Analysis
12/14/21
8 min read
Domo's Week 14 Power Rankings: Browns Punch Their Way Into Playoff Conversation
1) Bucs (10-3) Previous: 2
Last week: W33-27BUF
This week: v. 6-7 Saints
Good news: Tom Brady has an NFL-best plus-26 TDs-to-INTs differential and has been sacked just 16 times.
Bad news: Defense has given up 6.5 yards per carry in the last three games.
2) Packers (10-3) Previous: 3
Last week: W45-30CHI
This week: at 8-5 Ravens
Good news: Aaron Rodgers has thrown 10 TD passes and no interceptions in the last three games.
Bad news: The Packers’ special teams problems could cost them in the playoffs.
3) Cardinals (10-3) Previous: 1
Last week: L23-30LAR
This week: at 1-11-1 Lions
Good news: RB James Conner had 125 yards from scrimmage against the Rams, including 94 receiving yards on nine catches.
Bad news: Kyler Murray had his second lowest passer rating of the season against the Rams and failed to throw a touchdown pass for just the third time in 13 games.
4) Patriots (9-4) Previous: 4
Last week: bye
This week: at 7-6 Colts
Good news: Rookie QB Mac Jones has a 70.3 completion percentage and has thrown just two interceptions in the last seven games.
Bad news: Patriots are 26th in red-zone offense, converting just 54.3 percent of their trips inside the 20 into TDs. They’re 3-for-9 in the last three games.
5) Chiefs (9-4) Previous: 5
Last week: W48-9LVR
This week: at 8-5 Chargers
Good news: Chiefs have won six in a row and their defense has given up just 65 points in those six wins.
Bad news: Travis Kelce has just six receptions for 54 yards in the last two games.
6) Cowboys (9-4) Previous: 6
Last week: W27-20@WAS
This week: at 4-9 Giants
Good news: Defense forced four turnovers, had four sacks and allowed Washington to convert just 3 of 14 third-down opportunities.
Bad news: Cowboys converted just one of six red-zone opportunities into TDs against Washington.
7) Rams (9-4) Previous: 8
Last week: W30-23@ARI
This week: v. 5-8 Seahawks
Good news: Rams managed to beat the Cardinals despite the absence of several key starters, who were on the COVID list.
Bad news: Rams have one of the more difficult homestretches. They finish with the Seahawks, Vikings, Ravens and 49ers.
8) Titans (9-4) Previous: 10
Last week: W20-0JAX
This week: at 6-6-1 Steelers
Good news: Ryan Tannehill had just his second interception-free performance in the last eight games.
Bad news: It came against a Jacksonville defense that has five interceptions.
9) Bills (7-6) Previous: 7
Last week: L27-33@TB
This week: v. 5-8 Panthers
Good news: Defense has given up just 10 passing touchdowns in 13 games.
Bad news: Josh Allen has averaged less than six yards per attempt in five of the last seven games.
10) Colts (7-6) Previous: 11
Last week: bye
This week: v. 9-4 Patriots
Good news: RB Jonathan Taylor has averaged 5.8 yards per carry and has 10 rushing TDs in the last five games.
Bad news: Their next two games are against the 9-4 Patriots and the 10-3 Cardinals.
11) 49ers (7-6) Previous: 12
Last week: W26-23@CIN
This week: v. 6-7 Falcons
Good news: Jimmy Garoppolo has rediscovered George Kittle. The Niners TE has 22 catches for 332 yards and three TDs in the last two games.
Bad news: Niners are 24th in third-down offense (37.3%). They’ve converted just 8 of 25 third-down attempts in the last two games.
12) Chargers (8-5) Previous: 14
Last week:W37-21NYG
This week: v. 9-4 Chiefs
Good news: Justin Herbert has a plus-40 TDs-to-INTs differential in his first 28 NFL starts.
Bad news: The Chargers’ run defense isn’t getting any better. Giants averaged 5.2 yards per carry against them.
13) Ravens (8-5) Previous: 9
Last week: L22-24@CLE
This week: v. 10-3 Packers
Good news: Backup Tyler Huntley completed 27 of 38 passes and almost led the Ravens to a comeback win over the Browns.
Bad news: The Ravens are facing the very real possibility of not having Lamar Jackson for this week’s important game against Green Bay.
14) Bengals (7-6) Previous: 13
Last week: L23-26SF
This week: at 7-6 Broncos
Good news: Playing with an injured finger on his throwing hand, Joe Burrow put up his highest passer rating (125.6) since Week 4.
Bad news: Bengals have lost four of their last six and have given up 142 points in those four losses.
15) Broncos (7-6) Previous: 17
Last week: W38-10DET
This week: v. 7-6 Bengals
Good news: The Broncos’ 184 rushing yards against the Lions was their second highest total of the season.
Bad news: Running the ball against the Lions is easier than giving instructions to Alexa.
