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2018 NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Chiefs take top spot – Metro US

2018 NFL Power Rankings Week 15: Chiefs take top spot

Patrick Mahomes Kansas City Chiefs NFL

1. Kansas City Chiefs (11-2) Def. Baltimore 27-24 (OT) Last Week: 4

They wouldn’t have been the popular choice after releasing their star running back, but everything is breaking right for the Chiefs at the moment. They converted two late fourth downs in a comeback victory this week and the Patriots’ loss to Miami helps them in the race for home-field advantage.

2. New Orleans Saints (11-2) Def. Tampa Bay 28-14. Last Week: 2

The Saints started slow once again against Tampa Bay and it looked like their explosive offense might be disappointing for a third straight game. They rebounded from the first half of this game and their first loss since Week 1 last week. They’ve also returned to the top seeding in the NFC thanks to their earlier victory over the Rams and the Rams’ loss to Chicago after spending only a week as the two seed.

3. Los Angeles Rams (11-2) Lost to Chicago 15-6. Last Week: 1

Jared Goff had the worst game of his young career on Sunday night against the Bears. He was intercepted four times and brought down for three sacks, one of which gave the Bears a lead they never relinquished. Sean McVay was quick to pile the blame on himself, but if 2017’s NFL Coach of the Year cannot get this offense turned around quickly, it would be a shocker.

4. Los Angeles Chargers (10-3) Def. Cincinnati 26-21. Last Week: 6

The Chargers charged back from behind again. They continue to stay hot on the heels of Kansas City but a less-than-stellar division record means they’ll need to do more than just win their remaining head to head matchup against the Chiefs if they want to take over the division lead.

5. New England Patriots (9-4) Lost to Miami 34-33. Last Week: 3

Playing in Miami proved to be a difficult task for the Patriots yet again, though this loss goes in a category all its own. After a 52-yard hook and ladder beat them on the final play, New England lost for the fifth time in their last six visits to the Dolphins. The last-second loss could leave a serious impact on their playoff seeding – and that’s no laughing matter: the Patriots are just 3-4 on the road this season.

6. Chicago Bears (9-4) Def. LA Rams 15-6. Last Week: 8

The Monsters of the Midway are back in Chicago. A week after they dropped a shocker to the Giants they pulled their own upset against the Rams. But it wasn’t because they had their quarterback Mitchell Trubisky back in the starting lineup. The Bears won despite Trubisky’s three interceptions and thanks to their defense’s dominance of the Rams’ offense.

7. Dallas Cowboys (8-5) Def. Philadelphia 29-23 (OT) Last Week: 9

The Cowboys paid a steep price for Amari Cooper, but they may have gotten a bargain. Since adding a legitimate threat at wide receiver the Cowboys have won five in a row. Cooper’s 200-yard day Sunday was highlighted by a 75-yard score that immediately returned the lead to Dallas and the game-winning touchdown in overtime, where he came away with a tipped ball and walked into the end zone.

8. Seattle Seahawks (8-5) Def. Minnesota 21-7. Last Week: 7

Seattle put two wins between themselves and the rest of the NFC wild-card contenders Monday night. The season that was supposed to be the largest step backward for Seattle after the breakup of the Legion of Boom has them instead on the doorstep of the playoffs. It’s thanks to a return to running the ball. Seattle leads the league in rushing and added another game above 200 yards on the ground against the Vikings.

9. Houston Texans (9-4) Lost to Indianapolis 24-21. Last Week: 5

The Texans loss to their division rivals was their first loss since September. Even with their nine-game win streak coming to an end, they maintain a two-game lead over the Colts and Titans with three games to play. He had just 36 yards in the loss, and it’s been four games since he reached the century mark, but DeAndre Hopkins surpassed the 7,000-career-receiving yard mark Sunday. He’s the second youngest player to do so behind the immortal Larry Fitzgerald.

10. Indianapolis Colts (7-6) Def. Houston 24-21. Last Week: 13

The Colts rebounded strongly on offense from their shutout loss a week ago. T.Y. Hilton had 199 yards receiving; it was his third career game surpassing 175 yards in Houston. At tight end, Eric Ebron caught his 12th touchdown pass this season. Ebron caught 11 touchdowns in his career in Detroit before signing with Indianapolis this off-season. The Colts face a pair of hot NFC East opponents the next two weeks: Dallas and the Giants.

