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Staring down week number eighteen in the NFL season, plenty of playoff positioning on the line. Welcome to a brand new edition of NFL Power Rankings. Mike Am and Eric at home with you, and look we can get to all the conversations Eric about the postseason, not to mention, of course, your rankings, which are available on NFL dot com complete analysis of all these teams. But I got to start with a happy belated.
Birthday to you, Thank you very much. Yeah, I recovered just in time, right before and I got hit with a nasty stomach bug, which I guess is the kind of thing that happens to you when you're my age. So it was a good birthday. Got to spend it with the family. But now I'm here with my football family.
Where do you even go with that? Like, you're not supposed to be sick, and by the way, if you were, you know, I know your early thirties now, but in your twenties, like you just muscle through the stomach viruses and you still go out there and party. The party is just starting for us here on power rankings as we get at some of the top teams, and no surprise with Kansas City, Buffalo and Detroit leading the way
in those top three spots. Keep in mind, still a lot to be played for for the Lions, which we will talk about in just a couple of moments. The division on the line Week eighteen matchup, it is huge against the fourth ranked team, the Minnesota Vikings. The Eagles at five, they've clinched the NFC East thanks to that win against the Cowboys. Ravens at six, Lamar, in my mind, still in the MVP mix, and his team might be
the sleeping giant in the AFC. The Packers at seven, the Commanders at eight, they have clinched a playoff spot as well. All right, the Minnesota Viking sit at number four, they move up a spot. I think you can make an argument they are as complete a football team as any in the NFL, which maybe might not be a like a bold statement considering that they could be a one seed in the NFC, But Eric, the reality is they haven't been discussed that way most of the season.
I admit I've been part of the problem. And I tell you what, Mike, you know for a decent stretch of the season. I had them in that second tier good but not great maybe, and I kept Kevin my doubts them. But as you've seen this team grow, and I think, really, especially in the last four or five games, the chemistry between Sam Donald and Kevin O'Connell As a play caller, Donald and his receivers getting the ball to guys like Jalen Naylor, Jordan Justin Jefferson obviously is a
weekly target. But Addison's come up big and how do cam Akers do you know you lose Aaron Jones for part of that game? He makes a couple of crucial plays down the stretch. It has been so fun to watch this team develop and grow and just the excitement I think that is built around this team too. I mean, how do you not love them? I think they and
the Lions going head to head next week. A lot of people watching from the outside with fascination, wishing that their team could have the same kind of aura and energy and vibe that these guys do. And you saw it play out in the locker room after the game. What a scene this is. I think what every NFL player dreams to be a part of. This kind of a celebration, not just the guys in the middle of the celebration, but the ones being part of it too. And all Kevin O'Connell can do is sit back and
watch his handiwork. He's done a massful job this year. Look, I think dan quinn might be Coach of the Year, but Kevin's as good to Canada as there is. And as you pointed out, this team is dangerous that could beat anybody right now, they are very very very good.
If you would have told Sam Donald, I don't know six months ago, ten months ago, three years ago, you are going to be in this position and you were going to be lifted up by your teammates at the end of the season in a week seventeen game, he is beloved. I don't know if he would have believed it. I mean, this is a journeyman. God it's been bouncing
around who is well thought of. But I think there's some parallels here because we talk about this week eight team matchup against the Lions and keep him on the winner of this game, we'll get the one scene home field advantage throughout the course of the postseason leading up into the Super Bowl. Sam Donald, we just characterize in the way that we did. Jared Goff was kind of
the same thing. And by the way, the Lions, his teammates, the fan base, they treat Jared Goff like what we just saw from Sam Donald.
Absolutely, from Poppers to Princes, I guess right. You just find the right spot, the right mix, with the right play caller, the skill position players. It all works together in Detroit the same way it kind of does in Minnesota. It's a group effort. Yes, there are stars on both sides of the ball and both teams, but you know, this Lion's team. I love what they do offensively, I love their creativity, I love their aggression. There's so much to love about this team. But we also have to
face facts here, Mike. They gave up four touchdowns playing against a lot of backups. I mean, yes, Perdy was out there and all that, but a lot of San Francisco backups out there. Four out of the first five drives steam roll down the field on them for touchdowns and missfield goal in between. There so really five drives where they gave up a lot of ground. Before Kirby Joseph made some plays, the offense kept pushing the pedal to the medal, and they have that ability, right they
have that fastball that can absolutely take down anybody. But against the Vikings, a team that's really curred their turnovers recently, got to make sure they have at least one or be plus one somehow in this game because they are not really stopping people on defense right now.
