December 3, 2025 • 23 mins
Coming up on the Power Rankings Podcast, Mike Yam and Eric Edholm deliver the latest power rankings leading into NFL Week 14!
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Speaker 1 (00:04):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to a brand new edition of the NFL Power
Rankings Mike Eam and Eric at home with you, and
of course the complete list of all thirty two teams.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And analysis on all of them. All you have to
do is check out NFL dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Eric, you know I usually ask you about the week,
and by the way, happy, thanks given, and I hope
it was a great one for you and your family.
But the reality is, I'm doing Monday night football, I'm
doing the postgame.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I get a.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Sneak peek that came in a little earlier than normal
the rankings, and I'm looking at these top teams one, two, three,
and four. And I turned to Steve, which who I'm
working with on the postgame show, and I said, oh boy,
Eric and I are going to have a real conversation,
so we need to get right into it. Here are
your teams one through eight. It is the Los Angeles Rams,
spite the loss, still sitting in the number one spot.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
The Seahawks at two. I think they might be the
most complete team in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
The Broncos in overtime figure out a way to get
it done against the Commanders at three.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
The Patriots have.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
The most wins in the NFL and they sit four
in the rankings. Then it's the Packers at five. I
have the Chicago Bears. Don't look now, we'll talk about
that team. They're sitting one in the NFC. They are
at six. The Colts they dropped three spots to seven,
and as the San Francisco forty nine ers sitting at eight.
So let's focus in on this number one team, the Rams.
We felt good about them, then they lose on the
(01:20):
road to Carolina and you still have them number one.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
What are we doing here.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Eric, Well, first of all, Mike, I never liked changing
the rankings at eleven PM on Monday night, so that
is one factor that was in the back of my mind.
But truly speaking here, third loss of the season all
three by three points. I don't put too much stock
into the fact that they lost to a desperate Falcon
Panthers team. Excuse me, in Carolina one that's scratching its one.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Of the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Yes, the turnovers are concerned, but they really haven't been
an issue all season long. When Stafford's taking great care
of the ball Sunday being the exception, you know, and
they could run the football against them too. That was
the one thing that kind of caught my eye. So
there is a formula that is forming here, and I
guess further proof that there may not be a truly
elite team in this league. It's gonna be whoever gets
(02:06):
hot in January. I think has the best chance to
win it. But you know, without that pick six, obviously,
without that late fumble, I think they win that game.
And we have no arguments whatsoever even with a close
shavee win. So again, if sands are butts and all that,
but I still believe in this team. I still think
they're gonna win the division, win the top seed in
the NFC, and good for Carolina for getting.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
A massive victory. But I'm sticking by my rams for now. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hot tip by the way to Bryce Young, who oh yeah,
I'm even at fault of this. Sometimes I look him
out on the football field, not a big dude, and
I go, this is an NFL quarterback, Like, how is
he doing this? Three touchdowns in the game, two of
them coming on fourth down. We'll show you where Carolina
is coming up in just a bit toime now for
future champions. It is presented by Fan Duel. Let's take
(02:51):
a closer look at the odds to win the AFC West.
The Broncos right now still the favorite minus five point fifty,
the Chargers behind that plus five point fifty.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
This has been a rough go plus two thousand, seven
hundred and the Raiders they can't technically get it done,
so no odds for them to get there. The Broncos
sitting at number three. It's the same position as last week.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Sunday Night Football. It's a big spot. It goes over time.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I give them credit, man, because we loved up the
Chiefs a year ago on the show.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
When they're winning these one close games.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Style points, maybe they don't matter, Eric, but you give
a lot of respect to this team.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
I think you make a great point about last year's Chiefs. Now,
maybe they had a baked in reputation over several years'
success that the Broncos don't currently have. But we've seen
them get better with each season. Close games were a
problem last year, they've now become a team strength. And yeah,
it did come down to a play that could have
tilted the game.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Either way right.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
They don't make it, they lose the game, but that
defense did come through and it had to pass. Rush
was a little hit or miss throughout the game. It's
been a superpower all season long. And you got to
ask about the offense too. Look, bo Nick's had some
big moments. They had four drives of ten or more
plays in their first five possessions. So still moving the
ball to be a little bit better in the red zone.
(04:06):
Need touchdowns not field goals. But you know, it's really
the first time defensively where you know they had trouble
stopping the run, and we know since JK. Dobbins has
been out the run game on offense has been an
issue too, so some things creeping up. But still they
have this uncanny knack of finding a way to victory
in the last fifteen minutes, sometimes in the last fifteen
(04:27):
seconds or in this case overtime in Washington.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
So credit to them.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's a feature, not a bug at this point, their
ability to pull these games out.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, Eric, I know you touched on it a
little bit, and once again to hammer home the point
that you made on NFL dot Com, I don't know if.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
There really is a great team in the league.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
This Broncos team once again finding some ways to win
the Rams coming off the lost. Like I think, they're
a really good football team. What's fascinating to me is
we shift our attention to the Patriots that you have.
They have the most wins in the NFL with eleven.
They look like bullies. I mean what they did to
the Giants on Monday Night Football. I mean from the
jump when they were special teams, their defense up there,
(05:05):
just these massive hits. Jackson Dart was taking throughout the
course of this game. It was a physical matchup for him.
I still think that by the end of the season,
the best team the one that wins the Super Bowl,
or at least leading into it. Eric, we're having conversations
about who do you trust? How much do you trust
this Patriots team.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
With each passing week, I've trusted them just a little
bit more now they haven't played the toughest schedule in
the NFL. We kind of had an idea of that
back in August, but it's become even more true as
these teams have, you know, kind of shown what they
really are. Now that's not taken away what they've done,
but they've also had some close losses prior.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
To Monday night.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
You know, Bengals almost had them, Jets gave him a
little trouble, Falcons almost beat him in Foxborough. So I've
still had a little bit of pause over that still
when you have Drake May operating at this high level,
and to your point, the physical battle that they won
down a couple offensive linemen, down a few defensive linemen two,
the execution on special teams. These are kind of the
(06:00):
I don't want to say, the hidden quote quotions of
a football team, but some times the things that get
overlooked when we talk about wide receivers and quarterbacks and
pass rushers and such. So for them to be able
to control the line of scrimmage, run the ball effectively,
play action pass, hit home runs on special teams as well,
even with a field goal miss, it's a pretty darn
good formula. We'll see how they test up against the
(06:22):
playoff stretch where every team is good.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
That's really going to be the ultimate test for them.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
You know, we talked about this team schedules ten consecutive
wins for them. I think there's two coming out parties
for the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
We saw it.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I think that was a Sunday night game against Buffalo
in Buffalo the way Drake may look. We said, oh, okay.
