2022 NFL power rankings, Week 16: 5 more teams clinch playoff spots
Come-from-behind wins and overtime thrillers made for an amazing week that was highlighted by the greatest comeback in NFL annals.
Last week, the Philadelphia Eagles were the first team to wrap up a playoff berth. This week, the San Francisco 49ers, Minnesota Vikings and Kansas City Chiefs secured division titles and the Buffalo Bills and Dallas Cowboys grabbed postseason spots as well.
Once again, the NFL will have games on Thursday, Saturday, Sunday and Monday. That includes a Christmas tripleheader with game at Miami, Los Angeles and Arizona. That’s the future. What happened this week to alter the NFL Power Rankings?
10. . 1-12-1. Previous: . Houston Texans. 32. team
Once again, the Texans played a playoff contender tough only to come up short. This time around it was the AFC West-leading Kansas City Chiefs that got everything they could handle from Lovie Smith’s team. Jeff Driskel actually opened the game but he and Davis Mills both played.
The latter threw for two scores and ran for another. Davis fumbled in overtime. The Chiefs turned that into the game-winning TD as the Texans lost their ninth straight game.
. 4-9-1. Previous: . Indianapolis Colts. 31. team. 46
The well-rested Colts visited Minnesota on “Saturday.” Heady special teams and defense staked the club to a 17-0 first-quarter lead. The advantage would swell to 33-0 at intermission and Indianapolis owned that lead deep into the third quarter.
What followed was an unprecedented rally by the Vikings, who outscored Jeff Saturday’s club 39-3 the rest of the way. The final three points came in overtime as the stunned Colts allowed 518 total yards.
3-11. Previous: . Chicago Bears. 30. team. 57.
Off last week, Matt Eberflus’ club hosted the highest-scoring team in the NFL as the Bears clashed with the potent Eagles. Chicago kept pace with the Birds throughout the afternoon. Justin Fields finished with 95 of the club’s 157 yards on the ground and he also threw for 152 yards and a pair of scores.
However, the second-year signal-caller was sacked six times and fumbled twice (losing none). The beleaguered Bears’ defense gave up 421 total yards.
51. . 4-10. Previous: . Los Angeles Rams. 29. team
The Rams were back in primetime for the second consecutive week and Baker Mayfield was the club’s fourth different starting quarterback this season. The team was at Lambeau Field on Monday night to take on the Packers.
The Rams’ offense managed only 156 total yards and Mayfield was sacked five times. It’s worth noting that the only previous defending Super Bowl champion to lose 10 games were the 1998 Broncos (6-10 in ’99).