Bills, Lions in close battle for no. 1

On By Littum

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NFL power rankings entering Week 17 of the 2024 season (previous rankings in parentheses):

1. Buffalo Bills (1): Yes, they struggled to beat last-place New England on Sunday, didn’t score at least 30 points for the first time since Week 6 and were fortunate that QB Josh Allen avoided a more significant injury to his throwing arm. Still, the Bills also remained perfect at Highmark Stadium this season – warning enough to the rest of the AFC if Buffalo is able to bring the road to Super Bowl 59 through Western New York. And don’t forget, this remains the only team to beat Kansas City and Detroit.

2. Detroit Lions (3): The first team in franchise history to win 13 games, they are trying to pave the NFC road to the Super Bowl straight to Ford Field. Plenty of work to be done on that front, even for a team that is almost certainly the franchise’s best in the Super Bowl era (since 1966) — the Lions’ 493 points and 7-0 road record are club best — much as it is indicative of their checkered-at-best history during that period. Either way, give Dan Campbell and Co. credit for continuing to play at a high level no matter how many injuries and other obstacles they have to navigate. Detroit is the only team this season with a 1,000-yard rusher with 10 TDs (Jahmyr Gibbs) and a 1,000-yard receiver with 10 TDs (Amon-Ra St. Brown).

3. Kansas City Chiefs (6): According to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats, they have a 90% chance of securing home field advantage, and that seems conservative – with all due respect to Buffalo. As long as the two-time defending champs have been under scrutiny despite a 14-1 record, let’s not forget that these Chiefs have certainly shown the ability to find an extra gear (or two) when the postseason starts. And it certainly won’t hurt to have another weapon, recently activated WR Marquise “Hollywood” Brown now available to QB Patrick Mahomes and HC Andy Reid.

4. Green Bay Packers (4): QB Jordan Love and this team are very much mimicking their 2023 arc – meaning a very strong second half of the season leading to a wild-card berth … and maybe a lot of damage done in the playoffs? It should be interesting to see over the next two weeks how important seeding is to HC Matt LaFleur compared to how much he wants to rest his top players.

5. Minnesota Vikings (5): Kevin O’Connell has been on the job for three seasons and is already the only coach in the franchise’s 63-year history to win 13 regular-season games twice. That seems like an accomplishment worthy of one of those signature Vikes on-court celebrations…

6. Philadelphia Eagles (2): That dip is less the result of dropping a game on the road to a quality commanding team and more a function of the uncertainty currently clouding QB Jalen Hurts’ (concussion) availability — similar to what the Chiefs were dealing with a week ago when Mahomes injured his ankle. Either way, Philly is almost a lock for the No. 2 seed, and assuming Hurts is back soon, he could very well contend for a second Super Bowl berth in three seasons.

7. Baltimore Ravens (8): QB Lamar Jackson’s immediate priority may be Queen Bey. Otherwise, he and his teammates look very likely to round into championship form at the right time … and 12 years after they won the last Super Bowl in New Orleans.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (7): Given how poorly this offense has fared without him the last three weeks, is injured WR George Pickens actually this club’s MVP?

9. Los Angeles Rams (9): If you think West Coast teams are soft, you clearly didn’t watch the shirtless Rams warm up in 23-degree weather Sunday in New Jersey before taking it to the Jets. (Note: This team is currently headed to face the Packers in the wild-card round … albeit in LA.)

10. Washington’s commanders (12): Sunday’s win was exciting, dramatic and puts them on the brink of a playoff berth and their first regular season with at least 11 wins since 1991. But let’s not forget it came despite five turnovers and against a Philly team , who were forced to field an injured backup quarterback .

11. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11): They no longer control their route to another NFC South crown, but have things working in their favor that Atlanta doesn’t — namely, two home games against seemingly weak opponents (Panthers, Saints) and a veteran quarterback who has already battle-tested in the NFL playoff melting pot.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (16): It took 48 years, but the Bolts have now converted the NFL’s last two successful fair catch kicks. It’s too bad Bill Belichick, who enjoys an arcane football rule as much as anyone, won’t be on the sidelines in Foxborough on Saturday when the Chargers visit.

