We’re through Week 15 and with only three weeks left, it’s time for teams to put up or shut up. The playoff race is grabbing all the headlines, but this year’s MVP race is shaping up to be just as fascinating. Josh Allen might be the frontrunner right now, but Lamar Jackson is right on his heels, and Jared Goff might have something to say before it’s all said and done. Plus, could we see names such as Jalen Hurts, Justin Herbert or Matthew Stafford enter the conversation over the next few games?
Also, let’s take a moment of silence in remembrance of the 14 points not scored on Sunday because Jonathan Taylor and Jordan Battle couldn’t be bothered to bring the ball with them over the goal line.
Here are the rankings:
1 — Philadelphia Eagles (12-2, up 1)
Ten in a row now for the Eagles, notching an impressive win over the Steelers this week. The contest for the NFC’s No. 1 seed will be fascinating to watch play out.
2 — Buffalo Bills (11-3, up 1)
It was a wire-to-wire performance for the Bills, scoring touchdowns on their first three possessions and never looking back. Buffalo looks like the best team in the AFC right now, and Allen is playing at an MVP level.
3 — Detroit Lions (12-2, down 2)
Injuries are an unfortunate part of the sport that every team deals with, but Detroit has been uniquely hammered with injuries on the defensive side of the ball this year. Two more key starters were lost for the season, and at this point the Lions’ defense may be too beat up to reach a Super Bowl.
4 — Kansas City Chiefs (13-1, —)
The big story for the Chiefs this week is QB Patrick Mahomes suffering a high-ankle sprain against the Browns. His health will be critical for Kansas City down the stretch.
5 — Minnesota Vikings (12-2, up 2)
With the Detroit loss on Sunday, the door is as open as ever for the Vikings to claim the No. 1 seed in the NFC. Sam Darnold has been a top-10 quarterback this season and Minnesota can do some real damage in the playoffs.
6 — Green Bay Packers (10-4, —)
It was a dominating performance for the Packers on Sunday Night Football, on the road against another conference contender. Green Bay may have come up short in the division race, but they are still an incredibly dangerous wildcard team.
7 — Pittsburgh Steelers (10-4, down 2)
Steelers WR George Pickens is out currently with a hamstring injury, and without him, they just don’t have anyone that can win on the outside. This was always the concern with this Steelers team.
8 — Baltimore Ravens (9-5, —)
The Ravens covered the largest spread in the NFL this season, thanks to Jackson’s five touchdown passes. Jackson has a chance to win his second straight (and third overall) MVP award, especially if the Ravens go on a run to end the year.
9 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-6, up 5)
The Bucs took control of the NFC South with a major road victory in Los Angeles. Thanks to a relatively soft closing schedule, Tampa Bay has to feel good about their chances to close the division out.
10 — Seattle Seahawks (8-6, —)
They blew a chance to make a statement and stay atop the NFC West, but the Seahawks are still in a good position. The schedule doesn’t get any easier though, and Seattle needs a win.
11 — Los Angeles Chargers (8-6, down 2)
They kept it close in the first half, but the Chargers got run out of their home stadium in the second half against the Bucs. Los Angeles was once in comfortable playoff position, but suddenly a loss on Thursday to the Broncos would open the door to the AFC squads lurking on the outside looking in.
12 — Los Angeles Rams (8-6, up 3)
It was anything but pretty. Still, a win is a win, and a win over a division rival is extra sweet. With that 12-6 victory over the 49ers Thursday night, the Rams are officially in the driver’s seat in the NFC West.
13 — Houston Texans (9-5, down 1)
The Texans’ offense still feels off, but their defense is playing lights out. They shut down a potent Miami offense and clinched the AFC South division.
14 — Denver Broncos (9-5, down 3)
Denver overcame three interceptions from first-round QB Bo Nix to notch a key win over the Colts in the AFC wildcard race. The Broncos’ opportunistic defense forced five turnovers of their own, and Nix can grow from this as he experiences his first NFL playoff push.
15 — Washington Commanders (9-5, down 2)
An elite first-half performance by first-round QB Jayden Daniels gave way to a shaky second half, letting the Saints back into the game. The Commanders survived on a two-point stand, but it wasn’t an inspiring team performance.
