2021 NFL power rankings, Week 12: Bills blasted, Titans tamed
Stop us if you heard this before. Those upsets keep coming around the league. And once again, there’s a change atop the NFL Power Rankings.
There were more than a few quarterback changes around the league on Sunday. And once again, it was a trying Sunday for more than one division leader.
Meanwhile, there’s a second-year running back in Indianapolis that has really caught fire the last few weeks. And the team from the Motor City is still looking for that elusive first win of 2021.
30. . 2-8. Previous: . New York Jets. 32. team
Robert Saleh’s club took on an AFC East foe for the fourth time this season and hoped to fare better this time around in their first meeting of the season with the Dolphins. The Jets were outscored a combined 124-36 in those three aforementioned setbacks.
While this was a competitive game, the Green and White went down to defeat for the eighth time in 10 outings. Joe Flacco threw for 291 yards and two scores but the Jets allowed 388 total yards.
44. . 4-6. Previous: . Atlanta Falcons. 31. team
Off a 40-point loss at Dallas, the Falcons were home for a Thursday night tilt with the hot Patriots. By game’s end, Matt Ryan (2) – who was sacked four times – and two other Atlanta quarterbacks combined for four interceptions.
Atlanta ran for a mere 40 yards and finished with a disappointing 165 total yards. All told, Arthur Smith’s team is 0-4 at Mercedes-Benz Stadium this season and have been outscored a combined 110-49 in those four setbacks.
Previous: . Houston Texans. 30. team. 10. . 2-8
The Texans owned the league’s longest current losing streak and head to Nashville to take on the club with the NFL’s best current winning streak. And a heady Houston team got its first victory since Week 1 and ended the Titans’ winning streak at six in a row.
Desmond King had two of the team’s four interceptions of Tennessee’s Ryan Tannehill. The Houston offense managed to gain only 190 total yards. Tyrod Taylor ran for both of Houston’s TDs.
Detroit Lions. 29. team. 50. . 0-9-1. Previous:
The bad luck Lions were coming off a tie at Pittsburgh and were back on the road against an AFC North club. And Dan Campbell’s was still looking for its first win of the season after another narrow loss.
The good news was in the form of running back D’Andre Swift, who ran for 136 yards and scored Detroit’s only touchdown of the afternoon. But the Lions’ defense had zero answers for a Cleveland ground game that amassed 184 yards by game’s end.