NFL Week 14 Power Ratings: Chaos at the Top, Contenders Emerging, and a Playoff Race That’s Wide Open
If you’ve been trying to make sense of this NFL season, you’re not alone. For the second time in three weeks, the team sitting atop our power ratings has taken a tumble.
This time it was the Rams, falling to the Panthers in Carolina. The week before, it was the Colts letting us down in a rough outing against the Chiefs - who themselves had been No. 1 before losing to the Broncos.
The message is clear: there’s no clear-cut favorite right now. The top seeds in both conferences are currently held by teams that went a combined 9-25 last year.
That’s not just unusual - it’s downright wild. We’re heading into December with more questions than answers, and that’s what makes this stretch run so compelling.
AFC: The Power Centers Have Shifted
The AFC has turned into a full-blown rollercoaster. The Patriots, Broncos, and Jaguars are suddenly leading the charge, while perennial powers like the Chiefs, Ravens, and Bills are just trying to stay above water. Only one of those three has a winning record right now - and we’re in Week 14.
What’s even more surprising? The AFC South could send three teams to the postseason. That’s a sentence no one expected to write back in August.
This week’s slate is packed with divisional matchups that could start to separate the real contenders from the rest. The Steelers visit the Ravens in a game that could swing the AFC North.
The Bears head to Lambeau to face the Packers in a rivalry game that still carries playoff implications. And then there’s the Colts traveling to Jacksonville in what might be the most pivotal AFC South game of the year.
Colts vs. Jaguars: Injuries and Opportunity
The Colts are banged up - and not just in the usual wear-and-tear way. Daniel Jones is reportedly playing through a fractured fibula, and Sauce Gardner is nursing a calf injury from Sunday. That’s two major pieces of the puzzle compromised on both sides of the ball.
The Jaguars aren’t exactly at full strength either, with left tackle Walker Little among the walking wounded. But with this one in Jacksonville and the Colts limping in, it feels like a game where Liam Coen can put his stamp on the division. A win here could give the Jaguars the inside track in the AFC South.
Power Ratings Movement: Rams Fall, Seahawks Rise
Here’s how things are shaking out in the Week 14 power ratings:
- Rams drop from the top spot after their loss, now sitting even with the Seahawks. These two NFC West rivals are the most complete teams right now, but Seattle’s volatility - especially with Sam Darnold under center - makes them a bit more unpredictable. Even with Darnold turning the ball over against the Rams, the Seahawks’ defense nearly pulled it out.
They lost by just two points, and it’s not hard to imagine these two meeting again in January. That’s a matchup fans should be rooting for - if both can survive the NFC gauntlet.
- Chiefs take a slight step back due to injuries along the offensive line, but there’s still no one pushing them out of the No. 3 slot.
- Bills impressed with a run-heavy win, but until they get healthy, it’s tough to trust them in a high-stakes game.
- Packers are the league’s ultimate wild card - capable of beating anyone or losing to anyone. That volatility keeps them from rising higher.
- Eagles, Lions, Ravens, and Colts all dropped games last week, and none of them are playing like top-three teams right now.
Patriots, Broncos, Bears: The Surprise Contenders
You can’t ignore what the Patriots, Broncos, and Bears are doing. They just keep winning. But winning in the regular season and winning in January are two very different challenges.
Among the trio, the Patriots are the team that looks most playoff-ready. Drake Maye is playing at an elite level - maybe the highest level of any quarterback in football right now.
That’s not hyperbole. That’s just what the tape shows.
They’re now tied with the Eagles in our power ratings, and on a neutral field, it’d be a coin flip. You could make a case for the Patriots to be as high as third overall, and you wouldn’t be wrong.
Cowboys Heating Up
Don’t look now, but the Cowboys are building something. Back-to-back wins over last year’s Super Bowl teams have them trending sharply upward. And with Trevon Diggs potentially returning for Thursday’s showdown with the Lions, this team could be peaking at exactly the right time.
If they win that one? Go ahead and slap the “team nobody wants to face in the playoffs” label on them. They’ll have earned it.
Teams You Don’t Want to See
There’s a group of six teams right now that, no matter the matchup, you’d rather not run into. They’re dangerous, they’re unpredictable, and they’re built to win ugly - or win big.
The Giants are knocking on the door of that group. They lost to the Patriots in a game that was more about special teams miscues than anything else - a punt return touchdown, a fumbled kickoff, and a bizarre field goal attempt from Younghoe Koo all swung the game by 13 points. Clean that up, and the Giants are right there.
Week 14 Power Ratings Snapshot
Here’s a quick look at where teams rank heading into Week 14:
- Top Tier: Rams, Seahawks, Chiefs
- Rising Fast: Patriots, Cowboys, Broncos
- Fighting Through Injuries: Bills, Colts, Jaguars
- Volatile but Dangerous: Packers, Giants, Bears
- Still in the Mix: Eagles, Lions, Ravens
- Trending Down: Bengals, Saints, Jets, Titans
Week 14 Projected Lines
These are the projected spreads based on power ratings and home-field advantage. They’re not automatic plays, but they give us a baseline to spot potential value as lines shift during the week.
This season has been anything but predictable, and that’s what makes it special. The playoff picture is still wide open, contenders are emerging from unexpected places, and every week feels like it could reshape the entire landscape.
So buckle up - December football is here, and it’s going to be a wild ride.