ClutchPoints’ NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Bears, Bills win as Chiefs eliminated

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ClutchPoints’ NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Bears, Bills win as Chiefs eliminated

Mike Johrendt, ClutchPoints · ClutchPoints

Mon, Dec 15, 2025 ·

15 min read

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ClutchPoints' NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: Bears, Bills win as Chiefs eliminated appeared first on ClutchPoints . Add ClutchPoints as a Preferred Source by clicking here .

Injuries ravaged teams in Week 15, taking out quite a few big names on teams looking to make progress in their respective playoff races. Injuries, combined with a few key losses in tight divisional races, created a few changes in ClutchPoints' Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

Check out ClutchPoints' Week 16 NFL Power Rankings to see where your team lands.

1. Los Angeles Rams (+1)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

The best matchup of Week 15 saw the Los Angeles Rams make a second-half comeback against the Detroit Lions , earning their 11th win of the year via a 41-34 home win. Matthew Stafford figured things out with his pass catchers after an early interception, finding tight end Colby Parkinson for two touchdowns.

Puka Nacua caught nine passes for 181 yards in the win, but the Rams lost fellow wideout Davante Adams to a hamstring injury, an injury that made Adams maintain a limited practice schedule lately. Playing on a short week in Week 16, Adams' status is very murky for the Rams offense moving forward.

2. Denver Broncos (+2)

An 11th-straight win, coupled with a four-touchdown showing from Bo Nix , helped the Denver Broncos win their 11th game of the year in one of the best matchups of Week 15. A home win over the Green Bay Packers clinched the first playoff berth for an AFC team, as the Broncos remain atop the AFC West with a two-game lead.

Nix threw touchdowns to Courtland Sutton , Troy Franklin , Lil'Jordan Humphrey, and Michael Bandy in the win, as the defense shut the Green Bay offense down on their final drive, sealing the game.

3. New England Patriots (-2)

Giving up a 21-point lead at home in a crucial divisional game is not like the New England Patriots, but their Week 15 loss to the Buffalo Bills helps keep the race in the AFC North interesting. Two rushing touchdowns each from Drake Maye and TreVeyon Henderson helped lead the Patriots' offense, but it was the defense that wasn't able to slow down the Bills' offense in the second half.

Week 15's loss ended the 10-game winning streak for New England, as they now sit 11-3, and only one game separates them from Buffalo in the divisional standings.

4. Buffalo Bills (+3)

Mandatory Credit: Brian Fluharty-Imagn Images

Week 15 marks the second consecutive week of three passing touchdowns from Josh Allen , and this was a game that the Bills absolutely had to have if they wanted to remain in the hunt for the AFC East divisional title.

Allen threw TDs to James Cook and Dawson Knox (twice), with Cook rushing for 107 yards and two touchdowns on the ground in the win.

5. Chicago Bears (+1)

The Chicago Bears got back to their winning ways in Week 15, easily beating the Cleveland Browns , 31-3. An easy home win sandwiched in between back-to-back matchups with the Green Bay Packers is exactly what the doctor ordered for the top team in the NFC North.

DJ Moore caught two touchdowns in the win, as D'Andre Swift also found the end zone twice and came up two yards short of crossing the century mark on the ground. Chicago is now 10-4 on the year and back into first place in the division.

6. Seattle Seahawks (-1)

It was the right leg of kicker Jason Myers that carried the Seattle Seahawks to a clutch Week 15 win over the Indianapolis Colts , 18-16. Six field goals from Myers, including his game-winning kick from 58 yards out, helped the Seahawks win their 11th game of the year.

7. San Francisco 49ers (+1)

A nice showing from Brock Purdy in the passing game helped the San Francisco 49ers earn their 10th win of the year, a 37-24 win over the Tennessee Titans .

Purdy threw three touchdowns in the win, including two to Jauan Jennings , and Christian McCaffrey turned 23 touches (22 carries) into 87 total yards and a rushing score. This win, coupled with wins by the Rams and Seahawks, keeps the 49ers one game back in the NFC West standings.

8. Green Bay Packers (-5)

Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images

A Week 15 loss to the Broncos, coupled with key injuries to wide receiver Christian Watson and pass rusher Micah Parsons, puts the rest of the season in murky waters for the Packers. Their loss to Denver drops them out of the top spot in the NFC North race, as they now sit as the final team in the playoff picture, as the seventh seed.

Jordan Love and the Green Bay offense enjoyed a strong first half but a quiet second half, combined with two Love interceptions, ruined their chances at an impressive road win, as their loss drops them five spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

9. Houston Texans (no change)

A three-touchdown day from C.J. Stroud helped lead the Houston Texans to their ninth win of the year, a 40-20 win over the Arizona Cardinals .

Two of Stroud's touchdowns went to Nico Collins (his third to Dalton Schultz ), and Jawhar Jordan stepped into the top running back role after Woody Marks suffered an early ankle injury, rushing for 101 yards on 15 carries.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (no change)

It was quite an electric showing from Trevor Lawrence in the Week 15 win for the Jacksonville Jaguars, throwing for five touchdowns and running for a sixth. Lawrence threw three touchdowns to Travis Etienne alone, with Brian Thomas Jr. and Bhayshul Tuten catching the other two.

