NFL Power Rankings Week 13 Top 10; 6-10
NFL Power Rankings Week 13 Top 10; 6-10
6. Chiefs ↑ 2
When you have one of the most dynamic young quarterbacks in the league at your disposal, you will always be in contention for a playoff spot. You add in multiple legitimate weapons for him, including two ProBowl caliber options and a solid running game, you got a top 10 team. What’s finally making this team a top-five option is the steady improvement by this defense. The defense is still among the league worse in terms of stopping the run, yet they cover the pass well and are a turnover machine. In the last three games, the Chiefs have 11 turnovers and 27 total on the year. If you can give Patrick Mahomes multiple extra possessions, then you got a recipe for success.
7. Patriots ↓ 3
Let’s do a blind test. Since week 4, two quarterbacks have put up these stats. Quarterback one has 11 passing touchdowns, six interceptions, 59.2% completion rate, an 80.3 Quarterback rating and has averaged 6.2 yards per attempt. Quarterbacks two has 10 passing touchdowns, five interceptions, 63.2% completion rate, a quarterback rating of 85.7 and 6.3 yards per attempt. Can you guess the quarterbacks? If you said Tom Brady and Mitchell Trubisky then you are right. The only thing about that is QB1 is Tom Brady and QB2 is Mitchell Trubisky. Tom Brady is playing currently only as well as Mitchell Trubisky who most people feel like is a bust. If it wasn’t for a defense that is holding teams to a league-low of 12.1 points allowed, this team might not be at 10-2. Yet, it is still hard to go against the Patriots and the Bill Belichick track record of making it work with what he has at his disposal.
8. Bills ↑ 1
When you have a stout defense and pair it with a second-year quarterback that is starting to ascend in the NFL you are doing something right. When that same quarterback is starting to find his rhyme and completing over 60 percent of his attempt while not turning the ball over, you got a formula for a playoff contender. The Bills have found that in Josh Allen. After starting out the year slow with a 5:7 touchdown/interception ratio in his first five games, he has turned it around. He has changed that to 11:1 over the last seven weeks and when you combine that with his good running prowess and a defense that is currently third overall, the team is starting to turn a lot of heads in the NFL.
9. Texans ↑ 2
The Texans and the Ravens are the only two teams to completely make the Patriots defense look normal this year. The Texans have been a good team all year excluding the losses to a juggernaut Ravens squad and a good division rival in the Colts. This team now being without its top two pass rushers from a year ago has finally put the identity of the team in Deshaun Watson’s hands. The team will only go as far as he can throw it, and with receivers like Deandre Hopkins, Will Fuller, and Kenny Stills, they can go pretty far. Mix in a solid offensive line and an above-average running game with Carlos Hyde and Duke Johnson this team can make a good run in the playoffs this year.
10. Vikings ↓ 1
I know what many people are thinking with the Vikings in this spot, can Kirk Cousins really propel them into the playoffs for a deep run? The answer is a possible yes. Kirk Cousins numbers have always been solid, yet this year it is a different kind of year. He has kept his turnovers low; he rides his Pro Bowl running back in Dalvin Cook and has been accurate on play-action all year. This formula along with a Mike Zimmer lead defense is a good way to keep it the pressure off of Kirk to do everything himself and force the team into bad situations. Even when the team is not fully performing well, Kirk Cousins this year has been able to guide the team to victory, as was the case against the Broncos this year. Down 20-0, he led multiple drives in the second half to take the lead and secure a victory. He may not have been able to do it again versus a really great Seahawks team. But not many people have been able to outduel one of the leading contenders for MVP this year in Russell Wilson. This team is solid with an 8-4 record and has a chance to win their division so it’s only right they get the last spot on my list.
-By: Darren Braxton
Writer/ Podcaster