And then there was a win a couple weeks ago,
Tampa Bay's coming off of a bye, they're at home, Yeah,
and the Patriots go down there and win, And at
that point I said, oh, this team is for real.
And I think basically how you described it on Monday
Night Football, with the offensive lineman being down and the physicality,
(06:54):
I think it's hard to not be impressed by what
we've seen from Mike Freeble squad, and he could be
actually Coach of the year. Let's jump on another team
that's been pretty impressive so far this year. It is
the Chicago Bears, who sit at number six. They move
up five spots in the rankings.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
They'll match up against Green Bay a couple two more
times before the season is done, so there's a lot
to still be learned here. But they're sitting as the
one seed right now, and Eric like they're doing it
with slightly.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Above passing Right now.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
This season, it's been the run game and defensively, if
they figure out that aspect, this Bears team's real dangerous.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
You're right, it's not like they've been bad in the
pass game.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
There's just been too many misconnections, and there's been a
more reliable run game. And you know, their defenses continue
to make plays even while giving up yards and such.
But you know, I understand Sunday why they continue to
run the ball. They as I said in my in
my right up for NFL dot Com, that offensive line
looked like a Macedonian foulings upfront. It was the most
impressive O line performance I've seen, at least in terms
(07:49):
of run blocking in a long time.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
And to have it to.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Come against an Eagles front that's been really, really good.
I thought, spoke volumes, this was the big win they needed,
hence the big jump, and they still made big plays
in the pass game. You saw that sort of love
one obviously that the fourth down touchdown as well to
clinch the game. So we know they're capable of fireworks
in the passing game. We know they theoretically could get
(08:13):
better on defense if they do watch out. I mean,
this team is all of a sudden fascinating, and you know,
maybe we're talking about Bears Patriots super Bowl right two
first year head coaches. What has it been forty years
since they met down in New Orleans. That would be
a fun matchup. But both teams are playing their best
football and getting it done and winning a ton of games.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
You know, I was doing the pregame in the postgame
on Black Friday and Ben Johnson had made a comment,
and I think it's really telling. He said, we haven't
even hit our ceiling right now this season. And I think, Eric,
that hits the nail on the head for what you're
just describing. And we're seeing this offense and this team
get better as the season goes on, and there's got
to be confidence with all these one score games, these
late tough battles down the stretch, and they're figuring out
(08:53):
ways to muscle in some victories. So a lot of
respect to what Chicago has been able to accomplish so
far this season. I'm starting to get a little concerns
about the Indianapolis Colts. They dropped three spots to here,
soasco Pardner, the good news not in a serious Achilles
injury for him, expect to see him at some point.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
You're not going to go on, ir, but they.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Put the chips in the middle of the table before
the trade dead on he said, hey, we're going to
need some help here. What do I make of what
I've seen from the Colts these last couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
If we're being honest with ourselves, Mike seventh is a
pretty generous raking right now. Like you just watch them
the last three four games. I don't think you'd put
him any higher than seventeenth, right. I mean, it's been
a very average football team in a lot of respects,
even as close as Sunday's tight game was in a
huge divisional matchup, you know, could have gone either way theoretically, right,
they had the ball, they had a chance, but couldn't
(09:41):
get it done. And the offensive the reduction in offensive strength,
I would say, has been a big problem, you know,
not having those big plays in the past game, Daniel
Jones playing through this broken fibula or this break in
his fibula that I think has taken a little bit
of juice out of his legs. It's taken a little
bit of juice out of his arms. We know it
starts from from the legs on up when you're throwing
(10:01):
the ball. You know, he made some good throws Sunday too.
But asking this Colts defense without sauce now for a
few weeks to sort of carry the load or steady things,
I think is asking a little bit too much. It's
a good unit, but I don't know that it's a
great unit, and so I have my share of concerns too,
and I'm really worried about where this team is heading.
A couple of weeks ago, we're saying one seed. Now
(10:22):
we're saying are we sure they're in the playoffs? They
probably are, but at this point I don't think any guarantees.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
This is a team that started seven to one real
quick here. Do you think they win this division?
Speaker 4 (10:32):
The way Houston has been playing, they have great opportunity
obviously Sunday, huge matchup against the Jaguars. They're a wild
card team in terms of, like you never know what
you're gonna get, and their best days are really good.
I'm not pushing any money forward on that one right now.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah, that's a part of me that says that maybe
I'm a little more confident in the Jags than I
am the Colts. But the best unit of all three
of those teams is Houston's defense, and if CJS Prout
is going to be able to figure it out, and
now turn over the football. They are maybe the team
to beat all of a sudden in that division still
to come. We got a Philadelphia Eagles squad that look,
I know fans and Philly been hitting the panic button
(11:06):
for weeks even when they were winning. Now they're starting
to drop some games. Where did they sit in the
power rankings?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
The answer to that is coming up next.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Back here on power rankings, taking a look at teams
nine through sixteen. The Buffalo Bills move up one spot
with that win against the Steelers and eight and four record,
They're at number nine.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
The Eagles drop four spots.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
They're at ten. The Lions I think there's some concern
right now in Detroit at eleven.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
The Jags.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Not sure exactly what to make of them, but we'll
talk more about them and the Houston Texans as those
two teams sit at twelve and thirteen. The Ravens are
six and six spot. I still think they're a postseason team,
which is wild to think at fourteen, the Chargers at fifteen.
Some news about Justin Herbert having successful surgery Monday on
that finger injury that he had, that fractured finger, and
the Dallas Cowboys moving on up at sixteen two spots.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
In a good direction.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
All right, Buffalo, sell me on this team, because I
think the Steelers looked old. Their offense from a Buffalo perspective,
didn't look great early in this game. It felt like
the defense needed to spark them a little bit. And
yet I know you moved them up a spot here.
How how much should we be puffing out our chest
if we're Bill's mafia?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I mean, at this point, with the Bills having
performed the way they have this season, up down sideways,
what have you.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
I'll take a game.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Where they end up winning on the road by multiple
touchdowns when the ground game is successful, especially given that
both their starting offensive tackles were out. I think that's
sort of the you know, the umbrella we've got to
put over this performance. Yeah, the passing game wasn't great.
It's been spotty at times all season. They may not
have a true separator a receiver, even with Brandon Cooks
in the building now. But you know, another twenty plus
(12:42):
point game after halftime. It's the fourth time they've done
it this season, Mike, So you know, even when they've
started games slowly or settle for field goals or turn
the ball over. They've at least found ways to kind
of crank things up. So credit to Joe Brady.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
I mean, he ran the same run play about twenty
six times in the second half.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
But when it's working, why go go away from that?
