Week 15 NFL Power Rankings: We have a change at the bottom!

Normally you get excited putting together Power Rankings when there is a reason to make a change at the top.

This week the excitement is because there is a change at the bottom.

In previous weeks it was easy to start out the rankings. Pencil the New York Jets in at 32 and fill the blanks in once the games are final. This week, however, the Jets stunned the Los Angeles Rams, throwing the upcoming draft order into tumult and shaking things up at the bottom of the Touchdown Wire Power Rankings.

And thanks to the Cincinnati Bengals, we have a change near the top as well…

Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13. Last week: 31)

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Doug Marrone turned to Gardner Minshew this week to get the start against the Baltimore Ravens. Would “Minshew Mania” make a comeback? Sadly, it did not. While the Ravens offense was building a 26-point halftime lead, their counterparts in Jacksonville were struggling. Minshew completed 8 of 11 passes for just 53 yards in the first half as the Jaguars could not get anything done on that side of the football. Minshew was sacked four times in the first half alone, and rookie running back James Robinson managed just 28 rushing yards in the first two quarters. Early in the second half, the two young players would connect on everyone’s favorite route, the wheel route: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340745706299031552 This is a great throw from Minshew, and a great catch-and-score from the rookie running back, who adds to his already record-setting yardage from scrimmage as an undrafted rookie RB. That, however, would basically be it for the Jaguars on the day as they went down by a final score of 40-14. The loss sent Jaguars fans to the scoreboard, hoping for the New York Jets to somehow pull off the upset of the Los Angeles Rams, to give Jacksonville a shot at the first-overall selection. They would get that miracle, and there was joy in Duval County on Sunday night, as Jaguars fans went to bed with visions of Trevor Lawrence dancing in their heads.

New York Jets (1-13. Last week: 32)

(AP Photo/Ashley Landis)

Without question, the most shocking development of the weekend occurred in Los Angeles, where the New York Jets played on the road against a team in playoff contention and coming off a mini-bye. Without a win to their credit this season, the Jets went to the West Coast and stunned the Los Angeles Rams by a final score of 23-20. This game looked like an upset from the early going. The Jets scored on their opening drive, with Sam Darnold hitting Ty Johnson for an 18-yard score to make it 7-0. Then the Jets blocked a Rams’ punt, turning that ensuing possession into a field goal. Then the Jets intercepted Jared Goff, turning that ensuing possession into another field goal and a 13-0 lead. Los Angeles would score on their first three possessions of the second half, but the Jets managed to keep pace with them, getting a touchdown and a critical field goal of their own to hold their lead. Los Angeles had one more possession to make something happen, but a Goff passing attempt on fourth down fell incomplete, and the Jets were able to run out the clock. A possible drawback? With the loss the Jaguars slid into position for the first-overall selection, and a shot at Trevor Lawrence. So even with their first win of the season, there were Jets fans reaching for the heartburn medication as dreams of Trevor seemed to slip away.

Atlanta Falcons (4-10. Last week: 29)

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On last week’s Touchdown Wire Matchup Podcast, Doug Farrar and I discussed Matt Ryan, his recent struggles and the future of the quarterback position in Atlanta. Now, I’m not saying that the veteran quarterback has the podcast in his rotation, but he certainly started Sunday’s game like he had heard some of the recent chatter about his play of late. Ryan came out firing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, completing all six of his passing attempts on Atlanta’s opening drive of the game including a touchdown to quarterback Russell Gage: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340720939609157633 Then a little later, Ryan stepped around the pressure and found Calvin Ridley in the left front corner of the end zone for a touchdown to give Atlanta the early 14-0 lead: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340731473263882240 Kudos to Ridley for the toe-tap to complete the play. Unfortunately, however, the Falcons are going to Falcon: https://twitter.com/sportingnews/status/1340767800651034627 Atlanta would see their lead melt away in the second half, and the Buccaneers would emerge victorious while dealing their division rivals a bitter defeat. Ryan finished the day by completing 34 of 49 passes for 356 yards and three touchdowns, but the defense gave up 31 second half points en route to the 31-27 loss. Now, Atlanta needs to focus on the future, starting with the head coach and general manager decisions.

Houston Texans (4-10. Last week: 28)

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Heartbreak again for Deshaun Watson and the Houston Texans. After going down early 14-0 to the Indianapolis Colts, the Texans battled back and managed to tie the game at 20 with minutes left to play. However, then the Colts hit on the first of two big plays in the closing moments when Philip Rivers hit T.Y. Hilton between the safeties for a huge gain, setting the Colts up with a 1st-and-goal. A few moments later Zach Pascal would knife into the end zone on a swing route for a go-ahead touchdown. But Watson was not done. He drove the Texans down into the red zone and Houston faced a 4th-and-5 with under a minute to go. Watson hit wide receiver Keke Coutee on an in-breaking route to give the Texans a first down, but Coutee had the ball punched out of his hands short of the goalline and the football tumbled into the end zone, to be recovered by the Colts. Another loss from Watson and the Texans just shy of the end zone. Last week on the Touchdown Wire Matchup Podcast Doug Farrar and I discussed whether the Texans should sit Watson down. I took the position that the team needs to save Watson and avoid an injury to their best asset, while Doug made the case that Watson’s competitive nature would prevent the team from sitting him down. Either way, I think every football fan is in agreement that Watson needs the organization to give him some help now and in the future.

