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Welcome to a brand new edition of NFL Power Rankings. Mike Am and Eric at Home with you. This is the show where we go through some of the best teams in the NFL, but we'll touch on every single one of them. Complete analysis of your team on NFL dot Com. But Eric, this is gonna be fun because last couple of weeks at the top, not a ton of movement, But this week we do have some changes and two teams not in the top ten that should scare some of the league's elite.
Yeah. I think in a season Mike, where there aren't there isn't a whole lot of mystery about who is going to get in the playoffs, not that many teams sort of vying for those spots like we normally have. We do have two teams in the playoff picture, the Bucks and Rams, just outside my top ten. I think could make a move or be a very scary opponent in the playoffs.
Yeah, look at the Atlanta Falcons. We'll touch on them, because the Bucks at this point not in an exact lot to go and win that division, and at the end of the day, still don't know what's going to happen in the NFC West. I Knowlanta fans are like, dude, did you see Kirk Cousins out there? I did, But I'm just looking at the remaining schedule and maybe we see Michael Pennix. More on that in just a moment. But let's go with the top. All right, here's the change.
And I love when we can start off the show and we talk about a new number one, and that is the Philadelphia The Eagles maybe the most impressive thing of that win a second half shutout to the Steelers. The Bills at number two, yet they're the real deal. The Chiefs at three. Got some real questions about Patrick Mahomes and his health. The Lions, speaking of health, walking wounded. We will talk about that in just a moment. The Vikings continue to figure out ways to win some football games.
The Packers they dominate Seattle. Lamar not out of the MVP conversation as his Ravens are in the seventh spot, and the Steelers just fifty six rushing yards, no rushing touchdowns, a little bit of a cause for concern, but still in the top ten. Sitting at number eight. All right, so let's start with this number one team here, the Philadelphia Eagles, Eric, and this is a squad that had a little bit of I don't want to say dysfunction, Maybe that's overstating things, but a little bit of contra
at AJ Brown and Jalen Hurts. Look, they were winning and they were still potentially at least an issue. They get another impressive win, and those guys seem to be simpotico on the same page.
Yeah, I think so. I think that's the way to answer a question. Right, It's leads up to the game. It's been the discussion point all week long, and then what do they do. They passed their way to victory. Antonio Brown using that very specific word after the win over Carolina suggesting things aren't going well. Well they did Sunday, and it's nice to know, Mike that you can have Saquon Barkley kind of have an off day, certainly by his standards anyway, but not be the focal part of
the offense. Jalen Hurts was dialed in. He was effective as a scrambler and as a thrower. AJ Brown, the leading receiver, DeVante Smith very active, having both those guys go off in the same game makes them that much more dangerous. Love the way the defense played, and frankly, I didn't think it was that close the game. I thought they outplayed it pretty thoroughly, maybe more so than the score indicated.
Yeah, I'm with you there, at least on the MVP watch with Saquon Barkley. A dominant performance against this Steelers team I think would have kept him in that conversation. I'm not saying that he's out. It's just tougher for Riebacks in general, and I think that margin is not as big. It does. Feel like Josh Allen is clearly in pole position right now for that award. His Buffalo Bills continue to win now caveat here, and we'll talk
about it when we discussed Detroit. They're obviously banged up, but Josh just continues to perform at a ridiculously high level, and he's got kind of like these Heisman moments, right like we talk about that for that award. He's got these MVP moments, and I think a win against the Lions that we just witnessed with another big game maybe cements it for him.
Absolutely.
Yeah, I mean, obviously he kind of helped his stock with the loss of the Rams, sort of as a one man show bringing his team back to the cost of victory.
Bill's had to hold.
On in this one, but they needed every single one of the points that Allen generated, and he was spectacular. You know. Some of the ball placements Mike on those long throws were terrific. And to me, the biggest thing for the difference between what we've seen Mallen in the past is he's had those those Heisman moments or those MVP moments before. But the down to down consistency and the accuracy, the lack of turnovers this year has been a huge reason why his game is elevated, I think.
And yeah, Buffalo has some defensive issues they've got to work out, certainly last two games have kind of exposed them. But when you have a nuclear grade weapon at quarterback, sometimes that isn't even all that important. So I think the Bills are in great shape just behind the Eagles. Could make a case for either one of them at number one. This is this is a really potent team right now.
All right, I will ask if you like them better than the Chiefs, but I want to get your take on Kansas City right now, because I think there's a world that exists where the usage of Patrick Mahomes certainly in question, dealing obviously with the ankle sprain, I don't know, like, like what am I supposed to make of this team?
