Neil Reynolds' Power Rankings Week 14

The Cardinals defense presented Kyler Murray with one short field after another in Week 13, intercepting Andy Dalton four times. That allowed a fit-again Murray to throw for two touchdowns and run for another pair in a routine victory in Chicago.

The Packers will come out of their bye in great shape with just three losses to their name. But I have one question. How come head coach Matt LaFleur sounds like he is not sure if Aaron Rodgers is getting his toe operated on or not? Surely he should know!

Tom Brady is the most prolific and, arguably, the NFL’s best quarterback this season at the age of 44. Let that settle in for just a second because I feel we have all grown numb to Brady’s greatness. What he has done in his 40s out-weighs his first three Super Bowl wins.

The weekly coaching clinic being taught to the rest of the NFL by head coach Bill Belichick is truly stunning. I know we sometimes laud too much credit on the league’s big names, but how many other coaches win games when they throw the ball three times?

The Chiefs are winning in different ways now and while they have lost some of their offensive sparkle, Andy Reid won’t mind at all. Patrick Mahomes threw for just 184 yards and one interception in a 22-9 win over Denver with the defense leading the way.

Dallas were helped out by four interceptions being served up by the Saints’ Taysom Hill, but they also benefited from the pop being provided for the rushing attack by Tony Pollard. Ezekiel Elliott will still get the starts, but Pollard is a growing force.

The Bills are lucky I have not dropped them further. Since beating Kansas City at Arrowhead Stadium in October, Buffalo have gone 3-4 and have failed to win consecutive games. They’re only this high because I believe in Josh Allen at quarterback.

The Rams were big winners in Week 13 but it should be noted that it always had the potential to be a ‘get right’ game when facing the Jacksonville Jaguars. But at least they stopped the bleeding and the hope will be that three Matthew Stafford TD strikes boost his confidence.

The Colts had a ‘get right’ game of their own against the Houston Texans and they barely had to get out of second gear in a 31-0 victory. A firm message was delivered in this one-sided game, though. Jonathan Taylor is legit and the D can take the football away.

The Ravens are a proud and battle-hardened franchise, but their resolve is about to be tested. Marlon Humphrey is lost at cornerback for the rest of the season and Lamar Jackson could be under weekly fire. He was sacked seven times at Pittsburgh.

With their win at Cincinnati on Sunday, the Chargers are now a perfect 6-0 when Justin Herbert has a passer rating of 100 or above. But another big story in Week 13 was the LA defense that recorded six sacks and a huge fumble return touchdown.

The toughness of Joe Burrow is to be applauded following his efforts with a badly injured little finger on his throwing hand in the Week 13 loss to the Chargers. The Bengals are not sliding out of the AFC playoff race. They are too talented to do that.

The Titans are an enigma. On the one hand, they are a tough and resilient team that refuses to go away even when injuries are mounting at an alarming rate. Yet on the other hand, quarterback Ryan Tannehill is turning the football over way too often.

The Dolphins have won five in a row and there are many positives. Tua Tagovailoa has posted four straight games with a QB rating over 100, Jaylen Waddle is on pace for more than 100 catches and the defense has given up just 55 points in five games.

Jimmy Garoppolo didn’t exactly lose Sunday’s game in Seattle, but he certainly didn’t help with a couple of interceptions. I think all 49ers fans have seen enough to know this team is just biding time and treading water until Trey Lance shows he is ready.

The Steelers finally woke up their offense in the fourth quarter of their Week 13 win over Baltimore. Big Ben threw for 126 yards and two touchdowns in the final 15 minutes. The trick now is to keep that attack going with a bit more consistency.

Somehow, the Washington Football Team has been playing much better defense since Chase Young went down injured. It is rarely perfect on offense with Taylor Heinicke at the helm, but Washington have won four straight and are still alive in the East.

The Browns are coming off what would have been a much-needed bye week for quarterback Baker Mayfield. This is a big five weeks coming up for the embattled passer who still has a long-term future to secure in Cleveland.

Really good teams find ways to win… and then there is the Vikings, who put their fans through a rollercoaster of emotions every single weekend. Each of Minnesota’s seven losses this season have now come by one score. Sunday’s loss to Detroit was the worst yet.

With the exception of their Thanksgiving Day explosion against Dallas, the Raiders’ offense is in a real slump. One major issue is the inability to get the running game going. Josh Jacobs gained just 52 yards on 13 runs against Washington in Week 13.

How can you not love and root for Gardner Minshew? His post-match celebrations with his father after victory over the New York Jets on Sunday was absolute gold. That lovely moment aside, Minshew played very well indeed and the Eagles remain alive.

The Seahawks are still likely done when it comes to the NFC playoff race, but with Russell Wilson at the helm and the likes of Bobby Wagner and Carlos Dunlap stepping up to make timely defensive plays, they could spoil another team’s Christmas!

Two second half interceptions in Kansas City on Sunday Night Football reminded us all that Teddy Bridgewater is merely holding down the fort until the Broncos find a quarterback answer that can make them contend once again. It’s been a while.

The script has been the same for the Falcons in recent weeks and they look anything but what they actually are – a team not that far out of the NFC playoff picture. Aside from the occasional play from Cordarrelle Patterson or Kyle Pitts, this team has very little juice.

Injuries have totally derailed the Giants’ season, but do we really believe they would have been playoff material at full health? We’ll never know, of course, and it’s even harder to judge this team and head coach Joe Judge now Daniel Jones is out injured.

Taysom Hill is a perfect example that a quarterback has to be much more than an impressive-looking athlete, even in today’s NFL when athleticism is coveted more than ever. Processing information and delivering accurate passes will always be the premium.

As the Panthers come out of their bye, there is very little we will see in the next five weeks that is going to impact on 2022 and set the tone for next season. Cam Newton is unlikely to be the quarterback and we already know the injured Christian McCaffrey is their best player.

Matt Nagy is ageing faster than a politician as head coach of the Chicago Bears. He looks worn down and worn out. If and when the Bears move on from the former NFL Coach of the Year, it has to be viewed as some kind of mercy firing.

The Lions got what they deserved in beating the Vikings on Sunday. It was a day of firsts. The team’s first win in 364 days, Dan Campbell’s first win as Lions’ head coach and Jared Goff’s first win as an NFL player without Sean McVay as his head coach.

Zach Wilson made a bright start at quarterback against Philadelphia in Week 13, but he and the offense ran out of steam. Of greater concern, and this is a weekly thing, is that the defense continues to be pushed around and dominated for entire games.

I’ve said this a few times now and I’m on repeat because there is not much to say about this team. But how can we properly evaluate the progress of rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence when there is so little around him in Jacksonville?

The Texans appeared to put up zero fight against Indianapolis on Sunday. They’ve had a couple of highs this season but seeing them enjoy between now and the end of this campaign is hard to envision. The players have one eye on their offseason holidays