NFL Week 12 Power Rankings: Rams, Bills, Eagles Rise as Chiefs, Seahawks, Buccaneers Fall
This article was originally published on Sportsnaut.
NFL Week 11 saw quite a few close games, including a pair of overtime victories and game-winning scores in the closing moments. Sunday’s slate also delivered some huge matchups between playoff contenders and Super Bowl hopefuls that will be the topic of discussion for the next few days.
Let’s dive into our NFL power rankings after Sunday’s Week 11 games. We’ll have further updates after Monday Night Football.
1. Los Angeles Rams (3)
A statement win for the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford wasn’t particularly effective in this one, but he didn’t need to be. Kyren Williams (91 yards and 1 touchdown on 12 carries) was outstanding against a top-three run defense, carrying the Rams offense. Meanwhile, Los Angeles returned to its familiar game plan against Sam Darnold and turned it into 4 takeaways and a 25 percent red-zone conversion rate allowed. The Rams are 8-2 on the year and look like the best team in the NFL right now.
2. New England Patriots (2)
Some view the New England Patriots as a fluke, a team destined to lose when it steps onto center stage and faces a top opponent. The thing is, though, you can find blemishes on the résumés of the best teams in the AFC (Chiefs, Bills, and Colts) this season that are even worse than New England’s marks. What matters right now is that the Patriots are 9-2, and the rest of their schedule gives Drake Maye and company a path to home-field advantage and a first-round bye come playoff time.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (5)
Whether it’s by choice or necessity, this is clearly the style of play the Philadelphia Eagles need to win with. It might leave one of DeVonta Smith or A.J. Brown frustrated each week and the Sunday Night Football performance won’t squash the calls from the fan base for Kevin Patullo to be fired. As long as Jalen Hurts is protecting the football, though, this Eagles defense can carry the team to victories against top-flight competition on its own.
4. Indianapolis Colts (4)
In his last two games before the Week 11 bye, quarterback Daniel Jones had a 76.5 QB rating with seven total turnovers. The Indianapolis Colts have to hope it’s not a sign of the former first-round pick regressing closer to the player we saw for the majority of his NFL career. What Shane Steichen can do is put this offense on Jonathan Taylor’s shoulders, with the OPOY candidate averaging 140 scrimmage yards per game with 17 total touchdowns. Just as important, this Colts defense will hopefully get Charvarius Ward back sometime soon to pair with Sauce Gardner.
5. Buffalo Bills (7)
Despite three turnovers and some horrendous defense, the Buffalo Bills still found a way to a much-needed victory. It felt like the Josh Allen we saw a season ago, making a few mistakes (2 interceptions) and then wowing with everything else in a six-touchdown performance. Buffalo won’t get much rest, facing the Texans defense on Thursday Night Football, but fortune might be on the team’s side with C.J. Stroud (concussion) out.
6. Seattle Seahawks (1)
The Seattle Seahawks will be kicking themselves in this one. Sam Darnold’s turnovers and the offese’s inability to turn red-zone trips into touchdowns proved costly. Even with all of that happening, the Seahawks defense played well enough for Jason Myers to attempt the game-winning field goal. It’s a painful loss, but the Seahawks are still 7-3 and they can take out their frustrations on the Titans in Week 12.
7. Denver Broncos (10)
The Denver Broncos just find a way to win. It’s rarely pretty, as evidenced by their last two wins against the Texans and Raiders, but they get to enjoy Victory Monday each time. In Week 11, Bo Nix took advantage of the great field position set up by Denver’s defense and twice put Wil Lutz in position to deliver. Just as he did for Sean Payton in New Orleans, Nix is doing the same today for the Broncos. The victory moves Denver to 9-2, taking a commanding lead in the AFC West.
8. Detroit Lions (5)
It’s safe to say that Dan Campbell taking over offensive play-calling for the Detroit Lions didn’t fix everything. The head coach also seemed unnecessarily overaggressive with his go-for-it mentality on fourth downs in the Sunday Night Football Loss to Philadelphia, sticking with it even when it was evident that Jared Goff was rattled by the pressure. Still, it’s only one loss and there are no major long-term concerns for Detroit. The club will make improvements and rebound from the loss against the Giants next week.
9. Chicago Bears (12)
Are the Chicago Bears one of the best NFL teams in 2025? Probably not. However, they went into Sunday night atop the NFC North thanks to a 7-3 record. Chicago has won 7 of its last 8 games, with Caleb Williams leading three consecutive game-winning drives. Just like that, the Bears have tied their season high for wins from the last five seasons. Regression feels inevitable given the Steelers, Eagles, Packers (twice), and Lions loom on the Bears’ schedule, but Chicago will finish this year with a winning record at a minimum.
