SportsTips’ NFL Power Rankings: Week 16

SportsTips’ NFL Power Rankings: Week 16
Tue 22nd December 2020

With only two weeks left in the 2020 regular season, the playoff picture is starting to take shape as teams on the cusp are doing everything that they can to secure a postseason appearance. Week 15 was headlined by one of the biggest upsets in NFL history as the Jets defeated the Rams. The result shakes up the race for the NFC, NFC West and the race for the number one pick in the 2021 NFL draft. 

Here’s where all 32 NFL teams stand ahead of Week 16 of the 2020 NFL season

1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1)

Super Bowl Odds: +350
Previous Rank: 1

The Chiefs held off a late surge from the Saints to record their sixth consecutive single score win and their 11th straight win on the road. Although they haven’t been blowing teams out of the water like they did earlier in the season, Kansas City are justifying their favouritism to repeat as Super Bowl champions and are now just wins against the Falcons and Chargers away from a near-perfect 15-1 season. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, rookie running back Clyde Edwards-Helaire left in the fourth quarter with what appeared to be a serious leg injury.

2. Green Bay Packers (11-3)

Super Bowl Odds: +1000
Previous Rank: 2

The Packers recorded a gritty 24-16 win over the Panthers on Sunday to advance to 11-3 and move a game clear in the NFC. It wasn’t the gun slinging, MVP calibre performance that we have come to expect from Aaron Rodgers (143 yards, one TD) and his sidekick Davante Adams. However, Aaron Jones’ 145 rushing yards and a touchdown was the defining performance of the game. Green Bay are still struggling to defend against the run, which makes for an interesting Week 16 matchup against Derrick Henry and the Titans.

3. Buffalo Bills (11-3)

Super Bowl Odds: +1800
Previous Rank: 3

The Buffalo Bills are the AFC East champions for the first time since 1995 thanks to their 48-19 win over the Broncos. Josh Allen continued his sensational run of form, throwing for 359 passing yards and four total touchdowns (two rushing, two passing). With their offense in sync and their defense hitting good form at the right time of the seasons, Buffalo have emerged as the best AFC threat to Kansas City.

4. New Orleans Saints (10-4)

Super Bowl Odds: +700
Previous Rank: 4

As the result of last week’s performance, the Saints made the quarterback switch from Taysom Hill to Drew Brees for their Week 15 matchup against the Chiefs. Brees looked rusty in his return from injury but was able to make things interesting down the stretch, finishing with three touchdowns and 254 yards, before ultimately falling just short against Kansas City, going down 32-29. New Orleans have now lost two straight games ahead of their Week 16 matchup against the Vikings.

5. Cleveland Browns (10-4)

Super Bowl Odds: +10000
Previous Rank: 9

In the wake of their dramatic finish on Monday Night Football in Week 15, Cleveland put together another great primetime performance to defeat the Giants 20-6 on Sunday Night Football. Baker Mayfield was efficient and effective, completing 27 of 32 passes for 297 yards and two touchdowns. The Browns defense is playing at a high level, allowing only two New York field goals and just 288 total yards. Sunday Night’s win was a very important one for the Browns chances at claiming an AFC Wild-Card spot, given that the Ravens and Colts both won on Sunday.

6. Seattle Seahawks (10-4)

Super Bowl Odds: +1100
Previous Rank: 7

Thanks to the Rams upset loss, Seattle moved to the outright top spot in the NFC West following their 20-15 win over Washington. Coming up against a ferocious Washington defense, the Seahawks showed their own defensive grit and running ability in the win over Washington without requiring a big game from Russell Wilson (121 passing yards, 1 TD, 1 INT). Seattle will come up against another great defense when they face the Rams in Week 16, in a game that will likely decide who takes out the NFC West.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5)

Super Bowl Odds: +900
Previous Rank: 8

Yep, Tom Brady buried the Falcons… again. Despite trailing 17-0 at half time, Brady and the Bucs stormed back to earn a dramatic 31-27 victory, giving Atlanta flashbacks to Super Bowl LI. Although Tampa Bay did trail, it was remarkable to see how damaging their offense can be when firing, scoring 21 points in the third quarter on their way to a 31 point second half. Brady threw for 390 yards and two touchdowns while also showing how deep the Bucs offense is, finding seven different receivers for 20+ yards. Tampa will face the Lions in Week 16 before another matchup against the Falcons in Week 17.

