Last week's ranking in parentheses.
1. Patriots 13-2 (1): Ben Roethlisberger might be the only quarterback in the AFC playoffs who can challenge Tom Brady and the Patriots.
2. Cowboys 13-2 (2): With the No. 1 seed in the NFC locked up, the Cowboys put the hammer down on the Lions.
3. Chiefs 11-4 (4): They will be fun to watch in the playoffs as long as Alex Smith and the offense remain explosive.
4. Steelers 10-5 (5): Le'Veon Bell and Antonio Brown make them scary out in the playoffs.
5. Falcons 10-5 (8): The offense is as lethal as any in the league, but Matt Ryan's 1-4 playoff record creates more doubters than believers at this point.
6. Raiders 12-3 (3): There are questions why Derek Carr was playing with 11 minutes remaining and a 33-14 lead, but that's not fair to Jack Del Rio, who heads to the playoffs with Matt McGloin at QB.
7. Packers 9-6 (13): Aaron Rodgers is clicking as they push toward the postseason, but Clay Matthews and the defense will have to rise to the occasion
8. Giants 10-5 (6): The Eli Manning-led offense is averaging only 15 points over the last four games and needs a major spark heading into the postseason.
9. Seahawks 9-5-1 (7): A month ago they looked like a serious threat to the Cowboys. Now they're struggling to protect Russell Wilson, and the loss of safety Earl Thomas is a major blow.
10. Lions 9-6 (12): They have to hope key starters Darius Slay and Theo Riddick are back for the NFC North title showdown vs. the Packers on Sunday night.
11. Dolphins 10-5 (14): It's hard to argue against Adam Gase for Coach of the Year honors.
12. Ravens 8-7 (10): The defense simply didn't have the juice needed to stop the Steelers in crunch time, and the pass rush from Terrell Suggs and Elvis Dumervil was nonexistent.
13. Broncos 8-7 (9): It will be interesting to see how John Elway shakes things up this offseason. They won't stand pat and wait for natural improvements.
14. Redskins 8-6-1 (16): If the offense can remain balanced with running backs Robert Kelley and Chris Thompson, it could be interesting if they can reach the playoffs.
15. Texans 9-6 (17): They can close out the AFC South schedule 6-0 with a victory Sunday at Tennessee. Unfortunately, that doesn't say a whole lot.
16. Titans 8-7 (11): Marcus Mariota's season ended in disappointment with a fractured leg, but he had a productive second season and things are looking up.
17. Buccaneers 8-7 (15): GM Jason Licht and coach Dirk Koetter have to go to work to add some teeth to the defense this offseason.
18. Saints 7-8 (23): Drew Brees and the slightly improved defense look ready for the playoffs, but the Saints didn't get it done in the first two-thirds of the season.
19. Cardinals 6-8-1 (24): Running back David Johnson has 33 touchdowns in 31 career games. He's reason enough this team can bounce back in 2017.
20. Bills 7-8 (18): GM Doug Whaley will have his hand in hiring a new coach for the third time after Rex Ryan's firing.
21. Eagles 6-9 (26): They ended a five-game losing streak by picking off Eli Manning three times to extinguish the Giants' slim hopes of winning the NFC East.
22. Colts 7-8 (19): How long are they going to tread water with Andrew Luck at quarterback?
23. Vikings 7-8 (21): It's going to be a long winter in Minnesota, especially with the Vikings losing a first-round draft pick in the Sam Bradford trade.
24. Panthers 6-9 (20): Cam Newton is completing only 52.7 percent of his passes, the worst figure in the NFL.
25. Bengals 5-9-1 (22): They've scored only five touchdowns in the fourth quarter, a good explanation for their lack of ability to win close games.
26. Chargers 5-10 (25): Changing coaches with the team's future home in question is a big move but one that could come for Mike McCoy.
27. Bears 3-12 (27): At this point, progress is a hard thing for John Fox to sell.
28. Jets 4-11 (28): If the Jets don't start Christian Hackenberg in the finale against the Bills, what does that say about his future?
29. Rams 4-11 (29): It would be interesting if they angle to land Sean Payton in a trade with the Saints.
30. Jaguars 3-12 (30): They will sell the idea the roster has a lot of talent for a new coach to inherit. If so, it's a lot of talent that has underperformed.
31. 49ers 2-13 (31): The 13-game losing streak is over, but this might be the worst roster in the league.
32. Browns 1-14 (32): No worries. The 2008 Lions remain in an exclusive club at 0-16.