Carolina Panthers (4-10. Last week: 27)

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On Saturday night the Carolina Panthers accomplished what few teams have this season. They made Matt LaFleur and the Green Bay Packers offense look pedestrian for a half of football. Unfortunately, that did not translate into a victory. While the Panthers defense - and in particular Brian Burns - had a very good night the team could not pull out the victory. Carolina got down by a 21-3 mark early in the game but held the Packers to just a field goal in the second half, eventually making it just a one-score game. Questions about the offense, and quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, are sure to linger. Perhaps the most important play of the game was a fumble by Bridgewater on a 1st-and-goal attempted quarterback sneak midway through the second quarter. Bridgewater tried to leap over the pile and the football was punched out, and the Packers recovered. Green Bay would score a touchdown on their ensuing possession, a potential 14-point swing. With these questions swirling about Bridgewater, the likelihood that Carolina looks at a quarterback in the first round increases. Who will make that decision? That is also an open question right now, as the organization fired general manager Marty Hurney on Monday morning.

Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1. Last week: 30)

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Monday Night Football pitted two division rivals against each other. One had playoff seeding, a division title and a shot at the first-overall seed to play for. The other had pride. Sometimes pride wins out. It did on Monday night when the Cincinnati Bengals, starting their third different quarterback of the season in Ryan Finley, knocked off the Pittsburgh Steelers in another stunning upset in a weekend that saw the New York Jets top the Los Angeles Rams. A few years ago I was able to grab some time with Finley at the Senior Bowl, and he was quite enjoyable to talk to, as we discussed route concepts, timing in the passing game, and velocity as a quarterback. What showed up Monday night against the Steelers was his legs. Finley helped engineer one of the biggest upsets of the season, and it was his touchdown run in the fourth quarter that proved to be decisive, on a zone read design when the Pittsburgh defense simply left him unaccounted for. As this game wound down, Louis Riddick in the booth talked about how the Bengals “believed they were close.” On Monday night, they were not just close, they were the better team.

Detroit Lions (5-9. Last week: 26)

As I have done from time to time, I turn to other writers and beat reporters to summarize what happened in a given game. Michael Rothstein, who covers the Detroit Lions for ESPN, summed up the Lions’ loss to the Tennessee Titans this way:

The defense could not stop the Titans on Sunday, and that put the Lions offense in a position where they needed to be perfect to keep pace with Tennessee. On this day, with a banged-up Matthew Stafford, the offense was good but far short of perfect on a day they needed to be. The afternoon ended with Stafford pulled from the game (coach’s decision) and the Lions thinking about how to fix things for the future. A quick note on Stafford. The man is a warrior for suiting up on Sunday. Full credit to him for gutting it out through the pain.

Denver Broncos: (5-9. Last week: 23)

(AP Photo/Jack Dempsey)

On Saturday afternoon the Denver Broncos were all that stood between the Buffalo Bills and their first AFC East title in 25 years. Denver put up a fight...for a while. The Broncos went down by a final score of 48-19. 17 unanswered points in the third quarter doomed the Broncos, who went from trailing 21-13 to a deficit of 38-13 over that 15 minute span. The defeat guarantees that Denver will have a losing record for a fifth straight season and officially eliminated them from the playoffs. They have not been to the playoffs since they won Super Bowl 50. Of course, their quarterback that season was Peyton Manning, and that position remains the biggest question mark facing the Broncos right now. For all the promise of Drew Lock, the flashes he has shown and the raw talent he has, the position is a problem. Lock, coming off perhaps his best game as a professional, struggled against a defense much tougher than what he saw a week ago. In the loss Lock completed 20 of 32 passes for just 132 yards and a touchdown, averaging just 4.1 yards per attempt. Lock also lost a fumble that was returned for a touchdown. We have been preaching patience with Lock over the past few weeks, but now, now it seems like patience is wearing very thin.