10. Green Bay Packers (14)
Drops and injuries have become a recurring theme for the Green Bay Packers this season. Josh Jacobs (knee) exited early in Week 11 and didn’t return, a blow an offense that was already struggling couldn’t afford. Fortunately for Green Bay, it was facing the Giants. New York eventually gave the game away, only after the Packers tried to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It’s hard to have a ton of confidence in this team right now, but the Vikings (Week 12 opponent) have been even worse and don’t seem to have a starting-caliber QB.
11. Baltimore Ravens (13)
The Baltimore Ravens survived a brutal showing from their offense, improving to 5-5. The path to a .500 record was ugly, but that seems fitting for a team that started the season with a 1-5 record. Baltimore’s defense is trending in the right direction and, since this offensive line doesn’t have to face Myles Garrett again, it should be alright. Up next, a chance for this passing game to get back on track against the Jets.
12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11)
In a game where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark and their defense couldn’t get a stop, the decision was made to have Baker Mayfield throw it on 3rd-and-2. When he couldn’t convert, Raheem Morris opted to punt the football away, and the Bills answered with a touchdown drive that put the game away at 44-32. Injuries to the receiving corps are an obvious issue right now for Tampa Bay, but coaching feels like the bigger reason the Buccaneers have lost two straight and now sit at 6-4 after a 5-1 start.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (15)
Aaron Rodgers exited with a hand injury before halftime of a 10-6 game, forcing the Pittsburgh Steelers to put the ball in the hands of Mason Rudolph. Fortunately for Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ defense (2 defensive touchdowns) and Kenneth Gainwell (105 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns) turned this into a blowout. They are the reason why the Steelers are 6-4, with the win providing desperately needed breathing room in the AFC North.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (8)
At some point, you just have to acknowledge the 5-5 record instead of the name. If the NFL Playoffs started today, the Chiefs wouldn’t be in it. To make matters worse, the .500 record comes before they have to take on the nine-win Indianapolis Colts. There’s also still a rematch versus Denver later this season and we wouldn’t rule out the Texans beating Kansas City in Week 14. There’s a very realistic chance we’ll be looking at a 10-7 Chiefs team that barely sneaks into the playoffs when the regular season ends.
15. Houston Texans (16)
The good news for the Houston Texans is that they are 2-0 with C.J. Stroud still in the concussion protocol. It was the usual suspects on Sunday, with receiver Nico Collins and the Texans’ shutdown defense carrying Davis Mills and Co. to another victory. The 5-5 mark is a decent position to be in, but it already appears that Stroud will be out again for the Thursday Night Football matchup versus Buffalo. Barring an all-time defensive masterpiece, Houston is likely headed for a loss.
16. San Francisco 49ers (17)
Brock Purdy is back and it feels so good for Kyle Shanahan. Everything was working for the San Francisco 49ers offense on Sunday, charting the course for a comfortable three-score victory over Arizona. Moving to 6-4 on the season, San Francisco now gets a very favorable four-week stretch that features the bye (Week 14) and matchups versus the Panthers, Browns and Titans.
17. Los Angeles Chargers (9)
The moment it was announced that Trevor Penning was starting at left tackle, it was over for the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s understandable that injuries forced the team’s hand, but Justin Herbert’s health was always going to be at risk behind this offensive line. Unfortunately, the Week 12 bye won’t change much.
18. Carolina Panthers (18)
Bryce Young delivered. A week after being the reason the Carolina Panthers lost, the third-year quarterback turned back the clock in Atlanta by performing like the Heisman Trophy winner who tore up SEC defenses. Even beyond Young’s 448 passing yards and 3 scores, it was the timing of his biggest drives that should be remembered from this game. Carolina now has six wins for the first time since 2018.
19. Jacksonville Jaguars (21)
The good version of the Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly returned in Week 11. Facing the worst offensive line in football certainly helped, but this pass rush had been non-existent at times coming into the game. Liam Coen also saw his rushing attack (192 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns) wake up after a month-long slumber. Jacksonville is a really weird 6-4 team, but this version of the Jaguars can beat the Cardinals and Titans on the road to close out November.
20. Miami Dolphins (24)
It was an ugly international win for the Miami Dolphins, but they got their style points last week at home against the Bills. No one will mistake a 4-7 Dolphins team for a playoff contender, but Mike McDaniel and De’Von Achane do have a 3-1 record over the last month. When Miami returns from its Week 12 bye, there’s a very real chance we’ll be looking at a 6-7 team a few weeks later, as long as they can handle their business against the Saints and Jets.
