NFL Week 15 Power Rankings Keep Patriots in No. 1 Spot for Second Consecutive Week

For the first time, seemingly in forever, the same team stayed on top of the NESN.com power rankings, and that’s due to the Patriots' impressive victory in snowy Chicago.

But as much hype as the AFC has gotten for its dominance among the two conferences, the NFC has started to make its mark on the league, with two of the top-three teams and six of the top 11.

Here are this week's rankings.

NFL Power Rankings

1
Last week: No. 1 Record: 11 – 2

New England Patriots
The Patriots have scored 415 points this season. No other AFC division leader has even eclipsed 300.

2
Last week: No. 2 Record: 11 – 2

Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are in good position to wrap up the NFC South. If they beat the Seahawks this week and the Panthers in Week 17, they can afford to lose to the Saints in Week 16. That’s because the Falcons would win the third tiebreaker with the Saints due to a better record against common opponents. However, that game is in Atlanta, where the Saints and Falcons could meet again in the playoffs, so it would behoove the Falcons to build a little confidence with a victory in Week 16.

3
Last week: No. 3 Record: 10-3

New Orleans Saints
Why would the Saints lose that tiebreaker, you ask? Because of a Week 5 loss to the Cardinals and a Week 7 loss to the Browns. That’s why they all count, folks.

4
Last week: No. 4 Record: 10-3

Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers will close out the string against the reeling Jets, Panthers and Browns. If they take care of business against the Jets, they'd have no excuse not to grab a first-round bye.

5
Last week: No. 5 Record: 9-4

Baltimore Ravens
There are certainly times when the Ravens look like the best team in the NFL, but they'll need quarterback Joe Flacco to seriously raise his game if they plan to win a Super Bowl.

6
Last week: No. 8 Record: 9-4

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles beat the Giants three weeks ago, and they can pull off the season sweep and essentially win the NFC East with a victory in New York on Sunday. Then, the Eagles finish the regular season with a pair of home games against two teams with interim coaches — the Vikings and Cowboys.

7
Last week: No. 11 Record: 9-4

New York Giants
The Giants' offense looks so much more dangerous when both Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are running well together.

8
Last week: No. 6 Record: 9-4

New York Jets
In the span of six days, the Jets went from playing for the best record in football to falling to the sixth seed in the AFC playoff hunt.

9
Last week: No. 12 Record: 7-6

San Diego Chargers
Regardless of the Chargers' bumbling ways and Norv Turner's playoff futility, there can't be a team in the NFL that wants the Chargers to rally to overcome the Chiefs in the AFC West.