Analysis
1/4/22
8 min read
Domo's Week 17 NFL Power Rankings: Raiders and Chargers Rise Ahead of Pivotal Matchup
1) Packers (13-3) Previous: 1
Last week: W37-10MIN
This week: at 2-13-1 Lions
Good news: Packers have clinched the NFC No. 1 seed for the second year in a row, which means the road to the Super Bowl once again goes through frigid Green Bay.
Bad news: None that I can see without a microscope.
2) Rams (12-4) Previous: 5
Last week: W20-19@BAL
This week: v. 9-7 49ers
Good news: Defense has allowed just 16.4 points per game during the Rams’ five-game win streak.
Bad news: Matt Stafford has five interceptions and three touchdown passes in the Rams’ last two games.
3) Chiefs (11-5) Previous: 2
Last week: L31-34@CIN
This week: at 7-9 Broncos
Good news: Offense put up 30-plus points for the fourth straight game.
Bad news: Loss to the Bengals probably cost the Chiefs the AFC’s No. 1 seed.
4) Bucs (12-4) Previous: 4
Last week: W28-24@NYJ
This week: v. 5-11 Panthers
Good news: Tom Brady. Enough said.
Bad news: Needing to come back from 14 points down against the four-win Jets isn’t a particularly good postseason omen.
5) Cowboys (11-5) Previous: 3
Last week: L22-25ARI
This week: at 9-7 Eagles
Good news: Dak Prescott has thrown seven touchdown passes and no interceptions in the last two games.
Bad news: WR Michael Gallup will miss the rest of the season with a torn ACL.
6) Bills (10-6) Previous: 7
Last week: W29-15ATL
This week: v. 4-12 Jets
Good news: Bills just need to dispose of the Jets Sunday to win their second straight division title
Bad news: Josh Allen threw three interceptions Sunday against a Falcons defense that came into the game with nine picks.
7) Cardinals (11-5) Previous: 8
Last week: W25-22@DAL
This week: v. 6-10 Seahawks
Good news: Cardinals held Cowboys’ Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard to 25 rushing yards on 12 carries.
Bad news: Kyler Murray and the Cardinals offense isn’t the same without DeAndre Hopkins.
8) Colts (9-7) Previous: 6
Last week: L20-23LVR
This week: at 2-14 Jaguars
Good news: It’s Jaguar Week!!
Bad news: Colts converted just 3 of 11 third-down opportunities against the Raiders. Two weeks earlier, they were 2-for-10 v. Patriots.
9) Bengals (10-6) Previous: 11
Last week: W34-31KC
This week: at 7-9 Browns
Good news: Joe Burrow has thrown for 971 yards and eight TDs in the last two games.
Bad news: RB Joe Mixon is averaging just 3.3 yards per carry in the last five games.
10) Patriots (10-6) Previous: 9
Last week: W50-10JAX
This week: at 8-8 Dolphins
Good news: Nothing cures a two-game losing streak like a game against the Jaguars.
Bad news: Their back-to-back losses to the Colts and Bills cost them the AFC title.
11) Titans (11-5) Previous: 10
Last week: W34-3MIA
This week: at 2-14 Texans
Good news: The Titans will have Derrick Henry back for the playoffs.
Bad news: Ryan Tannehill has just three more touchdown passes (17) than interceptions (14).
12) 49ers (9-7) Previous: 12
Last week: W23-7HOU
This week: at 12-4 Rams
Good news: Rookie Trey Lance had a 116.0 passer rating against the Texans. Then again, six other QBs also have had 100-plus passer ratings against their defense this season.
Bad news: The Niners likely need to beat the Rams Sunday to make the playoffs. They lost to the Rams at home two months ago, 31-10.
13) Eagles (9-7) Previous: 13
Last week: W20-16@WAS
This week: v. 11-5 Cowboys
Good news: Eagles have clinched a playoff spot a year after winning just four games last year.
Bad news: They haven’t been tested by a good quarterback in more than two months. The last seven QBs they’ve faced have a combined 82.8 passer rating and a plus-13 TDs-to-INTs differential.
14) Raiders (9-7) Previous: 18
Last week: W23-20@IND
This week: v. 9-7 Chargers
Good news: Win Sunday and they’re in.
Bad news: They lost to the Chargers by 14 points in their first meeting.
15) Chargers (9-7) Previous: 19
Last week: W34-13DEN
This week: at 9-7 Raiders
Good news: If they beat the Raiders, they’ll earn just their third playoff berth in the last 12 years.
Bad news: Since winning four of their first five games, the Chargers are 5-6.
16) Saints (8-8) Previous: 16
Last week: W18-10CAR
This week: at 7-9 Falcons
Good news: The Saints can earn a wildcard spot with a win over the Falcons and a 49er loss to the Rams.
