Colts Rise In Power Rankings After Huge Win
It’s almost Turkey time!
It’s my favorite time of the year as it pertains to the regular-season as this is the time where the division races heat up and of course macaroni and cheese and yams get passed around at the dinner table on Thursday.
In all seriousness, with six weeks remaining in the season, the time is now for a number of fringe playoff teams that are at or below the .500 mark as their window to make the postseason is closing.
If you’re one of five 5-5 teams in the AFC, you may think the window to get in is as open as ever as five teams are sitting right in reach of the sixth and final playoff spot.
In the NFC, the Minnesota Vikings are holding firm on the last playoff spot, but with their upcoming schedule they may not have much reason to feel safe about their playoff chances as their next two games following a home game vs the Green Bay Packers are road games in New England and Seattle.
Ouch.
The Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts are moving up while the Philadelphia Eagles, Tennessee Titans and Atlanta Falcons are moving down.
We will be looking at all 32 teams and their divisional records this season. The top teams in the NFL take care of their divisional foes, but quite surprisingly you’ll find that a number of the teams in the top 10 have tasted defeat already within their own divisions.
Let’s get started!
1. New Orleans Saints (9-1)
The New Orleans Saints are 1-1 in the NFC South, with a home game coming up on Thursday night vs the Atlanta Falcons. New Orleans edged the Falcons 43-37 back in Week 3 in Atlanta.
2. Los Angeles Rams (10-1)
The Los Angeles Rams are 4-0 in the NFC West, having already swept their top competitors for the division coming into the season in the Seattle Seahawks already.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)
The Kansas City Chiefs are 3-0 in the AFC West, having already swept the Denver Broncos. They have yet to play the Oakland Raiders, who sit at 2-8 this season.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2-1)
The Pittsburgh Steelers are 3-1-1 in the AFC North. After starting 0-1-1 in the division, they are 3-0.
5. Chicago Bears (7-3)
The Chicago Bears are 2-1 in the NFC North, with their two wins coming in the past two weeks vs the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings at home.
6. New England Patriots (7-3)
The New England Patriots are 2-0 in the AFC East. They’ll look to improve to 3-0 with a road date with the New York Jets this Sunday.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3)
The Los Angeles Chargers are 2-2 in the AFC West, with disappointing home losses coming to the Kansas City Chiefs and Denver Broncos. They have swept the Oakland Raiders.
8. Houston Texans (7-3)
The Houston Texans are 2-1 in the AFC South. They will look to avoid a season sweep on Monday night when they host the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium.
9. Carolina Panthers (6-4)
The Carolina Panthers are 1-1 in the NFC South. They’ll play the division leading Saints twice in a three-week span at the end of the season.
10. Minnesota Vikings (5-4-1)
The Minnesota Vikings are 1-1-1 in the NFC North. They host the Green Bay Packers this Sunday night in a must-win game if they want to stay in the division race with the Chicago Bears.
11. Washington Redskins (6-4)
The Washington Redskins are 2-0 in the NFC East. They have a heavyweight matchup with the Dallas Cowboys, whom they have already defeated this season, set for Thanksgiving in Jerry World.
12. Dallas Cowboys (5-5)
The Dallas Cowboys are 2-1 in the NFC East. Dallas will look to vault into first place this Thursday when they host the NFC East-leading Washington Redskins at AT&T Stadium.
13. Baltimore Ravens (5-5)
The Baltimore Ravens are 2-3 in the AFC North. Their lone divisional game left to play will be in Week 17 when they host the Cleveland Browns at M&T Bank Stadium.
14. Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
The Indianapolis Colts are 2-1 in the AFC South. They are coming off a 38-10 drubbing over the Tennessee Titans last season and each of their past two wins have been to divisional rivals.
15. Seattle Seahawks (5-5)
The Seattle Seahawks are 1-2 in the NFC North. Both of their losses have come at the hands of the Los Angeles Rams this season.
16. Tennessee Titans (5-5)
The Tennessee Titans are 2-1 in the AFC South. They could do without facing the Indianapolis Colts this season, but they’ll have to turn their attentions to the Houston Texans on Monday night.
17. Green Bay Packers (4-5-1)
The Green Bay Packers are 1-1-1 in the NFC North. They’ll visit the Minnesota Vikings this Sunday looking to save their season.
18. Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
The Atlanta Falcons are 2-1 in the NFC South. They’ll look to even the season series with their bitter rival New Orleans Saints this Thursday night in the Bayou.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (4-6)
The Philadelphia Eagles are 1-1 in the NFC East. Philadelphia will look to find something at home after losing three out of their past four games when they host the last place New York Giants this season.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)
The Cincinnati Bengals are 1-2 in the AFC North. They’ll get their first crack at the Cleveland Browns this Sunday in Cincy.
21. Denver Broncos (4-6)
The Denver Broncos are 2-2 in the AFC West. Their two losses this season in the division have come against the Kansas City Chiefs.
22. Miami Dolphins (5-5)
The Miami Dolphins are 2-1 in the AFC East. Both of their division wins this season have come against the New York Jets.
23. Detroit Lions (4-6)
The Detroit Lions are 1-2 in the NFC North. They’ll host the Chicago Bears at Ford Field on Thanksgiving in their second matchup in three weeks.
24. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1)
The Cleveland Browns are 1-1-1 in the AFC North. They’ll face the Cincinnati Bengals for the first time this season on Sunday when the visit Paul Brown Stadium.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7)
The Jacksonville Jaguars are 0-3 in the AFC South. They have lost to all three of their divisional rivals so far this season.
26. New York Giants (3-7)
The New York Giants are 0-3 in the NFC East this season. They will look to change that trend this Sunday when they visit the skidding Philadelphia Eagles.
27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are 1-2 in the NFC South this season. Their lone win in the division also represents the only loss the New Orleans Saints have had this season.
28. Buffalo Bills (3-7)
The Buffalo Bills are 1-1 in the AFC East. The Buffalo Bills will likely start three different quarterbacks this season vs divisional opponents as Derek Anderson and Matt Barkley have made starts in place of an injured Josh Allen, who returns this Sunday.
29. San Francisco 49ers (2-8)
The San Francisco 49ers are 0-3 in the NFC West. They have been swept by the Arizona Cardinals this season.
30. New York Jets (3-7)
The New York Jets are 0-3 in the AFC East this season. They are 0-2 at home vs divisional opponents and welcome the New England Patriots into MetLife Stadium this Sunday.
31. Arizona Cardinals (2-8)
The Arizona Cardinals are 2-2 in the NFC West this season. They have swept the San Francisco 49ers.
32. Oakland Raiders (2-8)
The Oakland Raiders are 0-3 in the AFC West. They have been swept by the Los Angeles Chargers and have yet to face the Kansas City Chiefs.
What are your thoughts on this week’s NFL power rankings? Leave your comments below!
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