Because there I get home field advantage. I understand how important it is, But there's a world, at least in my mind, where I go, Hey, should I be rolling Patrick Mahomes not out one hundred percent down the stretch out in a lot of these games?
Yeah, go figure, it's their first early win in months, our easy win, I should say, in months where they get ahead, they put it out in our out of arms reach and.
A cruise to victory. And what do we do?
We have something else to talk about, and that's mahomes injury. And look, he's played through pain before, played almost an entire season through it through an injury, and.
Still won a super Bowl.
So you know, we have to kind of grade it on a scale, just like we graded all the close victories on a scale because of all the good will the Chiefs have built up the last several years. So yeah, I'm concerned. I don't have enough information right now. We haven't seen Mahomes in action obviously to know what he's capable of. Will he even play this coming weekend against the Texans, So a lot of questions. You know, it really does sort of put the target on this defense again.
And maybe it's not quite as good a group as the one that had Lagerius sneed last year, but still this is a defense that at its best can carry this team to a championship, especially, like you said, if they get home field advantage at Arrowhead.
Just for context here, obviously they get the win against Cleveland on a Sunday, They're playing Houston on on Saturday, so the Texans they could use the signature win to bolster their confidence, there's no question about that. And then they're playing on Christmas Day. So we're talking about a very short period of time with Patrick Mahomes that that's not at one hundred percent. I just throw that out there.
Are they better than the Bills? And I know we got the head to head, but just generally speaking in a postseason, do you like the Bills better than the Chiefs?
Yeah?
I do right now, But obviously once we turn the page of the postseason, we know how that history has gone.
Right the Bills have.
Sort of had a little bit of an edge in the regular season matchups the Chiefs obviously in the postseason. So you know, it might come down to what kind of shape boath these teams are in a month from now if they do end up meeting. But yeah, I would say I like the Bills by a sliver, especially with the Mahomes injury kind of tipping in that direction.
Okay, where teams are currently at as a different conversation than where they are going to be. Here's what I can tell you about the Detroit Lions, who sit at number four. This story doesn't feel great, and I love where they had, what they've been able to accomplish. But Eric, I look all over the football feels on the defensive side, all I see are hurt dudes.
It's adding up at at an alarming rate.
And now we also get the news not just the defense effected, but David Montgomery with the mcl injury. He's done for the year. We know how important he is, so that sort of thunder and lightning backfield they have. But you know, Aleen McNeil a big piece upfront. He's now al Carlton Davis possibly could return.
You know in about six weeks. But that's putting him on.
You know, they've got to get to the NFC Championship game if they want to have him back. News maybe getting worse two on Aiden Hutchinson if they were to make a Super Bowl run. So yeah, everything seems to be trending in the wrong direction. You and I both know this has been the best team in football more often than it hasn't this season, but this this late season turn, it's like the Lions just can't have nice
things or something. Now, maybe they'll pull through it. This is Dan Campbell and company, but right now they're really up against it.
Schedule somewhat favorable when you consider it's the Bears and the Niners. Sure both of those games are on the road. And then they closed out Week eighteen in a game that not only can decide the vision, but who gets the one seed in Week eighteen against the Minnesota Vikings, that is a home game in Detroit. Speaking of the Vikings, you know, I loved what you said last week on the show. Not that Sam Donald's the MVP this year, but he deserves to be in the conversation. Couldn't agree
with you more. The Vikings They are as dangerous as any team in the NFL. I've had some folks on social media hit me up and say, hey, stop talking about us. We want to fly under the radar. I think they're grabbing enough attention. Now we have to pay attention to what they are doing on the football field.
Yeah, it feels different to me. Two years ago when they were thirteen and fourteen with the negative point differential, we had an easy sort of talking point. They didn't necessarily match the eye test. The thirteen wins felt like an aberration. This year, however, with right now and even better record at least win percentage wise, they look the part right. They've got the number one receiver healthy and justin Jefferson, they have the sidekick and Addison Donald has
cut down his turnovers. Have played great football, and I thought really set the tone against Chicago. Those first three or four series of the game really kind of took over. Jonathan Garnard attacking Caleb Williams, forcing that fumble, and after all those early stops, they didn't convert a lot, but they built up enough of a big lead and then put it away in the second half. So much cleaner outing than the game ass Soldier Field where they dominated and then gave up the big run at the end.
We're kind of frankly lucky to win. So I think they're just sort of cleaning up some of their their little they're little messes that they made earlier in the season and turning out sort of crisper performances as we go along in the season.