16 — Indianapolis Colts (6-8, —)
The Colts jumped out to a quick 10-0 lead, then everything that could’ve possibly gone wrong did. Five turnovers and a slew of penalties just won’t cut it in a game this critical. Indy beat themselves with their season on the line, and a strong response over the last three weeks is critical for the mental fortitude of this young team.
17 — Arizona Cardinals (6-8, —)
The Cardinals took care of business against the Patriots this week in a game that was never really in doubt. They’re still a step behind the Rams and Seahawks in the NFC West, but there’s enough time for them to make up that ground.
18 — Miami Dolphins (6-8, —)
A win over the Texans would’ve firmly opened the door for a Miami playoff appearance. Instead, QB Tua Tagovailoa threw three interceptions, and the Dolphins now have to rely on a series of losses from teams ahead of them to have a chance.
19 — San Francisco 49ers (6-8, —)
The death of the 49ers’ season came in a rainy field goal-fest on a quiet Thursday night in December. Now two games back in the NFC West with three to go, it would be a small miracle should San Francisco find a way to win the division.
20 — Atlanta Falcons (7-7, —)
A sleepy win over the Raiders won’t quell any of the growing calls for a change at quarterback in Atlanta. They still need to make up a game on the Bucs with three weeks to go.
21 — Cincinnati Bengals (6-8, —)
The Bengals are clinging to some faint playoff hopes and got a nice bounce-back spot for their defense against the Titans. They forced six turnovers, including four interceptions.
22 — Dallas Cowboys (5-9, —)
Somehow the Cowboys haven’t been officially eliminated yet, but that’s likely coming next week. Veteran QB Cooper Rush proved to be one of the better backup quarterbacks in the league once again.
23 — New York Jets (4-10, —)
The old Aaron Rodgers/Davante Adams connection looked like their prime Green Bay days for the first time in New York. It was a meaningless game, but it was good to see the Jets show some grit and toughness in a comeback win.
24 — New Orleans Saints (5-9, —)
Second-year QB Jake Haener got the start, but fifth-round QB Spencer Rattler made all the headlines. He took over in the second half, leading the Saints on a furious comeback that fell just short on a failed two-point conversion. Rattler will likely start the last three weeks, so the Saints can see if they have something in him.
25 — Chicago Bears (4-10, —)
It’s becoming a wasted season for first-round QB Caleb Williams’ development, which is the last thing Chicago wanted when they drafted the former USC quarterback No. 1 overall. The coaching hires the front office makes this offseason are more critical than ever.
26 — Cleveland Browns (3-11, —)
Browns QB Jameis Winston was benched for former third-string QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson partway through this one, but it didn’t make much of a difference for the offense. You have to imagine there are major changes incoming this offseason.
27 — Carolina Panthers (3-11, —)
The Panthers were favored this week for the first time since the 2022 season. That may have been too much pressure for this team, as it was flashes of early-season QB Bryce Young in a noncompetitive loss.
28 — New England Patriots (3-11, —)
First-round QB Drake Maye had maybe his first “down” performance of the season against the Cardinals. The rookie quarterback completed 19 of 23 passes but could never find a groove.
29 — Jacksonville Jaguars (3-11, —)
Jaguars QB Mac Jones outplayed his counterpart on the Jets for much of his game. He couldn’t close it out with a two-minute drive to get the win, however.
30 — Tennessee Titans (3-11, —)
Second-year QB Will Levis had four turnovers and was benched against the Bengals. It might mark the end of the Levis era in Tennessee, a team in prime position to draft a new quarterback in April.
31 — Las Vegas Raiders (2-12, —)
It’s another loss for the Raiders, but that’s not a bad thing necessarily. They’re locked into a battle with the Giants for the No. 1 pick in 2025, and both need a quarterback badly.
32 — New York Giants (2-12, —)
The Giants are on their fourth quarterback of the year, forced to play Tim Boyle after Tommy DeVito exited against the Ravens with a concussion. Giants HC Brian Daboll is not a man who handles losing well, and reports indicate his job might not be safe if New York doesn’t show signs of life down the stretch.
Looking for the latest NFL Insider News & Rumors?
Be sure to follow NFL Trade Rumors on TWITTER and FACEBOOK for breaking NFL News and Rumors for all 32 teams!
