LOS ANGELES — After brutal losses by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Arizona Cardinals on Sunday, we have a shakeup in our latest Locked On NFL Power Rankings.
The Packers were able to sneak out of Baltimore with a one-point win, and are the first team to 11 wins, so they deservedly remained on top.
With the Chiefs, Rams and Colts picking up big wins this past week, they’re all on the move up our rankings.
This year, the Locked On Podcast Network and TEGNA sports departments have teamed up to vote weekly to rank all 32 NFL teams in our Locked On/TEGNA NFL Power Rankings.
Our local Locked On NFL hosts and TEGNA sports journalists ranked their 1-32 power rankings and the voting averages created the official power rankings.
Let’s get on to the rankings.
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1. Green Bay Packers
Ranking last week: 1
Last week result: 31-30 win over Ravens
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 1/1
The Packers are unanimously at the top of our Power Rankings after they got out of Baltimore with a tight 31-30 win as Baltimore failed another two-point conversion to win the game. With Tampa’s loss and major injuries, the Packers are asserting themselves as clear NFC favorites with wins already this year over the Rams and Cardinals.
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2. Kansas City Chiefs
Ranking last week: 3
Last week result: 34-28 win over Chargers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 2/3
Well, the Chiefs are right back where they started the year in our preseason power rankings. They were once 3-4, but are now 10-4 and now the favorite to win the AFC and the Super Bowl. They had another impressive win last Thursday against the Chargers in L.A. to jump the Bucs and get to 2.
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3. Los Angeles Rams
Ranking last week: 4
Last week result: 20-10 win over Seahawks
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 2/5
The Rams got to 10 wins on Tuesday after earning their third-straight win in a victory over the Seahawks. With Tampa’s major injuries on Sunday night, the Rams are now right behind the Packers as favorites to win the NFC. After the Cardinals lost to the Lions, they’re now just a half game out of the NFC West lead.
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4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ranking last week: 2
Last week result: 9-0 loss to Saints
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 3/7
The Tampa Bay Bucs suffered a shocking set back on their season on Sunday when they were shutout by the Saints and lost Chris Godwin, Leonard Fournette and Mike Evans in the process. You can’t count out Tom Brady, who will still have weapons in Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown, but their path to the Super Bowl just got much harder.
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5. Dallas Cowboys
Ranking last week: 7
Last week result: 21-6 win over Giants
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 4/7
The Dallas Cowboys quietly got to 10 wins on the year after an easy win over the Giants on Sunday. They play Washington next week before a home game against the Cardinals on Jan. 2, where we should learn a lot about both of those teams before the playoffs.
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6. Arizona Cardinals
Ranking last week: 5
Last week result: 30-12 loss to Lions
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 5/10
The Arizona Cardinals dropped their second straight game on Sunday in Detroit, with a stunning 30-12 loss. It was their first shot at clinching a playoff berth and they failed. Now they need to regroup and find a way to battle for the top spot in the NFC West with Indianapolis coming to town on Christmas before they head to Dallas in Week 17.
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7. Indianapolis Colts
Ranking last week: 10
Last week result: 27-17 win over Patriots
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 4/12
The Colts picked up a huge win over the Patriots on Sunday, who had come in on a 7-game heater. Indianapolis is trying to prove themselves down the stretch after a bad start and they’re doing a good job of it. Next, they’ll try to beat the Cardinals on Christmas.
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8. New England Patriots
Ranking last week: 6
Last week result: 27-17 loss to Colts
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 5/9
The streak had to end at some point. The Patriots had a tough time in Indianapolis, falling 27-17. You can argue they should be closer to 5 in the Power Rankings but you can argue that for pretty much any team 4 through 12 here. New England has proved themselves as a real AFC contender during their win streak and Saturday’s result doesn’t change that.
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9. Buffalo Bills
Ranking last week: 11
Last week result: 31-14 win over Panthers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 6/11
The Bills find themselves back in the top 10 after coasting to an easy win over the Panthers. Buffalo is right there with the Colts and Patriots as potential AFC contenders and let’s not forget they defeated the Chiefs earlier this year. This team is capable of making a run if they can put it all together.
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10. Los Angeles Chargers
Ranking last week: 8
Last week result: 34-28 win over Chiefs
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 6/14
The Chargers hold on to a spot in the top 10 after a tight loss against the Chiefs last Thursday. It really was a game they had a lot of chances to win. They came away with zero points after they were inside the five-yard line three different times in the game. The Chargers are a clear potential disruptor in the AFC contender conversation, but they still seem a tier below the Chiefs, Colts, Patriots and Bills.
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11. Tennessee Titans
Ranking last week: 9
Last week result: 19-13 loss to Steelers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 6/14
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12. San Francisco 49ers
Ranking last week: 12
Last week result: 31-13 win over Falcons
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 9/13
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13. Cincinnati Bengals
Ranking last week: 15
Last week result: 15-10 win over Broncos
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 10/16
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14. Baltimore Ravens
Ranking last week: 13
Last week result: 31-30 loss to Packers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 6/15
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15. Las Vegas Raiders
Ranking last week: 19
Last week result: 16-14 win over Browns
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 15/22
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16. Cleveland Browns
Ranking last week: 14
Last week result: 16-14 loss to Raiders
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 15/23
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17. Minnesota Vikings
Ranking last week: 18
Last week result: 17-9 win over Bears
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 13/23
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18. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ranking last week: 20
Last week result: 19-13 win over Titans
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 15/22
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19. Philadelphia Eagles
Ranking last week: 21
Last week result: 27-17 win over WFT
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 15/23
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20. Denver Broncos
Ranking last week: 17
Last week result: 15-10 loss to Bengals
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 17/23
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21. Miami Dolphins
Ranking last week: 22
Last week result: 31-24 win over Jets
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 13/23
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22. New Orleans Saints
Ranking last week: 23
Last week result: 9-0 win over Bucs
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 14/23
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23. Washington Football Team
Ranking last week: 16
Last week result: 27-17 loss to Eagles
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 16/25
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24. Seattle Seahawks
Ranking last week: 24
Last week result: 20-10 loss to Rams
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 23/26
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25. Atlanta Falcons
Ranking last week: 25
Last week result: 31-13 loss to 49ers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 20/27
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26. Carolina Panthers
Ranking last week: 26
Last week result: 31-14 loss to Bills
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 25/27
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27. Chicago Bears
Ranking last week: 28
Last week result: 17-9 loss to Vikings
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 27/30
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28. Detroit Lions
Ranking last week: 30
Last week result: 30-12 win over Cardinals
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 27/30
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29. New York Giants
Ranking last week: 27
Last week result: 21-6 loss to Cowboys
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 27/30
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30. New York Jets
Ranking last week: 29
Last week result: 31-24 loss to Dolphins
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 29/31
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31. Houston Texans
Ranking last week: 32
Last week result: 30-16 win over Jaguars
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 30/32
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32. Jacksonville Jaguars
Ranking last week: 31
Last week result: 30-16 loss to Texans
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 31/32
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