San Francisco 49ers (5-9. Last week: 21)

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A desperation heave towards the end zone from C.J. Beathard on the game’s final play was hauled in by Kendrick Bourne for a 49-yard touchdown for the San Francisco 49ers. The scoring play did not pull off a miracle win for San Francisco, but it might have been the best of both worlds. It gave the 49ers a touchdown but as they would end up losing the game 41-33, it moved them one spot closer to a high draft pick in the 2021 NFL Draft. With the results of the later games, including the win from the Arizona Cardinals, the 49ers were officially eliminated from playoff contention with the loss. Nick Mullens got another start for the 49ers and completed 21 of 36 passes for 219 yards and a pair of touchdowns. But it was the two interceptions thrown by Mullens that doomed the 49ers on Sunday. Dallas turned those two extra possessions into ten points, first with a field goal and then later with a 40-yard touchdown run from Tony Pollard. He would be pulled late in the game due to some numbness in his throwing arm, which set the stage for Beathard's late heave. So as the attention turns to the draft in San Francisco, speculation over the quarterback position will continue to rise. Many 49ers fans have visions of Justin Fields, Trey Lance or Zach Wilson dancing through their heads this holiday season. Any of those three quarterbacks would fit in nicely with what Kyle Shanahan wants to put together on offense.

Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1. Last week: 22)

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During November and into December one question plagued Doug Pederson and the Philadelphia Eagles: Can you fix what is wrong with Carson Wentz? Now they face another question: Why did you wait so long to pull him in favor of Jalen Hurts? While the Eagles lost to the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday afternoon, the rookie quarterback was not the reason. Hurts has injected new life into the Philadelphia offense, and against the Cardinals he completed 24 of 44 passes for 338 yards and three touchdowns, while rushing for another 63 yards on 11 carries and adding a touchdown on the ground. Over the past two weeks, Hurts has thrown for 505 yards and four touchdowns with no interceptions, and also run for 169 yards and a touchdown. That has come against two very good defenses. The loss did not eliminate the Eagles from playoff contention, as believe it or not, they can still get in. They would need to win out and get losses from Washington and the Giants along the way. Stranger things have happened. But perhaps the biggest question of all - beyond those listed above - is would the Eagles be in a stronger position if they had made the switch sooner? Did the delay in moving to Hurts cost them better playoff odds? We’ll leave that one to another time...

Los Angeles Chargers (5-9. Last week: 24)

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I got a text this week from one my mom, one of the biggest - and best - football fans I know. It read as follows: “Have been watching Herbert closely all year and of course last night. Is he really as fantastic as I think he is?” She’s absolutely right. Herbert, as we have said before, is perhaps the story of the 2020 NFL season. From what he has shown as a rookie, to what it bodes for the future of the Los Angeles Chargers, and what it means about the next few years of quarterback development and evaluation. Beyond that, Shane Steichen and Pep Hamilton should be the heroes of the upcoming coaching clinic circuit, to share their thoughts on young quarterback development, training and growth. It would not surprise me in the least to see both mentioned as head coaching candidates in this upcoming offseason. As for the Chargers themselves, Thursday night’s overtime win showed that this team is ready to compete, they just need to fill out a few spots on the roster and fix some of their situational awareness miscues.

New England Patriots (6-8. Last week: 20)

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With Sunday’s loss to the Miami Dolphins, the New England Patriots were eliminated from postseason contention for the first time since 2008 and for only the third time in Bill Belichick’s tenure as head coach. As has been the case throughout the season for the Patriots, the passing game struggled to get on track. Cam Newton completed 17 of 27 passes for 209 yards, and the Patriots did not reach the end zone. Making matters worse, the vaunted Patriots’ rushing attack could not make up the difference, as Sony Michel gained 74 yards on ten carries and Newton chipped in another 38 yards on nine attempts. Making matters still worse for the Patriots on Sunday was the fact that the defense struggled as well. Yes, J.C. Jackson notched his eighth interception of the season, but the Patriots struggled to stop the Miami rushing attack, which slowly took over the game in the second half. With the offense having its issues New England needs its defense to be perfect. On Sunday they were not. Now the focus turns to 2021. The biggest question will undoubtedly be the quarterback position, and how the organization handles Newton. He was in New England on a one-year deal, and it would be hard to see if his play this season opens up a ton of doors on the free agency market. As such, that could open the door for a return to New England for the veteran QB. By all reports Newton has been a model teammate and a leader, and perhaps with a full training camp and some additions around him, the passing game could be improved next year. Or Belichick could do something completely different, as he is often so hard to predict.

Dallas Cowboys (5-9. Last week: 25)

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The Dallas Cowboys, thanks to their win over the San Francisco 49ers and the Washington Football Team’s loss to the Seattle Seahawks, are still alive in the playoff hunt. It is hard to believe that a 5-9 team would be alive with two games left in the season, but 2020 has been filled with surprises. The Cowboys got a solid day from backup quarterback Andy Dalton, who completed 19 of 33 passes for 209 yards and a pair of touchdowns in the win. Rookie wide receiver CeeDee Lamb also turned in one of the biggest plays of the game with this touchdown off an onside kick: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340769880497217536 Now the Cowboys get to take on two division rivals over the last two weeks. They’ll see the Philadelphia Eagles next Sunday and then close out the season with a trip to MetLife Stadium to play the New York Giants. With a pair of wins, and a pair of losses from Washington, Dallas would be in the dance. Normally, I’d bet against them. But this being 2020, I’m not making any such bets.

