NFL 2023-2024 Power Rankings Three Quarters Into The Season
- Anthony Martinez
- Dec 7, 2023
- 11 min read
Big leaps for the Packers and Rams; Injuries drop others.
LR - Stands For Last Rankings
The NFL 2023-2024 season-ending is right around the corner and it continues to get clearer of which teams are pushing for the playoffs and which teams are losing their last chance.
#32 Carolina Panthers (LR:31) – Not much to say that hasn’t been said about the team with the worst record in the NFL. One of the worst offenses and certainly one of the worst defenses in the league and that’s why they’ve reclaimed their spot at #32 in the power rankings.
#31 New England Patriots (LR:29) – This team is so close to being at the bottom of the list, should be there in all honesty. The only reason they aren’t is because the team with the complete worst record should be there but they’re making it tough. The Patriots are borderline unwatchable. They’ve averaged 4.3 points a game in their last three. How is that possible in the modern era? I thought the Giants were setting records for a horrible offense but the Patriots have shown that they can go further and beyond.
#30 Arizona Cardinals (LR:32) – Decent improvement for a team that held last place in the last rankings. Since then they’ve won two games against two teams who aren’t horrible teams as well so some impressive stuff out of a team that is outmatched in a lot of ways. This team resembles how they looked at the beginning of the season when they were a tough out for anyone even if they weren’t winning all that much.
#29 Washington Commanders (LR:22) – Somewhat of a steep drop for the Commanders, a drop that is warranted though. They’re currently on a 4-game losing streak and now hold the worst defense in the NFL, giving up an average of 30.4 points a game. In the last two games, they’ve given up back-to-back 45 points. After trading their two best pass rushers, this team is in full rebuild mode if they weren’t already.
#28 New York Giants (LR:30) – Now the Giants are on a 2-game winning streak, it is worth noting that their competition was some of the lowest in the game against the Commanders and Patriots. A team that can’t stop anyone and a team that can’t score against anyone. They play an actual team this week against the Packers, and reality should hit them hard.
#27 New York Jets (LR:18) – In the most predicted thing to have ever happened, the Tim Boyle era didn’t work and was extremely short-lived. He threw one touchdown to four interceptions and didn’t win when playing. Now they cut him and signed Brett Rypien. Now there is uncertainty on who will start the next game if it’s Zach Wilson or Trevor Siemian. The moment this team decided to bench Wilson for Boyle, this team's season hopes went out the window and now it’s about looking towards the future.
#26 Tennessee Titans (LR:25) – Will Levis since his electric debut against the Falcons, has not been great and has looked more like a rookie who is learning the game. Mix that with the fact that the run game is only ranked #17 which for their run game being their identity, it’s not high enough to take the pressure off of Levis. Their remaining schedule is not too favorable for them either.
#25 Chicago Bears (LR:28) – The Bears have looked and played better in recent games, winning two of their last three and just barely falling to the Lions and nearly beating the Saints as well. Justin Fields has looked good since returning, more and more fans are gaining some confidence in Fields and the chance he remains the starter in the future might be going up. They have five more games to keep elevating him and the team around him, good signs for their future regardless, especially their defense which has seven interceptions in the last two games.
#24 Las Vegas Raiders (LR:21) – The Raiders have been winning back-to-back and losing back-to-backs consistently, with slightly more losses. They’re currently on a 2-game losing streak, to good teams to be fair. Offensively they still aren’t doing enough to make it easier on the young quarterback. Defensively they’ve been a little better than what was expected, now they look forward to the Vikings which could be tough for them to contain if Justin Jefferson returns.
This section is for teams that have enough talent to be a hard win for just about any team and while they might not compete for a division title this year they may not be far off.
#23 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LR:23) – Realistically this team could be lower as they’ve gone 2-6 in their last 8 games but the fact they’re coming off a win and some early season success has brought them to this point. Nothing has changed for this team, a bad run game, an inconsistent pass game, and the defense is pretty good. They’re technically still within the playoff conversation due to how bad their division is and do have some winnable games but could also lose those games as well.
#22 New Orleans Saints (LR:14) – A very disappointing three-game losing streak for the Saints. The Vikings and Falcons games feel like missed opportunities. This team should be leading this division based on experience and overall roster but they have not met expectations. Now they sit at 5-7, they do however, have two winnable games back to back against the Panthers and Giants so they could be back to .500 quickly barring another letdown.
