NFL Divisional Power Rankings, Week 17: The AFC West has an eye-opening week

The National Football League is preparing for quite the week. There will be two games on Wednesday, Christmas Day, and a primetime affair on Thursday night at Chicago. There’s a tripleheader on Saturday, followed by nine games on Sunday. Week 17 concludes at Levi’s Stadium with a rematch of the 2023 NFC Championship Game.

There were two changes from last week’s order as numerous clubs have begun to make their playoff pushes after rough starts this year. Never fear, because the best division in the league continues to flex its muscles, and with two weeks to play its top three teams have already secured postseason berth.

The updated NFL Divisional Power Rankings

8. AFC South

Last week: 8th

It was a rough week for a division that now owns a 22-38 combined record after 16 weeks of play. The Texans are AFC South champions for the second straight year, but have slumped noticeably after a 5-1 start. The 7-8 Colts are still alive for a wild card berth, while the Titans and Jaguars have each dropped a dozen games. There are six teams in the NFL with 12-plus losses, and this division houses two of them.

The week for this group began on Saturday at Arrowhead Stadium. DeMeco Ryans’s team went toe to toe with the Chiefs for better than two quarters. Down 17-10, C.J. Stroud connected with Tank Dell for a 30-yard score, but Ka’imi Fairbairn missed the PAT. To make matters far worse, Dell was down and now out with a severe knee injury. Houston would fall, 27-19. The highly-ranked Tennessee defense has shown signs of cracking, and the dam burst as they allowed 335 yards rushing (218 by Jonathan Taylor) in a wild 38-30 loss at Indianapolis. The Jaguars fell at Las Vegas as the Raiders ended a 10-game losing streak.

7. NFC South

Last week: 7th

It was an interesting week for this group, and once again the team at the top of the division has changed. Rookie Michael Penix Jr. made his first NFL start as the Falcons sat down veteran Kirk Cousins. Improving Carolina hosted the Cardinals, while the Buccaneers were in Dallas on Sunday evening looking to extend their four-game winning streak. Finally, the Saints were at Lambeau Field on Monday night to battle the Packers, and had rookie Spencer Rattler behind center once again. There was no shortage of nail-biters.

Of course, there was little suspense at Green Bay. The Saints were outgained 404-196 in a 34-0 setback.

Amazingly, it was the first shutout in the league in 2023. It was also ugly in Atlanta. Penix threw for 202 yards and one interception, but teammates Jessie Bates III and Matt Judon came up with pick-sixes in Atlanta’s 34-7 win. Carolina knocked the improved Cardinals out of the playoffs with a 36-30 overtime triumph. A late Bucs’ rally fell short in Dallas hence the Falcons have regained control of the NFC South.

6. NFC West

Last week: 5th

In the previous six seasons from 2018-23, this division sent at least two teams to the postseason. In 2021, there were actually three clubs that made the playoffs. On their way to winning Super Bowl LVI, the Rams disposed of the rival Cardinals in the wild card round, and the 49ers in the NFC Championship Game. With two weeks to play this season, there’s a very distinct possibility that only once NFC West club will be in a fight to reach Super Bowl LIX as both Arizona and San Francisco have been eliminated from the playoffs.

Early on Sunday, the Rams prevailed over the Jets, 19-9, and MetLife Stadium. The team is now 9-6 after a 1-4 start and riding a four-game winning streak. Meanwhile, the remainder of the NFC West took it on the chin. The Cardinals fell in overtime in Charlotte, 36-30, as their defense gave up 243 yards on the ground. In the late window, the Seahawks lost for the second straight week at home, falling to the red-hot Vikings, 27-24. The Niners wrapped up their first losing season since 2020 with a 29-17 road loss to the Dolphins.

5. AFC East

Last week: 6th

It remains a one-team show. There are the champion Bills and a 12-3 resume, and three teams that are all below .500 and own a combined 14-31 record. However, Sean McDermott’s club got a big-time scare at home on Sunday by a very unlikely opponent. The Jets were coming off a victory in which they scored a season-high 32 points as they hosted the resurgent Rams. Finally, the barely-breathing Miami Dolphins welcomed the 49ers to South Florida in a clash of 2023 playoff teams that both owned 6-8 win-loss marks.

