Original 2016 NFL Power Rankings: Week Twelve

For every week until the end of the season, I will be ranking the NFL teams from 1-32, power rankings style. They will be arranged into four blocks.

The Worst

The Mediocre

Playoffs?

The Contenders

The biggest problem with traditional power rankings is they take too much in account of every week. Each game is exacerbated. Every loss is the end of the world. Every win is another stitch in a dream season. Part of it just goes along with football in general. These games happen only once a week. There are only sixteen of them. Exaggeration is just part of it. I'm going to try and remove that by looking at the big picture instead of bumping up and down based on one loss or one win. The rankings below are simply adjustments made based on what I thought heading into the season; in the future, they will be adjusted based on an entire body of work and trends, not because of a single HUGE win or one BAD loss.

This I week, I didn't write about four teams. I didn't have enough time because of travel. So this time around, it's the typical NFL.com or ESPN one sentence power rankings.

The Worst:

32.) Cleveland Browns--Record: 0-11.  Point Differential: -141.  DVOA: -36.7% (32). Last Week: 32.

They are definitely going 0-16.

31.) San Francisco 49ers--Record: 1-9.  Point Differential: -109.  DVOA: -18.4% (28). Last Week: 31.

I kind of like Colin Kaepernick. It's going to be interesting to see where he ends up this offseason.  Hopefully it's on a team where he can be surrounded by offensive talent.

30.) New York Jets--Record: 3-7.  Point Differential: -65.  DVOA: -29.1% (31). Last Week: 30.

Please start Christain Hackenburg sometime this season so we can get a read on the most divisive quarterback prospect from last year's draft. Brandon Marshall better give Antonio Brown his car.

29.) Jacksonville Jaguars--Record: 2-8.  Point Differential: -72.  DVOA: -20.1% (29). Last Week: 29.

Blake Bortles has been inexcusably bad this season. They are going to give him another year. Hopefully they create some sort of run game.

28.) Chicago Bears--Record: 2-8. Point Differential: -80. DVOA: -6.9% (24). Last Week: 28.

The Bears are banal and bland this season. There's still talent in the front seven and on this offense. Jay CUTLA is gone after this year, though. It's going to be a nice situation for that dude from UNC to play with a good offensive line, Alshon Jeffery, Kevin White, Zach Miller, and Jaye Howard.

27.) Los Angeles Rams--Record: 4-6.  Point Differential: -38.  DVOA: -8.9% (25). Last Week: 27.

Jeff Fisher should be fired for not sticking with Case Keenum all year. That was something that needed to happen in 2016.

23.) Cincinnati Bengals--Record: 3-6-1.  Point Differential: -27.  DVOA: -0.3% (18). Last Week: 23.

What's the chance Marvin Lewis gets fired after this season? 30%? 50%? 15%? I have no clue what's going to happen to this team this offseason, but it definitely feels like Andy Dalton, A.J. Green, and pieces of their offensive line are going to remain while the rest is going to be overhauled.

The Mediocre:

25.) Indianapolis Colts--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: -10.  DVOA: -13.6% (27). Last Week: 25. (Doesn't include TNF)

The Lions are what the Colts needed to be this season to make the playoffs.  They still aren't out of it. Andrew Luck has played like a top five quarterback. It's a shame his offensive line is so bad.

24.) Carolina Panthers--Record: 4-6.  Point Differential: -2.  DVOA: -4.5% (22). Last Week: 24.

Pray for Luke Kuechly.

23.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: -24.  DVOA: -6.4% (23). Last Week: 26.

Jameis Winston is really, really, really good.

22.) Green Bay Packers--Record: 4-6.  Point Differential: -29.  DVOA: -3.1% (20). Last Week: 21.

Fire Mike McCarthy. No coach with Aaron Rodgers should keep his job after a season like this.

21.) Minnesota Vikings--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: +23.  DVOA: 6.0% (12). Last Week: 15. (Doesn't include TNF)

R.I.P.D. This team is going to be really good next year once they invest in their offensive line and get their players back. Sam Bradford will be starting on his third different team in three years. He better be renting.

20.) San Diego Chargers--Record: 4-6.  Point Differential: +14.  DVOA: 1.4% (16). Last Week: 22.

They should be a playoff team. Instead they have had a 13 black cat orgy, rolling around on broken mirrors, underneath mistletoe, while hanging from a ladder.

19.) Tennessee Titans--Record: 5-6.  Point Differential: +6.  DVOA: -3.6% (21). Last Week: 20.

