NFL Power Rankings Poll: A Historic Drop for Washington While Bears Make Top-5 Debut
It’s not often you see a team move double-digit spots in a December edition of The MMQB Power Poll, but then, it’s not often you see Mark Sanchez going under center for a team in playoff contention 14 weeks into the season. And thus, you have Washington making a historic power-poll drop, falling 12 spots in this week's vote as Jay Gruden’s group falls behind his big brother’s team. Meanwhile, the Bears break into the top five for the first time this season, and the Browns are surging after a victory over the Panthers, jumping into the top 20.
This week's voters:
Andy Benoit, NFL Analyst
Andrew Brandt, Business of Football Columnist
Gary Gramling, Senior Editor
Jonathan Jones, Staff Writer
Bette Marston, Associate Editor
Mark Mravic, Executive Editor
If you want the latest episode of The Monday Morning NFL Podcast in your feed when you wake up Monday morning, then subscribe to The MMQB Podcasts. (For non-subscribers, there is typically a lag.)
1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (11-2)
Last Week’s rank: 1
Points in poll: 192
Highest-place vote: First (6)
Last week: Win at Tampa Bay, 28-14
Next week: at Carolina (Monday)
2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (11-2)
Last Week’s rank: 4
Points in poll: 186
Highest-place vote: Second (6)
Last week: Win vs. Baltimore, 27-24 (OT)
Next week: vs. L.A. Chargers (Thursday)
VRENTAS:A Brief History of Mahomes and No-Look Passes
3. LOS ANGELES RAMS (11-2)
Last Week’s rank: 1
Points in poll: 173
Highest-place vote: Third (2)
Lowest-place vote: Sixth
Last week: Loss at Chicago, 15-6
Next week: vs. Philadelphia
4. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (9-4)
Last Week’s rank: 3
Points in poll: 171
Highest-place vote: Third
Lowest-place vote: Sixth
Last week: Loss at Miami, 34-33
Next week: at Pittsburgh
5. CHICAGO BEARS (9-4)
Last Week’s rank: 10
Points in poll: 170
Highest-place vote: Third (2)
Lowest-place vote: Ninth
Last week: Win vs. L.A. Rams, 15-6
Next week: vs. Green Bay
BASKIN:Bears Shut Down Sean McVay and the Rams in a Rare Defensive Struggle
6. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (10-3)
Last Week’s rank: 5
Points in poll: 163
Highest-place vote: Third
Lowest-place vote: Eighth
Last week: Win vs. Cincinnati, 26-21
Next week: at Kansas City (Thursday)
BENOIT:Philip Rivers Is Ready to Be Appreciated
7. DALLAS COWBOYS (8-5)
Last Week’s rank: 7
Points in poll: 156
Highest-place vote: Sixth (2)
Lowest-place vote: Eighth (2)
Last week: Win vs. Philadelphia, 29-23 (OT)
Next week: at Indianapolis
JONES:How Amari Cooper Has Saved the Cowboys’ 2018 Season
8. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (8-5)
Last Week’s rank: 11
Points in poll: 151
Highest-place vote: Seventh (3)
Lowest-place vote: Ninth (2)
Last week: Win vs. Minnesota, 21-7
Next week: at San Francisco
ORR:Elite Defenses Emerging to Give Us Exciting Stylistic Clashes in NFL Playoffs
9. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (7-5-1)
Last Week’s rank: 5
Points in poll: 144
Highest-place vote: Fifth
Lowest-place vote: 13th
Last week: Loss at Oakland, 24-21
Next week: vs. New England
10. HOUSTON TEXANS (9-4)
Last Week’s rank: 8
Points in poll: 133
Highest-place vote: Ninth (2)
Lowest-place vote: 14th
Last week: Loss vs. Indianapolis, 24-21
Next week: at N.Y. Jets (Saturday)
11. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (6-6-1)
Last Week’s rank: 9
Points in poll: 126
Highest-place vote: Ninth
Lowest-place vote: 17th
Last week: Loss at Seattle, 21-7
Next week: vs. Miami
12. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (6-7)
Last Week’s rank: 12
Points in poll: 118
Highest-place vote: 11th
Lowest-place vote: 17th
Last week: Loss at Dallas, 29-23 (OT)
Next week: at L.A. Rams
13. BALTIMORE RAVENS (7-6)
Last Week’s rank: 13
Points in poll: 117
Highest-place vote: 12th
Lowest-place vote: 14th (4)
Last week: Loss at Kansas City, 27-24 (OT)
Next week: vs. Tampa Bay
14. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (7-6)
Last Week’s rank: 15
Points in poll: 116
Highest-place vote: 10th
