The Ravens are a concern for Marcus Spears because of their potential to make the playoffs. There is a time and a place for it. We are two-thirds of the way through the regular season of the National Football League. A group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personality evaluated how teams are stacking up. Where does the Ravens fall in the rankings after the dramatic come-from-behind win by the Jacksonville Jags? How close are the Washington Commanders to the top 10? Is there a new number one? In addition to our updated rankings, we checked in with NFL Nation reporters across the league to find out what the expectations are for the rest of the season. Let's check out the updated rankings. Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH Week 12 ranking: 1 Winning the playoffs' top seed is realistic. The Chiefs have the best record in the conference and a schedule that makes it easy for them to hold on to their lead. Winning a second Super Bowl is a realistic goal with Patrick Mahomes having a very good season. He has thrown for over 300 yards in each of the last six games. Week 12 ranking: 2 Representing theNFC in the Superbowl is realistic expectation. Their 10-1 record is the best in the league and they have an offense that can suck the life out of you on the ground and rip it up through the air when needed. In the league, the defense leads in turnovers. The Eagles are as deep and well-rounded as any team in football, and have already beaten the conference's top contender in the Vikings and Cowboys, despite the fact that the Cowboys were without their quarterback. On Christmas Eve in Dallas, there should be a lot of fun. Week 12 ranking: 3 Winning a Superbowl is realistic expectation. Even though the Bills are not as sharp, it is realistic. The next three weeks are going to have a big impact on how Buffalo will win it all. Home field advantage will be a priority. The team has three straight games against division opponents in the next month. There's no reason the Bills can't go all the way if they win those games. Joe Fortenbaugh is taking the points for the game against the Bills. Week 12 ranking: 5 Getting to the Superbowl is realistic. Why wouldn't you? The Cowboys have a winning record. Last year's Super Bowl teams were beaten by them. At Minnesota, they won. They have a chance to show how good they are against the Eagles. The defense is top-notch. The game can be controlled by their running game. The passing game has gotten better. They don't have a past of rising to the occasion. It doesn't mean they can't. There is no reason to be afraid of any of the big hitters. Week 12 ranking: 4 It's realistic to expect to win theAFC East. The Dolphins are in the driver's seat to win their first division title since 2008, and right now they are playing better than the Bills Miami has two more games in the division in the next two weeks. Fans in western New York aren't going to like hearing it, but the Dolphins have placed themselves in a good position to win the division, and it's what they should expect. Week 12 ranking: 6 They should split their last six games, win the North and host two playoff games. The Vikings will probably have a record of at least 12-5 There are only two teams on the Vikings' schedule that have winning records, the Jets and Giants. Even in a down year for the division, it's hard to project a sweep on the road. Week 12 ranking: 8 Going to the Superbowl is realistic. The Niners went so far as to tell the world they believed they could when they traded for running back Christian McCaffrey. It would be considered a disappointment if they didn't win it. This team has everything it needs to play in the big game, even if they can't beat the Kansas City Chiefs. Week 12 ranking: 11 It's realistic to expect to repeat as champion. It might seem like a stretch for a team currently ranked sixth in the conference to find their form in December. The defense and offense are two of the best in the league. Despite the fact that Ja'Marr Chase has missed the last four games with a hip injury, Cincinnati is fourth in the league in points per drive and offensive points per game. The team has the best net touchdown differential in the league. Week 12 ranking: 9 It is realistic to expect to win theAFC South. The Colts have a two-game lead over theTitans in the division. TheTitans are favored to win the division and have two games against theJaguars. The rushing attack hasn't been the same over the last three weeks as the passing game is starting to come alive. If the team can balance their offense, they will be a dangerous team. In eight weeks, the defense has not allowed an opponent to score more than 20 points. Week 12 ranking: 7 The realistic expectation is to win theAFC North. The Ravens have a good schedule the rest of the way despite being upset by the Jags. After playing five straight games against teams with losing records, Baltimore will play the final game of the season against the Cincinnati. Baltimore has a good chance of winning its first division title in a long time. How far the Ravens can go in the playoffs is the bigger question. Lamar Jackson has a 3-7 record in the playoffs for his career. Week 12 ranking: 15 To get a wild-card spot is realistic. With four of the remaining six on the road, it will be difficult, but the Jets are 4-1 on the road this season. The Jets are ranked fourth in scoring defense, and if the Mike White-led offense can be middle-of-the-road, they should be fine. Week 12 ranking: 13 It's realistic to expect to make the playoffs. The Commanders were 1-4 after five games this season, but Washington is still seventh. Four of their last five games are against teams with winning records, including the New York Giants and San Francisco. Washington is 7-1 against teams currently under.500. The Commanders will need to split with the Giants and win one other game if they want to have a chance of making the playoffs. There were three wins in five games. You should book the playoffs. Week 12 ranking: 10 It's realistic to expect to make the playoffs. The Giants are in the top half of the conference. It's shaping up to be a three team race between the Commanders and the Seahawks. The Giants play two games against Washington in a three week period. They are in a good spot if they win one of the two. It is possible for the Giants to get into the playoffs with nine wins in the NFC, but only if they split the last six games. This week, everything you need.
