Last week's ranking in parentheses.
1. Steelers 11-2 (2): No retirement chatter from Ben Roethlisberger after he threw for 506 yards in an exhilarating rally over the Ravens.
2. Eagles 11-2 (4): Not many teams have a better backup QB situation than the Eagles do with Nick Foles. He has three weeks to get tuned up for the playoffs.
3. Patriots 10-3 (1): Tom Brady looked rocky Monday night in Miami as a 14-game road winning streak ended. That shouldn't be surprising. He's 7-9 in his career on the road against the Dolphins.
4. Rams 9-4 (6): Winner of Sunday's showdown in Seattle will control the NFC West with two weeks to play.
5. Saints 9-4 (5): They could be the team to beat in the NFC with Carson Wentz on the shelf in Philadelphia.
6. Panthers 9-4 (8): Seemingly ageless DE Julius Peppers is up to 9{ sacks. To think he considered retirement after last season.
7. Vikings 10-3 (3): Concern after a loss in Carolina wasn't the end of an eight-game winning streak but injuries adding up on the offensive line. Keep an eye on LT Riley Reiff.
8. Jaguars 9-4 (9): Doug Marrone has to be a coach of the year candidate as the Jaguars are five games over .500 for the first time since 2007.
9. Falcons 8-5 (12): Moved ahead of the Seahawks for sixth NFC playoff spot, but they can't let up this week against the Buccaneers.
10. Seahawks 8-5 (7): They got a dose of the physical style they usually win with when they got whipped in Jacksonville.
11. Chargers 7-6 (10): Philip Rivers, 36, has been picked off on only 1.5 percent of his passes, a career best with three games remaining.
12. Chiefs 7-6 (19): Just like that, they beat the Raiders and can seize control of the AFC West with a big matchup Sunday night at home against the Chargers.
13. Ravens 7-6 (13): RB Alex Collins was bruising in a 120-yard effort in a 39-38 loss to the Steelers, and you have to wonder if the grueling loss will fester.
14. Titans 8-5 (11): Ten interceptions over the last six games are concerning for Marcus Mariota as they hit a pivotal stretch run.
15. Cowboys 7-6 (14): They've been able to tread water, sort of, without Ezekiel Elliott, who will miss one more game Sunday against the Raiders.
16. Lions 7-6 (17): Run defense that allowed 222 yards to the Bears four weeks ago and has been sagging lately will need to be much better against Jordan Howard this week.
17. Bills 7-6 (18): LeSean McCoy was a machine with 156 yards on 32 carries in a classic victory over the Colts during a driving Buffalo snowstorm.
18. Dolphins 6-7 (24): Big outing by Jay Cutler in an upset of the Patriots.
19. Raiders 6-7 (15): Against a Chiefs pass defense that has been bad all year, Derek Carr was uninspiring. Something just isn't right for a guy who was third in MVP voting last year.
20. Packers 7-6 (20): They needed overtime to beat the Browns and Bucs the last two weeks. They'll need to be much better in regulation this week to hang with the Panthers.
21. Cardinals 6-7 (23): With playoff hopes barely alive, there is talk Carson Palmer could return from a broken left arm soon.
22. Redskins 5-8 (22): Lackluster effort in San Diego, the fourth loss in five games, raises questions about coach Jay Gruden's future.
23. 49ers 3-10 (27): Jimmy Garoppolo has thrown for 627 yards in his first two starts, the most by a 49ers QB in the Super Bowl era.
24. Broncos 4-9 (28): A 23-0 shutout of the Jets gave embattled coach Vance Joseph his first win since Oct. 1.
25. Jets 5-8 (21): Broken left hand for Josh McCown, who was enjoying the finest season of his career, thrusts Bryce Petty into the starting role. It's now or never for Petty.
26. Bears 4-9 (29): Big showing for rookie QB Mitch Trubisky didn't just end a five-game losing streak, it gave them a shot of confidence looking ahead to 2018.
27. Bengals 5-8 (16): They played like a team that knows the season and tenure of coach Marvin Lewis will be over soon in a disastrous 33-7 loss to Bears.
28. Buccaneers 4-9 (25): The pass rush has been in the slow lane all season, and a biceps injury that could sideline DT Gerald McCoy is problematic.
29. Texans 4-9 (26): It's looking like T.J. Yates will become the third starting quarterback this season when they host the Jaguars on Sunday.
30. Colts 3-10 (30): As bad as things have been on offense, WR T.Y. Hilton is second in the NFL averaging 18.9 yards per catch, almost 2 yards better than his previous career best.
31. Giants 2-11 (31): Speculation is former Giants personnel man Dave Gettleman could be the front-runner for the GM job. Some wonder about coach Josh McDaniels and Pats personnel man Nick Caserio as a pair to New York.
32. Browns 0-13 (32): You can't help but wonder if new GM John Dorsey will be able to make a coaching change at the end of the season, especially if Hue Jackson goes 0-16.