Lowest-place vote: 17th
Last week: Win at Houston, 24-21
Next week: vs. Dallas
15. TENNESSEE TITANS (7-6)
Last Week’s rank: 16
Points in poll: 113
Highest-place vote: 11th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 16th (3)
Last week: Win vs. Jacksonville, 30-9
Next week: at N.Y. Giants
16. MIAMI DOLPHINS (7-6)
Last Week’s rank: 20
Points in poll: 106
Highest-place vote: 12th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 18th (2)
Last week: Win vs. New England, 34-33
Next week: at Minnesota
ORR:Enjoy the Dolphins’ Game-Winning Lateral Play for All It’s Worth
17. GREEN BAY PACKERS (5-7-1)
Last Week’s rank: 18
Points in poll: 101
Highest-place vote: 11th
Lowest-place vote: 19th
Last week: Win vs. Atlanta, 34-20
Next week: at Chicago
18. CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-7)
Last Week’s rank: 14
Points in poll: 95
Highest-place vote: 13th
Lowest-place vote: 21st (2)
Last week: Loss at Cleveland, 26-20
Next week: vs. New Orleans (Monday)
19. CLEVELAND BROWNS (5-7-1)
Last Week’s rank: 26
Points in poll: 74
Highest-place vote: 19th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 23rd (2)
Last week: Win vs. Carolina, 26-20
Next week: at Denver (Saturday)
20. DENVER BRONCOS (6-7)
Last Week’s rank: 17
Points in poll: 73
Highest-place vote: 18th
Lowest-place vote: 24th
Last week: Loss at San Francisco, 20-14
Next week: vs. Cleveland (Saturday)
21. NEW YORK GIANTS (5-8)
Last Week’s rank: 24
Points in poll: 71
Highest-place vote: 18th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 26th
Last week: Win at Washington, 40-16
Next week: vs. Tennessee
22. ATLANTA FALCONS (4-9)
Last Week’s rank: 21
Points in poll: 64
Highest-place vote: 21st (2)
Lowest-place vote: 24th
Last week: Loss at Green Bay, 34-20
Next week: vs. Arizona
23. DETROIT LIONS (5-8)
Last Week’s rank: 23
Points in poll: 62
Highest-place vote: 20th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 27th (2)
Last week: Win at Arizona, 17-3
Next week: at Buffalo
24. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (5-8)
Last Week’s rank: 25
Points in poll: 61
Highest-place vote: 19th
Lowest-place vote: 25th (2)
Last week: Loss vs. New Orleans, 28-14
Next week: at Baltimore
25. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (4-9)
Last Week’s rank: 22
Points in poll: 48
Highest-place vote: 19th
Lowest-place vote: 28th (3)
Last week: Loss at Tennessee, 30-9
Next week: vs. Washington
26. NEW YORK JETS (4-9)
Last Week’s rank: 29
Points in poll: 39
Highest-place vote: 24th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 30th (2)
Last week: Win at Buffalo, 27-23
Next week: vs. Houston (Saturday)
T-27. BUFFALO BILLS (4-9)
Last Week’s rank: 27
Points in poll: 29
Highest-place vote: 26th
Lowest-place vote: 30th (2)
Last week: Loss vs. N.Y. Jets, 27-23
Next week: vs. Detroit
T-27. CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-8)
Last Week’s rank: 30
Points in poll: 29
Highest-place vote: 25th
Lowest-place vote: 31st (2)
Last week: Loss at L.A. Chargers, 26-21
Next week: vs. Oakland
29. OAKLAND RAIDERS (3-10)
Last Week’s rank: 31
Points in poll: 28
Highest-place vote: 26th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 31st (2)
Last week: Win vs. Pittsburgh, 24-21
Next week: at Cincinnati
BREER:The Gruden-McKenzie Relationship, and What Raiders Will Look for in Next GM
30. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-10)
Last Week’s rank: 32
Points in poll: 26
Highest-place vote: 25th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 32nd
Last week: Win vs. Denver, 20-14
Next week: vs. Seattle
31. WASHINGTON (6-7)
Last Week’s rank: 19
Points in poll: 24
Highest-place vote: 26th
Lowest-place vote: 32nd
Last week: Loss vs. N.Y. Giants, 40-16
Next week: at Jacksonville
JOSH JOHNSON FIRST-PERSON:There Are 32 NFL Starting Quarterbacks. Josh Johnson Is One of Them
32. ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-10)
Last Week’s rank: 28
Points in poll: 9
Highest-place vote: 30th
Lowest-place vote: 32nd (4)
Last week: Loss vs. Detroit, 17-3
Next week: at Atlanta
• Question or comment? Email us at talkback@themmqb.com.