11. Miami Dolphins (7-6) Def. New England 34-33. Last Week: 17

The Miracle in Miami – a 52-yard hook and ladder finished off by Kenyan Drake outrunning Rob Gronkowski to the endzone – punctuated this weekend and gave Miami revenge for an earlier loss in New England. It also kept the unlikely Dolphins in the thick of the playoff races. Next up is another team struggling to outpace a crowded field, this time in the NFC: Minnesota.

12. Baltimore Ravens (7-6) Lost to Kansas City 27-24 (OT.) Last Week: 10

The Ravens unraveled late under some monstrous pressure from Justin Houston and the Chiefs defensive line. But there was a lot to like about the way they played until then. Lamar Jackson’s first loss wasn’t a backbreaker, and there remains a lot to like about the Ravens’ chances in the wild-card and – thanks to Pittsburgh’s disaster in Oakland – the AFC North.

13. Tennessee Titans (7-6) Def. Jacksonville 30-9. Last Week: 16

Entering last Thursday night, the Titans hadn’t had a 100-yard rusher this season. Derrick Henry almost ended that streak on one play when he went 99 yards for a record-tying touchdown run. It was part of a franchise record 238 rushing yards and four touchdowns for Henry. Blowing out Jacksonville keeps Tennessee in the thick of the wild-card race. The two leading rushers from Week 14, Henry and Saquon Barkley, will face off when they visit the Giants.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5-1) Lost to Oakland 24-21. Last Week: 11

The Steelers lost for the third week in a row and the circumstances are just getting messier each time. Ben Roethlisberger left the game injured before returning to the Pittsburgh sideline while Josh Dobbs led the Steelers offense. With the game on the line, and Roethlisberger suddenly healthy enough to play, he took over on the final drive and led the Steelers into field goal range.

15. Minnesota Vikings (6-6-1) Lost to Seattle 21-7. Last Week: 12

The Vikings can rightfully feel aggrieved about Bobby Wagner’s field goal block late in the fourth quarter – where he launched himself off not one but two teammates. But they still have to answer for the zero points they put on the board up to that point. It’s hard to figure out how this offense has taken such a step backward after adding Kirk Cousins and Dalvin Cook. But Mike Zimmer better figure it out before their wild-card spot evaporates.

16. Philadelphia Eagles (6-7) Lost to Dallas 29-23 (OT.) Last Week: 14

The Eagles almost won a game they were completely dominated in (and may have, without an extra point miss.) But the disparity in time of possession (45 minutes to 23) and total plays run (93 to 48) showed up badly when Dallas marched down the field against a tired Philadelphia defense in overtime.

17. Cleveland Browns (5-7-1) Def. Carolina 26-20. Last Week: 21

Jarvis Landry had a 51-yard run and a 51-yard reception in this one. Baker Mayfield had a very efficient 18-for-22 day passing the football, and the Browns dealt a major blow to the Panthers’ playoff hopes. Cleveland’s own playoff hopes are an equal longshot, but they can play spoilers again this week against Denver.

18. New York Giants (5-8) Def. Washington 40-16. Last Week: 23

Saquon Barkley set a bevy of rookie records for the Giants as they won for the fourth time in five games after opening the season 1-8. Barkley’s 78-yard touchdown run put the exclamation point on a 27-point second quarter for the Giants. He finished with a career-high 170 yards, almost entirely in the first half. For all the Giants’ woes this season, Eli Manning is quietly setting career highs in quarterback rating (95.8) and completion percentage (67.7).

19. Green Bay Packers (5-7-1) Def. Atlanta 34-20. Last Week: 22

With someone other than Mike McCarthy roaming the sidelines for the first time since 2005, the Packers stopped a three-game losing streak and moved to 1-0 under interim head coach Joe Philbin. Aaron Rodgers, playing for a coach besides McCarthy for the first time since his rookie season, set an NFL record with his 359th consecutive pass attempt without throwing an interception.

