Crowe - NFL Week #16 Power Rankings 2022: “On to Cincinnati” on Saturday
Saturday, December 24, 2022
It’s amazing how suddenly things can change in the NFL. With only about a minute left in Sunday’s game, the Patriots thought they had rallied their way to a 24-17 victory, sealing their second straight road win and heading home as owners of the sixth seed in the AFC playoff chase. Yet as the clock hit zero, New England had found themselves not only on the losing end of a 30-24 defeat but also finding themselves involved in one of the most bizarre and devastating losses in NFL history.
It was bad enough that the Patriots allowed Derek Carr to tie the game on a disputed 30-yard touchdown pass with 32 seconds left to Keenan Cole, whose left foot appeared out of bounds but the call on review was upheld. What the Patriots did next will haunt them for decades to come. On the final play of regulation, Rhamondre Stevenson, after rushing to the Raiders’ 30-yard line on a draw play, decided to lateral the ball to teammate Jakobi Meyers. Meyers then inexplicably threw a spiral back about 30 yards toward quarterback Mac Jones in an attempt to keep the play alive. Well, not only did Mac not catch the ball, but another Jones, former Patriot Chandler Jones, picked off the pass, ran over Mac Jones, and thundered into the end zone for the win. It doesn’t get much more bizarre than that, giving former Patriots’ offensive coordinator and current Las Vegas head coach Josh McDaniels a very sweet victory against the Pats.
Head coach Bill Belichick summed it up quite matter-of-factly.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLAST"I would say we made a mistake on that play. The play didn't work. We made a mistake on the play," said Belichick.
Instead of returning home feeling great about their win, the Pats now limp back to Foxboro to face the hottest team in the league, the Cincinnati Bengals in a must-win contest to keep their postseason hopes alive. The Bengals have won six in a row with an explosive offense that is everything New England is not. Cincinnati has Joe Burrow, Ja’Marr Chase, and crew leading the way as they lead the AFC North. After the Cincy game, New England has Miami at home and a regular-season finale in Buffalo facing them. Winning any of them will be a daunting task.
Imagine this. One week ago, we were rewarding the Patriots for a Monday night win in Arizona with a top ten ranking in our power rankings. Now, they’ll be lucky to win another game this season.
In the blink of an eye, the win, the good feeling, and their stay in our top 10 was over.
Week 16 Power Rankings
10. Baltimore Ravens (9-5, Last week ranked 8th)
Lamar Jackson can’t come back soon enough for the Ravens. Baltimore continues to limp on offense with backup quarterback Tyler Huntley, losing 13-3 last Saturday in Cleveland. The Ravens host the Falcons this week as Jackson continues to miss practice early this week with that knee injury.
9. Los Angeles Chargers (8-6, Last week not ranked)
With a week 15 win over AFC South leader Tennessee, the Chargers find themselves right back in the playoff picture, holding on to the sixth seed. Los Angeles surprisingly held Derrick Henry down to 104 yards and a touchdown in the 17-14 victory. The Chargers have one of the easier schedules the rest of the way with games against the Colts, Rams, and Broncos, who all enter week 16 with four wins a piece.
8. Miami Dolphins (8-6, Last week ranked 9th)
Sure, the Dolphins did lose in Buffalo last Saturday night, but we will move them UP one spot because of how they did it. Miami held a fourth-quarter edge of 29-21 but had to watch as the Bills ran the final 5:56 off the clock before kicking a game-winning 21-yard field goal by Tyler Bass. The Dolphins proved they could stand toe-to-toe with the AFC’s best during a fourth-quarter blizzard. If these two teams meet again in the playoffs, don’t be surprised if the outcome is different.
7. Dallas Cowboys (10-4, Last week ranked 3rd)
There’s a reason they call them trap games. Dallas coughed up a 27-10 second-half lead, losing 40-34 in overtime when Dak Prescott’s pass was picked off by Rayshawn Jenkins for a 52-yard pick-6 score. Prescott has now thrown 10 interceptions since week 7, the most in the NFL. This time it led to a loss to the Jaguars leaving Christmas Eve’s home game with Philly a little less important with the Eagles already clinching the NFC East title. Dallas now will face the task of winning three playoff games on the road if they want to win the NFC and reach the Super Bowl.
