by Wayne Root
Wednesday, Dec 13, 2023Week 14 has come and gone and the Dallas Cowboys are tied for the best record in the NFL. What a wonderful time for America’s team. The Cowboys-Eagles rivalry has reached a peak, which is good for football. They've both got to deal with the 49ers at some point, and that won't be fun for anyone with the way San Francisco is playing. We live in a world where Brock Purdy might be MVP and Tommy DeVito is unbeatable and if Brock Purdy isn’t MVP, it will probably be … yeah, you guessed it, Brandon Aubrey. We saw a bunch of upsets from lower-ranked teams, with the Giants, Jets, Patriots, Bears and Titans all winning big games. It's cliché, but the NFL is a week-to-week league. Any given Sunday (or Thursday or Monday or Saturday after college football season), as they say.
1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3)
Brock Purdy threw for a career-high 368 yards with two touchdowns and became the fourth player to complete at least 70 percent of his passes in seven straight games during a 28-16 victory against the Seahawks. Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk all topped 125 yards from scrimmage in an 11th straight win against the NFC West. It was not the bloodbath some expected when it was announced Geno Smith would sit out the game, and the defense gave up a little too much to Drew Lock. Still, the 49ers cruised to a win, averaging 13.6 yards per pass and 7.5 yards per carry. Pretty good. They’re one the road this week at Arizona.
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-3)
The Cowboys finally got their big win, crushing the Eagles at home to take control of the division. Dak Prescott is firmly in the MVP conversation, and the defense forced another three turnovers on Sunday night. Brandon Aubrey can’t miss. The rookie kicker made field goals from 45, 50, 59 and 60 yards in the victory against the Eagles. Dak Prescott threw two more touchdown passes to up his seven-game hot-streak totals to 22 touchdowns and two interceptions. Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore looks like a No. 1 cornerback again. Make that 15 straight home wins. All of that said, while the Eagles are now finished with their tough run, the Cowboys are just getting started. They have trips to the Bills this weekend and the Dolphins over the next two weeks before a home date with the Lions in Week 17.
3. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
The Ravens got all they wanted from a good Rams team which beat the Browns in Week 13. Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes, including the late fourth-quarter go-ahead 21-yard strike to Zay Flowers, in wet and sloppy conditions. Isaiah Likely had 83 yards and a touchdown, filling the absence of injured tight end Mark Andrews. Promisingly given their late-game struggles earlier this season, Baltimore was able to drive for a touchdown late and, despite giving up a field goal to force overtime. Injury replacement Tylan Wallace’s 76-yard walk-off punt return in overtime ended a back-and-forth 37-31 victory against the Rams. The road does not get easier with the Jaguars, 49ers, and Dolphins the next three weeks. The Ravens will have to earn the No. 1 seed if they want that bye. They get the SNF game this week against the Jags.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
Patrick Mahomes, the face of the NFL, exploded on officiating and is in hot water with the NFL. Mahomes was livid after the game because of an offsides call on Kadarius Toney that negated a go-ahead touchdown, but the reality is the Bills allowed the Chiefs to stay in the game, and they simply could not take advantage of the opportunity. With a chance to put a stake in the rival Bills’ playoff hopes, the Chiefs instead lost, 20-17, and fell to 2-4 in their last six games since picking up Taylor Swift off waivers. Kansas City has now lost four of their last six and has mounting injury concerns on defense. The Chiefs need to get right the next two weeks against the Patriots and Raiders. As it stands, the Broncos are only one game back in the division. They travel to New England this Sunday.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)
Perhaps it is not a surprise the Eagles finally folded given the run of games they played, but they put in another lackluster effort against the Cowboys on Sunday night. When your three best offensive players all lose fumbles on the plus side of the field, you lose. That’s what happened to the Eagles when Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith all cut short scoring opportunities in the loss to the Cowboys. The loss drops them to the No. 5 seed, although they still control their destiny in the division if they can win out and find an offensive line. They will need the defense to improve for that to happen. The good news is Philly gets the Giants twice and the Cardinals after a trip to the likely Geno Smith-less Seahawks in Week 15.
