Analysis

1/4/22

8 min read

Domo's Week 17 NFL Power Rankings: Raiders and Chargers Rise Ahead of Pivotal Matchup

Week 17 NFL Power Rankings

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.


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