NFL Tier List: Week 14 Edition

11 min readDec 6, 2022

Los Angeles Rams QB John Wolford : Ronald Martinez/Getty Images

A wild Week 13 has led to this Tier List. The next few weeks will be critical for many of these teams — but we also had our first official playoff eliminations, in Chicago and Houston.

TIER I: Rocky Balboa

These are the best teams in the NFL, and have the best chances of winning a Super Bowl.

Philadelphia Eagles (11–1) — Beat Titans 35–10
The Eagles have certainly reclaimed their title as the best team in the NFL with a dominant win over the Tennessee Titans. Jalen Hurts played like an MVP (and will likely get a boost with the losses for Tua Tagovailoa and Patrick Mahomes). A.J. Brown got his revenge. The defense shut down Derrick Henry, and sacked Ryan Tannehill six times. The special teams played well! The Eagles put Gardner Minshew II in the game in the early fourth quarter. This was a true statement win for the Eagles.

TIER II: Boxer Slightly Worse Than Rocky

These are very good to near elite teams, and all have very good chances of winning the Super Bowl.

Baltimore Ravens (8–4) — Beat Broncos 10–9
Lamar Jackson’s injury could really be the dagger in the heart for the Ravens’ season, but luckily they have a capable backup and Jackson’s injury isn’t season ending. But could this season turn out like last year? Remember, the Ravens were 8–3, then fell apart due to injuries and ended up 8–9, missing the playoffs. They may have lost the division to Cincinnati. Things aren’t going up Baltimore.
Buffalo Bills (9–3) — Beat Patriots 24–10
With the Bills’ dominant win over the Patriots, plus the losses for Kansas City and Miami, the Bills have taken back leadership of the AFC East and the top seed in the AFC. If they can beat the Jets and the Dolphins, they should be able to hang onto that with relative ease.
Cincinnati Bengals (8–4) — Beat Chiefs 27–24
And just like that, the Bengals are legitimate Super Bowl contenders in the AFC once again. I doubted them quite a bit, but it sure seems like they are going to win the AFC North. Would it be shocking if Ravens/Bengals was the final game of the NFL season? I don’t think so. That one might be for all the marbles.
Dallas Cowboys (9–3) — Beat Colts 54–19
This was a 2-point game with 3 minutes left in the third quarter. And then the Colts had four turnovers in 18 minutes. The Cowboys’ defense is no joke, and against a dysfunctional offense like Indy’s? They feasted, with the turnovers leading to 33 unanswered points for the Cowboys. With games against the Texans and a road trip to Jacksonville up next, they should be cruising by the time the host the Eagles on Christmas Eve (emphasis on “should”).
Kansas City Chiefs (9–3) — Lost to Bengals 24–27
The Chiefs played quite a good game against the Bengals, but a few mistakes doomed them in the end. A lost fumble, a critical sack, a missed field goal — and suddenly, the Chiefs lost the top seed in the AFC, with head-to-head losses against Cincinnati and Buffalo, critical for tiebreakers.
Miami Dolphins (8–4) — Lost to 49ers 17–33
Oof. The Dolphins, whose offense has looked unstoppable since Tua returned to the lineup, got smacked by the 49ers, with Tua committing three turnovers before leaving the game with an ankle injury. Are the Dolphins a good team, but not one that can beat great teams? Or are they great, and just hit a fluke? We’ll see over the next few weeks.
Minnesota Vikings (10–2) — Beat Jets 27–22
Once again, the Minnesota Vikings continue to win in the most inexplicable, baffling way possible. It is unbelievable that this team is 10–2. Their point differential is +10! For context, the two teams that beat them — the Cowboys and Eagles — have point differentials of +127 and +112, respectively. Are the Vikings really a great team? They are here because of their record, not their performance.
San Francisco 49ers (8–4) — Beat Dolphins 33–17
The 49ers lost a massive part of their team, as Jimmy Garoppolo is out for the season with a foot injury. Considering the 49ers are also down Trey Lance, they turn to 7th round rookie Brock Purdy at quarterback. Honestly, their defense and weapons are good enough for them to still be in contention. They are a step below Eagles/Cowboys now, but they’re still probably ahead of the Vikings.

TIER III: Boxer A Bit Worse Than Rocky

These teams aren’t elite, but they are good squads with a chance to make some noise. Any Given Sunday, right?

