Fansided

NFL power rankings, Week 15: Chiefs roll, Browns escape

By Russell S. Baxter

CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 12: Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown after a fumble recovery in the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images)
CLEVELAND, OHIO - DECEMBER 12: Myles Garrett #95 of the Cleveland Browns runs the ball into the end zone for a touchdown after a fumble recovery in the second quarter against the Baltimore Ravens at FirstEnergy Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Cleveland, Ohio. (Photo by Jason Miller/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
1 of 10
Next
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 12: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE – DECEMBER 12: Trevor Lawrence #16 of the Jacksonville Jaguars reacts against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Nissan Stadium on December 12, 2021 in Nashville, Tennessee. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images) /

Half of the schedule featured divisional games. A Super Bowl contender has lost twice as many games as it did a year ago. Changes in the NFL Power Rankings?

It would be the final weekend of in-season vacations for teams in the league. The Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles got some time off.

As for the clubs that were playing, Week 14 featured a schedule in which seven games were of the divisional rivalry and the other seven contests interconference clashes. So how did the results affect this week’s NFL Power Rankings?

. 2-11. Previous: . Houston Texans. 32. team. 10

Davis Mills was back behind center for David Culley’s team and will be the team’s starting quarterback for the remainder of 2021 (via Mark Lane of TexansWire.com). He would throw for 331 yards and one score and Houston amassed a respectable 380 total yards.

But the league’s worst run defense was gashed for 193 yards and an ineffective pass rush did not sack Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson. The Texans ran for only 63 yards.

New York Jets. 31. team. 30. . 3-10. Previous:

The Green and White took the field against the Saints. Robert Saleh’s defense had no answers for a New Orleans’ ground attack that rolled up 203 yards. New York only had the ball for 21:08 and settled for just three field goals.

Rookie Zach Wilson threw for 202 yards but hit on less than half of his passes (19-of-42). And the Jets dropped their 10th game of the season – the fourth time in five years that the club will finish with double-digit losses.

30. team. 52. . 2-11. Previous: . Jacksonville Jaguars

It’s been a frustrating season for first-time NFL head coach Urban Meyer (see ESPN’s Michael DiRocco). The club looked to end a four-game losing streak when they traveled to Tennessee.

Rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a very rough afternoon. He threw for 221 yards and zero touchdowns but was sacked three times and threw four interceptions. But even more startling was the fact that the Jaguars ran the ball eight times for eight yards.

50. . 1-11-1. Previous: . Detroit Lions. 29. team

The depleted Lions made their way to the Mile High City looking to build on the team’s first win of the season. But Dan Campbell’s club was down 14-0 after one quarter. The Lions narrowed the gap to 17-10 by intermission but were outscored 21-0 in the second half.

Jared Goff threw for 215 yards and a touchdown but was also picked off – one of two Lions’ turnovers in this latest loss. And the Detroit defense was gashed for 184 yards on the ground.

Home/NFL Power Rankings