That's a pretty good formula. So the defense also turning
in its best game of the season. I think, so
that's a that's a that's a steadying force kind of
thing right there. And we'll see I think Cable winning
super Bowl maybe, But Sunday was more good than bad.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I think Eagles dropped four spots. What's the biggest area
of concern for this Philly team?
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Yeah, I mean, look, you know, it was one thing
when we.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Just said, okay, the offense is sluggish. Passing game has its,
you know, a little moments here and there, but not
good enough. Now we're saying, hey, they got gashed against
the run by the by the Bears. First month of
the season. This was an issue.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Don't forget they were giving up almost five yards of carry.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
They seem to fix it under four for several games,
but then this performance.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
It led to some questions here.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
And obviously even the tush push has not been a
relative strength to this team for a while now, so
you know, you consider the fact they've got to be
in the.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Plus margin and turnovers.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
They have to find at least a couple of big
plays downfield in the pass game every time they want
to try to win. You know, all of a sudden,
these formulas are becoming much more difficult. Jalen Hurts has
not played great, the receivers aren't doing what they need
to do, and the offensive line is frankly a shell
of itself with Lane Johnson out.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, the Lions are also a team that are It
feels like a little bit of a free fall now
they've dropped three spots in your rankings. The fourth down
situation is becoming telling to me. They haven't converted down
on their last seven. We know Avin ra is also
banged up right now, But from a fourth down perspective,
is this a situation where teams like they already know
that these dudes are going to.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Go for it? Does Dan Campbell need to rethink the strategy?
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I mean when you start the season, what were they
thirteen for eighteen on fourth downs? It builds a confidence
that we can get this done. You know, two thirds
of the time or more obviously to your point, the
last seven haven't gone well, and they've gotten into this
hyper aggressive mode where you know they're not.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Staying ahead of the sticks.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
They almost sort of count on fourth down being in
their pocket when the last few games have shown it's not.
So that's one issue. Look, Dan Campbell's taking over an
offense that look good as first game planing a calling
place not so great since then, I would say a
little too predictable. The run game has it worked if
teams take away Jamiir Gibbs, that offense doesn't work nearly
(15:13):
as well as it needs to. And you know, defensively,
we know they have the challenges. They're they're not going
to completely shut most teams down, and you run up
against a good team like the Packers, it's gonna be tough.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Look, Thursday night, it is the Dallas Cowboys who ally
a sudden they look like a rocket ship going up.
This is it feels like in a lot of ways
for both of these teams a must win. The Houston
Texans they move up two spots right now. There is
a point in this game, Eric where I'm thinking to myself, like,
we're gonna have a Davis Mills conversation. Now, we figured
it out and CJ got you know, was able to
shake off some of that RUSS. But what's the upside
(15:45):
right now for the Texans.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Yeah, you're right. I got a little worried in that
first quarter, first half.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You saw CJ kind of feeling his way through the game,
but he settled down. I thought he played pretty well defensively.
They did give up some plays, but came through in
the clutch like they always seem to. So you know,
it's a three phase operation right now. And if CJ
just continues to stack good performances. You know, they had
some nice production in the run game here, even when
(16:09):
Nico Collins taking the end around, and you know, with
with Marx and Chubb, I think that's a good enough
duo for the playoffs. And again turn it over to
your D. You know they're going to make plays, especially
against the pass. That pass rush is always going to
be there. It's a fun team right now because they
do look dangerous and they look like the kind of
unit that nobody wants to face. A defensive buzz saw
(16:30):
in January could be very tough to deal with.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
The Ravens sit at fourteen on your rankings. You know,
they're like my adopted team. I got to tell you,
Oh yeah, disappointment that I have for this squad because
it's a lot of the little things that continue to
pile up and they're becoming really big things and real
issues on the football field.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Maybe I just ask you this, like you think they're
going to be in the postseason?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Yeah, it's like, you know, I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed, right,
I totally thought they were kind of over this sort
of performance. But you know, credit to the Bengals. Obviously
they needed the game and Burrow was back and all that.
But you know, there's still this this quality about them
that you know, it's it's it's hard not to be
a little bit concerned. If the Steelers weren't struggling the
way they have been lately, I'd be even more concerned.
(17:11):
But somebody's winning this division. And look December and January,
that's when Lamar, at least in the regular season, that's
when Lamar has typically taken over twenty two to four
in his career. You know, an incredible touchdown to interception
ratio thirty fifty three to eight. Excuse me, in those games.
You know, he's been a great player. We haven't seen
that version of him yet. I don't know if the
(17:32):
calendar turning to the next month is going to make
a difference, but he's got to elevate his play and
the defense has to get back to the way they were.
You know, even before this game, the last several games
before it looked pretty good.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
You know, Thursday was the difference or different story though.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I think you described it the best way possible.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It is like a parent being disappointed because they're better
than this and they whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I mean, they lost, they lost.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
It is what it is, Dallas Cowboys from the bad
to the good. Because the Cowboys right now are absolutely balling.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I think you can make.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
A case that they are the squad that should like
fear and their opponents the most if you're on their
schedule the rest of the way.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
Absolutely you know, explosive passing game. A coach and Brian
shot named Haimer, who is very patient with the run.
He will stick with it, you know, and god forbid
they get a lead on you, right, He'll keep going
back to it. But for me, the biggest improvement has
been defensively since Quentinn and Williams arrived.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
You know, Demarvin Overshown.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Is back now, but that young defensive line seems energized.
Donovan Ezriaku, who has been great lately, Sam Williams, you know, Digiezua,
They've all seen kind of a fire has been lit
underneath them too.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
So you know, it's not gonna be perfect on that
side of the ball.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
But if they can attack and keep games close and
hold teams the field goal, get an occasional turnover, that's
a win for me defensively because we know what they're
capable of of putting up points wise.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
So fun team. Maybe they're catching Detroit at the right
time too.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
This is going to be an absolute banger on Thursday,
and I can't wait to see how they finish out
the season. Are they in the playoffs? I'm not quite
there yet, but they could be.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
What a meaningful game on t and a half. I'm
telling you, like, I think there's gonna be a ton
of fireworks here. And he's a part of me that
says Dallas is gonna be able to handle business. We
got coverage on an NFL network, by the way, before
the game, and of course after the game. You know,
I know that, Eric, because I'm doing that show on Thursday.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
I'm actually gonna'll be there too.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Still to come here. On power rankings. The Carolina Panthers,
you know, we could go on Monday Night Football. I'm like, yeah,
we're gonna leave the squad for dead and then they
go and beat the Rams.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Where do they sit in the rankings?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
And by the way, we haven't even named checked the
Chiefs just yet so far, and Joe Burrow's team scored
a win. Where do all three of those sit in
the power rankings? The answer to that is coming up next.