New York Giants (7–4–1) — Tied with Commanders 20–20
Yuck. Yuck. Why did you have to tie??????? This is gross. I hate having to factor a tie into the playoff picture. Their rematch with Washington is now on Sunday Night, and the Giants play Philly in between. They’re hanging on, but not by much.
New York Jets (7–5) — Lost to Vikings 22–27
Mike White couldn’t save them this time. After getting 1st and goal from the 1, the Jets went four and out, handing the Vikings an insane win on a silver platter. With their quarterback situation the way it is, I hesitate to believe that the Jets are actually going to do anything this year, beyond making the playoffs.
Seattle Seahawks (7–5) — Beat Rams 27–23
After a stretch where they looked like contenders, the Seahawks lost two straight and now almost lost to the John Wolford-led Rams. However, Geno Smith played well, and the Jimmy G injury might give the Seahawks an opportunity to come back and win the NFC West, especially if they can beat the 49ers.
Tennessee Titans (7–5) — Lost to Eagles 10–35
After a run of several close games, win or lose, the Titans got smacked around all day long by the Eagles, who pulled their starters early in the fourth quarter. Derrick Henry did nothing, Treylon Burks got hurt, Ryan Tannehill was under siege in the pocket, and their secondary had no answers for Jalen Hurts, A.J. Brown, and DeVonta Smith.
Washington Commanders (7–5–1) — Tied with Commanders 20–20
Left hand up, who are we? Fucking tying with the Giants. Why is this possible? Ugh. The Commanders go on their bye this week, and then play the Giants again. It would be really funny if they tied again.

TIER IV: Boxer Worse Than Rocky

These teams are decent, solid teams, but are probably still below where they need to be for true playoff contention.

Detroit Lions (5–7) — Beat Jaguars 40–14
The Lions blew the doors off Trevor Lawrence and the Jaguars, looking like the Lions we thought they might be earlier in the season, capable of beating up on bad teams like this. The Lions are, shockingly, very much alive in the playoff race, only two games (plus a tiebreaker) behind the Commanders, and could make some noise if they play well down the stretch. A big test comes next week in the form of Minnesota.
New England Patriots (6–6) — Lost to Bills 10–24
The Patriots are falling behind their AFC East comrades, and while the Jets and Dolphins lost as well, wins by Cincinnati, Baltimore, Las Vegas, and even Pittsburgh are issues for the Patriots, who are desperately fighting for a wild card berth.
Las Vegas Raiders (5–7) — Beat Chargers 27–20
The Raiders are making a stunning comeback, and are suddenly back in the wild card race. Their next three games are against the Rams, Patriots, and Steelers — it’s not crazy to think they could be 8–7. Their big test will be at the end of the season, against the 49ers and Chiefs.
Los Angeles Chargers (6–6) — Lost to Raiders 20–27
The Chargers are falling apart. Their schedule is easy enough (after the Dolphins and Titans, they face the Colts, Rams, and Broncos), but is this team playoff caliber? Get Justin Herbert a real coach, please. Even if they make the playoffs as a 7 seed, they probably won’t do anything once they are there, and it will give Brandon Staley an excuse to keep his job. Don’t let him.
Pittsburgh Steelers (5–7) — Beat Falcons 19–16
Like the Raiders, the Steelers are suddenly back in wild-card contention with two consecutive wins over the Colts and Falcons. They still have to face the Ravens twice, which is critical, but Kenny Pickett is showing real signs of growth. You can never count out Mike Tomlin as an underdog.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6–6) — Beat Saints 17–16
Tom Brady pulled more magic out of his ass to beat the Saints despite a 13 point fourth quarter deficit. Was this a Buccaneers win, or a Saints choke? I tend to believe it’s a Buccaneers win, but this team is really bad. Unless they figure this out soon, they will be easy pickings for a team like the Cowboys in the wild card round.

TIER V: Boxer Much Worse Than Rocky

These teams are in a weird place — they aren’t good, but they certainly aren’t awful, but they’re probably not playoff contenders.

Arizona Cardinals (4–8) — BYE
The Cardinals were on their bye this week. They return to host the Patriots.
Atlanta Falcons (5–8) — Lost to Steelers 16–19
The Falcons’ playoff hopes are largely dashed with this loss and the Buccaneers’ comeback win over the Saints. They aren’t good enough to get a wild card, but again — is that really good for them? A high draft pick should be what the Falcons are aiming for.
Cleveland Browns (5–7) — Beat Browns 27–14
Fuck Deshaun Watson, and I’m glad that he played like absolute shit against the Texans. Fuck the Browns, for trading and covering for this asshole. Fuck the Texans, because they probably knew about this. And fuck the NFL, for sweeping all this under the rug during the broadcast.
Green Bay Packers (5–8) — Beat Bears 28–19
No matter what happens, Aaron Rodgers will continue to assert his ownership stake in the Chicago Bears. Christian Watson is emerging as a legitimate weapon, and may be the league’s Offensive Rookie of the Year, with a whopping 9 touchdowns in 4 games (for reference, that’s as many as A.J. Brown, and more than guys like Tyreek Hill and Justin Jefferson).

TIER VI: Guy Who Hit A Punching Bag Once

Looking at these teams is like gazing directly into the Ark of the Covenant — it’s just bad news for everyone involved.

