We have reached Week 12 of the NFL season. At this point, it is wildly apparent who the contenders are in the league, and who the teams are that do not belong among the cream of the crop. The Pittsburgh Steelers proved to be pretenders, losing the contending Cleveland Browns. Up next for them? The red-hot Denver Broncos, who have rattled off four wins in a row. What better time for another edition of NFL Power Rankings?
Now sitting at 7-3 on the season, Cleveland sits with an 81 percent chance to make the playoffs despite starting a backup quarterback for five games this season, and despite losing Deshaun Watson for the season. Just how far can their elite defense carry them as they look to get adequate play out of the quarterback position?
Where do the Browns fall after winning four of their last five? Where do their Week 12 opponents, the Broncos, land after their four-game win streak? Let’s dive right in!
32
Carolina Panthers (1-9)
Another week, another loss for the Panthers.
31
New England Patriots (2-8)
Times are tough in Foxborough.
30
New York Giants (3-8)
Tommy Devito got the job done this week.
29
Washington Commanders (4-7)
A regime change is coming in Washington.
28
Chicago Bears (3-8)
The return of Justin Fields gave the Bears a boost. But they could not quite close it out.
27
Tennessee Titans (3-7)
Their roster is just not good.
26
Atlanta Falcons (4-6)
Fans in Atlanta get a break from humiliation this week.
25
Arizona Cardinals (2-9)
This team gets a boost from the return of Kyler Murray.
24
New York Jets (4-6)
Welcome to the Tim Boyle era.
23
Green Bay Packers (4-6)
Jordan Love goes from playing awful to doing some of the coolest stuff on a weekly basis.
22
Los Angeles Rams (4-6)
The Rams will be competitive in every game despite their record as long as Matthew Stafford is healthy.
21
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6)
There is a direct correlation between the records of the teams the Buccaneers have beaten and those of the teams they have lost to.
20
Las Vegas Raiders (5-6)
They removed a cancer from their locker room, but the Raiders will not push for a playoff spot in 2023.
19
Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)
How in the world does Brandon Staley still have a job?
18
Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
Shane Steichen deserves some Coach of the Year consideration, but their passing game is just outmatched with Gardner Minshew under center.
17
Pittsburgh Steelers (6-4)
The Browns have three quarterbacks better than Kenny Pickett on their roster. The Steelers are frauds.
16
Cincinnati Bengals (5-5)
Cincinnati’s season ended with Joe Burrow’s.
15
New Orleans Saints (5-5)
If beige were a football team…
14
Minnesota Vikings (6-5)
Can Joshua Dobbs lead the Vikings back to the playoffs?
13
Denver Broncos (5-5)
Winners of four-in-a-row, the Broncos have a chance to make a statement as the Browns come to town.
12
Seattle Seahawks (6-4)
The Seahawks are treading the line of a being a competitor or not.
11
Houston Texans (6-4)
C.J. Stroud for MVP?
10
Buffalo Bills (6-5)
The Bills need to make up their minds on what kind of football team they are.
9
Cleveland Browns (7-3)
The Browns take down another team with a winning record without their starting quarterback. How far can these ugly wins carry them? Can they do it again against the Broncos?
8
Jacksonville Jaguars (7-3)
7
Miami Dolphins (7-3)
Their offense has slowed down each week, but they still have weapons all over the field. It helps that their schedule is downright putrid.
6
Detroit Lions (8-2)
The Lions are off to a historic start, but there is room to question the quality of their wins.
5
Kansas City Chiefs (7-3)
The Chiefs woefully under-surrounded Patrick Mahomes with capable weapons.
4
Dallas Cowboys (7-3)
Dak Prescott is playing his best football and looks like one of the premier passers in the NFL.
3
Baltimore Ravens (8-3)
The Ravens remain one of the best teams in football, rebounding from their loss to the Browns a week ago.
2
San Francisco 49ers (7-3)
The 49ers are back to their regularly scheduled program.
1
Philadelphia Eagles (9-1)
The Eagles keep winning, and this time they got revenge on the Chiefs.