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1. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-1)
3. Buffalo Bills (8-3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (8-3)
5. Miami Dolphins (8-3)
6. Minnesota Vikings (9-2)
7. San Francisco 49ers (7-4)
8. Cincinnati Bengals (7-4)
9. Tennessee Titans (7-4)
10. Baltimore Ravens (7-4)
11. New York Jets (7-4)
12. Washington Commanders (7-5)
13. New York Giants (7-4)
Week 12 ranking: 12
It is realistic to get to 10 wins.
When the Seahawks were on a four-game win streak, they were cruising toward at least that many, but they've come back down to earth with back-to-back losses. Ten wins is still a reasonable expectation, but they will need to beat at least one good team in addition to taking care of business in the three games in which they'll likely be favored. Four of their last six are at Lumen Field. They just lost to the Raiders.
Week 12 ranking: 14
It's realistic to expect to finish above.500.
Bills, at Arizona, at Las Vegas, Cincinnati, and at Miami are the remaining games. It would take three wins to get over.500 and four to get into the playoffs.
Week 12 ranking: 16
There is a realistic expectation of winning the south.
The division is in jeopardy after the Falcons took a half-game lead. The defense is struggling to put together complete games and the offense can't seem to clear 17 points. The decision not to use all timeouts before the end of regulation against Cleveland was questionable. It's hard to see them being more than a one and done if they make the playoffs.
Ryan Clark is not a fan of Tom Brady and the rest of the team.
Week 12 ranking: 17
It's realistic to expect to make the playoffs.
The goal was to make a deep playoff run with the additions of the new players. Injuries have resulted in Joey Bosa, J.C. Jackson and other players being put on injured reserve. The Bolts still have a chance to make the playoffs for the first time in over a year, thanks to a coach's decision to go for the 2-point conversion rather than kicking an extra point and going to overtime in a Week 12 win over the Cards.
Week 12 ranking: 18
Entering Week 17 of the playoffs is realistic expectation.
One team with a winning record will face Atlanta the rest of the season, as the Falcons are a half-game out of first place. The Falcons have games against the Saints in Week 15 and the Bucs in Week 18 that could make or break their playoff chances. The fact that we're still talking about this shows how well Atlanta has done this season and how they put together game plans to maximize what they do well.
Week 12 ranking: 19
They should get a closer look at what they have in Jordan Love.
It opened the discussion of what the Packers should do the rest of the season after Love came on in relief for Rodgers. It's easier to sit him because of his injuries, but it could be a delicate situation. The Packers need to see what they have in Love and playing several weeks in a row will help make that clear.
Week 12 ranking: 27
A six game win streak is realistic.
The Raiders seem to have rediscovered the lucky charm that got them into the playoffs last season, after two straight OT wins. The next four games for the Raiders are against teams with a combined record of 18-25, followed by a game against the 49ers and a game against the Kansas City Chiefs.
Week 12 ranking: 21
Young players are evaluated.
The Saints have a realistic chance of making it to the playoffs, but they've wasted every chance they've had to make a difference in the division by losing to themselves. While a best-case scenario has them winning out to finish with a winning season, a more realistic one has them getting more snaps for players.
