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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Adam Stites

NFL power rankings, Week 18: Why not the Jaguars?

The month of December was a disaster for the Jacksonville Jaguars, regardless of the team’s flawless dismount on New Year’s Eve.

How many teams are actually playing consistently great football heading into the playoffs, though?

In the AFC, the Baltimore Ravens have turned into an absolute steamroller — beating the Jaguars, San Francisco 49ers, and Miami Dolphins by a combined 67 points in the last three weeks. But after the Ravens, who else is there looking like a real Super Bowl contender?

The Dolphins have looked the part, at times. They’ve also put up a 1-4 record in their five games against teams with winning records, and were throughly smashed by the Ravens on Sunday.

If ever there was a year ripe for an unexpected team to string together a couple wins and be a surprise contender, this sure looks like the one.

The Jaguars will need to do more than blow out the Carolina Panthers to convince anyone that they’re really back. But why not Jacksonville? The team is a win against the Tennessee Titans from securing another AFC South title. After that, it’s anyone’s guess what happens next.

With just one week of regular season action left, here’s how all 32 teams stack up:

1
Baltimore Ravens (13-3)

Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 1

Week 17 result: 56-19 win vs. Dolphins

2
San Francisco 49ers (12-4)

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 3

Week 17 result: 27-10 win vs. Commanders

3
Buffalo Bills (10-6)

Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 4

Week 17 result: 27-21 win vs. Patriots

4
Dallas Cowboys (11-5)

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 7

Week 17 result: 20-19 win vs. Lions

5
Detroit Lions (11-5)

Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 5

Week 17 result: 20-19 loss vs. Cowboys

6
Cleveland Browns (11-5)

Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 8

Week 17 result: 37-20 win vs. Jets

7
Miami Dolphins (11-5)

Mitch Stringer-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 2

Week 17 result: 56-19 loss vs. Ravens

8
Philadelphia Eagles (11-5)

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 6

Week 17 result: 35-31 loss vs. Cardinals

9
Los Angeles Rams (9-7)

Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 10

Week 17 result: 26-25 win vs. Giants

10
Kansas City Chiefs (10-6)

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 13

Week 17 result: 25-17 win vs. Bengals

11
Green Bay Packers (8-8)

Dan Powers-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 15

Week 17 result: 33-10 win vs. Vikings

12
Jacksonville Jaguars (9-7)

Bob Self/Florida Times-Union

Last week: No. 18

Week 17 result: 26-0 win vs. Panthers

13
Pittsburgh Steelers (9-7)

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 16

Week 17 result: 30-23 win vs. Seahawks

14
Houston Texans (9-7)

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 17

Week 17 result: 26-3 win vs. Titans

15
Seattle Seahawks (8-8)

Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 9

Week 17 result: 30-23 loss vs. Steelers

16
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-8)

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 11

Week 17 result: 23-13 loss vs. Saints

17
Cincinnati Bengals (8-8)

Kareem Elgazzar/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 14

Week 17 result: 25-17 loss vs. Chiefs

18
Indianapolis Colts (9-7)

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 19

Week 17 result: 23-20 win vs. Raiders

19
Denver Broncos (8-8)

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 20

Week 17 result: 16-9 win vs. Chargers

20
Las Vegas Raiders (7-9)

Hali Tauxe/IndyStar / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 12

Week 17 result: 23-20 loss vs. Colts

21
Chicago Bears (7-9)

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 21

Week 17 result: 37-17 win vs. Falcons

22
New Orleans Saints (8-8)

Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 22

Week 17 result: 23-13 win vs. Buccaneers

23
Atlanta Falcons (7-9)

Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 23

Week 17 result: 37-17 loss vs. Bears

24
New York Jets (6-10)

Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 24

Week 17 result: 37-20 loss vs. Browns

25
Minnesota Vikings (7-9)

Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 25

Week 17 result: 33-10 loss vs. Packers

26
Arizona Cardinals (4-12)

Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 31

Week 17 result: 35-31 win vs. Eagles

27
New York Giants (5-11)

Chris Pedota, NorthJersey.com / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 27

Week 17 result: 26-25 loss vs. Rams

28
Tennessee Titans (5-11)

Denny Simmons / The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 26

Week 17 result: 26-3 loss vs. Texans

29
New England Patriots (4-12)

Jamie Germano/Rochester Democrat and Chronicle / USA TODAY NETWORK

Last week: No. 28

Week 17 result: 27-21 loss vs. Bills

30
Los Angeles Chargers (5-11)

Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 29

Week 17 result: 16-9 loss vs. Broncos

31
Washington Commanders (4-12)

Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: No. 32

Week 17 result: 27-10 loss vs. 49ers

32
Carolina Panthers (2-14)

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Last week: No. 30

Week 17 result: 26-0 loss vs. Panthers

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