Just a couple weeks ago, the Steelers were riding high atop the NFL Power Rankings, but over the past few weeks the struggles have built up. After some weaknesses were exposed in a couple close wins, Washington and then the Bills took advantage to hand Pittsburgh its first two losses of the season.
While the Chiefs continue to win and the Bills continue to assert themselves as a complete team, the Steelers’ aspirations of a deep postseason run could face some serious challenges.
The Ravens, meanwhile, boosted their own chances significantly on the back of their wild 47-42 win over the Browns on “Monday Night Football.” Lamar Jackson and Justin Tucker played the heroes, and the defense did enough with a ragtag group playing in the secondary by the end of it.
The Eagles, too, kept their postseason hopes alive with a 24-21 upset win over the Saints, who entered the weekend as the NFC’s top seed. The 4-8-1 Eagles have some work to do, but rookie quarterback Jalen Hurts has certainly given the offense a spark at its most important position. Does Doug Pederson have some more December magic left in him?
We’ll see. But right now, here are PennLive’s NFL Power Rankings entering Week 15.
Previously: Week 14 | Week 13 | Week 12 | Week 11 | Week 10 | Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2 | Week 1
32) New York Jets (0-13) | LW: 32
A 40-3 loss to the Seahawks on Sunday was the Jets’ worst defeat of the season — and that’s saying something! New York now ranks last in the NFL in points scored and yard gained, second-to-last in points allowed and third-to-last in yards allowed.
31) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-12) | LW: 31
After a 31-10 loss to the Titans, the Jaguars plan to give the reins of the offense back to quarterback Gardner Minshew, who lost his job earlier this season to Jake Lutton, who lost his job to Mike Glennon, who lost his job to Gardner Minshew.
30) Cincinnati Bengals (2-10-1) | LW: 30
Despite rookie quarterback Joe Burrow showing signs of great potential before suffering a season-ending knee injury last month, Bengals coach Zac Taylor enters the final stretch of the schedule facing questions about his job security. Even the presence of a promising young passer can’t mask the type of issues that led the Bengals to lose to the Cowboys, 30-7, over the weekend.
29) Atlanta Falcons (4-9) | LW: 21
The hapless Falcons lost to the hapless Chargers in a game between two hapless teams. The Falcons led 17-10 at halftime but didn’t score again in the 20-17 loss.
28) Dallas Cowboys (4-9) | LW: 29
Andy Dalton returned to Cincinnati and threw for two touchdowns for an efficient outing in a 30-7 win over the Bengals. Despite all of their struggles — and thanks to a weak NFC East — the Cowboys’ postseason hopes are technically still alive.
27) Houston Texans (4-9) | LW: 25
All year, the Texans’ defense has struggled no matter whom it lines up against. So it’s not a huge surprise the Bears reached their season-high point total in a 36-7 rout Sunday. With Deshaun Watson and the passing game turning in a rare pedestrian performance, Houston didn’t stand a chance.
26) Carolina Panthers (4-9) | LW: 24
The Panthers fell behind by two scores against the Broncos and could just never work their way back in the 32-27 defeat. There have been plenty of signs of promise for Carolina this season, but coach Matt Rhule still has plenty of work to do.
25) Los Angeles Chargers (4-9) | LW: 27
Three interceptions of Matt Ryan helped the Chargers beat the Falcons over the weekend, but a string of gaffes didn’t peter out and coach Anthony Lynn’s job remains far from secure.
24) Detroit Lions (5-8) | LW: 23
After a big win in interim coach Darrell Bevell’s first game, the Lions couldn’t upset the NFC-leading Packers in a 31-24 defeat. There could be some more bad news entering Week 15: quarterback Matthew Stafford injured his ribs and might not be able to go against the Titans.
23) Philadelphia Eagles (4-8-1) | LW: 28
The Eagles snapped a four-game losing streak and resuscitated some dim playoff hopes with their 24-21 win over the Saints. Coach Doug Pederson is 10-1 with a backup quarterback in December or later in his coaching career, so he’s counting on rookie Jalen Hurts to continue that level of play.
