Consensus NFL Power Rankings: Punishment Didn’t Fit Crime for Packers

GREEN BAY, Wis. – The Green Bay Packers were destroyed by the Baltimore Ravens. They were humbled, humiliated, crushed and embarrassed.

The 41-24 loss, which was Green Bay’s third in a row, was a lost spot under coach Matt LaFleur. However, the Packers were not punished in our Week 18 Consensus NFL Power Rankings. They are 12th, just like last week, and one spot ahead of the Ravens.

Our Consensus Power Rankings take eight sets of national power rankings and turn them into one more-powerful-than-a-locomotive power ranking. The Packers were No. 5 when they took a four-game winning streak into Denver. They fell to 10th after losing to the Broncos and 12th after losing to the Bears.

The Seattle Seahawks are No. 1 for a second consecutive week.

Here’s where you’ll find the Packers in the eight national rankings used for this story, with longer analysis available at the links.

Sports Illustrated: 12th

The Packers actually moved up one spot in Conor Orr’s rankings.

“This is an oddity capable of happening to any team, but that doesn’t make it any less damning. Of the 11 games in which a team did not punt this season, those teams are 8–3. The Packers have all of the losses.”

Fox Sports: 12th

The Packers slid back one spot in Ralph Vacchiano’s rankings. He asked an obvious question.

“What the heck happened to this defense? The Packers gave up 307 rushing yards to the Ravens and now 457 over the past two weeks. That’s the opposite of playoff-ready.”

NFL.com: 12th

The Packers held steady at No. 12 in Eric Edholm’s rankings. Green Bay is on a three-game losing streak at the worst possible time.

“Does this team scare anyone in the shape it is in?” he asked as part of a longer analysis. “Not long ago, Super Bowl talk couldn't be scoffed at, but now? It's hard to envision, especially after the Ravens ran roughshod over the Packers with the ground game.”

Because of key injuries, “they look like a team that could be fortunate to win a playoff game, even if it's a rematch against a Bears team they beat once and nearly beat a second time in 2025.”

ESPN: 12th

The Packers inched back one spot in ESPN’s rankings, which are done by its beat writers.

This week’s theme is what we learned this season. Rob Demovsky learned the Packers needed Micah Parsons.

“It would be shortsighted to say Parsons' Week 15 knee injury changes the outlook on that trade. He is the star the Packers needed – and will need in future years – on defense. They had several good players but no standouts, as proved by Parsons being the team's only Pro Bowl selection. He changed games and will do so in the future.”

Yahoo: 12th

The Packers were steady at No. 12 in Frank Schwab’s rankings despite their lopsided loss.

“It’s not like the teams behind the Packers in these power rankings deserve to be above Green Bay, but the Packers don’t feel like a top-12 team anymore. … Had the Packers still had (Micah) Parsons and maybe another injured player or two like Tucker Kraft, they’d be a popular pick to make a run in a wide-open NFC. As is, it might be a decent outcome if the Packers aren’t one-and-done in the playoffs.”

Pro Football Talk: 12th

The Packers remained at No. 12 in Mike Florio’s rankings.

“Malik Willis is going to get paid in the offseason,” he correctly wrote.

The Athletic: 13th

The Packers slipped one spot in the rankings put together by Chad Graff and Josh Kendall.

This week’s theme was head coach check-in, and they called coach Matt LaFleur a “Malik Willis whisperer” for turning Willis into a starting-caliber quarterback.

As part of a longer analysis, they wrote, “Matt LaFleur is not the most popular man in Green Bay these days. The Packers have lost three in a row, and a bad loss against the NFC’s No. 2 seed in the playoffs could convince the Packers to make a change. LaFleur can do no wrong in the Willis household, though. … (Willis) has made himself some money somewhere.”

CBS: 13th

The Packers stuck at No. 13 in Pete Prisco’s rankings even after another loss.

“They have lost three straight games as they ready for the playoffs, which is not a good look,” Prisco wrote. “They have nothing to play for this week, so it will likely be four straight as they rest guys.”

This Week’s Opponent: Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings’ average ranking is 16.4. With a four-game winning streak, their individual rankings range from 13th to 18th.

The Vikings are 16th at Yahoo, with Schwab offering this interesting note about their long-term prospects:

“Last season, the Colts won eight games despite a team passer rating of 75.8, which was 31st in the NFL. They got better quarterback play in 2025 and were 7-1 before a losing streak and injuries derailed them. The Vikings are 8-8 despite a team passer rating of 74.3, which ranks 31st in the NFL. The Vikings are clearly good enough to be a playoff team in 2026 with decent quarterback play. The question will be how to get that upgrade at QB, whether it’s from J.J. McCarthy or elsewhere.”

The Vikings are 17th at Fox.

“Max Brosmer threw for 51 yards, so don’t get too excited about their win over the Lions,” Vacchiano wrote. “But they have won four straight and have a shot to finish over .500, which is pretty remarkable.”

Latest Packers Odds

Sportsbook odds aren’t used for our Consensus Power Rankings, but they do provide another insight into the teams.

After losing to Denver, the Packers had the sixth-best Super Bowl odds at FanDuel Sportsbook at +1200. After losing to Chicago, the Packers had the 10th-best odds at +1500, just ahead of the Bears, who were +1600. Now, the Packers and Bears are tied for 10th at +1700.

The Seattle Seahawks are the favorites at +550, with the Los Angeles Rams at +600, the Denver Broncos at +750, the San Francisco 49ers at +900 and the Philadelphia Eagles at +950.

Packers On SI’s Consensus Dandy Dozen

1, Seattle Seahawks (nine points; seven first-place votes); 2, New England Patriots (18 points); 3, Denver Broncos (32 points); 4, Jacksonville Jaguars (36 points); T-4, San Francisco 49ers (36 points); 6, Los Angeles Rams (48 points; one first-place vote); 7, Chicago Bears (54 points); 8, Houston Texans (63 points); 9, Philadelphia Eagles (70 points); 10, Buffalo Bills (73 points); 11, Los Angeles Chargers (88 points); 12, Green Bay Packers (96 points).

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