I think when you assess the teams as from a fan perspective, and you sit back and you go, who are the legitimately the teams that can make a run? Like, what's the mental makeup of a lot of these squads? A you got to be mentally tough, but what do you do really well? I tend to favor you got to be so dominant on one side of the football to overcome some deficiencies maybe on the other side. This is a complete Vikings team Offensively, we know what they're
able to do. Defensively, Brian Flores has got these guys absolutely rolling. And I think there's fans in Green Bay that are sitting there, go let's pump the brakes here, Let's relax. We got a good we have an opportunity to to win this division. Now Green Bay needs some things to fall into place. But the best sign for me, Eric is Jordan Love, who is a turnover machine to start the season, hasn't thrown a pick in the last four games, a couple prime time matchups. He's got seven
touchdowns during that span. He's elevating this Packers team.
I agree, he absolutely is.
You may have questions about whether the defense can stop a top unit, you know, you may have concerns about little pieces on the offensive line, or whether the special teams are gonna crumble. But I really think that offense, especially with Love playing more turnover free ball, as you said, has become one of the more dangerous quarterbacks in the league. You saw the Detroit Lions go for it late against
the Green Bay Packers. I think it wasn't just the Lions being the Lions, it was them being scared of Jordan Love, you know, because he's shown consistently that he's got a ton of weapons. Romeo Doves comes out of witness protection to catch two touchdowns. You know, after a quiet game eight and Reid heats up, Tucker Kraft can get going, Christian Watson, they have so many options in
that passing game. I love the diversity and oh by the way, Josh Jacobs contend to rise you for the first half of a game like he did on Sunday too, so you know it was a strong performance. They beat a good Seattle team in Seattle and really sent a message that even though they haven't beaten those top teams this year, they are absolutely capable of doing so if they convert one or two more possessions in those outings.
Yeah, all right, we got a little bit more to come here on NFL Power rankings. In fact, there's one team that we thought were giants heading into the season. Not the Giants, the Houston Texans is who I'm talking about. Eric doesn't have him in the top ten. He explains why coming up next back here on power rankings. As we take a look at Eric's teams nine through sixteen, the Broncos one four straight. They're outscoring their opponents one
thirty nine to seventy during that span. Commanders sit at number ten and y'ill wright against the Saints at eleven. It's Houston Texans who clinched the AFC South. The Bucks real dangerous will dive in on them in just a moment.
The Chargers at thirteen with that high powered defense. The Rams, speaking of dangerous teams, sitting in the fourteenth position, got an opportunity to go and win that division currently at the top occupied by the Seahawks, where the fifteenth ranked team and the Cardinals figure out a way to get a victory are at sixteen. All right, let's focus in
on this Broncos team. You know, the side of a good team, Eric is sometimes when you have some issues and some mistakes, you still figure out a way to get it done. Bonix obviously had a costly interception in that game, and I thought it was going to sort of result in potentially a loss. Resilient makeup of this squad, how high are you right now on this Denver team?
Yeah, Nix's play has concerned me a little bit, right The turnovers have gone up, and you know, some of the sort of pre play that he's had lately, it's been a little loose and not the same kind of level that we saw earlier in the system when he was playing within the confines of the offense a lot more. But still, you have a defense that can create turnovers the way Denver can. That's gonna help you a lot too.
They're still figuring out the run game. You know, I don't know if there's another receiver they truly trust outside of Courtland Sutton, but we'll see they're plucky there. Well. Coach too, Sean Payton has done a good job and kind of managing Nixes up into ups and downs a little bit. But yeah, I mean this was a desperate Colts team they faced on Sunday.
It wasn't pretty early.
The Colts had their opportunities to open up the game, but Denver hung in there and then had the big fourth quarter to kind of put it away. Still a little shaky for me, but big matchup coming up with the Chargers in two weeks and that'll obviously help decide positioning a lot in that AFC wildcard picture.
I'm actually glad that you brought up Sean Payton. We've been having some conversations in our hallways here at NFL Media, and look, my Tomlins name pops up for Coach of the Year. I've thrown out O'Connor, but I think Sean Payton deserves to be in that mix. In fact, I would maybe even argue it's O'Connor, the Peyton and then the Tomlin. But we still got a couple weeks of the season to see how it shakes out. The Commanders sitting at number ten, they move up one spot. They
get Philadelphia coming up this week. I was amazed by this stat, Eric, because we always talk about teams coming off of a bye. It was the Commander's first road win coming off a bye since two thousand and two. Boy, what a time to go and pick up a win. Here. To me, it was just nice to see this team get a w and maybe put themselves at least back in that conversation for a team that maybe could make a run. Maybe possibly, I don't.
