With only two more weeks left in the regular season, most people have a rather consensus opinion of their NFL Power Rankings. The Steelers might have the third-best record in the AFC but they are falling in everyone’s eyes. The NFL Power Rankings reflect how likely we see the top teams in terms of playing in the Super Bowl. Here is the hierarchy.
AFC Power Rankings
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs once again, reminded us that they are the best team in the NFL. They won a game from start to finish against arguably the best team in the NFC. At this point when you look at the NFL Power Rankings, you see the Chiefs and everyone else. Given how great the Chiefs are, the only team that can beat is themselves, they are their own worst enemy.
Buffalo Bills
The Bills have been a fan favorite this season. It’s hard to deny that they are one of the more exciting teams in the NFL with one of the most exciting players in the league as well. Are they worthy of being the second-best AFC team in the NFL Power Rankings? Considering the gap between the Chiefs and everyone else, the Bills are the next in line to represent the conference in the Super Bowl. The offense isn’t the best but definitely the hardest to prepare for. The defense has improved and gives the rest of the league concern.
Indianapolis Colts
The Colts are one of the hardest teams to gauge in the NFL Power Rankings. Yes, they keep winning and they are doing so with a great running game and Philip Rivers having a career year. Aside from their offense being overwhelming, the defense has been playing great as well and they honestly don’t have a flaw on their roster. Are the Colts a Super Bowl team? Probably not but the Colts have to be the team that gives the Chiefs fans concerns.
Browns/Steelers
The Steelers continue to slide and the Browns continue to climb in the AFC North. In a bizarre year, we can potentially see the Browns winning the division and being the 3 seed in the AFC. The Steelers are a mess right now and if it weren’t for the 11 wins they accumulated, we would be saying that they are one of the worst teams (especially recently). The Browns had a difficult loss to the Ravens but have looked incredible in the recent games and in the season in general. It’s hard to buy into either of these teams but in the next two weeks, we will know who is legit and who isn’t.
Miami Dolphins
Between the Dolphins and the logjam at the bottom of the AFC, it’s hard to point to one team as the team to buy into. I have been hyping the Dolphins time and time again but they just feel like they are a year away. The Dolphins had a statement victory against the Patriots and specifically, Tua had a statement game. Bill Belichick is known for owning rookie quarterbacks and Tua found a way to get the win, that’s kind of a big deal. The Dolphins should make the playoffs but it will be interesting to see if they give the rest of the AFC problems.
NFC Power Rankings
Green Bay Packers
The Packers won again and climb closer to the top seed in the NFC. Many are skeptical that they are the best in the NFC but the more they climb, the easier it is to believe in the Packers. Yes, the Packers have been disappointing in the Aaron Rodgers years (only one Super Bowl with arguably the best in the history of the game). However, the Packers look ready to play in the Super Bowl. There are teams in the conference that match up well with what the Packers do, but it’s hard to see any of them as more likely to play in the Super Bowl.
New Orleans Saints
The Saints lost again this week but this time it felt like a win. They played the best team in the NFL in the Kansas City Chiefs. While the Chiefs won that game from start to finish, the Saints were able to keep up. Drew Brees finally returned and he struggled but we see how the offense is poised to be back on track. The defense looks like it can stop or limit any offense in the NFL and can carry them. It should be interesting to see how they matchup come playoff time with teams like the Packers.
Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks have looked eerily different in recent weeks. At the beginning of the season, the Seahawks were a high-flying offense and their defense was the liability. Recently, they have been winning games with defense and low-scoring games. The Seahawks are one of the intriguing teams where they can be a sleeper Super Bowl pick but also are hard to see winning three games in a row. They have the pieces but feel like they are still leaps and bounds away from the Packers and Saints.
Los Angeles Rams
This week’s game against Seattle is going to be telling for the Rams. The Rams just lost to the formerly winless Jets and are a game behind in the NFC West. The Rams should be one of the best in the NFC with a complete roster. It should be interesting to see if the Rams can ultimately win the division. The loss to the Jets has to be a wake-up call and they should have a bounceback game but a loss to the Seahawks will erase any hype for the Rams.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have bounced back well in the last two games but this reminds us how top-heavy the NFC is. The Bucs are not a Super Bowl contender but are one of the top teams in the NFC. The offense is predictable and without the run game being established we see Tom Brady exposed. The defense is good but not great and isn’t good enough considering how their offense looks. The Bucs look like an inevitable playoff team but it’s hard to say if they can make noise once they are in.
