There are now just two weeks remaining in the NFL regular season, meaning we are starting to get a very clear picture of who the best teams in the league are.
Week 16 was definitely a doozy, with the Miami Dolphins beating the Dallas Cowboys in a thriller and the Baltimore Ravens topping the San Francisco 49ers in a potential Super Bowl preview.
There was plenty of great action this past weekend and on Christmas Day, and things are only about to get better as we move closer to the playoffs.
Without further ado, here are the top five teams in the NFL through Week 16.
5. Philadelphia Eagles
Last month, the Eagles looked like the best team in the NFL, but a December swoon has changed things for the club.
The Eagles just snapped a three-game losing streak with a Christmas win over the New York Giants, but they didn’t exactly look great in doing so.
Not only has Philadelphia’s defense been shaky, but Jalen Hurts looks a ways off from the MVP-caliber campaign he had last season.
The Eagles could still very well make it back to the Super Bowl, but with a 20th-ranked defense and a 27th-ranked pass defense, it is going to be tough…especially if Hurts continues to underwhelm.
Philadelphia is 11-4, but it looked a heck of a lot better when it was 10-1. Heck, even then, Philly still seemed to have some issues.
4. Detroit Lions
It’s about time the Lions start getting some respect.
Not only is Detroit 11-4, but it boasts the third-ranked offense in the NFL and is averaging a hefty 27.5 points per game, which is good for fifth in the league.
The Lions clinched the NFC North this past weekend and now have a great shot of securing the No. 1 seed in the conference, which would guarantee them home-field advantage throughout the playoffs.
Jared Goff is playing terrific football, the backfield duo of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is lethal, Amon-Ra St. Brown is a genuine No. 1 receiver and tight end Sam LaPorta is a budding star.
Detroit’s defense isn’t half-bad, either.
People have trouble taking the Lions seriously because of their history, but this year, things seem a bit different in the Motor City.
3. Miami Dolphins
I’ll be the first to admit that I had trouble buying into the Dolphins early on, as I had questions about their defense and I didn’t like how they seemed to fold against superior competition.
However, with just two games remaining in the regular season, it’s getting harder and harder to ignore just how good Miami is.
The Dolphins own the league’s top-ranked offense and they finally beat a team with a winning record in Week 16, topping the Cowboys in a last-minute comeback. In addition, Miami ranks fourth in defense, making it the only club in the NFL to rank in the top five in both categories.
The receiver tandem of Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle is truly phenomenal, and while Tua Tagovailoa certainly benefits from having them, there is no doubt he has been terrific under center this season.
Miami will battle the Ravens next week with home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs on the line.
2. San Francisco 49ers
Yes, they just got hammered by the Ravens on national television, but that doesn’t change the fact that the 49ers are still really, really good.
While I am a bit concerned with how Brock Purdy has looked against some of the league’s top defenses, he has been outstanding most of the year, and many considered him the frontrunner for MVP until the loss to Baltimore.
San Francisco remains elite on both sides of the ball, and we should not forget just how dominant the club looked before the Ravens debacle (which was just one game).
The Niners probably boast the most talented roster in the NFL top to bottom, and they are still pretty clearly the best team in the NFC.
We’ll see how Purdy handles the pressure of the playoffs.
1. Baltimore Ravens
When Mark Andrews went down with what appears to be a season-ending ankle injury a few weeks ago, I was down on the Ravens’ chances of making serious noise.
After all, Andrews has been Lamar Jackson’s favorite target since 2018, and Baltimore seemed rather thin on weapons to begin with.
However, the Ravens have not missed a beat without Andrews, as second-year tight end Isaiah Likely has stepped up in a major way in his stead, and Jackson has continued his MVP pace.
Additionally, Zay Flowers has emerged as a dynamic threat at wide receiver, and Odell Beckham Jr. still has it in him to be a force once in a while.
Of course, the best part about Baltimore (other than Jackson’s brilliance) is the club’s defense, which ranks No. 1 in the lead in points allowed.
Right now, the Ravens are the best team in the league, and they proved it with their blowout win over the 49ers on Christmas.
