This may be the weirdest and most unpredictable NFL season in recent memory and I rolled through a lot of first-placed teams earlier in the year, but the Power Rankings have settled at the top. The good teams appear to be staying good.
And that means my top three remains the same with the Los Angeles Rams leading the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots. But there is a big fall for one of my former top teams in the Indianapolis Colts.
- LOS ANGELES RAMS --
The Rams responded to their loss to Carolina by putting 45 points on the Arizona Cardinals. And they added another name to their list of offensive weapons as Blake Corum rushed for more than 100 yards and two touchdowns. This is an attack that is very hard to slow down.
- SEATTLE SEAHAWKS --
Seattle was like a lion playing with its food for a couple of quarters on Sunday before deciding to devour the Atlanta Falcons. In the blowout win, the Seahawks showed their ability to dominate in all three phases of the game and Jaxson Smith-Njigba returned to form at WR.
- NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS --
The Patriots are coming off their late-season bye ready to make a run at the number one seed in the AFC. They still get scolded every now and then for taking advantage of a soft schedule, but as the great Bill Parcells once said: "You are what your record says you are." Respect!
- GREEN BAY PACKERS +1
The Packers played a complete game against the Chicago Bears and won a heavyweight clash at Lambeau Field. Jordan Love was outstanding for the second week in a row and the defense made some big plays at key times, notably the game-sealing endzone interception.
- DENVER BRONCOS -1
The Broncos have won 10 in a row but, like the Patriots, some still doubt their Super Bowl credentials. That's because of their nine one-score victories and for not blowing out the likes of Las Vegas. They have a chance to prove themselves against Green Bay in Week 15.
- BUFFALO BILLS +2
The Bills benefited from another superhuman effort from quarterback Josh Allen on Sunday and as long as he is leading from the front, this largely-inconsistent team is capable of putting together a championship run. On the ground or through the air, Allen shines bright.
- CHICAGO BEARS -1
The defeat in Green Bay harshly dropped the Bears from the number one seed in the NFC to number seven – right on the precipice of the playoff standings. But I came away from watching that game with the belief that Chicago are for real and are very much on their way.
- DETROIT LIONS +2
Consistency may be something that eludes the Lions for the remainder of the 2025 season, but they are not alone in that department. But, on their day, this team can flex its offensive muscle and score big… just as they did in putting 44 on the board against Dallas in Week 14.
- SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS --
San Francisco's injury issues run so deep that their Week 14 bye won't have changed things too much in that department. But this 9-4 team that has won three in a row would have welcomed a chance to rest weary legs. Christian McCaffrey remains the key man in SF.
- HOUSTON TEXANS +2
The Texans have won five in a row and are now 8-5 and just one game behind the Jacksonville Jaguars in the AFC South. There is no need for CJ Stroud to be a star at quarterback because Houston's defense is the best in the league right now. The division remains in their sights.
- JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS +2
Liam Coen has the Jaguars playing a tougher brand of football in his first season as head coach and the results have been wonderful. The Jags are 9-4 having won just four games in 2024. Trevor Lawrence is also playing a much cleaner brand of football at quarterback.
- LOS ANGELES CHARGERS +3
The Chargers are far from perfect, allowing quarterback Justin Herbert to get sacked seven times in Monday's victory over Philadelphia. But Herbert is a real fighter who produced just enough big plays, backed up by a defense that held firm against the Eagles for five quarters.
- PHILADELPHIA EAGLES -2
The Eagles have lost three in a row and while they should still win the NFC East, they're not heading towards the playoffs feeling good about themselves. The offense – with the exception of Saquon Barkley in Week 14 – looks lost. Jalen Hurts is really inconsistent now.
- PITTSBURGH STEELERS +6
The Steelers have a one-game lead in the AFC North after Aaron Rodgers produced one of his best showings of the season to down Baltimore in Week 14. But that was a game in which Pittsburgh shipped another 200 yards on the ground. They are still not all that convincing.
- BALTIMORE RAVENS -1
The good news for the Steelers is that Baltimore are also hugely inconsistent and nowhere near the heights that they have hit in recent seasons. Lamar Jackson is a long way from the player we are used to seeing and I think he is still carrying the affects of that hamstring injury.
