Tag: NFL Standings

Steelers fall two spots in NFL’s latest power rankings

The Pittsburgh Steelers drop in the NFL power rankings despite injuries, but their overall strength remains undeniable in 2024.

Oh, how the Black and Gold have fallen—or have they? Following the completion of Week 15’s games, recent NFL power rankings suggest so. Heading into their matchup with the Eagles, the Steelers were ranked sixth in the entire NFL, third among all AFC teams.

However, the Steelers’ loss to the Eagles spelled disaster for their ranking, dropping them two spots to eighth, now one behind the Baltimore Ravens.

Currently, the top five teams in the NFL Network’s rendition of the post-Week 15 power rankings are as follows: the Philadelphia Eagles, the Buffalo Bills, the Kansas City Chiefs, the Detroit Lions, and the Minnesota Vikings.

Several high-level teams made little to no change at all—the Vikings holding steady at fifth, and the Chiefs remaining at third. It’s not hard to argue that the Steelers should have been included among these teams.

The Steelers’ loss to the Eagles was not indicative of the team’s overall strength in 2024, as Pittsburgh was grappling with several short-term injuries at the time.

As Week 18’s regular season finale draws ever closer, power rankings from multiple sports outlets will have no choice but to acknowledge the true capabilities of the Steelers.

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Where do the Steelers stand in the crowded AFC playoff race?

The AFC playoff picture is tightening as the Pittsburgh Steelers secure their spot, with seeding battles heating up among top contenders.

Steelers fans rejoice! Although the matchup with the Philadelphia Eagles left much to be desired for the Black and Gold faithful, the Pittsburgh Steelers clinched a playoff spot following losses by the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers in Week 15. However, the playoff race remains extremely tight, with the Steelers currently holding the number three seed in the AFC.

The AFC playoff standings are beginning to take shape. The 13-1 Kansas City Chiefs hold the number one seed, followed by the other AFC divisional leaders: the 11-3 Buffalo Bills, the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers, and the 9-5 Houston Texans.

After the divisional leaders, seeded one through four, the AFC wild-card teams are as follows: the fifth-seeded 9-5 Baltimore Ravens, the sixth-seeded 9-5 Denver Broncos, and the seventh-seeded 8-6 Los Angeles Chargers.

Currently in the hunt are three AFC teams locked in a three-way tie, with identical 6-8 records: the Indianapolis Colts, the Miami Dolphins, and the Cincinnati Bengals.

An intriguing aspect of the playoff race is that, if the season ended today, the 10-4 Pittsburgh Steelers would host the 9-5 Denver Broncos in the wild-card round.  Furthermore, the Steelers can also secure the AFC North divisional title with a win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 16.

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49ers dreary season summed up by place in NFL power rankings

The 49ers are in an embarrassing spot in the USA TODAY NFL power rankings.

The San Francisco 49ers’ rough 2024 season can be perfectly summed up by where they landed in the post-Week 15 NFL power rankings from USA TODAY.

While power rankings don’t hold weight in terms of a team winning a Super Bowl, they give a good snapshot of how a team looks from the 30,000-foot, national perspective.

USA TODAY dropped the 49ers to No. 19 overall in the rankings, which is a fine spot for a 6-8 team that is 1-4 in its division. It’s who’s around San Francisco that really drives home where their various stumbles this season have left them in the NFL pecking order.

Just ahead of the 49ers at No. 18 are the Atlanta Falcons – losers of four in a row before somehow sneaking past the Las Vegas Raiders on Monday to cap Week 15.

Just behind the 49ers at No. 20 are the Dallas Cowboys – a laughingstock that is now tied with San Francisco in the standings.

The Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins and New England Patriots are the three teams just behind Dallas, signaling the realm the 49ers could fall into with another bad loss or two in their final three games.

As for the rest of the NFC West, they’re all way in front of San Francisco. The Arizona Cardinals are at No. 15, one spot behind the No. 14 Seattle Seahawks. The division-leading Los Angeles Rams are at No. 9.

In a year where the division was imminently winnable, instead of sitting way above the rest of the NFC West, San Francisco is looking up at them while slumming it with the Cowboys and Falcons.

Ouch.

