We're just a few weeks from the end of the 2024 NFL regular season, and the final push to the postseason is in full swing.

Week 14 featured a number of games with big-time postseason implications. The Philadelphia Eagles dominated the Steelers in a game that could have injury implications for Pittsburgh long past Sunday's loss. The Buffalo Bills won a Super Bowl preview in Detroit—a game in which injuries continued to ravage the Lions.

On Sunday night, the Packers dispatched the Seahawks in Seattle in a game where (wait for it) the Seahawks lost quarterback Geno Smith. That defeat, coupled with the Rams' ugly win in San Francisco, vaulted the Rams into first place in the NFC West.

The Houston Texans are champions of the AFC South after defeating the Miami Dolphins, whose postseason hopes are now on life support. The Washington Commanders and Denver Broncos continued their playoff pushes. And the Baltimore Ravens set up a massive Week 16 showdown with the rival Steelers by handing the hapless New York Giants their ninth straight defeat.

Oh, and Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is hurt. Is that important?

The week's happenings altered the NFL landscape from top to bottom. And as they do every week, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Kristopher Knox, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have gathered to slot the league's teams from worst to first.

As it happens, we have a new No. 1.

32. New York Giants (2-12)

Last Week: 32

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Baltimore 35-14

You know things are bad when a fan hires a plane to fly a banner that reads "Fix This Dumpster Fire" over an NFL game.

When another person hires another plane to fly another banner, this time reading, "We Won't Stop Until You Fire Everyone," then you are the 2024 New York Giants.

Sunday's blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens was New York's ninth straight. If the season ended now, the Giants would pick first in the 2025 NFL draft. Rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers admitted to reporters that he's not sure where exactly the team goes from here, although he holds out hope that the front office has a plan.

"Trying to put great pieces together to win,'' Nabers said. "You got to have all the right pieces together to have a winning program. We're trying to find those pieces to help us win. That's really it. I'm sure upstairs will do a great job trying to find the missing pieces, so I'm gonna leave it there to do that."

Of course, before long there may be new people upstairs, because the current regime doesn't appear to have much of a plan.

Analyst's Take

The Giants started their fourth quarterback of the season in a blowout loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Whether it's Drew Lock (heel), Tommy DeVito (concussion) or a healthy Tim Boyle under center, Big Blue looks like the NFL's worst team. The Giants' nightmare season will be over in three weeks, and then their fans can focus on the 2025 draft rather than the team's current dumpster-fire situation. -- Moton

31. Las Vegas Raiders (2-12)

Last Week: 30

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Atlanta 15-9

As a truly disastrous season in Las Vegas continues, the future of head coach Antonio Pierce becomes that much bleaker. But while making a radio appearance, ESPN NFL guru Adam Schefter said that he believes Pierce may have gotten something of a raw deal.

"Mark Davis didn't stand behind Antonio Pierce," Schefter said. "Until he does, I think that's a question. It's also a little bit unfair to AP considering all the quarterback drama they have been through. They haven't had a quarterback this year, and so if that's what Mark Davis decides to do, well, Antonio Pierce was fighting a fight this year with one hand, at least, tied behind his back."

It can't be denied that Pierce wasn't exactly put in position to succeed. But with the Raiders at 2-12 and having a real shot to land the first overall pick next year, this has the makings of a team that is going to be blown up.

Given how they have looked on the field, the Raiders probably should be.

Analyst's Take

Injuries aside, Pierce never should have been named head coach based of half a season to begin with. It was a classic Raiders move. Knee-jerk. Ill-conceived. But if this team is going to be anything more than the AFC West's laughingstock for the foreseeable future, Pierce and general manager Tom Telesco (another bad hire) both need to go. Hire a new GM. Get a young, offensive-minded head coach who can develop the quarterback the team is going to draft in 2025. And for the love of God and all that is Holy, do not go full Raiders and try to lure Deion Sanders away from Colorado. -- Davenport

30. Tennessee Titans (3-11)

Last Week: 31

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Cincinnati 37-27

The Will Levis era may well be over in Nashville.

After four more turnovers, including a league-high fourth pick six of the season, Titans head coach Brian Callahan brought the hook, replacing the second-year pro with Mason Rudolph.

After yet another loss, Callahan didn't mince words while addressing the media.

"Today wasn't his day," Callahan said. "He had a couple bad picks, put us in some tough spots, so I made a decision to sit him down. It's just there's too many negatives that don't give us a chance to win a game. That's where we're at right now is we're trying to find ways to win games if we're not getting enough positive plays in a row from the quarterback position."

Callahan wouldn't name a starter for Week 16, but there's zero question that the quarterback position will be one of Tennessee's top priorities at next year's draft.

Analyst's Take

The Will Levis experiment may or may not have ended on Sunday. He was benched for Mason Rudolph after his fourth turnover of the day, and I'm not quite sure what else Tennessee needs to see from the second-year quarterback.

That doesn't mean the Titans can't stumble into a win or two over the final three weeks—all three games will be against AFC South rivals. Tennessee's defense has been quietly solid, and its offense has a capable backfield tandem in Tony Pollard and Tyjae Spears. I'm very interested to see what this team could be in 2025 if it can find a reliable signal-caller. -- Knox

29. Cleveland Browns (3-11)

Last Week: 27

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Kansas City 21-7

The 2024 season has essentially been nothing but lows for the Cleveland Browns. Sunday's 14-point loss to the Kansas City Chiefs was the latest.

Quarterback Jameis Winston continued throwing interceptions in bunches, eventually being benched in favor of youngster Dorian Thompson-Robinson. All told, the Browns turned the ball over a whopping six times. And running back Nick Chubb, whose 2023 season was wiped out by an ACL tear, had his truncated 2024 campaign ended by a broken foot.

