NFL Power Rankings Week 17 – Ravens Knock Off Niners

Happy holidays, everyone! For Christmas, we got a lot of bad football. However, while the performance in the Ravens vs 49ers game wasn’t a clean one, it was an exciting game at least. Regardless, there is a lot of bad, chaotic football right now, and we will make sense of it in the Week 17 NFL Power Rankings below.

The 32 teams below are ranked both on where they stand and where they are projected to go. This means that the injuries of today do play a major factor. The NFL is a short season and every loss matters.

With that being said, let’s jump into the Week 17 NFL Power Rankings!

NFL Power Rankings For Week 17

1) Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: 2)

The Baltimore Ravens showcased a complete team win against the San Francisco 49ers on Christmas. The offense was solid, averaging over five yards per play and never turning the ball over. However, it was the defense that won this game, forcing five 49ers turnovers.

The Baltimore Ravens take the top spot in the Week 17 NFL Power Rankings away from the 49ers, and they are looking like the team to beat.

2) San Francisco 49ers (1)

Of course, on the other side of that ass whoopin’ was the San Francisco 49ers. While there is no reason to hit the panic button on this team, seeing Brock Purdy play that poorly was alarming. Overall, the offense played well, averaging over six yards per play. However, four interceptions from Purdy completely derailed their momentum. They will be okay, but possibly the most alarming takeaway from this game was seeing Trent Williams on the sideline. For their sake, hopefully, Williams will be back in action soon. Purdy was injured as well, though he should be fine… physically.

3) Philadelphia Eagles (3)

Once again, the Philadelphia Eagles didn’t play well for four quarters. They should be able to win the rest of their games and claim the second seed in the NFC, but there is something off about this Eagles team. It starts with the offensive line, which we acknowledged during the early weeks of this season was worse than last year, as is the defense. Jalen Hurts is playing inconsistent football right now as well, which is something they need to be corrected in a hurry.

4) Miami Dolphins (6)

The Miami Dolphins move ahead of the Dallas Cowboys after beating them on Christmas Eve, though neither team’s value really moves much overall. Both teams struggle when opponents want to play physical with them. Yet, both teams have the weapons to beat anyone. While the Dolphins have the best offensive weapon in football, Tyreek Hill, the injury to Jaylen Waddle is extremely concerning.

5) Dallas Cowboys (5)

Again, the Dallas Cowboys lost to the Miami Dolphins, but it was a close game in which the Cowboys didn’t play too poorly. The Cowboys are at their best when they have the threat of a running game, but they really struggled to gain much on the ground. If Tony Pollard can be a bit more consistent and productive on the ground, it will make the Cowboys a true contender. Until then, Dallas will struggle to string together multiple playoff wins.

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6) Kansas City Chiefs (4)

Feel free to hit the panic button on the Kansas City Chiefs now. This week’s loss to the Las Vegas Raiders was different than past weeks though, as the play of Patrick Mahomes seemed to be the biggest takeaway. It wasn’t a scenario where his receivers were letting him down this week. The good news about this is that I don’t expect Mahomes to struggle this much again, so there should be brighter days ahead. There is zero doubt that the Chiefs can beat anyone. However, this is a team that can lose to anyone as well, causing them to drop further in the NFL Power Rankings.

7) Buffalo Bills (7)

The Buffalo Bills got another win, helping to get them a little closer to making the playoffs in a competitive AFC. However, a two-point win over the Chargers doesn’t inspire much confidence. The defense couldn’t get off of the field while Josh Allen took steps backwards on offense. We know that this is a team that plays to the level of their competition, but they need to wake up in order to make the postseason.

8) Detroit Lions (8)

It has been a long time coming, but the Detroit Lions have won the NFC North! No, the other three teams haven’t given them much competition, but a win is a win! The defense for Detroit remains a massive issue, but the offense is good enough to compete with anyone, especially if they are playing with a lead and can lean on the run. They will be a tough matchup for someone in a few weeks.

9) Cleveland Browns (9)

Joe Flacco and the Cleveland Browns continue to play good football, but nobody expected Amari Cooper to do what he did this past week. He is a player who loves to play on turf, but we’ll see how much he’ll love playing in the playoffs because this is a well-rounded team that is going to make it into the dance.

10) Los Angeles Rams (11)

The Los Angeles Rams are playing great football right now, with the offense really clicking. Cooper Kupp, Puka Nacua and Kyren Williams create a trio that defenses do not want to face, but it’s the emergence of Demarcus Robinson that puts them over the top. Their own defense needs to improve, but the offense is showing they can score enough points to keep them in every game.

11) Jacksonville Jaguars (10)

12) Seattle Seahawks (13)

13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (18)

14) Cincinnati Bengals (12)

15) Indianapolis Colts (14)

16) Pittsburgh Steelers (16)

17) Houston Texans (17)

18) Atlanta Falcons (19)

19) New Orleans Saints (20)

20) Las Vegas Raiders (26)

21) Denver Broncos (15)

22) Chicago Bears (23)

23) Green Bay Packers (21)

24) Minnesota Vikings (22)

25) New York Jets (24)

26) Tennessee Titans (25)

27) New England Patriots (28)

28) New York Giants (27)

29) Los Angeles Chargers (29)

30) Arizona Cardinals (30)

31) Washington Commanders (31)

32) Carolina Panthers (32)