21. Atlanta Falcons (20)
The Atlanta Falcons have lost five in a row, with the last three defeats coming against winning teams and decided by a combined 10 points. It’s a reflection on head coach Raheem Morris at this point. Atlanta has now blown three consecutive fourth-quarter leads, and the coaching staff isn’t taking full advantage of all the talent on this roster. The Falcons should be favored in the next two games against the Saints and Jets, but we’ve seen a Morris-led team disappoint in winnable situations plenty of times.
22. Minnesota Vikings (19)
The J.J. McCarthy problem. That’s what the Minnesota Vikings have. He’s now up to nine turnovers this season, and he hasn’t played nearly as much as the rest of the quarterbacks with equally alarming turnover rates. What feels even worse is that he’s wasting Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Now at 4-6 on the season, McCarthy must head to Lambeau Field to face Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary.
23. Arizona Cardinals (22)
The Arizona Cardinals just never had it on Sunday, with a 98-yard kickoff return to the 1-yard line seemingly setting the tone for what the 49ers were going to do in Arizona. Now at 3-7 on the season, the focus shifts to discussion in who will be the Cardinals quarterback in 2026 and whether or not Jonathan Gannon is the right head coach for the franchise.
24. Dallas Cowboys (23)
It will be an emotional game for the Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football, playing for the first time since the tragic passing of teammate Marshawn Kneeland. In terms of what might happen on the field, Dallas does have the offense to cause fits for Las Vegas defensively. Whether or not the Cowboys win comes down to whether the additions of Quinnen Williams, Logan Wilson, and DeMarvion Overshown light a spark under this defense.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (27)
How will this team respond to the rumors that Pete Carroll is on the hot seat? That feels like one of the biggest questions surrounding the Las Vegas Raiders entering Monday Night Football. Carroll has a history of being a head coach players love, so maybe Las Vegas delivers a season-best performance. If the Raiders fall flat on national television, though, that could be a major blow to Carroll’s hopes of returning in 2026.
26. Cincinnati Bengals (25)
There’s no reason Joe Burrow should return this season. The Cincinnati Bengals are a three-loss team that can’t protect Joe Flacco, so there’s little faith this offensive line will do anything to keep Burrow safe coming off surgery. Besides, Cincinnati’s record further demonstrates why the organization is better off telling Burrow to shut it down and come back in 2026.
27. New Orleans Saints (26)
The New Orleans Saints used their bye week to remind Who Dat Nation that Mickey Loomis is practically like family to ownership, so he’s never leaving. That’s disappointing, given the top decision-maker in the Saints front office hasn’t built a viable playoff-caliber roster since 2020. There are elements of the roster and coaching staff to like, but ownership just reminded us that the person most responsible for this being one of the worst NFL teams is never leaving until he voluntarily retires.
28. New York Giants (28)
The New York Giants had a shot at winning against Green Bay in Week 11. Yet, it feels like the Packers kind of let that happen with dropped interceptions and receptions. Jameis Winston probably should’ve had three interceptions on Sunday, but he only threw the game-sealing pick in the end zone. Fortunately, Jaxson Dart (concussion) is nearing a return, and there’s a bit more confidence in the surrounding skill talent given how Wan’Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy Jr. have looked recently.
29. Cleveland Browns (30)
Well, there’s Shedeur Sanders. He looked like the same quarterback from college, one who holds onto the football far too long but can do a few nice things. Not exactly the repertoire you want from a quarterback behind the Browns offensive line, but it’s better than what we’ve seen in previous weeks. He is different than Dillon Gabriel, so the Browns might as well try him out for a little while.
30. Washington Commanders (29)
It’s reached that point for the Washington Commanders where the fan base views every game that passes as just one week closer to this season mercifully coming to an end. Similar to the Bengals’ situation, there’s zero point in bringing Jayden Daniels back in 2025. Washington’s roster needs a lot of work this offseason, and the injuries on both sides of the ball have only highlighted that.
31. New York Jets (31)
With each passing week, the New York Jets are that much closer to being put out of their misery. Thursday Night Football highlighted how much work must be done to overhaul this roster, fixing issues on both sides of the ball. New York’s plan, as of now, seems fairly simple: find a bridge quarterback for 2026 and use the offseason to fill some of the gaps on this roster. Take a step forward next season, then find a quarterback with those three first-round picks and ample cap space.
Related: New York Jets QB Options for 2026 Outside of the 2026 NFL Draft
32. Tennessee Titans (32)
There’s really nothing left to say about the worst team in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans have absolutely nothing on offense to help Cam Ward. Truly, the only hope is that the effects of playing on this Titans offense as a rookie don’t carryover into 2026 and beyond.
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