After the game, head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters that the Browns won't make a decision on the team's starter against Cincinnati until later in the week.

"With any decision, I'll work through those type of things," Stefanski said. "This is not about one person. I want to make that very clear. Jameis does a great job preparing for these games. He's fighting his tail off and I appreciate that from him, but we'll make that decision later."

At this point, does it really matter?

Analyst's Take

The Browns were eliminated from playoff contention a week ago, and the version we saw in Week 15 isn't even capable of playing spoiler down the stretch. The defense is bad, the special-teams unit is worse, and Jameis Winston isn't even trying to avoid turnovers anymore.

Winston was benched after his third interception on Sunday, but Dorian Thompson-Robinson didn't come close to providing a spark. Now Nick Chubb is out with a broken foot. It sure feels like Cleveland is destined to finish 2024 as a three-win team. -- Knox

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11)

Last Week: 29

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. New York Jets 32-25

There's no team in the NFL that wants the 2024 season to just end more than the Jacksonville Jaguars. The offense is without quarterback Trevor Lawrence. The defense is without the ability to stop anyone.

And head coach Doug Pederson may soon be without a job.

ESPN's Jeremy Fowler and Dan Graziano expect both Pederson and general manager Trent Baalke to be shown the door at season's end.

"The people to whom I'm talking to believe Jacksonville is likely to come open, and the question there is whether GM Trent Baalke will get to stay to pick the next coach to replace Doug Pederson or if the Jags will change both spots," they said. "For the Jaguars, the sense I get from talking to people is that owner Shad Khan would make the head coaching job more attractive by also starting anew at general manager. People in Jacksonville are bracing for change, but whether that's a full-house cleaning still needs to be determined."

Analyst's Take

The Jaguars aren't an unappealing job—this is a team many expected to be in the thick of the AFC South race this year before everything fell apart. But while Lawrence's job isn't in any jeopardy, there is going to be a lot of pressure on the young quarterback to live up to his contract—something he didn't do in 2024 even before he got hurt. Jacksonville needs a coach who can coax the most out of Lawrence. For whatever reason, Pederson hasn't been able to. -- Davenport

27. New England Patriots (3-11)

Last Week: 28

Week 15 Result: Lost at Arizona 30-13

The Patriots are one of the worst teams in the NFL, and they will likely be in the market for a new head coach next spring.

Jerod Mayo's disastrous first year in charge took another turn for the worse Sunday, when Mayo effectively threw offensive coordinator Alex Van Pelt under the bus for not calling a Drake May sneak on a fourth-down play in the third quarter, For Tom Curran of NESN, it was just the latest example of the fact that Mayo is out of his depth running the Pats.

"We should have been talking about the football game and the things the Patriots didn't do well to start their four-game stretch, and instead we're gonna talk about a situation that Jerod Mayo made worse," Curran said. "He should be talking about those aspects, and if he's gonna say continually, 'These are my decisions, I'm gonna make these decisions, they all start and end with me,' to take a question and then infer that, 'Yeah, you're right, we should have run Drake Maye,' that undercuts the entire thing and undercuts Alex Van Pelt. And to then circle back and later say, 'Yeah, it's all on me,' it is again another rake stepped on."

Analyst's Take

Oddly, the Patriots offense came out of a bye week with a conservative approach instead of allowing rookie quarterback Drake Maye to sling the ball and make mistakes. He completed 19 out of 23 passes for 202 yards, a touchdown and an interception. The coaching staff may want Maye to focus on avoiding turnovers, which could also minimize his playmaking ability. -- Moton

26. New York Jets (4-10)

Last Week: 26

Week 15 Result: Won at Jacksonville 32-25

Where the heck have these Jets been all season long?

Granted, it came against arguably the worst team in the NFL, but quarterback Aaron Rodgers and wide receiver Davante Adams turned back the clock Sunday. Rodgers played his best game as a Jet, throwing for 289 yards and three scores. Two of those touchdowns went to Adams, who went off to the tune of nine catches for 198 yards and scored his 100th career touchdown.

Interim head coach Jeff Ulbrich told reporters that it was fun to watch two of the greatest to even play their respective positions do their thing.

"Historic, magical," Ulbrich said. "To get his 100th TD ... I feel honored to have seen it and to have been here for it. It was an amazing moment for those two guys. Obviously, a lot of ball between them and a lot of touchdowns. So, for them to get that was special."

Analyst's Take

This was the New York offense fans expected to see this season—in addition to Rodgers and Adams going off, New York averaged 5.4 yards per carry on the ground. The question for the Jets is whether it means anything moving forward. Rodgers and Adams cost over $50 million against New York's salary cap in 2025. Is this team close enough to make running things back a viable plan of action, or do the Jets need to embark on a more extensive rebuild? That's a rhetorical question—and one the Jets will likely get wrong...because Jets. -- Davenport

25. Carolina Panthers (3-11)

Last Week: 25

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Dallas 30-14

It hadn't translated to victories, but in recent weeks the Carolina Panthers had shown signs of life, giving teams like the Kansas City Chiefs and Philadelphia Eagles all they could handle.

Sunday against the Dallas Cowboys though, the Panthers reverted to the tomato can they were earlier in the year. Carolina managed just 235 yards of total offense and turned the ball over four times. Defensively, the Panthers gave up a big game to Dallas running back Rico Dowdle and allowed quarterback Cooper Rush to throw a career-high three touchdown passes.

While addressing the media, Panthers head coach Dave Canales said that Carolina can't afford to let opponents dictate the tempo of games the way Dallas did in Week 15.

"When they put us in this mode where we have to play behind, where we have to throw the ball and flip the field to score some points, we were playing into their hands," Canales said. "Certainly, put us in a brand of football that we don't really want to play."

