The bye weeks are done, and every team is on equal footing with 10 games played. That means we’re entering the home stretch, and can start officially separating contenders from pretenders.
At the top of the former list sits the Philadelphia Eagles. They’ve got the league’s best record (9-1), best scoring offence (320 points) and best point differential (+132), and they just beat the division-rival Dallas Cowboys by 28… on the road.
That all adds up to an easy call for our expert power-rankings panel, who’ve got the Eagles in No. 1 for the sixth straight week.
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As always, the panel includes editor Geoff Lowe, as well as staff writers Donnovan Bennett, Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
2017 record: 9-1
Previous: 1
Is there a more balanced team in the NFL? The Eagles beat Dallas on the ground, through the air and with smothering defence in a win that all but clinches the NFC East title for Doug Pederson’s team. (GL)
2. New England Patriots
2017 record: 8-2
Previous: 2
Let’s stop and take a moment to appreciate something we’re taking for granted: Tom Brady, now 40 years old, has thrown for 6,700 yards, 50 TDs and just four interceptions since the beginning of 2016. (GL)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers
2017 record: 8-2
Previous: 3
The Steelers’ offence finally looked like themselves, putting up an explosive 40 points on Sunday. They are now up to 13th in points per game with 22.7. (DB)
4. New Orleans Saints
2017 record: 8-2
Previous: 5
Pushed to the limit by Washington. In fact, the Saints completed one of the best comebacks of the season by overcoming a 15-point deficit with less than six minutes remaining in the fourth quarter. Losing Alex Okafor for the season hurts the pass rush, but that Mark Ingram/Alvin Kamara running back duo is near impossible to slow down. (MJ)
5. Minnesota Vikings
2017 record: 8-2
Previous: 6
Minnesota can wrap up the division and take a three-game lead with five games left if they beat Detroit on Thanksgiving. When Adam Thielen is being compared to Randy Moss, that is a plus. (DB)
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6. Carolina Panthers
2017 record:7-3
Previous: 8
Star tight end Greg Olsen is on his way back after the team’s bye week, making an ever-evolving offence stronger. (MJ)
7. Los Angeles Rams
2017 record: 7-3
Previous: 4
After three straight games with 33 or more points, the Rams totalled a season-low seven against the Vikings. It’ll be tough sledding ahead with the Saints coming to town in Week 12, but L.A. is still very much in control of its fate. (ES)
8. Jacksonville Jaguars
2017 record: 7-3
Previous: 10
It would’ve been tough for the league’s most dynamic defence to mess things up against the league’s biggest train wreck. The Jags got only 17 points of their own versus the Browns, but it was enough. (MJ)
9. Detroit Lions
2017 record: 6-4
Previous: 11
The Lions have now swept their NFC North road games. Five Lions defenders have scored TDs, and their five scores is matched by only Jacksonville. (DB)
10. Atlanta Falcons
2017 record: 6-4
Previous: 13
This team seemed lost after dropping three straight and getting annihilated by the Patriots in primetime. But they’ve recovered to win three of four, scoring over 25 points per game in that span. They also now sit in the second NFC wild-card spot with a crucial three-game home stand starting Sunday.
11. Kansas City Chiefs
2017 record: 6-4
Previous: 7
No, your eyes did not deceive you — the Chiefs really did lose to the Giants in overtime on Sunday. They should’ve been refreshed following a week off, but instead the Chiefs struggled to score, couldn’t register a sack, and couldn’t shutdown what’s left of the Giants’ injury-riddled offence. They’re still in control of the division, but this flat performance should make fans a little nervous. (ES)
12. Seattle Seahawks
2017 record: 6-4
Previous: 9
The second half of the season was already set to be an uphill climb after losing Richard Sherman and Kam Chancellor. Then head coach Pete Carroll piled on a few more obstacles with some costly decisions Monday night against the Falcons that left many viewers scratching their heads following the 34–31 loss.
On the bright side, Russell Wilson is still Russell Wilson — especially when it matters most.
Unfortunately, the same can be said for Blair Walsh. Poor guy.
