The race to the playoffs is now officially in the homestretch and with each and every week we will see teams get eliminated from playoff contention. Some teams will not be making the playoffs unless they get a specific position to improve over the final four weeks, so in this edition of power rankings we look at which position needs to step up on every team.
Let’s get started.
Rank Kansas City Chiefs (11-1)
1 Prev. (2 ↑1)
Week 13 Result: 22-16 W against Denver
Position That Needs to Step Up: Defensive/Nose Tackles
Chris Jones may be one of the best interior linemen on the defensive side of the ball, but that may be the only “great” player on the interior. Even with Jones being great he is actually more of a pass rusher than run stuffer, this does not mean he is bad in the run game, but he is better in the pass. The biggest issue with the Chiefs defense this season has been the run defense, that is honestly the determining factor from this being a great team and an excellent team. They have sure tacklers on the team, but without guys in the middle to eat up block it makes stopping a run up the middle tougher. This season they rank as one of the worst run defenses in the league, allowing over 100 rushing yards in eight of their 12 games. If they can get the best out of their interior linemen, the rest of the season then a second Super Bowl could be in sight.
Rank Pittsburgh Steelers (11-1)
2 Prev. (1 ↓1)
Week 13 Result: 23-17 L against Washington
Position That Needs to Step Up: Running Backs
Entering this season, we weren’t sure how Big Ben would look coming off of an elbow injury so the run game needed to be there to help the Steelers be the best team they could be. Three-quarters of the way through the season and we have seen that Roethlisberger looks good, but the team is still at its best when they get both games involved. Through the first five games of the season the Steelers gained over 100 yards in every game and won most of those in convincing fashion, since then they have only reached 100 yards once and have had some of their toughest games. Last week they almost lost with 68 rushing yards and now they suffered their first loss after only gaining 21 yards. James Conner is a huge piece that has been missing but if he continues to stay out then the backups need to step up if they want to win the number one seed.
Rank New Orleans Saints (10-2)
3 Prev. (3 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 21-16 W against Atlanta
Position That Needs to Step Up: Wide Receivers
This is a bit of a cheap one here considering the game plan for the team has been completely different since Taysom Hill came in for an injured Brees. The plan has involved not using the passing game nearly to the extent they had previously and due to that the passing numbers do not look as good as they probably could. Their best receiver Thomas has been injured and still almost leads the team in receiving yards so all around it doesn’t sound great but taking all things into consideration they really are not that bad. Having your top receiver back can only help the team and once Brees returns the team should be at full strength and on pace to make a long playoff run. Overall, they are playing great on both sides of the ball right now and few positions really need to step up for them.
Rank Green Bay Packers (9-3)
4 Prev. (4 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 30-16 W against Philadelphia
Position That Needs to Step Up: OLBs/DE
Za’Darius Smith gets a pass for this one considering he has 10.5 sacks on the season but the rest of the OLBs and DEs combined have 13 sacks, not a bad number but not where you want them to be. Last offseason when they brought in both Smith’s they expected great numbers in the sack game and that is what they got last season and this season has been completely different. In the last four games Preston Smith has had 2.5 sacks, for clarification, on the season he has a total of three sacks. So, while recently he has been better it has not been a great season for him. Luckily, they have had players who have filled his role during his struggles but if they can get the rush game going outside of Za’Darius on a constant basis then this will be one of the most complete teams in the NFC.
Rank Buffalo Bills (9-3)
5 Prev. (5 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 34-24 W against San Francisco
Position That Needs to Step Up: The Entire Defense
Buffalo’s defense has been playing better recently but anything will look bad when comparing it to their defense last season. Last season their defense was top 10 in all aspects of the game including the most important second in points allowed, obviously with new seasons things will change but their defense took a massive step back this season. This season they rank near the bottom third in all aspects except for points allowed but even then, they rank 18th so it is not great. What helps is that the offense led by Josh Allen has taken a massive leap forward and that is carrying them right now, but if they can revert to last season defensively then the Bills will be a huge threat come playoff time.
Rank Los Angeles Rams (8-4)
6 Prev. (8 ↑2)
Week 13 Result: 38-28 W against Arizona
Position That Needs to Step Up: Kicker
Being a kicker in the NFL is one of the toughest jobs in the entire league, not necessarily because their job is harder than others but because they get no credit for the good but take all the blame for the bad. Giving credit to the kicker has changed in recent seasons but it still stand they will be looked at as the scape goat if things don’t turn out well. The Rams have had issues putting points on the scoreboard this season especially when compared to their yardage gained so it is not all the kicker’s fault, but the Rams have had three kickers this season and all of them have below a 75% conversion rate. Now it is not every day you find a Justin Tucker but having a kicker who can convert over 85% will do wonders for this team throughout the rest of the season.