Analyst's Take

Despite a disappointing loss to the Cowboys after being favored for the first time in nearly three years, Carolina's effort wasn't a complete loss. Wide receiver Jalen Coker returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games because of injury and immediately contributed 110 yards and a touchdown. We're now long past the point where Coker's emergence as an undrafted free agent is just a good story. He should be viewed as a building block as the Panthers finish the campaign and head into the offseason. -- Sobleski

24. New Orleans Saints (5-9)

Last Week: 23

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Washington 20-19

Credit where it's due. There's no quit in these New Orleans Saints.

Facing the Washington Commanders, the Saints didn't have the services of quarterback Derek Carr. Or wide receiver Chris Olave. Running back Alvin Kamara left the game with a groin injury. And the team made an in-game quarterback switch.

Despite all that, the Saints were a successful two-point conversion attempt away from stunning the Commanders. And while the team didn't get the result it wanted, interim head coach Darren Rizzi told reporters he was proud of the fight the team showed.

"Just a mixture of emotions because we walk off the field with a loss, but I don't know if I've ever been more proud of the team," Rizzi said, adding that he didn't regret, "whatsoever," going for the victory at the end. "I don't think the players regret it. They were all in favor of it," Rizzi said. "I just thought it was the right thing."

Two of New Orleans' three remaining games are against teams that would be in the playoffs if the season ended today. So, while a winning season may be out, playing a little spoiler is not.

Analyst's Take

The Saints are a scrappy team under special teams coordinator and interim head coach Darren Rizzi. They're 3-2 on his watch. New Orleans nearly came from behind to upset Washington, with rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler taking over for fellow backup signal-caller Jake Haener after halftime. At 5-9, the Saints will miss the playoffs, but Rizzi will get job offers for a coordinator position if New Orleans doesn't retain him in the offseason. He's a quality coach in a tough situation with an injury-riddled roster. -- Moton

23. Chicago Bears (4-10)

Last Week: 24

Week 15 Result: Lost at Minnesota 30-12

It has been a rough first season for rookie quarterback Caleb Williams in Chicago. As he told reporters ahead of Monday's loss to Minnesota, he has sought advice on how to deal with adversity at a level he has never faced before.

"I ask questions," Wiliams said. "I do understand that this is, one, my first time being a part of something like this, of losing and this streak going, so I ask questions to the guys that may have lost a bunch of games in a row like this or had losing seasons. I ask them questions because the more knowledge that I have prepares me for the future if this ever comes close to something like this again."

Williams might want to get some tips on playing quarterback, too.

To be fair, Williams' play has improved since Thomas Brown took over as first offensive coordinator and now interim head coach. And the fact he's been sacked more than any quarterback in the NFL doesn't help.

But there continue to be far too many missed reads. Far too many off-target throws. Far too many mistakes.

And the losses just keep piling up.

Analyst's Take

The Bears were right to move on from Matt Eberflus—bringing him back for 2024 was the big mistake—but Chicago has been no better under interim coach Thomas Brown. The Bears have a roster that oozes potential, but poor decision-making and bad game management have prevented them from being truly competitive. With games against the Lions, Seahawks and Packers remaining, Chicago is likely to end the season on an 11-game losing streak.-- Knox

22. Dallas Cowboys (6-8)

Last Week: 22

Week 15 Result: Won at Carolina 30-14

That the Dallas Cowboys headed into Week 15 as an underdog to the Carolina Panthers says just about all you need to know about the 2024 Dallas Cowboys.

But the Cowboys who took the field Sunday looked less like the flawed unit that has pitched and lurched its way through the season and more like the team that was tabbed as a contender before the season.

Backup quarterback Cooper Rush threw for three scores. Running back Rico Dowdle surpassed 100 rushing yards for the third straight game. And the Cowboys held the Carolina Panthers to just 235 total yards and forced four turnovers.

Edge-rusher Micah Parsons was impressed by the fight Dallas showed in the victory.

"It says that we are not going to give up," Parsons told reporters. "As long as I'm a part of this unit and we believe in each other. We are fighting for each other at this point. The record is the record, but it's a special feeling when you can fight for each other."

Analyst's Take

At 6-8, the Cowboys' playoff hopes aren't completely dead. But they are on life support. Still, Sunday's defensive effort against the Carolina Panthers was encouraging after struggling for much of this season. Chuba Hubbard, who entered this past weekend's meeting as the league's sixth-best rusher, managed only 32 yards. Bryce Young threw for 175 yards. Dallas created sacks and forced four turnovers. Efforts like that can keep the Cowboys in the postseason mix all the way to Week 18, even if the possibility remains a longshot. – Sobleski

21. Indianapolis Colts (6-8)

Last Week: 19

Week 15 Result: Lost at Denver 31-13

It's a play that will be replayed on television for a long time—much to the chagrin of Colts running back Jonathan Taylor.

Granted, Taylor dropping the ball just before crossing the goal line wasn't the only reason that Indianapolis lost on Sunday, as Indy turned the ball over five times. But the gaffe summed up the 2024 Colts—for every flash of talent, there has been a game-changing mistake.

While talking to reporters post-game, head coach Shane Steichen said that despite the mistake, the team stands behind its star tailback.

"That was a game changer, yeah, absolutely," Colts coach Shane Steichen said. "Obviously, it hurt us, but he's one of our leaders. Sometimes that happens in football, but he's our guy, and that's what you say to him."

For his part, Taylor was just mortified.

"That can't happen," said Taylor. "No, you're never consciously aware you're dropping the ball. Otherwise, you wouldn't do it."