I think you could have made the argument that the Lions were the most complete team for the entire season and we were waiting for attrition to on the defensive side.
To be a problem.
They keep winning games, but it does look a little different, and I think case in point to what we saw on Monday night football against a San Francisco forty nine ers team that's really struggled. Keep in mind this way week a team matchup between these two teams. Eric check this out. The loser of this game be the first time in NFL history a fourteen win team has not won the division. I don't know if what that says is about the NFC or this division specifically, if it's
a good or a bad thing, but just stating some facts. Meanwhile, we go to number five, and yes it is the Philadelphia Eagles. You could check the boxer Saquon two k on the ground. He gets to go up against his former squad, the Giants.
Do you play this, dude, I say no. Now, we haven't heard officially as of the time. We take this just a hunch, but I think they sit them and look, first of all, Saquon's a pretty selfless guy in my experience from what I've observed people I've talked to. And then also Nick Sirianni, the coach, I think just has a better finger on the pulse of his team this year,
and I think he understands the big picture here. I don't know that saquanall push for it, and I don't think Nick is gonna throw him out there if he doesn't want to go, So you defer to the younger guys. Barkley's done it on a few occasions and second halves this year, and also with the QB uncertainty. Jalen hurts out last week, canny pick it getting banged up. To me,
it's an unnecessary risk. Yeah, you'd love to see him break an all time market to do it against his old team would would certainly have a poetic justice to it. But I really think the smart play here is to keep him on the sideline, rest your horse, have everybody you know gassed up and ready to go for the postseason. We forget how good these guys are. Sometimes they kind
of fall between the cracks among the big teams. But man, there is a bigger mission here and I think Sirianni and Barkley know that, but who knows, Maybe they surprise us.
Yeah, there's different philosophies and I don't know what Sirianni is is going to be. But heading into the week seventeen match of Dan Campbell before Monday Night FOTBA against the Niners said, hy man, like, we're rolling our guys out there. I was doing the postgame show. Jared Goff said, Hey, this was squashed earlier in the week. We knew we're going to be playing. This is how we're wired. I
don't know how Nick Sirianni's team is wired. And if we will see Saquan against the Giants, who by the way, we'll talk about them as a Giants fan coming up in just a minute. The Commanders, meanwhile, check in at number eight. They've clinched their spot. Is there a real path for this team in the postseason to make a run.
I think there is. And you know, how do you define a run, right, I mean, it's the postseason feels so short in the big picture, but you know, really they have nothing to lose, and they have all kinds of confidence building up, you know, playing with house money if you will. Jayden Daniels leads the way. Dan Quinn has been a rock for this team all year. But you know you also have those motivated veteran zach Ertz
coming up big in this game against the Falcons. Maybe the Falcons helped them out with little clock management stuff too, but you can't take away from what the Commanders did. Bobby Wagner, another key guy you know's a key is Tyler biad Jeremy Chin. I mean, Adam Peters did a wonderful job putting this roster together. And I think the makeup of this roster this isn't a fluke thing. It's a lot better roster than I think some people realize. So that gives them a chance. And you have a
rookie quarterback with a fearlessness that Daniels possesses. I'm willing to roll the dice and see they can go into a road game and feel pretty darn confident about their chances. So you'd like to see the non Jaden Daniels run game pick up a little. That's just one little nitpick I'd like to see. They were so good at it earlier in the year. But man, there are a ton of things that they can do in these playoffs to give whoever they face a lot of trouble.
Yeah, they will match up against the Dallas Cowboys, another divisional matchup and a Dallas team that's been like I think, there's a lot of questions we'll find out actually next week about what the future for Mike McCarthy is going to be with the Cowboys. Meanwhile, it is time for power Moves and it is presented by Energizer at number six. It's the Ravens, who I think legitimately are these sleeping giant. A season ago the one seed, dominant defensively, dominant offensively,
they were the hunted. Now all of a sudden, they are the hunters, And I think mentally that's a good thing for this ball club is I think they teem to figure out how to get over the hump and get to a super Bowl and then win that game. This might be the year, am I crazy in thinking that there's a legit argument for this team, maybe just as much as any other team, whether it's the Bills, are the Chiefs.