Rank Cleveland Browns (9-3)
7 Prev. (10 ↑3)
Week 13 Result: 41-35 W against Tennessee
Position That Needs to Step Up: Secondary
Yes, the secondary is not a position it is a collective of positions but if the Browns want to be taken seriously, they need a reliable secondary. Each and every week the Browns are gaining respect due to their record, but last game showed just how good they can be offensively. Now that we know they can do that offensively we need to see the defense (specifically the pass defense) get better. In basic stats the Browns allow the 23rd most passing yards in the league and the 29th most passing TDs. Switch to more advanced stats and the Browns rank 22nd in opponent passer rating, 22nd in opponent passing TD%, and 25th in opponent passing first down %. These are not stats to live or die by, but they do show that when Cleveland gets a lead they are susceptible to the pass, if they can turn things around good things will come.
Rank Tennessee Titans (8-4)
8 Prev. (7 ↓1)
Week 13 Result: 41-35 L against Cleveland
Position That Needs to Step Up: Edge Rushers
The most disappointing player for Tennessee this season has been Jadeveon Clowney, they brought him in as a disruptor in both the pass and the run and he has been neither. He has done some things in the run collecting four tackles for loss but in the pass, he has zero sacks. Now he’s injured and out, but he has not been the only player/players who have been underwhelming. Basically, their entire set of edge rushers outside of Harold Landry have. Landry only has 4.5 sacks on the season but on a team that has 14 on the season he is the leader. The offense controls this team and is what has carried them so far, if they can get a pass rush going to force quick throws and sacks, they will be in a much better position come playoff time and to make the playoffs.
Rank Seattle Seahawks (8-4)
9 Prev. (6 ↓3)
Week 13 Result: 17-12 L against New York Giants
Position That Needs to Step Up: Cornerbacks
In recent weeks the offense has been shaky and that is not a good sign for a team that heavily relies on them. They rely on the offense because the defense (mainly the pass) is not good. All the Seahawks do is allow yards through the air as they rank 32nd in the league in pass yards allowed. Now, it makes sense that they do considering they have the most pass attempts against them but it’s still worrisome. Seattle has the 31st ranked opponent passing first down % and a big reason for that is because this run defense is so good to go along with the offense that teams have had to pass. The issue comes when the offense isn’t doing well, they will need to be able to defend the pass to stay in the game. They have had some issue with that, it is not as big as it has been made out to be, but they have room for improvement.
Rank Baltimore Ravens (7-5)
10 Prev. (12 ↑2)
Week 13 Result: 34-17 W against Dallas
Position That Needs to Step Up: Edge Rushers
It may not look like because of how often the Ravens blitz compared to other teams but they may have one of the worst four man rushes in the NFL. Adding Yannick Ngakoue to go along with Matthew Judon was supposed to help the rush and limit the number of times they had to blitz. Well, things have not worked out to plan so far. Since joining the team Ngakoue has one sack and though he does better near the end of games something needs to change for a player fighting for a contract. This season the Ravens have 28 sacks defensively but only 13.5 have come from edge rushers. It’s may not be the biggest issue in the world but when a team can’t force pressure on the opposing QB it makes it tougher when it comes to covering the pass because it puts more pressure on everyone else. They have the players to do so, now they just need to do it.
Rank Indianapolis Colts (8-4)
11 Prev. (11 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 26-20 W against Houston
Position That Needs to Step Up: Wide Receivers
The Colts spread the ball out well when they do pass but the biggest problem is that they don’t have that number one guy. Not having a number one guy is not a huge issue but if someone can take that role on it will help make it easier for everyone else. T.Y. Hilton has been playing that role and he is the leading receiver on the team with over 500 yards, but their third leading receiver is a running back and that is a bit of an issue. When your run game is not great like Indy’s then the other part needs to be good and that is not the case. Sure, they rank 11th in passing yards but they don’t have the true great receivers which would help Rivers out even more. On top of that if the pass game got better it could open up the run more so there is room for improvement even though they are not bad.