22) San Francisco 49ers (5-8) | LW: 20
The 49ers were sunk by a pair of turnovers — an interception and a fumble — that turned into touchdowns in a 23-15 loss to Washington. The reigning NFC champions have endured a disappointing season filled with injuries.
21) Chicago Bears (6-7) | LW: 26
Mitchell Trubisky thoroughly outplayed his 2017 NFL Draft classmate Deshaun Watson in a 36-7 Bears win in Chicago. Trubisky threw for three touchdowns and posted a 126.7 passer rating, while running back David Montgomery rushed 11 times for 113 yards and an 80-yard touchdown.
20) New York Giants (5-8) | LW: 17
The Giants stumbled in a 26-7 loss to the Cardinals after seemingly finding their footing under first-year coach Joe Judge. But quarterback Daniel Jones has battled a hamstring injury, and he struggled against Arizona. Without Saquon Barkley, the Giants offense just doesn’t have enough playmakers.
19) Denver Broncos (5-8) | LW: 22
Second-year quarterback Drew Lock threw for four touchdowns Sunday to lead the Broncos over the Panthers and continue his trend of playing just well enough just often enough to keep open optimism about his future,
18) New England Patriots (6-7) | LW: 15
As the offense sputtered throughout a 24-3 loss to the Rams, the Patriots watched their last realistic hopes of making a surge into the playoffs disappear. New England’s seven losses this season are their most since 2002.
17) Minnesota Vikings (6-7) | LW: 16
The Vikings hung tough early against the Buccaneers in Tampa Bay, but Minnesota just couldn’t get anything going on offense, and they trailed 23-6 early in the third quarter of the 26-14 loss.
16) Las Vegas Raiders (7-6) | LW: 14
Jon Gruden’s Raiders failed to make defensive stands when they needed them during Sunday’s 44-27 loss to Colts, which delivered a staggering blow to Las Vegas’ playoff aspirations. The Raiders have dropped three of four contests and have allowed an average of 37.5 points per game over that span.
15) Arizona Cardinals (7-6) | LW: 19
The Cardinals got back on track with their 26-7 win over the Giants that featured five sacks by pass rusher Haason Reddick in one of the most impressive individual performances of the season. Reddick and the Cardinals D get the injury-plagued Eagles offensive line next.
14) Washington Football Team (6-7) | LW: 18
Washington keeps winning. Rookie defensive end Chase Young and rookie safety Kamren Curl each had defensive touchdowns, and it was enough for the Football Team to take down the 49ers. Quarterback Alex Smith, who has been a steady hand for the offense, exited the game with a calf injury, and he was relieved by Dwayne Haskins, who has benched earlier this season, so that’s a storyline to watch.
13) Baltimore Ravens (8-5) | LW: 13
Quarterback Lamar Jackson’s return to the field in the closing minutes of a wild 47-42 victory over the Browns on Monday night produced the most dramatic finish the NFL has seen this season — and revived Baltimore as an AFC contender. With three games against struggling opponents remaining on the schedule, the Ravens have an opportunity to climb up these rankings and into the postseason.
12) Miami Dolphins (8-5) | LW: 10
The Dolphins intercepted Patrick Mahomes — yes, that Patrick Mahomes — three times Sunday but couldn’t quite put the finishing touches on an upset win over the defending champs. While the 33-27 loss stings, it did offer evidence that Miami can hang with one of the league’s best teams.
11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5) | LW: 12
Tom Brady was 15 of 23 for 196 yards and two touchdowns and the defense did a solid job containing Justin Jefferson and Dalvin Cook in the 26-14 win over the Vikings.
10) Seattle Seahawks (9-4) | LW: 11
After falling behind 3-0 early, the Seahawks scored 40 straight points to rout the hapless Jets. Russell Wilson was 21 of 27 for 206 yards and four touchdowns, and Seattle looked more like the team we saw earlier this season.