8. Tennessee Titans (10-4)

Super Bowl Odds: +3000
Previous Rank: 10

The Titans continued their up and down season with an explosive 46-25 win over the Lions. Both in the air and on the ground Tennessee looked damaging on offense, with Tannehill (21/27, 273 yards and three TD’s) finding Corey Davis for 110 yards and a score. While on the ground, Derrick Henry was his usual dominant self, racking up 147 rushing yards and a touchdown. The Titans will be looking to hold onto top spot in the AFC South when they face another explosive offense in Green Bay next week.

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3)

Super Bowl Odds: +550
Previous Rank: 5

Wow, what happened to the 11-0 Steelers? Pittsburgh have now lost three straight games after their 27-17 loss to the lowly Bengals on Monday Night Football. Pittsburgh’s offense failed to score 20+ points for the fourth consecutive week, with their running game once again coming under scrutiny, only picking up 87 yards on the ground. With two games to go in the 2020 regular season, Pittsburgh are just one game clear of Cleveland in the AFC North. The Steelers will play the Browns in a Week 17 matchup in Cleveland which could see the two teams competing for the division title. Given that the cracks in their game are looking more unfixable every week, the Steelers 11-3 record is the only thing keeping them in the top 10 of the power rankings.

10. Indianapolis Colts (10-4)

Super Bowl Odds: +3000
Previous Rank: 11

For the second time in three weeks, the Colts held onto a single score victory over the Texans, this time winning 27-20. Wins against the Texans and Raiders in the last three weeks is no reason for Indianapolis fans to buy Super Bowl tickets, however the Colts are looking balanced on both sides of the ball ahead of their final two matches against the Steelers and Jaguars as they push to win the AFC South.

11. Baltimore Ravens (9-5)

Super Bowl Odds: +800
Previous Rank: 13

Yes it was against the lowly Jaguars, but the Ravens recorded their third consecutive win, keeping themselves in the mix for a Wild-Card spot with a 40-14 victory. Baltimore’s offense looks to have rediscovered their traditional running game with the inclusion of J.K. Dobbins (64 rushing yards, one TD) and the post COVID-19 return of Lamar Jackson (35 rushing yards, one TD). With their defense getting healthier, the Ravens are hitting good form at the right time of the year and with matches against the Giants and Bengals in the coming weeks, Baltimore should storm into the postseason and be a dangerous matchup for a No. 2 or No. 3 seed in the AFC.

12. Miami Dolphins (9-5)

Super Bowl Odds: +6000
Previous Rank: 12

As a result of Miami’s 22-12 victory, Brian Flores got the bragging rights over his former team, eliminating the Patriots from the playoffs for the first time since 2008. In what was an ugly game all around, Miami’s 250 rushing yards was the story of the game with Salvon Ahmed, Matt Breida and Tua Tagovailoa combining for 217 yards and three touchdowns on the ground. The Dolphins and the surging Ravens are neck and neck for the final Will-Card spot in the AFC.

13. Los Angeles Rams (9-5)

Super Bowl Odds: +2500
Previous Rank: 6

In what was the biggest upset against the spread in 25 years, the Los Angeles Rams ruined any hopes that they had of winning the NFC when they handed the New York Jets their first win of the 2020 season, going down 23-20. The Rams will finish their season off with matchups against divisional opponents Seattle and Arizona with the hope of stealing top spot in the NFC West back from the Seahawks. A loss to the Jets warrants a rankings drop of this magnitude.

14. Arizona Cardinals (8-6)

Super Bowl Odds: +3000
Previous Rank: 14

The Cardinals offense was back to their explosive best in their 33-26 win over the Eagles. Kyler Murray had a day out throwing for 406 yards, three touchdowns and an interception, while also rushing for 29 yards and a touchdown on the ground. Murray also found DeAndre Hopkins nine times for 169 yards and a touchdown while Arizona’s pass rush made a timely comeback, recording six sacks on Jalen Hurts. The Cardinals will face division rivaling San Francisco and Los Angeles in their last two weeks as they look to hit Wild-Card week in good form.