They’re still in the hunt for the playoffs, but this wasn’t exactly a vote of confidence. (ES)
13. Tennessee Titans
2017 record: 6-4
Previous: 12
Besides a 75-yard touchdown from Rishard Matthews, the Titans were completely shut down by a well-rounded Steelers defence. That said, they’ve got a favourable schedule over the next month as they face the Colts, Texans, Cardinals and 49ers consecutively before closing out the season hosting the Rams and Jags. (MJ)
14. Dallas Cowboys
2017 record: 5-5
Previous: 14
Stating the obvious, the Cowboys just aren’t the same team they were with Ezekiel Elliott and Tyron Smith on the field. How will Dak Prescott respond on a short week when the Chargers visit for Thanksgiving? (GL)
15. Washington Redskins
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 17
Washington wasted Kirk Cousins’s best game of the season after squandering a 15-point lead with less than six minutes left in the fourth. Now, after a 2-5 record over the toughest part of its schedule, Washington appears too far out of the playoff picture to recover. (GL)
16. Baltimore Ravens
2017 record: 5-5
Previous: 19
There isn’t much evidence to prove the Raves are any good, but they’re in a wild-card spot. With five turnovers, the Ravens shut out the Packers at Lambeau punctuating their first stretch of consistent football this year. (DB)
17. Los Angeles Chargers
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 20
Just when we were beginning to count them out, the Chargers find themselves in second place in the AFC West after whooping the Bills 54-24. In addition to scoring 37 points in the first half alone, L.A. also forced six turnovers — the most in a single game for the team since 1990. Suddenly, a win over the Cowboys on Thursday afternoon could have the Chiefs looking over their shoulder. (ES)
18. Oakland Raiders
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 16
It wasn’t so long ago that we were using words like “tough” and “competitive” to describe the AFC West. Suddenly, it feels like they’re all trying to lose — that applies to Oakland, who put together a pretty lacklustre performance coming off the bye against New England in Mexico on Sunday, to the tune of 33-8. Next up is a battle in the division basement against the Broncos — and someone is going to have to win. (ES)
19. Green Bay Packers
2017 record: 5-5
Previous: 18
After a terrible performance against the Ravens, Brett Hundley gets the Steelers as a follow-up. The Packers are forced to stick with him as Joe Callahan is the only other internal option. (DB)
20. Buffalo Bills
2017 record: 5-5
Previous: 15
Let’s not mince words: Nathan Peterman’s debut was a complete disaster, and that shouldn’t be downplayed. But the Bills’ defence continues to be shockingly bad, having surrendered 135 points over the last three games. (GL)
21. Houston Texans
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 23
Rookie running back D’Onta Foreman had a breakout game (career-high 65 rushing yards and his first two touchdowns), but was lost for the season with an Achilles injury. That’s the kind of season it’s been for the Texans. (MJ)
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 25
The Bucs earned their second straight ‘W’ without Jameis Winston thanks to a defence that forced five turnovers versus state rival Miami. (MJ)
23. Cincinnati Bengals
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 29
The Bengals’ road win versus Denver keeps their playoff hopes alive as they are now one game out of the last wild-card spot. (DB)
24. Chicago Bears
2017 record: 3-7
Previous: 21
Some clutch plays down the stretch show signs Mitch Trubisky is improving. His growth is the only thing to watch for as the last-place Bears play out the remainder of the season. (DB)
25. Arizona Cardinals
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 22
While they couldn’t hang on for a win over the Texans with another undisciplined performance, the Cardinals saw a few promising highlights from a pair of rookies in safety Budda Baker and tight end Ricky Seals-Jones. An impressive Cardinals debut from third-string quarterback Blaine Gabbert (22 completions for 257 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions) earned the veteran another start in Week 12 against his old club, the Jaguars. (ES)
26. Denver Broncos
2017 record: 3-7
Previous: 24
If you ever need to be reminded of the importance of having a good quarterback, take a long, hard look at the Broncos.
Their weekend started with their own GM calling the team soft — how’s that for motivation? — and ended with the firing of offensive coordinator Mike McCoy.
There was also a pretty disheartening loss to the Bengals in there, too, which brought a shower of boos at Mile High Stadium and ended in tears for running back C.J. Anderson after a costly late-game fumble. We’ve got a feeling things are going to get a lot messier before they get better in Denver. (ES)
27. Miami Dolphins
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 26
Giving up 10 points in the final four seconds against Tampa somehow perfectly captures Miami’s season to this point. (GL)
28. New York Jets
2017 record: 4-6
Previous: 27
The surprisingly competitive Jets host the Panthers and Chiefs in consecutive weeks coming off the bye before wrapping up the season with three road games in the last four. (GL)
29. Indianapolis Colts
2017 record: 3-7
Previous: 28
With a 3-7 record, no Andrew Luck, no realistic shot at the playoffs and coming off a bye, Colts fans should be hoping this team tanks down the stretch so they get as high a draft pick as possible in the spring. (MJ)
30. New York Giants
2017 record: 2-8
Previous: 31
While much will be made of Kansas City’s struggles (and deservedly so), the Giants deserve some credit for bouncing back after a string of embarrassing losses. (GL)
31. San Francisco 49ers
2017 record: 1-9
Previous: 30
No longer at the very bottom of the standings after defeating the Giants in Week 10, the 49ers had nothing to lose in Week 11 — thanks to a bye week, of course. There are no on-field highlights to share this week, so we’ll instead share a different kind of victory. (ES)
32. Cleveland Browns
2017 record: 0-10
Previous: 32
Cleveland is rebuilding, but do they have any players worth keeping? The Browns play four of the last six on the road including trips to Cincinnati and Pittsburgh. (DB)