Rank Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-5)
12 Prev. (9 ↓3)
Week 13 Result: Bye
Position That Needs to Step Up: Wide Receivers
This is going to sound crazy because on paper they have one of the best receiving corps out there and they have been playing very well, but they could be even better. In recent weeks it looks like they have had some issues creating separation and of course not all of this is their fault, some of it goes to Brady and some to the defenses, but if they can create separation better their offense should do no wrong. This team has all the potential in the world, but the offensive end has been where they are lacking recently, if the wide receivers help out then the offense will do just fine. The receivers on the team are not playing bad, but with all the help they have they should be playing better.
Rank Miami Dolphins (8-4)
13 Prev. (13 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 19-7 W against Cincinnati
Position That Needs to Step Up: Running Backs
In reality, the whole offense needs a kick, but they have mostly been able to get away with above average to slightly below average play thanks to the strength of their defense. It is definitely one way to go as some Super Bowl winners have done in the past, but this defense does not quite compare to those team (ex. 2000 Ravens). Their offense isn’t terrible but if they make the playoffs then their current offense may not be good enough to make it deep, one part that needs to get better is the run game. The running backs have failed to reach the 1,000-mark threshold this season and that is not the worst considering there is four games left, but that is not great. If the running backs can start to get yards and first downs to help the offense on top of their defensive strength, then they will fare much better down the road.
Rank Arizona Cardinals (6-6)
14 Prev. (14 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 38-28 L against Los Angeles Rams
Position That Needs to Step Up: Quarterback
This one may sound crazy but bear with me, Kyler Murray is undoubtably an amazing talent who is having a very good season, but he could be doing so much more. Through eight games this season Murray was an MVP candidate with his talent through both the run and the air but in the past four games something has been off, especially in the run game. In Murray’s career, the Cardinals have won one time and tied once when he has less than 30 rushing yards, he has three such games this season and they have not won once (1-9-1). On top of the rushing, he is coming off of his two worst passing games this season. Whether he is dealing with an injury or not reading defenses, something needs to change quickly if they want any chance to make the postseason.
Rank New England Patriots (6-6)
15 Prev. (17 ↑2)
Week 13 Result: 45-0 W against Los Angeles Chargers
Position That Needs to Step Up: Wide Receivers
New England has won two straight games and now they are right back in the mix to make the playoffs. They have been able to do this without a true number one receiver, now some teams have shown they can win without a great pass game but if they want to make a deep run then having a pass game will become important. Julian Edelman has been out for a majority of the season but when he is in, he is the number one receiver. Without him they have had a shot to try out some of their other receivers, but they will need to get a true passing game soon and the wide receivers are at the core of that.
Rank San Francisco 49ers (5-7)
16 Prev. (15 ↓1)
Week 13 Result: 34-24 L against Buffalo
Position That Needs to Step Up: Running Backs
San Francisco has been dealing with a ton of injuries this season, so it is true that there are multiple positions that need to step up. Running backs seem the immediate positions that needs to perform better especially with a backup quarterback in. Jerick McKinnon and Raheem Mostert would not automatically change this offense in one play, but it would help give them a little freedom as well as give the defense some time to rest. Until Jimmy Garoppolo comes back the offense will run through the running backs so this will be the position that needs to step up in order to have a shot at the postseason.
Rank Las Vegas Raiders (7-5)
17 Prev. (16 ↓3)
Week 13 Result: 31-28 W against New York Jets
Position That Needs to Step Up: Defense
This is another example where not just one position needs to step up, but the entire defense does. They already had issues prior to their last game but they almost lost to the Jets, if that is not a wakeup call then I don’t know what is. The defense ranks 28th in points allowed this season, they are not good in either the pass or the run but somehow, they have managed to go 7-5. They are lucky to be in their current situation but over the remaining games where they play the Colts and the Dolphins, they will need key players to step up. They are currently on the outside looking in for the playoffs so in order to make it they need the defense to step up.
Rank Minnesota Vikings (6-6)
18 Prev. (18 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 27-24 W against Jacksonville
Position That Needs to Step Up: Defense
This is another example of an entire unit needing to step up as oppose to one separate position. The past two games they have narrowly escaped with victories against the Panthers and the Jaguars, if they are struggling against those teams then what will happen against the Buccaneers and the Saints. Their offense has the talent to be able to match with most offenses in the league, but their defense is what will potentially keep them out of the playoffs. It’s not necessarily and issue with limiting yards but they seem to almost always allow points and that is the exact opposite of what needs to happen. Both aspects of this defense will need to get better if they want any hope but they have some tough games ahead of them, the next game will show what team they truly are.
