Welcome to Week 17. There are simply two weeks left inside the NFL common season.
Our power panel — a bunch of greater than eighty writers, editors and tv personalities — has evaluated how teams are stacking up by sixteen weeks.
the biggest three teams have modified — as quickly as extra — and the Jacksonville Jaguars and inexperienced Bay Packers are climbing up the rankings. With many divisional races nonetheless up inside the air, make sure to take a look at the playoff picture, which incorporates clinching situations and standings.
collectively with our up up to now rankings, we checked in with NFL Nation reporters throughout the league and requested them to name a defining second from the 2022 calendar 12 months for every staff. From the super Bowl to the NFL draft, these moments — good or dangerous — set the tone for the the rest of the 12 months or impacted the teams’ futures.
Let’s get to it.
leap to a staff:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | automobile | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Week sixteen rating: three
Defining second: buying and promoting Tyreek Hill.
The Chiefs picked up draft picks and wage-cap room after they despatched their prime huge receiver to Miami again in March. Not solely do they appear to have lengthened their window to win a quantity of super Bowl championships with the picks they acquired inside the commerce however they current the impression of being to have performed so with out hurting their probabilities to win one this season. Even after buying and promoting Hill, the Chiefs had been nonetheless amongst the diversified league leaders in scoring. At 12-three, they’re in place to make a deep run inside the playoffs, however they will should ship some victories inside the postseason to utterly vindicate the commerce. — Adam Teicher
Week sixteen rating: 1
Defining second: A 35-10 win over the Titans in Week thirteen.
The communicate heading into Week thirteen was that Philadelphia should match Tennessee’s physicality and that the Titans, additionally boasting a sturdy run recreation, is extra seemingly to be the form of staff that would give the Eagles a draw again. however it certainly was no draw again in any respect. Tennessee’s Derrick Henry was restricted to 30 yards on eleven carries; Philadelphia quarterback Jalen Hurts ascended to a distinctive diploma as a passer with 380 yards and three touchdowns by the air; and Eagles wideout A.J. Brown (119 receiving yards, two scores) solidified his case for why the Titans made a mistake by buying and promoting him away. The Eagles bullied the bullies to enhance to eleven-1 and confirmed the the rest of the league they’re for exact. — Tim McManus
Week sixteen rating: 2
Defining second: an time past regulation loss inside the 2021 divisional playoffs.
There have been an superior deal of noteworthy moments for the funds this 12 months — the signing of Von Miller is a sturdy candidate — nonetheless the loss to Kansas metropolis led to the Miller signing, impacted the super Bowl expectations for this season and stored a chip on the staff’s shoulder. The second straight playoff loss to the Chiefs performed a ingredient in a quantity of the offseason strikes that adopted and made the common-season win over Kansas metropolis in Week 6 that rather extra impactful. Now, the funds have two video games left to safe dwelling-area benefit to maintain away from a doable third straight postseason journey to Arrowhead Stadium. — Alaina Getzenberg
Week sixteen rating: 5
Defining second: RB Christian McCaffrey‘s 9-yard TD catch to beat the Rams in Week eight.
there are pretty simply a few moments to choose from, collectively with McCaffrey’s touchdown move earlier inside the sport, however this catch not solely spurred the Niners to a win in opposition to the Rams however started the turnaround of their season. widespread supervisor John Lynch has referred to as McCaffrey a “strain multiplier” for the diversified methods he impacts a recreation, and McCaffrey supplied a touchdown three methods in opposition to the Rams. The leaping catch served as a harbinger for the current eight-recreation worthwhile streak that has elevated the 49ers from three-4 no-man’s-land to NFC West champs and legit super Bowl contenders. — Nick Wagoner
Week sixteen rating: 6
Defining second: Going 4-1 with out Dak Prescott.
Many thought the Cowboys’ season was over when Prescott suffered a fractured thumb inside the season opener, however backup QB Cooper Rush saved all the pieces. The Cowboys wouldn’t be inside the playoffs with out Rush. it is not that his play was at a expert Bowl diploma, however he was regular and largely averted errors. Others helped enhance his diploma of play, however when it was time to make a play, Rush principally delivered. regardless of the very plain fact that there have been important questions surrounding Rush in Week 2, he answered the decision. when it includes Most worthy to the Cowboys, he ought to not be missed. — Todd Archer
zero:forty one
Joe Fortenbaugh anticipates the Cowboys will overlook a banged up Titans staff in Week 17.
