NFL power rankings entering Week 18 of the 2023 season (previous rankings in parentheses):
1. Baltimore Ravens (1): If you didn’t think they were the best in the league after taking on the Niners, the AFC’s top-seeded team has won 10 games against teams with winning records, seven of them by at least 14 points. I want you to think about being there. case. It’s closed. (Similar to the MVP debate regarding QB Lamar Jackson.)
2. San Francisco 49ers (2): They are the first in league history to have a running back (Christian McCaffrey), a tight end (George Kittle), and two wideouts (Deebo Samuel, Brandon Aiyuk) more than 1,000 yards from scrimmage. . With the NFC bye confirmed, the Niners need to get CMC and his injured calf ready for more action in three weeks.
3. Buffalo Bills (4): All they need to do to steal another AFC East title in surprising fashion is beat the Dolphins. Against the Dolphins, Josh Allen has thrown multiple TD passes in 12 consecutive games, the longest streak by a quarterback against another team in league history.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (6): Since 2016, Tom Brady’s Patriots are the only team to win more than eight consecutive division titles between Andy Reid and (primarily) Patrick Mahomes. However, it appears that the AFC title game for the sixth consecutive year will not be played at Arrowhead Stadium this season.
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5a. Dallas Cowboys (10): Did they really win on Saturday? Either way, this is a team that could do some serious damage in the postseason…if they play at AT&T Stadium.
5b. Detroit Lions (5): Did we really lose on Saturday? Either way, this is a team that can do some serious damage in the postseason…well, if the players are qualified to do so.
7. Los Angeles Rams (8): He’s probably doing as good a coaching job as Sean McVay has ever produced, and it’s absolutely possible he could coach in his third Super Bowl in six seasons.
8. Cleveland Browns (9): They became the first team in NFL history to make the playoffs despite starting four quarterbacks in multiple games…though that adversity is what Joe Flacco… It led to a revival.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (3): QB Jalen Hurts scored a team-record 38 touchdowns (23 passing, 15 rushing). But this surging team may need to push that number to 58 in the playoffs if it has any hope of returning to Super Sunday.
10. Miami Dolphins (7): If they vacate the AFC East spot on Sunday to Buffalo (which seems likely), the Fins will head to Kansas City for the wild card round…so at least they’ll end up with a WR We could see Tyreek Hill return to Arrowhead.
11. Houston Texans (13): Rookie quarterback CJ Stroud will make his first NFL primetime appearance on Saturday, giving this team a chance to reach the playoffs for the first time since 2019 and extend its seven-win record from the 2022 edition.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11): If they don’t beat Carolina on Sunday, they won’t be eligible to fly the NFC South flag for the third consecutive year for the first time in franchise history.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (14): How much will OLB Josh Allen make in free agency? Well, his payday will likely be delayed due to the franchise tag. But consider this: Since 1982, he and Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor are the only players to have at least two sacks in a season four times.
14. Green Bay Packers (23): Neither Brett Favre nor Aaron Rodgers threw 30 TD passes in their first season as GB QB1. Jordan Love has, but the question now is whether he also has ownership in the Bears.
15. New Orleans Saints (17): A win on Sunday would improve them to 25-26 over the past three seasons…and there’s a very good chance they won’t qualify for the playoffs.
16. Chicago Bears (24): After a disappointing start to the 2023 season, it couldn’t have ended any better for a team that won’t qualify for the playoffs. Da Bears won 4 of 5 games and acquired the No. 1 pick in the 2024 draft (thank you, Carolina) while watching QB Justin Fields maximize his value if he is actually traded. Even if it means getting a block.
17. Atlanta Falcons (16): It would be crazy to have a player in this day and age who averages more than four receptions per game, but that’s a very modest 4.3 from talented wide receiver Drake Rondon.
18. Indianapolis Colts (18): Who was the last quarterback to lead Indy to a district championship that didn’t include Peyton Manning or Andrew Luck? Try Jack Trudeau in 1987, when the Colts were still in the AFC East. But Gardner Minshew II may be able to break that cycle.
19. Pittsburgh Steelers (19): It’s a little hard to believe this didn’t happen, but OLB TJ Watt could become the first three-time sack champion since the statistic became official in 1982.
20. Seattle Seahawks (12): How do you explain how they went from a viable contender to a viable contender? Head coach Pete Carroll’s defense has given up more than 1,000 yards on the ground over the past six weeks. They have lost four of those games.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (20): Whether you want to admit it after a 41-yard day or not, WR Ja’Marr Chase should probably admit that KC’s corners are pretty tight.
22. Minnesota Vikings (15): Not many things went according to plan in 2023, but undrafted LB Ivan Pace Jr. was a notable exception.
23. Las Vegas Raiders (21): It’s hard not to get carried away with sacks, but DE Maxx Crosby has a league-high 43 tackles for loss over the past two seasons.
24. Arizona Cardinals (26): Sunday’s 35 points and 449 yards were season bests, not to mention the fact that the Cards didn’t have to punt in a win that torpedoed coach Jonathan Gannon’s former team, the Eagles.
25. New England Patriots (27): When was the last time a rusher or receiver didn’t break 700 yards? Try 1987, which was interrupted by a player strike.
26. New York Jets (28): The team that put Tom Brady on the field 22 years ago could help push Bill Belichick off the Pats’ sideline by ending a losing streak at 15 on Sunday against New England.
27. Denver Broncos (22): So how can you seriously argue that QB Jarrett Stidham, who just won his first football game since entering college five years ago against a very depleted Chargers team, is an upgrade over Russell Wilson? Is that what you mean? Understood.
28. New York Giants (29): You might want to see a more balanced game from OLB Kayvon Thibodeau, who nearly tripled his rookie sack total (4) to 11 1/2 as a sophomore.
29. Tennessee Titans (25): Borrowing a thought from last week…it’s pretty crazy that after two years they won’t even take advantage of the opportunity to potentially introduce QB Malik Willis to another team.
30. Los Angeles Chargers (30): A lot of credit goes to veteran OLB Khalil Mack, considering how little things have gone right for this team. Not only did he surpass 100 career sacks, he also had a career-best 16 sacks in 2023. Any man who could be a cap victim in 2024 should have multiple suitors if that’s the case.
31. Commander Washington (31): If I were Jacoby Brissett, and I definitely am not, I would be given the choice of making my first start in 2023 against the Niners defense, or resting the healthy Ham…well, actually. It’s not a big decision.
32. Carolina Panthers (32): What’s interesting is that they went hitless against Florida in 2023 and lost three to the Sunshine State…except for the fact that they went hitless in 2023 and lost all nine games to Charlotte.
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