Etienne took the backfield back over, as he earned 12 carries to Tuten's one, and both Thomas and Jakobi Myers tied for the team lead with seven targets each.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)

It was a much-needed bounce-back game for the Philadelphia Eagles in Week 15, as they shut out the Las Vegas Raiders , 31-0. Jalen Hurts threw touchdowns to A.J. Brown and Dallas Goedert (twice), and Saquon Barkley ran for 78 yards and a score on the ground, as the Philly defense carried the load to help the Eagles get to 9-5.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (+2)

Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-Imagn Images

There are few things sweeter for an NFL team than being responsible for knocking a rival out of the playoff picture, so the Week 15 win for the Los Angeles Chargers was the final nail in the coffin for the playoff chances of the Kansas City Chiefs .

The Chargers earned their 10th win of the year, as Justin Herbert and the offense did just enough, with another heavy showing for the run game. Omarion Hampton (15 carries) and Kimani Vidal (12) combined for 27 carries in the win, helping control the clock, while the defense sacked Patrick Mahomes five times and forced an interception, as the Chargers jumped two spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

13. Detroit Lions (-1)

An impressive showing by the Detroit passing game wasn't enough to steal a road win against the Los Angeles Rams, as Jahmyr Gibbs had a very quiet showing in the loss. While Gibbs had 17 touches, he only racked up 58 yards, including only 38 rushing yards.

Jared Goff hyper-targeted Amon-Ra St. Brown and Jameson Williams through the air, as St. Brown caught 13 passes (on 18 targets) for 164 yards and two touchdowns, while Jameson Williams hauled in 7-of-9 targets for 134 yards and a score.

14. Indianapolis Colts (-1)

Old man Philip Rivers made his unexpected return to the NFL in Week 15, stepping in at QB for the Indianapolis Colts after Daniel Jones went down for the rest of the year. But a last-second loss to the Seahawks drops them to third in the AFC South standings.

Rivers found Josh Downs for a touchdown, but only threw for 120 yards in the loss, as his 44-year-old arm is not built to support the vertical threat that Alec Pierce is for this Colts offense.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (+2)

An easy win on Monday Night Football helped the Pittsburgh Steelers remain atop the AFC North standings by themselves, as their 28-15 win over the Miami Dolphins capped off a wild week of football.

Thriving in the cold once again, Aaron Rodgers threw touchdown to DK Metcalf and Marquez Valdes-Scantling , Kenneth Gainwell put up over 120 all-purpose yards, and the defense recorded an interception and four sacks in the win.

16. Baltimore Ravens (+5)

Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

A key divisional win over the Cincinnati Bengals helped the Baltimore Ravens get back to .500 on the year, as they now sit at 7-7 on the year. Lamar Jackson threw for two touchdowns but only threw for 150 yards in the win, as he continues to not look fully healthy.

The Baltimore defense harassed Joe Burrow to the tune of two interceptions and three sacks, which is quite the difference from their matchup from two weeks prior. The Ravens remain in the playoff hunt in the AFC, still an option in both the divisional and Wild Card races, as they jumped five spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

17. Carolina Panthers (-2)

Presented with an opportunity to jump into the top spot in the NFC South division by themselves, the Carolina Panthers managed to bungle their Week 15 matchup with the New Orleans Saints . A 20-17 road loss for the Panthers moved Carolina to 7-7 on the year, as a quiet showing from Bryce Young and the offense didn't do enough.

Young only threw for 163 yards, and Rico Dowdle struggled to only 49 yards and a touchdown on the ground, as the Panthers' offense failed to take advantage of a golden opportunity for playoff positioning.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2)

A shocking loss for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons kicked off Week 15 on Thursday Night Football, complicating the NFC South divisional race. Baker Mayfield threw for 277 yards and two touchdowns, and Mike Evans made quite the impression in his first game back, catching six passes (on 12 targets) for 132 yards.

A Tampa punt coming out of the two-minute warning gave the ball back to Atlanta, and the Bucs defense allowed the Falcons to drive down the field and knock the game-winning field goal through the uprights.

19. Miami Dolphins (no change)

The cold weather stopped the Miami offense in its tracks in Wee 15, as their visit to Pittsburgh was a disappointing one. Outside of two touchdowns from Darren Waller and a mini comeback effort in the fourth quarter, it was just another disappointing showing from the Dolphins, as they now sit at 6-8 on the season.

20. Dallas Cowboys (-2)

A first-play interception of JJ McCarthy set the early tone for the Dallas Cowboys, but that momentum quickly disappeared as they were forced to play catch-up in the second half.

Even after leading both teams in most major offensive categories, the playoff hopes for Dallas are now on life support after their 34-26 loss to the Minnesota Vikings . Dak Prescott threw for 294 yards but was held without a TD, and a fist-half injury to Javonte Williams (that he later returned from) threw the offensive approach a bit sideways, forcing them to be a bit one-dimensional.