Week sixteen rating: 4
Defining second: super Bowl LVI.
Cincinnati hadn’t gained a playoff recreation in three many years earlier than a blistering run led the Bengals to their first super Bowl look in 33 years. Up till that time, the fan base was stuffed with apathy, and there have been questions regarding the staff’s prolonged-time period future beneath coach Zac Taylor. Even in a dramatic loss to the Rams, the super Bowl confirmed the Bengals had been a championship-caliber franchise, a sense validated by the 2022 season. — Ben youngster
Week sixteen rating: 7
Defining second: Justin Jefferson altering on fourth-and-18.
In primarily the most inconceivable second of a most inconceivable season, the NFL’s receiving chief snagged a extreme move from Kirk Cousins with one hand and held on as he crashed to the underside late inside the Vikings’ Week 10 recreation at Buffalo. The 32-yard play allowed the Vikings to proceed their ultimate possession of regulation; the Vikings in the end turned the ball over on downs at Buffalo’s 1-yard line, however they scored on the following play after recovering a Josh Allen fumble in the end zone. The Vikings prevailed in time past regulation, one in all eight video games they’ve gained after trailing or being tied inside the fourth quarter. On the 12 months, Minnesota has gained an NFL-report eleven video games by one rating. — Kevin Seifert
Week sixteen rating: 10
Defining second: Lamar Jackson‘s damage.
Jackson suffered a knee damage Dec. 4, and the Ravens have scored a full of two touchdowns in his three-recreation absence. Baltimore has clinched a playoff berth, nonetheless the well being of Jackson will decide whether or not it is a authentic championship contender. If Jackson’s mobility is proscribed, it is troublesome to see the Ravens getting previous the likes of the Chiefs, funds and Bengals inside the AFC. This additionally marks the second straight season that Jackson has missed a quantity of video games in December, which might impression contract negotiations after the season. — Jamison Hensley
Week sixteen rating: 9
Defining second: The one-level win over the Cardinals in Week 12.
After current process a quantity of roster upgrades all by the offseason, the Chargers appeared destined for a deep playoff run. however that objective appeared largely upended by a plethora of accidents on the offense and the protection. A late-season two-recreation dropping streak perceived to level into three in opposition to the Cardinals, till — with 1:forty eight remaining inside the sport — quarterback Justin Herbert put collectively a seven-play, 38-yard touchdown drive to tug L.A. inside some extent at 24-23. With 15 seconds left, coach Brandon Staley elected to go for a 2-level conversion and the win, and Herbert linked with tight finish Gerald Everett. That drive proved the Bolts weren’t ready to merely fade into the background however had been as a substitute prepared to battle for a important playoff berth since 2018. — Lindsey Thiry
Week sixteen rating: eleven
Defining second: A 2-level conversion to win in Week 1.
This play set the tone for the season. First-12 months head coach Brian Daboll went for two factors and the win (on a Saquon Barkley run) inside the ultimate minutes of the opener at Tennessee. For a staff that has struggled to win shut video games in latest seasons, this was the signal that these Giants had been completely different. They parlayed that emotional victory proper into a 6-1 start to the season, with all six wins being in a single-rating video games. — Jordan Raanan
Week sixteen rating: eight
Defining second: buying and promoting for Tyreek Hill.
The Dolphins swung for the fences with Hill, and the commerce immediately paid off. The seven-time professional Bowl wideout has set franchise information in receptions and yards — with two video games remaining — as properly as to profession highs in each classes. it is troublesome to think about this Dolphins offense with out him at this level. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
1:23
Robert Griffin III, Booger McFarland and Adam Schefter focus on the factors for Tua Tagovailoa as he enters concussion protocol for second time this season.
Week sixteen rating: sixteen
Defining second: dropping to Denver in London.
The loss to the Broncos on Oct. 30 is what sparked Trevor Lawrence‘s turnaround. He threw two interceptions that day, one in the end zone and one other on the important play of the Jaguars’ ultimate possession inside two minutes remaining. Lawrence mentioned not too prolonged in the past that he by no means desires to really feel like that after a recreation as quickly as extra and that it “form of flipped a change in me.” Since that defeat, the Jaguars are 5-2, Lawrence is second inside the NFL in completion proportion and passer rating and fifth in whole QBR, and he has thrown for 1,909 yards and 14 TDs with one interception. And the Jaguars have a shot to win the AFC South. — Michael DiRocco
Week sixteen rating: 12
Defining second: The loss to the Dolphins on Oct. 30.