6. Buffalo Bills (7-6)
It was still closer than it should have been late, but the Bills were able to turn this strong performance against a good team into a much-needed win. And they beat the Chiefs because Josh Allen accounted for two touchdowns, and the defense got a late fourth-down stop. Now 7-6, Buffalo is tied with five other teams hunting for a playoff spot. That means they need to keep winning, and they still have tough games against the Cowboys (next week) and Dolphins (Week 18) sandwiched around easier matchups against the Chargers and Patriots. The Bills just beat the Chiefs and have already beaten the Dolphins. They might be a better team, but their current playoff situation is too precarious to have higher. The host the surging Cowboys this week.
7. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
Three weeks after joining the Browns, Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes. And the defense intercepted a hobbled Trevor Lawrence three times. The individual stats for Joe Flacco over the last two weeks (55% completion rate, 6.3 yards per attempt, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) are not outstanding, but the offense has looked functional for the first time in a long time with him at quarterback, although three turnovers kept this game closer than it should have been; but that’s what great defenses do. The Browns are the eighth team to win with four different starting quarterbacks in a season. Dustin Hopkins’ late 55-yard field goal provided critical breathing room. The defense made it right with four takeaways of their own and is getting some key players back to full health. With a one-game lead over the group at 7-6 and games remaining against the Bears and Jets, the Browns are in a great position to make the playoffs especially playing at home this weekend against the Chicago Bears.
8. Miami Dolphins (9-4)
Picking up a loss against the Titans is definitely not great, especially with the Dolphins facing a closing three-game run against the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills, but the bigger concern is Tyreek Hill. The offense looked lost without him on the field Monday night, and the good spurts it did have came on the limited snaps Hill was able to play. So an opportunity wasted. With a chance to pull even with the Ravens and gain distance over the rest of the AFC, the Dolphins laid an egg in a 28-27 loss to the Titans. It’s not so easy without Tyreek Hill, who sat out much of the game with an ankle injury. Tua Tagovailoa’s streak of 21 straight games with a touchdown pass was snapped and his performance was sluggish at best. Even with all of that, though, the Dolphins still led by 14 with less than three minutes left in the game. They had a nearly 100% win probability. Games like that will happen. For the long term, though, the health of Hill appears to be vital to their chances. The Dolphins should defeat the Jets hosting them but it is a divisional game.
9. Detroit Lions (9-4)
There was no magical comeback this week. The Lions simply lost to the Bears, their second loss in three games and fourth concerning performance in a row. After stealing a win from the Bears with a late comeback earlier this season, the Lions couldn’t repeat the feat in a 28-13 loss. Jared Goff threw two interceptions, fumbled a snap and was sacked four times. Since their bye, the Lions are 22nd in yards per play allowed and 30th in points per drive allowed. They have faced Chicago twice, the Chargers, the Packers, and the Saints during that span. Over the last four games, Jared Goff has 7 touchdowns and 8 turnovers. They still have a two-game lead in the division, but they have to play the second-place Vikings twice in addition to the Broncos and Cowboys. It is time for some worry in Detroit, but it is difficult to find teams worthy of jumping them on this list. Detroit plays a Saturday game at home vs Denver.
10. Denver Broncos (7-6)
Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes, and the defense sacked Justin Herbert four times on the first six possessions, ultimately knocking him out with a broken finger; season ending. An injury to Justin Herbert might cheapen the win somewhat, but the Broncos were already beating the Chargers before Herbert left the game. The Broncos’ sixth win in their last seven games – a 24-7 drilling of the Chargers – actually was their first on the road against an AFC West rival since Oct. 6, 2019. Despite coming up just short against the Texans in Week 13, the Broncos’ game plan is working like a charm and has them right in the playoff hunt following six wins in seven games. They get the struggling Lions on Saturday before finishing with the Patriots, Chargers (without Herbert again), and Raiders. The path is wide open for Denver to make the playoffs. They travel to the Motor City to take on the Lions.
