Adel's Red Zone Power Rankings + Bonus Prop Rankings
Season 83 - Week 16
We are almost to the end of the regular season, so it's time to refresh the Power Rankings. Let's see how big the shakeup has been!
#32 - Las Vegas Raiders (2-12) (Last Week - #31)
The Raiders are pathetic in more ways than one, currently trotting out a miserable defense, a turnover prone offense, and a suddenly suspect special teams. The Raiders blew a winnable game against Minnesota, and lost to the Chargers by a touchdown. Accusations of tanking have been thrown around, but I don't believe a proud owner like Adam would do something like this. Could you imagine if he was trying to play the game normally, and some of the users we have in here are so shit at the game (which is mind boggling), he literally has to let them win or he'll beat them by 20+? If that happens, he wouldn't get a top pick and his entire plan for the future of his team would go to shit. Sure, that strategy would be lame (hypothetical strategy of course), but his original strategy of starting a low overall quarterback and trading away his best player wasn't working. Remember, purely hypothetical.
#31 - Los Angeles Rams (1-14) (Last Week - #32)
Rejoice Rams fans!! The first victory for Coach Baker was secured in stunning fashion over the Washington Commanders, and despite still being on the fast track for the first overall pick, I'm bumping them up a spot due to their play as of late, and the integrity of the coaching staff as they remain competitive despite being out of a playoff spot. Don't take that as an assumption that I'm calling out the Raiders lack of integrity!! Remember, that scenario was PURELY HYPOTHETICAL.
Now, to the Rams. As I mentioned above, they are playing a lot better as of late. they should have knocked off the Browns back in Week 13, and had a close call with Seattle in Week 11. With a new coaching staff comes growing pains, and this roster has plenty of holes. The Rams unfortunately came crashing back to earth this week with a 28-0 loss to the Saints, showing how much work needs to be done. The Rams need playmakers at running back, wide receiver, and need help up front for protection. A very important offseason looms.
#30 - Denver Broncos (2-12) (Last Week - #29)
It's been a pretty rough few weeks for Denver, being blown out three of their last five, including a 14 point loss to the 4 win Houston Texans. Russell Wilson has 22 touchdowns to 28 interceptions, and is barely completing 50% of his passes, leading the way for the worst scoring offense in terms of points per game. Defensively it isn't much better, as the lone bright spot is safety Justin Simmons who is flirting with Red Zone history with 15 interceptions with four games to play. Denver is an aging team that is clearly among the worst in the AFC, and I wouldn't be surprised to see wholesale changes on both sides of the ball this offseason.
#29 - Houston Texans (4-10) (Last Week - #28)
C.J. Stroud is on a collision course with Mount Regression, sitting at 21 interceptions with 3 games to play. The Texans coaching staff needs to avoid Stroud hitting regression before the end of this season, as it would only add insult to injury to their extremely disappointing Season 83. Justin Jefferson certainly lived up to expectations for Houston following the big trade for his services, but C.J. Stroud was still wildly inconsistent despite his presence, and a big part of that is his protection. In his last four games, Stroud was sacked 20 times. The Texans need to find a way to improve around their young franchise quarterback this offseason.
#28 - Green Bay Packers (4-11) (Last Week - #24)
Unfortunately, COVID hit Green Bay and their team was coached by Nick Caiello for the last few weeks, and they've gone 0-6 since. Coach Gerry has returned for the final 3 games of the year, and these will serve as games to prepare for next season and see what this roster has going forward. I will be very interested to see if the Packers go forward with Jordan Love as quarterback again, as the signal caller currently sits at 18 touchdowns to 22 interceptions, and just 3200 passing yards. Coach Gerry appears to be a run-first style of coach, so continuing to beef up the offensive line could prove to pay dividends next season.
Week 16 Edit: In Coach Gerry's return, the Packers were blown out on the road by the Panthers, seeing Jordan Love complete 41% of his passes with 0 touchdowns. The pass game simply isn't working in Green Bay, despite the intriguing young weapons of Christian Watson and Romeo Doubs. Green Bay has a massive decision to make this offseason at quarterback.
