Week 17 NFL Power Rankings Recap: Cardinals universally jump after downing Seattle
Dec 28, 2016, 8:37 AM | Updated: 12:24 pm
Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell reacts after a sack against the Seattle Seahawks in the first half of an NFL football game, Saturday, Dec. 24, 2016, in Seattle. (AP Photo/John Froschauer)
(AP Photo/John Froschauer)
A silver lining?
The Arizona Cardinals’ stirring 34-31 win over the Seattle Seahawks at CenturyLink Field both damaged their rivals’ hopes of earning a first-round playoff bye and put a band-aid on a disappointing 2016 season.
As a result, the Cardinals ascended in all 11 national NFL Power Rankings we track on a weekly basis.
Here’s a rundown of what some prominent national outlets — and we here at ArizonaSports.com — are saying about the Cardinals:
Cardinals Average Power Ranking: 20.8
(up from 24.0 last week)
High Ranking: #18 (ESPN)
Low Ranking: #22 (Six outlets)
Arizona Sports NFL Week 17 Power Rankings: A final look at the league
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 1)
Special teams made three big plays and they won on the road. *Checks sky for meteor hurtling toward Earth.
Week 17 NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs move into top three
Cardinals rank: #18 (▲ 4)
David Johnson has a chance to record 100 scrimmage yards in all 16 games when the Cardinals take on the Rams in Week 17. Do you know how many players have recorded 100 scrimmage yards in all 16 regular-season games? Zero.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Raiders, ‘Hawks fall; Packers rise
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 2)
Styles make fights. That’s the old boxing proverb, probably borrowed from a Jack Dempsey tug-of-war from 100 years ago. In the case of the NFC West, it’s true. The Rams can beat the Seahawks, but not the 49ers, who of course never take down Seattle. The Cardinals blow a game at home to New Orleans, then take down the Seahawks in the toughest place to win in pro football. Arizona has pulled off the feat three times in the last four years now, which is stellar … or stupidly maddening for fans who watched them blow one-score games against the Vikings, Dolphins and those Saints. None of which are awful clubs. But it remains an incredible feat that of the Seahawks’ six home losses since 2013, half have come from Bruce Arians’ group.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Where all 32 teams stand at the end of 2016
Cardinals rank: #20 (▲ 5)
Before this season began there had been nine players in NFL history to post a season of 2,000-plus yards from scrimmage and 20-plus TDs. David Johnson just became the 10th. He has been unbelievably good despite the team around him struggling, like when Adam Banks gets traded to the Mighty Ducks before the Mighty Ducks learn how to play hockey.
NFL Power Rankings: No, for real, the Falcons are a Super Bowl threat
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 3)
That showing in Seattle is what we expected to see this season. They will be back in the playoff mix next season.
NFL power rankings 2016, Week 17: Packers, Steelers are getting hot when it matters most
Cardinals rank: #19 (▲ 6)
It’s a little late for most big jumps to matter. Dramatic victories for the Arizona Cardinals and Philadelphia Eagles didn’t do much of anything except screw over divisional rivals, which is a reward in itself.
Chris Simms’ NFL Power Rankings Ahead of Week 17
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 4)
This offense finally found its stride. It’s Christmastime. I look at the result in Week 16—all the long throws to J.J. Nelson and David Johnson, all the early Russell Wilson sacks—as a picture of what could’ve been.
This team was always talented enough to go into CenturyLink Field and win a football game. It just wasn’t consistent enough.
NFL Power Rankings: The Patriots are going to be really tough to beat in the AFC
Cardinals rank: #21 (▲ 2)
Chandler Jones had 1.5 sacks in the Cardinals’ upset win at Seattle. He’ll be an interesting case this offseason. It’s hard for the Cardinals to trade a second-round pick for one year of Jones getting 9.5 sacks in a losing season. But has he earned a massive Von Miller/Justin Houston-type deal? It seems like we could be headed toward a franchise-tag situation.
USA Today Power Rankings – Week 17
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 1)
We’ll cast our fantasy MVP vote with RB David Johnson. Be nice to see him join Roger Craig and Marshall Faulk in the 1,000-1,000 club.
Cardinals rank: #19 (▲ 5)
Arizona continues to own the Seahawks in Seattle. They’re now 3-1 since 2013 with the rest of the NFL going 3-25 in that span. The talent and depth is there on the roster, they just need to make the most of it and play as a cohesive unit.
Cardinals rank: #22 (▲ 2)
How bad would this team be if it didn’t have David Johnson?
