Now that Week 12 of the 2022 NFL season is in the books, it’s time for everyone’s favorite meaningful exercise: the NFL Power Rankings! What differentiates these rankings from others is that they are the only really accurate throughout the universe. So let’s see how the 32 teams rank heading into Week 13.
BLG WEEK 13 NFL POWER RANKINGS
1 – Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 1) – Patrick Mahomes had one of his worst statistical performances of the season…in a game the Chiefs still won by 16 points.
2 – Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 2) – Jalen Hurts, Miles Sanders, Jeff Stoutland and the Eagles offensive line all deserve major credit for Philly’s ability to run all over Green Bay. It was a historic night for the Eagles. The Birds failed to put the game away sooner than they could and should have … but they will pick up the win that will keep them atop the NFC with a 10-1 record. The road to the Super Bowl is increasingly likely to go through Philly.
3 – Buffalo Bills (LW: 3) – They’ve certainly looked deadlier lately. But having to stop Josh Allen in a critical situation is not an exciting proposition.
4 – Miami Dolphins (LW: 4) – The Dolphins took a 30-0 lead before firing Tua Tagovailoa with over three minutes left in the third quarter. Miami’s offense is hot. Still undefeated when Tua starts and doesn’t leave the game early due to injury.
5 – Dallas Cowboys (LW: 5) – Can the Cowboys hurry up and sign Odell Beckham Jr. already? This long and tedious process is getting quite old. Lots of hype for a guy who wasn’t even that good last year and just suffered an injury in mid-February.
6 – San Francisco 49ers (LW: 6) – Four straight games where the 49ers failed to allow their opponent to score in the second half. A consecutive game where the 49ers did not allow their opponent to score points. I think DeMeco Ryans could be a really good defensive coordinator.
7 – Minnesota Vikings (LW: 8) – There is evidence to suggest the Vikings are massive cheats.
8 – Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 10) – At various times this season, it didn’t look like Cincy was ready to repeat as AFC North champions. But the Bengals are back in the mix with Ja’Marr Chase back soon. Can they beat KC at home this week? Yes, they can. But will they?
9 – Tennessee Titans (LW: 9) – The Titans haven’t allowed more than 20 points in a game since their Week 6 bye. That’s the good news. The Titans have scored more than 20 points in a single game since their Week 6 bye. That’s the bad news.
10 – Baltimore Ravens (LW: 7) – We all thought Justin Tucker’s basket was coming in, didn’t we? Well, it’s not. But it shouldn’t have come down to that. Lamar Jackson needs to do better than completing 50% of his passes for an 87.2 passer rating. He’s produced just eight total touchdowns for seven total turnovers since Week 4.
11 – New York Jets (LW: 13) – Is Mike White really good? Not clear. Is Mike White better than Zach Wilson? Yes. At the very least, White could be a “win with” quarterback while Wilson is a “win in spite of” quarterback.
12 – Washington Commanders (LW: 15) – Make just six wins in their last seven games. Five of them came by a score, so it’s not like they were a juggernaut. But they’ve found a winning formula by playing the ball control offense to complement a solid defense. Commanders have a chance to cement themselves as a wildcard team with back-to-back games against NYG…with their bye sandwiched in between.
13 – New England Patriots (LW: 12) – Nelson Agholor with a costly late-game error in a loss? You do not say.
14 – Seattle Seahawks (LW: 11) – Seattle’s run defense is a problem. In back-to-back losses, the Seahawks gave their opponents their best run performance of the season.
15 – Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 17) – Brandon Staley’s aggressive approach paid off in a big spot. As a result, the Bolts are still trailing in the joker conversation.
16 – Cleveland Browns (LW: 24) – The Browns really needed to beat Tampa to have any chance of winning an unlikely playoff bid with the return of Deshaun Watson. And that’s what they did. Jacoby Brissett did a good job of holding down the fort before that team’s sympathy plummeted immediately. Everyone outside of Cleveland (and many inside) will be rooting against Watson.
17 – Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 14) – The Bucs have failed to take control of the NFC South so far. If they can’t beat New Orleans on Monday night, they don’t even deserve to win. But they still could anyway.
