2023 NFL power rankings, Week 17: Ball-hawking Ravens flex their muscles on Christmas night

Quarterback Geno Smith was back in the starting lineup as the Seahawks took on the Titans at Nashville. Six days after backup quarterback rallied the team to a 20-17 win over the Eagles, Smith pulled off a similar achievement. The defense would keep Pete Carroll’s club in the game thanks to six sacks of Titans’ quarterback Ryan Tannehill.

Down 17-13 in the final minutes, Smith led the team on a 75-yard TD drive and the game-deciding score with 57 seconds to play. So, the ‘Hawks managed two 20-17 wins in a seven-day span and back in the postseason picture.

Sean McVay’s team seemingly did anything it wanted to on Thursday night against the visiting Saints. Matthew Stafford threw for 328 yards and two TDs, running back Kyren Williams totaled 22 carries for 104 yards and a score, and rookie Puka Nacua caught nine passes for 164 yards and one touchdown. The Rams rolled up 458 yards.

Los Angeles owned a 30-7 fourth-quarter lead before Derek Carr and the Saints made it interesting with less than four minutes to play. It’s been quite a turnaround for a club that dropped six of its first nine games this season.

Winners of three straight games, the Buccaneers hosted the reeling Jaguars in a clash of division leaders. Todd Bowles’ team made it look pretty easy. The team’s 18-point win doesn’t tell the real story of Tampa’s domination. The Bucs owned a 20-0 after two quarters thanks in part to a pair of Baker Mayfield to Mike Evans TD strikes.

The Bucs played turnover-free football, forced four turnovers and owned the ball for 37:07. This surging team, which opened 4-7, is inching closer to a third straight NFC South title and a fourth consecutive trip to the playoffs.