NFL Week 15 Power Rankings: Risers, Fallers after Exciting Week 14

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NFL Week 15 Power Rankings: Risers, Fallers after Exciting Week 14

Matt Johnson · Sportsnaut

Mon, Dec 8, 2025 ·

16 min read

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NFL Week 14 kicked off with a banger, as the Detroit Lions outlasted the Dallas Cowboys in one of the best Thursday Night Football games of the season. That set the tone for many of the games on the NFL schedule this week, including some head-to-head matchups between playoff contenders.

Let's dive into our NFL Week 15 Power Rankings, evaluating all 32 teams after Week 14. We'll provide updates after Sunday Night Football and Monday Night Football.

1.) Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks were tied 6-6 with the Falcons at halftime. Then, trade acquisition Rashid Shaheed took the kickoff back 100 yards for a house call, and that seemed to light a spark for the Seahawks. Seattle outscored Atlanta 31-3 the rest of the way, demonstrating why this could be the best team in the NFL as long as Sam Darnold avoids multi-interception games. With the unfortunate state the Colts are in, Seattle should have minimal trouble making it four consecutive wins and an 11-3 mark after Week 15.

Read More: NFL Week 15 Predictions

2. New England Patriots (2)

Are the New England Patriots the best team in the NFL? Probably not, given their issues running the football consistently and some of the issues with the pass defense. It also doesn't help that the left side of the offensive line is injured, and the run defense is taking a step back with Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga sidelined. What matters is that Drake Maye should be the NFL MVP front-runner right now and the 11-2 Patriots have a clear path to the AFC's No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.

3. Green Bay Packers (4)

When the Green Bay Packers absolutely needed it, Jordan Love , Josh Jacobs and the defense made the big plays. Sunday put Green Bay (9-3-1) atop the NFC North and now gives the club a realistic shot at the No. 1 seed and a potential first-round bye in the playoffs. It was crucial for the Packers to pass this test against Chicago and if they can go on the road and beat the Broncos in Week 15, it might be time to talk about Green Bay as the team to beat in a wide-open NFL.

Read More: Week 15 Fantasy Rankings

4. Los Angeles Rams (3)

It feels safe to say the Los Angeles Rams had something to prove in Arizona coming off last week's loss tothe Panthers . The Cardinals put up some garbage points late, which says a lot given the final score. This offense is absolutely electric and, if the secondary can just do an adequate job in coverage, Matthew Stafford and Co. can beat absolutely anyone on any given week.

5. Denver Broncos (5)

Ignore the final score because this game was far more one-sided than a seven-point victory. What Sean Payton has to feel great about coming out of Sunday's win is that the Denver Broncos were finally able to run the football, with RJ Harvey delivering a career-best performance. Is it a sign of things to come? We'll find out in Week 15 from an outstanding matchup at home versus the Packers.

6. Houston Texans (7)

The Houston Texans offense with C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins simply needs to be league-average with Stroud making a few big-time throws to Collins for this team to make a run. Sunday Night Football was another example, as was the win over Buffalo, that Houston's defense can neutralize elite quarterbacks and put the team in position to win as long as the offense scores 17-plus points. Given the Texans schedule, we think there's a real chance of Houston finishing the regular season with a 12-5 record.

7. Buffalo Bills (9)

Trailing by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were in real danger of dropping to 8-5 and that would mean having to fight for one of the last wild card spots. Josh Allen and Buffalo's defense responded to that with some of their biggest plays of the season, including a pick-six and a career-long rushing touchdown by Allen. Now, Buffalo is in firm control of its playoff destiny and a win next week versus New England would re-open the door to a division title.

8. Detroit Lions (8)

Amon-Ra St. Brown playing through the ankle sprain on Thursday Night Football and being instrumental in a Week 14 victory captured the magnitude of this game for the Detroit Lions. They are now in must-win territory, needing St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs to step up and carry this offense. Mission accomplished on Thursday. Now at 8-5 on the season, the Lions immediately face another test in Los Angeles versus the Rams in Week 15.

9. Chicago Bears (6)

Trailing 14-3 at halftime, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears rallied for a comeback that fell just a few yards short. If anyone was left questioning just low legitimate the Bears' success is, keep in mind they lost by a single score in Lambeau Field in a game without Rome Odunze and Kyler Gordon . Chicago is very real as a dangerous threat in the NFC, especially with Williams' ability to step up in critical moments.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (11)

Consensus NFL power rankings entering Week 14 still seemed to view the Philadelphia Eagles as a top-five team. It feels like that's putting a little too much weight in last season's Super Bowl appearance. The Eagles entered Monday Night Football ranked 14th in point differential (+21), well behind the top-10 teams with a plus-60 point differential. The Eagles might beat Los Angeles on Monday night, but that says a lot more about the state of the Chargers offensive line than how good the Eagles are.