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Seahawks fighting for their playoff lives as Vikings look to win NFC North

Seahawks fighting for their playoff lives as Vikings look to win NFC North

The Seattle Seahawks suffered a costly defeat at the hands of the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football. Seattle was knocked from both their perch atop the NFC West (as the Los Angeles Rams have now taken over due to their head-to-head victory earlier this year) and out of the NFC playoff picture entirely. The Seahawks’ postseason odds plummeted after the blowout loss in prime time.

Seattle’s path forward does not get any easier, as the now 12-2 Minnesota Vikings are coming to town this weekend. The Seahawks’ backs are against the wall and are desperate for a win, but unfortunately for them, the Vikings have plenty to play for as well.

Thanks to the Detroit Lions losing 48-42 to the Buffalo Bills, Minnesota now controls their own destiny for both winning the NFC North… and even earning the No. 1 seed in the NFC.

Yes, that’s right. The Minnesota Vikings with Sam Darnold at quarterback could have a first round bye in the playoffs. Should the Vikes beat the Hawks on Sunday, as well as winning against the Packers in Week 17 (Minnesota won in Lambeau earlier this year) and defeat the Lions in Week 18, they will be the No. 1 seed. Even if the Philadelphia Eagles also finish 15-2, the Vikings still edge them out.

So yeah, the Seahawks won’t be catching any kind of “break” from an opponent who doesn’t necessarily “need” a win this weekend. Seattle will be getting the best Minnesota has to offer, because the Vikings know how difficult the next two weeks will also be for them.

The Seahawks better hope quarterback Geno Smith’s optimism for being able to play this weekend isn’t misplaced.

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Why Rams-Cardinals in Week 17 may be more important than finale vs. Seahawks

So much of the attention is on Rams-Seahawks in Week 18, but Los Angeles’ game against Arizona the week prior might be more important

There are only three weeks left in the regular season and although the Los Angeles Rams aren’t overlooking the 4-10 New York Jets in Week 16, their final two games are far more important.

That’s because both of those games are against the two teams chasing the Rams for the NFC West title. Even if the Rams lose to the Jets on Sunday afternoon, they’re a lock to still make the playoffs if they beat the Cardinals and Seahawks in Weeks 17 and 18.

While most people are focused on the finale between the Rams and Seahawks, Los Angeles’ Week 17 showdown against the Cardinals might be even more important despite Arizona being a game back of the Rams in the NFC West right now.

Consider this scenario, for example. If the Rams beat the Jets, the Cardinals beat the Panthers and the Vikings beat the Seahawks, Week 17 will have a much greater impact on the Rams’ playoff odds than the finale against Seattle. That’s because Arizona has already beaten the Rams, so it holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.

In that scenario, the Rams will have a 99% chance of making the playoffs if they beat the Cardinals in Week 17 and a 38% chance if they lose, according to the New York Times. That’s a huge swing, much greater than the difference between beating the Seahawks (88% chance) and losing to them (72% chance).

That’s all contingent on the Rams, Cardinals and Vikings all winning in Week 16, as they’re projected to based on the betting odds. If Arizona loses to Carolina and the Rams beat the Jets, Los Angeles will have a 99% chance to make the playoffs if it simply wins one of its final two games.

There are a number of different scenarios that could play out, but if there are no upsets this week, Rams-Cardinals will almost be a playoff game – particularly for Arizona, which is one game back of Los Angeles and Seattle.

The Rams don’t want to enter the final week of the season needing a win over the Seahawks and a loss by the Cardinals to a 49ers team with nothing to play for, which is exactly how things could play out if they lose to Arizona in Week 17.

Win that game against Arizona and there’s a good chance they’ll get into the dance.

NFC playoff picture: Rams make big move up the standings in Week 15

The Rams jumped up four spots in the NFC thanks to Week 15’s results, putting them in great shape for the final stretch.

Thanks to a three-game winning streak and seven victories in their last nine, the Los Angeles Rams have risen from the depths of the NFC West to take over first place in the division. It hasn’t been an easy climb, especially after starting the year 1-4, but Los Angeles is back on top of the division for the first time all year.

Though they didn’t get all the help they needed in Week 15, the important thing is they beat the 49ers and the Seahawks lost to the Packers – the two things that had to happen in order for them to take over first place in the division.

