NFL Power Rankings Week 12: Cowboys Embarrass the Vikings

Usually, there aren’t many changes week to week in the NFL Power Rankings. Although there is plenty of shuffling early in the season, after Week 5, there usually aren’t too many surprises across the board. Last week, however, Dallas, Minnesota, Green Bay and a few other teams looked completely different than they did just one week ago.

With another week giving NFL fans more questions than answers, here are the NFL Power Rankings for Week 12.

NFL Power Rankings for Week 12

1) Kansas City Chiefs (8-2) (Last Week: 1)

The Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Chargers put on a show on Sunday night in a matchup that is quickly becoming must-see TV. Once again, Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce made plays down the stretch to give the Chiefs the edge. The defense gave up some big plays but did well to limit the Chargers down the stretch. Kansas City always finds a way to win and, for that, they are currently the top team in the NFL Power Rankings.

2) Philadelphia Eagles (9-1) (2)

For the second straight week, the Philadelphia Eagles have looked like a shell of their former selves. In one of the ugliest games of the season, Philadelphia was barely able to slide past the Colts by outscoring Indianapolis 14-3 in the fourth quarter. Philadelphia’s defense will be just fine, but the offense has to stop stalling out so often if they want to go far. That starts with better protecting Jalen Hurts.

3) Baltimore Ravens (7-3) (4)

Not many expected this week’s matchup with the Carolina Panthers to be a problem for the Ravens but Baltimore found themselves in a tie game entering the fourth quarter. Quite simply, Lamar Jackson had one of his worst games of the season and had a costly interception on Carolina’s side of the field. While their defense was stout, only putting up 13 points at home against the Panthers isn’t a great sign as the season starts to wind down.

4) Buffalo Bills (7-3) (5)

Josh Allen again didn’t look great but the leg of kicker Tyler Bass was enough to get the Bills the win over the Cleveland Browns in Detroit. The Bills were simply unable to finish drives and a lot of that was due to Josh Allen’s play. The defense also let Jacoby Brissett have his way with them as he threw for over 320 yards and three touchdowns. Injuries have been a problem for Buffalo, but their defense simply needs to be better. With the red-hot Detroit Lions on deck on Thanksgiving, Buffalo needs to be better or risk losing their second game in three weeks.

5) Cincinnati Bengals (6-4) (6)

Once again, the Cincinnati Bengals found themselves in a dogfight with the Pittsburgh Steelers. This time, however, the Bengals came out on top thanks to a big second half. Even with running back Joe Mixon having to leave the game early due to a concussion, the Bengals were able to move the chains thanks to a three-touchdown performance from Samaje Perine. The win keeps the Bengals just a game below Baltimore in the AFC North.

6) Minnesota Vikings (8-2) (3)

When you lose 40-3 to anyone, let alone a team that just blew a 14-point lead to a poor Green Bay Packers team, there isn’t much good to take from the game. Minnesota couldn’t protect Kirk Cousins in the pocket and the defense couldn’t contain Tony Pollard. While it is just one week, it will be interesting to see how this embarrassing loss affects them next week against the New England Patriots.

7) San Francisco 49ers (6-4) (8)

After a quiet first quarter, the San Francisco 49ers blitzed the Arizona Cardinals in Mexico City on Monday night, outscoring them 38-7 over the remaining three quarters. Jimmy Garoppolo was picking apart the Cardinals defense while a solid run game and a two-touchdown performance from George Kittle punctuated a dominant performance. Consistency was the problem for San Francisco early on but they are now on a three-game win streak. With four of their next five games coming at home, the 49ers have kept themselves right in the middle of a tight NFC West race.

8) Miami Dolphins (7-3) (9)

After beating up the Browns, the Miami Dolphins had their bye week in Week 11. With an extra week to prepare for the lowly Houston Texans, this week provides a good chance for the Dolphins to flex their muscle and solidify Tua Tagovailoa’s MVP campaign.

9) New York Giants (7-3) (7)

While a loss to the Detroit Lions at home would normally be cause for panic, this is not your average Lions team. While it’s not a great look, the Giants did keep fighting until the final whistle. New York turned the ball over three times with two interceptions from Daniel Jones. Most concerning for the Giants was how Saquon Barkley only managed 22 yards on 15 carries against a bad Lions run defense. With a big matchup on Thanksgiving against a Cowboys team that just destroyed the Vikings, the Giants need to get back on track quickly to stay in the top 10 of our NFL Power Rankings.

10) Dallas Cowboys (7-3) (11)

The Dallas Cowboys bounced back after a bad showing against the Green Bay Packers in a big way. Dallas dominated every facet of the game in their win over Minnesota, and the defense looked as good as it has all season. The only question now for Dallas is which team are they? It’s hard to trust the Cowboys, especially after how inconsistent they have been. A win over the Giants on Thanksgiving can go a long way to stake their claim as possibly the best team in the NFC, rising them in the NFL Power Rankings.

11) New York Jets (6-4) (10)
12) Seattle Seahawks (6-4) (12)
13) Tennessee Titans (7-3) (13)
14) New England Patriots (6-4) (14)
15) Los Angeles Chargers (5-5) (15)
16) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-5) (16)
17) Arizona Cardinals (4-7) (17)
18) Atlanta Falcons (5-6) (19)
19) Washington Commanders (6-5) (21)
20) Los Angeles Rams (3-7) (18)
21) Green Bay Packers (4-7) (20)
22) New Orleans Saints (4-7) (22)
23) Detroit Lions (4-6) (27)
24) Cleveland Browns (3-7) (23)
25) Carolina Panthers (4-6) (24)
26) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7) (25)
27) Denver Broncos (3-7) (26)
28) Chicago Bears (3-8) (28)
29) Indianapolis Colts (4-6-1) (29)
30) Las Vegas Raiders (3-7) (30)
31) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-7) (31)
32) Houston Texans (1-8-1) (32)