2014 NFL Power Ranking Week 16

Well, there's only one week left before the playoff start. One last chance for a few teams to punch their ticket to the crapshoot that is the NFL playoffs. With two spots left up for grabs there will still be some intrigue this weekend aside from seeding. Who will make it and who will be left standing when the dust settles? Only time will tell. But for now, let's rank up em and see where they stand.

1. New England Patriots (12-3) ~ With a win over the New York Jets coupled with Denver's loss on Monday night the Patriots wrapped up the number one seed in the AFC playoffs. That means the road to the Super Bowl goes through Foxborough where the Pats are 7-0 on the season. (Last Week's Ranking 1)

2. Seattle Seahawks (11-4) ~ They're baaaaack. Seattle thumped the Cardinals on the road to take control of the NFC West. With a win on Sunday they take the division and the top seed in the NFC. The champs appear poised to defend their title. (LWR 4)

3. Green Bay Packers (11-4) ~ The Pack will host the Detroit Lions on Sunday in a showdown for the NFC North title and what could be a first round bye in the playoffs. Green Bay has won 20 straight against the Lions in Lambeau. Twenty. (LWR 3)

4. Denver Broncos (11-4) ~ Three third quarter touchdowns helped Denver turn a 20-7 deficit into a 28-27 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Three fourth quarter interceptions by Peyton Manning turned helped turn that lead into a loss. (LWR 2)

5. Dallas Cowboys (11-4) ~ With a chance to clinch the NFC East the Cowboys came out swinging and laid waste to what is presumably a good Indianapolis Colts team in a 42-7 rout. All's right in Jerry's World right now. (LWR 7)

6. Detroit Lions (11-4) ~ Detroit center Dominic Raiola will miss Sunday's game against Green Bay after he was suspended for stomping on a Chicago Bears player over the weekend. Raiola has played 99.7% of Detroit's snaps this year. A huge loss leading up to a huge game. (LWR 8)

7. Cincinnati Bengals (10-4-1) ~ Andy Dalton has now led the Bengals to the playoffs four straight years. That has never happened before in the franchise's history. (LWR 10)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-5) ~ The final regular season game of 2014 will be played in Pittsburgh as the Steel City will play host to the Bengals with the winner taking the AFC North crown. Pittsburgh has handed Cincy their only defeat in their last six games. Should make for good TV. (LWR 11)

9. Arizona Cardinals (11-4) ~ After being blown out by Seattle it looks as though rookie Logan Thomas will start Sunday's game against San Francisco. The Cards can still win the division if they beat the 49ers and Seattle loses but that looks like a tall task right now. (LWR 5)

10. Indianapolis Colts (10-5) ~ After a failed fake punt in which a wide open receiver dropped the ball I was ready to turn the game off. After Dallas scored on the next play I did turn the game off. Looking at the result it seems like it was a good call. (LWR 6)

11. San Diego Chargers (9-6) ~ The Bolts erased a 21-point halftime deficit to take down the 49ers in a game that might save their season. With a win in the final week San Diego would be in the AFC playoffs. They control their own destiny. (LWR 15)

12. Philadelphia Eagles (9-6) ~ Zach Ertz set a franchise record with 15 catches but it wasn't enough to overcome two missed field goals, two more turnovers and all-around sloppy play as the Eagles were eliminated from playoff contention with a loss to the lowly Washington Redskins. (LWR 9)

13. Baltimore Ravens (9-6) ~ Joe Flacco threw a season-high three interceptions after throwing just one in his previous five games combined and Baltimore blew a big game in Houston. They now need a win and some help to get into the playoffs. (LWR 12)

14. Miami Dolphins (8-7) ~ It took a blocked punt for a safety in the waning minutes to pull out a home victory. After the game head coach Joe Philbin heard word from ownership that he will be back to coach the team in 2015. (LWR 17)

15. Houston Texans (8-7) ~ Case Keenum, freshly plucked off St. Louis' practice squad, got the start and earned his first career victory after going 0-8 for Houston last year. The Texans are still in the playoff hunt. (LWR 18)

16. Kansas City Chiefs (8-7) ~ The Chiefs might finish the season without one touchdown by a wide receiver. In this offensive era of football it's mind-boggling to think something like this could happen. (LWR 13)

17. Buffalo Bills (8-7) ~ If you had the Week 16 matchup between Buffalo and Oakland meaning something I owe you a drink. That said, Buffalo laid an egg and saw their postseason hopes go out the window for a 14th straight season. (LWR 14)

18. San Francisco 49ers (7-8) ~ After three straight years in the NFC Championship game the Niners won't even have a winning record. Four straight losses come amid rumors that coach Jim Harbaugh will leave for the Michigan job. (LWR 16)

19. Carolina Panthers (6-8-1) ~ With a win or tie against Atlanta on Sunday the Panthers would take the NFC South division and host a playoff game. If this happens, please let it be because of another tie. I would so love for a division winner to finish 6-8-2. (LWR 23)

20. Atlanta Falcons (6-9) ~ At the beginning of the season I picked the Falcons to win the division. Entering the final week of the season with just six wins they still have a shot. (LWR 25)

21. New York Giants (6-9) ~ Three straight wins for the G-Men may mean the coaching staff will stick around in 2015. The thoughts of what a healthy Victor Cruz and Odell Beckham Jr. could do together should be enough to make any offensive coordinator salivate. (LWR 24)

22. St. Louis Rams (6-9) ~ After giving up an average of four points per game over their last three the Rams defense was torched for 37 at home by the Giants. File that under things I didn't see coming. (LWR 19)

23. Cleveland Browns (7-8) ~ With Johnny Manziel's season over due to a hamstring injury it looks like Brian Hoyer may start one more game for the Browns. I don't see any situation in which he returns to Cleveland next year. For better or worse this is now Manziel's team. (LWR 21)

24. New Orleans Saints (6-9) ~ Yet another home loss ended the Saints' chances of making it to the postseason. Is an upheaval of the team on the horizon? (LWR 20)

25. Minnesota Vikings (6-9) ~ Running back Ben Tate was cut after just three weeks with the Vikings. One has to figure another team will be willing to give him a shot. (LWR 22)

26. Chicago Bears (5-10) ~ A week after benching quarterback Jay Cutler the Bears will need to turn to their embattled signal-caller one more time. Backup Jimmy Clausen was concussed in his lone start against the Lions on Sunday. (LWR 26)

27. Washington Redskins (4-11) ~ While the Redskins season was nothing short of disaster they can take some solace in knowing they kept division rival Philadelphia from making the playoffs. Right? (LWR 28)

28. Oakland Raiders (3-12) ~ Somebody break up the Raiders! Oakland has won three of five after starting the year 0-10. Those wins against San Francisco, Kansas City and Buffalo either ended or seriously hurt each of those team's chances of making the playoffs. (LWR 30)

29. New York Jets (3-12) ~ They gave the Patriots all they could handle on Sunday but it just wasn't enough. A win may have saved Rex Ryan's job but one has to figure this team will be gutted from the top (general manager) all the way down. (LWR 27)

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-12) ~ The Jaguars are winless (0-7) this year on the road and they finish up in Houston against a Texans team fighting for a playoff berth. That doesn't sound like a recipe for success. (LWR 31)

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-13) ~ After a 96-yard performance in Week 15 the muscle hamster reverted to the shell of a running back he has been all season with a mere 17 yards on 10 carries against Green Bay. It will be interesting to see who will be the starting back in Tampa come 2015. (LWR 29)

32. Tennessee Titans (2-13) ~ They are potentially one loss away from earning(?) the number one overall pick in the 2015 NFL Draft. Will they do it? (LWR 32)