Know, maybe yeah, maybe. Obviously, Jade Dale is a dangerous guy.
We saw that.
I mean, obviously he's kind of rediscovered as scrambling a little bit, made some big throws, was accurate, but the Sacks really.
Kept adding up.
And after they got up you know, seventeen nothing or whatever it was, they took their foot off the gas. The Saints crawled back in it find a way, you know, with a backup court. They're really their third street quarterback in Spencer Rattler, and Washington was fortunate to get out of New Orleans with a win. Obviously, came down to that two point conversion at the end. You like the fact that defense made a game changing play there.
You know, I moved them up.
We've got the game against the Eagles that'll tell us a lot about them. That's obviously sort of a telltale game for them, and you know, do they stack up. We were playing tough teams, tough earlier in the season, but now as we get a little later, their shine.
Is kind of rubbed off a little bit.
We'd love to see a little stronger, cleaner performance against one of the best teams in football.
I thought there was an opportunity that you might slot the Houston Texans into the tenth place. Look, they're eleven, so we're not talking about a huge jump here. There's just something in my mind that is cool when you can say, hey, we're a top ten team. They're on the precipice of that. They create three turnovers in terms of in the form of interceptions against a to a squad that needed a win. Houston needed to win as well. They get Kansas City and ice barometer game. Hopefully Mahomes
goes and plays here. What do you make of the squad?
Yeah, I mean they haven't been able to get Joe Mixon going lately.
Obviously, you know Nico Collins and great in the red zone, but just the drives were not there. They had to rely on each of those four turnovers, three picks and one fumble, the big strip sack there that I think kind of change momentum a little bit in that game. You know, those were crucial. I don't know if they win if they only get two or three. Let's say, and that fake punt two Dariu Gunbawally gets down there in the red zone, almost fumbles, they fall on it,
there's a penalty. You know, they keep the ball and score after that to go up twenty to six. So you know, it really took a lot of good field position and you know, stealing possessions for them to score points. So I am a little bit worried about that offense, but you know, it's nice when you can be efficient. When the defense does give you those opportunities, you convert them into touchdowns and put in desperate teams like Miami away.
I am excited to hear your take on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, who you have at twelve. It wasn't just a win, it was a dominant performance against one of the teams that we felt for a good stretch of the season was as dangerous as any in the AFC. And that's the Chargers throw up forty points against a defense that I felt great about this season. How dangerous is this team?
Yeah, they can turn it on fast, right, And we've seen Baker Makefield have some first hats where he gets in a little trouble or throw some interceptions and you know, things are a little chaotic, and then all of a sudden he dials in. He made that one post throw to Mike Evans the Agels. Mike Evans looks like he could get that other that thousand yard season yet another one incredible consistency throughout his career. He's fully back from
the injury making a difference. You know, Jalen McMillan has stepped up too. So those three were really big on Sunday. You know, you're down seventeen to ten, you turn the ball over midway through the second quarter.
At midfield, things aren't looking.
Great, but then you have the ability to rip off thirty straight points unanswered over the final thirty five minutes or so in the game. That's dominant on the road against like you said, a good quality opponent who's going to probably end up in the postseason and the Chargers, and they just ran through him like it was nothing. So so that's why I put them in that dangerous team group. I think they really can make some noise in the postseason. Remember how tough they were against the
lines in the playoffs last year. I think we're seeing an almost better version, certainly offensively than what we saw last year.
There's a story about both of those teams. One how good Tampa Bay is and two the need from a Charger's perspective to get some other playmakers, high level playmakers to squash a run that you made reference to. Keep in mind, the Buccaneers a one spot, one game lead in the standings and they they do not have I should say, the head to heads against the Atlanta Falcons, so not done just yet in terms of that race.
Taking a look at the odds, here, the Rams the favorite to go and win this division, the Seahawks right behind them, the Arizona Cardinals in that third position, and just in case you're wondering, FanDuel not giving the San Francisco forty nine ers a chance to go and win the NFC West. But let's focus in on the number fourteen team. Look, you told me the Bucks were really damp. The Rams are also in that conversation as well, there is some concern that I was starting to have down
the stretch here about the Rams. They've seemed to write the ship. I've been high on them all season long. I think they got snake bit earlier this season because of some of the injuries, especially on their offensive line. But when this offense is going, boyle boy, I think you can make an argument they're top two or three in the league.
Yeah, they're a scary team.