11. San Francisco 49ers (12)

What Kyle Shanahan has done with the San Francisco 49ers this season is remarkable. With so many injuries, this team has somehow found its way to a 9-4 record. The bye week also came at the perfect time, giving Christian McCaffrey , George Kittle and Brock Purdy some time to recover. Best of all, the 49ers schedule for the next two weeks (Titans and Colts) offers a clear path to reaching double-digit wins. Even if this team doesn't feel destined for sustained playoff success, double-digit wins is remarkable.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (13)

It's now a two-team race for the AFC South crown. The Jacksonville Jaguars' roller-coaster season continued on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen have won four in a row, turning a 4-3 record into a 9-4 mark. At a minimum, Coen has delivered a five-win improvement, and he's got a legitimate shot at delivering a 10-win season for Jacksonville, which would be just the second for the franchise (2017) since 2008. Considering the Jaguars face the Jets in Week 15, double-digit wins two weeks before Christmas is very doable.

13. Dallas Cowboys (10)

The Dallas Cowboys still don't have a defense good enough for them to overcome multiple turnovers, especially when Brian Schottenheimer is so willing to settle for field goals in a high-scoring game. Thursday's loss is a devastating blow for the Cowboys' playoff hopes and it now seems unlikely that the team will win out to just finish 10-6-1. Still, if CeeDee Lamb clears the concussion protocol quickly, this will be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the final four weeks.

14. Carolina Panthers (17)

Inconsistency is the big issue right now for the Carolina Panthers. The same team that beat the Packers and Rams also lost by 10 points to New Orleans on Nov. 9, and now gets a Week 15 rematch versus the Saints. The hope for Carolina is that Dave Canales and Bryce Young will have solutions to what the Saints defense threw at them a few weeks ago. If so, the Panthers have a legitimate shot at the NFC South crown.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (18)

We're still deathly afraid of how the Chargers offense will function against quality opponents with so many backups on the offensive line. A Monday Night Football matchup against Philadelphia's defense will probably highlight those worries. For as nice as the 8-4 record is, Los Angeles is a team with a fatal flaw. Given the upcoming schedule features the Chiefs , Cowboys, Texans and Broncos, we truly believe the Chargers could go from 8-4 to 8-9 by the end of the regular season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (20)

Week 14 unfolded perfectly for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati 's loss puts it in a hole that feels practically impossible to dig out of given its defense. So, that leaves the Steelers versus the Ravens for the AFC North crown. Sunday's victory over Baltimore gives Pittsburgh a one-game lead in the division, and with how the Ravens have performed in the last two weeks, the Steelers might back themselves into a home playoff game.

17. Miami Dolphins (21)

The Miami Dolphins went into November with a 2-7 record and one of the league's worst defenses. During this four-game win streak, Miami has outscored its opponents by 48 points. De'Von Achane, who exited early in Sunday's victory with a rib injury, is the biggest reason for that success. Right behind him is a defense that has surrendered just 13.25 points per game in that span. Don't be surprised if Miami goes into Pittsburgh this week and turns a 2-7 record into a .500 mark.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (15)

We'll acknowledge that both the weather and the absence of Tristan Wirfs had a massive impact on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense underperforming in Week 14. Even when accounting for those factors, this was an embarrassing performance from a team with expectations of winning the division. The Buccaneers just opened the door for the Panthers to take the NFC South, and if that happens, Tampa Bay won't have a good enough record to make it in as a wild card team.

19. Kansas City Chiefs (16)

It's over for the Kansas City Chiefs. Drops can partially be blamed for the Sunday Night Football loss at home in Houston. The bigger problems, unsurprisingly, are a Chiefs offensive line starting a backup and fourth-string offensive tackles for the rest of the season and a skill group that doesn't have any explosive playmakers. The offense is stale, the defense can't generate pressure without blitzing and the roster just isn't good enough. Some changes are needed in Kansas City, but they are unlikely to happen.

20. Indianapolis Colts (14)

It's over for the Indianapolis Colts. When Daniel Jones played well and was healthy, Shane Steichen had the quarterback who could make defenses pay for going all-out to stop Jonathan Taylor . Playing hurt (fibula) coming into Week 14, Jones and this Colts offense were already struggling. Now that he's lost for the season with the Achilles, Indianapolis is about to experience a devastating free fall that will prevent it from even making the playoffs.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (22)

Consecutive interceptions, including a pick-six, were certainly part of the reason the Cincinnati Bengals lost in Week 14 and effectively took themselves out of the playoff hunt. However, the complete absence of a pass rush and the second-half collapse by this defense remain the club's biggest problems. Joe Burrow is in the same situation he was last season, and given we have no faith in the Bengals' ability to draft and develop talent on defense, why would there be any reason to believe things get better next season?

