NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Lions Overtake Chiefs for Top Spot
The newest NFL power rankings heading into Week 12.
32. Las Vegas Raiders
Last Week: 32
The Raiders are an unmitigated disaster and they have given us no reason to move them out of the basement.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
Last Week: 31
The Jags mercifully head into their bye week with hopes of getting Trevor Lawrence back in Week 13.
30. Tennessee Titans
Last Week: 30
These bottom teams are pretty much interchangeable, but the Titans have done just enough to stay at No. 30.
29. New York Giants 29
Last Week:
The Giants went from bad to worse on their bye week, benching Daniel Jones for Tommy Devito because of contract technicalities.
28. Dallas Cowboys
Last Week: 25
It's not out of the range of outcomes that the Cowboys could finish the season at the bottom of the rankings.
27. New York Jets
Last Week: 24
It's rare that a team that has been relatively healthy can devolve so rapidly into such a dumpster fire. Not only have they stayed healthy, but they added Davante Adams and got worse. What a nightmare.
26. New England Patriots
Last Week: 27
The Pats lost this week and defaulted themselves up a spot by not being the Jets or Cowboys.
25. Carolina Panthers
Last Week: 26
The Panthers slid up a spot while on the bye week and were closer to moving up to 24 than they were to dropping back to 26.
24. Cleveland Browns
Last Week: 23
The Browns deserve to drop further but there's just nowhere for them to go.
23. New Orleans Saints
Last Week: 28
The Saints are one of the hardest teams to predict from week to week. They steamrolled the Browns last week. That's not a major feat, however, the Saints don't really have any business crushing anyone.
22. Chicago Bears
Last Week: 21
They played the Packers well but lost in the end. This is a bad team that is spiraling. Things have snowballed on them since losing on that Hail Mary against Washington.
21. Indianapolis Colts
Last Week: 22
The Colts beat the Jets. That's enough to move up one spot apparently.
20. Cincinnati Bengals
Last Week: 15
At some point, we have to judge the Bengals by their record and not their reputation. They dropped five spots this week and it probably took too long for them to get here.
19. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Last Week: 18
The Bucs will return from their bye this week and will hope to get Mike Evans back upon their return.
18. Seattle Seahawks
Last Week: 20
The Seahawks pulled off a big win against the 49ers this week, keeping their playoff hopes alive.
17. Los Angeles Rams
Last Week: 19
No team deserves to be in the middle of the pack more than the Rams. They don't feel like a team that is either good or bad. They just exist.
16. Miami Dolphins
Last Week: 17
Miami looks like they are turning things around now that Tua Tagovailoa is back in the swing of things, but something still looks off with their offense. This isn't the same team that lit defenses up with an elite offense last year.
15. Atlanta Falcons
Last Week: 13
The Falcons need to get back on track quickly if they're going to have any chance of making any noise in the playoffs this season.
14. San Francisco 49ers
Last Week: 11
The Niners continue to look like a mediocre team and their record reflects that. Another loss could cause a significant drop in the rankings.
13. Denver Broncos
Last Week: 16
The Broncos jumped up a much-deserved three spots this week after demolishing the Falcons.
12. Los Angeles Chargers
Last Week: 14
The Chargers edged out another victory on Sunday Night Football this week. They don't feel like an actual threat to do anything of significance, but they are a well-coached team and a franchise heading in the right direction.
11. Washington Commanders
Last Week: 7
The wheels feel like they are starting to fall off a bit for an up-and-coming Commanders team led by their impressive rookie QB.
10. Minnesota Vikings
Last Week: 10
We can't drop the Vikings after their win on Sunday, but we all know what this is. This team will finish closer to 20 than 10 by the end of the season.
9. Houston Texans
Last Week: 12
The Texans didn't jump three spots because they beat up on the Cowboys. They jumped up because they got Nico Collins back and the offense looks scary when they have both Collins and Joe Mixon healthy.
8. Green Bay Packers
Last Week: 8
The Packers were lucky to escape with a victory over the Bears. They'll need to be better moving forward.
7. Arizona Cardinals
Last Week: 9
The Cardinals move up during their bye week as they sit at the top of the NFC West as one of the bigger surprises of the year.
6. Baltimore Ravens
Last Week: 4
The Ravens lost a close one to the Steelers on Sunday and it knocks them back two spots.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Last Week: 6
After a terrible end to 2023 and a rough start to 2024, the Eagles have become one of the best teams in the league again and now control the NFC East.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers
Last Week: 5
It's time to start taking the Steelers seriously. We question how far Russell Wilson can take them, but no one is going to want to go to Pittsburgh in January.
3. Buffalo Bills
Last Week: 3
Yes, the Bills beat the Chiefs, but that's not enough to jump the now one-loss defending champs who have a more impressive resume this season.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Last Week: 1
The Chiefs were finally knocked from the top spot, however, they didn't fall far from just one loss.
1. Detroit Lions
Last Week: 2
The Lions are the new king of the mountain. It's well deserved and they have looked like the best team in football for a while now.