I'll back here on power rankings Eric's team seventeen through
twenty four. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they scored an important win.
They move up three spots to seventeen. The Carolina Panthers,
we'll talk about them in just a moment. At eighteen,
(19:52):
the Chiefs, we could have a conversation on those guys.
They dropped seven spots down at nineteen. I did not
think there was a world that existed where they'd fall
to this point, but that's where we are. The Steelers
at twenty, the Dolphins at twenty one. Got a Cincinnati
team that moved up three spots to twenty two. The Commanders,
despite the loss, also moved up three spots to twenty three,
and the Atlanta Falcons sitting at twenty four. All right,
(20:13):
it's time for a Team of the Week presented by Truest.
Let's focus in on team number eighteen right now, and
that is the Carolina Panthers. I mentioned this before we
got to the break there Monday night football against the Niners.
I'm like, hey, like, this don't look good, and didn't
think they'd be able to respond, but that's exactly what
we saw here.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
How impressed were you with this win against the Rams?
Speaker 5 (20:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (20:33):
First of all, their season has been one of the
strangest resumes for any team you could ever imagine, blowout losses,
shocking wins, everything in between. But you know, for them
to come out and be as assertive and decisive offensively
running the ball and also yes, Bryce throwing the ball too,
that's been the biggest improvement I would say, are the
biggest difference between them having a disappointing game and being successful.
(20:55):
You know, when they've struggled, the common denominator has been
not putting enough points up. They've been better defensively on
the hole than last year when they were the worst
scoring defense in league history. So a little too hot
and cold for my liking. But the fact is Bryce
has responded several times this season and they still got
a chance. They gave themselves a chance to keep fighting
for that playoff spot, and good for them.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, are you done with the Chiefs at this point?
Speaker 4 (21:18):
This isn't admittedly unfair ranking here. If you just looked
at their blind resume without we lost record there, you'd
see that they're better than last year's team in several metrics.
They have ten more touchdowns than their opponents, but the
record is the record, and that reflects into how much
work they have to do to win in the playoffs.
What did Andy Reid say They're going to tickle our tonsils.
(21:39):
I'll believe it when I see it, and I hope
they do. I love the story if they get in,
but they've got a ton to do still in some
tough games remaining. I just feel like it's not going
to be in the cards this year.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
The Steelers drop four spots first place on the line
in Baltimore this weekend. Fans at home are chanting fire.
Mike Tomlin, what are we talking? About here is I
guess it is as bad as as I saw against Buffalo.
What's the level of concern regarding this team being able
to make a run?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
It's massive, right, I mean, obviously they can cure their
ills by winning this game and kind of taking care
of business, calming everything down.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
But it feels right now like everything is kind of
caving in.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
If the Ravens didn't struggle Thursday, I might feel a
little worse even But we'll see this game. We'll know
a lot about their future after Sunday.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
The Cincinnati Bengals. You know, we haven't talked about this
team in a long time on power rankings. They move
up three spots in the rankings. Joe Burrow is back,
he's dealing. You think there's a playoff run here.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
They've got to win out pretty much. That doesn't even
guarantee they're in the playoffs, but what a story would be.
Teams starting three and eight are ozer for one hundred
and two in the league's history, at least since nineteen ninety,
making the playoffs great. A little longer season now with
seventeen games, but they can get it done. They can
win those this game Sunday and then the next one,
and they'll be in much better position than I think
(22:57):
a lot of people realize. But if they could have
pulled off one or two of these earlier games, feel
a lot better about it.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I know.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
At Buffalo, by the way, I imagine they win that
game where the big sitting in your Power rankings. Then
it's Baltimore at Miami, Arizona and Cleveland, just to level
set the expectations for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
The rest of the rankings.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Minnesota who that was tough with Max Rosmer twenty five
in the rankings, the Arizona Cardinals at twenty six, Gangreen
moving up a couple spots to twenty seven, the Browns
at twenty eight, the Giants losing on Monday Night Football.
Some big hits that Jackson dar took in twenty nine.
It's the Saints, the Titans, and the Raiders that wrap
up thirty, thirty one and thirty two. Eric, I cannot
(23:37):
wait to do this with you again next week, a
huge matchup.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
It all kicks off we number fourteen in the NFL
on Thursday. Thanks for watching Power Rankings.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio.
Speaker 2 (00:09):
Welcome to a brand new edition of the NFL Power
Rankings Mike Eam and Eric at home with you, and
of course the complete list of all thirty two teams.
Speaker 3 (00:16):
And analysis on all of them. All you have to
do is check out NFL dot com.
Speaker 2 (00:20):
Eric, you know I usually ask you about the week,
and by the way, happy, thanks given, and I hope
it was a great one for you and your family.
But the reality is, I'm doing Monday night football, I'm
doing the postgame.
Speaker 3 (00:29):
I get a.
Speaker 2 (00:29):
Sneak peek that came in a little earlier than normal
the rankings, and I'm looking at these top teams one, two, three,
and four. And I turned to Steve, which who I'm
working with on the postgame show, and I said, oh boy,
Eric and I are going to have a real conversation,
so we need to get right into it. Here are
your teams one through eight. It is the Los Angeles Rams,
spite the loss, still sitting in the number one spot.
Speaker 3 (00:51):
The Seahawks at two. I think they might be the
most complete team in the NFL.
Speaker 2 (00:54):
The Broncos in overtime figure out a way to get
it done against the Commanders at three.
Speaker 3 (00:59):
The Patriots have.
Speaker 2 (00:59):
The most wins in the NFL and they sit four
in the rankings. Then it's the Packers at five. I
have the Chicago Bears. Don't look now, we'll talk about
that team. They're sitting one in the NFC. They are
at six. The Colts they dropped three spots to seven,
and as the San Francisco forty nine ers sitting at eight.
So let's focus in on this number one team, the Rams.
We felt good about them, then they lose on the
(01:20):
road to Carolina and you still have them number one.
Speaker 3 (01:23):
What are we doing here.
Speaker 4 (01:24):
Eric, Well, first of all, Mike, I never liked changing
the rankings at eleven PM on Monday night, so that
is one factor that was in the back of my mind.