#27 - Dallas Cowboys (4-10) (Last Week - #30)
Dallas has been playing better in the back half of the season, recently winning back to back over Seattle and Philadelphia, then a 3 point loss to the Bills. The Cowboys have found a balance on offense between Dak Prescott and the ground game, but turn the ball over too much to take advantage of the talent on that side of the ball. Defensively, they rank in the bottom of the league in almost all yardage categories. I'm encouraged by the play as of late, hoping that this young coaching staff can carry their momentum into Season 84.
#26 - Carolina Panthers (4-10-1) (Last Week - #27)
The Panthers managed a big win over the Colts way back in Week 9, but since then they have gone 1-3-1, including 3 losses by 20 or more points. The offense has been their achilles heel all year long, currently ranking as the worst passing attack in Red Zone. I could see the Panthers aggresively attacking the wide receiver position and tight end position this offseason, as the current top receiver on roster is Jonathan Mingo with 591 yards and 5 touchdowns. The Panthers lack a difference maker since the loss of D.J. Moore, they need to upgrade the weapons around Bryce Young.
Week 16 Edit: Bryce Young suffered an abdominal tear, and is out for the year. Andy Dalton lead the Panthers to a very efficient victory over the Packers in Week 16, improving the Panthers to 4-10-1. Most of my thoughts ring true here, the Panthers still need help for Bryce Young, both weapons and protection.
#25 - Atlanta Falcons (4-9) (Last Week - #23)
After two impresive wins against Minnesota and Arizona to get to 4-6, the Falcons have lost three straight to the Saints, Jets, and Buccaneers, ending their playoff hopes. There are some bright spots going forward for Coach Greg, most notably on the offensive side. Tight end Kyle Pitts finally broke out, hitting 1000 yards on the season, while wideouts Drake London and Treylon Burks have performed well despite the deficienes at quarterback. Bijan Robinson has had a disappointing rookie season, but most of that lack of production came from a suspension earlier in the year. I think the Falcons need to aggresively pursue an upgrade at quarterback. Ridder is a below average player, and is holding this offense back.
#24 - Miami Dolphins (5-9) (Last Week - #22)
It's certainly been an up and down season for Miami, just look at this past month. 1-3, with an impressive win over Washington, then handled twice by the Jets and then the Titans. I'm surprised at how outclassed the Dolphins have been by the upper-echelon AFC teams, going winless in the conference against AFC teams with a winning record. Surprisingly, the defense has been the strength of this team, sitting at average to above-average in most categories, while the offense has sputtered all year long. Tua Tagovailoa has been decent, but simply hasn't gotten the ball to his superstar wideouts in Hill and Waddle enough. Combined, the duo has less than 100 touches through 14 games. Big bright spot going forward is rookie running back De'Von Achane, who is approaching a 1000 yard season. Going into next year, I want to see Coach Spencer dive into his offense, and find ways to spread the ball around more to his playmakers.
#23 - Seattle Seahawks (5-9) (Last Week - #20)
A sad, yet predictable, fall from grace for our beloved Longville and his Seahawks, who were as high as 10 in these power rankings earlier in the season. So what happened? In their last 7 games, they have gone 1-6, and in those games we have seen very inconsistent offensive performances. I tip my cap to them for the way they've guided Malik Willis since trading for him, but he certainly regressed in the back half of the year. In those aforementioned 7 games, Willis threw for 8 touchdowns, 9 interceptions, and in 5 of those games had 132 passing yards or less. Compared to the beginning of the year, this is a huge falloff. The Seahawks need to continue to build around their athletic quarterback, starting with their offensive line.
#22 - New England Patriots (5-9) (Last Week - #26)
I normally don't bump teams up that are on an 8 game losing streak, but I'm grading this purely off the Coach Kad era, compared to the inept teams behind him. Yes, he is winless, but he is definitely competing with the opposition more than some of the teams in the low-20's, with close losses to the Giants, Chargers, Commanders, and Chiefs. Coach Kad has shown that he can run the football with his tandem of Rhamondre Stevenson and Ezekiel Elliott, so that is the foundation for an effective offense. The Patriots need to make a decision on Mac Jones, and need to find weapons on the outside for whoever is playing quarterback. The wide receiver room is lackluster, with the top player being JuJu Smith-Schuster topping out at 600 yards. Lots of work to be done, but I like what Kad is doing with a bad situation.
