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Week 14 of the 2023 NFL Power Rankings: 49ers take the top spot, Cowboys crack the top 5, and the Chiefs fall | FOX Sports


In case we had any doubt, San Francisco 49ers reminded us what they're capable of.

As the power rankings continue to show every week, there's not a lot you can trust in this league. Thank goodness for the 49ers, who just might be the only exception right now. Fresh off San Francisco's 42-19 demolition of Philadelphia, you know exactly where the Niners will stand in this week's rankings.

As for everyone else, it's starting to look more and more chaotic as we get closer to the end. 

Here are the Week 14 power rankings.

1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3) +2

With that thumping of Philly, it's easy to argue the Niners have the two most impressive wins of the 2023 season. The Eagles and Cowboys were pounded by a combined score of 84-29. The offense is a four-headed monster, and Brock Purdy is steady at the controls. The defense is dominant once again. Few teams have as good a resume, and no one has as much talent. 

2. Baltimore Ravens (9-3) no change

There's no need to move the Ravens during a week off, but all five of their remaining games are against teams in the playoff race. That gives them plenty of time to grab the top spot.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2) -2

Even with a humbling loss to San Francisco, the Eagles still have more wins than any other team. As much as they're probably hurting right now, they can put a stranglehold on the division with a big road win in Dallas this weekend. Just try not to let the Niners loss beat you twice.

4. Miami Dolphins (9-3) +1

Tyreek Hill will benefit from the 17th game that was added to the schedule in 2021 as he vies for the NFL's first 2000-yard receiving season. But even still, he's averaging one yard more per game than Calvin Johnson did in 2012, when he set the NFL's single-season receiving record. If he stays as hot as was in Washington, he's got a shot at setting the record in 16 games.

5. Dallas Cowboys (9-3) +1

Simply put, Dak Prescott is playing the best ball of his career right now. There's more work to be done with the Eagles on deck, but Thursday's scintillating performance against Seattle was a hell of a start to the home stretch. If he manages to beat Philly, I think he'll be the MVP front-runner the next time I write this blurb.

6. Detroit Lions (9-3) +1

The Lions have guaranteed themselves a winning record with a month still to play, and that's very fun. But you have to be concerned about this defense. When the New Orleans Saints are flirting with 30 points against you, it's a pretty clear indicator you've got problems.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (8-4) -3

The Packers are surging, but Kansas City still shouldn't be losing games to a .500 team. The Chiefs' offensive issues are real, regardless of whether they want to blame officiating. Will they be real enough to waste the best defense to ever complement Patrick Mahomes? We'll see in early 2024.

8. Houston Texans (7-5) +1

This is where the league starts to get very confusing. It sounds strange to say, but among a bunch of .500 teams, I think I trust the Texans the most — especially after their defense pulled some of the weight Sunday against Denver.

9. Buffalo Bills (6-6) +1

What a fascinating stretch this is going to be for the Bills. They'll play back-to-back games against the Chiefs and Cowboys. Those could re-announce them as a contender or sink their season.

10. Seattle Seahawks (6-6) +4

If the Seahawks who played the Cowboys last week continue to show up, this is a formidable team. I don't feel good about moving them up this far, but who would you prefer?

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-4) -3

As of this writing, it's unclear how severe Trevor Lawrence's ankle injury is. Regardless of that, the Jags' typically stout defense has some soul-searching to do after allowing 491 yards to the Jake Browning-led Bengals. There are multiple reasons to be concerned in Jacksonville.

12. Green Bay Packers (6-6) +6

It's a big jump for a young team, so maybe this will age terribly. But Jordan Love continues to impress, and the Green Bay defense is holding its own. The result: back-to-back win against top-10 teams. The only NFC wildcard team I'd pick to beat Green Bay right now is Dallas.

[Vitali: Jordan Love looks 'Rodgers-esque' in statement win over Chiefs]

13. Los Angeles Rams (6-6) +6

Matthew Stafford and Co. get all the headlines, but the Rams' defense is quietly allowing just 17 points per game over the last five weeks. Combine that with an offense that just scored 36 on Cleveland? Not bad.

14. Denver Broncos (6-6) -3

Russell Wilson has played serviceable football under Sean Payton, but still isn't the guy the Broncos thought they were trading for. Wilson wasn't bad in the loss to Houston, but the Broncos left big plays on the field. They've only exceeded 300 yards of offense once in six weeks.