Analyst's Take

Jonathan Taylor's "fumble" on what could have been a game-changing score during Sunday's loss to the Denver Broncos won't be forgotten anytime soon. Indianapolis held a strong lead for the majority of the game. Momentum jerked more abruptly than a new driver learning how to use a stick shift when Taylor forgot to bring the ball with him as he ran into the end zone. The story remains the same throughout the season: Quarterback Anthony Richardson must play better, but he needs more help from those around him. Taylor fumbling away the team's playoff hopes serves as a microcosm for the entire campaign. -- Sobleski

20. Atlanta Falcons (7-7)

Last Week: 20

Week 15 Result: Won at Las Vegas 15-9

Ahead of Monday's trip to Sin City, the talk in Atlanta continued to center on the poor play of Falcons quarterback Kirk Cousins. Pundits like NFL Insider Jordan Schultz have said out loud what so many are thinking—the only thing keeping Cousins on the field is money and the optics of benching a $45 million quarterback.

"The fact that they still have Kirk Cousins, who has the worst QBR in the red zone… who leads the NFL in picks (15), fumbles 12, and this is a team by the way with really good talent. You ask anybody around this league, and they'll tell you, they have great weaponry. There's Bijan, Pitts, London, Mooney, you go down the list. The fact that they are still with Cousins is because of optics," Schultz said on FS1 Radio.

The Falcons got a win against a terrible Raiders team to get back to .500 and keep at least some pressure on Tampa Bay. But 112 passing yards and just 17 attempts (compared to 37 runs) aren't going to quiet the crowd who believes rookie Michael Penix Jr. should get a shot.

That crowd now includes Atlanta head coach Raheem Morris--Cousins was benched Tuesday.

Analyst's Take

Rookie Michael Penix Jr. should get a shot. Come on. 112 passing yards in an NFL game. Seventeen pass attempts. Those are stats from a high-school team running the Wing-T—not an NFL team hoping to make the playoffs. Raheem Morris coached Monday night like he was afraid to throw the ball. The Falcons have two choices—admit that the 2024 season is over because your quarterback is terrible or make a switch and see what the kid can do. Given the offensive talent in Atlanta, it seems an easy choice to this analyst. -- Davenport

19. San Francisco 49ers (6-8)

Last Week: 16

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Los Angeles Rams 12-6

There will be a new NFC representative in the Super Bowl this year.

The 2024 season for the San Francisco 49ers has just been one mess after another. Key players like wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk, edge-rusher Nick Bosa and running back Christian McCaffrey missed a big chunk of the season.

The biggest mess may be yet to come. The NFL Network's Tom Pelissero said on the Rich Eisen Show, quarterback Brock Purdy will be eligible for a new contract after the season—one that will facilitate some difficult decisions in the Bay Area.

"The situation is this," Pelissero said. "He's eligible for a contract extension starting at the end of the regular season, which is in all likelihood going to be the end of the season as a whole for the 49ers. Next year is a contract year. If a deal is going to get done, I would anticipate it is at the top of the quarterback market for all the reasons I just said. That's Dak's number. That is $60 million per year. Are the 49ers willing to go to that, or are they going to be in a situation where you could have a standoff with your starting quarterback into the offseason?"

Analyst's Take

The disappointment of this season is still fresh in San Francisco's minds, but the general manager needs to turn his focus to 2025. The 49ers aren't short on high-priced talent, whether it's McCaffrey, wide receiver Deebo Samuel and tight end George Kittle on offense or Bosa and linebacker Fred Warner on defense. Adding a massive deal for Purdy to the team's books isn't going to be easy—and some tough decisions may need to be made. -- Davenport

18. Cincinnati Bengals (6-8)

Last Week: 21

Week 15 Result: Won at Tennessee 37-27

The Cincinnati Bengals all but certainly aren't making the playoffs this year. But the team still has faint hopes if they win out, and the Bengals got a 10-point win in Nashville thanks largely to six Titans turnovers.

However, while the Bengals won, the team wasn't especially happy about it—quarterback Joe Burrow told reporters after the game that Cincinnati is capable of playing much better than what it showed in Week 15.

"We know the chances are very slim," Burrow said. "What I'm focused on right now is playing as good as we can play myself, playing up to my standard. That's why I was so frustrated because I didn't feel like we did that today."

Those sentiments were echoed by head coach Zac Taylor.

"Unacceptable but really happy with the way the (defense) got the turnovers," Taylor said. "(Six) turnovers. Three of them in the second half was huge for us ... It was a strange game that way."

Analyst's Take

I'll give the Bengals credit. They continue to fight like a playoff-caliber team, even if the postseason is an extreme longshot. Cincinnati's defense is an extreme liability, but when it manages to snag a turnover or two, the offense is fully capable of pulling away from bad teams.

Unfortunately, the Bengals have struggled mightily against good teams and still have the Denver Broncos and Pittsburgh Steelers left on their schedule. -- Knox

17. Miami Dolphins (6-8)

Last Week: 17

Week 15 Result: Lost at Houston 20-12

The Miami Dolphins headed into Week 15 winners of four of five as they tried to scratch and claw their way back into the playoff conversation.

They left Houston a 6-8 team on the brink of playoff elimination.

The Texans defense held Miami's star-studded offense under 225 total yards, but the real story of Sunday's loss was turnovers. Quarterback Tua Tagovailoa threw a trio of interceptions and lost a fumble, and while addressing reporters after the loss, Tagovailoa accepted responsibility for a loss the Dolphins simply could not afford.

"Plain and simple, my fault," he said. "I've got to protect the ball. I've got to play better ball for our guys, especially in the situation where the team is counting on me to drive our offense down to potentially tie the game up. That is not what I did."

Miami doesn't face another team with a winning record the rest of the season. But even three more wins could be too little, too late—unless the Dolphins have several things break their way.

