NFL Power Rankings: Week 12 Edition

Now that Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season is in the books, it’s time for everyone’s favorite meaningful exercise: NFL Power Rankings! What differentiates these rankings from the others is that they’re the only truly accurate ones in the entire universe. And so let’s take a look at how all 32 teams stack up ahead of Week 12.

BLG’S WEEK 12 NFL POWER RANKINGS

1 - Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 1) - By beating the Bolts, the Chiefs have a stranglehold on the AFC West. Travis Kelce has already tied his single-season career high in touchdowns scored (11) with seven games left to play.

2 - Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 2) - Their one-point win over Indy sure wasn’t pretty. The offense got the job done when it counted most ... but there are concerns about that unit moving forward while Dallas Goedert is out. Philly’s last 17 meaningful drives (so, excluding two kneel downs and an en end of game fumbled lateral) have resulted in three touchdowns, one field goal, five giveaways, seven punts, and one turnover on downs. Nick Sirianni and Shane Steichen need to be better.

3 - Buffalo Bills (LW: 4) - They got off to a slow start but ultimately picked up a much-needed win after losing at home last week. Josh Allen avoided turning the ball over for the first time since Week 6 and just the second game all year.

4 - Miami Dolphins (LW: 6) - The Dolphins return from their bye to host the worst team in the NFL. They should be able to maintain their lead in a very competitive AFC East.

5 - Dallas Cowboys (LW: 8) - After suffering a disappointing loss to Green Bay, the Cowboys responded strong with a dominant road over Minnesota. Their impressive response has vaulted them to ranking second in point differential and DVOA.

6 - San Francisco 49ers (LW: 7) - DeMeco Ryans’ defense has allowed just 13.3 points per game over the 49ers’ last three matchups, all wins. Whether they end as NFC West champions or in a wild card spot, they’re not a team to be taken lightly in the playoffs.

7 - Baltimore Ravens (LW: 5) - Beating Carolina proved more difficult than it should’ve been. The Ravens’ sole touchdown came on a drive that started at the opponent’s 31-yard line due to a fumble.

8 - Minnesota Vikings (LW: 3) - It’s almost as if the team quarterbacked by a hollow stat-stuffing loser that ranked way worse in point differential and DVOA than their record would suggest isn’t too scary? The Vikings have allowed two more points than they’ve scored this season.

9 - Tennessee Titans (LW: 9) - Remember when the Titans started 0-2? They’re 7-1 since. And in no small part due to a defense that’s allowed just 15.4 points per game. Tennessee seems to be benefiting from Jim Schwartz being on their coaching staff.

10 - Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 10) - The Bengals have the sixth-best point differential in the NFL, which puts them right above Baltimore. Cincy is about to be majorly tested over the next two weeks with games against Tennessee and KC. Both of those opponents will be seeking revenge for last season’s playoff losses.

11 - Seattle Seahawks (LW: 11) - The Seahawks will return from their bye to host Las Vegas. If they’re serious about making the postseason, this needs to be a win.

12 - New England Patriots (LW: 12) - They picked up a big win despite not scoring an offensive touchdown. Though they’re probably not going to win the AFC East, they’re not yet out of it.

13 - New York Jets (LW: 13) - The good news is they were able to almost win despite awful quarterback play. The bad news is that they have to win in spite of awful quarterback play. The Jets had more punts (10) than completions (9). Zach Wilson is a huge liability holding back a team with quality coaching and a good roster.

14 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 15) - The Bucs return from their bye to play in Cleveland. It’s an opportunity for them to maintain their NFC South lead.

15 - Washington Commanders (LW: 17) - Don’t look now but the Commanders are above .500 for the first time since Week 1. They’re going to make a push for a wild card spot. Especially with Chase Young back in the fold.

16 - New York Giants (LW: 14) - Despite a 7-2 start, there’s no guarantee that the G-Men are going to make the postseason. They actually have THE league’s toughest remaining strength of schedule. A win on Thanksgiving would be massive for them. But it’s not expected to happen considering their status as 9.5-point underdogs.

17 - Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 16) - The Bolts lost a must-win game to KC. Just not their year.

18 - New Orleans Saints (LW: 22) - The Saints benefited from playing a team that’s even worse than them. And one that lost their starting quarterback during the game.

19 - Atlanta Falcons (LW: 23) - Football Outsiders gives the Falcons’ a 24.7% chance of making the playoffs. That’s a 6.6% increase from last week. A win over Chicago keeps their hopes alive.

20 - Detroit Lions (LW: 25) - Make that three straight wins for the Lions. A decisive road victory over the G-Men is a nice result for Dan Campbell. Perhaps this team is building some legitimate momentum? Oh, and Jameson Williams might be back soon. That might not be a small deal.

21 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 18) - “Uninspiring” is the word I would use to describe the Cardinals. By losing to SF, their playoff odds dropped to 0.3%.

22 - Los Angeles Rams (LW: 20) - There probably isn’t enough talk about how the Rams are on track to have the most pathetic Super Bowl defense of all time. Sean McVay avoids more criticism than he should.

23 - Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 21) - Kenny Pickett just isn’t good enough yet.

24 - Cleveland Browns (LW: 24) - The Browns are 3-7 with one game left to play before Deshaun Watson returns. The damage is probably already done in terms of not being able to make the playoffs. But if they’re to even have a long shot chance, they must be able to upset Tampa this week.

25 - Denver Broncos (LW: 19) - The vibes could not be more off in Denver. Russell Wilson is clearly cooked. He has one game this season with more than a single touchdown pass.

26 - Green Bay Packers (LW: 26) - The Packers’ next two games are on the road in Philly and Chicago. For a team with only one away win this season, that might not be an encouraging outlook.

27 - Chicago Bears (LW: 27) - I’ve never seen a quarterback get more credit for leading his team on a four-game losing streak.

28 - Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 28) - The Jags return from their bye to host Baltimore. Figures to be a tough one.

29 - Indianapolis Colts (LW: 29) - Jeff Saturday’s Colts have not been awful through two games. Indy beat Vegas and held a lead over Philly for most of the game before ulitmately suffering a one-point loss. Though he still has much to prove, this situation so far hasn’t been the total disaster many expected it to be.

30 - Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 31) - A win over a feel-bad Denver team shouldn’t have anyone convinced the Raiders are headed in the right direction.

31 - Carolina Panthers (LW: 30) - The Panthers are benching Baker Mayfield for Sam Darnold, who got benched for Baker Mayfield. They’re rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

32 - Houston Texans (LW: 32) - Very clearly the worst team in the NFL. They’re 32nd in DVOA and it’s only a matter of time because they drop from 31st to dead last in point differential. The good news is they currently have the No. 1 and No. 7 selections in the 2023 NFL Draft.