Bad news: They’ve scored 30 points in their last three games.
17) Vikings (7-9) Previous: 14
Last week: L10-37@GB
This week: v. 6-10 Bears
Good news: Kirk Cousins has a plus-45 touchdowns-to-interceptions differential the last two seasons.
Bad news: And the Vikings are 14-18.
18) Ravens (8-8) Previous: 17
Last week: L19-20LAR
This week: v. 8-7-1 Steelers
Good news: TE Mark Andrews has 35 catches for 465 yards and 4 TDs in the last four games.
Bad news: Ravens have lost five in a row, four of them by two points or less.
19) Steelers (8-7-1) Previous: 21
Last week: W26-14CLE
This week: at 8-8 Ravens
Good news: Najee Harris broke Franco Harris’ rookie rushing record. Needed two more games than Franco, but still impressive.
Bad news: Steelers need 2-14 Jacksonville to beat the the Colts this week to make the playoffs. Probably have a more realistic shot at winning the lottery.
20) Dolphins (8-8) Previous: 15
Last week: L3-34@TEN
This week: v. 10-6 Patriots
Good news: Dolphins are third in the NFL in sacks with 45.
Bad news: Tua’s 53.1 passer rating and 47.4 completion percentage against the Titans both were his lowest of the season.
21) Broncos (7-9) Previous: 20
Last week: L13-34@LAC
This week: v. 11-5 Chiefs
Good news: Broncos defense allowed the second fewest points in the league (17.3 per game).
Bad news: Broncos have scored a total of 36 points in three straight losses to the Chargers, Raiders and Bengals.
22) Browns (7-9) Previous: 22
Last week: L14-26@PIT
This week: v. 10-6 Bengals
Good news: The Browns won’t be giving Baker Mayfield a long-term contract.
Bad news: Since their 41-16 Week 9 win over the Bengals, Browns have lost 5 of 7 and averaged 14.9 points per game.
23) Washington (6-10) Previous: 24
Last week: L16-20PHI
This week: at 4-12 Giants
Good news: They were good enough to beat Tampa Bay and another likely playoff team, the Raiders.
Bad news: They’ve lost four of five games against their NFC East neighbors.
24) Seahawks (6-10) Previous: 25
Last week: W51-29DET
This week: at 11-5 Cardinals
Good news: If this was Russell Wilson’s swan song as a Seahawk, he went out in style, throwing four TD passes.
Bad news: No first-round pick to help them address their many talent issues.
25) Falcons (7-9) Previous: 23
Last week: L15-29@BUF
This week: v. 8-8 Saints
Good news: Cordarrelle Patterson has proven he is more than just a really good KR. He has 1,154 yards from scrimmage and 11 rushing and receiving touchdowns, both career highs.
Bad news: Falcons have scored more than 21 points just once in their last eight games.
26) Bears (6-10) Previous: 26
Last week: W29-3NYG
This week: at 7-9 Vikings
Good news: Justin Fields will be a year older and wiser next season.
Bad news: Bears have won two in a row for just the second time this season. But it’s probably too little too late to save Matt Nagy’s job.
27) Lions (2-13-1) Previous: 27
Last week: L29-51@SEA
This week: v. 12-3 Packers
Good news: With Sunday’s loss, the Lions secured no worse than the second pick in the draft.
Bad news: Jared Goff probably isn’t the long-term answer at QB.
28) Panthers (5-11) Previous: 28
Last week: L10-18@NO
This week: at 12-4 Bucs
Good news: Head coach Matt Rhule will get a do-over in 2022.
Bad news: He needs a quarterback. A good one.
29) Jets (4-12) Previous: 31
Last week: L24-28TB
This week: at 10-6 Bills
Good news: Jets have averaged 6.8 yards per carry in their last two games.
Bad news: Jets have allowed 28.6 points per game in their last five games.
30) Texans (4-12) Previous: 29
Last week: L7-23@SF
This week: v. 11-5 Titans
Good news: Davis Mills has a 96.1 passer rating an 68.1 completion percentage in his last four starts.
Bad news: Texans are averaging a league-worst 3.4 yards per carry.
31) Giants (4-12) Previous: 30
Last week: L3-29@CHI
This week: v. 6-10 WFT
Good news: Despite what the numbers show, their defense actually isn’t half bad.
Bad news: Only hapless Jacksonsville is averaging fewer points per game than the Giants (15.7).
32) Jaguars (2-14) Previous: 32
Last week: L10-50@NE
This week: v. 9-7 Colts
Good news: Trevor Lawrence threw his first touchdown pass in five games.
Bad news: He also threw three interceptions.