But truly speaking here, third loss of the season all
three by three points. I don't put too much stock
into the fact that they lost to a desperate Falcon
Panthers team. Excuse me, in Carolina one that's scratching its one.
Speaker 5 (01:44):
Of the playoffs.
Speaker 4 (01:45):
Yes, the turnovers are concerned, but they really haven't been
an issue all season long. When Stafford's taking great care
of the ball Sunday being the exception, you know, and
they could run the football against them too. That was
the one thing that kind of caught my eye. So
there is a formula that is forming here, and I
guess further proof that there may not be a truly
elite team in this league. It's gonna be whoever gets
(02:06):
hot in January. I think has the best chance to
win it. But you know, without that pick six, obviously,
without that late fumble, I think they win that game.
And we have no arguments whatsoever even with a close
shavee win. So again, if sands are butts and all that,
but I still believe in this team. I still think
they're gonna win the division, win the top seed in
the NFC, and good for Carolina for getting.
Speaker 5 (02:26):
A massive victory. But I'm sticking by my rams for now. Yeah.
Speaker 2 (02:30):
Hot tip by the way to Bryce Young, who oh yeah,
I'm even at fault of this. Sometimes I look him
out on the football field, not a big dude, and
I go, this is an NFL quarterback, Like, how is
he doing this? Three touchdowns in the game, two of
them coming on fourth down. We'll show you where Carolina
is coming up in just a bit toime now for
future champions. It is presented by Fan Duel. Let's take
(02:51):
a closer look at the odds to win the AFC West.
The Broncos right now still the favorite minus five point fifty,
the Chargers behind that plus five point fifty.
Speaker 3 (03:00):
Kansas City.
Speaker 2 (03:00):
This has been a rough go plus two thousand, seven
hundred and the Raiders they can't technically get it done,
so no odds for them to get there. The Broncos
sitting at number three. It's the same position as last week.
Speaker 3 (03:14):
Sunday Night Football. It's a big spot. It goes over time.
Speaker 2 (03:17):
I give them credit, man, because we loved up the
Chiefs a year ago on the show.
Speaker 3 (03:20):
When they're winning these one close games.
Speaker 2 (03:23):
Style points, maybe they don't matter, Eric, but you give
a lot of respect to this team.
Speaker 5 (03:26):
Absolutely.
Speaker 4 (03:27):
I think you make a great point about last year's Chiefs. Now,
maybe they had a baked in reputation over several years'
success that the Broncos don't currently have. But we've seen
them get better with each season. Close games were a
problem last year, they've now become a team strength. And yeah,
it did come down to a play that could have
tilted the game.
Speaker 5 (03:44):
Either way right.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
They don't make it, they lose the game, but that
defense did come through and it had to pass. Rush
was a little hit or miss throughout the game. It's
been a superpower all season long. And you got to
ask about the offense too. Look, bo Nick's had some
big moments. They had four drives of ten or more
plays in their first five possessions. So still moving the
ball to be a little bit better in the red zone.
(04:06):
Need touchdowns not field goals. But you know, it's really
the first time defensively where you know they had trouble
stopping the run, and we know since JK. Dobbins has
been out the run game on offense has been an
issue too, so some things creeping up. But still they
have this uncanny knack of finding a way to victory
in the last fifteen minutes, sometimes in the last fifteen
(04:27):
seconds or in this case overtime in Washington.
Speaker 5 (04:30):
So credit to them.
Speaker 4 (04:31):
It's a feature, not a bug at this point, their
ability to pull these games out.
Speaker 2 (04:35):
You know, Eric, I know you touched on it a
little bit, and once again to hammer home the point
that you made on NFL dot Com, I don't know if.
Speaker 3 (04:41):
There really is a great team in the league.
Speaker 2 (04:44):
This Broncos team once again finding some ways to win
the Rams coming off the lost. Like I think, they're
a really good football team. What's fascinating to me is
we shift our attention to the Patriots that you have.
They have the most wins in the NFL with eleven.
They look like bullies. I mean what they did to
the Giants on Monday Night Football. I mean from the
jump when they were special teams, their defense up there,
(05:05):
just these massive hits. Jackson Dart was taking throughout the
course of this game. It was a physical matchup for him.
I still think that by the end of the season,
the best team the one that wins the Super Bowl,
or at least leading into it. Eric, we're having conversations
about who do you trust? How much do you trust
this Patriots team.
Speaker 4 (05:21):
With each passing week, I've trusted them just a little
bit more now they haven't played the toughest schedule in
the NFL. We kind of had an idea of that
back in August, but it's become even more true as
these teams have, you know, kind of shown what they
really are. Now that's not taken away what they've done,
but they've also had some close losses prior.
Speaker 5 (05:37):
To Monday night.
Speaker 4 (05:38):
You know, Bengals almost had them, Jets gave him a
little trouble, Falcons almost beat him in Foxborough. So I've
still had a little bit of pause over that still
when you have Drake May operating at this high level,
and to your point, the physical battle that they won
down a couple offensive linemen, down a few defensive linemen two,
the execution on special teams. These are kind of the
(06:00):
I don't want to say, the hidden quote quotions of
a football team, but some times the things that get
overlooked when we talk about wide receivers and quarterbacks and
pass rushers and such. So for them to be able
to control the line of scrimmage, run the ball effectively,
play action pass, hit home runs on special teams as well,
even with a field goal miss, it's a pretty darn
good formula. We'll see how they test up against the
(06:22):
playoff stretch where every team is good.
Speaker 5 (06:24):
That's really going to be the ultimate test for them.
Speaker 2 (06:26):
You know, we talked about this team schedules ten consecutive
wins for them. I think there's two coming out parties
for the Patriots.
Speaker 3 (06:32):
We saw it.
Speaker 2 (06:33):
I think that was a Sunday night game against Buffalo
in Buffalo the way Drake may look. We said, oh, okay.
And then there was a win a couple weeks ago,
Tampa Bay's coming off of a bye, they're at home, Yeah,
and the Patriots go down there and win, And at
that point I said, oh, this team is for real.
And I think basically how you described it on Monday
Night Football, with the offensive lineman being down and the physicality,
(06:54):
I think it's hard to not be impressed by what
we've seen from Mike Freeble squad, and he could be
actually Coach of the year. Let's jump on another team
that's been pretty impressive so far this year. It is
the Chicago Bears, who sit at number six. They move
up five spots in the rankings.
Speaker 3 (07:08):
Now.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
They'll match up against Green Bay a couple two more
times before the season is done, so there's a lot
to still be learned here. But they're sitting as the
one seed right now, and Eric like they're doing it
with slightly.