New York Giants (5-9. Last week: 18)

The New York Giants entered Sunday night with a golden opportunity to take the lead in the NFC East. Now, the path to the playoffs is much harder. Last week the Giants ran Daniel Jones onto the field to take on the Arizona Cardinals. With Jones dealing with lower body injuries, he struggled to avoid the pressure in the pocket and was sacked eight times. Joe Judge turned to Colt McCoy to get the start Sunday night against the Cleveland Browns, and the results were not much better. The offense managed only a pair of field goals from Graham Gano, and the Giants saw their path to the NFC East become much steeper in the wake of a 20-6 loss. McCoy struggled to get much of anything going through the air, as he completed 19 of 31 passes for 221 yards on the night. Making matters worse was the fact that the Giants' rushing attack struggled as well, with Alfred Morris and Wayne Gallman combining for just 68 rushing yards. Then there was the defense, which struggled to slow down Baker Mayfield who turned in an almost-perfect night of football. Still, the Giants can get into the postseason, although their odds did dip due to the loss. But they'll need a win against the resurgent Baltimore Ravens to stay in the hunt.

Washington Football Team (6-8. Last week: 17)

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If the Washington Football Team was going to pull off the home upset of the Seattle Seahawks - and remain in first place in the NFC East in the process - their defensive front would need to lead the way. That group has been huge for Washington this season, and with Dwayne Haskins returning to the lineup, they would need to be dominant for Washington to win. They showed up in the fourth quarter with a huge play. With the Seahawks holding an 11-point lead and driving for the knockout blow, Montez Sweat tipped a pass from Russell Wilson and Da’Ron Payne made the interception off the deflection: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340757571821400064 Given new life, the Washington offense responded with an 11-play drive that ended with Haskins hitting J.D. McKissic with a short touchdown pass: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340760475970105344 The two-point conversion failed but with just over seven minutes left Washington trailed by just five, 20-15. The defense would force a three-and-out on Seattle’s next possession, spurred on by a stop of Chris Carson behind the line for a loss of four on first down. The punt gave Washington the football with 5:34 left down by five, and a 14-play drive brought the Football Team into Seattle territory. But back-to-back sacks of Haskins forced Washington into a do-or-die fourth down, and a hopeful throw towards the middle of the field fell incomplete. The news was not all bad in Washington, however, as the Football Team got a little help on Sunday night with the New York Giants losing to the Cleveland Browns. The division title still is there for the taking, but Washington will need to get some wins in the final two weeks. A win over the Carolina Panthers in Week 16 would be huge for their odds of winning the division.

Minnesota Vikings (6-8. Last week: 16)

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Sunday’s meeting between the Chicago Bears and the Minnesota Vikings was in essence a playoff game. With the bitter NFC North rivals both entering play with a 6-7 record, the winning team would keep their playoff chances intact, while the loser would likely be eliminated from contention. In the early going, everything was pointing Chicago’s way. The Bears took a 20-10 lead into halftime on the back of a solid half of play from Mitchell Trubisky. While the Vikings offense managed to get 79 rushing yards from Dalvin Cook, they managed just ten points in the opening 30 minutes. Quarterback Kirk Cousins completed nine of 14 passes for 83 yards in the first half, and the offense needed to get in rhythm to avoid the big loss. They did just that on the opening possession of the second half. Minnesota took the kickoff to start the third quarter and responded with an eight-play, 75-yard drive culminating in a touchdown run from Cook to cut the Bears’ lead to just three. Three points was still the Chicago lead when the Bears faced a 3rd and goal with just over three minutes remaining. A touchdown might have sealed the deal for the Bears. Instead rookie cornerback Cam Dantzler came up with the critical play: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340760942540296193 However, the Vikings could not take advantage of the interception. Minnesota turned the football over on downs, and a final drive in the closing seconds down by six failed when Cousins was intercepted himself, ending the threat. And likely any postseason chances in Minnesota. Courtney Cronin, who covers the Vikings for ESPN, summed up the game - and perhaps their season in the process - this way: “This season is essentially over for the Vikings, marred by their porous defense, bad offensive line play, costly decisions (like running the ball while trailing by 10 points) and game management. The Vikings learned a hard truth about themselves on Sunday. If they couldn't stop the Bears' offense, chances are they would never be able to when it mattered in January.”

