Arizona Sports Week 14 NFL Power Rankings: Cowboys, Patriots, Raiders stay in top three
Dec 6, 2016, 4:29 PM
For the second straight week, the Dallas Cowboys got a scare.
For the second straight week, they survived.
For the 11th straight week, they won.
The Cowboys are in the top spot again this week in the Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings, following a controversial 17-15 win over the Minnesota Vikings on Thursday Night Football. The New England Patriots, who slogged through a win over the punchless Los Angeles Rams, and the Oakland Raiders, who staged a furious rally to beat the Buffalo Bills, stayed in the top three.
There was movement in the top five, however. The Seattle Seahawks leapfrogged the Kansas City Chiefs — who scored a crazy, one-point win in Atlanta — by virtue of Adam Green’s ballot. Green, apparently unimpressed by what Andy Reid’s team has cooking, has the Chiefs sixth in his pecking order, so feel free to call him out (@TheAdamGreen on Twitter). Just kidding. Maybe.
Locally, the Arizona Cardinals surged for the first time in a while after a nice 31-23 win over the Washington Redskins that actually resembled something from their special 2015 season.
Here’s the way our panel voted this week
Here’s each member’s individual ballot
1. Dallas Cowboys (11-1) —
Too much Dallas garb in the Valley…can they suck again? — Dimakos
Next: at New York Giants
2. New England Patriots (10-2) —
Losing Gronk is a legitimate big-picture concern. — Lapinksi
Next: vs. Baltimore
3. Oakland Raiders (10-2) —
Derek Carr for MVP? — Grialou
Next: at Kansas City
4. Seattle Seahawks (8-3-1) ▲ 1
The injuries are mounting. How do they deal with losing Earl Thomas? — Marotta
Next: at Green Bay
5. Kansas City Chiefs (9-3) ▼ 1
Keep inventing new ways to win games, like Eric Berry’s INT 2-point conversion. — Morgan
Next: vs. Oakland
6. Denver Broncos (8-4) ▲ 1
Not exactly a convincing win over Jacksonville, though I’m not convinced this team can win convincingly. — Green
Next: at Tennessee
7. Detroit Lions (8-4) ▲ 2
*Dory voice* “Just keep winning, just keep winning.” — Green
Next: vs. Chicago
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) ▲ 2
The team New England should fear in the AFC. — Burns
Next: at Buffalo
9. New York Giants (8-4) ▼ 3
Schedule now tougher…two WRs talking about not getting targets — trouble! — Marotta
Next: vs. Dallas
10. Atlanta Falcons (7-5) ▼ 3
A Sirius/XM NFL radio caller said Matt Ryan is “a human piece of garbage” who must be cut. — Morgan
Next: at Los Angeles
11. Baltimore Ravens (7-5) ▲ 2
They always seem to get better as the weather gets colder. — Lapinski
Next: at New England
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5) ▲ 4
Dirk Koetter, coach of the year? — Burns
Next: vs. New Orleans
13. Green Bay Packers (6-6) ▲ 5
My money’s on Aaron Rodgers earning the NFC’s final Wild Card spot. — Morgan
Next: vs. Seattle
14. Washington Redskins (6-5-1) ▼ 2
Tough loss in Arizona. Offense is good. Defense needs work. — Green
Next: at Philadelphia
15. Miami Dolphins (7-4) ▼ 4
Getting shredded by Joe Flacco doesn’t exactly scream “contender.” — Lapinski
Next: vs. Arizona
16. Minnesota Vikings (6-6) ▼ 1
Even Mike Zimmer could see that Sam Bradford got hit in the face on the potential game-tying two-point conversion. What?! Too soon? — Grialou
Next: at Jacksonville
17. Tennessee Titans (6-6) ▲ 2
I think they’re a year away from the playoffs. — Dimakos
Next: vs. Denver
18. Arizona Cardinals (5-6-1) ▲ 5
Too little, too late? Either way, that was easily their best win of the year. — Burns
Next: at Miami
19. Buffalo Bills (6-6) ▼ 5
So average, you’d think Jeff Fisher was their coach. — Green
Next: vs. Pittsburgh
20. Indianapolis Colts (5-6) ▲ 5
With Andrew Luck back, we’ve got ’em winning the AFC South. — Morgan
Next: vs. Houston
21. Houston Texans (6-6) ▼ 4
Money wasted. — Burns
Next: at Indianapolis
22. New Orleans Saints (5-7) ▼ 2
Remember when the Superdome was a tough venue for visitors? Saints are 10-13 at home since ’14. –Marotta
Next: at Tampa Bay
23. Philadelphia Eagles (5-7) ▼ 2
I think the Carson Wentz hype train has officially died down. — Dimakos
Next: vs. Washington
24. San Diego Chargers (5-7) ▼ 2
Rivers threw a big pick-six? Weird. I know, I know, he’s awesome. — Marotta
Next: at Carolina
25. Cincinnati Bengals (4-7-1) ▲ 1
Marvin Lewis is still talking playoffs. He’s not getting there and he’s 0-7 when he does. — Morgan
Next: at Cleveland
26. Carolina Panthers (4-8) ▼ 1
If Cam would have only worn a tie, they might have stayed within four touchdowns of the Seahawks. — Green
Next: vs. San Diego
27. Los Angeles Rams (4-8) —
When I think of the Rams, I hear Nelson Muntz’s “Ha-ha” on a loop in my head. — Marotta
Next: vs. Atlanta
28. Chicago Bears (3-9) ▲ 1
Matt Barkley is the superstar we’ve been waiting for (text from my Dad). — Dimakos
Next: at Detroit
29. New York Jets (3-9) ▼ 1
It cost more to buy a beer than it did to go to a MNF game. It’s a new low in New York. — Dimakos
Next: at San Francisco
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10) —
Calling them a dumpster fire is offensive to garbage receptacles that have been set aflame. — Green
Next: vs. Minnesota
31. San Francisco 49ers (1-11) —
1-for-5 with 4 yards and you’re surprised you got benched, Colin? — Burns
Next: vs. NY Jets
32. Cleveland Browns (0-11) —
There’s somebody like this in every office: do nothing for 12 weeks and they get a vacation. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Cincinnati
