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The NFL has wrapped up Week 17, and for the first time, we’re headed to Week 18. The league added the extra week and that coupled with the two extra playoff teams for a second straight season means we still have some chaos in the playoff picture.
Two big winners this past week were the Packers and Titans. Green Bay secured the No. 1 seed in the NFC while the Titans moved into first place in the AFC thanks to the Chiefs loss. Further down the playoff standings, the Raiders got a monster upset of the Colts that combined with the Dolphins losing moves the Raiders into a huge Sunday Night Football game to close the season. The winner is in the playoffs, the loser is likely headed home for the offseason.
The playoff picture will get finalized this coming weekend, but in the meantime, it’s time for some power rankings. Rather than subjectively rank out the teams based on a feeling, we’ve ranked the teams based on spread differential. We took the pre-game point spread at DraftKings Sportsbook and added in the point differential from the game. For example, the Bengals closed as 3.5-point underdogs against the Chiefs and won the game by 3 points. For the Bengals spread differential, we added 3 to +3.5. For the Chiefs spread differential, we added -3 to -3.5.
We’ve seen all kinds of movement but the Patriots are going to finish the season No. 1 barring a historically bad loss. They moved into first place in Week 11 and even with losses to the Colts and Bills, blowouts have been key. A 40-point win over the Jaguars does wonders even as a 16.5-point favorite. The Packers are arguably the hottest team right now, although the Chiefs were rolling before the loss to the Bengals. It will be interesting to see how Kansas City looks this Saturday against a Denver squad playing out the string.
NFL Power Rankings ahead of Week 18
2021 NFL power rankings, Week 18
| Rk | Team | Record | Spread differential | Point differential | LW |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rk | Team | Record | Spread differential | Point differential | LW |
| 1 | New England Patriots | 10-6 | +123.5 | +168 | 1 |
| 2 | Indianapolis Colts | 9-7 | +82.0 | +101 | 2 |
| 3 | Dallas Cowboys | 11-5 | +80.5 | +147 | 3 |
| 4 | Philadelphia Eagles | 9-7 | +76.5 | +84 | 4 |
| 5 | Cincinnati Bengals | 10-6 | +74.5 | +89 | 5 |
| 6 | Buffalo Bills | 10-6 | +59.0 | +177 | 6 |
| 7 | Tennessee Titans | 11-5 | +58.0 | +62 | 7 |
| 8 | Arizona Cardinals | 11-5 | +35.0 | +91 | 10 |
| 9 | Green Bay Packers | 13-3 | +30.0 | +86 | 12 |
| 10 | New Orleans Saints | 8-8 | +27.0 | +19 | 9 |
| 11 | Kansas City Chiefs | 11-5 | +19.5 | +112 | 8 |
| 12 | Denver Broncos | 7-9 | +11.0 | +17 | 11 |
| 13 | San Francisco 49ers | 9-7 | +0.5 | 59 | 17 |
| 14 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 12-4 | +0.5 | +134 | 13 |
| 15 | Seattle Seahawks | 6-10 | -0.5 | +21 | 20 |
| 16 | Los Angeles Rams | 12-4 | -6.0 | +91 | 16 |
| 17 | Chicago Bears | 6-10 | -10.5 | -82 | 22 |
| 18 | Minnesota Vikings | 7-9 | -10.5 | -15 | 14 |
| 19 | Houston Texans | 4-12 | -12.5 | -169 | 19 |
| 20 | Los Angeles Chargers | 9-7 | -18.5 | +18 | 24 |
| 21 | Detroit Lions | 2-13-1 | -19.0 | -149 | 18 |
| 22 | Baltimore Ravens | 8-8 | -25.5 | -2 | 23 |
| 23 | Miami Dolphins | 8-8 | -26.5 | -41 | 15 |
| 24 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 8-7-1 | -42.0 | -58 | 28 |
| 25 | New York Giants | 4-12 | -43.0 | -143 | 21 |
| 26 | Las Vegas Raiders | 9-7 | -44.0 | -68 | 29 |
| 27 | Carolina Panthers | 5-11 | -45.5 | -76 | 26 |
| 28 | Washington | 6-10 | -48.5 | -114 | 27 |
| 29 | Cleveland Browns | 7-9 | -51.0 | -27 | 25 |
| 30 | Atlanta Falcons | 7-9 | -82.0 | -136 | 30 |
| 31 | New York Jets | 4-12 | -89.5 | -177 | 32 |
| 32 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 2-14 | -122.5 | -219 | 31 |