Las Vegas Raiders (7-7. Last week: 15)

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Thursday night’s loss was brutal for a number of reasons. First, the Las Vegas Raiders are without starting quarterback Derek Carr for the foreseeable future. Carr suffered a groin injury in the loss to the Los Angeles Chargers, and according to head coach Jon Gruden the starting quarterback is “50/50” for the Raiders’ Week 16 matchup, a must-win game against the Miami Dolphins. Second, the loss to the Chargers almost eliminated the Raiders from postseason contention. According to 538.com, Las Vegas has just a 2% chance of getting into the playoff right now, and to do so they would need a ton of help along the way; starting with a victory over Miami on Saturday. Now, as to the first point, if Carr cannot go Marcus Mariota looked like a serviceable option during his time on the field against the Chargers. After the game Gruden said of his backup that “..[w]hat Marcus did last night was spectacular. We felt the number one thing we had to do was get him healthy again...we kept him on ice and in rehab until he was healthy. [W]hen this kid is healthy he is a special playmaker and I think he proved it.” They’ll need something special for sure if they’re going to sneak into the postseason now.

Chicago Bears (7-7. Last week: 19)

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The Chicago Bears entered Week 15 still alive in the postseason race, but they would need to knock off their rivals the Minnesota Vikings to avoid elimination. In fact, one could make the case that Sunday’s game was in a sense a playoff game, given what it meant for both teams. Given all of that, the start in Minnesota was one you wanted to see as a Chicago fan. The Bears got out to a ten-point lead in the first half. First it was quarterback Mitchell Trubisky hitting Darnell Mooney for a touchdown, and then David Montgomery plunged into the end zone to give Chicago that 17-7 lead: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340733727433842688 The Vikings managed to claw back into the game in the second half, but with over three minutes left the Bears faced a 3rd-and-goal at the Minnesota six-yard line holding a 30-27 lead. This was a chance for the Bears to put the game away. However, that’s when Trubisky made what looked to be the critical mistake, forcing a throw into coverage that was intercepted. The defense responded, forcing a four-and-out. Chicago was able to put a field goal on the board to ice the game, sealing it with a late interception of Kirk Cousins to close out the win. Credit to Trubisky. Despite the interception, the quarterback completed 15 of 21 passes for 2020 yards, a touchdown and the interception. He seems more confident in the pocket right now - which might have led to the interception - and that might be enough to get through this stretch of games. Now at .500, the Bears get to play the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 16 with a chance to keep their playoff hopes alive. However, looking ahead to Week 17 the Bears host the Green Bay Packers, and that probably does not leave Chicago fans with a ton of confidence if that game is a must-win...

Los Angeles Rams (9-5. Last week: 6)

(AP Photo/Kyusung Gong)

When you lose to an 0-13 team, you are going to take a dive in Power Rankings. These are the rules, and I just abide by them. However this is what Los Angeles Rams fans feared. No, not a stunning loss to the New York Jets, but rather the Jared Goff Pumpkin Game. That is what we got on Sunday when the Rams suffered a tough loss at home to the previously winless Jets. Goff struggled in the early going, failing to connect on throws and throwing an interception in the first half that the Jets turned into a field goal. The Rams made a game of it in the second half, with Goff throwing a pair of touchdowns, but they could not complete the comeback. A Goff fourth down attempt in the direction of Gerald Everett fell to the turf, and the Jets had the win. The Rams are still in solid shape when it comes to getting into the postseason, but they have yet to punch their ticket. With games against the Seattle Seahawks and the Arizona Cardinals remaining, the Rams could still even win the division. However, the questions about Goff - specifically whether you would trust him in a critical game - are back after losing to the Jets. Rams fans can hope that their quarterback had just one Pumpkin Game left this season, and he just got it out of his system.

Arizona Cardinals (8-6. Last week: 14)

Last week it was the defense that led the way for the Arizona Cardinals, as they sacked New York Giants quarterbacks eight times en route to a 26-7 win at MetLife Stadium. This week it was all about quarterback Kyler Murray. The second-year passer accounted for four touchdowns as the Cardinals kept their postseason chances alive with a 33-26 victory over Jalen Hurts and the Philadelphia Eagles. In the win Murray threw for a career-high 406 yards and three touchdowns, one of which was this incredible connection with DeAndre Hopkins for the eventual game-winner: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340810692295704577 As the NFL account asks: How do you defend this? The Cardinals now close out the season with games against division rivals, with the Los Angeles Rams in Week 17 and the San Francisco 49ers on deck in Week 16. Both are winnable games, despite the loss to the Rams just a few weeks ago. If Murray can turn in a few more performances like he did this past Sunday, and the offense continues to move Hopkins around to give him some favorable matchups, they will be in good position to lock down their first playoff berth since 2015.

Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3. Last week: 8)

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Monday Night Football ended with Ben Roethlisberger taking a knee and the Pittsburgh Steelers in the victory formation. But it was anything but a win for the Steelers. The Cincinnati Bengals shocked Pittsburgh by a final score of 27-17, preventing the Steelers from clinching the AFC North and sending shockwaves through not just the AFC, but the NFL at large. With three-straight losses, we have to ask: Just how good is Pittsburgh? What doomed them tonight was a dismal first half. Roethlisberger looked pedestrian at best, and at one point had negative passing yards on the night. The Steelers turned the football over multiple times, and the Bengals were able to take a 17-0 lead into the break. Mike Tomlin's halftime speech worked, as the Steelers scored the next ten points to climb within a score, but then Ryan Finley's touchdown scamper gave the Bengals the cushion they needed to salt the game away. Now, the Steelers face the Indianapolis Colts and the Cleveland Browns to close out the season. How low does this floor go? Because right now, as Brian Griese said in the booth, this does not look like a playoff team.

Miami Dolphins (9-5. Last week: 13)

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In the first half of Sunday's game, it looked like Tua Tagovailoa had made the rookie mistake that could have doomed the Miami Dolphins in this showdown with their AFC East rivals the New England Patriots. On a 3rd-and-Goal play on Miami’s second possession of the game, Tagovailoa was pressured by Chase Winovich and made a late throw to a covered receiver. Doing the covering? J.C. Jackson, who stepped in front of the throw for his eighth interception of the season. However, the Dolphins kept battling, and would take the lead on the first possession of the second half, going right down the field for a touchdown. They would retake the lead for good in the fourth quarter when Tagovailoa scrambled into the end zone for a short touchdown scamper. Perhaps the biggest story of the day was how well the Dolphins ran the football. Miami seemed able to run at will, as Salvon Ahmed had 122 yards on 23 carries and Matt Breida had another 86 yards on 12 carries. Perhaps a play that exemplifies this win was a 3rd-and-8 in the third quarter when Tagovailoa checked out of a passing play due to the light defensive front and Patrick Laird ripped off a 12-yard run to pick up the first down. Now, the Dolphins can focus on Saturday and a huge game against the Las Vegas Raiders. Two wins and they are assured of a postseason spot. With this kind of ground attack, combined with the defense they have put together, they are in very good shape for these final two weeks.

Baltimore Ravens (9-5. Last week: 12)

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After their win last week over the Cleveland Browns in the “Game of the Year,” we argued in the Touchdown Wire Power Rankings that the Baltimore Ravens were set up to have a very strong final push to the playoffs. Why? Because of the schedule. Over their final three games the Ravens are not slated to play a team with a winning record. In fact, the only team they’ll face that is in the playoff hunt is the New York Giants, who will have a losing record when the teams square off in Week 16. Baltimore got out to a big advantage early against the Jacksonville Jaguars with a safety and then this touchdown pass from Lamar Jackson to Myles Boykin: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340723848115699713 Then early in the second quarter, rookie J.K. Dobbins scored a touchdown in the fourth-straight game, as the Ravens pushed their lead to 16-0. That lead would be extended again before halftime with, of all people, Dez Bryant: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340737469667450880 The veteran receiver notched his first touchdown in over three years, and the rout was on. Jackson would finish the day with four touchdowns to his credit, three through the air and one on the ground. Now, the Ravens can look ahead to these final two weeks, with two teams holding losing records on the calendar. We said that Baltimore could be entering the playoffs with a bit of momentum, and so far that seems to be taking shape.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5. Last week: 11)

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After 30 minutes of play, it was a disaster for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in Atlanta. They trailed the Falcons 17-0, and here’s how the great Jenna Laine summarized the situation for ESPN: “Nothing has gone right for the Bucs, down 17-0 in the first half against the Falcons. Countless blown coverages, missed tackles, Sean Murphy-Bunting has given up two TDs to Russell Gage and Calvin Ridley and Tom Brady's been hit three times and sacked twice. Just 60 total yards of offense.” Making matters worse was what happened in the first quarter. Again from Laine: “The Bucs have been outscored by 32 points in the first quarter, sixth-worst in the league. The 97 points the Bucs have allowed in the first quarter is currently the most in the league, although the Cowboys (94) and Jets (90) could break that later today, per ESPN Statistics & Information.” They would need a huge second half to avoid a stunning upset to the Falcons. Brady and the offense started the second half hot, scoring on their first two possessions in the third quarter. First it was Leonard Fournette plunging in from one yard out, and then Brady hit Chris Godwin for a touchdown from four yards out to cut the Atlanta lead to 24-14. The third quarter drew to a close with another touchdown run from Fournette to make it a three-point game heading into the final frame. Early in that final frame the Buccaneers managed to tie it up with a field goal from Ryan Succop, and with just over 11 minutes remaining the score was knotted at 24. Then after an Atlanta field goal Antonio Brown, a player whose signing caused a great deal of controversy, delivered perhaps his biggest play in pewter: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340761701814214656 The comeback victory was huge for Tampa Bay’s postseason chances, as the Buccaneers clinched their first winning season since 2010 with the win. Tampa Bay closes out their season with the Detroit Lions next Saturday, and then these very same Falcons in Week 17. So it is a good time to point out that with Sunday’s win, Brady is now 7-0 on his career against Atlanta. Should the playoff berth come down to Week 17, Buccaneers fans probably like their chances.