6. Minnesota Vikings (11-3, Last week ranked 7th)
Crazy. Unbelievable. Historic. These are all things that could describe the Vikings’ latest win over Indianapolis last Saturday. Minnesota found themselves down 33-0 at the half at home before a miraculous comeback found them winning in overtime, 39-36. It continues the Vikings’ string of winning close games this season, now at 10 straight, as they welcome the Giants to town this Saturday.
5. San Francisco 49ers (10-4, Last week ranked 5th)
San Francisco just might be the second-best team in the league. Winners of seven straight games, the Niners dominated the Seahawks in Seattle in quarterback Brock Purdy’s first road NFL start that clinched them the NFC South championship. The 49ers now have designs on the number two seed should the Vikings falter in their final three games. San Francisco hosts Washington in week 16.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (11-3, Last week ranked 4th)
It took overtime, but the Chiefs took out the Texans, 30-24. It was the second straight week the Texans almost took out a top-tier team as they also lost to Dallas in week 14 in the final seconds. The Chiefs, with the victory, clinched their seventh straight AFC West crown and now face the Seahawks this Saturday.
3. Cincinnati Bengals (10-4, Last week ranked 6th)
Down 17-0 in Tampa to Tom Brady, the Bengals simply flipped the script and turned the Buccaneers upside down for a 34-23 win behind Joe Burrow’s four touchdown passes. Cincy’s won six straight games heading into Foxboro to take on the Patriots Christmas Eve.
2. Buffalo Bills (11-3, Last week ranked 2nd)
As we mentioned with Miami’s ranking, Buffalo remains at the top of the AFC. Just when you thought the Dolphins had the Bills down for the count, they rallied behind Josh Allen’s arm (and legs) for the victory in a blinding fourth-quarter snowstorm. Awaiting Buffalo in week 17 is a tasty Monday night trip to Cincinnati to face the red-hot Bengals in a game that could decide home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (13-1, Last week ranked 1st)
It wasn’t as dynamic as previous wins, but Jalen Hurts and the Eagles took out Chicago in the battle of running quarterbacks and Justin Fields. The Eagles’ offense was stymied early with a pair of Hurts interceptions that kept the Bears in the game. Undeterred, Hurts ran it back with a trio of second-half touchdowns to hold off the Bears, 25-20. Unfortunately, Hurts also sprained his right shoulder in the third quarter of the win though. Philly travels to Dallas on Christmas Eve with hopes of handing the Cowboys a clean sweep of their 2022 series but now they’ll be playing with backup QB Gardner Minshew starting instead of Hurts.
Last week:
10. Patriots
9. Dolphins
8. Ravens
7. Vikings
6. Bengals
5. 49ers
4. Chiefs
3. Cowboys
2. Bills
1. Eagles
Week 16 Games to Watch:
Bengals at Patriots (Saturday 1 pm CBS) – The Bengals could play Grinch to the Patriots’ Christmas.
Lions at Panthers (Saturday 1 pm FOX) – No one thought these two teams would still be alive for the playoffs in week 16.
Giants at Vikings (Saturday 1 pm FOX) – This could be a potential first-round playoff preview.
Commanders at 49ers (Saturday 4:05 pm CBS) – Eight (wins in a row) could be great for the 49ers.
Eagles at Cowboys (Saturday 4:25 pm FOX) – This one looked better before the Cowboys lost to the Jaguars.
Raiders at Steelers (Saturday 8:25 pm NFL Network) – 50th anniversary of the Immaculate Reception.
Packers at Dolphins (Sunday 1 pm FOX) – Christmas Day opener in Miami.
Buccaneers at Cardinals (Sunday 8:20 pm NBC) – Tom Brady looks to play Santa to the Bucs’ playoff hopes.