After falling to 1-6, coach Dan Campbell knew he needed to make some modifications. So after dropping to Miami, the Lions let go of defensive backs coach Aubrey nice, then traded professional Bowl tight finish T.J. Hockenson earlier than occurring to win six of their subsequent seven video games and making a late push for a playoff spot. — Eric Woodyard
Week sixteen rating: thirteen
Defining second: buying and promoting for Carson Wentz.
Washington has unsuccessfully sought an reply at quarterback for many years, and it was intent on discovering an reply final offseason. Some used the phrase “determined.” The Commanders missed on Russell Wilson — in hindsight, maybe thankfully — and inquired about pretty simply a few decisions. buying Wentz price them two third-spherical draft picks and $28 million in cap space. however up to now, he has not proved he is something aside from a one-12 months experiment, having fun with inconsistently in his first six begins, collectively with throwing seven touchdown passes over his first two video games and solely three over the following 4 outings. Washington stays inside the playoff race partly as a end result of backup Taylor Heinicke went 5-three-1 in aid, however Wentz might nonetheless have an alternative to show his worth over the ultimate two video games and presumably the postseason. — John Keim
Week sixteen rating: 19
Defining second: Christian Watson‘s fifty eight-yard TD in opposition to the Cowboys.
earlier than that play, Watson’s rookie season was a wrestle. inside the important 9 weeks, he had simply 10 catches for 88 yards. His solely touchdown obtained here on a run play. His drop on what would’ve been a seventy five-yard touchdown on the important play of the important recreation of the season seemingly hung over him like a darkish cloud. Week 10 did not start rather a lot greater: He dropped two extra passes early in opposition to the Cowboys. Then he hauled inside the deep ball inside the second quarter. From Week 10 on, he has caught 25 passes for 408 yards and seven touchdowns and has utterly modified the Packers’ offense. “usually it simply takes one play. One play modifications your full mindset and course of your profession,” inexperienced Bay quarterback Aaron Rodgers mentioned of Watson. — Rob Demovsky
Week sixteen rating: 17
Defining second: The 2022 draft.
The Jets landed three impression gamers — CB Sauce Gardner, WR Garrett Wilson and RB Breece hall — offering a basis for the prolonged time period. Wilson and Gardner might discover your self to be solely the second pair of teammates prior to now 50-plus years to earn Offensive Rookie of the 12 months and Defensive Rookie of the 12 months honors inside the identical season. The rookies have highlighted a wild advertising campaign, one which has included a 4-recreation dropping streak (current), a 4-recreation worthwhile streak and 4 quarterbacks who’ve performed. the autumn of QB Zach Wilson is additionally extra seemingly to be thought-about a defining storyline. — rich Cimini
Week sixteen rating: 14
Defining second: buying and promoting QB Russell Wilson.
When the Seahawks made the blockbuster commerce in March that despatched Wilson to Denver, it appeared like a transfer which will have extra of an prolonged-time period revenue. however whereas Wilson has foundered, Geno Smith has flourished as his alternative, incomes a expert Bowl berth and holding Seattle in playoff rivals. The Seahawks have acquired regular manufacturing from tight finish Noah Fant and defensive finish Shelby Harris, two veterans they acquired from Denver, and additionally they drafted two core gamers from the picks Denver despatched: left deal with Charles Cross and outdoor linebacker Boye Mafe. The Seahawks additionally personal Denver’s prime two picks on this coming draft, collectively with a possible prime-5 different as a end result of of the Broncos’ 4-eleven report. — Brady Henderson
Week sixteen rating: 21
Defining second: Drafting Kenny Pickett.