Speaker 3 (07:19):
Above passing Right now.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
This season, it's been the run game and defensively, if
they figure out that aspect, this Bears team's real dangerous.
Speaker 5 (07:26):
You're right, it's not like they've been bad in the
pass game.
Speaker 4 (07:28):
There's just been too many misconnections, and there's been a
more reliable run game. And you know, their defenses continue
to make plays even while giving up yards and such.
But you know, I understand Sunday why they continue to
run the ball. They as I said in my in
my right up for NFL dot Com, that offensive line
looked like a Macedonian foulings upfront. It was the most
impressive O line performance I've seen, at least in terms
(07:49):
of run blocking in a long time.
Speaker 5 (07:51):
And to have it to.
Speaker 4 (07:52):
Come against an Eagles front that's been really, really good.
I thought, spoke volumes, this was the big win they needed,
hence the big jump, and they still made big plays
in the pass game. You saw that sort of love
one obviously that the fourth down touchdown as well to
clinch the game. So we know they're capable of fireworks
in the passing game. We know they theoretically could get
(08:13):
better on defense if they do watch out. I mean,
this team is all of a sudden fascinating, and you know,
maybe we're talking about Bears Patriots super Bowl right two
first year head coaches. What has it been forty years
since they met down in New Orleans. That would be
a fun matchup. But both teams are playing their best
football and getting it done and winning a ton of games.
Speaker 2 (08:32):
You know, I was doing the pregame in the postgame
on Black Friday and Ben Johnson had made a comment,
and I think it's really telling. He said, we haven't
even hit our ceiling right now this season. And I think, Eric,
that hits the nail on the head for what you're
just describing. And we're seeing this offense and this team
get better as the season goes on, and there's got
to be confidence with all these one score games, these
late tough battles down the stretch, and they're figuring out
(08:53):
ways to muscle in some victories. So a lot of
respect to what Chicago has been able to accomplish so
far this season. I'm starting to get a little concerns
about the Indianapolis Colts. They dropped three spots to here,
soasco Pardner, the good news not in a serious Achilles
injury for him, expect to see him at some point.
Speaker 3 (09:09):
You're not going to go on, ir, but they.
Speaker 2 (09:11):
Put the chips in the middle of the table before
the trade dead on he said, hey, we're going to
need some help here. What do I make of what
I've seen from the Colts these last couple of weeks.
Speaker 4 (09:19):
If we're being honest with ourselves, Mike seventh is a
pretty generous raking right now. Like you just watch them
the last three four games. I don't think you'd put
him any higher than seventeenth, right. I mean, it's been
a very average football team in a lot of respects,
even as close as Sunday's tight game was in a
huge divisional matchup, you know, could have gone either way theoretically, right,
they had the ball, they had a chance, but couldn't
(09:41):
get it done. And the offensive the reduction in offensive strength,
I would say, has been a big problem, you know,
not having those big plays in the past game, Daniel
Jones playing through this broken fibula or this break in
his fibula that I think has taken a little bit
of juice out of his legs. It's taken a little
bit of juice out of his arms. We know it
starts from from the legs on up when you're throwing
(10:01):
the ball. You know, he made some good throws Sunday too.
But asking this Colts defense without sauce now for a
few weeks to sort of carry the load or steady things,
I think is asking a little bit too much. It's
a good unit, but I don't know that it's a
great unit, and so I have my share of concerns too,
and I'm really worried about where this team is heading.
A couple of weeks ago, we're saying one seed. Now
(10:22):
we're saying are we sure they're in the playoffs? They
probably are, but at this point I don't think any guarantees.
Speaker 2 (10:28):
This is a team that started seven to one real
quick here. Do you think they win this division?
Speaker 4 (10:32):
The way Houston has been playing, they have great opportunity
obviously Sunday, huge matchup against the Jaguars. They're a wild
card team in terms of, like you never know what
you're gonna get, and their best days are really good.
I'm not pushing any money forward on that one right now.
Speaker 2 (10:45):
Yeah, that's a part of me that says that maybe
I'm a little more confident in the Jags than I
am the Colts. But the best unit of all three
of those teams is Houston's defense, and if CJS Prout
is going to be able to figure it out, and
now turn over the football. They are maybe the team
to beat all of a sudden in that division still
to come. We got a Philadelphia Eagles squad that look,
I know fans and Philly been hitting the panic button
(11:06):
for weeks even when they were winning. Now they're starting
to drop some games. Where did they sit in the
power rankings?
Speaker 3 (11:11):
The answer to that is coming up next.
Speaker 2 (11:13):
Back here on power rankings, taking a look at teams
nine through sixteen. The Buffalo Bills move up one spot
with that win against the Steelers and eight and four record,
They're at number nine.
Speaker 3 (11:23):
The Eagles drop four spots.
Speaker 2 (11:26):
They're at ten. The Lions I think there's some concern
right now in Detroit at eleven.
Speaker 3 (11:30):
The Jags.
Speaker 2 (11:31):
Not sure exactly what to make of them, but we'll
talk more about them and the Houston Texans as those
two teams sit at twelve and thirteen. The Ravens are
six and six spot. I still think they're a postseason team,
which is wild to think at fourteen, the Chargers at fifteen.
Some news about Justin Herbert having successful surgery Monday on
that finger injury that he had, that fractured finger, and
the Dallas Cowboys moving on up at sixteen two spots.
Speaker 3 (11:54):
In a good direction.
Speaker 2 (11:55):
All right, Buffalo, sell me on this team, because I
think the Steelers looked old. Their offense from a Buffalo perspective,
didn't look great early in this game. It felt like
the defense needed to spark them a little bit. And
yet I know you moved them up a spot here.
How how much should we be puffing out our chest
if we're Bill's mafia?
Speaker 4 (12:13):
Yeah, I mean, at this point, with the Bills having
performed the way they have this season, up down sideways,
what have you.
Speaker 5 (12:19):
I'll take a game.
Speaker 4 (12:20):
Where they end up winning on the road by multiple
touchdowns when the ground game is successful, especially given that
both their starting offensive tackles were out. I think that's
sort of the you know, the umbrella we've got to
put over this performance. Yeah, the passing game wasn't great.
It's been spotty at times all season. They may not
have a true separator a receiver, even with Brandon Cooks
in the building now. But you know, another twenty plus
(12:42):
point game after halftime. It's the fourth time they've done
it this season, Mike, So you know, even when they've
started games slowly or settle for field goals or turn
the ball over. They've at least found ways to kind
of crank things up. So credit to Joe Brady.