The West is far from secured because the Seahawks and Cardinals are hot on the Rams’ heels, making this an exciting final three weeks of the season. Here’s a look at the NFC playoff picture after Week 15’s results.

  1. Lions: 12-2 (NFC North)
  2. Eagles: 12-2 (NFC East)
  3. Buccaneers: 8-6 (NFC South)
  4. Rams: 8-6 (NFC West)
  5. Vikings: 12-2 (wild card)
  6. Packers: 10-4 (wild card)
  7. Commanders: 9-5 (wild card)
  8. Seahawks: 8-6
  9. Falcons: 7-7
  10. Cardinals: 7-7
  11. 49ers: 6-8
  12. Cowboys: 6-8

The Rams moved up four spots from No. 8 to fourth in the conference, all thanks to the fact that they lead the NFC West now. The Seahawks dropped from third to eighth, with all three wild-card teams remaining in the same positions they were a week ago.

The 49ers and Cowboys are all but done, having less than a 1% chance of making the postseason with their records sitting at 6-8.

There’s a fascinating race for the No. 1 seed between the Lions, Eagles and Vikings. The Packers are technically still in it but the NFC will likely go through one of those three teams who are all tied at 12-2. It could come down to Lions vs. Vikings in Week 18, which would determine who gets a first-round bye.

There’s still a lot to sort out in the NFC, especially compared to the AFC where things are much more clear-cut from No. 1 to 7.

Rams keep pressure on Seahawks, defeat 49ers 12-6 on TNF

Rams keep pressure on Seahawks, defeat 49ers 12-6 on TNF

The pressure remains high for the Seattle Seahawks, who are defending a narrow lead over the Los Angeles Rams for first place in the NFC West. Seattle, at 8-5, is in first. Unfortunately, the Rams remain hot on their tail as they improved to 8-6 with their ugly 12-6 win over the San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football.

Los Angeles upset the Buffalo Bills in Week 14 with a thrilling 44-42 game, and they kept the momentum going in Santa Clara. It was an ugly, defensive battle by the Bay as both the Niners and Rams exchanged field goals. LA’s defense shut down San Francisco’s offense – as they were held to only 191 yards of offense and three points in the second half.

For years, the 12th Man (and myself) have been screaming to anyone who will listen that Brock Purdy is not a good quarter. In a cruel twist of fate, he proved all of us right in a moment when we desperately wanted to be wrong. Purdy was atrocious, completing 14-of-31 passes for 142 yards, no touchdowns and a horrendous interception late that sealed the deal for a Rams victory. On the final play of the game, Purdy also took a sack.

Once more, “Mr. Irrelevant” looked every bit of his nickname without the likes of running back Christian McCaffrey or left tackle Trent Williams.

Sadly, the 12’s were (with disgust) certainly rooting for the 49ers out of necessity. Had San Francisco won, it would have given the Seahawks a little cushion for their impending Sunday Night Football game against the Green Bay Packers. Instead, the Seahawks are yet again in a situation where they must win in order to remain in first place. If Seattle loses, the Rams will move into the top spot due to their head-to-head win and a better divisional record.

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49ers inching toward top 10 pick in 2025 NFL draft

It might be high time to look ahead to the 2025 NFL draft. We’ve got you covered:

The San Francisco 49ers’ playoff chances aren’t completely erased, but they’re low enough that looking toward next year’s offseason and NFL draft aren’t unreasonable.

If the 49ers win a couple of games down the stretch and put themselves squarely back in the playoff picture, we can start looking at that group again. For now we’ll look at where things stand with next year’s draft, where the 49ers are inching toward a top-10 pick after three consecutive losses put them at 5-7 for the season.

San Francisco is one of four seven-loss teams, and they’re just behind a trio of eight-loss clubs. There was a chance for a fourth eight-loss team, but the Cleveland Browns couldn’t hold on vs. the Denver Broncos on Monday night and fell to 3-9.

