- The Los Angeles Rams remain at the top of the power rankings after winning five consecutive games.
- Denver’s defense is on pace to set a single-season sack record, while Philadelphia’s defense has held top offenses to single-digit points in recent weeks.
- The Tennessee Titans are the first team eliminated from divisional championship contention this season.
NFL power rankings entering Week 12 of the 2025 season (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Los Angeles Rams (1): How good has a team that’s won five in a row been lately? LA hasn’t trailed since Week 6. One underappreciated aspect of this squad? How about an offensive line that’s allowed just 14 sacks − and QB Matthew Stafford doesn’t exactly give up on plays. The biggest question right now might be how much they’re going to keep those ‘Midnight Mode’ uniforms in the rotation next year.
2. New England Patriots (3): Their league-leading nine victories are already more than they won the last two seasons … combined. And with the AFC’s easiest remaining schedule on the way out, quite conceivable that the Pats get to 13 or 14 wins.
6. Buffalo Bills (7): Six from seven? Anyone? It’s no surprise this team goes as QB Josh Allen goes, and he was epic Sunday against the Bucs. But hard to envision the Bills, who have only one more home game before Christmas, catching the Pats for the AFC East lead.
10. Detroit Lions (9): They’ve alternated wins and losses over the past six games, their inconsistency currently leaving them outside of the NFC playoff field. But it’s time to go on a tear at Ford Field for a team that doesn’t play on the road again until Dec. 14.
15. San Francisco 49ers (15): And that’s why any talk that QB2 Mac Jones should be installed as the permanent starter over Brock Purdy − for any period of time − was simply nonsense. Jones did his job, and so did Purdy, whose return coincided with the Niners climbing into the NFC’s projected playoff field.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers (17): Humongous TE Darnell Washington (6-7, allegedly 264 pounds) is most definitely one of the league’s most remarkable athletes. This offense could need him more than ever, whatever capacity that might be, if it has to navigate any period of time without injured QB Aaron Rodgers.
20. Minnesota Vikings (19): A team with a sputtering offense and a shaky quarterback is charged with getting back on track at Lambeau and Lumen Fields over the next two weeks. Yikes.
22. Dallas Cowboys (23): It was doubtless a blessing that their emotional return to work occurred against the Raiders … because the next two weeks serve up last season’s Super Bowl teams.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (21): This team, man. Cincy probably wasn’t going to beat New England on Sunday anyway, but to lose its best player in a spitting incident at a time when the Stripes really can’t afford a loss … is so Bengals.
24. Cleveland Browns (25): Let’s hope rookie Shedeur Sanders was taking copious notes Monday night as Dak Prescott dissected the Raiders, Cleveland’s next opponent.
25. Miami Dolphins (26): They sure were feeling themselves Sunday in Spain after Mike McDaniel and Co. did just about everything possible to hand the depleted Commanders a win.
27. Washington Commanders (24): Now 3-8 and in 14th place overall in the NFC, their next game is against the Broncos in Week 13 − and would they (or should they?) really consider putting QB Jayden Daniels, if he’s ‘healthy,’ back on the field against that aforementioned ferocious Denver pass rush given the circumstances?
29. New York Jets (29): That Tyrod Taylor-to-AD Mitchell connection is going to be magical. Trust the process.
30. New York Giants (30): Cam Skattebo − injured Cam Skattebo − engaging in pushing and shoving at a WWE event? Sure, seems like a good idea.