Analyst's Take

The Dolphins are good, but they're not good enough. Over the last three seasons, Miami has beaten the opponents it should beat. Conversely, the team struggles greatly against quality competition. Since Mike McDaniel became the head coach, the Dolphins are 3-13 against opponents with a record above .500. Considering Miami wants to compete with the likes of the Buffalo Bills, Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens, it's not currently capable of placing itself among the AFC's elite. Instead, thoughts of possibly replacing McDaniel might be creeping into the mind of owner Stephen Ross. -- Sobleski

16. Arizona Cardinals (7-7)

Last Week: 18

Week 15 Result: Won vs. New England 30-17

The Arizona Cardinals didn't know it at the time, but by virtue of Sunday's win over the lowly Patriots and Seattle's Sunday night loss to the Green Bay Packers, the Redbirds are right back in it in the NFC West.

Mind you, this wasn't a stylish win. Running back James Conner piled up 138 total yards and scored a pair of touchdowns, but Kyler Murray's numbers were underwhelming—224 passing yards and zero touchdowns.

But as Theo Mackie wrote for the Arizona Republic, the Cardinals' path to the postseason has re-opened—even if the trail is narrow.

"The Cardinals still need significant help to make the playoffs, but Sunday's win kept their hopes alive," he said. "If they can win out—against the Panthers, Rams and 49ers—they would need the Seahawks, who played the late Sunday game, to drop three of their final four games. Given that Seattle has Minnesota and the Rams among its final three games, that's not impossible. There's also a scenario in which Seattle finishes 2-2 and the Cardinals make the playoffs in a three-way tie among themselves, the Seahawks and the Rams at 10-7."

Analyst's Take

The Cardinals will need to do more than beat the three-win Patriots to revive playoff hopes in the desert. In that victory, Kyler Murray threw for 224 scoreless yards. Arizona's passing attack is still underwhelming. Drew Petzing isn't getting the most out of Murray. -- Moton

15. Seattle Seahawks (8-6)

Last Week: 13

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Green Bay 30-13

It's not bad enough that the Seahawks were beaten soundly by the Green Bay Packers Sunday night—a loss that drops Seattle out of the NFC playoffs. But the team also lost quarterback Geno Smith to a knee injury in the defeat.

While speaking to the media after the game, Seahawks head coach Mike Macdonald expressed optimism that the injury isn't serious.

"I'll tell you this, this guy is probably the toughest player I've ever been around," Macdonald said. "It was severe enough for him not to come back in the game. We'll do all the tests and kind of figure it out as we go. But right now, structurally it looks like it's OK, but we've got to get it imaged and all that stuff."

Seahawks linebacker Ernest Jones IV told reporters that the team will rally around one another over the season's last few games.

"We know what type of team we are. We know what the goal is, what we're trying to accomplish. Playoff ball is just putting the emphasis on what we said early in the year that we wanted to get done," Jones said. "That's win the division, go into the playoffs, get a home playoff game, one or two, or whatever the case may be."

Without Smith, achieving that goal may well be impossible.

Analyst's Take

The Seahawks appear to have dodged the proverbial bullet with Smith's injury, but Seattle still has precious little margin for error. Seattle still has to take on the two-loss Vikings in Week 16 and the NFC West-leading Rams in Week 18. Play like they did against the Pack, and Seattle will be watching this season's playoffs on TV.

14. Los Angeles Rams (8-6)

Last Week: 15

Week 15 Result: Won at San Francisco 12-6.

In Week 14, the Rams won the highest-scoring game of 2024, stunning the Buffalo Bills 44-42 in Los Angeles. In Week 15, the Rams won the only game in the NFL this season that didn't have a single touchdown—and in doing so all but ruined any chances the San Francisco 49ers had of returning to the playoffs.

Of course the Rams have postseason aspirations of their own, and while speaking to reporters after the rainy win in Santa Clara, Rams head coach Seam McVay credited his team for finding a way to win.

"What's really cool is this team has found a bunch of different ways to be able to win football games," McVay said. "You come off a 44-42 game the other day and then you win 12-6. Our group did what they needed to do to be able to get it done."

Quarterback Matthew Stafford was pleased with how the team played after intermission.

"In the second half, the weather was good enough to do it all," Stafford said. "We had the feeling that that was the kind of way this game was going to be played and it's going to have to be one of those games. We scored 44 four nights ago and come out here and score 12 but they both count for one."

Analyst's Take

The Rams probably aren't a threat to the likes of the Philadelphia Eagles and Detroit Lions in the NFC. But Los Angeles showed in Week 14 that they can hang with the NFL's best, and while this week's win was an ugly one (wide receiver Cooper Kupp didn't have a single reception) the Rams are beginning to look like the team that no one in the NFC wants to see waltz into their stadium in the wild-card round. -- Davenport

13. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6)

Last Week: 10

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Tampa Bay 40-17

With each passing week, it's getting more difficult to believe in the Los Angeles Chargers as a legitimate playoff threat in the AFC.

For the third time in four games, the Chargers lost Sunday. But this wasn't a seven-point loss to the Baltimore Ravens. Or a two-point defeat in Kansas City.

The Chargers got their heads kicked in by an 8-7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers team. Tampa piled up 40 points and over 500 yards of offense. The Bolts were outgained by a whopping 300 yards and dominated in every aspect of the game in the second half.

It was a thrashing that left the team searching for answers—and vowing to rebound.

"It was pretty thorough. Very thorough. And now we're staring at that adversity, and it's (about) how we respond," head coach Jim Harbaugh told reporters. "All phases, just wasn't good enough today."

Young linebacker Daiyan Henley told the media this is a feeling he'd as soon not get used to.

"I'm glad it's new. I'm glad it's not familiar," Henley said. "Every team in NFL history has taken a beating, but not every team comes back from these type of losses. And so, we have to be that team that comes back."

