NFL Power Rankings Week 14 (Pre-Monday Night Edition)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
From Aaron Rodgers leading the Green Bay Packers to a win over the New England Patriots to the Philadelphia Eagles winning big on Thanksgiving against the Dallas Cowboys, there's plenty of football to discuss heading into Week 14.
Let's not waste any more time and jump right into the 2014 NFL Power Rankings Week 14!
32. Oakland Raiders 1-11 (30)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
32. Oakland Raiders 1-11 (30)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
Just when we got excited about the Oakland Raiders winning their first game, they come back and get shutout by the St. Louis Rams. You knew it bad when the Raiders decided to go with Matt Schaub in the fourth quarter.
31. Tennessee Titans 2-10 (31)
(Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
31. Tennessee Titans 2-10 (31)
(Scott Halleran/Getty Images)
The Tennessee Titans have allowed 84 points to their opponents over the last two weeks. In other words, this defense needs plenty of changes once the offseason rolls around and it's time to start looking ahead to potential prospects in next year's draft.
30. New York Jets 2-9 (29) (Monday Night)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
30. New York Jets 2-9 (29) (Monday Night)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
It may not be the most exciting matchup on Monday night, but it will be interesting to see if the New York Jets can play better with Geno Smith back at quarterback--although we're really not expecting that much of a difference.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-10 (32)
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-10 (32)
(Rob Foldy/Getty Images)
After trailing by 18 at halftime, the Jacksonville Jaguars rallied to beat the New York Giants thanks to a strong performance by the defense in the second half. It wasn't pretty, but at this point in the year--the Jaguars will take wins any way they can get them.
28. New York Giants 3-9 (26)
(Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
28. New York Giants 3-9 (26)
(Chris Trotman/Getty Images)
Sunday's performance against the Jaguars is the perfect example of how things have gone for the New York Giants this season. Eli Manning and company had this game in the bag before their second-half collapse and it's time to start Tom Coughlin responsible for how pathetic this team has looked this season.
27. Washington Redskins 3-9 (28)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
27. Washington Redskins 3-9 (28)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
For once, we can actually say the Washington Redskins didn't lose due to quarterback play. If anything, Colt McCoy (392 passing yards with three touchdowns) showed us why he should have been the starting quarterback all along instead of Robert Griffin III.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-10 (27)
(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 2-10 (27)
(Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on the verge of pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Week 13 before blowing their chances thanks to a costly penalty near the end of the game. On a positive note, at least Doug Martin (58 rushing yards with one touchdown) finally showed some signs of life at running back.
25. Carolina Panthers 3-8-1 (24)
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25. Carolina Panthers 3-8-1 (24)
(Adam Bettcher/Getty Images)
It's hard to believe the Carolina Panthers were the second best team in the NFC last season considering how terrible they've looked over the last couple of weeks. Cam Newton now has at least one interception in eight-straight games for the Panthers.
24. Chicago Bears 5-7 (23)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
24. Chicago Bears 5-7 (23)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
The defensive problems continued for the Chicago Bears during their Thanksgiving loss to the Detroit Lions as they had zero answers when it came to stopping Calvin Johnson. At least Alshon Jeffery now has four touchdowns over the team's last three games.
23. Minnesota Vikings 5-7 (23)
(Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
23. Minnesota Vikings 5-7 (23)
(Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)
It's not every day you see two blocked punts returned for touchdowns, but the Minnesota Vikings managed to do so on Sunday against the Panthers. Even though the numbers weren't as impressive on paper, this may have been the best game of Teddy Bridgewater's (15 of 21 for 138 yards with two touchdowns) young NFL career.
22. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-5 (17)
(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
22. Pittsburgh Steelers 7-5 (17)
(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)
It took the Pittsburgh Steelers until late in the second half to finally get things rolling on offense against the New Orleans Saints, but it was too late by then as the defense just couldn't figure out a way to contain Drew Brees. When considering how tight the AFC playoff race is, this was a game the Steelers needed to win.
