NFL draft: Tanking Rankings entering Week 12
Unbearable for Carolina
The Panthers are digging a deep cave with their play and the Bears have to love what is going on in Carolina.
14. Las Vegas Raiders (5-6, strength of schedule .500)
The Raiders thought they played their way out of the Tanking Rankings, but then they met Miami and sank below .500 again.
13. LA Rams (4-6, strength of schedule ,529)
The Rams won a thriller and swept the season series from Seattle. However, with the good, comes bad — as has been the case frequently. Cooper Kupp went out with an ankle injury, which makes battling into the NFC playoffs an even more difficult test.
12. LA Chargers (4-6, strength of schedule .529)
How many times and how many ways will the Chargers find to lose one-score games? They are not good enough. This can’t be considered bad luck anymore.
11. New York Jets (4-6, strength of schedule .520)
The Jets’ trip is heading south — and we don’t only mean because they play Miami on a Black Friday game. That contest is at MetLife and has the potential to be ugly. There can’t be a good reason for Aaron Rodgers to play again in 2023 if Gang Green is out of the playoff hunt.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6, strength of schedule .483)
The Bucs ran into a sizzling Brock Purdy and continued their fizzling ways recently. A complete one-eighty from the beginning of the year.
9. Green Bay Packers (4-6, strength of schedule .469)
The Packers caught the Chargers late and are starting to show some signs of offensive life. It won’t lead to a playoff spot but it is a sign of brightness for the future.
8. Atlanta Falcons (4-6, strength of schedule .424)
Atlanta was on a bye, not that anyone noticed.
7. Washington Commanders (4-7, strength of schedule .497)
There are embarrassing losses and then there is what happened to the Commanders against the Giants.
6. Tennessee Titans (3-7, strength of schedule .544)
There should be a long-form piece on how far (and why) the Titans have fallen as quickly as they did in 2023.
5. New York Giants (3-8, strength of schedule .520)
Your QB is sacked nine times and you win by double digits. Go figure.
4. Chicago Bears (3-8, strength of schedule .488)
The Bears’ loss to the Lions was horrendous. They allowed 17 points in a blink as the game was ending, which turned the possible win into an embarrassing loss.
3. New England Patriots (2-8, strength of schedule .538)
The Patriots had a bye as well, which should make for interesting personnel updates in Week 12.
2. Arizona Cardinals (2-9, strength of schedule .545)
Shhhh… The Cardinals lost to the Texans but are nowhere near as bad as their record indicates.
1. Chicago Bears via Carolina Panthers (1-9, strength of schedule .524)
This may be a moment the Panthers come to rue. They could have sent the Chicago Bears the No. 1 pick in 2024 for the right to choose Bryce Young.