Just string two wins together in a row for once.

18.) New Orleans Saints--Record: 4-6.  Point Differential: -1.  DVOA: 4.4% (14). Last Week: 17.

Drew Brees is remarkable. It's amazing how he can place the ball anywhere he wants it and continue to do what he's doing at this stage of his career. The Saints exist as a vehicle for Brees to be loved, remembered, and throw the ball a lot, but not to win football games.

17.) Baltimore Ravens--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: +12.  DVOA: 0.8% (17) Last Week: 14.

Too mediocre and the schedule is too tough for them to make the playoffs. The big question is what's wrong with Joe Flacco.

Playoffs?

16.) Houston Texans--Record: 6-4.  Point Differential: -34.  DVOA: -25.9% (30). Last Week: 16.

They finally played well against a team playing great. It's a start.

15.) Arizona Cardinals--Record: 4-5-1.  Point Differential: +36.  DVOA: -0.6% (19). Last Week: 13.

Carson Palmer is finished.  The Cardinals should have taken some action after last season to come up with a quarterback succession plan. They will probably cut the line and sign Jay CUTLA or something like that.

14.) Detroit Lions--Record: 5-4.  Point Differential: -1.  DVOA: -14.4% (26). Last Week: 18. (Doesn't include TNF)

So average.  So lucky.  So Matthew Stafford.

13.) Buffalo Bills--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: +38.  DVOA: 9.1% (9). Last Week: 10.

Sammy Watkins is coming back!

12.) Miami Dolphins--Record: 6-4.  Point Differential: +2.  DVOA: 12.3% (6). Last Week: 19.

This is the team that could stop an AFC West clean sweep in the playoffs. It's so great that Jay Ajayi is more than a two week starlet. We need nice things. And Ryan Tannehill is making some OmG throws while getting pummeled behind a great run blocking, but terrible pass blocking, offensive line.

11.) New York Giants--Record: 7-3.  Point Differential: +4.  DVOA: 3.8% (15). Last Week: 12.

This team is too talented to play how they have. Whatever, they are winning games.

10.) Washington Redskins--Record: 6-3-1.  Point Differential: -2.  DVOA: 11.3% (7). Last Week: 11. (Doesn't include TNF)

It's going to be hilarious when Kirk Cousins pulls a Brock Osweiler.

9.) Philadelphia Eagles--Record: 5-4.  Point Differential: +55.  DVOA: 25.4% (2). Last Week: 8.

They'll probably be the best team to miss the playoffs this year.

The Contenders:

8.) Pittsburgh Steelers--Record: 5-5.  Point Differential: +23.  DVOA: 7.2% (10) Last Week: 9. (Doesn't include TNF)

They are going to be a nightmare for New England in the playoffs.

7.) Kansas City Chiefs--Record: 7-3.  Point Differential: +35.  DVOA: 5.5% (13). Last Week: 7.

Do you think Marcus Peters ever gets tired of intercepting passes?

6.) Oakland Raiders--Record: 8-2.  Point Differential: +29.  DVOA: 9.4% (8). Last Week: 6.

Derek Carr has a beautiful arm. He throws with the most touch of any quarterback in the league.

5.) Denver Broncos--Record: 7-3.  Point Differential: +50.  DVOA: 7.1% (11) Last Week: 5.

Trevor Siemian isn't good, but this defense still is, and it's going to get better as DeMarcus Ware gets back into game shape.

4.) Atlanta Falcons--Record: 6-4.  Point Differential: +37.  DVOA: 18.9% (5). Last Week: 4.

I had a friend in Las Vegas recently. I gave him $20 to make a Falcons Super Bowl bet for me. Let's see what happens.

3.) New England Patriots--Record: 8-2.  Point Differential: +91.  DVOA: 20.8% (3). Last Week: 3.

Tom Brady has been spectacular since he's come back. He should take off the first four games every year.

2.) Dallas Cowboys--Record: 9-1.  Point Differential: +98.  DVOA: 19.2% (4). Last Week: 2. (Doesn't include TNF)

One of the worst things about this season, as a Cowboy hater since 1999, is that I can't even dislike this team. I like the Cowboys. I need to take a shower.

1.) Seattle Seahawks--Record: 7-2-1.  Point Differential: +46.  DVOA: 26.1% (1). Last Week: 1.

Who needs an offensive line? With a healed ankle, Russell Wilson is back, baby.

Chargers vs Texans coverage