NFL Power Rankings Week 18: Packers and Buccaneers On Top, Chiefs and Rams Drop
NFL Power Rankings Week 18: Packers and Buccaneers On Top, Chiefs and Rams Drop
Whose stock is on the up and whose stock is down going into the final week of the NFL season?
We rank all 32 teams after Week 17 in the NFL, which was defining in the playoff race. Some of the rankings listed below are contrary to popular opinion, but that's just the way it goes.
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The Contenders
1. Green Bay Packers 13-3
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 12-4
3. Tennessee Titans 11-5
4. Kansas City Chiefs 11-5
5. Cincinnati Bengals 10-6
6. Los Angeles Rams 12-4
7. New England Patriots 10-6-0
8. Dallas Cowboys 11-5
9. Arizona Cardinals 11-5
10. Buffalo Bills 10-6
11. Philadelphia Eagles 9-7-0
The Green Bay Packers top the NFL Power Rankings unanimously after clinching the No.1 seed with a 13-3 record. The Packers are coming off a commanding 37-10 win over a shorthanded Minnesota Vikings at home in Sunday Night Football, wrapping up the regular season with an undefeated record at home.
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers were surprisingly on the ropes in their Week 17 contest with the subpar New York Jets until Tom Brady did his thing. In the final seconds of the game. Brady threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Cyril Grayson and converted on a two-point conversion to lift the Bus to the 28-24 win. That the Bucs rallied amidst the Antonio Brown drama to clinch the victory underscores their mental fortitude as they get set to defend their Super Bowl title in the playoffs.
The Titans moved up the ladder after a rousing 34-3 win over the Miami Dolphins that lifted the Titans to the top of the AFC standings. Now, a win in the final round of the regular season can see the Titans clinch the top seed in the AFC. Tennessee has the tiebreaker over the Chiefs, who dropped back in the AFC standings following a 34-31 upset by the Cincinnati Bengals.
The Bengals climb up the rankings to the No.5 spot – which might be a high rating for a relatively inexperienced side. However, the Bengals have been one of the most exciting young teams to watch this season. Their offense is explosive and the defense isn’t too shabby. The Bengals are longshots for the top seed in the AFC, but if the Titans and Chiefs lose in Week 18, they could very well move up the table.
The Los Angeles Rams come in at the sixth spot, even though they’re technically sitting in second place in the NFC standings. The Rams need a win over the Niners and a loss by the Arizona Cardinals in Week 18 to clinch the NFC West title.
The New England Patriots and the Buffalo Bills are locked in a battle for the AFC East in Week 18. The Patriots eviscerated the Jacksonville Jaguars 50-10 in Week 17 – the very same side that beat the Bills 9-6 earlier in the season. The Bills struggled to put away the flaky Atlanta Falcons, doing so in the second half on the way to a 29-15 victory. The less-than-convincing performance pushes the Bills down the table behind the Patriots and a few other playoff contenders.
The Dallas Cowboys were upset by the Arizona Cardinals 25-22 on Sunday. The Philadelphia Eagles edged the Washington Football Team 20-16 to clinch a playoff berth.
In the Last Chance Saloon
12. Los Angeles Chargers 9-7-0
13. San Francisco 49ers 9-7-0
14. Las Vegas Raiders 9-7-0
15. Indianapolis Colts 9-7
16. Baltimore Ravens 8-8-0
17. Pittsburgh Steelers 8-7-1
18. New Orleans Saints 8-8-0
The Los Angeles Chargers are amongst the popular bets to make the playoffs, but they face a tough ask against the Las Vegas Raiders, who appear to be rounding out into form down the stretch. That said, the Chargers will go through with a win or tie over the Raiders.
The Raiders upset the Indianapolis Colts in Week 17 and now could make the playoffs with a win over the Chargers on the road along with some help from the rest of the field. Speaking of the Colts, they dropped the ball in the 23-20 loss to the Raiders at home on Sunday. Clinching a spot in the playoffs has now become slightly more complicated and they need several scenarios to fall their way, along with a win over the Jaguars in Week 18 in Jacksonville. Fun fact: the Colts haven’t won in Jacksonville in forever.
The Ravens and Steelers have less than a 5 percent shot to make the playoffs, but they’re certainly going to give it a go when they go head-to-head in Week 18. The Steelers are coming off a pivotal 26-14 win over the Browns in Week 17. The Ravens succumbed to their fifth-straight loss, losing 20-19 to the Rams.
The Recently Eliminated
19. Miami Dolphins 8-8-0
20. Minnesota Vikings 7-9-0
21. Cleveland Browns 7-9-0
22. Atlanta Falcons 7-9-0
23. Denver Broncos 7-9-0
The Dolphins bowed out of the playoff race after a poor showing in Nashville that left much to be desired. Questions about Tua Tagovailoa’s future came back to the forefront after Miami’s offense managed three paltry points in the lopsided defeat.
The Vikings were severely shorthanded going into Lambeau Field while the Browns were eliminated on Sunday, before taking the field against the Steelers in Monday Night Football.
The Falcons and Broncos gave it a go in Week 17, but both fell to far superior outfits, respectively.
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The Eliminated
24. Seattle Seahawks 6-10-0
25. New York Jets 4-12-0
26. Washington Football Team 6-10-0
27. Chicago Bears 6-10-0
28. Detroit Lions 2-13-1
29. Houston Texans 4-12-0
30. Carolina Panthers 5-11-0
31. New York Giants 4-12-0
32. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-14-0
The Seattle Seahawks top the list of the eliminated after delivering a 51-29 win over the Detroit Lions in Week 17. The New York Jets come in after the Seahawks, largely down to their impressive performance against the defending Super Bowl champions. They were less than a couple of minutes away from the improbable victory.
Washington battled valiantly but lost in the end to Philadelphia. The Chicago Bears easily romped to the 29-3 win over one of the league’s worst teams, the New York Giants, while the Houston Texans ran out of ideas against the San Francisco 49ers.
The Giants and Jaguars prop up the league’s power rankings following absolutely lackluster accounts in Week 17. The season can’t end soon enough for this pair.
Nikki Adams is a freelance sports writer that’s honed in on the world of sports betting. She joined OddsChecker in 2021 after having covered a number of major American sports, including NFL and NCAAF, for several other publications in the industry. When she’s not looking for the best betting angles and writing engaging and insightful articles, she’s likely on a tennis court or binging on reality TV.