13. Houston Texas (13): Apparently they think it’s smart to be WR Diontae Johnson’s fourth employer in less than a year … even though they claim he’s also a referendum on the state of their receiving corps behind WR1 Nico Collins.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (17): Winners of three straight, QB Joe Burrow and Co. have almost everything in their favor – save enough time to overcome their perennial early-season expiration…

15. Denver Broncos (10): … But if the falls in Cincinnati on Saturday – and Denver’s resume overflows with wins against lightweights – then, with no wild-card spot yet secured, the wrinkle factor will increase significantly heading into Week 18.

16. Seattle Seahawks (14): DT Byron Murphy II made a big rookie mistake Sunday, committing a crucial facemask penalty on Sam Darnold moments before the Minnesota quarterback threw the game-winning TD. Did we mention Murphy is a rookie?

17. Atlanta Falcons (18): The switch to QB Michael Penix Jr. is the obvious change for a team that has regained the NFC South lead. But the more important one may be a revitalized pass rush averaging four sacks per game. game over the last four weeks … after getting 10 total in the first 11 games.

18. Dallas Cowboys (20): Is anyone doing more to preserve HC Mike McCarthy’s tenure than All-Pro K Brandon Aubrey, whose 14 field goals beyond 50 yards are already a single-season NFL record?

19. Arizona Cardinals (15): They went for it on fourth-and-2 last Sunday … from their own 18-yard line … in overtime … and converted. The Cards ultimately lost and were eliminated from the playoffs, but that snapshot is probably a good indication of the type of club it will be in the coming years.

20. Indianapolis Colts (21): Sunday was what they should be all along offensively with QB Anthony Richardson and RB Jonathan Taylor in the backfield — an offense that can unleash an unstoppable running game that can cover up almost any other flaw. Maybe that’s what they are will be in 2025.

21. Miami Dolphins (22): The last time WR Tyreek Hill went a full season and didn’t pass for 1,000 yards was in 2016 – when he was a rookie starting a game.

22. San Francisco 49ers (19): While he’s hardly playing like “Mr. Irrelevant,” QB Brock Purdy has easily had his least impressive season in 2024. It should be fascinating to see how that affects his pending window to negotiate a deserved contract extension.

23. Carolina Panthers (25): His progress has been modest, but QB Bryce Young posted his first game of the season Sunday with a passer rating above 100.0. His accuracy, decision making and ability to play outside the pocket are all improving.

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24. New England Patriots (23): Rookie QB Drake Maye has thrown at least one interception in seven straight games, the longest active streak in the league and one not seen in these parts since the pre-Brady years.

25. Chicago Bears (24): Meanwhile, Caleb Williams, No. 1, didn’t throw an INT in his last 326 passes, a rookie record. He is also the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to go without a win over a nine-game stretch in which he was not picked off.

26. New York Jets (28): Did Aaron Rodgers ever think he would throw his 500th regular-season TD pass in a meaningless late-season game at Buffalo? (Then again, maybe he won’t…)

27. Las Vegas Raiders (30): Incredibly, Sunday was the first game all season where they didn’t face a double-digit deficit.

28. New Orleans Saints (26): You can only lose so many core players before the bottom falls out, and the Saints become the first team all season to be shut out in Monday night’s implosion in Green Bay.

29. Cleveland Browns (27): Is DE Myles Garrett’s greatness — he just joined Hall of Famer Lawrence Taylor as the only players with five consecutive seasons with at least 12 sacks — wasted here? Garrett isn’t complaining (yet), but it’s clear he’s not willing to wait long for this team to get better … which surely won’t happen until QB Deshaun Watson comes off the books.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (29): No team has allowed more yards or generated fewer takeaways (8) than this one. If only DEs Josh Hines-Allen and Travon Walker were as deadly a combo.

31. Tennessee Titans (31): (Mason) Rudolph delivered three Christmas presents (INTs) to Indianapolis on Sunday, spreading a new team tradition — the Titans’ 32 turnovers led the league, now that they’ve turned the ball over 14 times in their last five games alone.

32. New York Giants (32): Hello. With no. 1 pick of the 2025 draft almost in hand, their second century of existence might begin much better than the way the first ended.

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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.