NFL Power Rankings, Week 14: Contenders Rise, Pretenders Fade, and the Jets Show a Pulse
It’s December, and that means the NFL playoff picture is starting to come into focus. The margin for error is shrinking, and every snap feels heavier.
Teams are battling through injuries, short weeks, and pressure-packed matchups that will ultimately shape the postseason bracket. This is when real contenders start to separate themselves from the rest-and when teams on the fringe either rise to the moment or fall out of the race entirely.
Let’s break down where things stand heading into Week 14, with a few surprises at the top, some heavy hitters stumbling, and a New York Jets team that, believe it or not, is showing signs of life.
1. Seattle Seahawks (9-3) | Last Week: 3
The Seahawks have climbed to the top spot for the first time this season, and they’ve earned it. Seattle is now locked in a dead heat with the Rams atop the NFC West, and they’ve done it by staying balanced and opportunistic.
Looking ahead, the schedule offers a mix of opportunity and danger: Atlanta, Indianapolis, the Rams at home, then road games at Carolina and San Francisco. That rematch with Los Angeles in Seattle is shaping up to be the game of the season. If the Seahawks want to control their playoff destiny, it starts there.
2. New England Patriots (11-2) | Last Week: 4
The Patriots looked like themselves again on Monday night-physical, disciplined, and in control. Their win over the Giants was more about execution than flash, and that’s exactly what makes them so dangerous in December.
Their post-bye schedule-Buffalo, at Baltimore, at the Jets, and Miami-sets up a potential coronation. Beat the Bills, and the AFC East is theirs.
From there, the path to the No. 1 seed in the AFC becomes very real. And if New England gets home field, good luck to the rest of the conference.
3. Los Angeles Rams (9-3) | Last Week: 1
The Rams defense chose the wrong week to disappear. Sunday’s loss to the Panthers was a gut punch, and it blew open the NFC West race. Every team has a clunker, but this one cost the Rams their cushion.
The road ahead isn’t forgiving-Detroit, at Seattle, at Atlanta, and Arizona. That trip to Seattle looms large. If the Rams want to win the division, they’ll need to bounce back in a big way, starting with a get-right game against the Lions.
4. Denver Broncos (10-2) | Last Week: 7
The Broncos nearly stumbled in Washington, showing signs of a post-Kansas City hangover. But here’s the thing: they didn’t. Denver found a way to win yet another tight game, and that’s becoming their identity.
Their remaining schedule-at Las Vegas, Green Bay, Jacksonville, at Kansas City, and the Chargers-is manageable. The Broncos are in control of their own fate in the AFC West. No excuses now.
5. San Francisco 49ers (9-4) | Last Week: 8
Don’t sleep on the Niners. Quietly, they’re stacking wins and building momentum. While the Rams and Seahawks duke it out, San Francisco is lurking in the shadows-and they’re dangerous.
Their final stretch includes Tennessee, at Indianapolis, Chicago, and a massive Week 18 clash with Seattle. If they keep rolling, the Niners could sneak in and steal the division while everyone’s watching the other two.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (8-4) | Last Week: 5
The Eagles are searching for answers on offense, and the timing couldn’t be worse. The run game that powered them last season hasn’t shown up consistently, and it’s putting too much pressure on the passing attack to carry the load.
They’ve got a favorable schedule-at the Chargers, Raiders, at Washington, at Buffalo, and then Washington again. It’s all there for the taking. But Philly has to rediscover its offensive identity fast, or this could be a missed opportunity.
7. Chicago Bears (9-3) | Last Week: 10
The Bears are one of the hottest teams in football, winners of five straight and nine of their last ten. Not many picked them to lead the NFC North, but here they are, clinging to a narrow edge.
Everything hinges on how they handle their next three games: at Green Bay, Cleveland, and then Green Bay again. Toss in a road trip to San Francisco and a season finale against Detroit, and the Bears’ path to the division title is anything but easy. But they’ve shown they can grind out wins.
8. Indianapolis Colts (8-4) | Last Week: 2
The Colts were riding high not long ago, but now they’re in a dogfight for the AFC South. A loss this week in Jacksonville could be a turning point-and not the good kind.
Their closing slate-at Jacksonville, at Seattle, San Francisco, Jacksonville again, and at Houston-is a gauntlet. The margin for error is gone. If the Colts want to avoid slipping into the wildcard-or worse-they need to right the ship immediately.
9. Green Bay Packers (Unranked Last Week)
Winning in Detroit changed everything for the Packers. Suddenly, they’re back in the mix, and their next three games will tell us exactly who they are.
They face Chicago twice in the next three weeks, with a trip to Denver sandwiched in between. Then it’s Baltimore and Minnesota. If Green Bay wants to make a run, it starts now.
10. Buffalo Bills (Unranked Last Week)
The Bills kept their season alive with a gritty win in Pittsburgh. Now comes the real test: Cincinnati.
A win there sets up a high-stakes showdown with New England. A loss?
And the playoff math gets a lot trickier.
The upcoming stretch-Cincinnati, at New England, at Cleveland, Philadelphia, and the Jets-is brutal. But if Buffalo handles its business this week, they’ll have a shot to make some real noise down the stretch.
27. New York Jets (3-9) | Last Week: 29
It’s been a long, frustrating season in New York, but on Sunday, the Jets finally gave their fans something to feel good about. Tyrod Taylor didn’t light up the stat sheet, but he played clean football and helped the Jets notch their third win of the year.
Most notably, the Jets won the turnover battle-something that’s been a rarity this season. Entering the game with a league-worst minus-13 turnover differential, they finished plus-one on the day. Only the Vikings have been worse in that department, so this was a much-needed shift.
And then there’s Adonai Mitchell. The newly acquired wideout was one of the few bright spots in a quiet week for offenses across the league.
He hauled in eight catches for 102 yards and a touchdown, making him the only receiver in the league to crack 100 yards last week. That’s the kind of performance the Jets have been desperate for.
Next up: a home game against division rival Miami. The Dolphins have won three straight and just took care of business against the Saints. They’re favored by 2.5 points, but their defense-ranked 10th-worst overall and 4th-worst against the run-might be vulnerable to a Jets ground game that’s been bottled up all season.
If New York can get something going on the ground and let Taylor pick his spots through the air, they’ve got a real shot to play spoiler. And at this stage of the season, that’s exactly the kind of role that can shape the playoff picture for everyone else.
Bottom Line:
December football is here, and with it comes clarity.
The contenders are rising, the pretenders are fading, and every week feels like a playoff game. Buckle up-this ride’s just getting started.