22. Baltimore Ravens (19)

There are moments when Lamar Jackson looks like 80 percent of the two-time MVP quarterback who can single-handedly carry the Baltimore Ravens to victories. They are just few and far between as he's still greatly limited by multiple lower-body injuries. That version of Jackson isn't good enough to overcome missed kicks, failed fourth-down attempts and drops that take touchdowns off the board for Baltimore.

23. Minnesota Vikings (26)

A much-needed win for the Minnesota Vikings and quite the confidence booster for J.J. McCarthy . We don't think a ton of stock should be put in the quarterback's performance, given the competition faced, but it is good to see that Minnesota can get its run game going to complement this stifling defense. Sitting at 5-8 entering Week 15, it will take a near-flawless game from McCarthy to beat Dallas on Sunday Night Football.

24. New Orleans Saints (27)

Devin Neal filled in admirably with Alvin Kamara still sidelined and the coaching combo of Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley is providing reason to believe in the New Orleans Saints' future. This still isn't a particularly strong roster, but the Saints now have road wins this season against both the Buccaneers and Panthers. Winning division games when you're basically rebuilding, that says something about the young coaching staff in New Orleans.

25. Arizona Cardinals (23)

After taking the Jaguars and Buccaneers to overtime in the last two weeks, the Arizona Cardinals had the misfortune of facing an angry Rams team in Week 14. The results went about as you'd expect. This loss really won't change anything regarding Jonathan Gannon's chances of sticking around in 2026. Arizona has played competitively enough with quarterback Jacoby Brissett that the Cardinals' coach will be back next year.

26. Atlanta Falcons (24)

It's time for Raheem Morris to go. Sunday's 28-point loss at home to the Seahawks locked the Atlanta Falcons into a losing record for the second consecutive season. Given the Buccaneers and Rams remain on the Falcons schedule, Atlanta is going to have double-digit losses this season. The organization went all-in on this core, and while there are plenty of issues, Morris needs to pay the price for the disastrous end result.

27. Washington Commanders (25)

Just a few quarters into his return, Jayden Daniels left the game with an injury. That was about the only thing that happened in an ugly loss in Minnesota, in which the Washington Commanders got shut out. We thought last week's performance was a sign of a potential turnaround, but it sure seems like Dan Quinn's team got up for that game and then had nothing left for Minnesota.

28. New York Giants (28)

When the New York Giants return from the bye in Week 15, the hope is that the organization will have convinced Jaxson Dart to protect himself more. However, that seems unlikely to happen. On the bright side, Theo Johnson is emerging as a true No. 1 tight end and Wan'Dale Robinson is demonstrating why he is an ideal No. 2 wide receiver long-term. So, at least the future is bright.

29. Cleveland Browns (29)

Ordinarily, we wouldn't give any credence to NFL conspiracy theories. What can't be denied, though, is that Shedeur Sanders has looked significantly better since taking over as the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback than Dillon Gabriel did earlier in the season. To that point, it's inexplicable how Sanders could deliver that fourth-quarter comeback and put Cleveland in position for the game-tying, two-point conversion, only to be taken off the field for the try. We don't believe Sanders should be Cleveland's quarterback of the future, but it would be even more absurd for the organization to retain Stefanski.

30. Las Vegas Raiders (31)

If you want to know the point the Las Vegas Raiders are at in Pete Carroll's tenure, he delayed the inevitable defeat and settled for a field goal just so he could lose to the Broncos by a single score. Never mind the fact that Las Vegas was outgained by over 120 total yards and really dominated on the field; Carroll wanted the margin to look a little better. It really doesn't matter; the Raiders are unlikely to win another game this season, and we'd assume that Carroll will be fired.

31. Tennessee Titans (32)

Tony Pollard willed this team to a win. Not a sentence we expected to write about the Tennessee Titans given they came into Sunday with a 1-11 record. Tennessee's defense still lacks any real long-term starters outside of Jeffery Simmons , Cedric Gray , and T'Vondre Sweat, but at least this offense is showing a little something. Another benefit for Tennessee? It still has a shot at the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which would mean trading down and picking up some much-needed draft capital.

32. New York Jets (30)

We'd be perfectly happy if we never had to watch Brady Cook play quarterback in a regular-season NFL game again. It feels safe to say that the New York Jets feel the same way. Injuries to Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields forced the team's hand on Sunday, the results were disastrous. Week 14 also demonstrated that talent remains, a lack thereof, is the biggest issue with this defense. We stand by the argument that this team isn't ready for a rookie quarterback and the Jets should use their first-round picks building a surrounding core.

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