Seattle Seahawks (10-4. Last week: 9)

(Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports)

Points were tough to come by early Sunday out in Landover, Maryland between the Seattle Seahawks and the Washington Football Team. With the second quarter drawing to a close, the Seahawks had just a 6-0 lead thanks to a pair of field goals. But Dwayne Haskins had the Washington offense on the move. Seattle then forced the big mistake: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340735713768161280 Haskins forced a throw into coverage, and off the deflection Shaquill Griffin came down with the interception to end the scoring threat. Gifted the extra possession, Seattle took quick advantage. The Seahawks offense then marched down the field with a ten-play drive, capped off with this touchdown strike from Russell Wilson to Jacob Hollister: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340738620626333696 Seattle would add another touchdown on the opening drive of the second half, with Carlos Hyde ripping off a 50-yard run to give the Seahawks a 20-3 lead. Washington would close, and actually had a chance to win on the final drive, but a desperation throw from Haskins fell incomplete and Seattle would run out the clock. The win clinched a playoff spot for the Seahawks, but their eyes are set higher. That starts with winning the division, something they can possibly do next week with a win over their rivals the Los Angeles Rams.

New Orleans Saints (10-4. Last week: 5)

(Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)

In a bit of “good news/bad news” we will start with the positives from the New Orleans Saints’ 32-29 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs. They were banged up on offense, Drew Brees was making his first start back after losing time due to multiple rib fractures, and they were playing the Kansas City Chiefs. With that context as the backdrop, a three-point loss is not that bad at all. Now the bad news: The loss drops them a full game behind the Green Bay Packers in the hunt for the first-round bye in the NFC, and with the Packers owning the tiebreaker due to their Week 3 win in New Orleans, that is in essence a two-game lead for the Packers with two to go. With respect to Brees, there was certainly some rust as he worked his way back from the injury, but on New Orleans’ final two drives the veteran quarterback was impressive, completing eight of ten attempts for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns. However, his overall numbers were less than stellar, as Brees completed just 15 of 34 passes for 234 yards and three touchdowns with one interception. That sub-50% completion mark was the first time Brees was below 50% in a game since 2013. That actually broke a streak for Brees: https://twitter.com/jazayerli/status/1340825399970947075 Brees also started the game 0-for-6 with an interception. He’ll need to shake things off quickly, as the Saints will welcome the Minnesota Vikings to the Superdome for a little Friday afternoon, Christmas Day football.

Tennessee Titans (10-4. Last week: 10)

This was an impressive win from the Tennessee Titans. One of the biggest factors in recent weeks for the Titans has been the play of wide receiver Corey Davis. The receiver had one of the best games of his career a few weeks ago in a loss to the Cleveland Browns, catching 11 passes for 182 yards and a touchdown. It did not take long for Davis to make an impact Sunday against the Detroit Lions: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340725849792815105 Working off of play-action - something the Titans do extremely well under Arthur Smith - Davis runs a double-move out of the slot. Ryan Tannehill hits him on the deep shot, and after some impressive moves after the catch Davis and the Titans are in the end zone to retake the lead. Then later in the first half it was the defense with the big play. Detroit was deep in Tennessee territory facing a 3rd-and-goal from the one-yard line. Rookie D’Andre Swift tried to go over the top, but the Titans defense stuffed him and the ball popped out, with Will Compton recovering: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340734943748472833 But the story of this day was indeed the offense, and in particular Tannehill. The quarterback ran for a pair of touchdowns and threw for three, and racked up 273 passing yards while completing 21 of 27 passes against the Lions. Derrick Henry had another monster day, gaining 147 yards on 24 carries. The win gets the Titans to 10-4 on the season, giving Tennessee their first ten-win season since the 2008 season. If they can get past the Green Bay Packers in Week 16, the Titans will be posed to secure the AFC South for the first time since that team that finished 13-3 back in 2008.

Cleveland Browns (10-4. Last week: 7)

(Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports)

Coming off his performance in last week's loss to the Baltimore Ravens, Baker Mayfield turned in perhaps his best game of the season in a critical Week 15 victory over the New York Giants. Mayfield was almost-perfect on the night, completing 27 of 32 passes for 297 yards and a pair of touchdowns. What stood out watching Mayfield was the decisiveness. Mayfield was confident in his reads and throws from the opening possession, and the result was the kind of performance Browns fans have been craving all season long. Then there was the defense, which shut down not just Colt McCoy but a Giants' rushing attack that has been very good in recent weeks. They held Alfred Morris to just 39 rushing yards, and Wayne Gallman to just 29 rushing yards. Put the pieces together and you have a 20-6 win for the Browns. Cleveland is now a step closer to the postseason, but the work is not done. To finish the job the Browns likely have to win their final two games, although according to 538.com a win next week against the New York Jets would improve their playoff odds to 98%. Although after this past Sunday, even that is not guaranteed...