16) Vikings (6-7) Previous: 18
Last week: W36-28PIT
This week: at 4-9 Bears
Good news: Any concerns about Dalvin Cook’s injured shoulder were put to bed by his 205-yard rushing performance against the Steelers.
Bad news: Mike Zimmer’s defense continues to be unreliable. Vikings are 25th in points allowed (25.6) and have given up 122 points in their last four games.
17) Washington (6-7) Previous: 15
Last week: L20-27DAL
This week: at 6-7 Eagles
Good news: Defense sacked Dak Prescott four times and gave up just one TD in six red-zone challenges.
Bad news: Their top ball carrier, Antonio Gibson, has fumbled six times this season and lost four of them.
18) Raiders (6-7) Previous: 16
Last week: L9-48@KC
This week: at 7-6 Browns
Good news: Slot receiver Hunter Renfrow has 30 catches for 353 yards in the Raiders’ last three games.
Bad news: Raiders turned the ball over five times against the Chiefs.
19) Browns (7-6) Previous: 23
Last week: W24-22BAL
This week: v. 6-7 Raiders
Good news: Baker Mayfield’s 68.8 completion percentage v. Ravens was his highest since Week 5.
Bad news: Browns failed to score in the second half and nearly blew a 24-6 halftime lead.
20) Dolphins (6-7) Previous: 19
Last week: bye
This week: v. 3-10 Jets
Good news: The Dolphins have won five games in a row.
Bad news: Just one of the five teams they’ve beaten during that streak has a winning record (Ravens).
21) Eagles (6-7) Previous: 20
Last week: bye
This week: v. 6-7 Washington
Good news: Jalen Hurts is fourth in the league in rushing first downs with 50.
Bad news: He’s 33rd in third-down completion percentage (51.2).
22) Saints (6-7) Previous: 22
Last week: W30-9@NYJ
This week: at 10-3 Bucs
Good news: Saints got Alvin Kamara back just in the nick of time. He rushed for 120 yards Sunday.
Bad news: QB Taysom Hill has run for three more touchdowns (5) than he’s thrown for (2).
23) Steelers (6-6-1) Previous: 21
Last week: L28-36@MIN
This week: v. 9-4 Titans
Good news: Big Ben has put together back-to-back games with 100-plus passer ratings.
Bad news: Their run defense is a sieve. They’ve been gashed to the tune of 5.7 yards per carry in their last six games.
24) Seahawks (5-8) Previous: 26
Last week: W33-13@HOU
This week: at 9-4 Rams
Good news: Russell Wilson has thrown six touchdown passes and one interception in the last three games.
Bad news: Seahawks offensive line already has given up 39 sacks.
25) Falcons (6-7) Previous: 27
Last week: W29-21@CAR
This week: at 7-6 49ers
Good news: Falcons are 5-2 on the road this season.
Bad news: They’re 1-5 at home.
26) Bears (4-9) Previous: 24
Last week: L30-45@GB
This week: v. 6-7 Vikings
Good news: Justin Fields is averaging 5.9 yards per carry.
Bad news: He’s 30th in the league in passing with a 69.3 rating.
27) Panthers (5-8) Previous: 28
Last week: L21-29ATL
This week: at 7-6 Bills
Good news: Panthers defense has given up just 18 touchdown passes.
Bad news: Their own quarterbacks have thrown just 11.
28) Giants (4-9) Previous: 25
Last week: L21-37@LAC
This week: v. 9-4 Cowboys
Good news: The Giants have five picks in the first three rounds of the draft, including, at the moment, Nos. 5 and 6 in the first round.
Bad news: There is no reason to believe they will have the foggiest idea what to do with them.
29) Lions (1-11-1) Previous: 29
Last week: L10-38@DEN
This week: v. 10-3 Cardinals
Good news: With four games left, Lions are in the driver’s seat for the first overall pick in the draft.
Bad news: They’ve got the 10-3 Cardinals next, who aren’t going to be in a good mood after losing to the Rams.
30) Jets (3-10) Previous: 30
Last week: L9-30NO
This week: at 6-7 Dolphins
Good news: Held an opponent without a touchdown pass for the first time since Week 3. Of course, that didn’t really matter since the Saints were able to run all over them.
Bad news: Their last six losses have been by an average of 21.7 points. That’s well into not-even-trying territory.
31) Jaguars (2-11) Previous: 31
Last week: L0-20@TEN
This week: v. 2-11 Texans
Good news: Just four more games until they start a new head-coaching search and we don’t have to think about Urban Meyer any more.
Bad news: Trevor Lawrence threw four interceptions against the Titans and has thrown just one touchdown pass in the last six games. There’s a lot more going on there than just a rookie QB having trouble adjusting to the speed of the pro game.
32) Texans (2-11) Previous: 32
Last week: L13-33SEA
This week: at 2-11 Jaguars
Good news: Texans defense is tied for sixth in interceptions with 14.
Bad news: The turnovers haven’t helped the offense much. Texans haven’t scored more than 22 points since Week 1.