The Steelers noticed the retirement of 1 franchise quarterback and drafted somebody the group hopes is extra seemingly to be its subsequent. in a single in all his ultimate acts as widespread supervisor earlier than retirement, Kevin Colbert drafted Pickett inside the important spherical as a end result of the important QB chosen inside the 2022 draft. The Steelers already had signed Mitch Trubisky in free agency, however it certainly turned more and more extra clear that it was a matter of when — not if — Pickett would take over the starting job. That led to conservative play from Trubisky to start out the season, and as quickly as Pickett took over at halftime of Week 4, there was a steep studying curve for the rookie. It has led to rising pains this 12 months, however it certainly might assist the Steelers get a leap on 2023. — Brooke Pryor
Week sixteen rating: 15
Defining second: buying and promoting A.J. Brown.
buying and promoting Brown was a huge step again for the Titans. The wideout was Tennessee’s reply to defenses that focused on stopping working again Derrick Henry. dropping Brown was the start of a bizarre season for the Titans. huge receiver Treylon Burks was chosen inside the draft with one in all many picks they obtained for Brown, and Burks confirmed up in spurts. however accidents and inconsistency on offense stored the rookie from having a extreme impression. — Turron Davenport
Week sixteen rating: 18
Defining second: The lateral play in Las Vegas.
The Patriots misplaced on the ultimate play of regulation in Week 15 by lateraling the sport away. It mirrored how the sloppy Patriots obtained here up brief in lots of important situations over the course of the season. It was incomprehensible and catastrophic to be treating the soccer with such disrespect. Per Elias sports activities Bureau evaluation, the rating on the fumble return by the Raiders was the second go-forward defensive TD on the ultimate play of regulation in NFL historic previous. (the important obtained here in 1960.) — Mike Reiss
Week sixteen rating: 26
Defining second: Firing of Matt Rhule and hiring of Steve Wilks.
The Panthers had been 1-4 beneath Rhule when he was fired. they’ve gone 5-5 beneath Wilks and might seize the NFC South title by worthwhile their ultimate two video games, at Tampa Bay and at New Orleans. beneath Wilks, the Panthers have found an identification as a smashmouth staff that was apparent Saturday, when Carolina rushed for a single-recreation staff-report 320 yards en path to a single-recreation staff-extreme 570 whole yards in a victory over the visiting Lions. — David Newton
Week sixteen rating: 22
Defining second: Tom Brady unretiring.
Brady was retired for forty days earlier than deciding to return to the NFL for an alternative at one other super Bowl. And whereas issues have not been straightforward for Brady and the Buccaneers this season, their playoff future continues to be to be decided over the following two weeks. they’ve an alternative to clinch the NFC South and punch a ticket to the playoffs in the event that they defeat Carolina this weekend. And it is going to be as a lot as Brady to dig deep and uncover a greater mannequin of himself than he has proven over the previous a quantity of weeks and as a lot as a end result of the protection to be as shut to good as doable to beat the dearth of offensive output. — Jenna Laine
1:29
Rex Ryan says Tom Brady was “terrible” inside the Bucs’ time past regulation win in opposition to the Cardinals.
Week sixteen rating: 24
Defining second: promoting Dennis Allen to transfer coach.
It was apparent that Allen was New Orleans’ prime teaching candidate from the second Sean Payton stepped down Jan. 25, and the Saints made it clear that the intent was to protect the staff intact as a substitute of starting over from scratch. That meant retaining virtually all of the assistants and promoting two of them to co-defensive coordinators as a substitute of getting one voice. it is arduous to know the method the season would have gone with a latest start, nonetheless the current 6-9 report has made one factor clear: The Saints can’t maintain on with the established order in the event that they want a worthwhile report in 2023. — Katherine Terrell
Week sixteen rating: 23
Defining second: “Rome wasn’t in-constructed a day.”
There have been so many bizarre moments to sum up a great stranger season. however Raiders proprietor Mark Davis’ suggestions to ESPN the day after his staff dropped to 2-7 all however ended hypothesis about first-12 months coach Josh McDaniels’ job safety. The signal to Raiders gamers and followers alike that Davis was most seemingly staying the course with McDaniels allowed gamers to exhale, and the Raiders responded by worthwhile three straight video games and 4 out of six. — Paul Gutierrez
Week sixteen rating: 28
Defining second: worthwhile super Bowl LVI.
all by the 2021 advertising campaign, the Rams went all-in by making huge strikes, collectively with buying and promoting for quarterback Matthew Stafford and linebacker Von Miller. It paid off in February, when the Rams gained the super Bowl for the important time since 2000 and the important time since shifting the franchise again to l. a.. although defensive deal with Aaron Donald made the sport-sealing play, it was huge receiver Cooper Kupp who was named super Bowl MVP with eight catches for ninety two yards and two touchdown receptions. — Sarah Barshop
Week sixteen rating: 20
Defining second: buying and promoting for Deshaun Watson.
