2018 NFL Power Rankings Summary – Week 15
| Metric | Ranking |
|---|---|
| Metric | Ranking |
| Average ranking (# of rankings) | 2.71 |
| Average change from last week | -1.57 |
| Highest ranking (source) | 2nd (multiple sources) |
| Lowest ranking (source) | 3rd (multiple sources) |
| Biggest positive change (source) | -1 (multiple sources) |
| Biggest negative change (source) | -2 (multiple sources) |
SB Nation: 3rd (previously 1st)
You could probably flip the Rams and Chiefs and not matter too much. Sure, Patrick Mahomes and Jared Goff are young, but what they’ve done this season is enough to convince me. Goff did it against the Chiefs in one of the best games of the season so far. There’s some recency bias given what Mahomes did on Sunday against the Ravens, but that was pretty damn impressive. I do worry about Andy Reid and clock management late in a game.
Top wish list item: A Super Bowl ring. OK, so technically, that wish can’t be granted until February. But really, that’s all this Rams team wants after an offseason that screamed “Super Bowl or bust” with the additions of All-Pros Aqib Talib, Marcus Peters and Ndamukong Suh, not to mention record-breaking paydays for Aaron Donald and Todd Gurley. The Rams have clinched the NFC West for a second consecutive season, and while they found plenty of enjoyment in that, their goal from the outset was to earn a date in February. Anything less than that stands the chance of getting re-gifted.
The denizens of the Twittersphere — along with a few colleagues at NFL Network — voiced their collective displeasure at the Rams not taking the No. 1 spot last week. Welp. Unlike when Los Angeles eked out a victory in Seattle, survived the Packers or outlasted the Chiefs, it could not escape Chicago with a win. Sean McVay’s group was out of the top spot last week partially because it lost to the Saints in Week 9, with the other major factor being the Rams’ spotty defensive play. But that wasn’t the case on Sunday night, with Jared Goff and the offense unable to get anything going against the Bears. Goff fared miserably most of the evening, while running back Todd Gurley suffered through the biting cold and the bite of an immensely talented front seven. Time for the Rams to throw that game film in the toilet and gear up for a desperate Eagles team.
They showed the offense could be stopped by a good defense against the Bears. They need to get it revved up again against the Eagles this week.
The difference between the top three teams is slight. You can make a strong argument for the Saints, Rams or Chiefs in the top spot. All of them had some bad moments on Sunday. Again, that happens in the NFL. Even though it’s clear they’re the top three teams, everyone is beatable. We saw that with the Bears beatdown of the Rams on Sunday night. The playoffs might get really crazy this season.
Pro Football Talk: 3rd (1st)
They should be very happy that this year’s Super Bowl isn’t being played outdoors in a cold-weather city.
USA Today: 2nd (1st)
Jared Goff reverted to dreadful rookie form. Todd Gurley was treated as afterthought. It was as if, for one ugly night, Jeff Fisher was back.