Drew Brees typically saves his best for big games at the Superdome, and Monday night was no different.
The New Orleans Saints quarterback continued rewriting the NFL record books, passing Peyton Manning (for now) as the all-time leader in touchdown passes. As a side dish, Brees also served up a pinpoint performance, completing 29 of 30 passes in a 34-7 waxing of the Colts.
It’s that sort of performance — not just Brees, but the entire Saints team in all three phases — that should scare the rest of the NFL as the playoffs rapidly approach. When they’re clicking (unlike a week ago against San Francisco), they are as complete of a team as you’ll find.
Here are our Week 16 NFL power rankings.
1. Baltimore Ravens (12-2, last week: 1): It would have been hard to blame the Ravens had they come out a little sluggish Thursday night in a layup game against the Jets. Instead, Lamar Jackson threw five touchdown passes and ran for 86 yards as Baltimore cruised.
2. New Orleans Saints (11-3, 3): We know the Saints lost to the 49ers last week, and New Orleans technically owns the three-seed and would have to play wild-card weekend. But good luck finding a more balanced team across the board, something Brees and Co. showcased by throttling the Colts on Monday night.
3. San Francisco 49ers (11-3, 2): One of the least surprising trap game losses in recent memory, as San Fran was coming off a three-game stretch in which it played Green Bay, Baltimore and New Orleans. These things happen, and it’s probably not something to be concerned about for the 49ers, but it doesn’t look great.
4. Seattle Seahawks (11-3, 5): Seattle must be allergic to winning easy. The Seahawks held a 20-point lead Sunday in Carolina before the Panthers stormed back to get within six. As he has all season, though, Russell Wilson bailed his team out, completing a game-clinching third-and-11. The record is great, but it’s still hard to know for sure how good the Seahawks are.
5. Kansas City Chiefs (10-4, 5): Similar to the 49ers, the Chiefs were in a tricky spot, coming off a big win over the Patriots last week with a feisty Broncos team coming to snowy KC. They took care of business, though, in Patrick Mahomes’ best game in a month. If he gets hot, look out for Kansas City.
6. New England Patriots (11-3, 6): It was just like old times Sunday for the Patriots, who rode their defense to a seemingly one-sided game against a terrible team. Meanwhile, baby steps on offense are cause for celebration, which makes you wonder whether they’ll be able to score enough in the playoffs against better defenses.
7. Green Bay Packers (11-3, 7): The Packers have 11 wins, and not a single one of them has been a 100 percent, complete, 60-minute effort. It’s never easy, which is a good news/bad news thing. On one hand, they’re battle-tested. On the other, maybe they’re not that good.
8. Minnesota Vikings (10-4, 8): So, do we give the Vikings credit for forcing seven — seven! — turnovers vs. Los Angeles, or is it simply the Chargers’ ineptitude? We’ll lean toward the latter, but the Minnesota defense has a chance to prove us wrong with an enormous Monday night matchup vs. Green Bay on tap.
9. Buffalo Bills (10-4, 9): The Bills are going back to the playoffs, so that’s good for them. But they scored just 17 points despite forcing five turnovers Sunday night in Pittsburgh. They’re probably not going to do the same next week at Gillette Stadium in a game Buffalo needs to win if it’s to keep its slim hopes of winning the AFC East alive.
10. Houston Texans (9-5, 12): The Texans are in the driver’s seat after holding on for dear life in Nashville. There’s also the possibility J.J. Watt returns at some point this season. All of a sudden, that ugly loss to Denver last week seems like a long time ago.
11. Tennessee Titans (8-6, 11): The Titans outgained Houston by almost 100 yards and outscored the Texans 21-10 in the second half. It still wasn’t enough, though, as a goal-line interception might have cost them the game. They still can make the playoffs, and they technically could do so even if they lose out. Then again, there’s also a way they win out and miss the playoffs.
12. Dallas Cowboys (7-7, 15): This is going to feel weird, but credit to Jason Garrett and his team. Everyone was burying them, and they responded by hanging nearly 500 yards and 44 points on the Rams. If they can bottle that all up, Dallas will be this season’s “team no one wants to face” in the playoffs.