21. San Francisco 49ers 7-5 (15)
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
21. San Francisco 49ers 7-5 (15)
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
The San Francisco 49ers should be embarrassed with the way they played on Thanksgiving against the Seattle Seahawks. If Colin Kaepernick and company are going to have any chance at making the playoffs, they better start to figure out how to score again considering they have just 36 points over their last three games.
20. Miami Dolphins 6-5 (16)
(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
20. Miami Dolphins 6-5 (16)
(Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
With five other teams in the AFC sitting with a 7-5 record, the Miami Dolphins realize how important Monday's game agains the Jets is. Luckily, they have an extremely favorable matchup against the two-win Jets.
19. Cleveland Browns 7-5 (14)
(Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
19. Cleveland Browns 7-5 (14)
(Brett Carlsen/Getty Images)
If Sunday's game is any indication, the Johnny Manziel era may be officially under way in Cleveland as the rookie replaced Brian Hoyer at quarterback against the Buffalo Bills. The fact that Manziel scored the lone touchdown for the Cleveland Browns should be enough to at least earn him a chance to start next weekend against the Indianapolis Colts.
18. Atlanta Falcons 5-7 (21)
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
18. Atlanta Falcons 5-7 (21)
(Scott Cunningham/Getty Images)
Where has this play by the Atlanta Falcons been all season? Julio Jones (10 catches for 189 yards with one touchdown) finally played like his old dominant self against the Arizona Cardinals to help the Falcons continue to control their own destiny in the NFC South.
17. New Orleans Saints 5-7 (22)
(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
17. New Orleans Saints 5-7 (22)
(Gregory Shamus/Getty Images)
Speaking of disappointing teams from the NFC South, nobody could have predicted to see the New Orleans Saints march into Pittsburgh and escape with such a big win. Drew Brees (257 yards with five touchdowns) finally looked like an MVP and don't be surprised if the Saints end the year on high note with four remaining games against teams with a losing record.
16. Houston Texans 6-6 (20)
(Bob Levey/Getty Images)
16. Houston Texans 6-6 (20)
(Bob Levey/Getty Images)
Who saw this performance coming by Ryan Fitzpatrick? The veteran quarterback threw for six touchdown passes against the Titans to help the Houston Texans get back to .500 and remain in the AFC playoff hunt.
Oh and did we mention how awesome J.J. Watt was again?
15. St. Louis Rams 5-7 (19)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
15. St. Louis Rams 5-7 (19)
(Dilip Vishwanat/Getty Images)
We knew the defense of the St. Louis Rams had been playing well as of lately, but nobody expected this dominant of a performance against the Raiders. Tre Mason also made fantasy owners extremely happy by finding the end zone three times to go along with 164 yards from the line of scrimmage.
14. Buffalo Bills 7-5 (18)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
14. Buffalo Bills 7-5 (18)
(Tom Szczerbowski/Getty Images)
Thanks to a strong second-half performance against the Browns, the Buffalo Bills are knocking right on the door for the final playoff spot in the AFC. Give Buffalo credit for still managing to win this game despite a poor performance by Kyle Orton (190 yards with one touchdown and two interceptions).
13. Kansas City Chiefs 7-5 (10)
(Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
13. Kansas City Chiefs 7-5 (10)
(Peter Aiken/Getty Images)
The Kansas City Chiefs knew they were in for a touch matchup on Sunday night, but the defense of the Denver Broncos was simply too much for this team to handle as Alex Smith faced all sorts of pressure throughout the game. Still, this team has found a way to win seven games this season despite not having one single touchdown pass to a wide receiver--which is impressive.
12. Baltimore Ravens 7-5 (11)
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
12. Baltimore Ravens 7-5 (11)
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
This is one of those games the Baltimore Ravens will look back on and know they should have won. Baltimore seemed to be on their way to a win before allowing Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers to score 21 points in the fourth quarter--putting themselves in a tough spot when it comes to the rest of the teams competing for a playoff spot in the AFC.
11. Detroit Lions 8-4 (13)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
11. Detroit Lions 8-4 (13)
(Leon Halip/Getty Images)
We've been waiting for Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson to finally have a big game together--and they did against the Bears on Thanksgiving after connecting 11 times for 146 yards with two touchdowns. If the Detroit Lions are going to have any shot at holding a playoff spot, we're going to need to see more performances like these from Stafford and Johnson.
