Welcome to Week 12′s NFL Power Rankings. After Monday night’s game each week, I’ll be evaluating the week’s games and ranking the top 10 teams in the NFL.
Before we begin, here are a few things to keep in mind that I take into consideration when making my choices:
1. I do take a team’s record into account; the games have to matter to some degree. However, a team with a good record will not always land in my top 10, and vice versa. Remember, these are power rankings.
2. One team beating another team does not automatically mean they are the better team in my eyes. For example, the Jets beat the Titans in Week 4, but I don’t believe for a second that they’re the better team right now.
3. The direction that teams are trending is a factor. A team that started slow but has been hot for the last couple of weeks will be evaluated more favorably than one that won their first few games and has cooled off since.
So, let’s begin!
1. Green Bay Packers (↔), 9-3, W 36-28 vs. Los Angeles Rams in Week 12
The Packers continue to look formidable behind Aaron Rodgers, who, despite not practicing last week, threw for 302 yards and two touchdowns against what should be a strong Los Angeles defense featuring Jalen Ramsey to limit star receiver Davante Adams. This is one of the best defenses Green Bay has had under Aaron Rodgers, and it is still missing perhaps its two best defensive players in cornerback Jaire Alexander and linebacker Za’Darius Smith. They hold onto the top spot this week.
2. Arizona Cardinals (↑2), 9-2, BYE in Week 12
The Cardinals have been without quarterback Kyler Murray and top wide receiver Deandre Hopkins for several weeks now but have managed to keep the offense rolling. Fighting for the top seed in the NFC, Colt McCoy stepped up in Murray’s place to lead Arizona to a 2-1 stretch, helping his team hold onto the best record in the NFL. With Murray and Hopkins likely to return after Arizona’s bye week, don’t be surprised if the Cardinals return to the dominant top-of-the-league form we saw from them earlier this year.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (↑2), 8-3, W 38-31 @ Indianapolis Colts in Week 12
Tampa Bay is still the favorite in Las Vegas sports books to win Super Bowl LVI. After a rough stretch featuring two road losses, the Bucs bounced back with a convincing win over the Giants and a win on the road against a hot Colts team. Tom Brady is making a strong case for MVP, leading the league in passing touchdowns. His favorite target, tight end Rob Gronkowski, has returned to the field and looks as dominant as ever. If the Buccaneers can finally get healthy in the remaining weeks of the season, they’ll be a tough team to beat in the playoffs.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (↑6), 7-4, BYE in Week 12
In my eyes, the Chiefs are back to being the AFC favorites after a tumultuous season. They’ve looked a lot more like the Chiefs we’re used to seeing in recent weeks, winning their last four games. Whatever was wrong with Kansas City’s defense appears to have fixed itself, as it has allowed less than 12 points per game during that win streak. Offensively, this team is still as explosive as any in the NFL, and the Chiefs are capable of going toe-to-toe with anyone on their best day.
5. New England Patriots (↑3), 8-4, W 36-13 vs. Tennessee Titans in Week 12
Behind rookie quarterback Mac Jones and the league’s best defense, the Patriots have been rolling, racking up six straight wins. New England might not be the most talented team, but it doesn’t make mistakes, is well-coached and leads the league in turnover differential over the course of its win streak. Jones is perfect for Belichick’s low-risk offensive scheme, and the Patriots run the ball surprisingly well.
But let’s not overreact to the recent success of this team; New England hasn’t exactly faced the NFL’s top competition in recent weeks. The best team they’ve beaten on their win streak was the Titans, who were without MVP-level running back Derrick Henry and wide receiver A.J. Brown.
6. Baltimore Ravens (↑3), 8-3, W 16-10 vs. Cleveland Browns in Week 12
Although the Ravens haven’t always felt impressive this season, they do have the best record in the AFC and the third-best in the NFL. This week’s win over Cleveland was far from convincing with Lamar Jackson throwing four interceptions that the Browns could not take advantage of. With somewhat of a tougher schedule coming up — including whatever version of the Rams they face in Week 17 — the Ravens are not a lock to finish with the No. 1 seed in the AFC, which would set them up with a more difficult playoff run than what they currently face. Overall, the Ravens should be one of the league’s stronger teams, but I won’t put them higher than six due to their inconsistency.
7. Dallas Cowboys (↓4), 7-4, L 36-33 vs. Las Vegas Raiders in Week 12
Dallas has lost three of its last four games including an ugly Thanksgiving Day loss at home to the Raiders. The Cowboys are struggling to produce the same top offense they have shown they are capable of, although the injuries are worth noting. Dallas was without receivers Amari Cooper and CeeDee Lamb last week, and defensively, they are still missing pass rushers Randy Gregory and Demarcus Lawrence. Still, this team goes as the running game goes, and the Cowboys have averaged just 83.2 rushing yards over their last five games compared to 185.2 in the five before that.
8. Tennessee Titans (↓6), 8-4, L 36-13 @ New England Patriots in Week 12
The Titans have dropped consecutive games and have losses against two of the NFL’s worst teams: the Texans and the Jets. However, they also have wins against many of the league’s top teams, including the Chiefs, Rams, Bills and two against their division rival the Colts. Health will be critical for this team as the season progresses. As of now, they probably aren’t a legitimate contender, and unless running back Derrick Henry makes a miraculous comeback for the playoffs, they won’t be.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (unranked), 7-4, W 41-10 vs. Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12
Cincinnati has quietly put itself in position to contend for the top spot in its division. The Bengals’ schedule for the rest of the year isn’t easy, but they do have one more matchup with the Ravens, who they beat earlier this year, which could have large playoff implications. Second-year quarterback Joe Burrow has managed a completion percentage of 69.3% and a passer rating over 100. The Bengals have been a fun surprise this season despite a subpar offensive line, which many believe they should have addressed in the draft. However, their first-round pick, wide receiver Ja’Marr Chase, has proved to be the real deal, with 906 yards and eight touchdowns through 11 games.
10. Buffalo Bills (↓3), 7-4, W 31-6 @ New Orleans Saints in Week 21
While the Bills really only have one bad loss on their schedule, they appear far from the AFC favorites I once thought they were. They still don’t run the ball particularly well, and the main strength of this team is its defense. However, they just lost a critical piece in cornerback Tre’Davious White, who will miss the rest of the season. There’s room for the Bills to climb back up the rankings, but they just don’t feel dynamic enough to beat teams like the Chiefs and Ravens at this point.
Dropped from rankings: Los Angeles Rams (6)