Rank New York Giants (5-7)
19 Prev. (22 ↑3)
Week 13 Result: 17-12 W against Seattle
Position That Needs to Step Up: Quarterback
The Giants have four straight wins and have put themselves in a good position to make the playoffs by winning the NFC East, nothing is set in stone yet and in order to ensure a playoff appearance they need better quarterback play. Only two times this season have the Giants had over 250 passing yards but both games they lost, now they have been relying on the defense in order to win games. Their defense has been carrying them but how long can that last? They still have to play the Browns, Ravens, and Cardinals so they do not have an easy schedule so the only way they will win is if they get some offense going. Sure, their defense could lead them to wins but don’t solely rely on that, the offense needs to get better and the quarterback is the primary position that needs to step up to become a playoff team.
Rank Washington Football Team (5-7)
20 Prev. (26 ↑6)
Week 13 Result: 23-17 W against Pittsburgh
Position That Needs to Step Up: Kicker
Washington has been playing much better in recent weeks with their defense being a big reason for winning but the offense also helping out largely. Of course, the offense still needs some help with the wide receivers and tight ends, but they should know by this point in the season that they will be playing in close games. The offense has talent but now enough talent to be one of the best in the league so they will be relying on close games in large part to their defense to win games. Since they will be in close games for the remainder of the season, they need a reliable kicker. Dustin Hopkins has not been awful this season, but he is only at 76% and if they are going to play tight games then they need someone who will for sure be 85%+.
Rank Houston Texans (4-8)
21 Prev. (21 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 26-20 L against Indianapolis
Position That Needs to Step Up: Defensive Tackles
Will Fuller may no longer be on the field this season, but even with that the wide receiver position is not the one that needs to step up. Stopping the run game on the defensive side has been the biggest issue for this team and that all starts on the defensive line. This season the Texans have 28 tackles for losses and well below half of them have come from the defensive tackle position. This is not always their job, but this also means they are not eating up blocks to give their linebackers enough space to get quick tackles. The Texans are basically out of the playoff race right now with eight losses, but if they want any hope to stay in the race then the run defense needs to tighten up and it all starts up front.
Rank Detroit Lions (5-7)
22 Prev. (27 ↑5)
Week 13 Result: 34-30 W against Chicago
Position That Needs to Step Up: Defensive Line
Outside of Romeo Okwara this defensive line has not been helping this team win. They have not been good at slowing down the run or getting to the opposing QB in the pass game. The Lions need every win plus a ton of help for any chance to make the playoffs, but a good start would be to get their defensive line going to help them out. This defense is full of young talent on the defensive end, but until the line which is the heart of an offense or defense steps up then they will never truly be a great defense.
Rank Atlanta Falcons (4-8)
23 Prev. (23 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 21-16 L against New Orleans
Position That Needs to Step Up: Secondary
This is another one where not just one single position, but a group needs to step up. We could have said the defense in general, but the pass defense has been so bad this it seems like the secondary is the logical choice. The Falcons have been in almost every game they have played this season and if they had a better pass defense then they could easily be in the middle of a playoff race. Atlanta has given up many late leads due to this secondary and they have hurt this team this season, but they still have the chance to play spoiler and the only way that will happen is if their secondary steps up.
Rank Chicago Bears (5-7)
24 Prev. (20 ↓4)
Week 13 Result: 34-30 L against Detroit
Position That Needs to Step Up: Running Backs
The biggest issue here is that the running backs need to step up, but they really only have one running back. They have tried different players at running back but only David Montgomery is really a running back and therefore they rely on him way too much. Since they can only get so much out of one back, they focus on the pass game a good amount and their pass game is not good enough to lead them to victories. If they can get one player outside of Montgomery to come in over the last few weeks, then they can somewhat salvage this season and prepare for the future. If they don’t then they will continue to lose and set a bad precedent for the future.
Rank Carolina Panthers (4-8)
25 Prev. (25 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: Bye
Position That Needs to Step Up: Tight Ends
The Panthers have a decent defense and a decent offense that has good running backs and good wide receivers. The biggest thing they don’t have is that reliable target over the middle of the field they can hit at any time. The tight ends that the Panthers currently have are mainly used for blocking and not receiving, as of now their tight ends combined barely have 150 receiving yards. It is probably too late in the season to focus on targeting the tight ends now and they may not have that guy to replace Greg Olsen but not many people can. If you can help take some pressure off of the wide receivers then they will become even better, but in order for that to happen the tight ends need to help out in the pass game.