Speaker 5 (12:55):
I mean, he ran the same run play about twenty
six times in the second half.
Speaker 4 (12:58):
But when it's working, why go go away from that?
That's a pretty good formula. So the defense also turning
in its best game of the season. I think, so
that's a that's a that's a steadying force kind of
thing right there. And we'll see I think Cable winning
super Bowl maybe, But Sunday was more good than bad.
Speaker 2 (13:15):
I think Eagles dropped four spots. What's the biggest area
of concern for this Philly team?
Speaker 5 (13:21):
Yeah, I mean, look, you know, it was one thing
when we.
Speaker 4 (13:23):
Just said, okay, the offense is sluggish. Passing game has its,
you know, a little moments here and there, but not
good enough. Now we're saying, hey, they got gashed against
the run by the by the Bears. First month of
the season. This was an issue.
Speaker 5 (13:35):
Don't forget they were giving up almost five yards of carry.
Speaker 4 (13:38):
They seem to fix it under four for several games,
but then this performance.
Speaker 5 (13:43):
It led to some questions here.
Speaker 4 (13:44):
And obviously even the tush push has not been a
relative strength to this team for a while now, so
you know, you consider the fact they've got to be
in the.
Speaker 5 (13:53):
Plus margin and turnovers.
Speaker 4 (13:55):
They have to find at least a couple of big
plays downfield in the pass game every time they want
to try to win. You know, all of a sudden,
these formulas are becoming much more difficult. Jalen Hurts has
not played great, the receivers aren't doing what they need
to do, and the offensive line is frankly a shell
of itself with Lane Johnson out.
Speaker 2 (14:11):
Yeah, the Lions are also a team that are It
feels like a little bit of a free fall now
they've dropped three spots in your rankings. The fourth down
situation is becoming telling to me. They haven't converted down
on their last seven. We know Avin ra is also
banged up right now, But from a fourth down perspective,
is this a situation where teams like they already know
that these dudes are going to.
Speaker 3 (14:30):
Go for it? Does Dan Campbell need to rethink the strategy?
Speaker 5 (14:34):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (14:34):
I mean when you start the season, what were they
thirteen for eighteen on fourth downs? It builds a confidence
that we can get this done. You know, two thirds
of the time or more obviously to your point, the
last seven haven't gone well, and they've gotten into this
hyper aggressive mode where you know they're not.
Speaker 5 (14:50):
Staying ahead of the sticks.
Speaker 4 (14:52):
They almost sort of count on fourth down being in
their pocket when the last few games have shown it's not.
So that's one issue. Look, Dan Campbell's taking over an
offense that look good as first game planing a calling
place not so great since then, I would say a
little too predictable. The run game has it worked if
teams take away Jamiir Gibbs, that offense doesn't work nearly
(15:13):
as well as it needs to. And you know, defensively,
we know they have the challenges. They're they're not going
to completely shut most teams down, and you run up
against a good team like the Packers, it's gonna be tough.
Speaker 5 (15:22):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (15:22):
Look, Thursday night, it is the Dallas Cowboys who ally
a sudden they look like a rocket ship going up.
This is it feels like in a lot of ways
for both of these teams a must win. The Houston
Texans they move up two spots right now. There is
a point in this game, Eric where I'm thinking to myself, like,
we're gonna have a Davis Mills conversation. Now, we figured
it out and CJ got you know, was able to
shake off some of that RUSS. But what's the upside
(15:45):
right now for the Texans.
Speaker 5 (15:46):
Yeah, you're right. I got a little worried in that
first quarter, first half.
Speaker 4 (15:49):
You saw CJ kind of feeling his way through the game,
but he settled down. I thought he played pretty well defensively.
They did give up some plays, but came through in
the clutch like they always seem to. So you know,
it's a three phase operation right now. And if CJ
just continues to stack good performances. You know, they had
some nice production in the run game here, even when
(16:09):
Nico Collins taking the end around, and you know, with
with Marx and Chubb, I think that's a good enough
duo for the playoffs. And again turn it over to
your D. You know they're going to make plays, especially
against the pass. That pass rush is always going to
be there. It's a fun team right now because they
do look dangerous and they look like the kind of
unit that nobody wants to face. A defensive buzz saw
(16:30):
in January could be very tough to deal with.
Speaker 2 (16:32):
The Ravens sit at fourteen on your rankings. You know,
they're like my adopted team. I got to tell you,
Oh yeah, disappointment that I have for this squad because
it's a lot of the little things that continue to
pile up and they're becoming really big things and real
issues on the football field.
Speaker 3 (16:47):
Maybe I just ask you this, like you think they're
going to be in the postseason?
Speaker 4 (16:50):
Yeah, it's like, you know, I'm not mad, I'm just disappointed, right,
I totally thought they were kind of over this sort
of performance. But you know, credit to the Bengals. Obviously
they needed the game and Burrow was back and all that.
But you know, there's still this this quality about them
that you know, it's it's it's hard not to be
a little bit concerned. If the Steelers weren't struggling the
way they have been lately, I'd be even more concerned.
(17:11):
But somebody's winning this division. And look December and January,
that's when Lamar, at least in the regular season, that's
when Lamar has typically taken over twenty two to four
in his career. You know, an incredible touchdown to interception
ratio thirty fifty three to eight. Excuse me, in those games.
You know, he's been a great player. We haven't seen
that version of him yet. I don't know if the
(17:32):
calendar turning to the next month is going to make
a difference, but he's got to elevate his play and
the defense has to get back to the way they were.
You know, even before this game, the last several games
before it looked pretty good.
Speaker 5 (17:43):
You know, Thursday was the difference or different story though.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
I think you described it the best way possible.
Speaker 2 (17:48):
It is like a parent being disappointed because they're better
than this and they whatever.
Speaker 3 (17:53):
I mean, they lost, they lost.
Speaker 2 (17:54):
It is what it is, Dallas Cowboys from the bad
to the good. Because the Cowboys right now are absolutely balling.
Speaker 3 (18:01):
I think you can make.
Speaker 2 (18:01):
A case that they are the squad that should like
fear and their opponents the most if you're on their
schedule the rest of the way.
Speaker 4 (18:08):
Absolutely you know, explosive passing game. A coach and Brian
shot named Haimer, who is very patient with the run.
He will stick with it, you know, and god forbid
they get a lead on you, right, He'll keep going
back to it. But for me, the biggest improvement has
been defensively since Quentinn and Williams arrived.
Speaker 5 (18:23):
You know, Demarvin Overshown.
Speaker 4 (18:25):
Is back now, but that young defensive line seems energized.