- INDIANAPOLIS COLTS -9
The Colts were one of the feel-good stories of the year, opening 7-1. But are they now cooked after losing four of five and quarterback Daniel Jones to an Achilles injury? If Philip Rivers rides to their rescue five years after retiring, it will be one of the NFL's all-time great stories
- DALLAS COWBOYS -1
The Cowboys had been playing so well on defense during their three-game winning streak, but they collapsed in Detroit by shipping 44 points and more than 400 yards. The offense looks to be in a great place heading into the offseason, but will they re-sign George Pickens?
- TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS -1
The Bucs are rounding into a real disappointment as losers of four of their last five and they should not be losing at home to the New Orleans Saints. Tampa now have the same record as the Carolina Panthers, who they will face twice between now and the end of the season.
- CAROLINA PANTHERS --
The Panthers have a real opportunity to be one of the league's Cinderella teams in 2025. But they still need to find some consistency having alternated wins and losses since Week 7. It's all there for the taking in Charlotte, but it is hard to properly trust this hot and cold team.
- MIAMI DOLPHINS +1
The Dolphins have become a much grittier team in winning five of their last six. They are running the ball as well as any team in the league and are playing much better on defense, muscling up on the ground and also proving to be opportunistic with takeaways.
- CINCINNATI BENGALS +1
Cincinnati's playoff dreams may have been crushed in the snow at Buffalo in Week 14, but that game was a reminder that this team is instantly competitive once Joe Burrow is back on the field. They could still play a dangerous spoiler role down the stretch. Contenders beware!
- KANSAS CITY CHIEFS -4
There are many statistics which show Patrick Mahomes is suffering through one of his worst seasons in Kansas City. But he is being let down by inconsistent receivers, a thin offensive line and the lack of an elite rushing attack. It all adds up to a disappointing 6-7 mark in KC.
- MINNESOTA VIKINGS +3
A win against the fast-falling Washington Commanders is not a reason to throw a party in Minneapolis, particularly when you consider how many injuries Dan Quinn's men have suffered. But JJ McCarthy throwing three touchdown passes is a real sign of progress.
- ATLANTA FALCONS -1
The Falcons have been in a total freefall and are now officially out of the playoff race. Not many would have seen that coming when Atlanta defeated the Buffalo Bills in Week 6. The big question heading into the offseason is if Michael Penix Jr. is the answer at quarterback?
- ARIZONA CARDINALS --
The Cardinals have been fighting in recent weeks but it felt like there was a capitulation of sorts against the Rams on Sunday. The slate will be played out and then the questions will begin about the futures of head coach Jonathan Gannon and quarterback Kyler Murray.
- NEW ORLEANS SAINTS +4
I'm still not convinced that Tyler Shough is going to be the long-term quarterback answer for the Saints, but he certainly is playing with a lot of spirit. His efforts were key in defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week.
- WASHINGTON COMMANDERS -3
This has been a horror show season for the Commanders with injury after injury blighting their hopes. They need to get across the finish line, rest up and get ready to go again in 2026.
- NEW YORK JETS -1
As if things were not bad enough already, the Jets have been left without a proven commodity at quarterback if Brady Cook is going the rest of the way. That position must be fixed and soon.
- CLEVELAND BROWNS -1
Shedeur Sanders has given the Browns some offensive life in the latter stages of 2025, but I also don't believe he is the answer for 2026 and beyond. And neither should Deshaun Watson be.
- NEW YORK GIANTS -1
The Giants may have just two wins to their name in 2025, but they should still be an attractive proposition for a new incoming head coach. Jaxson Dart has given this team at least some hope for the future.
- TENNESSEE TITANS --
How on earth did the Titans and their previously-toothless attack rush for more than 180 yards against the Browns in Cleveland? And rookie quarterback Cam Ward also showed his promise with a couple of touchdown passes in a rare win.
- LAS VEGAS RAIDERS --
The Raiders are 2-11 and going nowhere fast. There's not really much more to say than that because the script has been written for this lost franchise for most of this 2025 season.
