The NFL power rankings for Week 17 have arrived and while the New Orleans Saints hold the NFL’s best record, it is a trio of 9-6 teams that seem to be peaking at the right time - and have the potential to be a higher seed's nightmare in a first-round postseason matchup.
Titans, Seahawks and Colts, oh my!
One month ago, not many experts would have guessed that the Seattle Seahawks, Indianapolis Colts and Tennessee Titans would all be heading into the final regular season game as three of the hottest teams in the league, but they are!
According to a CBS Sports report, the Titans won their fourth game in a row - and sixth in their last eight, when they defeated the Washington Redskins 25-16 on Saturday to keep their postseason hopes alive.
The Titans can sneak into the playoffs if they can defeat another red-hot 9-6 squad, the division rival Indianapolis Colts.
The Colts beat the NY Giants in dramatic come from behind fashion by the final score of 28-27. The win was Indy’s eighth in their last nine games and it set up a huge win or go home scenario in Week 17 against the Titans.
The final 9-6 team that deserves a tip of the cap is the Seattle Seahawks. Winners of five of their last six outings, the Seahawks knocked off Kansas City 38-31 on Sunday night football to keep hope alive in their quest to make the postseason and another run at a Super Bowl crown. A loss would have put Seattle at 8-7 instead of 9-6 and opened the door that much wider for the Philadelphia Eagles to sneak in.
At 8-7, the defending champion Eagles still have life, but they need to win next week and get a bit of help along the way.
Oh, by the way, those 9-6 Baltimore Ravens deserve props as well. Winners of five of their last six, the Ravens are poised to snatch the AFC North crown next week when they host the Cleveland Browns.
The rankings
The Steelers, Texans, and Chiefs continue to slide a bit, while the Patriots and Bears continue their climb towards the top.
1. New Orleans Saints
2. New England Patriots
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Chicago Bears
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Kansas City Chiefs
7. Houston Texans
8. Seattle Seahawks
9. Indianapolis Colts
10. Tennessee Titans
11.
Baltimore Ravens
12. Dallas Cowboys
13. Pittsburgh Steelers
14. Minnesota Vikings
15. Philadelphia Eagles
16. Cleveland Browns
17. Miami Dolphins
18. Washington Redskins
19. Denver Broncos
20. Carolina Panthers
21. Green Bay Packers
22. New York Giants
23.Tampa Bay Bucs
24. Cincinnati Bengals
25. Buffalo Bills
26. Detroit Lions
27. Jacksonville Jags
28. Atlanta Falcons
29. San Francisco 49ers
30. Oakland Raiders
31. NY Jets
32. Arizona Cardinals