NFL Power Rankings for Week 16
Written December 17, 2008 by Jack Jones
The Steelers take over the #1 spot in the NFL Power Rankings this week for the first time this year. It wasn’t a pretty win over the Ravens in Baltimore last week, but it was a win. Nobody is playing better defense than the Steelers right now and they have shown the ability to come from behind. Pittsburgh plays at Tennessee this week as 2 point favorites.
If you’re looking for the best team in the NFC right now, it has to be the Carolina Panthers. They’ve won 3 in a row and 6 of their last 7 overall. They’ll get a chance to go up against the New York Giants this week, which would certainly prove that they are the best in the NFC at this point in the season.
The Titans still have the best record in football, but they looked very beatable in their loss against the Texans last week. They will be without Albert Haynesworth and Kyle Vanden Bosch for their final two games. Tennessee looked like they would have the #1 seed in the AFC locked up all season, now they can lose it if they fall to the Steelers this week.
In their two-straight losses, the Giants haven’t looked like the defending champions at all. Eli Manning looked lost against the Cowboys last week, along with his offensive line. They’ll need to solve their problems quickly against the Panthers this week, who are trying to grap the #1 seed in the NFC from them.
No team is hotter than the Colts right now, who have won 7 straight. They haven’t looked dominant and there are still some holes in the defense, but they have looked very good. They could very well end up with 12 wins after a 3-4 start.
Just when you think the Cowboys are ready to collapse, they come back with a tremendous performance last Sunday over the New York Giants. The Cowboys have finally figured out how to use their talent on defense and look to be in top shape heading down the stretch.
The Ravens lost a heartbreaker at home to the Steelers last week. Their defense was still great for the majority of the game, but their offense was nowhere to be found, especially in the redzone. This week the Ravens are 4 point underdogs at Dallas.
The Falcons beat Tampa Bay last week, but they still aren’t guaranteed a playoff spot. Their fate lies heavily on the performance of other teams, which is never a good thing.
The Buccaneers have lost their last two games and are in danger of losing the playoff spot that seemed almost certain just a few weeks ago. They need Jeff Garcia healthy as soon as possible to keep their offense going.
The Jets needed a little luck last week to get past the Bills, but it’s exactly the kind of play New York needed to go their way. The Jets play at Seattle this week, then at home against Miami in a game that may very well be for the AFC East crown.
Ranking the Rest of the League: New England Patriots, Miami Dolphins, Minnesota Vikings, Philadelphia Eagles, Arizona Cardinals, Chicago Bears, Washington Redskins, New Orleans Saints, Houston Texans, Buffalo Bills, Green Bay Packers, San Francisco 49ers, Jacksonville Jaguars, Cleveland Browns, Seattle Seahawks, Oakland Raiders, Cincinnati Bengals, St. Louis Rams, Kansas City Chiefs, Detroit Lions.
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