Analyst's Take

Sometimes, statistics don't tell the whole story about a team. Los Angeles came into Week 15 with the No. 1-ranked scoring defense, slowing down mediocre and below-average offenses, some of which were led by rookies. Whenever Los Angeles plays a high-scoring opponent, its defense looks more porous than stout. The Buccaneers dropped 40 points on the Chargers at SoFi Stadium, and it should leave you questioning whether this club can hang with playoff-caliber teams. -- Moton

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6)

Last Week: 14

Week 15 Result: Won at Los Angeles Chargers 40-17

There can be no doubt now. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are the best team in the NFC South—and that's largely due to quarterback Baker Mayfield.

After roasting one of the league's top-ranked defenses for 288 yards and four touchdowns, Mayfield has 30 touchdown passes for the first time in his career. And while there were no shortage of doubters that Mayfield could turn his lagging career around in Tampa, the quarterback told reporters he was never among them.

"I have always had self-confidence," Mayfield said just steps from the Rams' locker room at SoFi Stadium. "There were ups and downs, but that's just the journey of the NFL career. I just wanted to get in the right spot and Tampa Bay has been that for me from the jump."

However, Mayfield was also quick to credit offensive coordinator Liam Coen for putting the entire team in position to succeed.

"I can only imagine for a defensive coordinator what it is like to scheme against us with the personnel changes and we have a lot of plays off plays in the same formation. It's tough to defend that," Mayfield said.

Analyst's Take

Buccaneers offensive coordinator Liam Coen may be the hottest head coaching candidate other than Lions offensive play-caller Ben Johnson. Tampa Bay's offense dismantled Los Angeles' then-top-ranked scoring defense with a 40-point performance last Sunday. Coen's offense has helped propel Tampa Bay to four consecutive wins, and the club could rattle off a few more victories against the Dallas Cowboys, Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints before a deep postseason run. -- Moton

11. Washington Commanders (9-5)

Last Week: 12

Week 15 Result: Won at New Orleans 20-19

At 9-5, the Washington Commanders are well-positioned to make the postseason this year. But after squeaking by an injury-ravaged Saints team in Week 15, it's fair to wonder how much that really matters.

Granted, in the NFL getting the win is all that really matters. But the Commanders were their own worst enemies for much of Sunday's game, whether it was nine penalties or allowing rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels to be sacked eight times.

While addressing the media after the game, head coach Dan Quinn acknowledged to reporters that the Commanders have a lot to clean up if they are to make any noise in the postseason.

"Wild game," Quinn said. "Good and bad. Solid, but not to the level we need to be."

However, wide receiver Terry McLaurin, who scored two touchdowns in the game, credited his teammates for gutting out the victory.

"I know I have confidence in those moments for us to come through. That's what we talk about all the time, those winning-time moments," McLaurin said.

Analyst's Take

Coming off a bye week, the Commanders narrowly escaped New Orleans with a victory over a team that split the game between two backup quarterbacks—one of them a rookie fifth-rounder. Washington lost significant sizzle after it won seven of eight games between mid-September and early November. The Commanders are still in a position to clinch a playoff berth, but they look like a one-and-done January team. -- Moton

10. Denver Broncos (9-5)

Last Week: 11

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Indianapolis 31-13

The number of people who expected the Denver Broncos to be in the thick of the AFC playoff race after 15 weeks was, um, low.

But after handling an error-prone Indianapolis Colts team Sunday, that's where Denver sits—guaranteed its first winning season since 2016.

It was a game won in spite of the offense and not because of it—the Broncos managed just 193 yards of offense, and rookie quarterback Bo Nix threw three interceptions.

While addressing the media after the game, Nix was the first to admit that he has to play better if Denver is going to do more than just make a token appearance in football's second season.

"I've got to be better ... regardless that's three [interceptions], you start feeling like every time I throw it is it going to get picked? You start having those mental thoughts, it's challenging," Nix said. "It's probably the toughest part of playing the position ... don't let one turn into a false vision and see things that aren't actually there."

Analyst's Take

Denver currently holds the AFC's sixth playoff seed. Most franchises would be happy to be in a strong postseason position. For the Broncos, it's a threshold that's absolutely vital to obtain this season since the organization currently holds the league's second-longest playoff drought. Denver now has a franchise quarterback in place with Bo Nix, and the squad is resilient, as Sunday's effort showed. The Broncos scored 24 unanswered points starting in the third quarter against the Indianapolis Colts. Head coach Sean Payton loves his team's grit, and he should. -- Sobleski

9. Houston Texans (9-5)

Last Week: 9

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Miami 20-12

The Houston Texans are the champions of the AFC South, and while different players have stepped up from one week to the next, on Sunday it was young cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. who shined, picking off Dolphins quarterback Tua Tagovailoa twice in the fourth quarter to seal an eight-point win.

While speaking to reporters after the game, head coach DeMeco Ryans was doing a little AFC Defensive Player of the Week lobbying.

"Not a lot of players can do that," Ryans said. "I know all the games aren't over, but I think he's very deserving of player of the week. There's not a better play I've seen than that play he made today."

Apparently, Stingley has the vote of teammate C.J. Stroud.

"'Sting is one of a kind," Stroud said. "His ball skills and how he can play the ball in the air is the best I've ever seen in my life."

If the Houston offense can recapture its early-season form and play at the same level the defense did Sunday, Hoston could be a tough out in the playoffs.

Analyst's Take

With Sunday's victory over the Dolphins and the Indianapolis Colts' loss to the Denver Broncos, the Texans are now back-to-back AFC South champions. Interestingly, the latest outcome wasn't defined by C.J. Stroud or any of the talented skill positions performers on Houston's roster. Instead, the defense really came to play and clinched the victory, with two fourth-quarter interceptions by cornerback Derek Stingley Jr. The Texans now field the league's fourth-best defense, which can play complementary football and potentially propel the entire squad. -- Sobleski

8. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Last Week: 7

Week 15 Result: Won at New York Giants 35-14

There was little chance that the Ravens would have trouble with a miserable New York Giants team. Even if the Ravens were looking ahead a little to next week's massive meeting with the Steelers, Baltimore is just a vastly better team.