I mean, look, I said, if they're really the sixth best team, this is going to be a whale of a playoffs, right. This is not your typical number six overall team at this stage. Now, they've paid for some of their past sins. They had trouble on defense at one point this season, they had the kicking issue, special teams in general. Those are the two things that they have seemingly cleaned up a little bit, So you tip your hat to them. John Harball always fixes mistakes within
the course of the season. The penalties, though, that's the one thing that kind of leaves me hanging a little bit and guessing, is that going to be their achilles seals? That going to be the thing that cost them A thirteen penalty game wouldn't be a crazy thing considering what we've seen this year. They've been averaging eight to nine a game, So that's the only thing that holds me back. But I like the way you framed it. Last year,
all the spotlight was on them, Lamar. The number one seed, the home games etc. The first round blowout of the Texans. I think this year they're flying a lot lower, a lot under the radar, even with Jackson having a better year and Dereck Henry joining the team. So they're different. But I think they're just as dangerous as we thought they were last year.
Yeah, I love your take on the penalties, because you're right, we don't talk nearly enough about it. It's hard to find some issues because the defensive issues earlier this season don't seem to be much of a factor in the second half of the season. And that's a win for this squad. And keep in mind an opportunity on Saturday against the Browns to clinch the AFC North with a victory. We will find out if it gets done. And I think they're going this way. The Steelers might be going
the other way. We will talk about Pittsburgh coming up in just a minute. But there's some other teams that could make a Super Bowl run. You think we've only talked about the top teams again who legitimately can make a case that they can get to the super Bowl. And that next tier of Eric's power rankings, that's next back here on power rankings, it's Erics teams nine through sixteen, the Chargers sitting in the ninth spot, they move up
one position. They clinched the playoff spot with that dominant win against the Patriots, attendant to the Steelers, who have some offensive issues. Eleven. The Bucks lead the NFC South. We'll talk about that in just a moment. The Rams are at twelve, escaping with a win against Arizona. They are playoff bound though. At thirteen, win and you're in. That's the case for the Broncos. At fourteen the Texans. What happened to the squad? Meanwhile at fifteen it's Cincinnati
and yes there's still a chance for them. At sixteen it is the Seahawks. But let's focus our attention at number nine. This is a Chargers team that's got an opportunity here to get some good playoff position, considering how the season has gone, could finish as high as the fifth seed in the AFC with the win against Vegas a Pittsburgh loss on Saturdays. So story this squad for me? When you look at them, what are we learning about
this team? Coming off a dominant performance offensively against the Patriots.
It was good to see, right, Mike is because the last three four games, even with the Broncos win, you'd seen kind of a backslide just a little bit, and you'd seen them have to work a little bit harder to get wins. So you know, to knock Drake May out of the game earlier. I know he came back, but you know, be aggressive defensively and then offensively, you know, getting you know lab McConkie drops a pass early, they go right back to him. He scores two touchdowns. The
return of JK. Dobbins was absolutely huge too. Offensive line probably played one of its best games in the second half of the season, so this was a complete performance. Short week. You heard Jim Harbaugh kind of build up to this game and say like, this is the one guys we can we can clinch it here, get in sort of seal our fate, and they played like it, So I think he's kind of got his team ready to go, even with a little bit of shaky moments
down the stretch. So bad team, Yeah, they beat up on one, but still you go on the road and perform like that, It makes me feel a lot better about your playoff credentials and your chances to pull in a full first round upset against a team like the Texans.
Let's say, yeah, I'm with you on that they're not a good team, right the Patriots, and they should have won. But I think the one thing that we're learning in the NFL is when you are a better football team, you need to smash the teams that you should. That's not always the case, and yet, yep, that's what we saw from this Chargers squad. Odds to win the NFC South boy, talk about a race, who actually wants it? Well, it feels like it's the Bucks who are the favorite.
The Atlanta Falcons issues. I can't imagine what the situation would have been if Michael Panicks, if they had gone to him earlier than they did. But yes, right now it is the Bucks that are the favorite. Let's focus in on the number eleven team, and it is Tampa Bay who move up those three spots. They got an opportunity to clinch this division with a win against the Saints. I don't know if I would have said that, considering Atlanta had the tiebreaker and the way the season was unfolding.
Health issues for Tampa Bay five and one since Mike Evans return, I feel good to say, like, I think this team's gonna win it.
