NFL Week 17 power rankings

By Rick Morris

NOTE: Previous rankings in parentheses.

TOP TIER – LEGIT SUPER BOWL CONTENDERS

1 New England (2)

2 Atlanta (1)

3 Baltimore (3)

4 New Orleans (6)

5 Pittsburgh (4)

6 Chicago (9)

7 New York Jets (5)

SECOND TIER – SUPER BOWL LONGSHOTS

8 Philadelphia (7)

9 Kansas City (12)

10 Indianapolis (10)

11 Green Bay (14)

12 Jacksonville (11)

13 New York Giants (8)

14 Tampa Bay (15)

15 St. Louis (16)

16 Seattle (17)

THIRD TIER – MEDIOCRE AT BEST

17 San Diego (13)

18 Tennessee (18)

19 Oakland (21)

20 Washington (25)

21 Minnesota (24)

22 Miami (20)

23 Dallas (22)

24 San Francisco (19)

25 Houston (23)

26 Buffalo (26)

27 Detroit (28)

28 Cleveland (27)

FOURTH TIER – BOTTOM FEEDERS

29 Cincinnati (29)

30 Arizona (30)

31 Denver (31)

32 Carolina (32)

BIGGEST RISERS: Washington (5 spots), Chicago, Green Bay, Kansas City and Minnesota (3 spots)

BIGGEST FALLERS: New York Giants and San Francisco (5 spots), San Diego (4 spots)

RANKINGS BY DIVISION – 1 POINT PER RANKING SPOT FOR EACH INDIVIDUAL TEAM, LOWEST SCORE IS BEST

1 NFC South (52)

2 AFC East (56)

3 NFC North (63)

4 NFC East (64)

5T AFC North (65)

5T AFC South (65)

7 AFC West (76)

8 NFC West (85)

RANKINGS BY CONFERENCE

1 AFC 186

2 NFC 200