Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 14: Patriots back on top
Dec 5, 2017, 4:11 PM
(AP Photo/Rich Barnes)
Well, well, well, look who’s back on top.
The New England Patriots dismantled the Buffalo Bills, 23-3, for their eighth straight win. Coupled with the Philadelphia Eagles’ loss on the road at Seattle, we’ve got a new No. 1 team in the Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings.
Here’s a look at our 1-32 NFL pecking order heading into Week 14.
Ties will go to the team that receives the majority of higher rankings from our panel.
Biggest Fallers: Washington Redskins ▼6
1. New England Patriots (10-2)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 1
Lo: 1
Comment: Gronk suspension A) is warranted and B) doesn’t hurt the Pats at all. — Lapinski
Next: at Miami (Monday night)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
Shift: ▼1
Hi: 2
Lo: 4
Comment: First leg of West Coast journey didn’t go so well. — Burns
Next: at LA Rams
3. Minnesota Vikings (10-2)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 2
Lo: 4
Comment: The Vikings are the latest team to flirt with the possibility of hosting the Super Bowl. — Morgan
Next: at Carolina
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-2)
Shift: ▼1
Hi: 3
Lo: 5
Comment: Came back from 17-0 deficit on Monday Night Football in Cincinnati. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Baltimore
5. Los Angeles Rams (9-3)
Shift: —
Hi: 4
Lo: 6
Comment: Unspectacular, but solid win over the Cardinals in Arizona. — Marotta
Next: vs. Philadelphia
6. New Orleans Saints (9-3)
Shift: —
Hi: 5
Lo: 7
Comment: Sweeping the Panthers gives them the inside track on the NFC South. — Lapinski
Next: at Atlanta (Thursday night)
7. Seattle Seahawks (8-4)
Shift: ▲2
Hi: 6
Lo: 7
Comment: Seahawks get their best win of the season. Russell Wilson is building a real MVP case. — Marotta
Next: at Jacksonville
8. Carolina Panthers (8-4)
Shift: ▼1
Hi: 8
Lo: 10
Comment: Coming off a division loss to the Saints, currently would be a Wild Card team. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Minnesota
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 8
Lo: 11
Comment: Another sack for Calais, he’s now Jags’ single-season record holder. — Burns
Next: vs. Seattle
10. Atlanta Falcons (7-5)
Shift: ▼2
Hi: 9
Lo: 11
Comment: The Falcons were held without a touchdown against the Vikings, the first time that has happened since Dec. 13, 2015. — Morgan
Next: vs. New Orleans (Thursday night)
11. Tennessee Titans (8-4)
Shift: —
Hi: 9
Lo: 12
Comment: I, for the life of me, can’t figure out how this team is 8-4. — Marotta
Next: at Arizona
12. Baltimore Ravens (7-5)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 12
Lo: 13
Comment: Big game against the Steelers on the road coming up. — Jurecki
Next: at Pittsburgh
13. Los Angeles Chargers (6-6)
Shift: ▲2
Hi: 10
Lo: 15
Comment: At this point, they look like the team to beat in the AFC West. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Washington
14. Oakland Raiders (6-6)
Shift: ▲4
Hi: 16
Lo: 16
Comment: Well, now. The Raiders are in a three-way tie for first place in the AFC West with Kansas City and the LA Chargers. — Morgan
Next: at Kansas City
15. Dallas Cowboys (6-6)
Shift: ▲6
Hi: 14
Lo: 18
Comment: Cowboys have lost three of the last four games, it may be difficult to make the postseason. — Jurecki
Next: at NY Giants
16. Green Bay Packers (6-6)
Shift: ▲6
Hi: 15
Lo: 18
Comment: Still hanging around with the hope that Rodgers could be back in Week 15. — Lapinski
Next: at Cleveland
17. Detroit Lions (6-6)
Shift: ▼5
Hi: 14
Lo: 19
Comment: Stafford’s hand injury (even though he might play) should take care of the Lions’ season. — Marotta
Next: at Tampa Bay
18. Kansas City Chiefs (6-6)
Shift: ▼4
Hi: 11
Lo: 16
Comment: A tale of two seasons: Kansas City has dropped six of its last seven after opening the season 5-0. — Morgan
Next: vs. Oakland
19. Buffalo Bills (6-6)
Shift: ▼2
Hi: 19
Lo: 22
Comment: After getting off to good start, they’re 1-4 in their last five games. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Indianapolis
20. Cincinnati Bengals (5-7)
Shift: —
Hi: 20
Lo: 22
Comment: Their best half of football this year followed by their worst. — Burns
Next: vs. Chicago
21. New York Jets (5-7)
Shift: ▲4
Hi: 18
Lo: 24
Comment: Raise your hand if you thought the Jets and Cardinals would have the same record 12 weeks in. Liar! — Marotta
Next: at Denver
22. Washington Redskins (5-7)
Shift: ▼6
Hi: 19
Lo: 22
Comment: Seems like we can stop trying to convince ourselves Washington is a good team at this point. — Lapinski
Next: at LA Chargers
23. Arizona Cardinals (5-7)
Shift: ▼4
Hi: 21
Lo: 25
Comment: Special teams coordinator Amos Jones has to go. — Morgan
Next: vs. Tennessee
24. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
Shift: ▲2
Hi: 23
Lo: 25
Comment: Ended that pesky five-game losing streak by running it up on Adam Gase’s former team. — Lapinski
Next: vs. New England (Monday night)
25. Houston Texans (4-8)
Shift: ▼2
Hi: 24
Lo: 26
Comment: Honestly feels like they just left the NFL after Watson got injured. — Lapinski
Next: vs. San Francisco
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-8)
Shift: ▼2
Hi: 24
Lo: 26
Comment: Can Dirk Koetter’s “NFL guys” help him survive this season? — Morgan
Next: vs. Detroit
27. Denver Broncos (3-9)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 27
Lo: 30
Comment: I’m starting to wonder if Vance Joseph is one and done in Denver. — Jurecki
Next: vs. NY Jets
28. Chicago Bears (3-9)
Shift: ▼1
Hi: 27
Lo: 30
Comment: Coach John Fox is 12-32 in three seasons with the Bears. — Morgan
Next: at Cincinnati
29. Indianapolis Colts (3-9)
Shift: —
Hi: 28
Lo: 30
Comment: They’ve scored more than 25 points in a game once since September. — Lapinski
Next: at Buffalo
30. San Francisco 49ers (2-10)
Shift: ▲1
Hi: 27
Lo: 31
Comment: Robbie Gould made 5 FGs in his first appearance at Soldier Field since Chicago cut him before the 2016 opener. — Morgan
Next: at Houston
31. New York Giants (2-10)
Shift: ▼1
Hi: 30
Lo: 32
Comment: Geno Smith started. Ben McAdoo got fired. Will Eli be back vs. Dallas? — Marotta
Next: vs. Dallas
32. Cleveland Browns (0-12)
Shift: —
Hi: 31
Lo: 32
Comment: The Browns are 1-27 in their last 28 games. The expansion Bucs (1976), regarded as the worst team ever, were 2-26 in their first 28 games. — Morgan
Next: vs. Green Bay