Yeah, I mean, they really have turned it up a notch. Right in Baker Mayfield, I think I don't know if people saw, but a five touchdown performance, one of the best showings of his career. He absolutely went off and got it early. And you know, we've seen some first halfs where he's taken chances, thrown picks, you know, sort of played a little faster and looser to see what he can get away with almost and he got away with a lot in this game because the Panthers didn't
offer much resistance. It was almost a perfect game. You get Mike Evans in the end zone twice. He's almost at one k again another season over a thousand yards. Bucky Irving, the rookie running back fourth round pick, has been absolutely spectacular. He and Rashad White are a great duo again, another sort of offensive base team that I think can really give some teams problems. I mean, they beat the Lions in Detroit earlier this season, so we
knew all year long they had that capability. But they've sort of weathered this story, fought off the Falcons, and now are in the driver's seat for the NFC South. I just love their chances, even with a banged up secondary. You know, they have an opportunity to win a game in the postseason, maybe more.
You know, it's funny off air, Eric I said this to you, Hey, at some point on this show, I'd love to do like an underrated, underappreciated squad. I got to tell you there's three dudes on Tampa Bay who I would put on that list. Mike Evans and I know, just a model of consistency. We don't talk about him nearly enough. Bucky Irving is another guy that we got to say, and Baker Mayfield. All this dude does is
figure out ways to help his team win. The moxie is there, and that's part of the reason why I think I'm with you. I think the Bucks go and take this division. At number twelve, it's the Rams. Should I be concerned that they needed a late interception to beat an Arizona team when I've been making the case that the Rams are as dangerous as any team in the NFC.
Yeah, they can be, right, but those slow starts plague them a little bit. And you know, Cooper Cupp will get it. Hasn't been involved as much as you'd expect, and Coop is great and everything. Kiren Williams is great, and Matthew Stafford is great. We love Sean McVeigh and that offense, but for some reason they haven't been able to string together a ton of successful drives. Now, credit the defense for kind of doing its job, and they've
found ways. You know, whatever the game script is we have to beat the Bills forty four or forty two, we can do it that way. We have to win a low scoring game, they can win that way too. So you love their flexibility, their adaptability, if you will, But there's also a little bit of a freight factor with them, and that you know, they can go through stretches where it looks a little a little labored on offense. So we'll see what version comes out in the postseason.
I didn't know what to do with them in the rankings, but I just felt the Bucks were a little bit better and that's why they bumped up over them. Still give the Rams a lot of credit.
Though, six points three weeks ago, nine points two weeks ago, and then this weekend nine points three consecutive games now for this Rams defense holding opponents to under ten points per game. The Broncos at thirteen win and you're in. Do they get it done against the Kansas City team who might be resting some players.
They almost be Kansas City starters in Kansas City, So I think they do get it done and spoil the dreams of the Dolphins and Bengals and whatnot. But there's some worries with this team, even with Bonix coming up with that late touchdown drive and Sincy still kind of holding back. I have them obviously on the lower end of the playoff teams right now.
All right, the Bengals right now, first team. It's the first time I should say that they get a win against a five hundred team or better, which was huge. They were zero to seven before that win against the Broncos. There's still a chance here story it for me.
Yeah, I mean they found a way, like zombies to just sort of fight through the Morassier and get their way to a position where they can make the playoffs, which I didn't think was possible a few weeks ago, but it says here. I think they're gonna come up a little short, mostly because of the Denver Kansas City situation. But you have to love the fight that Joe Burrows showing T Higgins going off. You know, you'd love to see him back in Cincinnati, unless you're any of the
other thirty one teams I suppose. But this team still has firepower, still has guts. They just didn't have the right kind of lay of the land this season with the early early losses. Really put himself in a hole.
Eric, real quick, if Joe Burrow won the MVP, would you be upset?
I think it would have taken them needing them to get in the playoffs, and maybe it still happens, but yeah, I mean, the way he's played this year hard to argue. He Allen Jackson. I mean, there's so many great choices, Saquan, I mean, you really can't go wrong.
The numbers are crazy for Joe Burrow. It is truly remarkable. Meanwhile, the Atlanta Falcons that looked like they run the driver's seats to go and win that division. That car has officially turned off the road. What every fan in the atl needs to know. That's coming up next on Power Rankings. Back here on Power Rankings Show Me Squad seventeen through twenty four. The Dolphins still alive at seventeen, The Falcons not done just yet. Nineteen it's the Cardinals who almost
get a win against the Rams. The Niners, sitting at twenty almost pulled it off on Monday Night Football, the Dallas Cowboys, they drop a spot at twenty one, The Colts. What in the world's happened against the g Men at twenty two. Then it's the Saints and Bears twenty three and twenty four. All Right, the Dolphins, there's still a chance for them, And for what it's worth, I know too. It didn't play last week. They one matchup against the
Jets on the road. In this upcoming matchup Tyler Huntley, it looks as if we'll get the nod this week. He's certainly preparing. Mike McDaniel's preparing his guys to have Tyler Huntley, the former pro bowler in the saddle. What do you make of their chances to get into the postseason.