18 – New York Giants (LW: 16) – As discussed on the latest episode of NFC East Mixtape, Saquon Barkley isn’t delivering the same impact he did earlier this year. Barkley’s last six games: 3.6 yards per carry (459 total), 4.7 yards per reception (80 total). His longest course: 27 yards (against poor Houston defense). His longest reception: 12 yards. The combination of Barkley’s regression and the Giants being completely too stoned caused them to crumble out of the NFC playoff picture.
19 – New Orleans Saints (LW: 18) – Do you think Saints management regrets trading their 2023 first-round pick for Philly after watching their team drop to 4-8 with a loss by laundry? A pick currently expected to be No. 7 overall. Of course, they haven’t died in the NFL playoff image yet due to their terrible split. But they MUST beat the Bucs in Tampa on Monday night to stay alive.
20 – Atlanta Falcons (LW: 19) – If you’re a masochist, the Falcons are for you. No team is better at maximizing pain in their losses. They are among the elite when it comes to snatching defeat from the jaws of victory. The ultimate anti-clutch team.
21 – Detroit Lions (LW: 20) – Facing 4th-and-1 from Buffalo’s 33-yard line, Dan Campbell opted to throw a 51-yard tying field goal (with his kicker previously missing a 29-yard attempt ) that left 23 seconds on the clock. Dumb. They should have gone out there and tried to win in regular time…or at least extend the game. Jared Goff deserves some criticism for missing an open touchdown to bring in fourth down, of course, but Campbell didn’t maximize Detroit’s chances of victory after that mistake.
22 – Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 23) – Not sure if Kenny Pickett will be a good starting quarterback in the NFL. I know he belongs in the league in some capacity. The Steelers are 3-4 in his seven starts. A “win with” type of player, perhaps. Especially in a stable environment like Pittsburgh. I just have to wonder if he might have trapped them in quarterback purgatory.
23 – Jacksonville Jaguars (LM: 28) – “The stones on this guy. I would die for Doug Pederson, I swear. I would go up against Doug Pederson, 100%. I like the guy. — Jags Safety Andrew Wingard. Fearless coach Doug once helped the Eagles win Super Bowl LII. More recently, it helped the Jags upset Baltimore. As Pederson steers the ship and Trevor Lawrence warms up, there’s reason to believe the arrow points toward Duval County.
24 – Arizona Cardinals (LW: 21) – The Cards needed a win to stay on life support in the NFC playoff picture. Instead, a one-point loss dropped them to 4-8. Hard. Who will answer for their fights?
25 – Los Angeles Rams (LW: 22) – With the Rams losing five straight, they should pick the No. 3 overall in the 2023 NFL Draft. Expect them to owe that selection to Detroit. They certainly don’t regret this trade after winning the Super Bowl. But their future prospects are not so bright.
26 – Green Bay Packers (LW: 26) – Their run defense is atrocious. Aaron Rodgers claims he’s capable of playing despite an injury scare… but there’s really no point in playing him at this stage of their season. Bring in Jordan Love and see what he can do. The 2020 first-round quarterback flashed during a small sample in Philadelphia.
27 – Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 30) – The Raiders are on a two-game winning streak with both overtime wins. Josh Jacobs is a beast.
28 – Carolina Panthers (LW: 31) – The Panthers continue to be more proficient under Steve Wilkes than they were under Matt Rhule. They are still not good but they are no longer THE worst team in the league. Progress.
29 – Denver Broncos (LW: 25) – Russell Wilson is cooked and his teammates know it. The vibes are immeasurably bad in Denver. They’re screwed now and moving on.
30 – Indianapolis Colts (LW: 29) – From an article titled “Jeff Saturday Isn’t The Answer, But He’s Not Meant To Be” by our friends at Stampede Blue: “The Colts, led by Irsay, are tanking. They have no interest in winning irrelevant football games this season and stalling progress even further, especially after a 5-year tenure with Reich that resulted in just one playoff victory.
31 – Chicago Bears (LW: 27) – Everyone knows I’m not a Justin Fields guy. But even I can agree that he at least brought some entertainment value to this Bears team. Really pointless to even watch this team play if Trevor Siemian (or worse, Nathan Peterman) starts. Bears fans should pray that Madden fakes the rest of the season if Fields’ injury continues to keep him out.
32 – Houston Texans (LW: 32) – The good news for them is that they are destined for the No. 1 overall pick in the 2023 NFL Draft. Cleveland is likely about to get less supportive with the return of Deshaun Watson.