10. San Diego Chargers 8-4 (12)
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
10. San Diego Chargers 8-4 (12)
(Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
Talk about winning in an exciting fashion as the San Diego Chargers pulled off one of the most impressive wins from Week 13 against the Ravens. Thanks to the win, the Chargers remain just one game back of the Denver Broncos in the AFC West standings
9. Dallas Cowboys 8-4 (6)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
9. Dallas Cowboys 8-4 (6)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Are the Dallas Cowboys on the verge of another late-season collapse? Thanksgiving Day was just embarrassing for Tony Romo's team as the Cowboys just couldn't get anything going on offense and seeing all of the tension on the sidelines was tough to watch--especially when it came to Jason Witten's frustration.
8. Arizona Cardinals 9-3 (4)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
8. Arizona Cardinals 9-3 (4)
(Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
Bruce Arians said he was confident Drew Stanton could lead the Arizona Cardinals to the Super Bowl, but this team could be in trouble after another disappointing loss--this time against the Falcons. We know this game would have been different if the Cardinals weren't dealing with numerous key injuries, but the offense has looked horrendous over the last two weeks.
7. Cincinnati Bengals 8-3-1 (9)
(Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
7. Cincinnati Bengals 8-3-1 (9)
(Cliff McBride/Getty Images)
We'll give Andy Dalton the benefit of the doubt considering he was a bit under the weather, but the Cincinnati Bengals should consider themselves lucky for escaping with a win against the Buccaneers. And thanks to the rest of the AFC North losing, the Bengals find themselves in better position when it comes to winning the division title.
6. Indianapolis Colts 8-4 (8)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
6. Indianapolis Colts 8-4 (8)
(Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
For the second-straight week, Andrew Luck started off on a shaky note, but we'll give him credit for the way he quickly turned things around against the Redskins by throwing for five touchdowns. Sunday showed just how dangerous the Colts' offense can be as Luck continues to look like an MVP with the type of numbers he's displaying on a weekly basis.
5. Philadelphia Eagles 9-3 (7)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
5. Philadelphia Eagles 9-3 (7)
(Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
Mark Sanchez redeemed himself on Thanksgiving with an outstanding performance against the Cowboys to help the Philadelphia Eagles sit alone in first place in the division. LeSean McCoy (159 rushing yards with one touchdown) is finally playing on the level we all expected him to, but the Eagles still have a tough remaining schedule to close out the season.
4. Denver Broncos 9-3 (5)
(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
4. Denver Broncos 9-3 (5)
(Jamie Squire/Getty Images)
We all know how good Peyton Manning can be, but C.J. Anderson (168 rushing yards) continues to look impressive for the Denver Broncos with another strong performance against the Kansas City Chiefs. Thanks to another loss by the New England Patriots, the Broncos find themselves in position to make a run for the No. 1 seed once again in the AFC.
3. Seattle Seahawks 8-4 (3)
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
3. Seattle Seahawks 8-4 (3)
(Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
Don't look now--but the Seattle Seahawks seem ready for a playoff run as they came through with a huge road win against the 49ers on Thanksgiving. Sunday's matchup against the Eagles should be fun to watch as the defense will have their hands full against Chip Kelly's offense.
2. New England Patriots 9-3 (1)
(Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
2. New England Patriots 9-3 (1)
(Mike McGinnis/Getty Images)
Despite Sunday's loss, there's no reason for the New England Patriots to hit the panic button. It's never easy for any team to win in Lambeau and you know Tom Brady would love another shot at beating the Green Bay Packers--which could easily happen in February.
1. Green Bay Packers 9-3 (2)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
1. Green Bay Packers 9-3 (2)
(Christian Petersen/Getty Images)
There's something special about Aaron Rodgers playing at home as the Green Bay Packers came through with a big home win against the Patriots for their fourth-straight victory. If the Cardinals continue to struggle and the Packers continue to win, it's hard to imagine any one beating this team once the playoffs roll around.
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