15. Chicago Bears (7-7)

Super Bowl Odds: +6600
Previous Rank: 18

In what has been a tail of two seasons for Chicago, the Bears offense has suddenly come to life in recent weeks, putting up 33 points against the Vikings in their 33-26 win on Sunday. Mitchell Trubisky and David Montgomery are helping Matt Nagy’s offense reach its potential, with Montgomery rushing for 146 yards and two touchdowns against Minnesota. Chicago has the potential to be a playoff team if they can get things going on both sides of the ball.

16. Washington Football Team (6-8)

Super Bowl Odds: +40000
Previous Rank: 17

Washington did their best to beat Seattle on Sunday, before being ultimately defeated 20-15. Washington’s pass rush kept the pressure on Russell Wilson, forcing him to throw under duress and restricting him to just 121 passing yards, one touchdown and an interception. However, their offense simply couldn’t get in rhythm with Dwayne Haskins throwing two picks in the loss. Washington will play the Panthers and the Eagles in the final two weeks of the season as they look to hold onto the top spot in the NFC East.

17. Minnesota Vikings (6-8)

Super Bowl Odds: +10000
Previous Rank: 16

A 33-27 loss to Chicago all but ended Minnesota’s playoff chances in the NFC. Dalvin Cook did all he could rushing for 132 yards and a touchdown, but Minnesota’s poor passing offense and dismal defense cost them for a second consecutive game. The Vikings will face the Saints on Christmas day, needing a win to keep their slim playoff chances alive.

18. Las Vegas Raiders (7-7)

Super Bowl Odds: +4000
Previous Rank: 15

After losing Derek Carr to a groin injury early in Thursday night’s matchup against the Chargers, Marcus Mariota performed admirably for the Raiders before they were ultimately defeated 30-27 in overtime. Mariota stepped up to throw for 226 yards, hitting tight end Darren Waller on nine occasions for 150 yards and a touchdown. However, the Raiders defensive problems have caught up to them at this point in the season.

19. Dallas Cowboys (5-9)

Super Bowl Odds: +20000
Previous Rank: 26

As a result of their 41-33 victory over the 49’ers, the Cowboys playoff hopes are alive in 2020. With Ezekiel Elliot on the sidelines, Tony Pollard filled in nicely with 132 total yards and two touchdowns to lead Dallas’ offense. The Cowboys defense is still a mess, allowing 31 points to the undermanned 49’ers but their offense was good enough to secure the win. Dallas will finish the regular season with matchups against two NFC East rivals when they face the Eagles in Week 16 and Giants in Week 17. Two Cowboys wins could see them in the playoffs.

20. New England Patriots (6-8)

Super Bowl Odds: +15000
Previous Rank: 19

The Patriots will miss the playoffs for the first time since 2008 as the result of their 22-12 loss to the Dolphins. New England’s bad offense continues to put too much pressure on their well coached but undermanned defense. It is now fair to say that the Cam Newton experiment was a bust. Nick Folk kicked four field goals as the Pats failed to score a touchdown. New England will host the red-hot Bills on Monday night, in what will be a changing of the guard in the AFC East.

21. New York Giants (6-8)

Super Bowl Odds: +50000
Previous Rank: 20

The Giants failed to score a touchdown in their 20-6 loss to the Browns on Sunday Night Football. New York’s playoff hopes were kept alive thanks to the NFC East-leading Washington Football Team’s loss to Seattle. However, the Giants’ offensive woes will likely be too much for Joe Judge to overcome in the remaining two weeks of the season.

22. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

Super Bowl Odds: +20000
Previous Rank: 27

The Chargers are finishing off the season in style, having recorded back to back wins for the first time this year after a 30-27 overtime victory against the Raiders. Justin Herbert became the first player in NFL history to have seven 300+ passing yard games in his rookie season, adding 314 yards and two touchdowns to his Offensive Rookie of the Year resume. A late flourish of wins in the 2020 season will likely keep Anthony Lynn employed for 2021, whether that be for better or for worse. 

23. San Francisco 49’ers (5-9)

Super Bowl Odds: +6000
Previous Rank: 22

After suffering a 41-33 loss to Dallas, San Francisco are officially out of playoff contention. Despite dominating the Cowboys in passing yards (308 vs 204), rushing yards (150 vs 87) and time in possession (34.56 vs 25.04), four 49’ers turnovers was enough to give The Cowboys superior scoring position that resulted in a 41 point performance. San Francisco will return in 2021 with a more experienced quarterback and a more talented defense when they get players back from injury.

24. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1)

Super Bowl Odds: +5000
Previous Rank: 23

The Eagles pushed the Cardinals in their 33-26 loss on Sunday with Jalen Hurts making it impossible for Philadelphia to go back to Carson Wentz as their starting quarterback. Hurts accumulated 401 total yards and four total touchdowns against Arizona in his second game as a starter. The injuries to their defense have been too much to overcome in 2020, however Hurts is giving Eagles fans something to smile about going into 2021.

25. Detroit Lions (5-9)

Super Bowl Odds: +15000
Previous Rank: 24

Detroit’s lacklustre defense was on full display in the Lions 46-25 loss to the Titans on Sunday. The Lions offense have shown glimpses of talent this season with rookie running back D’Andre Swift (67 yards and two touchdowns) a shining light for 2020. However, their defensive ineptitude is holding them back from being a team vying off for a playoff spot.

26. Denver Broncos (5-9)

Super Bowl Odds: +25000
Previous Rank: 21

The Broncos came up against the in form team of the league when they faced the Bills on Saturday. Buffalo put up 48 points on Denver’s defense, however a 132 yards and one touchdown performance from Drew Lock was not good enough against a quality opposition. The Broncos will face the Chargers and the Raiders in the final two weeks, with the hope of carrying some good form into 2021.

27. Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1)

Super Bowl Odds: +50000
Previous Rank: 30

The Bengals notched up win number three for the 2020 season as they defeated the then 11-2 Steelers on Monday Night Football. Cincinnati forced three first half Pittsburgh turnovers on their way to a 17-0 half time lead. The Bengals held on in the second half for a 27-17 win. Joe Burrow’s replacement Ryan Finley only threw the ball 13 times for 89 yards and a touchdown, but also got mobile, rushing for one touchdown and 47 of Cincinnati’s 152 rushing yards. That was the inspired defensive performance that the Bengals can look to build on at the upcoming draft and going forward into 2021.

28. Carolina Panthers (4-10)

Super Bowl Odds: +20000
Previous Rank: 29

The Panthers defense put a strong performance together against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers on Saturday night, but were ultimately let down by their offense in their 24-16 loss. Carolina kept Rodgers to just 143 passing yards and one touchdown. However, Teddy Bridgewater’s up and down season continued, failing to find a receiver in the end zone. The Panthers will be looking to get Christian McCaffrey and D.J Moore firing together in 2021.

29. Houston Texans (4-10)

Super Bowl Odds: +30000
Previous Rank: 25

Houston kept things interesting against the Colts for the second time in three weeks, but were once again let down by an errant fumble late in the last quarter. Deshaun Watson continued to keep the Texans competitive throwing for 373 and two touchdowns. However, there are just too many holes in Houston’s defense.

30. Atlanta Falcons (4-10)

Super Bowl Odds: +15000
Previous Rank: 28

The Falcons choked against Tom Brady… again. After leading 17-0 at half time, Atlanta gave up 31 second half points, to go down 31-27. Things get much harder for Atlanta in the coming weeks with a Week 16 matchup against the Chiefs before finishing their year against the Bucs in Week 17. On a positive note, Calvin Ridley brought in 10 catches for 163 yards and a touchdown against Tampa Bay.

31. New York Jets (1-13)

Super Bowl Odds: +200000
Previous Rank: 32

The Jets are on the board in 2020 after recording their first win of the season in Week 15, defeating the Rams 23-20 on Sunday. As nice as the victory would be for the players, New York were only three losses away from securing Trevor Lawrence in the upcoming draft, however with this win, Jacksonville have moved into the box seat for pick one in the 2021 NFL draft. The Jets will wrap up their season against the Browns and Patriots.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13)

Super Bowl Odds: +100000
Previous Rank: 31

It’s not too often that a 40-16 defeat gives a team reason to celebrate, however given that the Jets won this week, Jacksonville’s loss moved them into the box seat for the number one pick in the 2021 NFL draft, giving them access to generational quarterback talent Trevor Lawrence. The Jaguar will finish their season against the Bears and the Colts.

*Odds correct at time of publication.

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Jesse is and always has been a lover of sports. No matter the league, no matter the game, Jesse is constantly keeping up to date with the latest odds, news, injuries and stats. He has a strong interest in the NBA and the NFL, and he will always strive to keep you up to date with the best news, odds, predictions and picks that the ever engaging sporting world has to offer.