2024 NFL Power Rankings: Week 12

It was the week of the young quarterback in Week 11. Anthony Richardson, Caleb Williams, Drake Maye, Bo Nix and even Will Levis all had encouraging performances to give their teams hope.

Elsewhere, playoff races are heating up across the NFL. The NFC wildcard race has caught some headlines, but the AFC race is just as tight — if less inspiring. With the loser of the AFC North between the Ravens and Steelers likely to take one wildcard berth, that leaves five teams vying for two spots. The Chargers have a solid edge in the standings right now, but they also might have the toughest remaining schedule of the AFC wildcard contenders.

The Broncos and Colts are squarely in the hunt, but both the Dolphins and Bengals could still be heard from before it’s all said and done. Let’s get to the rankings:

1 — Detroit Lions (9-1, up 1)

The Lions have been the most dominant team in the NFL for the past six weeks or so. After struggling against Houston last week, they ran roughshod over the Jaguars and now get a Colts team that should provide a bit more resistance.

2 — Buffalo Bills (9-2, up 1)

The Bills got an important home win over the Chiefs, earning them a potentially key tiebreaker and instilling some confidence as we approach the stretch run of the season.

3 — Kansas City Chiefs (9-1, down 2)

The last undefeated team has fallen. It was an exciting back-and-forth game, but Buffalo pulled away late to hand the Chiefs their first loss of the season. Kansas City is still the frontrunner for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

4 — Pittsburgh Steelers (8-2, up 4)

Hand up, I was a Pittsburgh skeptic. After losing to Indianapolis and Dallas back-to-back, the Steelers have ripped off five straight wins, including statement victories over the Commanders and Ravens the last two weeks. This team is for real and more likely to win the AFC North than miss the playoffs entirely.

5 — Baltimore Ravens (7-4, down 1)

It’s never easy to win in Pittsburgh, but the loss puts Baltimore a game and a half back in the AFC North standings. If the Ravens are to win the division, they can’t afford many more slip-ups.

6 — Philadelphia Eagles (8-2, up 1)

It was close throughout, but the Eagles pulled away in the fourth quarter for an impressive win over the Commanders. The Eagles have won six straight and QB Jalen Hurts has been phenomenal over that stretch.

7 — Green Bay Packers (7-3, down 2)

For the second week in a row, we got a field goal block to secure an unlikely victory. This time, the Packers escaped Chicago with a win, keeping them in the division title race.

8 — Washington Commanders (7-4, up 1)

In losses to the Steelers and Eagles, the Commanders might be learning they’re still a year away from true contention with the NFL’s elite. First-round QB Jayden Daniels continues to impress, and they aren’t out of the division hunt yet.

9 — Houston Texans (7-4, up 5)

Nico Collins changes this offense. The star wide receiver missed six games, and the Texans offense fell off a cliff. While he was on a snap count in Dallas, his presence opened things up, and QB C.J. Stroud had his best game in weeks.

10 — Minnesota Vikings (8-2, —)

A win is a win, but the vibes seem off in Minnesota right now. Beating the Jaguars and Titans, two of the league’s bottom-feeders, by a combined 15 points doesn’t instill a ton of confidence. Regardless, the Vikings are in prime position to not only make the playoffs but contend for the NFC North down the stretch.

11 — Los Angeles Chargers (7-3, up 6)

Chargers QB Justin Herbert reminded the nation he’s one of the best passers in the league. I still have questions about this team’s upside, but they’ll play hard every week and have put themselves in excellent wildcard position.

12 — San Francisco 49ers (5-5, down 6)

The 49ers’ frustrating season continues. A home loss to Seattle prevents them from gaining a lead in the division, and it doesn’t get any easier with back-to-back trips to Green Bay and Buffalo up next. The numerous injuries across the roster will make bouncing back difficult.

13 — Denver Broncos (6-5, up 6)

Nix officially threw his hat in the ring for Offensive Rookie of the Year. He was stellar in this one, going 28/33 for 307 yards and four touchdowns. The Broncos have a tough four-game schedule to close the season, so stacking wins now is important for their wildcard hopes.

14 — Atlanta Falcons (6-5, down 3)

This was one of the most uninspired performances we’ve seen all season. The Falcons went into Denver and simply weren’t competitive. The Broncos are a good team, but not a dominant one. Atlanta can’t afford more games like this.

