LOS ANGELES — Locked On NFL’s Week 17 Power Rankings feature an identical top five to last week’s top five after the Packers, Chiefs, Rams, Bucs and Cowboys all came away with wins.
While the Packers and Rams were able to escape with narrow wins, the Chiefs, Bucs and Cowboys all stepped on the throats of their opponents this week as we near the playoffs.
All five teams have clinched spots in the playoffs.
Elsewhere, we had the Cincinnati Bengals jump back into the top 10 after an offensive explosion against the Ravens to move to 9-6 on the year. The Colts are all the way up to six after they started the season 1-4. And, the Arizona Cardinals have dropped out of the top 10 after a three-game losing streak.
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: 24-22 win over Browns
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 1/2
The Packers allowed the Browns back in the game on Christmas Day but Green Bay was able to take care of business. They have the best record in the NFL as they aim to hold on to the top seed in the NFC heading into the playoffs.
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2. Kansas City Chiefs
Ranking last week: 2
Last week result: 36-10 win over Steelers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 1/6
The Chiefs absolutely rolled over the Steelers on Sunday to earn their eighth-straight win. They have a huge game on Sunday in Cincinnati as they look for No. 9 and try to hold on to the No. 1 seed in the AFC over the next two weeks.
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3. Los Angeles Rams
Ranking last week: 3
Last week result: 30-23 win over Vikings
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 3/7
Matthew Stafford looked shaky, but the Rams were able to go into Minnesota and come out with the win 30-23. It’s L.A.’s fourth-straight and they are now at the top of the NFC West after Arizona’s meltdown over the past few weeks. The Rams have a tough finish in Baltimore and then they face San Francisco in a rematch.
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4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Ranking last week: 4
Last week result: 32-6 win over Panthers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 2/7
The Tampa Bay Bucs were missing Fournette, Evans and Godwin but it was no problem on Sunday as they dominated the Panthers. They have an easy finish against the Jets and Panthers and have a shot at that NFC 1-seed.
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5. Dallas Cowboys
Ranking last week: 5
Last week result: 56-14 win over Washington
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 3/5
The Dallas Cowboys looked really good Sunday night against the Washington Football Team. They led 42-7 at halftime as the offense and defense was nearly perfect. Things are coming together for the Cowboys, who haven’t lost since Thanksgiving. But two of those wins were against Washington, another against the Giants and another against a banged up Saints team. But, the Cowboys will get a chance to warm up for the playoffs over the next two weeks against the Cardinals and Eagles.
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6. Indianapolis Colts
Ranking last week: 7
Last week result: 22-16 win over Cardinals
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 4/9
The Colts just keep picking up big win after big win. After they defeated the Patriots last week, they went into Arizona this past weekend without Quenton Nelson and without Darius Leonard and still got it done, moving to 9-6 on the year and continuing to insert themselves in contender talk.
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7. Buffalo Bills
Ranking last week: 9
Last week result: 33-21 win over Patriots
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 4/8
The Bills looked really good on Sunday against the Patriots as they got revenge on their AFC East rival and reclaimed the top spot in the division for now. The Bills will be looking to tune up their game the next two weeks against the Falcons and Jets heading into the playoffs.
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8. Tennessee Titans
Ranking last week: 11
Last week result: 20-17 win over 49ers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 7/14
Tennessee’s Thursday night win over the 49ers was massive. It keeps them basically two games ahead of the Colts for the AFC South with two games to play and gives them the two-seed in the AFC for now. Another tough test for the Titans next week against the red hot Miami Dolphins.
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9. New England Patriots
Ranking last week: 8
Last week result: 33-21 loss to Bills
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 8/11
For the second-straight week, the Patriots just did not look very good as they lost to the Bills at home. Mac Jones is showing his age a bit late in the season and you wonder if that will carry into the playoffs. New England gets Jacksonville this week before a big closing game in Miami.
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10. Cincinnati Bengals
Ranking last week: 15
Last week result: 41-21 win over Ravens
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 6/12
The Bengals jump up three spots this week after an offensive showcase on Sunday against the Ravens. Joe Burrow threw for over 500 yards as Tee Higgins, Tyler Boyd and Ja’Marr Chase all shined. The Bengals offense could steal a game in the playoffs. They’ll have a chance to prove that early this week against the Chiefs.
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11. Arizona Cardinals
Ranking last week: 6
Last week result: 22-16 loss to Colts
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 8/12
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12. Los Angeles Chargers
Ranking last week: 10
Last week result: 41-29 loss to Texans
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 12/14
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13. San Francisco 49ers
Ranking last week: 12
Last week result: 20-17 loss to Titans
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 10/15
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14. Baltimore Ravens
Ranking last week: 14
Last week result: 41-21 loss to Bengals
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 11/16
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15. Las Vegas Raiders
Ranking last week: 15
Last week result: 17-13 win over Broncos
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 12/20
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16. Miami Dolphins
Ranking last week: 21
Last week result: 20-3 win over Saints
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 13/18
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17. Philadelphia Eagles
Ranking last week: 19
Last week result: 34-10 win over Giants
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 15/19
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18. Cleveland Browns
Ranking last week: 16
Last week result: 24-22 loss to Packers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 13/20
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19. Minnesota Vikings
Ranking last week: 17
Last week result: 30-23 loss to Rams
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 16/21
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20. Pittsburgh Steelers
Ranking last week: 18
Last week result: 36-10 loss to Chiefs
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 18/21
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21. Denver Broncos
Ranking last week: 20
Last week result: 17-13 loss to Raiders
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 20/23
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22. Atlanta Falcons
Ranking last week: 25
Last week result: 20-16 win over Lions
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 20/25
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23. New Orleans Saints
Ranking last week: 22
Last week result: 20-3 loss to Dolphins
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 21/26
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24. Washington Football Team
Ranking last week: 23
Last week result: 56-14 loss to Cowboys
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 22/25
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25. Chicago Bears
Ranking last week: 27
Last week result: 25-24 win over Seahawks
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 24/27
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26. Seattle Seahawks
Ranking last week: 24
Last week result: 25-24 loss to Bears
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 23/28
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27. Carolina Panthers
Ranking last week: 26
Last week result: 32-6 loss to Bucs
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 26/30
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28. New York Jets
Ranking last week: 30
Last week result: 26-21 win over Jaguars
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 27/31
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29. Houston Texans
Ranking last week: 31
Last week result: 41-29 win over Chargers
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 27/31
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30. Detroit Lions
Ranking last week: 28
Last week result: 20-16 loss to Falcons
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 28/30
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31. New York Giants
Ranking last week: 29
Last week result: 34-10 loss to Eagles
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 30/31
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32. Jacksonville Jaguars
Ranking last week: 32
Last week result: 26-21 loss to Jets
Highest/lowest vote in power rankings poll: 32/32
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