#21 - Baltimore Ravens (5-9) (Last Week - #25)
A blowout loss to the Jaguars this week shows how far the Ravens have to go to become a contender in the AFC, although Coach Jim is playing better with Lamar Jackson as of late. In Jackson's last 6 games, he has thrown 13 touchdowns, 4 interceptions, and has rushed for 200 yards on top of it. The staple of Jim's coaching style, his defense, has let them down in the back half of the year. In their last 4 losses, the Ravens have allowed 30+ in all of those games. Getting more talent in the front seven will be necessary for the Ravens defense to take a step next year.
#20 - Pittsburgh Steelers (7-8) (Last Week - #15)
A five game win streak saw the Steelers push themselves back into the wild card mix in the AFC, but a 35-20 loss to the Colts sends them back to the outside looking in. The play of Kenny Pickett has improved dramatically during the last two months, as the young quarterback has thrown for 11 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, and over 250 yards four times. That is very encouraging for the Steelers going forward, even if they miss out on the playoffs. Defensively, we have seen flashes from the younger players as well, especially rookie cornerback Joey Porter Jr, who leads the team in interceptions with 6. Can the Steelers rebound from a tough loss, and knock off the Bengals for a second time this year? A loss would almost certainly guarantee missing the postseason.
Week 16 Edit: Unfortunately the Steelers weren't able to knock off the Bengals for a second time, pushing them to 7-8, and now in the thick of a very difficult wild card race against Buffalo, Cleveland, and the Colts. Despite the loss, another very encouraging performance for Kenny Pickett against the Bengals, throwing for 337 yards and 2 scores, but had two crucial interceptions. A big question heading into next season is the run game, as Najee Harris simply hasn't produced like the Steelers envisioned. He has failed to hit 100 yards since Week 10, and has only done that twice in Season 83. Upgrading their interior offensive line should help him out.
#19 - Philadelphia Eagles (7-7) (Last Week - #13)
Despite all the ups and downs of this tumultuous season for the Eagles and Coach Blueprint, they control their own destiny heading into the final three games of the year. Games against the Giants twice, and the Cardinals await, and winning those would send Philadelphia into a wild card spot. Their play as of late shows that they are trending the right way, with wins over Buffalo, San Francisco, and Seattle. The pass defense is really improving, as the unit has entered the top ten, which should be no surprise since they added Xavien Howard and Jamal Adams this offseason. Somehow the Eagles are in the mix, now we will wait and see what they do with the opportunity.
#18 - Minnesota Vikings (7-7) (Last Week - #12)
Coach L2D was unfortunately hospitalized due to an ice cream truck accident in Week 15, and interim head coach Cragfox failed to knock off the surging Bengals, sending the Vikings back to .500, which is seemingly the story of their season. The Vikings are one of the streakiest teams in Red Zone, starting 2-2, losing 2, winning 2, losing 2...you get the picture. Funny enough, they completely control their playoff destiny. Their final three games are against NFC North opponents, as they place the Lions twice, then play the Packers at home. Kirk Cousins, with all of his flaws, has been very efficient under this coaching staff. With 26 touchdowns to just 9 interceptions, we have seen an offense that has developed into more of a spread attack, with the athletic group of receivers they've assembled since the departure of Justin Jefferson. I like the Vikings' chances to make a run here in the final stretch and punch a playoff ticket.
#17 - San Francisco 49ers (8-6) (Last Week - #11)
One of the biggest disappointments in the back half of Season 83 has been the 49ers. After a hot start of 5-1, the 49ers have gone 3-5 since, all of those losses coming to teams that are sitting in playoff spots, or hunting for a wild card. Yes, injuries have hurt them, but this team is simply too talented to be flirting with .500, and way too talented to be swept by the Arizona Cardinals. Week 15 was the low point of the season, with a 27-6 loss to Arizona, that saw the offense muster zero touchdowns against a poor Arizona defense. A favorable remaining three games should catapult the 49ers into the playoffs, but I am very concerned with this team's chances.
