Yup. That’s right. We have a new number-one overall team! They are an excellent team, and now, after beating the Ravens in Baltimore, I believe they’re the best team in the league. Their defense and offense are both playing at an elite level. They have the best RB in the league, Saquon Barkley, who might be the NFL MVP, and they have played more than half their season, missing one of their top 2 WR. When Brown and Smith are both healthy, Jalen Hurts becomes one of the best QBs in the league, and there really is no way to beat them.
Bills
The Bills were the best team in the AFC before they beat up the 49ers on SNF in the snow, and they still are the best team in the AFC after it. The Bills’ defense has really come together lately; Josh Allen plays at an MVP level, he isn’t turning the ball over, and they have a lot of different contributors in the passing game rather than forcing the ball to Stefon Diggs in previous years.
Lions
Although they got lucky that the Bears can’t tell time or manage a clock, the Lions won again, moved to 11-1, and remain a top team. There really is no weakness on the roster, especially if they get some of their injured players on defense back. The key for the Lions is maintaining the top record in the NFC. If they can, they’re going to be very difficult to beat. Jared Goff plays elite football at home, and it gets insanely loud in the dome.
Chiefs
They are 11-1 and have the best record in the AFC, but they don’t deserve to be higher on this list. Disagree if you want, but this team won on a blocked FG, then lost to a good team, then barely beat the Panthers (I know they’re playing better lately), and then they were handed a win by the refs on Black Friday. They beat the Ravens by an inch, the Bucs in OT, and the Bengals on a late PI call. They could easily be 7-5 or worse.
Packers
They won a big game on Thanksgiving night against a Miami team that came into the week playing great football. This is about the time last season when Jordan Love turned into the best QB in the NFC, and I think it’s going to happen again. If they can beat the Lions this week on Thursday, they could move into the top 3.
Vikings
They squeaked out another win, this time against a good team. They are a top-four team in the NFC but the third-best team in their own division (second-best record). In a big game, I still want Goff, Hurts, or Love over Darnold. Perhaps I am disrespecting them; I am happy for them to prove me wrong, but I need to see them beat Green Bay or Detroit.
Ravens
Thanks to Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry, their offense is putting up numbers that rival some of the best teams in history, and their run defense is one of the best in the league as well. Their pass defense had been a weakness, but now they have improved that, too. They still beat themselves with penalties, and their usually very clutch kicker, Justin Tucker, has the YIPS, but they can beat anyone in the league. Losing to the Eagles moves them below other AFC powerhouses, but don’t count them out as one of the top teams in the AFC or the NFL.
Steelers
They won a big game on the road against a divisional rival. Even more impressive, the offense looked as good as it has all season. Russell Wilson was able to go toe-to-toe with Joe Burrow, which is why the Steelers won. They have a better record than the Ravens and beat them head-to-head, but I don’t think they’re as talented, especially now that the Ravens pass defense has improved over the past few weeks.
Chargers
They bounced back from a tough loss last week against the Ravens. They went on the road to play a 1 pm ET game as a West Coast team and beat a division-leading Falcons team that was coming off their bye week. The Chargers defense was the big difference in the win. Justin Herbert wasn’t great, but he did enough. Ladd McConkey had a huge game.
Seahawks
It didn’t look good for them early on the road in New York, but when it mattered most, the Seahawks offense made plays, and their defense shut the door on the Jets comeback effort. They lead the NFC West, have won 4 in a row, and have been playing good football at the right time. In the Broncos writeup, I mentioned that good teams win games they’re supposed to win, and this Seahawks win over the Jets is a perfect example of that. Geno Smith got his revenge on the Jets as well.