Sure enough, Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson had his focus squarely in the here and now. And he put on a show at Met Life Stadium.

Jackson had more touchdown passes (five) than incompletions (four) against the Giants. His passer rating for the game was 154.7. After the victory, Ravens head coach John Harbaugh talked up his quarterback while speaking to reporters.

"All around he had a great game," Harbaugh said. "He's been locked in all season, all week. He's on the guys in meetings, walk-throughs, everything. He's keeping it about football and getting the football right."

Now attention turns to next week's AFC North showdown. If the Steelers win in Week 16, that's it—the division is decided. But if Jackson beats Pittsburgh for the first time since 2019, well then things in the division get awfully interesting.

Analyst's Take

Last week, Lamar Jackson turned his mother's criticism into motivation, using his legs more often than in the previous few weeks. He became the second quarterback, joining Michael Vick, to run for 6,000-plus career yards. Jackson may need to show more of his dynamic playmaking ability on foot to beat the Steelers next week. As a starter, he hasn't led Baltimore to victory over Pittsburgh since the 2019 campaign. -- Moton

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4)

Last Week: 6

Week 15 Result: Lost at Philadelphia 27-13

Sunday's game in Philadelphia was a litmus test for the Pittsburgh Steelers—a chance to show that they belonged with the NFL's elite.

Instead, the Steelers were beaten soundly by the Eagles. Pittsburgh was outgained by almost 250 yards. The Eagles held the ball almost twice as long. And an ankle injury suffered by mega-star edge-rusher T.J. Watt puts his availability for Saturday's massive game in Baltimore in jeopardy.

But Pittsburgh linebacker Elandon Roberts told reporters that the Steelers are a veteran team that won't be rattled by one loss.

"One thing about our team is we're very mature," Roberts said. "Our younger guys are very mature as well, so you just keep the noise out. I think the noise can maybe blindside an immature team, but with us, it's a very mature team, and hey, hats off to the Eagles. They came in today, and they won the game. Period. There's no excuses behind it. But what we can do, we can look at this film hard, we can fix what we need to fix [on] offense, defense and special teams."

Analyst's Take

Injuries always play a factor during the postseason push. The Steelers' Defensive Player of the Year candidate, T.J. Watt, left Sunday's contest against the Philadelphia Eagles with a foot injury and didn't return. No defensive player in the league impacts his team's success more than Watt. The chance of him missing any time or not being 100 percent healthy will affect Pittsburgh's plans. Fortunately, Watt already told reporters that X-rays were negative. Whether he'll be fully ready next weekend for the Baltimore Ravens—or other games down the stretch—has yet to be determined. The Steelers will be holding their collective breath. -- Sobleski

6. Green Bay Packers (10-4)

Last Week: 8

Week 15 Result: Won at Seattle 30-13

The Green Bay Packers are rolling offensively.

After posting 30 points in Sunday night's win over the Seattle Seahawks, the Pack has amassed at least that many points in four straight games. Green Bay ranks fourth in the league in total offense and seventh in scoring offense. And while Green Bay is most likely headed for a wild-card spot, the team has the makings of a tough out in the playoffs.

After handling the Seahawks, Green Bay quarterback Jordan Love told reporters that while he likes where the team is at, there's still plenty of room for the Packers to improve.

"I like where we're at," Love said. "We've just got to keep figuring out ways to get better, to keep pushing each other and find ways to get these wins to end the season off. But I like where we're at."

Analyst's Take

The Packers have spent much of the 2024 season as the third wheel in the NFC North behind the Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings, but there's a window of opportunity opening for Green Bay. The Lions suffered an appalling number of injuries on both sides of the ball in Sunday's loss to the Buffalo Bills. The Vikings are a very good team, but they're untested in the postseason. We have seen these Packers go into the playoffs and have success on the road, and the Pack hasn't lost to a team with more than two defeats all season long. Don't sleep on Green Bay. -- Davenport

5. Minnesota Vikings (12-2)

Last Week: 5

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Chicago 30-12

Things have gotten very interesting for the Minnesota Vikings—in more than one way.

Not only did Monday's win over the Chicago Bears pull the Vikings into a virtual tie atop the NFC North with a massive Week 18 matchup in Detroit looming on the schedule, but once Minnesota's playoff run ends, the team has to figure out what to do with quarterback Sam Darnold.

Darnold was supposed to just be a placeholder—a bridge to the injured J.J. McCarthy. But as star wideout Justin Jefferson told reporters, Darnold has been much more than that.

He has been a franchise quarterback.

"He definitely has that strong arm," Jefferson said, "to just be able to fit those throws into tight windows and just be able to run those deep throws and be able to take the top off defenses. Those are things that defenses got to respect. We feel like the whole playbook is kind of open toward Sam being able to throw it all across the field."

If Darnold can navigate a three-game gauntlet to end the season that includes games with the Packers and Lions, it's going to be difficult to justify kicking him to the curb.

Analyst's Take

4. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

Last Week: 3

Week 15 Result: Won at Cleveland 21-7

With a two-game lead for the AFC's best record after downing the lowly Browns in Cleveland, the Chiefs would appear well-positioned to capture the AFC's top seed.

But right now, nothing is certain for the two-time defending Super Bowl champions, because their MVP quarterback is hurt.

Patrick Mahomes suffered what has been diagnosed as a high-ankle sprain, and he acknowledged to reporters that he's not sure about his status for next week's meeting with the AFC South champion Houston Texans.

