lanes for Henry, they may be able to get to a second straight AFC Championship Game.

The record for the Baltimore Ravens isn’t impressive, as they are fighting for their playoff lives. But the ceiling for this team is higher than that of nearly any team in the league. They showed that in Week 14, where a 47 point performance propelled the Ravens to a much-needed win over the Browns. Despite some cramping issues, Lamar Jackson was able to make plays with his legs all night, and with his arm when needed. If this team earns a wild card spot, they will not be an easy out in the playoffs.

The Chiefs took on a playoff caliber defense against the Miami Dolphins. And Patrick Mahomes tore that defense to shreds. Mahomes had 393 passing yards to lead all quarterbacks in Week 14, as the Chiefs scored a 33-27 win to hold onto the top spot in our NFL power rankings. After falling behind 10-0, the Chiefs scored 30 straight points and never looked back. They are currently the clear favorites to win the Super Bowl again this year.