Indianapolis Colts (10-4. Last week: 4)

(Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports)

One of the best moments of the entire weekend took place in Indianapolis on the opening kickoff. Indianapolis Colts kicker Rigoberto Sanchez put the ball into play: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340719747080450048 Sanchez was returning to action for the first time after having a cancerous tumor removed, and it was great to see the kicking specialist in action once more. When the game got underway, what some expected to be a one-sided affair was anything but. The teams were knotted at 20 with the two-minute warning approaching when Philip Rivers connected with T.Y. Hilton on a huge play: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340757191662292993 Hilton splits the coverage and Rivers puts this on the money, setting the Colts up with a 1st-and-goal at the three-yard line. A few plays later Rivers would swing the ball out to Zach Pascal and the receiver plunged into the end zone with a critical late touchdown: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340758897905176576 Then with Houston driving, the defense forced a fumble from Keke Coutee just shy of the goal line to preserve the win. Now the Colts get to take on a team in the Pittsburgh Steelers that is facing a ton of questions before closing out the year with the Jaguars. With the Tennessee Titans facing perhaps a tougher test with the Green Bay Packers next week, the Colts could be entering Week 17 with a chance to clinch the division.

Buffalo Bills (11-3. Last week: 3)

(Troy Babbitt-USA TODAY Sports)

The Buffalo Bills last secured the AFC East in 1995. Back then, you would have been reading this through either America Online or Prodigy, as that was the first year the internet became fully privatized and those two companies released web browsers to the general public. Bill Clinton was President of the United States, and Jim Kelly was taking the snaps for the Bills. Of course, that changed this weekend. With their win on Saturday over the Denver Broncos, the Bills earned the AFC East title, dethroning the New England Patriots. Sure, there is time to talk about how Buffalo might be the most dangerous team in the AFC right now. Time to talk about how the defense has improved in recent weeks to become the unit most were expecting to see when this year began. Time to talk about what the acquisition of Stefon Diggs has meant to this offense and its quarterback. And of course time to talk about that quarterback, Josh Allen, and what his growth and development this season means for the organization, the future in Buffalo and how quarterbacks will be evaluated in years to come. But for now, from someone who grew up a Patriots fan: Congratulations Bills, and to all the Bills fans out there.

Green Bay Packers (11-3. Last week: 2)

After seeing what Drew Lock did to the Carolina Panthers last weekend, Aaron Rodgers and the rest of the Green Bay Packers must have been champing at the bit to take the field Saturday night.The Packers came away with the win, but to hear the quarterback tell it, it was not a good performance. The home team got out to a 21-3 lead at the half, but were outscored in the second half and needed to hold on for the win. After Green Bay’s 24-16 victory, Rodgers stated that the Packers “...have to figure out offensively what happened there in the second half.” He went on to say that the team “...just haven’t put together a four quarter game...that’s just not consistent, winning football.”What might have contributed to that inconsistency was a bit of offensive malaise. After being praised all season long - including last week here at Touchdown Wire - Matt LaFleur’s offense seemed almost bland when contrasted with what the Packers have shown in previous weeks. Furthermore, Rodgers was pressured throughout the game, getting sacked five times.Now, the Packers can look ahead to the Tennessee Titans and stopping Derrick Henry. Their offense will also face a defense that has struggled in recent weeks, so perhaps Rodgers will get cheered up sooner rather than later.

Kansas City Chiefs (13-1. Last week: 1)

(Derick E. Hingle-USA TODAY Sports)

His young career is already filled with moments like this: https://twitter.com/NFL/status/1340780780121800704 The easiest way to describe them? As “this freakin’ guy” moments. Moments that just leave you scratching your head and wondering how in the world this freaking guy can pull plays like this off. Patrick Mahomes delivered a few more of those moments on Sunday in the marquee game of the week. Squaring off with Drew Brees returning from injury, Mahomes again impressed with plays like this. With the Chiefs having clinched a playoff spot, chances are Mahomes will deliver a few more moments like that in the postseason. However. Later this week our fearless leader Doug Farrar is going to publish a piece on the potential fatal flaw facing every postseason contender. Something tells me that the Kansas City defense is going to be featured in that piece. The New Orleans Saints were a bit banged-up on the offensive side of the football - and this was the first game back for Brees after the rib fractures - but the Saints made this a bit of a white-knuckle affair at the end. Over their final two possessions, both of which went for touchdowns, Brees completed eight of ten passes for 98 yards and a pair of touchdowns. Now some of that could have been the game script and the Chiefs trying to play a little prevent. Or...it could be a sign of something to worry about.

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