Well, he looked a lot better last week. We had more yards at halftime than I think he did most of his starts when he filled in earlier. Was kind of thrown into the fire when two was out. So you know, I love the way he's always been a pros pro since he came in the league as undrafted QB.
I think he's a gamer and he'll give him a great chance, especially if the Jets mail it in after a terrible performance Buffalo, so they'll I think they'll take care of there, and depends on what happens in Denver. So still a little bit iffy.
Yeah, once again, a win against the Jets coupled with a Chiefs win against the Broncos means it's to an end company into the playoffs. At eighteen, it's the Falcons who drop three spots. Disappointment. I don't know how else to describe what we've seen in the second half. I kind of wish we saw Michael Pennox earlier this season.
Yeah, and I wish we saw Jon Robinson out there for the entire game too. I mean, he was really kind of tearing some holes in that Washington defense, and you know, Penix was working his way through it. This looked like a typical kind of early quarterback start. You know, he made some brilliant throws, had that terrific one late in regulation, but why no time out? My goodness, that
was what I was screaming at my TV. I seen a lot of people were to cost him about twenty seconds and really cost them a chance at moving up and giving themselves a better field goal shot. So disappointment, you know, too late maybe on the penis call. We've talked about that for weeks now, too late on the timeout calls. So a little bit of heat on Raheem Morrison. A season that was looking very promising, as you said
at six and three seasons sweep over the Bucks. They were in the driver's seat, and it appears at least right now that they're going to end up blowing that lead.
Yeah, they will need some help. They need to win against Carolina and they need Tampa Bay to lose to the Saints in order for with the Falcons to win. The NFC South teams twenty five through thirty two the Panthers.
Speaking of Carolina, they sit in that position at twenty six the Jets, potentially the last game for Rodgers in a Jets uniform this week the Raiders, brock Bowers, here we go, passing Pooka Nakua for the most receptions by a rookie and passed the Hall of Famer Mike Dikka for the most receiving yards by a rookie tight end. Raiders all of a sudden have won two straight. At twenty eight, it's the Jags, Brian Thomas hat tipped to you. At twenty nine, it's the Giants. No words can soothe
fans in the Big Apple following a win. Yes, you heard me right, a win this past weekend. I'm taking a deep breath on that one. The Brown to thirty, the Patriots thirty one, and the Titans at thirty two. I take a deep breath. And you know this, Eric, I am a Giants fan. I was hoping we would get the number one overall pick. Still could happen here, but right now the team that occupies that spot fortunately
is not in the market for a quarterback. I'm just saying the seat worm for coach Mayo in your number one.
Yeah, they got the Drake Mayo part right? Did they get the Mayo part right? That's I think what Robert Kraft has to sort of triage this offseason and figure out, like,
do I have the right coach in place? We knew that Bill Belichick would always fix issues, We're not as confident now with the smaller sample size here with Mayo so far and when you hear his players talk about the need for change and being kind of vague about it and not exactly Remember Mayo called a lot of team soft earlier in the year that did not go over very well. I kind of wonder what the backchannel
conversations are like now. Ian Rappaport and other folks at NFL Media have reported more likely than not Mayo gets another And I'll be fascinated to see what ends up happening if they do get this number one pick. But yeah, what changes are going to be happening. Is it just to the other parts of the coaching staff, or is Meyo looking for a new job and somebody like who knows, maybe Mike Rabel coming back to Foxborough. We'll see. There's
a lot to figure out. They have got the quarterback part right, but they have the other twenty one positions on the field that they really need to solidify.
You know, last year in the draft and not to go down this rabbit hole with you, I felt like they should trade out of that position because there are so many needs to this roster, because they have the quarterback solved, and because it looks like they're looking at a top one, two three pick again, I don't know if it makes sense to stick in that position. I think there's a lot of holes to fill. Regardless, it's always great to work with you. Eric. Happy belated birthday.
Once again, appreciate everyone watching Power Rankings.
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