And I love the fact, Mike that in the span of four days they won two games in come two close games too, in completely different fashions. You have the shootout against the Bills where they're all gas, no breaks, knowing they're going to have to outscore Josh Allen, one of the league's best players. You turn around, you go into a rain soak game up in San Francisco on a short week, and you win a field goal fest
the defensive battle. So that tells me the Rams can match up against a variety of different style of teams, and so that kind of helps them in their playoff quest. You know, obviously they could be hosting a game, but you never know who you're going to draw, you never know how going to lay out.
And I love the fact they can.
You know, they can win games forty four to forty two, or they can win them twelve to six.
The defense has made strides.
But you said it, I think the most dangerous aspect is Matthew Stafford in the playoffs with the ball in his hand and the game on the line, and then those two receivers. Having Nikoua and Cooper Cup healthy obviously makes a world of difference for their offense. We saw him without them, they couldn't move the ball with them. Now they're a very explosive team.
Yeah. Look, once again, I know they didn't have a touchdown on TNF, but the point is that was an ugly game in terms of the weather conditions on the road, short week against the divisional opponent. To me, I think you sit there and you say, hey, even with an inability because of the weather to really be effective in the air game, Nicola almost gets a hunter Karen Williams, one of the most underrated running backs that we have in the NFL, and they will go on the road
again as they match the New York Jets. Meanwhile, they have a great shot of being a postseason team. In fact, even with the tie breakers in their favor. Got to feel cautiously optimistic. But there's a a your question about QB one for the Atlanta Falcons. We dive into the atl coming up next back here on power rankings. As we dive into team seventeen through twenty four, we'll talk about the Falcons, who are at seven and seven. They move up three spots the forty nine ers. Got some
turmoil around this team. At nineteen, it's the Dolphins three picks by two. Ooh, bad time for that. At twenty the Bengals not dead yet. At twenty one it's the Cowboys, followed by the Colts, the Saints, and the Bears. At twenty four, Eric, I want to hit you up on Team seventeen, the Atlanta Falcons. Once again, they got the head to head tiebreaker against the Tampa Bay Bucks. Only one game back, right now? What do you do if you're Raheem Morris with Kirk Cousins.
Boy, yeah, they did move up three.
I am cautioning people don't read too much into that because there is a Kirk Cousins problem right now, at least you know, the eye test certainly tells us. And also just the behavior of the Falcons right after through that third quarter interception.
On Monday night.
They barely threw the ball after that, really lean on the run game. It was working for a while, but you know, you see the Raiders storm back, have an opportunity, multiple opportunities to try to go steal that game last night, and Cousins was a big reason why they they were kind of held back. He did make the first touchdown throw in five games. It's nice for him to get off that schneid, but another pick added to his total this year. And yeah, I don't know what they do.
They've got Michael Pennix in the pen. I don't know if it's a respect thing, a veteran thing, if they just don't feel like Pennis is ready. But you know, the playoffs are hanging in the balance Mic and they're sticking with him at least to this point.
I don't know how much longer they can afford to do so.
Though, Yeah, not the easiest decision to make for Raheem wore So though maybe fans and Atlanta, saying, actually, it is pretty easy considering what we've seen from Kirk Cousins Yawhile teams twenty five through thirty two. Here we go the Browns, they dropped another one, the Jets, seizing some fans with that win against the Jags. At twenty seven, it's the Panthers, then the Jaguars, and the Patriots. At twenty nine, Tennessee Titans sitting in the thirtieth position, followed
by the Raiders and the New York Giants. All right, at twenty six, I just because it's a win. All I'm going to say here, Eric, is I think DeVante Adams and Aaron Rodgers might be auditioning together as a package deal for their next team. Adams nine catches, one hundred and ninety eight receiving yards, and two touchdowns. We can talk about them, but I'm calling it audible here. I'm going to say, no, we don't need to talk
about the Jets. We're moving on from that season. Eric, you and I have been blessed this season, my first year on this show, working with Medicine Sanders, who's been our producer, who is now moving on Madison. We are going to miss you sorry for hijacking the.
End of the show.
We only had like thirty seconds left, So I mean, did you want us to really talk about the Jets? Eric, if you had something you wanted to say, I guess we could do it.
I love Madison Sanders much more than I do the Jets, So yes, I'm very happy that we're talking. Good luck in your next endeavor. We're lucky to have been with you, and now we'll miss you. Yeah.
No, absolutely, Madison, best of luck to you, and as Eric made reference to, we will miss you. Appreciate everyone watching another edition of Power Rankings.
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