9) Cleveland Browns (9-4) | LW: 6
Heroics from Lamar Jackson and a hectic finish cost the Browns a chance to bury the Ravens on Monday. Still, Cleveland diced through Baltimore’s defense, which shows how far Baker Mayfield and company have come since suffering a 32-point loss to their division rivals in Week 1.
8) Indianapolis Colts (9-4) | LW: 9
Earlier this season, the Colts’ defense pulled the team to several important wins. Now the offense is heating up. Indianapolis ran for 212 yards, threw for 244 and converted 8 of 11 third downs Sunday in a 44-27 blowout of the Raiders.
7) Tennessee Titans (9-4) | LW: 8
Derrick Henry leads the NFL with 1,532 yards and 14 touchdowns on the ground through 13 games, and if his 215-yard performance during Sunday’s win over the Jaguars was any indication, he’s not slowing down anytime soon.
6) Pittsburgh Steelers (11-2) | LW: 5
The Steelers have failed to score more than 20 points in each of their past three games, including Sunday night’s 26-15 loss to the Bills. So what’s gone awry in Pittsburgh? Well, the problems might start with the rushing attack; the Steelers have topped 100 yards on the ground in just one of their past eight games.
5) Los Angeles Rams (9-4) | LW: 7
Cam Akers was a breakout performer in rushing 29 times for 171 yards in last Thursday night’s 24-3 win over the Patriots. The Rams defense locked down Cam Newton and the New England offense, and the offense was able to control the game in the Super Bowl LIII rematch.
4) New Orleans Saints (10-3) | LW: 2
The Saints stumbled with Taysom Hill behind center for the first time in their 24-21 loss to the Eagles. The defense played well in the second half, but the offense just couldn’t move the ball, and Hill had a pair of costly turnovers. It got close at the end, but the Saints couldn’t recover an onside kick.
3) Green Bay Packers (10-3) | LW: 4
Aaron Rodgers was 26 of 33 for 290 yards and three touchdowns with zero interceptions while Davante Adams had seven catches for 115 yards and a touchdown in what amounts to a ho-hum outing for the duo. With the Saints losing, the Packers moved into first place in the NFC with their 31-24 win over the Lions. There’s a potentially tricky matchup with the Panthers up next.
2) Buffalo Bills (10-3) | LW: 3
Bills receiver Stefon Diggs pulled in 10 catches for 130 yards and a touchdown in Sunday’s victory over the Steelers, further solidifying Buffalo’s status as a team with an explosive offense. With six wins over their past seven games, the Bills are hitting their stride as they move toward another postseason appearance.
1) Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) | LW: 1
It was uncharacteristic of the Chiefs to commit four turnovers Sunday against the Dolphins, three of which came via Patrick Mahomes interceptions. To make up for that, Kansas City went on the type of blistering scoring run that has defined its recent string of success by piling up 30 unanswered points in a span of about 17 game-clock minutes that stretched from the middle of the second quarter to the middle of the third. That was the knockout blow in Kansas City’s 33-27 win and a reminder of why the champs are the champs.
Follow along with PennLive’s coverage of the Eagles, Ravens and Steelers.
Daniel Gallen covers the Philadelphia Eagles for PennLive. He can be reached at dgallen@pennlive.com. You can follow him on Twitter and Facebook. Follow PennLive’s Philadelphia Eagles coverage on Twitter, Facebook and YouTube.
Aaron Kasinitz covers the Baltimore Ravens for PennLive and can be reached at akasinitz@pennlive.com or on Twitter @AaronKazreports. Follow PennLive’s Ravens coverage on Facebook and YouTube.
"score" - Google News
December 16, 2020 at 09:00PM
https://ift.tt/37pfqYH
NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Steelers stumbles continue, Eagles score big win, Ravens shock rival - PennLive
"score" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2OdbIHo
Shoes Man Tutorial
Pos News Update
Meme Update
Korean Entertainment News
Japan News Update
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "NFL Power Rankings, Week 15: Steelers stumbles continue, Eagles score big win, Ravens shock rival - PennLive"
Post a Comment