#16 - Arizona Cardinals (7-8) (Last Week - #17)
The Cardinals season just completely changed, when everything seemed to be going in the right direction. After clawing back to 7-7 with a massive win over the 49ers in Week 15, the Cardinals lost 27-20 to the Bears, but more importanly lost quarterback Kyler Murray to broken arm. He could possibly make a return by the end of the season, but it is going to be a very tall task for backup Clayton Tune to right the ship. Arizona is now chasing New Orleans, Washington, Detroit, Minnesota, and Philadelphia, so their chances may have just evaporated. Despite this disappointment, the season should not be viewed as one. JP did a fantastic job with a very poor roster, and guided Kyler Murray into the MVP conversation. Coach of the Year votes should definitely be considered after this performance.
#15 - Detroit Lions (7-7) (Last Week - #21)
Detroit is one of the most inconsistent teams this season, showing they are capable of competing with any team, and capable of playing down to any level of competition. Case in point, they have a 3 point loss to the superior Chicago Bears, a week after losing by 10 to the equally inconsistent New Orleans Saints. Defensively I'm very impressed with what Coach Robo has done, especially with the rush defense. The young pieces on defense contributed immediately, especially saferty Brian Branch and linebacker Jack Campbell. If the Lions can get an improved third season from Aidan Hutchinson, this defense is going places. Offensively, the pass game was wildly inconsistent and certainly a letdown. Amon-Ra St. Brown is on pace to fall short of 1000 yards, and Jared Goff is sitting at 2700 yards with 3 games to go. They should devote this offseason to adding a more downfield passing attack element to their offense.
#14 - Indianapolis Colts (7-7) (Last Week - #18)
The Colts floundered into a tough wild card chase after going 0-3 in a tough stretch, but managed to bounce back against Pittsburgh last week. The Colts have a very favorable last three games against Atlanta, Vegas, and Houston to end things, setting them up for a potential 10-7 finish and wild card spot, but I'm concerned about their ability to perform come playoff time if they do make it. Their pass defense has regressed dramatically, currently sitting in the bottom five in Red Zone, while the passing offense has dropped off as well. Too much pressure sits on the shoulders of Anthony Richardson, and while he has certainly performed, they lack explosive weapons in the pass game to help him out. Any sort of playoff run will rely on the legs of Richardson and Taylor.
#13 - Washington Commanders (8-6) (Last Week - #9)
A shocking loss to the previously winless Rams sends the Commanders into wild card territory, as opposed to the NFC East champions, as they trail the Giants by two games, and were swept by them. The Commanders have a tough end to their season, with games against the Jets and 49ers, so this was not an ideal time for a slump. In their last four games they are 1-3, including back to back losses to the Dolphins and the aforementioned Rams. Sam Howell has played a big part in this, accounting for 8 interceptions in the last four games. Coach Eikim needs to get back to his run game and stout defense if he wants to avoid squandering this season.
#12 - Jacksonville Jaguars (10-5) (Last Week - #5)
Jacksonville falls to Tampa Bay in embarrassing fashion 41-10, sending them on a freefall in the rankings. Listen, the Jaguars obviously have a good record and will be a playoff team in the AFC, but there is definitely some smoke and mirrors with this team. In their last 6 games, they are 3-3, with wins over Houston, Cincinnati (which is a good win), and Baltimore. Their losses are to Tennessee, Cleveland, and Tampa Bay, all of whom are playoff teams, and all of those games were by 10+ or more. The track record of Jacksonville is that they can't compete with the upper tier playoff teams, and that has been proven time and time again this season. Trevor Lawrence is likely to win MVP due to a 46 touchdown season, but I don't forsee a deep run come playoff time.
#11 - Cleveland Browns (8-6) (Last Week - #19)
How about the Browns! I have been crapping on the Browns all season long, and they have been on a 4 game tear, launching themselves into the driver's seat for a playoff spot. I wasn't a believer in them even at 6-6, with wins over Denver and the Rams, but knocking off the Jaguars and Bears back to back certainly made me pay attention. Coach Kelly has Deshaun Watson playing his best football at the right time, throwing 11 touchdowns and only 3 interceptions on their 4 game win streak. Balance has been key for the offense as well, with Nick Chubb rushing for 300 yards in those wins. The Browns are very talented, and seem to be finding a groove. I am very intrigued to see how they do in their final 3, with tough games remaining against the Jets and Bengals.
