NFL Power Rankings: Week 15

The NFL season is coming down to the wire and a few teams have already clinched playoff spots. The Titans, Giants, and Cardinals have all clinched spots in the postseason. Tennessee and New York are recent playoff teams, but the Cards haven’t made the playoffs since 1998. They haven’t even had a winning season in ten years. They also clinched a home playoff game for the first time since 1947.

Since I’m a Bills fan and they found a way to break my heart again, I will most likely root for the Cardinals during the playoffs due to the similarity between the franchises in recent years. The Bills last made the post season in 1999. Since then, they are a horrific 14-63 in the regular season against teams with a winning record. Sorry, Buffalo. Maybe next year will be the year the Bills get back to circling the wagons.

1. (2) Tennessee Titans [12-1]: Reclaimed the top spot because they defeated a team they should have beaten and did it in grand fashion.

2. (1) New York Giants [11-2]: Is the Plaxico Burress incident starting to become a distraction for the G-men?

3. (3) Carolina Panthers [10-3]: Giant win against Tampa on Monday night to take control of the division reigns for now.

4. (4) Pittsburgh Steelers [10-3]: The Steelers defense hasn’t allowed 300 yards or more of total offense in any game this season.

5. (5) Tampa Bay Buccaneers [9-4]: Someone grab a fire extinguisher: DeAngelo Williams is en fuego.

6. (10) Baltimore Ravens [9-4]: Joe Flacco is one of many rookie quarterbacks shaking the stigma that a rookie signal caller can’t lead a team to the playoffs.

7. (7) Indianapolis Colts [9-4]: Why doesn’t anyone talk about the Colts anymore? They haven’t lost since starting the year 3-4.

8. (6) New York Jets [8-5]: After a second straight loss, the Jets are part of the three team log jam at the top of the AFC East. Sorry, Buffalo.

9. (8) Dallas Cowboys [8-5]: Q: What is 24? A: A show on FOX and the amount of seconds the Steelers needed to put the Cowboy’s post season hopes in doubt for a few more weeks.

10. (9) Atlanta Falcons [8-5]: Wacky statistic of the day: Both Atlanta and New Orleans had 414 yards of total offense on Sunday.

11. (11) Arizona Cardinals [8-5]: Arizona clinched a home playoff game with their win over the Rams. The last time the Cardinals had a home playoff game, Truman was President.

12. (12) New England Patriots [8-5]: Pretty much every single player on the Pats starting defense was hurt, but I’m pretty sure if you suited me and my friends up we could have found a way to beat the Seahawks.

13. (14) Miami Dolphins [8-5]: This week’s sign that the apocalypse is upon us: The Dolphins are in first place in their division.

14. (15) Denver Broncos [8-5]: The Broncos could finish 11-5 and still not have the look of a playoff team.

15. (16) Minnesota Vikings [8-5]: Almost lost to the winless Lions this week, but they are still in first place in the NFC North.

16. (19) Philadelphia Eagles [7-5-1]: The Eagles have looked like a titan of the NFC in wins against NFC playoff teams the last two weeks. But will their tie come back to bite them in the end?

17. (13) Washington Redskins [7-6]: Lately, the Redskins are doing their best Buffalo Bills impression after starting off the season at 6-2.

<18. (17) Chicago Bears [7-6]: Can the Bears make a quick turnaround and keep up the winning ways on Thursday against the Saints? Probably not.

19. (18) New Orleans Saints [7-6]: After two-straight sub-300 passing games, I wonder what the Las Vegas line is on Drew Brees still breaking the single season passing mark?

20. (25) San Francisco 49ers [5-8]: The Niners seem intent on playing themselves out of a cherry draft pick.

21. (22) Houston Texans [6-7]: Most likely too little, too late for the Texans.

22. (21) Buffalo Bills [6-7]: This Buffalo season is now the biggest implosion since the Hindenburg.

23. (20) Green Bay Packers [5-8]: The Packers are stacked; explain to me how they are this bad.

24. (24) San Diego Chargers [5-8]: Everyone is still waiting for the Chargers to shake off their slow start. We’ll be waiting for a while.

25. (23) Jacksonville Jaguars [4-9]: Why did it take so long for Matt Jones to get suspended by the NFL? Were they waiting for the Jags to be out of the playoff hunt?

26. (26) Cleveland Browns [4-9]: Romeo Crennel is daring the team to buy him out of his contract so he can be free of this debacle.

27. (27) St. Louis Rams [2-11]: The Rams are playing the Seahawks this week. Oh, the excitement is palpable!

28. (28) Oakland Raiders [3-10]: If Al Davis wanted JaMarcus Russell drafted because of his “big arm,” than why is the Raiders passing offense ranked dead last in the NFL?

29. (29) Seattle Seahawks [2-11]: Seneca Wallace looked like the man against the Pats until they had to play the fourth quarter.

30. (30) Kansas City Chiefs [2-11]: Peyton Hillis likes to tie a rope around his waist and pull SUVs down the road with his friends for fun.

31. (31) Cincinnati Bengals [1-11-1]: Is Houshmandzadeh the longest and hardest to spell one-word last name in the NFL?

32. (32) Detroit Lions [0-13]: It’s gotten so bad in Motown that center Dominic Raiola put out a blanket invitation for any fan who would like to come to his house and fight him.

Chris Osburn is a 26 year old freelance writer and The Father Life‘s resident beer columnist. On top of that, he writes about professional lacrosse for insidelacrosse.com. He’s also written for Genesee Valley Parenting Magazine, the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, and ESPN.com. “Osburn on Tap” appears monthly in THE FATHER LIFE. For questions, comments, or if you have a story idea for Chris, visit his website http://www.chrisosburnwrites.com.

Article image by: Paige Foster, SXC