Another epic week of NFL football in the books. Week 11 featured upsets galore and several games with important playoff implications. The regular season is officially hitting its stretch run, and many are still left wondering just how many teams are good, bad, and in between. Who is a contender and who’s a pretender? Are there any “complete” teams in the league? As always, the FlurrySports Week 12 NFL Power Rankings will look to make sense of it all. For a unique twist, this week’s NFL power rankings are a special, holiday-themed edition.
Week 12 NFL Power Rankings | Thanksgiving Feast Edition
If you’re living under a rock (or in a state with a Democratic governor), perhaps you forgot that Thanksgiving is this Thursday, November 26. Thanksgiving has been my personal favorite holiday for as long as I can remember. After all, what’s better than a whole day of family, food, and football? Go ahead and try to come up with something. I’ll wait. Because I feel inclined to celebrate, these Week 12 NFL power rankings have a Thanksgiving vibe about them.
Thanksgiving NFL Power Rankings Explained
The term “tiers” is thrown around quite often in sports content and analysis. The purpose of bringing tiers into the discussion is to put teams, players, etc. that are very similar together. At the same time, a change in tiers signifies enough of a drop-off between one team and the next to put them in separate groupings. While we’ve been power rating all 32 NFL teams in order each week, one can argue that there is any number of tiers amidst those rankings.
In an effort to both present my tier-by-tier breakdown of the Week 12 NFL power rankings and get into the Thanksgiving Day spirit, I have assigned a comparison between each tier of teams and a popular Thanksgiving dish. The more substantial a dish is to the Thanksgiving Day feast, the higher it is power rated. For example, stuffing is going to be rated much higher than green beams. If you disagree with that assessment, good luck deciphering this article.
I should add that while I’m more than open to debates on my Week 12 NFL power rankings, as a Thanksgiving Food expert, my choices of food items are not up for discussion. I hope you enjoy this article and I want to wish you all a very happy Thanksgiving!
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Week 12 NFL Power Rankings
Tier 1: The Turkeys
The Thanksgiving feast conversation obviously starts and ends with the turkey. This is the main dish, the literal “meat” of the meal. No matter how you choose to cook your bird, turkey is synonymous with this holiday. When it comes to finding turkeys in the Week 12 NFL power rankings, we are looking for the cream of the crop. These teams have to be a step ahead of the rest of the league and regarded as legitimate Super Bowl contenders. Perhaps it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the turkey tier isn’t heavily populated.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 11 Ranking: 1
2. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 11 Ranking: 2
Tier 2: The Stuffing
There is no side dish more significant than the stuffing. It even cooks inside the turkey for crying out loud. Fresh stuffing only comes once a year (sorry, stovetop doesn’t count) and it’s an easy choice by all for second helpings. The Stuffing Tier is not an easy level to be at in the Week 12 NFL power rankings. Only complete and balanced teams are allowed.
3. New Orleans Saints
Week 11 Ranking: 3
4. Los Angeles Rams
Week 11 Ranking: 8
5. Indianapolis Colts
Week 11 Ranking: 7
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 11 Ranking: 4
Tier 3: The Mashed Potatoes
Next to the stuffing, mashed potatoes are the most popular Thanksgiving side dish. If your plate is overflowing like mine always is, mashed potatoes are one of the best foods to mix with your turkey. This tier of teams is chock full of contenders who are capable of beating anyone. Don’t sleep on the mashed potatoes!
7. Green Bay Packers
Week 11 Ranking: 5
8. Tennessee Titans
Week 11 Ranking: 9
9. Buffalo Bills
Week 11 Ranking: 10
10. Seattle Seahawks
Week 11 Ranking: 11
Tier 4: The Pies
Editor’s Note: This includes Pumpkin, Cherry, Apple, and Chocolate Cream Pie
Only a fool would sleep on the pies, even if they’re time doesn’t come until after dinner has finished. Dessert is a staple of every great feast and Thanksgiving dessert would be nothing without the pies. The Pie Tier of the Week 12 NFL power rankings consists of several formidable teams who are looking to push their way onto the main course list.
11. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 11 Ranking: 12
12. Baltimore Ravens
Week 11 Ranking: 6
13. Cleveland Browns
Week 11 Ranking: 15
14. Arizona Cardinals
Week 11 Ranking: 14
15. Miami Dolphins
Week 11 Ranking: 13
Tier 5: The Sauces
Editor’s Note: This includes both Cranberry and Apple Sauce
While you can’t have Thanksgiving without the sauces, let’s be real. They’re never overtaking the main dishes in the hierarchy. They will typically be on everyone’s plate but might not be as popular when it comes time for second helpings.
16. Minnesota Vikings
Week 11 Ranking: 16
17. New England Patriots
Week 11 Ranking: 17
18. Chicago Bears
Week 11 Ranking: 19
19. Detroit Lions
Week 11 Ranking: 18
20. Houston Texans
Week 11 Ranking: 26
Tier 6: The Casserole
Editor’s Note: This includes both Broccoli and Squash Casserole
The casseroles are so close, yet so far away from being incredibly relevant atop the Thanksgiving feast hierarchy. Every now and then, someone makes a very good casserole that sees them jump up higher among that year’s foods, but it never lasts.
21. Carolina Panthers
Week 11 Ranking: 21
22. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 11 Ranking: 20
23. San Francisco 49ers
Week 11 Ranking: 22
Tier 7: The Breads
Editor’s Note: This includes Cranberry, Pumpkin, and Banana Bread, as well as Rolls
All of the breads that are a part of the Thanksgiving feast are so very delicious and valuable in their own way. Yet, when put up against the other components of the feast, they don’t come out rated as highly as some might think. The breads are also a popular pre-dinner snack at my house, only to eventually be overtaken by the main meal. Despite plenty of talent, teams in this tier of the Week 12 NFL power rankings have blown a few leads of their own.
24. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 11 Ranking: 25
25. Atlanta Falcons
Week 11 Ranking: 23
Tier 8: The Gravy
Some people think more highly of gravy than others on Thanksgiving. I tend to be on the lower end of the spectrum. It’s nice to throw on my potatoes or turkey, but I’m perfectly fine without it. Several teams in The Gravy Tier of the Week 12 NFL power rankings are very much in contention for a playoff spot, even though it’s safe to say most would be fine without them being included.
25. Washington Football Team
Week 11 Ranking: 28
26. New York Giants
Week 11 Ranking: 24
27. Dallas Cowboys
Week 11 Ranking: 30
29. Denver Broncos
Week 11 Ranking: 29
Tier 9: The Corn
Corn on Thanksgiving is fine. It’s there. It’s just nowhere near relevant. In my house, we forget the corn until the last second on numerous occasions. The Corn Tier of the Week 12 NFL power rankings is ready to be done with and forget the 2020 season.
30. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 11 Ranking: 27
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 11 Ranking: 31
Tier 10: The Canned Green Beans
A hard pass at the Thanksgiving dinner table and a tier that might be passing on winning a single game this season.
32. New York Jets
Week 11 Ranking: 32