15 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6, down 3)

The Buccaneers were on bye this week and travel to New York to face the Giants in Week 12.

16 — Arizona Cardinals (6-4, down 3)

The Cardinals were on bye this week and travel to Seattle in Week 12.

17 — Indianapolis Colts (5-6, up 4)

Richardson had the best game of his NFL career in his return, throwing for 272 yards on an 88.5% adjusted completion percentage to go with three total touchdowns. The key for Richardson now is to stack more performances like this, though it won’t be easy with the Lions on deck.

18 — Seattle Seahawks (5-5, —)

In a gotta-have-it game, QB Geno Smith put the Seahawks on his back and won the game in the final moments in San Francisco. Seattle is firmly in the NFC West hunt, though they’ll need their offensive line to stay healthy.

19 — Los Angeles Rams (5-5, down 3)

In what became an entertaining quarterback duel between Rams QB Matthew Stafford and the rookie gunslinger Maye, Stafford emerged victorious as Los Angeles pulled to .500 on the year. A Sunday night date with a surging Eagles squad gives them a chance for a marquee victory.

20 — Cincinnati Bengals (4-7, down 5)

This Bengals defense is really, really bad. They’re injured, too, but it’s not like the starters were killing it, either. It’s a shame, because the Joe Burrow/Ja’Marr Chase duo is playing the best ball of their respective careers.

21 — Miami Dolphins (4-6, down 1)

Don’t look now, but the Dolphins have won two in a row and are forcing their way back into the playoff conversation. A loss to the Colts while QB Tua Tagovailoa was on IR looms large for tiebreaker purposes, but Miami is still very much alive and in the hunt.

22 — Chicago Bears (4-6, up 3)

Williams was phenomenal, but the field goal unit couldn’t do its job to give him the first game-winning drive of his career. Despite the loss, it’s a promising sign for the No. 1 overall pick, who’d been lagging behind other members of this rookie quarterback class thus far.

23 — Dallas Cowboys (3-7, up 1)

Backup QB Cooper Rush, thrust into an indefinite starting role with Dak Prescott going on injured reserve, largely kept the Cowboys’ offense on schedule against the Texans. Still, this team just doesn’t have the firepower to keep up with the better offenses in the league.

24 — New York Jets (3-8, down 1)

This team simply looks uninterested on both sides of the ball. The Jets offense started the game with five consecutive three-and-outs, and the defense gave up a late lead rather easily. New York heads into the bye week with the future of this roster in serious jeopardy.

25 — New Orleans Saints (4-7, up 4)

The Saints proved the interim coach bump wasn’t just a one-week anomaly after a thorough trouncing of the Browns. Veteran QB Derek Carr still has some gas left in the tank, and hybrid QB/TE/RB Taysom Hill was the best player on the field.

26 — New England Patriots (3-8, up 1)

Maye continues to flash. The rookie quarterback still needs a lot of seasoning but choosing to play him for the bulk of this season, a move that was heavily criticized at the time, has proven an excellent idea. He’s gaining valuable experience and developing before our eyes.

27 — Las Vegas Raiders (2-8, up 1)

First-round TE Brock Bowers is already a star. The Raiders didn’t overthink things with the Bowers pick, despite taking TE Michael Mayer in the second round the year prior. Bowers is one of the best tight ends in the league and he’s just getting started.

28 — Cleveland Browns (2-8, down 2)

The Saints pulled away in the fourth quarter to overshadow a fantastic day from Browns QB Jameis Winston. He threw for over 350 yards, but Cleveland couldn’t consistently find the end zone.

29 — Carolina Panthers (3-6, up 1)

The Panthers were on bye this week and host the Chiefs in Week 12.

30 — Jacksonville Jaguars (2-9, down 8)

The news broke on Sunday morning that this Jacksonville coaching staff would likely be gone during the bye week, and the team played against the Lions like it knew what was coming. Detroit scored seven straight touchdowns to open the game, and a hard reset seems imminent now more than ever.

31 — Tennessee Titans (2-8, —)

Levis had a promising game overall, and the Titans played the Vikings closer than many expected. How Levis continues to play will determine what Tennessee looks to do this offseason.

32 — New York Giants (2-8, —)

The Giants were on bye this week and host the Buccaneers in Week 12.