Davante Adams of the Los Angeles Rams, Drake Maye of the New England Patriots and Sam Darnold of the Seattle Seahawks

NFL power rankings entering Week 14 of the 2025 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Los Angeles Rams (1): Yeah, they lost … on the East Coast … in a rain storm … QB Matthew Stafford uncharacteristically throwing as many interceptions (2) in the first quarter as he had all season entering Sunday. Maybe the only concerning red flag here was how what the defense was gashed on the ground. Otherwise, we're giving LA a mulligan on this one.

2. New England Patriots (3): It's tempting to declare the team with the NFL's best record (11-2) as the league's best. But as much as QB Drake Maye and Co. have shown, we need to see just a little more − and against better competition.

3. Seattle Seahawks (2): "We're super happy to have the best defense in the world," WR Jaxon Smith-Njigba (23 receiving yards) said on his quietest day of the 2025 season. But how far can it carry the 'Hawks if the offense continues to disappear?

4. Green Bay Packers (5): Beat the archrival Bears on Sunday to complete a three-game sweep of the NFC North in a three-week period, and the Pack might just find itself atop the conference standings.

5. Denver Broncos (4): In some respects, they resemble a Rocky Mountain version of the Seahawks, sporting an often dominant D and a quarterback who can be great … and also a total wild card.

6. Houston Texans (11): The Seahawks allegedly have the best defense in the world, but the numbers support the Texans − who are allowing the fewest points and yards per game in the league. Now, is it good enough to snap a five-game losing streak to the Chiefs?

7. Buffalo Bills (12): The league's No. 1 rushing attack is fresh off producing a season-high 249 yards − which are also the most gained at Pittsburgh in half a century.

8. Chicago Bears (15): They've swept the NFC East. They've swept Pennsylvania. If the team currently sitting atop the NFC can win at Lambeau Field on Sunday, then any notions of fraudulence should be fully put to bed.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (13): They're 4-1 since their return from London and can take outright possession of the AFC South's top spot by beating the Colts on Sunday.

10. San Francisco 49ers (14): They'll only leave Silicon Valley once more in the regular season and, at 9-4, the Niners are very much in the mix to snag home-field advantage throughout the NFC playoffs.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (6): WR A.J. Brown is averaging 7.3 catches and 91.3 receiving yards (with three TDs) in Philly's four losses. In his seven other games, all wins, he's averaging 47.7 yards and 3.9 receptions (with three TDs). So, tell us again how important it is that you get the ball, A.J.?

12. Detroit Lions (9): Even if they can once again avert their first two-game regular-season losing streak since 2022, there's no scenario that gets them back into the projected NFC playoff field this week − circumstances that illustrate how much this team is struggling with its coaching staff turnover.

13. Indianapolis Colts (8): They've won once since acquiring CB Sauce Gardner, who's out for an indefinite period with a calf injury.

14. Dallas Cowboys (19): Though he's overshadowed by the general chaos that follows this team, what a turnaround RB Javonte Williams has had − now just 45 yards shy of his first 1,000-yard year in the NFL.

15. Kansas City Chiefs (7): The state of their tattered offensive line has to be a real concern with Houston's pass rush coming to Arrowhead.

16. Baltimore Ravens (10): They're averaging 20 points and nearly three turnovers per game over the past three weeks, though QB Lamar Jackson did look a bit more spry in the Thanksgiving loss to Cincinnati.

17. Carolina Panthers (20): Getting RB Chuba Hubbard reintegrated into the offense seems like a wise move. Sure paid off in Sunday's upset of the Rams, when he had a season-high 19 touches and 124 yards.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (16): They seem to be getting generally healthier at the most crucial juncture of the schedule − four of their final five games against NFC South opponents.

19. Los Angeles Chargers (17): Better to go into a Monday night game against a salty Philly D with a quarterback fresh off surgery for a broken (non-throwing) hand? Or Trey Lance?

20. Cincinnati Bengals (23): As obviously important as it is to have QB Joe Burrow back in the lineup, this team's story might be equally influenced by a defense that the locker room almost universally cited for beating Baltimore. Cincy has certainly been much better on that side of the ball in recent weeks.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (18): You actually don't want to fire Mike Tomlin, yinzers. You want to trade him for a first-round draft pick.

22. Arizona Cardinals (21): When was the last time a tight end, Trey McBride in this case, had more yards from scrimmage and touchdowns than a team's top two running backs … combined?

23. Cleveland Browns (24): DE Myles Garrett v. Cam Ward, the league's most-sacked quarterback? Hall of Fame officials should make the short trip to Cleveland on Sunday given the likelihood the single-season sack record could fall … in only 13 games.

24. Miami Dolphins (25): RB De'Von Achane is just the fifth running back this century to have at least 10 touchdowns in each of his first three NFL seasons.

25. Washington Commanders (27): Their valiant play in Sunday night's loss to Denver is a pretty good testament to coach Dan Quinn and a team that could easily have packed it in by now.

26. New York Jets (30): The quiet acquisition of WR Adonai Mitchell in the Gardner deal, which also netted two first-rounders, could really render this trade one-sided at some point. Trust the process.

27. Atlanta Falcons (26): Bijan Robinson and Tyler Allgeier are the only RB tandem in the league this season in which both players have at least seven TDs … for all the good it's doing.

28. Minnesota Vikings (22): Not sure what was worse Sunday − the body language on the sideline while the team was getting shut out in Seattle, or the fact that rookie QB Max Bromser was drawing Nathan Peterman comparisons.

29. New Orleans Saints (29): Cam Jordan and Terrell Suggs are now the only players this century with at least 125 sacks and 745 tackles in their career. Shame Jordan hasn't gotten the on-field recognition he deserves.

30. New York Giants (28): To summarize for any prospective head coaches − the rookie quarterback is determined to play recklessly, and the rookie pass rushers seems determined … not to play at all.

31. Las Vegas Raiders (31): Seriously, how much more can Maxx Crosby endure here?

32. Tennessee Titans (32): A showdown between Ward and Shedeur Sanders would have sounded a lot more compelling eight months ago.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: NFL power rankings Week 14: Do surging Patriots take top spot after Rams loss?

Reporting by Nate Davis, USA TODAY / USA TODAY

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