Donovan Ezriaku, who has been great lately, Sam Williams, you know, Digiezua,
They've all seen kind of a fire has been lit
underneath them too.
Speaker 5 (18:37):
So you know, it's not gonna be perfect on that
side of the ball.
Speaker 4 (18:40):
But if they can attack and keep games close and
hold teams the field goal, get an occasional turnover, that's
a win for me defensively because we know what they're
capable of of putting up points wise.
Speaker 5 (18:50):
So fun team. Maybe they're catching Detroit at the right
time too.
Speaker 4 (18:54):
This is going to be an absolute banger on Thursday,
and I can't wait to see how they finish out
the season. Are they in the playoffs? I'm not quite
there yet, but they could be.
Speaker 2 (19:02):
What a meaningful game on t and a half. I'm
telling you, like, I think there's gonna be a ton
of fireworks here. And he's a part of me that
says Dallas is gonna be able to handle business. We
got coverage on an NFL network, by the way, before
the game, and of course after the game. You know,
I know that, Eric, because I'm doing that show on Thursday.
Speaker 5 (19:19):
I'm actually gonna'll be there too.
Speaker 2 (19:21):
Still to come here. On power rankings. The Carolina Panthers,
you know, we could go on Monday Night Football. I'm like, yeah,
we're gonna leave the squad for dead and then they
go and beat the Rams.
Speaker 3 (19:30):
Where do they sit in the rankings?
Speaker 2 (19:31):
And by the way, we haven't even named checked the
Chiefs just yet so far, and Joe Burrow's team scored
a win. Where do all three of those sit in
the power rankings? The answer to that is coming up next.
I'll back here on power rankings Eric's team seventeen through
twenty four. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers, they scored an important win.
They move up three spots to seventeen. The Carolina Panthers,
we'll talk about them in just a moment. At eighteen,
(19:52):
the Chiefs, we could have a conversation on those guys.
They dropped seven spots down at nineteen. I did not
think there was a world that existed where they'd fall
to this point, but that's where we are. The Steelers
at twenty, the Dolphins at twenty one. Got a Cincinnati
team that moved up three spots to twenty two. The Commanders,
despite the loss, also moved up three spots to twenty three,
and the Atlanta Falcons sitting at twenty four. All right,
(20:13):
it's time for a Team of the Week presented by Truest.
Let's focus in on team number eighteen right now, and
that is the Carolina Panthers. I mentioned this before we
got to the break there Monday night football against the Niners.
I'm like, hey, like, this don't look good, and didn't
think they'd be able to respond, but that's exactly what
we saw here.
Speaker 3 (20:30):
How impressed were you with this win against the Rams?
Speaker 5 (20:33):
Yeah?
Speaker 4 (20:33):
First of all, their season has been one of the
strangest resumes for any team you could ever imagine, blowout losses,
shocking wins, everything in between. But you know, for them
to come out and be as assertive and decisive offensively
running the ball and also yes, Bryce throwing the ball too,
that's been the biggest improvement I would say, are the
biggest difference between them having a disappointing game and being successful.
(20:55):
You know, when they've struggled, the common denominator has been
not putting enough points up. They've been better defensively on
the hole than last year when they were the worst
scoring defense in league history. So a little too hot
and cold for my liking. But the fact is Bryce
has responded several times this season and they still got
a chance. They gave themselves a chance to keep fighting
for that playoff spot, and good for them.
Speaker 3 (21:16):
Yeah, are you done with the Chiefs at this point?
Speaker 4 (21:18):
This isn't admittedly unfair ranking here. If you just looked
at their blind resume without we lost record there, you'd
see that they're better than last year's team in several metrics.
They have ten more touchdowns than their opponents, but the
record is the record, and that reflects into how much
work they have to do to win in the playoffs.
What did Andy Reid say They're going to tickle our tonsils.
(21:39):
I'll believe it when I see it, and I hope
they do. I love the story if they get in,
but they've got a ton to do still in some
tough games remaining. I just feel like it's not going
to be in the cards this year.
Speaker 2 (21:50):
The Steelers drop four spots first place on the line
in Baltimore this weekend. Fans at home are chanting fire.
Mike Tomlin, what are we talking? About here is I
guess it is as bad as as I saw against Buffalo.
What's the level of concern regarding this team being able
to make a run?
Speaker 3 (22:09):
Oh?
Speaker 4 (22:09):
It's massive, right, I mean, obviously they can cure their
ills by winning this game and kind of taking care
of business, calming everything down.
Speaker 5 (22:15):
But it feels right now like everything is kind of
caving in.
Speaker 4 (22:18):
If the Ravens didn't struggle Thursday, I might feel a
little worse even But we'll see this game. We'll know
a lot about their future after Sunday.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
The Cincinnati Bengals. You know, we haven't talked about this
team in a long time on power rankings. They move
up three spots in the rankings. Joe Burrow is back,
he's dealing. You think there's a playoff run here.
Speaker 4 (22:37):
They've got to win out pretty much. That doesn't even
guarantee they're in the playoffs, but what a story would be.
Teams starting three and eight are ozer for one hundred
and two in the league's history, at least since nineteen ninety,
making the playoffs great. A little longer season now with
seventeen games, but they can get it done. They can
win those this game Sunday and then the next one,
and they'll be in much better position than I think
(22:57):
a lot of people realize. But if they could have
pulled off one or two of these earlier games, feel
a lot better about it.
Speaker 3 (23:03):
I know.
Speaker 2 (23:03):
At Buffalo, by the way, I imagine they win that
game where the big sitting in your Power rankings. Then
it's Baltimore at Miami, Arizona and Cleveland, just to level
set the expectations for the Cincinnati Bengals.
Speaker 3 (23:14):
The rest of the rankings.
Speaker 2 (23:15):
Minnesota who that was tough with Max Rosmer twenty five
in the rankings, the Arizona Cardinals at twenty six, Gangreen
moving up a couple spots to twenty seven, the Browns
at twenty eight, the Giants losing on Monday Night Football.
Some big hits that Jackson dar took in twenty nine.
It's the Saints, the Titans, and the Raiders that wrap
up thirty, thirty one and thirty two. Eric, I cannot
(23:37):
wait to do this with you again next week, a
huge matchup.
Speaker 3 (23:40):
It all kicks off we number fourteen in the NFL
on Thursday. Thanks for watching Power Rankings.
Speaker 1 (23:47):
NFL Power Rankings is a production of the NFL in
partnership with iHeartRadio. For more podcasts from iHeartRadio, visit the
iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.
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