On March 18, the Browns traded three first-spherical picks to the Texans for Watson then signed him to a mannequin new 5-12 months deal worth $230 million, the richest contract in NFL historic previous. Watson, nonetheless, was suspended for eleven video games for violating the NFL’s private conduct coverage after greater than two dozen women accused him of sexual assault and inappropriate sexual misconduct all by therapeutic massage durations. The suspension meant backup QB Jacoby Brissett stuffed in for these eleven video games. no matter occurs shifting forward, the franchise is extra seemingly to be outlined by the Watson commerce. — Jake Trotter
Week sixteen rating: 25
Defining second: The Matt Ryan commerce.
The failed pursuit of Deshaun Watson partially led to the commerce of Ryan to Indianapolis, immediately giving the Falcons over $forty million in lifeless cap and representing the official shifting of an period. buying and promoting Ryan signified the start of a rebuild that has shadowed all the pieces the Falcons have performed this 12 months, from whom they drafted (huge receiver Drake London, quarterback Desmond Ridder) to cap factors that pressured them to principally signal veterans to at least one-12 months contracts in free agency. the combination of strikes helped push a reset on the franchise that had been coming for the rationale that firing of coach Dan Quinn and widespread supervisor Thomas Dimitroff in 2020. — Michael Rothstein
Week sixteen rating: 29
Defining second: Firing of coach Frank Reich.
the a quantity of to hearth Reich after 9 video games was an aggressive transfer for a staff proprietor (Jim Irsay) who had by no means fired a coach all by the season. It was one extra shift inside the power dynamic contained in the group in direction of Irsay and extra demonstrated his dissatisfaction with the state of the staff. Many key selections lie forward, and it is doable this staff might look very completely different subsequent season. — Stephen Holder
Week sixteen rating: 27
Defining second: buying and promoting Khalil Mack.
The 2022 season in Chicago is outlined by enormous rebuilding efforts this franchise underwent to place the inspiration for a sustainable and worthwhile operation. It started with Ryan Poles sending the expert Bowl linebacker to the l. a. Chargers for picks and continued when the important-12 months widespread supervisor let greater than 20 gamers from final season’s staff stroll in free agency. It culminated with Poles buying and promoting defensive finish Robert Quinn and linebacker Roquan Smith on the deadline. The Bears realized two essential issues this season: Justin Fields is their franchise quarterback, and all the pieces this entrance office does should be geared in direction of constructing round him on offense. — Courtney Cronin
Week sixteen rating: 30
Defining second: QB Kyler Murray tearing his left ACL.
That was the second the Cardinals’ already-disappointing season was all however over. Murray’s damage crushed Arizona’s probabilities of sneaking into the playoffs, which, in flip, helped reward them a greater draft spot. with out Murray, the Cardinals’ offense needed to change, and by no means having him on the sphere eradicated the potential for him making a recreation-altering play that would finish in Arizona escaping with a win. — Josh Weinfuss
Week sixteen rating: 32
Defining second: Benching Davis Mills.
When Mills was benched after his first 10 begins, it publicly signaled that he was not the prolonged-time period reply. Coming into the season, the hope was Mills might discover your self to be the staff’s quarterback of the prolonged time period. however now, the Texans are the favorites to earn the No. 1 draft decide inside the 2023 draft. In Mills’ first 10 begins, his passer rating was seventy eight.1, which ranked inside the underside third of the league. Mills additionally had thrown eleven interceptions on the time he was benched, which was the third most inside the NFL on the time. — DJ Bien-Aime
Week sixteen rating: 31
Defining second: Firing of coach Nathaniel Hackett.
After simply 15 video games as head coach, Hackett was fired after the Broncos unraveled in every method on Christmas Day on the Rams. The loss included three interceptions of quarterback Russell Wilson; a defensive meltdown that noticed the Rams rating on eight of 9 possessions; sideline tantrums between Broncos gamers; and outdoor linebacker Randy Gregory throwing a punch at a Rams participant inside the postgame stroll-off. — Jeff Legwold
0 Comments