#21 Los Angeles Chargers (LR:13) – Another disappointing team at this point in the season, so much talent for a team with a losing record. It’s even more baffling that this team’s defense is 19th and not at the very least top 10. Even the 19th is a bit stretched because they just shut out the Patriots so it’s a bit of an outlier. Hopefully, some changes throughout the rest of the season and the offseason lead to more sustained success for the Chargers.
#20 Atlanta Falcons (LR:20) – The Falcons sit at the top of the division and they sit outside of the categories that include playoff teams. This team is somewhat of an anomaly which is why they’re sitting here for now. Could easily find themselves higher if they continue their 2-game win streak. One underrated aspect of the Falcons is their defense, they’ve been good this season, sitting at 7th in points allowed. Combine that with a good run game and they do have a formula to win some games.
#19 Pittsburgh Steelers (LR:17) – The Steelers are sitting at 7-5 but I’ve never rated them highly, and they just got controlled by the Arizona Cardinals. That is not a good sign for this team. Defensively they’ve been pretty good, even ranked at 6th in points allowed. Offensively they’re still a mess even if there are some hopes with Matt Canada out as OC. Kenny Pickett will now miss some time and Mitchell Trubisky will now step in, it’s unclear how the offense will respond to him taking the reins. It should be a win this upcoming week as they play the Patriots on Thursday.
#18 Minnesota Vikings (LR:15) – The Vikings after their long win streak have now lost two close games in back-to-back weeks. Joshua Dobbs who came in like a star against the Saints has not played well the last pair of weeks. Against the Bears, Dobbs threw four interceptions. The fact that the game wasn’t a blowout is a testament to the Vikings team and their toughness. This team can still get into the playoffs if they finish well and have the talent to do so but they have to limit the turnovers to have a chance to get there.
These teams have a good shot of making the playoffs for the upcoming season, whether that be as a Wild Card team or a winner of a weaker division.
#17 Seattle Seahawks (LR:11) – That was a tough loss for the Seahawks, they were so close to knocking off the Cowboys. Their offense finally clicked again and looked like they reached their potential. Metcalf was explosive and that’s how they should be attacking every week. While it was an impressive outing they still drop as it was their third loss in-a-row and now they have to play the 49ers and Eagles in back-to-back weeks.
#16 Cincinnati Bengals (LR:6) – A Huge win for the Bengals against the Jaguars in overtime but they still managed to drop 10 spots after losing Joe Burrow. It was a great game for Jake Browning and that does give some hope for the season but it still seems like it might be too much for them to overcome to reach the playoffs.
#15 Indianapolis Colts (LR:19) – Four games in-a-row for the Colts. While the defense was on a hot streak, they struggled against the Titans but regardless they still managed to win the game to keep that streak alive. Offensively they’ve continued to put up points, more so than I would’ve thought. It’ll be interesting to see where this team finishes as all these games could swing either way and this team could sneak into the playoffs.
#14 Cleveland Browns (LR:12) – There is a pretty good chance that this will be the highest the Browns place for the remainder of their season. They’ve now lost two games in a row and their elite-level defense has started to give up some bigger performances which can be attributed to more possessions for the other team as their offense sputters. Regardless they’re starting to decline as a team so don’t be surprised if they keep making their way down the rankings.
#13 Los Angeles Rams (LR:27) – A huge jump for the Rams as they’re on a three-game winning streak. They have bounced up and down these rankings while being a streaky team. It feels like they might stay a bit more consistent as their offense and defense are both slightly above average. It could be tough in their next outing as they play the Ravens who just don’t lose against the NFC.
#12 Green Bay Packers (LR:26) – Along with the Rams, another big jump for the Green Bay Packers who have won three games in a row and four of their last five. I’ve been adamant that Jordan Love needed to take a big step forward for himself, his organization’s confidence, and the Packers’ season. Thankfully for them, he has taken that step forward. He’s put together some good performances in a row, especially the last two games; he was elite against the Chiefs and Lions and if he keeps playing similarly to that, the playoffs are in their future.
#11 Denver Broncos (LR:24) – This team was so close to being in the top 10 if they could’ve taken down the Texans, unfortunately for them, they came up short in that game so they will set up here for now. They are coming off the longest win streak in the NFL and with that, they’re back into the playoff picture. Russell Wilson has played well and their defense has improved a lot from the disastrous start and they have to get back on track this week in a winnable game against the Chargers.
These teams on paper should be close to locks to make the playoffs, even if it’s in a wild card spot. There is a chance that they won’t but there is so much talent it would be a disappointment if they failed to make the postseason.