Still, that “one team” got a surprising scare on Sunday at Orchard Park as the struggling Patriots opened up a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Eventually, the Buffalo defense made life miserable for rookie Drake Maye, and James Cook and Josh Allen did the rest. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams continued their recent revivals, but the Jets didn’t have nearly enough to cool off the Rams. Finally, Miami’s ground game reached the 100-yard mark for the first time in seven games in a season-saving 29-17 home triumph.

4. AFC North

Last week: 4th

It was the one division in the league in Week 16 in which there were a pair of head-to-head showdowns. The playoff-bound Steelers were at Baltimore on Saturday and could wrap up the AFC North by knocking off the Ravens for the ninth time in the last 10 meetings. The Bengals hosted the Browns and were looking to complete their first sweep of this intrastate series for the first time since 2017. Both home teams came up big in convincing wins, and Baltimore wrapped up a postseason invite for the third consecutive year.

Pittsburgh’s defense was overmatched for the second time in seven days as Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry enjoyed big outings. Meanwhile, Russell Wilson committed two critical turnovers in a 34-17 loss. In the Buckeye State, Bengals’ quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked four times and lost a fumble, but threw for 252 yards and three scores in a 24-6 victory. Zac Taylor’s club won its third straight game and remains alive for the playoffs. Both the Steelers (vs. Chiefs) and Ravens (at Texans) have games on Christmas Day.

3. NFC East

Last week: 3rd

It wound up being a huge Sunday for the Washington Commanders, in more ways than one. They hosted the playoff-bound Eagles looking to avenge a 26-18 Thursday night loss back in Week 11 at Philadelphia. The Birds brought a 10-game winning streak into this clash at Landover, and a victory over Dan Quinn’s club would give the Birds the NFC East title. the troubled Giants were in Atlanta looking to pull off an upset of the Falcons. Finally, Dallas hosted the NFC South-leading Buccaneers on Sunday Night Football.

The Cowboys were eliminated from the playoffs when Washington rallied to cool off the Eagles, 36-33. However, that didn’t stop Mike McCarthy’s team from spoiling Baker Mayfield’s night as Dallas held on for a 26-24 triumph. Thanks to that thrilling come-from-behind by the Commanders, as well as Dallas’ fourth win in their last five games, the NFC East holds onto the third spot—even with the Giants making it 10 losses in a row. So, what is Eagles’ quarterback Jalen Hurst (concussion protocol) status for Week 17?

2. AFC West

Last week: 2nd

It was a stellar week for this division as three of the four teams came away with victories. It’s worth noting that the Broncos did come up with 27 points in a losing effort vs. the Chargers on Thursday night at SoFi Stadium. The Chiefs hosted the AFC South champion Texans on Saturday afternoon. That meant that the only member of the AFC West to take the field on Sunday was Antonio Pierce’s Raiders, who hosted the disappointing Jaguars. There’s a strong possibility that there will be three AFC West clubs in the playoffs.

In one of the best games of the week, Justin Herbert rallied the Bolts from a 24-13 third-quarter deficit to knock off the Broncos, 34-27. The Chargers completed their first sweep of Denver since 2010, and both clubs now own 9-6 record. Three days later, the Chiefs made it 14 victories for the third time in five years by knocking off the Texans, 27-19. A win on Christmas at Pittsburgh gives Andy Reid’s team the top seed in the AFC. Finally, the Raiders notched a win for the first time since Week 4 by besting Jacksonville.

1. NFC North

Last week: 1st

On Sunday, the top dog in the league’s top division rebounded in a big way on Sunday. Meanwhile, the club with the identical same win-loss record kept pace with a road victory. On Monday night at chilly Lambeau Field, Matt LaFleur’s club could wrap up a postseason invitation with a victory over the visiting Saints. The lone not-so-bright spot continues to be the club from the Windy City. Nevertheless, the combined record for this quartet is an imposing 41-19, with three of the four clubs headed to the playoffs.

Of course, the buzz kill remains the disappointing Bears, who did their best to keep up with the Lions in a game in which they gained 382 total yards, but allowed 475. Detroit’s 34-17 victory made it a franchise record 13 wins in a season. The Vikings kept pace by prevailing at Seattle, 27-24. Sam Darnold continues to impress, throwing for 246 yards and three scores. On Monday night at Lambeau Field, the determined Packers wrapped up a playoff appearance by blanking the Saints, 34-0, as Josh Jacobs remained hot.