Red-hot Bears leap over rival in 2025 NFL Week 16 power rankings

The Chicago Bears are a good team, and on Sunday, they did what good teams do: handled business against a vastly inferior opponent. The Bears' Week 15 demolition of the Cleveland Browns was only in doubt for perhaps the first minute or two, when Chicago turned fantastic field position on their opening drive into a three-and-out. But it was all Bears the rest of the game, with quarterback Caleb Williams completing an impossible touchdown pass along the way.

Of course, no one's going to throw a parade for beating the 3-11 Cleveland Browns. The Bears won the game they were supposed to win. Now they face a final test to see if they qualify for the postseason, with their next two games coming against the Green Bay Packers and San Francisco 49ers. Both teams are fighting for their own playoff spot and offer some dangerous mismatches for the Bears. Win these two games, and the Bears will not only punch their playoff ticket, but they'll win the NFC North for the first time since 2018.

But that's for later in the week. For now, let's get to the power rankings. How far do the Bears rise from their spot in my 2025 NFL Week 15 power rankings? Let's dive in.

1. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 1)

Even after an early mistake from Matthew Stafford that put LA in an early 0-7 deficit, the Rams still beat the Lions handily to hang on to the top spot in the NFC.

2. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 2)

Their defense is elite, but Seattle's offense is beginning to sputter. They couldn't find the end zone a single time against the spiraling Colts, and now they have to face the Rams on a short week in a game that should decide the top team in the NFC West and the NFC overall.

3. Chicago Bears (Last week: 4)

After dominating the Cleveland Browns in arctic conditions at Soldier Field, the Bears are back atop the NFC North with a chance to expand their lead next week against the Green Bay Packers, and the Bears have already caught a huge break for that matchup.

4. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 7)

As other MVP candidates begin to fade, Josh Allen is making a strong case to repeat as the league's most valuable player. He willed the Bills to victory over the Patriots on a cold and snowy day at Foxborough, erasing a 21-0 first-half deficit in spectacular fashion.

5. Denver Broncos (Last week: 6)

After a shaky start, the Broncos' offense locked in and dominated a brilliant Green Bay defense to earn their eleventh straight win. It may not always be pretty, but the Broncos keep winning, and that's a good way to punch your Super Bowl ticket.

6. New England Patriots (Last week: 5)

For about 25 minutes, it looked as if the Patriots were going to put an emphatic stamp on their season and cruise to the AFC East division title. Instead, a second-half collapse, combined with what has been a historically easy schedule, now leaves us with questions about how good this team really is.

7. Houston Texans (Last week: 9)

I'll put my hand up and confess that I was too quick to proclaim the demise of the Texans. They are firmly in the AFC playoff race and a genuine threat to any team they may face.

8. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 13)

I've been harsh in my criticism of Trevor Lawrence, so in the interest of fairness, I'll give him credit for an incredible stretch these last couple of weeks. He's finding ways to win and playing more like the guy that Jaguars fans expected to see when he was drafted first overall in 2021, and that deserves recognition in these power rankings.

9. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 12)

Slamming home the final nail in the Chiefs' coffin had to feel good for this Chargers team. They're getting hot at the right time and appear to be more than ready for a deep postseason run.

10. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 3)

I'm unsure whether dropping Green Bay to No. 10 is too far or not far enough. A heartbreaking loss to the Broncos was nothing compared to the loss of several starters to injuries in the second half, most notably Micah Parsons, who suffered a torn ACL and is done for the year. Now shorthanded on a short week, the Packers next face the surging Bears, and that game should tell us a lot about who the Packers will be without Parsons.

11. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 15)

You want to know how competitive the NFC is this year? The 49ers could very well win 11 games but miss the playoffs. They take on a slumping Colts team in Week 16, but then face the Bears and Seahawks to end the season. If they're going to break into the postseason, the 49ers will really have to prove they deserve it.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 10)

I hate to drop a team after such a dominant win, but the Raiders are the worst team in football, and the Eagles simply handled business. Plus, I had to make room for two new teams in the Top 10, and I didn't feel comfortable dropping Green Bay further than seven spots, either.

Saquon Barkle — Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

13. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 11)

The Ravens drop for the same reason as the Eagles. The fact of the matter is that neither team, despite demolishing their Week 15 opponents, inspires much confidence in their ability to make a deep postseason run. In the Ravens' case, they may not make the playoffs at all.