13. Los Angeles Rams (8-6, 10): The Rams need a whole bunch of help if they’re going back to the playoffs after getting pasted in Dallas. The Super Bowl loser hangover claims another victim.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (8-6, 13): The loss to the Bills hurts, but the Steelers are still very much alive in the AFC playoff hunt with a Week 16 game against the Jets coming up. Looking ahead, they have to go to Baltimore to end the season, but the Ravens might not be playing anyone.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7, 16): The Bucs have won four straight, three of those on the road, scoring an average of 35 points per game. If they can just get Jameis Winston to be a little more careful with the ball, they’ll be a legit contender next season.
16. Philadelphia Eagles (7-7, 17): Philly, improbably, is still alive. The Eagles were on life support against the lowly Redskins before storming back and winning. Obviously, this week’s matchup against the Cowboys is for the division.
17. Chicago Bears (7-7, 14): The Bears, offseason darlings of many, are all but dead after the Packers completed the season sweep Sunday at Lambeau Field. Some pretty important offseason decisions loom.
18. Indianapolis Colts (6-8, 18): At least the Colts had a front seat to history Monday night, not only watching Brees break the all-time touchdown pass record but also setting another record by completing 29 of 30 passes. That second one is probably a little more concerning.
19. Cleveland Browns (6-8, 19): So, you’ve got Jarvis Landry bickering with head coach Freddie Kitchens on the sidelines, players reportedly begging opposing teams to “come get” them and save them from Cleveland and Kareem Hunt accusing teammates of quitting on plays. So basically a typical week with the Browns.
20. Oakland Raiders (6-8, 20): In their final game in Oakland, the Raiders let the Jaguars hang around and eventually gave the game away, which is basically the opposite of what they’re doing with their team as they take it away from the fans. Don’t expect any regret or sympathy from owner Mark Davis, though.
21. Denver Broncos (5-9, 21): After the Broncos loss 23-3 to the Chiefs — their ninth straight loss to KC — Von Miller said of the last two years in Denver, “it just defeats my soul.” So, they’re having fun.
22. Carolina Panthers (5-9, 23): Well, it looks like the Kyle Allen experience has ended. Will Grier is expected to start at quarterback next week for the Panthers after Allen committed 14 turnovers in the team’s six-game losing streak.
23. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9, 22): The Chargers weren’t able to overcome the seven turnovers they committed. Go figure.
24. Atlanta Falcons (5-9, 27): The Falcons have now beat the 49ers and the Saints this season. Unfortunately for them, the other 12 games have been pretty bad. How about another ho-hum day for Julio Jones? The future Hall of Famer hauled in 13 of 20 targets for 134 yards and two touchdowns, including the game-winning TD with 5 seconds to play.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-9, 25): The Raiders blowing out the Jaguars in their final game in Oakland seemed like a lay-up. Nobody told Gardner Minshew II (or the Raiders, perhaps), as the Jags QB orchestrated a furious comeback capped by 14 fourth-quarter points.
26. Arizona Cardinals (4-9-1, 26): How many fantasy football matchups did Kenyan Drake sway by scoring four touchdowns vs. the Browns? What a weird sport.
27. New York Jets (5-9, 24): Luckily for the Jets, they got their heads kicked in by the Ravens on Thursday, and we’ve all pretty much forgotten that game by now.
28. Detroit Lions (3-10-1, 28): The Lions are 0-6 since Matthew Stafford got hurt. It somehow feels worse than that.
29. New York Giants (3-11, 31): If Eli Manning indeed has played his final game in New York, what a fitting way to go: two touchdown passes, three interceptions and an improbable Giants win.
30. Miami Dolphins (3-11, 29): It feels like at times this season we’ve forgotten how bad the Dolphins really are, and then they go get pasted by a Giants team that had previously lost nine in a row, and you’re like, “Oh, yeah. Still bad.”
31. Washington Redskins (3-11, 30): Dwayne Haskins Jr. had the best game of his young career Sunday in D.C., completing nearly 70 percent of his passes and throwing for two touchdowns without a pick. Even better? The Redskins lost and didn’t sacrifice draft position.
32. Cincinnati Bengals (1-13, 32): The Bengals gave the Patriots a game for a quarter or so, but then Andy Dalton decided that was enough fun for the day and threw four interceptions.