Here is what the draft order looks like for the non-playoff teams after 13 weeks according to Tankathon:

1. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-10)
2. Las Vegas Raiders (2-10)
3. New York Giants (2-10)
4. New England Patriots (3-10)
5. Carolina Panthers (3-9)
6. New York Jets (3-9)
7. Tennessee Titans (3-9)
8. Cleveland Browns (3-9)
9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-8)
10. New Orleans Saints (4-8)
11. Chicago Bears (4-8)
12. Miami Dolphins (5-7)
13. Dallas Cowboys (5-7)
14. San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
15. Indianapolis Colts (6-7)
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-6)
17. Los Angeles Rams (6-6)
18. Arizona Cardinals (6-6)

The first tiebreaker is strength of schedule, which is the combined winning percentage of a team’s opponents. The team with the worst strength of schedule gets the earlier pick.

San Francisco has the highest strength of schedule and gets the lowest pick of the trio of 5-7 teams.

Sunday’s game against the Bears could be a big one for the 49ers in terms of their draft position. The 49ers will certainly be trying to win every game, especially while they’re technically not eliminated from the playoffs. However, the further their season spirals, the closer they’ll get to securing a top 10 pick that can help them retool for the 2025 season.

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Why NFL Week 13 results were so damaging for 49ers

The San Francisco 49ers’ playoff hopes are fading fast.

The San Francisco 49ers‘ playoff hopes are fading fast.

With its 35-10 loss at Buffalo on Sunday night, the 49ers have now dropped three straight to sink to 5-7 on the season.

The blowout loss also marked the first time since 2015 and just the fourth time in franchise history that San Francisco has lost back-to-back games by 25 points or more.

San Francisco entered Week 13 just a game outside first place in the NFC West, but the 49ers exit the week in the division’s cellar.

The Seattle Seahawks used a 92-yard pick-six from defensive end Leonard Williams to flip an early 21-7 deficit into an eventual 26-21 win at the New York Jets. The Seahawks improved to 7-5 with the win.

Seattle has now won three straight dating back to its 20-17 Week 11 win at San Francisco.

Thanks to Minnesota‘s rally over Arizona, Seattle now owns sole possession of first place in the NFC West.

Minnesota quarterback Sam Darnold connected with running back Aaron Jones for a 5-yard score with 1:13 left to play. Then, Vikings cornerback Shaquill Griffin sealed the 23-22 victory with his interception of Arizona quarterback Kyler Murray on the ensuing possession.

The loss drops Arizona to 6-6 on the season and one game out of first place.

The Los Angeles Rams stayed within striking distance thanks to a 21-14 win at the New Orleans Saints. Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford tossed a pair of touchdown passes to Demarcus Robinson and Puka Nacua in the fourth quarter to help Los Angeles improve to 6-6.

Sitting in the cellar and now two games out of first place, San Francisco will close its 2024 season with games versus Chicago, versus the Los Angeles Rams, at Miami, versus Detroit and at Arizona.

Which games on Week 13 NFL schedule can help 49ers playoff hopes?

Here are the Week 13 games that impact the 49ers playoff hopes.

The San Francisco 49ers, despite careening toward the abyss of NFL mediocrity, still have a path to the postseason as they enter their Week 13 showdown against the Buffalo Bills.

Yet, thanks to the rest of the NFC West’s tussle with the .500 mark, there’s a clear way for the 49ers to win the division and punch their ticket to the playoffs.

Here are the Week 13 games that will impact the 49ers’ playoff chances and which team the 49ers need to win:

Cardinals (6-5) at Vikings (9-2)

49ers need: A Vikings win. Every NFC West loss is gold for the 49ers.

Spread: Vikings (-3.5)

Seahawks (6-5) at Jets (3-8)

49ers need: A Jets win. See above.

Spread: Seahawks (-2)

Titans (3-8) at Commanders (7-5)

49ers need: A Commanders loss, although the 49ers can render Washington’s involvement moot by stringing together wins while the other clubs in the division start stacking up a few losses. Washington is the No. 7 seed entering Week 13.

Spread: Commanders (-5.5)

Buccaneers (5-6) at Panthers (3-8)

49ers need: The 49ers have a head-to-head tiebreaker on Tampa Bay, but another 5-6 team getting a loss is helpful, so a Panthers win is ideal for San Francisco.

Spread: Buccaneers (-6)

Rams (5-6) at Saints (4-7)

49ers need: Another NFC West game means another game the 49ers need the NFC West foe to lose. A Rams win wouldn’t be terrible since it would further remove New Orleans from the conversation, but the NFC West loss is preferred.

Spread: Rams (-2.5)

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