21. Atlanta Falcons (+3)

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

Atlanta's TNF win over Tampa Bay was because of the connection between Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts , as Pitts caught all three of Cousins' touchdowns in the win. Pitts caught 11 passes for 166 yards in the win, and a clutch, late-game drive from Cousins helped the Falcons earn their fifth win of the year, helping them jump three spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

22. Minnesota Vikings (+1)

The ebbs and flows of McCarthy's play leave enough on the bone for Vikings fans to still be excited, as his Week 15 winning performance against the Cowboys was impressive enough to earn the win.

McCarthy connected with Jalen Nailor for two touchdowns, and while his connection with Justin Jefferson (two receptions on eight targets) remains quite inconsistent, the MIN offense had a much better flow to it than in previous weeks.

23. New Orleans Saints (+3)

A field goal with six seconds left from Charlie Smyth paved the way for the Saints to earn an upset win at home over the Panthers in Week 15. A strong performance from rookie Tyler Shough (272 passing yards, one TD) helped the Saints' offense stay in it all day, as his connection with Chris Olave (6/85/1) remained strong.

Rookie running back Devin Neal , stepping into the starter's role yet again with Alvin Kamara injured, left Sunday's game early with a hamstring injury, cutting his game short after 32 total yards and a touchdown.

24. Kansas City Chiefs (-4)

The playoff hopes are officially dashed for the Chiefs, as their long-running AFC dynasty looks to have finally run out. Mahomes was held under 200 passing yards in the loss and his only touchdown came on the ground, as the Chiefs' offense looked stuck in the mud yet again, dropping them four spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

To make things worse, Mahomes' injured left knee has been confirmed to be a torn ACL, ending his 2025 season early, as the Chiefs will have to roll with Gardner Minshew for the rest of the year.

25. Washington Commanders (no change)

In a matchup between two struggling NFC East teams, it was the Washington Commanders that came out on top in Week 15, 29-21, over the New York Giants . Stepping in once again for the injured Jayden Daniels , Marcus Mariota threw for 211 yards and a touchdown to Terry McLaurin , while rookie running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt , stepping in for the injured Chris Rodriguez , ran for 96 yards and a touchdown in the win.

26. Cincinnati Bengals (-4)

The Bengals have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, and their Week 15 shutout loss at the hands of the Ravens puts the icing on the cake of their 2025 season. With Tee Higgins ruled out due to a concussion, the offense was Burrow and Ja'Marr Chase, as their connection resulted in 16 targets, 10 receptions, and 132 yards in the loss, but their futile performance drops them four spots in the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

27. New York Giants (no change)

While they were in it until their final offensive drive, the Giants continue their climb to the top pick in the 2026 NFL Draft after their Week 15 loss to the Commanders. Jaxson Dart threw for 246 yards and two touchdowns while running for 63 yards, and Theo Johnson led all NYG pass catchers with 72 yards on three catches.

Wan'Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy Jr. caught Dart's touchdowns, with Tracy racking up 97 total yards (70 rushing) and two total touchdowns in the loss.

28. New York Jets (no change)

Undrafted rookie Brady Cook made his first-career start for the Jets in Week 15, throwing for 176 yards, a touchdown, and three interceptions, as the Jets' 28-point loss pushes them to 3-11 on the year.

Cook connected with Adonai Mitchell for his first-career passing touchdown, and Isaiah Davis ran for a touchdown and led all ball carriers with 58 yards in the loss.

29. Cleveland Browns (no change)

A frigid Week 15 matchup was over early for the Browns, as they only managed a field goal at Soldier Field in their loss to the Bears. A three-interception day from rookie Shedeur Sanders was pretty on par for how things went for Cleveland in Week 15, as Harold Fannin Jr. (7/48) was easily Sanders' top target.

30. Arizona Cardinals (no change)

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

While the Jacoby Brissett – Michael Wilson connection is still alive and well for the Cardinals, there wasn't much else working for Arizona in their Week 15 blowout loss to the Texans. Their 20-point loss drops Arizona to 3-11 on the season, as Wilson (5/54/1) and Trey McBride (12/134/2) led the offense in the loss.

31. Tennessee Titans (no change)

The Titans impressively showed some life in their Week 15 loss to the 49ers, as Cam Ward threw for two touchdowns and Tony Pollard ran for over 100 yards.

Ward threw touchdowns to rookie tight end Gunnar Helm and defensive tackle Jeffrey Simmons in the loss, as the Titans fell to 2-12 on the year.

32. Las Vegas Raiders (no change)

Week 15 was an uphill battle for the Raiders, as Kenny Pickett was elevated into the QB1 role with Geno Smith ruled out with a shoulder injury. Pickett only threw for 64 yards in the loss, throwing an interception and getting sacked four times.

The struggles continue for the Raiders, as they are now 2-12 on the year and still hold their spot at the bottom of the Week 16 NFL Power Rankings.

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