1. San Francisco 49ers (10-3)
Brock Purdy threw for a career-high 368 yards with two touchdowns and became the fourth player to complete at least 70 percent of his passes in seven straight games during a 28-16 victory against the Seahawks. Deebo Samuel, Christian McCaffrey and Brandon Aiyuk all topped 125 yards from scrimmage in an 11th straight win against the NFC West. It was not the bloodbath some expected when it was announced Geno Smith would sit out the game, and the defense gave up a little too much to Drew Lock. Still, the 49ers cruised to a win, averaging 13.6 yards per pass and 7.5 yards per carry. Pretty good. They’re one the road this week at Arizona.
2. Dallas Cowboys (10-3)
The Cowboys finally got their big win, crushing the Eagles at home to take control of the division. Dak Prescott is firmly in the MVP conversation, and the defense forced another three turnovers on Sunday night. Brandon Aubrey can’t miss. The rookie kicker made field goals from 45, 50, 59 and 60 yards in the victory against the Eagles. Dak Prescott threw two more touchdown passes to up his seven-game hot-streak totals to 22 touchdowns and two interceptions. Former Defensive Player of the Year Stephon Gilmore looks like a No. 1 cornerback again. Make that 15 straight home wins. All of that said, while the Eagles are now finished with their tough run, the Cowboys are just getting started. They have trips to the Bills this weekend and the Dolphins over the next two weeks before a home date with the Lions in Week 17.
3. Baltimore Ravens (10-3)
The Ravens got all they wanted from a good Rams team which beat the Browns in Week 13. Lamar Jackson threw three touchdown passes, including the late fourth-quarter go-ahead 21-yard strike to Zay Flowers, in wet and sloppy conditions. Isaiah Likely had 83 yards and a touchdown, filling the absence of injured tight end Mark Andrews. Promisingly given their late-game struggles earlier this season, Baltimore was able to drive for a touchdown late and, despite giving up a field goal to force overtime. Injury replacement Tylan Wallace’s 76-yard walk-off punt return in overtime ended a back-and-forth 37-31 victory against the Rams. The road does not get easier with the Jaguars, 49ers, and Dolphins the next three weeks. The Ravens will have to earn the No. 1 seed if they want that bye. They get the SNF game this week against the Jags.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (8-5)
Patrick Mahomes, the face of the NFL, exploded on officiating and is in hot water with the NFL. Mahomes was livid after the game because of an offsides call on Kadarius Toney that negated a go-ahead touchdown, but the reality is the Bills allowed the Chiefs to stay in the game, and they simply could not take advantage of the opportunity. With a chance to put a stake in the rival Bills’ playoff hopes, the Chiefs instead lost, 20-17, and fell to 2-4 in their last six games since picking up Taylor Swift off waivers. Kansas City has now lost four of their last six and has mounting injury concerns on defense. The Chiefs need to get right the next two weeks against the Patriots and Raiders. As it stands, the Broncos are only one game back in the division. They travel to New England this Sunday.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (10-3)
Perhaps it is not a surprise the Eagles finally folded given the run of games they played, but they put in another lackluster effort against the Cowboys on Sunday night. When your three best offensive players all lose fumbles on the plus side of the field, you lose. That’s what happened to the Eagles when Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith all cut short scoring opportunities in the loss to the Cowboys. The loss drops them to the No. 5 seed, although they still control their destiny in the division if they can win out and find an offensive line. They will need the defense to improve for that to happen. The good news is Philly gets the Giants twice and the Cardinals after a trip to the likely Geno Smith-less Seahawks in Week 15.