Carolina Panthers (4–8) — BYE
The Panthers were on their bye this week. They return to visit the Seahawks.
Denver Broncos (3–9) — Lost to Ravens 9–10
Even without Lamar Jackson, the Broncos’ offense can’t muster enough points to beat the Ravens. This team sucks so much ass. Maybe they were distracted as Russell Wilson’s birthday party?
Indianapolis Colts (4–8–1) — Lost to Cowboys 19–54
Matt Ryan is completely cooked. This went from a 21–19 game to a 54–19 game in the blink of an eye, almost entirely off of terrible Colts turnovers. Is it Nick Foles time? I don’t think he can really be any worse than this. Their passing game is completely broken, and Jeff Saturday is a bad head coach (no challenge on Dak’s “incomplete pass” that was 100% an interception? Really?).
Jacksonville Jaguars (4–8) — Lost to Lions 14–40
The Lions put up 40 on the Jaguars in a massive loss. Do you think Stephen Ruiz will finally admit that Jalen Hurts is better than Trevor Lawrence. Yes, I’m very salty about that, and if by some miniscule chance that The Ringer’s Stephen Ruiz sees this, you are a silly goose (but not in a good way).
Los Angeles Rams (3–9) — Lost to Seahawks 23–27
The John Wolford-led Rams actually gave the Seahawks a challenge, but could not poll it off in the end. What is the future for this team? Is Aaron Donald done? What about Stafford? He’s out for the season, but 2023? McVay wanted to leave after last season. I’m interested to see what happens.
New Orleans Saints (4–9) — Lost to Buccaneers 16–17
The New Orleans Saints and hilarious failure. Name a better combo. Maybe that’s too mean, but this team really should have rebuilt after Payton and Brees left, not tried to build a contender around Jameis Winston and Dennis Allen.

TIER VII: ELIMINATION ZONE (me if I boxed)

These are teams that have officially been eliminated from the playoffs. Their seasons will be recapped in the “Season In Review” section.

Chicago Bears (3–10) — Lost to Packers 19–28
Houston Texans (1–10–1) — Lost to Browns 14–27

SEASONS IN REVIEW

WEEK 13

Chicago Bears (3–10), Eliminated with loss to Packers
I think most Bears fans would admit that their expectations for this season were low. Regardless — getting knocked out of the playoffs by Aaron Rodgers and the Packers probably stings a little more. The Bears are not a good football team. They have a bad offensive line, few weapons, and a bad defense. But this season was about finding out about Justin Fields — and Fields has shown that he can be a dynamic weapon on the ground, with the arm talent to develop as a passer. He’s not there yet, but with another year and better weapons? Fields might be next year’s Jalen Hurts. Lots of draft capital and a ton of cap space should help them. This is a team on the rise.
Upcoming Schedule Prediction:
Week 14: BYE
Week 15: Philadelphia Eagles (L)
Week 16: Buffalo Bills (L)
Week 17: Detroit Lions (L)
Week 18: Minnesota Vikings (W)
Final Record: 4–13
Houston Texans (1–10–1), Eliminated with loss to Browns
The Texans are, and have been, the worst team in the NFL. How many starters can you name, without looking them up (and no, Davis Mills doesn’t count, because he got benched)? Bad quarterback. Wasting an OROTY quality season from Dameon Pierce. Massive conflict with Brandin Cooks. Wasting the careers of Laremy Tunsil and Tytus Howard. This is a franchise that is just rudderless, directionless, and boring. They are on their second straight placeholder head coach. They’ll need a new one, and a new quarterback. Again, Texans — please, please do not waste Bryce Young. Please.
Upcoming Schedule Prediction:
Week 14: Dallas Cowboys (L)
Week 15: Kansas City Chiefs (L)
Week 16: Tennessee Titans (L)
Week 17: Jacksonville Jaguars (L)
Week 18: Indianapolis Colts (W)
Final Record: 2–14–1

PLAYOFF SEEDING AND DRAFT ORDER (WEEK 14)

At the end, I’ll give who is currently in the playoffs and who would hold the top 10 draft picks in 2023.

NFC

Philadelphia Eagles (11–1), NFC East
Minnesota Vikings (10–2), NFC North
San Francisco 49ers (8–4), NFC West
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6–6), NFC South
Dallas Cowboys (9–3), NFC East
New York Giants (7–4–1), NFC East
Seattle Seahawks (7–5), NFC West

AFC

Buffalo Bills (9–3), AFC East
Kansas City Chiefs (9–3), AFC West
Baltimore Ravens (8–4), AFC North
Tennessee Titans (7–5), AFC South
Cincinnati Bengals (8–4), AFC North
Miami Dolphins (8–4), AFC East
New York Jets (7–5), AFC East

DRAFT ORDER

Houston Texans (1–10–1), AFC South
Chicago Bears (3–10), NFC North
Seattle Seahawks (via Denver Broncos (3–9), AFC West)
Detroit Lions (via Los Angeles Rams (3–9), NFC West)
Philadelphia Eagles (via New Orleans Saints (4–9), NFC South)
Carolina Panthers (4–8), NFC South
Jacksonville Jaguars (4–8), AFC South
Arizona Cardinals (4–8), NFC West
Indianapolis Colts (4–8–1), AFC South
Atlanta Falcons (5–8), NFC South