14. Detroit Lions (Last week: 8)

I didn't want to drop the Lions six spots after losing to the best team in the NFL, but I couldn't justify putting them above any of the preceding teams. Not when they're on the verge of being eliminated from playoff contention.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 17)

Aaron Rodgers looked like his former self on Monday night, dicing up the Dolphins' defense and leading his team to a dominant win. If Pittsburgh keeps getting this version of the future Hall of Fame quarterback, they could go further in the playoffs than anyone might expect.

16. Carolina Panthers (last week: 16)

And that's why I refused to buy into the Panthers. Losing to a feeble Saints team in a matchup that could have put them in a commanding lead for the NFC South is not what good teams do in December.

17. Kansas City Chiefs (Last week: 18)

It finally happened. For the first time in 10 years, the Chiefs have been eliminated from the playoffs, but the bigger problem is the health of their quarterback. Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in Sunday's loss to the Chargers and faces a long road to recovery. In my Week 15 power rankings, I wondered if it was too soon to declare the Chiefs' dynasty dead, but now it's officially over.

18. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 14)

Two weeks ago, the Cowboys defeated both of last year's Super Bowl teams in consecutive weeks. Now they've lost their last two games, including a back-breaker to the lowly Vikings. Their playoff chances are officially D.O.A.

19. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 19)

After dropping a close game to the Seahawks, the Colts are in real danger of missing the playoffs after a 7-1 start. If that happens, new Colts owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon needs to clean house in the offseason.

20. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 20)

At this point, Mike McDaniel is coaching for his job in Miami. He may have survived the firing of former GM Chris Grier, but that doesn't mean he's safe in 2026.

21. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 24)

The Vikings were officially eliminated from playoff contention before their Sunday night game, and it looks like they decided to drag the Cowboys down with them. Quarterback J.J. McCarthy played arguably his best game as a pro, but he has a long way to go before proving he can lead this team back to the postseason.

22. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 26)

They may be eliminated from the postseason, but the Saints seem to have embraced their role as the spoiler. In back-to-back weeks, they've beaten the final two NFC South teams still in playoff contention.

23. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 25)

Like the Saints, this Falcons team may find some solace after another losing season by dragging other teams into the offseason with them.

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 21)

Does anyone even want to win the NFC South? The only two members of this division who are not yet mathematically eliminated from playoff contention just lost to the two members of the division who are. The Buccaneers will likely represent the NFC South on Wild Card weekend, but they simply aren't a good team right now.

Baker Mayfiel — Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images

25. New York Giants (Last week: 23)

I believe the Giants have their franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart, but they won't have him for very long if they don't protect him from himself. He may be more than happy to continue taking massive hits and getting hauled into the medical tent every week, but it's just not sustainable. Their next head coach needs to make it crystal clear to Dart that he must learn to slide.

26. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 27)

Each of these next three teams lost badly in Week 16, but they moved up a spot anyway because another team deserved to plummet in my power rankings. As for the Titans, losses are probably preferable at this point to ensure a top pick in the 2026 NFL draft.

27. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 28)

Not only are the Cardinals bad, but they're also incredibly boring. They're mired in a rebuild that's three years old now and with no conceivable end in sight.

28. New York Jets (Last week: 29)

The Jets fired defensive coordinator Steve Wilks on Monday, but what does that say about head coach Aaron Glenn? Firing the coordinator from the side of the ball that is the head coach's specialty doesn't exactly inspire confidence. It's feeling more and more like the Jets hired the wrong man for the job.

29. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 22)

Head coach Zac Taylor has to go. That magical Super Bowl run is far in the rear-view mirror at this point, and he's clearly not the guy to get the Bengals back to the Promised Land.

30. Washington Commanders (Last week: 32)

Just one year after many in the media prematurely crowned the Commanders a dynasty, they enter an offseason that necessitates significant roster changes if they are to return to the playoffs. Jayden Daniels is safe for now, but an awful sophomore season leaves his future with this team in serious doubt.

31. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 31)

As I cautioned last week, don't buy into one fluky performance from rookie quarterback Shedeur Sanders against a bottom-feeder team. He had no answers for the Bears' defense and threw almost as many interceptions as the Browns had total first downs.

32. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 30)

How pathetic are the 2025 Raiders? That wasn't even the first time this season they've been shut out.

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