"It's hard to say right now,'' Mahomes said. "You still [have the] adrenaline rolling and usually it's kind of the day after when you kind of get a good sense of it. I feel like I could have finished the game in different circumstances, but I thought the smart decision ... was to put Carson Wentz in. You just do what you have to do to get back, and I think that's the most important thing. And now we just get back to the rehab part, the treatment part, and try to get ourselves ready on a short week against a good football team."

Analyst's Take

The Chiefs won another sloppy game (no surprise there), and they did so by more than one score. However, I don't think Sunday's win is the sort that will raise Kansas City's confidence heading into the postseason.

When a championship-caliber team generates six takeaways, it should beat a team like Cleveland by more than two touchdowns.

Can the Chiefs grind their way to another Super Bowl appearance? Absolutely, especially if they secure the AFC's No. 1 seed. However, issues along the offensive line, a lack of reliable perimeter receivers and a less-than-100-percent Patrick Mahomes could make finishing the season strong a challenge. -- Knox

3. Detroit Lions (12-2)

Last Week: 1

Week 15 Result: Lost vs. Buffalo 48-42

It might sound odd to call a team that just had an 11-game winning streak snapped and was the No. 1 team in these Power Rankings the past few weeks "in trouble."

But the Detroit Lions are in trouble.

It's not just that Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills carved up the Detroit defense for 48 points and over 550 yards of offense. It's that a Detroit defense that has already been savaged by injuries lost three more players in defensive tackle Alim McNeil, No. 1 cornerback Carlton Davis and defensive back Khalil Dorsey.

The Lions also lost running back David Montgomery, who suffered an MCL injury that could be season-ending.

For his part, quarterback Jared Goff told reporters he isn't hitting any panic buttons after Detroit's first defeat since falling at home to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Week 2.

"We'll be just fine," Goff said. "I'm sure there will be a ton of stuff written about the sky falling, but no, internally, we're good. Yeah, we had won how many in a row up to that point, but it sucks to lose. We would've loved to win every game out, all the way through the Super Bowl, and I hope we can look back on this one as a good learning lesson for us and move on and use some of the stuff that we learned in this game to help us win these next three before we hit the playoffs."

Analyst's Take

The Lions are an elite football team, and it's not at all unrealistic to believe they can still appear in their first-ever Super Bowl this year. However, injuries on the defensive side of the ball could ultimately make this a "what-if" season in Detroit.

Detroit's offense has carried the team through many tough games, and the Lions aren't likely to lose to a truly inferior opponent. With so many standout defenders on the injury list, though, I'm not sure there's a massive gap between the Lions and teams like the Packers and Vikings—and Philadelphia has felt like the best team in the conference for a few weeks now.

The Lions still control the NFC's No. 1 seed thanks to the conference-record tiebreaker. As odd as it feels to say about a 12-2 team, I'm not sure that there's a team that could use a chance to rest and regroup in the postseason more than Detroit. -- Knox

2. Buffalo Bills (11-3)

Last Week: 5

Week 15 Result: Won at Detroit 48-42

One week ago, the Buffalo Bills lost the highest-scoring game in the league to date in Los Angeles. In Week 15, Buffalo played in an even higher-scoring affair—and got the win this time.

One week after Josh Allen became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to run for three scores and throw for three in the same game, the MVP favorite took it easy against the Lions—430 yards of total offense and four touchdowns (two though the air and two on the ground).

That was sarcasm, in case you were wondering.

Despite that dominant performance, Allen told reporters he feels like the Bills actually left plays on the field.

"The mindset we had this week was to win every play, whatever the play was, find a way to execute at the highest level," said Allen. "This is going to help us in the long run. Too many plays we left out there. To nitpick a game like that sounds kind of dumb. But I still felt like we left some out there."

Analyst's Take

I still have concerns about Buffalo's defense. However, with the way Josh Allen is playing and the way Joe Brady continues to get everyone involved, I believe the Bills offense can carry this team through three playoff games and into the Super Bowl. It may require flawless offensive play for that to happen, but it can happen, especially if Buffalo plays the majority of its playoff games at home.

It's hard to see Buffalo losing to the Patriots (who it'll see twice) or the Jets over the final three weeks. The big question for the Bills is whether Kansas City can slip enough to hand hand them the No. 1 seed. -- Knox

1. Philadelphia Eagles (12-2)

Last Week: 2

Week 15 Result: Won vs. Pittsburgh 27-13

In the leadup to Week 15, there were grumblings about the Eagles' passing attack. But there didn't appear to be anything wrong with in Sunday against the Steelers.

Despite playing with a broken finger on his left hand, Jalen Hurts threw for 290 yards and a pair of touchdowns with a passer rating over 125.

After handling the Steelers for the team's 10th straight win, Hurts told reporters that he's used to being under a microscope in Philadelphia.

"Scrutiny is never-ending. It's nothing new," Hurts said. "That's something that I find a thrill in. I appreciate being told I can't and that we can't. I know that I lead this team, and it takes a lot out of it. It demands a lot out of you."

Head coach Nick Sirianni applauded the team for tuning out the noise and playing a complete game on both sides of the ball.

"Every opportunity to get better, you use," Sirianni said. "I'm not for one minute saying that all the turmoil on the outside was a good thing. We want to make sure that we're locked into what we're doing, and that's what I felt like."

Analyst's Take

Passing issues? Nah, the Eagles are good. After A.J. Brown chose to speak up when Jalen Hurts failed to throw for 200 yards in three consecutive games, the offense responded against the Pittsburgh Steelers. Hurts pieced together his second-best effort of the season with 290 yards. Brown, meanwhile, caught a season-high eight passes for 110 yards and a score. With how good the Eagles are in the trenches and Saquon Barkley's MVP-caliber presence, a consistent vertical threat will make Philadelphia's offense nearly unstoppable. -- Sobleski