Rank Denver Broncos (4-8)
26 Prev. (19 ↓7)
Week 13 Result: 22-16 W against Kansas City
Position That Needs to Step Up: Quarterback
It is not the QBs fault that this team has had awful injury luck all season but at this point they are not playing to help the team make the playoffs, they are playing to save their job. This specifically goes to Drew Lock because he has been the starter whenever healthy and he has not had a great season. Again, it’s not all his fault but it is also not a great showing of what he can do. These last four games you are fighting for your starting job next season, if you play well then you probably earned yourself a starting job and if not, you may have found yourself on the bench. Having a fully healthy team will make his job easier, but now is the time to show that even with injuries you can still lead this team to good games and victories.
Rank Philadelphia Eagles (3-8-1)
27 Prev. (24 ↓3)
Week 13 Result: 30-16 L against Green Bay
Position That Needs to Step Up: Offensive Line
This seems like the normal for the Eagles the past couple of seasons, deal with injuries throughout the year and hope for the best. Well, this year the best has not come and yet somehow, they are still in the race for the division. If they are going to have any shot at the division then the offensive line will need some improved play over the remaining games. Yes, they don’t have all of their normal starter but now is when you put up, Carson Wentz has been the most sacked QB of the season and that will not lead to any wins. Now Jalen Hurts is in so it gives them a little flexibility at the line positions, but they will still need to hold up to help the rookie out or this will just be seen (if it’s not already) as a disappointing season.
Rank Dallas Cowboys (3-9)
28 Prev. (29 ↑1)
Week 13 Result: 34-17 L against Baltimore
Position That Needs to Step Up: Linebackers
The linebacking crew for Dallas has looked lost for most of the season and their last game against Baltimore was no different. Obviously, letting up 294 rushing yards was not all their fault, but they did almost nothing to make it better. The season for the Cowboys is all but over, but if the linebacking crew can step up over the final games of the season they will put themselves in a better mindset going into next season. There are many places that the Cowboys need to get better at, but the linebacking crew seems to be the biggest issue and they still technically have a chance in the division, so they need to step up if they want to win that division.
Rank Los Angeles Chargers (3-9)
29 Prev. (28 ↓1)
Week 13 Result: 45-0 L against New England
Position That Needs to Step Up: Running Backs
The Chargers have had problems with injuries like many other teams this season and the running backs were one that got hit hard. They lost Austin Ekeler for half the season and since his return he has gotten less than 50 yards in each game. The pass offense has shown for the most part they are competent, but they have had some issues and some of that stems from not having a great game. A nice running game is a great complement to any passing game, but it really helps when it comes to a rookie quarterback. Now this rookie season for Herbert is almost over, but even when he is not a rookie, he will still need a competent running game so starting it now will be a good sign of things to come.
Rank Cincinnati Bengals (2-9-1)
30 Prev. (30 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 19-7 L against Miami
Position That Needs to Step Up: Offensive Line
It is unfair to blame the offensive line for any injuries that occurred this season, but their play this season has led to many players getting him much more often than they should. They have good running backs in their system in Mixon and Bernard, yet they still rank as one of the worst run offenses in the league. Then we go to their pass offense and while it was decent this season, they allowed 44 sacks this season which is the second most in the league. This season is lost for them and obviously, the line is a position where they will be looking to upgrade this offseason, but now is more important for playing for the future. These players are playing for their jobs right now so if they don’t step up then they won’t be starting next season.
Rank Jacksonville Jaguars (1-11)
31 Prev. (31 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 27-24 L against Minnesota
Position That Needs to Step Up: Edge Rushers
Dawuane Smoot is their leader when it comes to sacks this season with 4.5 which isn’t awful, but three of them have come within the past two games. That means that they have struggled as a team all season to get to the QB, currently they have 15 sacks as a team which is just barely over one per game. Nothing at this point will change the direction of this season for Jacksonville, but if they can get players to get to the quarterback that will lighten the mood going into next season.
Rank New York Jets (0-12)
32 Prev. (32 ⏤)
Week 13 Result: 31-28 L against Las Vegas
Position That Needs to Step Up: Quarterback
The Jets finally had a chance to win their first game on Sunday and then after one of the, if not the worst defensive call ever they lost to the Raiders. That loss was not due to the offense in any way, but now they are even more likely to get the number one pick in the upcoming draft and who is likely to go number one, Trevor Lawrence. This is when Sam Darnold needs to prove he is the quarterback if the future and if he does not then they will have no issue getting rid of him to bring in Lawrence. Whether that is the right move or not will not be known for a while, but this is the time for Darnold to prove he should remain the starter for the future.