Week 16 of the NFL season is here. Absolutely crazy that there are only 3 weeks left in the season. Every week I drop these power rankings and talk about the contenders separating themselves from the pretenders. This week was no different. Last week I was souring on Minnesota and moved them off my contender list. And while they did win and complete the largest comeback in NFL history, I can’t take a team seriously that was losing to the Colts 33-0 at home.
If you look below at the power rankings you see that the Cowboys fell out of the top 5. They also fall off my list of contenders. I still think there’s a chance they can get everything to click. The talent is there. But something is just missing.
And then there were 5. The Eagles, Bills, Chiefs, Bengals, and 49ers. Yep, the 49ers. Purdymania is running wild brother and that defense is flat-out nasty. So for me, in the NFC it is a two-team race. In the AFC we have Patrick, Josh, and Joe. Three studs, one of which will surely win the AFC. Right now the Bills have the inside track at a first round bye but the Bengals could very well take that over if they defeat them when they play on Monday Night Football in a huge game in Week 17.
In other news, the Chargers are heating up at the right time and have the inside track to playing the winner of the weak AFC South in the first round. The Dolphins and Ravens should get those other two Wild Card spots. The AFC playoffs are going to be a blast. The team that hurt themselves most this weekend was the Patriots with their loss to the Raiders. If they had won they would have moved to 8-6, instead they lost in the most moronic way possible at the end of regulation. Brutal.
In the NFC the Giants beat the Commanders giving them a firm grasp on the 2nd Wild Card spot. And that last spot is up for grabs. The Commanders have the inside track right now but the Lions (what?!?!) that’s right the Lions are in pursuit at 7-7 and the team to keep your eyes out for is the Packers. The Packers could win out, finish 9-8, and give the Vikings a potential first round nightmare matchup. Love this time of the year! Oh, and the NFC South…WOOF! A team sub-500 will win the division. Gross. Let’s get into it.
Week 16 NFL Power Rankings
| Rank | Team | Record | Movement |
| 1 | Philadelphia Eagles | 13-1 | – |
| 2 | Buffalo Bills | 11-3 | – |
| 3 | Kansas City Chiefs | 11-3 | – |
| 4 | Cincinnati Bengals | 9-4 | 1 |
| 5 | San Francisco 49ers | 9-4 | 1 |
| 6 | Dallas Cowboys | 10-4 | -1 |
| 7 | Minnesota Vikings | 10-4 | 1 |
| 8 | Los Angeles Chargers | 8-6 | 3 |
| 9 | Miami Dolphins | 8-6 | -1 |
| 10 | Baltimore Ravens | 9-5 | -3 |
| 11 | New York Giants | 8-5-1 | 2 |
| 12 | Detroit Lions | 7-7 | 3 |
| 13 | Washington Commanders | 7-6-1 | -3 |
| 14 | Seattle Seahawks | 7-7 | -2 |
| 15 | New England Patriots | 7-7 | -1 |
| 16 | Tennessee Titans | 7-7 | – |
| 17 | Green Bay Packers | 6-8 | 5 |
| 18 | Las Vegas Raiders | 6-8 | 1 |
| 19 | New York Jets | 7-7 | -2 |
| 20 | Cleveland Browns | 6-8 | – |
| 21 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-8 | – |
| 22 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 6-8 | 2 |
| 23 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 6-8 | -5 |
| 24 | New Orleans Saints | 5-9 | 4 |
| 25 | Atlanta Falcons | 5-9 | -2 |
| 26 | Carolina Panthers | 5-9 | -1 |
| 27 | Los Angeles Rams | 4-10 | -1 |
| 28 | Indianapolis Colts | 4-9-1 | -1 |
| 29 | Denver Broncos | 4-10 | 1 |
| 30 | Arizona Cardinals | 4-10 | – |
| 31 | Chicago Bears | 3-11 | – |
| 32 | Houston Texans | 1-12-1 | – |
