Outside Looking In

Steelers (7-5, Previous ranking: #11)

Mike Tomlin for coach of the year? Don’t laugh. He’s just won back-to-back games with Devlin Hodges as his quarterback and missing his top two stars this season in wide receiver Ju-Ju Smith-Schuster and running back James Conner.

With the way the Steelers are playing on defense (5th ranked overall), giving up an average of 15.8 points a game the past 7 weeks, no one wants to play them in the upcoming playoffs.

10.

Vikings (8-4, Previous ranking: #6)

It may be a bit harsh moving the Vikings down four spots after a Monday night, road loss at Seattle, we grant you that. But, it’s a bit more about who’s moving up than the Vikes heading South, as you’ll soon see in the slideshow.

A costly shoulder injury to running back Dalvin Cook could impair Minnesota’s mission to win the NFC North if it lingers, something Cook dismissed after the game, according to the team’s website:

“I’m good. Part of the game,” Cook said. “It’s a physical sport, and that’s what comes with it. I just had to fight through it. I’ll be good, though.”

9.

Chiefs (8-4, Previous ranking: #8)

The scary thing about the Chiefs 40-9 victory over the Raiders Sunday is that it looked entirely too easy.

Patrick Mahomes and crew dinked and dunked their way down the field, minus their big-play signature plays.

And to boot, it’s another week in which the Chiefs defense looked at least average which, yes, is a compliment for a team ranked 25th in total defense.

8.

Texans (8-4, Previous ranking: #10)

Don’t let that 28-22 final score fool you. The Texans controlled the Patriots when and how they wanted Sunday night. For head coach Bill O’Brien’s first victory against his former boss Bill Belichick, the Texans pulled out all the stops including a game-clinching reverse option touchdown pass from wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to quarterback Deshaun Watson.

Even better, it was a sandlot play that the pair drew up with teammates during the bye week and gave to their head coach on a piece of paper. Well done, Texans, who now control their own destiny playing second-place Tennessee two out of the next four weeks.

7.

Bills (9-3, Previous ranking: #9)

If you had told me that the Bills would go to Dallas and dominate the Cowboys on Thanksgiving Day in a game the Boys needed to win, I would’ve laughed it off as non-sense.

But, low and behold, quarterback Josh Allen put up another run one, throw one touchdown game as the Bills defense swallowed up Dak Prescott into costly mistake after costly mistake.

Starting a stretch with Dallas, Baltimore, Pittsburgh, and New England, the Bills definitely made the case that they COULD win the AFC East and possibly own the top spot in the AFC in a month. Want more proof? The Bills are 3rd ranked in total defense and 5th ranked in rushing on offense. That’s a good combo come playoff time. Stay tuned.

6.

Packers (9-3, Previous ranking: #7)

OK, it was only the Giants. In the snow. On a Holiday week. But, the Packers sure did look like the Packers of old, watching Aaron Rodgers throw touchdowns in the snow with the greatest of ease.

It sure doesn’t hurt the Packers that outside of the game in Minnesota in week 17, they get to take on the Redskins, the Bears and the Lions.

5.

Patriots (10-2, Previous ranking: #4)

It’s officially panic time in New England. Yes, 10-2 and panic has set in for Patriots Nation. After losing for the second straight time on Sunday Night Football – first at Baltimore and now at Houston – the mainstream media and some Patriot-hating fans have gone straight to gloom and doom, citing the end of the dynasty with impending losses to the Chiefs and the Bills on the horizon.

Could the Patriots actually fall so far as to NOT win the AFC East to fall into a Wild Card spot? Probably not, as three of the final four games are at home vs. Kansas City, Buffalo and Miami wrapped around a road trip to the worst team in the NFL, the Bengals. But, if they are to keep their first-round bye aspirations afloat, quarterback Tom Brady will have to lead an offense that can score into the 30’s instead of one that struggles to get to 20.

That’s a thought few in Foxboro would ever think of being close to reality when thinking about a Brady-Josh McDaniels-led offense.

4.

49ers (10-2, Previous ranking: #3)

Oh, so, close. The 49ers were one 4th down conversion away from upsetting the Ravens in Baltimore Sunday. Yet, instead of driving to a victory in a driving rainstorm, the Ravens snatched a last-second Justin Tucker field goal for the win. That loss sent the Niners into second place in the NFC West and free-falling to the fifth seed in the NFC, for the moment. It doesn’t get any easier either as San Francisco heads to New Orleans this Sunday.

At least for the 49ers defense, they won’t be chasing a running quarterback like Lamar Jackson all day as a more stay-in-the-pocket approach awaits them in Drew Brees.

3.

Saints (10-2, Previous ranking: #5)

How dominant was the Saints defense Thanksgiving Night? How’s nine sacks, two interceptions including one for a pick-six touchdown and a fumble recovery to highlight the night?! All that did was allow quarterback Drew Brees to sit back and relax after throwing a first-quarter touchdown pass.

If the Saints can take care of business at home in the dome against San Francisco, they’ll be adding a first-round bye to its already clinched NFC South Division Title.

2.

Seahawks (10-2, Previous ranking: #2)

Could the road to Miami go through the Pacific Northwest? Suddenly, that’s no so far-fetched!

The Seahawks nearly doubled up the Vikings, unexpectedly running for 218 yards and 2 touchdowns against one of the stingier run defenses in the league. Russell Wilson is leading the non-Lamar Jackson M-V-P campaign, throwing for an NFL-best 26 touchdowns and only 4 interceptions.

1.

Ravens (10-3, Previous ranking: #1)

The only question lately is this one – are the Ravens peaking too soon? With wins now over Seattle, Houston, New England, and San Francisco, Baltimore has now put together the most impressive resume to date of any Super Bowl contender. If the Ravens can head to upstate New York and take down the surging Bills, they could be unstoppable.

A week 17 slobberknocker against the Steelers in Baltimore awaits in what could be a tasty way to end the regular season with a whole lot on the line for both teams.