#10 - Chicago Bears (9-6) (Last Week - #10)
Chicago has gone 2-2 in their last four, but remain in the front of the NFC North race, albeit by just one game. Lucky for them, their final stretch includes games against inferior opponents Atlanta and Green Bay, so I'm going to go ahead and pencil them in for a home playoff game. Coach Astin is doing is job very well this season, and getting some elite level play out of a talent-deficient roster. The Bears offense currently ranks top ten in passing, and the defense is top five in almost all categories. The return of D.J. Moore has done wonders for Justin Fields, as he has topped 100 yards in 5 of his 7 games since recovering from his early season injury. With a true #1 wide receiver, and a very well coached defense, the Bears are going to be a tough out in the postseason.
#9 - New Orleans Saints (8-6-1) (Last Week - #16)
I feel vindicated for the Saints recent surge, as I was a believer in them despite their 1-4 start. They have gone 5-0-1 in their last 6 games, including wins over the Giants, Bears, Vikings, and Lions, all impressive wins in their own right. The Saints are doing it in classic Glenn fashion, through the air. Derek Carr is second in Red Zone in passing yards, and breakout star tight end Juwan Johnson ranks 6th in Red Zone in receiving yards with 1182. Defensively they have improved as well, currently sitting at 2nd in rush defense, and above average in total yardage and points. Glenn is a very talented offensive coach, but the risk of turnovers is always there. They have a great opportunity to secure a wild card spot with games against the Rams and Falcons to end the year.
Week 16 Edit: And the Saints improve their white hot run to 6-0-1 with a 28-0 beatdown over the hapless Rams. Derek Carr throws 3 touchdowns, and the Saints defense sacks Matthew Stafford 7 times. The Saints are firing on all cylinders right now, and it couldn't have come at a better time. The Saints have no shot at a division title, but they are right in the thick of a top wild card spot.
#8 - Buffalo Bills (9-5) (Last Week - #6)
Shaky few weeks for the Bills, dropping a pair of games to Philadelphia and Kansas City, then squeaking out a home victory over the Dallas Cowboys to stay in the hunt for the AFC East crown. Coach BM knows that this team will go as far as Josh Allen can take them, and this three game stretch embodies the inconsistencies of the star quarterback. Allen has thrown for 5 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, and has taken 12 sacks in that 1-2 stretch. What is more concerning, is that in two of those games, Allen completed 50% of his passes. Thankfully the Bills have a stingy defense, holding opponents to just 22 points a game, but how long will that hold up if these turnoverrs continue? A very tough contest against a hot Chargers team will tell us a lot about Buffalo's playoff hopes.
#7 - Cincinnati Bengals (10-5) (Last Week - #14)
The Bengals started to have doubters after a 2-4 stretch in the middle of the season, but have silenced any with a 3-0 run to take a hold on the AFC North. It should be no surprise that the Bengals live and die by their elite quarterback Joe Burrow. In games where Burrow throws 1 interception, the Bengals are 0-2. Seems to be a pretty simple formula for opposing defenses, right? Well good luck, because Burrow has only thrown 4 interceptions on the season. Give Pat credit, he has found a formula that works, and one that protects the football very well. The Bengals are already in playoff mode, with back to back games against the Chiefs and Browns to end the regular season.
#6 - New York Jets (10-4) (Last Week - #6)
Despite the hate that the Jets get for their lack of statistical success, they just keep winning games, currently on a 4 game heater that has them in the lead for the AFC East. Yes, the games have been against teams that in the bottom ten of these rankings, but all of the wins have been in convincing fashion, as they should be for a team in our top ten. The defense has been fantastic as of late, currently ranking as the top pass defense, and the fourth best scoring defense in Red Zone. A lot of this has been in part to their pass rush, as the duo of Quinnen Williams and John Franklin-Myers have combined for 21.5 sacks. There are elite playmakers at every level of this defense that can make any offense pay, and with such a loaded offense on paper, this team will be very difficult to scheme around in January.
