What a week it was right, football fans?
The NFL’s Week 15 slate brought a pair of shocking upsets as the previously winless New York Jets defeated the NFC West-leading Los Angeles Rams while the two-win Cincinnati Bengals handed the Pittsburgh Steelers, who started the season 11-0, a third-consecutive loss. Insanity.
The NFL Playoff picture continued to take shape, too. The Buffalo Bills officially won the AFC East with a victory over the Denver Broncos while the Seattle Seahawks qualified for the postseason after their win over the NFC East-leading Washington Football Team.
Here’s how it all impacted our Week 16 NFL power rankings:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (13-1, Last Week: 1)
Patrick Mahomes threw for three touchdowns and the Chiefs ran for 179 yards in a Week 15 win over the New Orleans Saints. The Chiefs also have a two-game lead for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
2. Green Bay Packers (11-3, 2)
The Packers earned a win over a struggling Carolina Panthers squad with a different Aaron — Jones, not Rodgers. — running the show. Jones ran for 145 yards on 20 carries, again proving the Packers can win in a different way.
3. Buffalo Bills (11-3, 3)
The Bills officially won the AFC East with a dominant win over the Denver Broncos on Saturday. Josh Allen tallied four touchdowns — two rushing, two passing — while Buffalo put up 534 yards of offense.
4. New Orleans Saints (10-4, 4)
The Saints kept up with the Chiefs in a three-point loss but were happy to see the return of Drew Brees. Losing Michael Thomas to injured reserve, though, could cost the Saints playoff seeding, as they’ve dropped a full game behind Green Bay for the No. 1 seed.
5. Tennessee Titans (10-4, 7)
Ryan Tannehill scored five touchdowns (three passing, two rushing) as Tennessee scored 22 fourth-quarter points in a win over the Detroit Lions. The Titans have won four of their last five with the loss coming against the playoff-bound Cleveland Browns.
6. Seattle Seahawks (10-4, 8)
It was far from the offensive display Russell Wilson and Co. have been putting on, but the Seahawks defense showed some things during a 20-15 win over the NFC East-leading Washington Football Team. It helped Seattle earn a spot in the postseason, and take a lead in the NFC West.
7. Indianapolis Colts (10-4, 9)
Forcing turnovers on defense and running the ball on offense is a good formula and the Colts, winners in five of their last six, showcased just that against the Houston Texans. Indy remains in the fight for the AFC South title, and second AFC wild-card spot.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (11-3, 5)Â
The Steelers’ offense has been absolutely horrendous these last four weeks, and that continued on “Monday Night Football,” as well. Pittsburgh is just one game up in the AFC North over the Cleveland Browns, and the way the Steelers have played lately, it wouldn’t be a shock to see Cleveland steal the division.
9. Cleveland Browns (10-4, 11)
The Browns bounced back after their loss to Baltimore, handling the New York Giants with another strong showing from Baker Mayfield. Cleveland’s defense dominated, too, holding the Giants 0-for-3 in red-zone opportunities.
10. Baltimore Ravens (9-5, 12)
It certainly feels like Baltimore is coming alive at right time, and it seems only a matter of time until they earn an AFC wild-card spot. The Ravens followed up their crucial win over the Browns with a dismantling of the Jacksonville Jaguars.
11. Los Angeles Rams (9-5, 6)
A good football team lost to a very bad football team Sunday. What’s even worse for the Rams is that their loss to the previously winless New York Jets could cost them a home playoff game as they fall back to second in the NFC West.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9-5, 11)
Tom Brady and the Buccaneers avoided disaster against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 15, a comeback win which has kept them within the NFC playoff picture. It certainly wasn’t pretty for Tampa Bay, though.
13. Miami Dolphins (9-5, 13)
The Dolphins currently possess the AFC’s third and final wild-card spot after a division win over the rival New England Patriots. Miami ran for 250 yards, its most since 2016, in the Week 15 victory. They’ll have to win against the Las Vegas Raiders on Saturday to hold off the late-charging Ravens
14. Arizona Cardinals (8-6, 14)
The Cardinals held off the Jalen Hurts-led Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday, helping Arizona maintain the seventh and final NFC wild-card spot. The Cards have a mere one-game lead on the playoff spot over the Chicago Bears.