Week 12 ranking: 26
It is realistic to get to six victories.
It doesn't seem like a big deal, but that would be the most games the franchise has won in a year. They have won eight since then. TheJaguars have won two of their past three, including an upset of Baltimore this past Sunday, and if they somehow go on a roll, they could even have a chance to finish with a winning record.
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Week 12 ranking: 23
They are going to double their win total from last season.
In the second year of the Dan Campbell era, the expectations were higher. The Lions have been one of the hottest teams in the league recently, winning three of their last four games. The Lions have a chance to double their win total from 3-13-1 to at least six wins this season, which is a big improvement as they continue to take steps towards their rebuild. Since the beginning of the year, Detroit has not won a single game.
Week 12 ranking: 29
There is a realistic expectation of hanging around the playoffs.
A 4-7 record might make it hard for a team to expect to make the playoffs. It is possible that Cleveland could still make the playoffs. Only one more loss in the last six games will be enough for the Browns. They might need help somewhere else from a loadedAFC even then. If the team can avoid being eliminated in December, it will be considered a success at this point.
Week 12 ranking: 20
Winning one game is realistic expectation.
The last five games are not for the faint of heart for the Cards. After how this season has played out, two of the remaining teams seem winnable. The coach talked about a turn around, but it hasn't happened. Will his job be safe in three years?
It would be difficult for the Broncos to part ways with either coach or player.
Week 12 ranking: 28
It's realistic to expect Kenny Pickett to develop.
They aren't in the playoffs this year. The reality is that theAFC North is in a down year even though they started 4-7. The back half of the season can be used to develop the quarterback who was inserted at halftime of the Jets game. The final weeks of training can be used as a baseline for his second season.
Week 12 ranking: 22
Evaluate the roster for the upcoming season.
The Colts have fallen short of their expectations in each of the last two years. It might be a good idea to take a look at where this roster is going into the future. When the season is over, the Colts are expected to conduct a legitimate coaching search. Their apparent needs and lack of production from an offensive line that is the most expensive in the league will lead to more changes. The Colts might have to decide if they want to keep Matt Ryan on the team to mentor another quarterback. The last five games could have an effect on that.
Week 12 ranking: 31
Staying in the south is realistic expectation.
Only one of the Carolina's last five opponents has a winning record, and the panthers have already beaten two of them If Sam Darnold can manage the offense without making catastrophic mistakes, the defense will be able to keep Carolina in the game. The Carolinas are a long shot, but they won the division in the last four games of the year.
Week 12 ranking: 25
It's realistic to focus on the development of Justin Fields.
The Bears need to put all of their efforts towards building. Fields needs to develop his skills as a passer and be able to win from the pocket when he comes back from his injury. Fields has yet to throw for more than 200 yards in a game this year. The Bears' goal of creating a sustainable offense for their future franchise quarterback needs to be the center of attention.
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Week 12 ranking: 24
Future contributors on this roster are realistic expectations.
The Rams have had a lot of injuries this season, but one bright spot is that they are getting an extended look at their depth. The focus of the Rams will be on figuring out if some of the players can contribute in the future. "As a result of those injuries, guys are going to get some opportunities like you've seen each of the last couple weeks," said coach Sean McVay. The group of wide receiver behind the injured Cooper Kupp and Allen Robinson II could include Ben Skowronek and Brandon Powell.
Week 12 ranking: 30
Being the lowest- scoring team in franchise history is realistic.
The Broncos are last in the league in terms of points scored. The team has scored less than 10 points in four games. Fourteen points per game is the average for their lowest- scoring team in history. The lowest scoring team of the 16-game era was in 1992 when they scored 262 points. The lowest- scoring team since 2000 is the Broncos.
Week 12 ranking: 32
Dameon Pierce is expected to get to 1000 rushing yards.
This season, he has 788 yards rushing. Defenses have focused their game plan on stopping the fourth-round draft pick. In the last two games against the Commanders and Dolphins, he has had 16 yards. He won't get to 1,000 yards. The offensive line needs to create holes for Pierce and the passing attack needs to take the pressure off him in order for him to reach that milestone.
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