#5 - New York Giants (10-4) (Last Week - #4)
Despite a 2 point loss to the Saints last week, the Giants remain in the top five. In that loss, we saw some cracks in the formula that has been so good for the Giants; great run defense, efficient offense, and Saquon Barkley domination. The Saints managed to rush for over 150 yards, the Giants completed 47% of throwns and had 2 interceptions, and Saquon Barkley missed time due to injury. Barkley is thankfully on track to return come playoff time, so hopefully he can shake the rust off early on for the Giants. It is concerning though, to see how stagnant the Giants offense became when he misses time. A tough matchup this week with a desperate Eagles team is a great opportunity for Daniel Jones and this pass offense to show up.
#4 - Los Angeles Chargers (11-3) (Last Week - #8)
After a concerning 1-3 month way back in the middle of the season, the Chargers have found their footing and have rattled off 5 straight victories, currently holding the top wild card spot in the AFC. There is no doubt that they are one of the most talented and well coached teams in Red Zone, but I want to see this level of recent dominance carry against the two good opponents remaining on their schedule, Buffalo and Kansas City. The W/L record of the five teams they've beaten is a combined 18-53, so I'm not that impressed with this track record. Give Coach Ram credit, he has gotten his star quarterback on the right track. In that aforementioned 1-3 run, Herbert had 6 touchdowns and 8 interceptions. In this 5-0 run, he has thrown 18 touchdowns and just 1 interception. If Herbert keeps this up in the final three games, watch out for the Chargers.
#3 - Tennessee Titans (11-3) (Last Week - #3)
The Titans stay at 3, currently on a 5-0 stretch run, and currently pulling into a 1.5 game lead on the AFC South. This is a classic Mike Mojica coaching job, as the defense has improved to top ten in all statistical categories, and the run game has entered top five. The only weakness of this team has been inconsistencies from their young quarterback Will Levis, but that is to be expected. He had a tough game last week against Houston, throwing for just 172 yards and 0 touchdowns, and was sacked 5 times. The balance of this offense shined through though, as Derrick Henry and Tyjae Spears combined for 150 yards and 1 touchdown to lead Tennessee to the win. The Titans have an elite run game, and a passing offense with great weapons in Marquise Brown and DeAndre Hopkins. This is going to be a very tough out in the postseason.
#2 - Kansas City Chiefs (13-1) (Last Week - #2)
The Chiefs haven't lost since Week 4, and despite losing Patrick Mahomes for the remainder of the regular season, are one win away from securing homefield advantage throughout the AFC playoffs. In their 10 game win streak, they have scored under 30 points just one time, and have scored 40 points 3 times. This offense has found a rhythm, and already has three receivers top 1000 yards, and two receivers are on pace for 100 receptions. Defensively, they rank top ten in all categories, so they have been able to get more opportunities for the elite offense. The obvious weakness of the team has been pass protection, as Patrick Mahomes is the most sacked quarterback in Red Zone. They have shown if they are able to get time for their quarterback, they are able to put up points on any defense.
#1 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (15-0) (Last Week - #1)
In what Red Zone pundits dubbed the "Game of the Week", the Buccaneers blew out the Jaguars to improve to 15-0, and asserted their dominance in the current Red Zone landscape. They managed to force 3 turnovers of future MVP quarterback Trevor Lawrence, and saw another 100+ yard performance from Rachaad White. Much has been said about what rookie coach Don has done with quarterback Trey Lance, but how about the defense? They currently rank 1st in points allowed, and are a top ten pass defense. They have only played in one game this year that was decided by one score, and that was way back in Week 8. I am excited for their Week 17 game against the Saints, mostly to see if the Saints can compete with them, but the Buccaneers seem on pace for an undefeated regular season in their head coach's rookie campaign, which is an extremely rare feat in Red Zone history.
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Bonus Prop Rankings
Enjoy some random prop power rankings!
Top Ten QB Passing Touchdowns
Top Ten RB Rushing Touchdowns
Top Ten WR Receiving Touchdowns
Top Ten TE Receiving Touchdowns
Bottom Ten QB Completion Percentage
Top Ten Defensive Sacks
Top Ten Defensive Interceptions