15. Washington Football Team (6-8, 17)
Washington kept a good Seahawks offense under wraps with Russell Wilson throwing for just one touchdown and neither D.K. Metcalf or Tyler Lockett breaking out. Unfortunately for WFT three points through the first three quarters isn’t going to win many games.
16. Chicago Bears (7-7, 22)
The Bears answered six consecutive losses with a pair of straight wins, claiming a victory over the NFC North rival Minnesota Vikings, and somehow sit just one game back of a wild-card spot.
17. Las Vegas Raiders (7-7, 15)
Season-long issues came back to plague the Raiders in their loss to the AFC West Los Angeles Chargers on “Thursday Night Football.” It seems whatever playoff hopes Las Vegas had before Week 15 are seemingly gone.
18. Minnesota Vikings (6-8, 15)
The Vikings’ loss to the Bears essentially ends their pursuit at the postseason.
19. New England Patriots (6-8, 18)
The Patriots officially were eliminated from the postseason after a Week 15 loss to the Dolphins. There were myriad issues all season in New England — quarterback play, pass-catching options, run defense, etc. — and it led to failure to reach the playoff for the first time since 2008.
20. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9, 25)
The Chargers needed overtime but pulled out a win over the Raiders on “Thursday Night Football.”
21. New York Giants (5-9, 21)
The Giants have followed up a four-game win streak with consecutive losses, and now sit in a tie for second in the NFC East, one game behind division-leader Washington.
22. Dallas Cowboys (5-9, 28)
Don’t look now, but the Cowboys are in a tie for second place in the NFC East. Dallas and the Giants are both one-game back of Washington with the Cowboys holding a head-to-head tiebreaker over the G-Men. The division, and thus a home playoff game at Jerry World, is (insanely) not out of the question after a Week 15 over San Francisco.
23. San Francisco 49ers (5-9, 19)
The 49ers have lost six of their last seven, doing so in consecutive weeks against NFC East opponents like the Washington Football Team and Dallas Cowboys.
24. Detroit Lions (5-9, 23)
Detroit turned the ball over three times against the Titans, including a pair of first-half fumbles, and it proved a losing formula despite 430 yards of offense.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (4-9-1, 24)
Jalen Hurts put together another strong performance, but came up short to the Cardinals, as Philly sits in fourth place of the NFC East.
26. Denver Broncos (5-9, 20)
The Broncos allowed 48 points to Buffalo, 27 in the second half, as Denver was eliminated from the postseason after being handed its third loss in the last four games.
27. Houston Texans (4-10, 27)
Houston had 425 yards of offense against a good Colts defense overshadowed by two turnovers, while the Texans defense hasn’t been good all year.
28. Cincinnati Bengals (3-10-1, 30)
The Bengals — without starting quarterback Joe Burrow, running back Joe Mixon and with leading receiver Tyler Boyd missing the final three quarters with a concussion — beat the highly thought of Steelers defense on “Monday Night Football.” Just as we all expected.
29. Atlanta Falcons (4-10, 26)
The Falcons suffered another inexplicable collapse against the Buccaneers on Sunday, allowing 31 second-half points including the eventual game-winning touchdown by Tampa wideout Antonio Brown.
30. Carolina Panthers (4-10, 29)
Carolina put itself into a 21-3 hole at the half against the Packers, and while the Panthers battled back, they couldn’t pull off the upset.
31. New York Jets (1-13, 32)
The Jets won, but they also lost. New York pulled off a shocking upset over the Rams, but have dropped to No. 2 on NFL Draft boards behind another one-win team.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-13, 31)
Some may think Jacksonville lost big against the Ravens, but quite the contrary. The Jaguars now are position to land the No. 1 overall pick after the Jets win.