6. Buffalo Bills (7-6)
It was still closer than it should have been late, but the Bills were able to turn this strong performance against a good team into a much-needed win. And they beat the Chiefs because Josh Allen accounted for two touchdowns, and the defense got a late fourth-down stop. Now 7-6, Buffalo is tied with five other teams hunting for a playoff spot. That means they need to keep winning, and they still have tough games against the Cowboys (next week) and Dolphins (Week 18) sandwiched around easier matchups against the Chargers and Patriots. The Bills just beat the Chiefs and have already beaten the Dolphins. They might be a better team, but their current playoff situation is too precarious to have higher. The host the surging Cowboys this week.
7. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
Three weeks after joining the Browns, Joe Flacco threw three touchdown passes. And the defense intercepted a hobbled Trevor Lawrence three times. The individual stats for Joe Flacco over the last two weeks (55% completion rate, 6.3 yards per attempt, 5 touchdowns, 2 interceptions) are not outstanding, but the offense has looked functional for the first time in a long time with him at quarterback, although three turnovers kept this game closer than it should have been; but that’s what great defenses do. The Browns are the eighth team to win with four different starting quarterbacks in a season. Dustin Hopkins’ late 55-yard field goal provided critical breathing room. The defense made it right with four takeaways of their own and is getting some key players back to full health. With a one-game lead over the group at 7-6 and games remaining against the Bears and Jets, the Browns are in a great position to make the playoffs especially playing at home this weekend against the Chicago Bears.
8. Miami Dolphins (9-4)
Picking up a loss against the Titans is definitely not great, especially with the Dolphins facing a closing three-game run against the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills, but the bigger concern is Tyreek Hill. The offense looked lost without him on the field Monday night, and the good spurts it did have came on the limited snaps Hill was able to play. So an opportunity wasted. With a chance to pull even with the Ravens and gain distance over the rest of the AFC, the Dolphins laid an egg in a 28-27 loss to the Titans. It’s not so easy without Tyreek Hill, who sat out much of the game with an ankle injury. Tua Tagovailoa’s streak of 21 straight games with a touchdown pass was snapped and his performance was sluggish at best. Even with all of that, though, the Dolphins still led by 14 with less than three minutes left in the game. They had a nearly 100% win probability. Games like that will happen. For the long term, though, the health of Hill appears to be vital to their chances. The Dolphins should defeat the Jets hosting them but it is a divisional game.
9. Detroit Lions (9-4)
There was no magical comeback this week. The Lions simply lost to the Bears, their second loss in three games and fourth concerning performance in a row. After stealing a win from the Bears with a late comeback earlier this season, the Lions couldn’t repeat the feat in a 28-13 loss. Jared Goff threw two interceptions, fumbled a snap and was sacked four times. Since their bye, the Lions are 22nd in yards per play allowed and 30th in points per drive allowed. They have faced Chicago twice, the Chargers, the Packers, and the Saints during that span. Over the last four games, Jared Goff has 7 touchdowns and 8 turnovers. They still have a two-game lead in the division, but they have to play the second-place Vikings twice in addition to the Broncos and Cowboys. It is time for some worry in Detroit, but it is difficult to find teams worthy of jumping them on this list. Detroit plays a Saturday game at home vs Denver.
10. Denver Broncos (7-6)
Russell Wilson threw two touchdown passes, and the defense sacked Justin Herbert four times on the first six possessions, ultimately knocking him out with a broken finger; season ending. An injury to Justin Herbert might cheapen the win somewhat, but the Broncos were already beating the Chargers before Herbert left the game. The Broncos’ sixth win in their last seven games – a 24-7 drilling of the Chargers – actually was their first on the road against an AFC West rival since Oct. 6, 2019. Despite coming up just short against the Texans in Week 13, the Broncos’ game plan is working like a charm and has them right in the playoff hunt following six wins in seven games. They get the struggling Lions on Saturday before finishing with the Patriots, Chargers (without Herbert again), and Raiders. The path is wide open for Denver to make the playoffs. They travel to the Motor City to take on the Lions.