#10 Buffalo Bills (LR:9) – This is similar to where the Bengals were placed after the first chunk of the season where they were struggling. I gave them the benefit of the doubt and it ended up paying off until Burrow’s injury. I’m doing the same here for the Bills as I know how good this team can be and how they can compete with anyone. Still, they are about to run out of time and have to stop coming up short. Their season almost rides on their upcoming game against the Chiefs as they need that win.
#9 Houston Texans (LR:16) – After suffering an important loss to the Jaguars, they bounced back hugely against the Broncos last week. With that win, they’re now a game behind the Jaguars in the division who are now also dealing with an injury to Trevor Lawrence so the division could be right for the taking.
#8 Jacksonville Jaguars (LR:4) – Speaking of that injury, the time that Trevor Lawrence will be out will be crucial for them to stay in the playoff picture. If he didn’t get injured and they won the game against the Bengals, this team would still be in the top five. For now, they have to prove they can still win a couple of games without him until he’s able to return hopefully for the playoffs. It’s worth noting that he has not been technically ruled out for the upcoming game against the Browns, but it won’t be easy at all for him to be on the field that quickly.
#7 Miami Dolphins (LR:10) – The Dolphins are now the #1 seed in the AFC and they’re only at #7 right now and that’s due to the fact they still haven’t beaten a winning team yet. They’ll get that chance in a few weeks so for now they have to use the next two weeks as tune-up games before they end the season in a tough gauntlet with the Cowboys, Ravens, and Bills.
#6 Detroit Lions (LR:5) – The last four weeks have been insane for the Lions. They beat the Chargers in a high-scoring thriller that might be the best game of the season. Just barely squeaked by against the Bears they needed a nice comeback with what they achieved. Then on Thanksgiving, their defense got overwhelmed by the Packers and lost that game. Now just last week they had a huge lead on the Saints halfway through the first quarter, only for it to close in quickly which led to another thriller win. So, some scares and one loss for the Lions in the last few weeks, regardless they’re 9-3, their run-and-pass games are ranked 4th, and have a bunch of winnable games in the remaining season, so they should finish strong.
These are the teams that should be considered the favorites to not only have a successful season but make a deep playoff run if not make it to a Super Bowl.
#5 Dallas Cowboys (LR:8) – Similar to the Dolphins in a way, they haven’t beaten any teams with a winning record technically although they beat the Seahawks when they had a winning record just last week in what was an exciting game. The Cowboys have also dethroned the Dolphins for the most points per game scored at 32.3. Dak Prescott has to be given his flowers as he’s been playing at a very high level and their offense has been flowing.
#4 Kansas City Chiefs (LR:2) – The Chiefs haven’t put together a winning streak in over a month which is shocking considering their roster and how their defense took a step up. It might be surprising that Patrick Mahomes is human but his 22 touchdowns to 10 interceptions is very out of character for him even if it’s not horrendous or anything. It’s been his worst season as a starter for sure and that can be attributed to the lack of receivers. Someone has to step up for them in clutch moments as a receiver. They can’t rely on Kelce every time, teams are committing to stopping him and their offense has been sluggish because of that.
#3 Baltimore Ravens (LR:3) – If this team didn’t lose to the Browns a few weeks back, this team could’ve potentially been at the #1 spot, still they’re up at #3, and for good reason. If I had to pick a team to be the favorite to finish as the number 1 seed in the AFC it would be this team as they’re well-rounded and elite in terms of scoring on both sides of the ball, being 7th on offense and 1st on defense. This team has taken the mantle for now as the best defense in the NFL.
#2 Philadelphia Eagles (LR:1) – The Eagles finally lost another game after going on another five-game win streak. They started the season 5-0, lost a game, won another five straight, and then lost to the 49ers. So, can they go on another five-game win streak? Well, if they beat the Cowboys this Sunday it is a possibility. The other four would be the Seahawks, Giants, Cardinals, and Giants again. All of those games, the Eagles will be heavily favored in, even if the Seahawks game won’t be a walk in the park. Their defense does need to take another step forward if there has to be some critique of their 10-2 season.
#1 San Francisco 49ers (LR:7) – After the uncharacteristic three-game losing streak where they were dealing with injuries around this time, the 49ers have bounced back big time. They’ve gone 4-0 since and all in convincing fashion, against some good teams, the most impressive one being against the Eagles. They dominated the Eagles who were the top dogs of the NFL so that win cannot be understated how impressive it was. They have a great combo of the 3rd best-scoring offense and 2nd best-scoring defense. Despite how great they have been, they still need help if they want the #1 seed in the NFC as the Eagles are still a game ahead of them, they need them to take another loss for that top seed.
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