15. Cleveland Browns (7-5) -3

Joe Flacco played well, all things considered. Just in time for the defense to suffer a letdown. I just wonder if the Browns can overcome the laundry list of injuries that's plagued them at every turn this season.

16. Indianapolis Colts (7-5) -1

It feels rude to drop the Colts after a win, but they just caught so many crazy breaks to win an overtime game against a lousy Titans team. A win's a win, but I wouldn't pick Indy to beat many playoff contenders.

17. Minnesota Vikings (6-6) -1

Our last impression of the Vikings was that horrendous Monday nighter against Chicago. But Justin Jefferson should be back for the last month, so it's far too soon to write them off.

18. Atlanta Falcons (6-6) -1

Let's just forget that game at MetLife Stadium ever happened. The Falcons improved to .500; good for them for holding on to the division lead. But there's no need to talk too much about how they got here.

19. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-5) -6

In the Steelers' defense, Kenny Pickett left the game before halftime. But the offense didn't exactly look great before he got hurt, and on top of that, he's now out for at least a couple of games. The hope was the offense was trending in the right direction, but the exact opposite seems to be the case right now. 

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-7) +1

A fight to the finish with Carolina doesn't inspire confidence, but it's better than a loss. What a fitting way for Mike Evans to get to his 10th-straight 1,000-yard season — carrying the Bucs' passing attack on his shoulders.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (6-6) +2

My apologies to Jake Browning. I thought the Bengals were irrelevant with him at the helm, and then he turned in one of the best games of the season. If he can play even close to that level again, I'll have to re-evaluate the Bengals' ceiling.

22. Los Angeles Chargers (5-7) -2

I'm dropping the Chargers after a win, and they deserve it. Don't blame the rain for the 6-0 score against New England. Half the teams in the league played in wet conditions on Sunday, and they all managed better than what we saw from the Chargers. Even in victory, this remains a strange and frustrating team.

23. New Orleans Saints (5-7) -1

It was a slow start, but the Saints were moving the ball well when Derek Carr got hurt against Detroit. Now it's another week of waiting to see if he can play – and how that'll affect this already shaky offense.

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24. Las Vegas Raiders (5-7) no change

The 2021 Raiders rallied behind an interim head coach and made a miracle run through December to reach the playoffs. I don't see that happening in 2023, but crazier things have happened.

25. Arizona Cardinals (3-10) +5

The Cardinals have just three wins on the season, but the three opponents they've beaten have a combined record of 22-14. Go figure in this silly, silly league. 

26. New York Jets (4-8) -1

I swear it's nothing personal, but I genuinely hate watching the Jets play football. Half a dozen NFL teams are overcoming injuries to the quarterback position in more enjoyable fashion than these guys. I know the weather in North Jersey was bad on Sunday, but give me a break. 

27. Tennessee Titans (4-8) -1

Sunday looked like it was going to be a patented Mike Vrabel home underdog performance. The only problem was the punt team didn't get the memo. We saw shocking miscues from a Vrabel-coached team, and it wasn't surprising to see that it cost special teams coordinator Craig Aukerman his job.

28. New York Giants (4-8) -1

Tyrod Taylor is coming back from injured reserve, and I assume he'll eventually return to the starting role. But I'll be honest, I'm kind of hoping Tommy DeVito gets to make one last start for his hometown team.

29. Chicago Bears (4-8) -1

Fresh off the bye, the Bears get another chance to go against the Lions. With the way Detroit has been surrendering points to opponents, it's another big opportunity for Justin Fields to showcase his improvement.

30. Washington Commanders (4-9) -1

This season is officially over, even if it's felt that way for weeks. With a fourth straight loss, the Commanders are now assured of a losing record, and they've been outscored by 80 points over the last month.

31. Carolina Panthers (1-11) +1

They're still bad, but props to the Panthers for showing some fight. After what they've been through this season, they still managed to have the Bucs on the ropes in the dying moments. It didn't translate to the win column, but it's more than the Patriots could say.

32. New England Patriots (2-10) -1

Carolina might have the league's worst record, but the league's worst unit resides in New England. The Patriots offense is averaging 12 points per game, almost four points worse than the Panthers. After getting shut out to mark their third straight week without scoring 10 points, they deserve to take last place.

David Helman covers the Dallas Cowboys for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.


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