20. Denver Broncos (6-7) Lost to San Francisco 20-14. Last Week: 15

Denver’s three-game win streak was snapped in unlikely fashion against the 49ers. The rushing attack that had paved the way to their victories was shut down (Philip Lindsay had 30 yards on 14 carries) and rookie DaeSean Hamilton’s first career touchdown was too little too late.

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-8) Lost to New Orleans 28-14. Last Week: 28

It’s been a maddening season for Tampa Bay fans, but it might just be ending on the strong notes on which it began – despite their loss to the Saints. Jameis Winston is holding onto his final chance to be the quarterback in Tampa with interception-free football for once. The Buccaneers may even take advantage of the Panthers and Falcons collapses to finish second in what was once considered the toughest division in the NFL.

22. Carolina Panthers (6-7) Lost to Cleveland 26-20. Last Week: 19

A lifetime ago, the Panthers were hot on the trail of the Saints and leaders in the NFC wild-card race at 6-2. Five games later, here they sit. Two errant throws cost them late against the Browns, a team a playoff contender should have been able to put away. It doesn’t get any easier as Carolina’s next game is against the Saints.

23. Detroit Lions (5-8) Def. Arizona 17-3. Last Week: 27

It wasn’t an offensive awakening for the receiver-starved Lions – Matthew Stafford threw for 101 yards at 4.4 yards an attempt. But Darius Slay provided all the offense Detroit needed with a 67-yard interception return for a touchdown. Sometimes the best offense is a good defense.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (5-8) Lost to LA Chargers 26-21. Last Week: 26

With A.J. Green and Andy Dalton absent from the lineup, it’s the Joe Mixon show in Cincinnati and the second-year running back isn’t disappointing. He had 111 yards and a score on Sunday as the Bengals gave the Chargers all they could handle.

25. Atlanta Falcons (4-9) Lost to Green Bay 34-20. Last Week: 24

The Falcons lost their fifth-straight game to cement their first losing season since 2014. That season saw the firing of head coach Mike Smith. After scoring just once in the first eight weeks of the season, Julio Jones has four touchdown catches during this losing streak, including two on Sunday.

26. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9) Lost to Tennessee 30-9. Last Week: 25

A week ago the Jaguars defense shut down the Colts and Andrew Luck, getting their first win since Week 4. This week, the offense scored more points in Cody Kessler’s second game at the helm, but alas, nine weren’t enough. One play after being stuffed at the goal line on their own fourth down, the Jaguars allowed Derrick Henry to rumble 99 yards for a score.

27. Washington (6-7) Lost to NY Giants 40-16. Last Week: 20

Washington turned to their fourth quarterback in as many weeks – and it actually worked out okay. Josh Johnson starred in garbage time Sunday, throwing for 195 yards and leading Washington in rushing with 45 yards on the ground despite playing just a quarter and a half. If only they hadn’t been down 40-0 when he entered the game.

28. New York Jets (4-9) Def. Buffalo 27-23. Last Week: 30

The Jets won this matchup of first-round quarterback selections. The turnover battle, something both Sam Darnold and Josh Allen have struggled with, went to the Jets three-to-two, and so did the game.

29. Buffalo Bills (4-9) Lost to NY Jets 27-23. Last Week: 28

The Bills are decimated by injuries at the running back position, but it might not matter as long as Josh Allen stays healthy. Allen had 101 yards on nine carries Sunday while becoming the first quarterback to rush for at least 90 yards in three straight games in over sixty years.

30. Oakland Raiders (3-10) Def. Pittsburgh 24-21. Last Week: 31

The Raiders came close to upsetting the Chiefs a week ago but finished the job against the Steelers. If you’re curious why Oakland is leaving Oakland, take a look at the field on Pittsburgh’s final field goal attempt.

31. Arizona Cardinals (3-10) Lost to Detroit 17-3. Last Week: 29

The Cardinals looked like about the only team at the bottom of the standings that was actually willing to trust the process and move towards securing a high draft pick this week.

32. San Francisco 49ers (3-10) Def. Denver 20-14. Last Week: 32

George Kittle had more receiving yards (210) than Denver, but this win isn’t enough to drag the 49ers out of last place when the Cardinals have beaten them twice.