Week 15 AP NFL Power Rankings: Rodgers, Brady battle for top spot

Up until the last hour of the late afternoon slot, Sunday produced probably the worst slate of games we have seen in some time. I mean, unless you’re a Kansas City Chiefs fan, a Los Angeles Chargers fan, a Denver Broncos fan or a... well, you get my drift. On Sunday, there there was basically very little room for the middle ground: either you blew out — or you were blown out.

This week’s voters were Mark Gunnels, Talon Graff, Rocky Magaña, Jared Sapp, Bryan Stewart, Stephen Serda, Kristian Gumminger, Ethan Willinger and myself.

1. Green Bay Packers (2nd)

A bye week was nice for the Packers and the NFL community because we didn’t have to hear anything from (or about) Aaron Rodgers for a few days.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3rd)

Tom Brady in overtime is automatic — and it’s really, really annoying.

3. Arizona Cardinals (1st)

They could just about afford that loss on Monday Night Football.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (5th)

D-O-M-I-N-A-N-T display against the clowns that are the Las Vegas Raiders.

5. New England Patriots (4th)

The AFC’s number 1 team was on a bye. Time to sit back and watch the other teams beat each other up.

6. Los Angeles Rams (7th)

They sent out a reminder to the three big boys of the NFC that they’re still here.

7. Dallas Cowboys (6th)

Micah Parsons is something else.

8. Los Angeles Chargers (11th)

NFL media simply cannot talk about Justin Herbert without somehow forcing Patrick Mahomes’ name into the sentence. I don’t get it? Why can’t they just both be great?

9. Buffalo Bills (8th)

They’re now in genuine danger of missing out on the playoffs.

10. Tennessee Titans (12th)

The Jaguars were the perfect fodder for a Titans team desperate to get back on track.

11. Indianapolis Colts (10th)

On Saturday night... we’re all Colts fans.

12. Baltimore Ravens (9th)

Another team in danger of missing out on the postseason. They are simply too beat up.

13. San Francisco 49ers (14th)

Entrenched in the NFC wildcard spots. I don’t think any team will like coming up against them — purely because of how unpredictable they are.

14. Cincinnati Bengals (13th)

A killer of a loss against the 49ers. They need some help to get into the playoffs.

15. Cleveland Browns (18th)

If they had lost that game then I would have advised disbanding the team and blowing up the stadium and — after everyone had left, of course.

16. Miami Dolphins (16th)

They would have been very encouraged by the weekend’s results.

17. Minnesota Vikings (21st) | This week’s high riser

Justin Jefferson is incredible.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (15th)

Chase Claypool typifies what everyone thinks about the wide receiver room in Pittsburgh.

19. Washington Football Team (17th)

The streak is over.

20. Denver Broncos (22nd)

Their tributes to Demaryius Thomas this weekend have been as classy as they have been lovely. Sorry for your loss, Broncos Country.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (20th)

A bye before their late-season push for a playoff spot.

22. New Orleans Saints (23rd)

They beat the Jets and (just barely) kept their playoff hopes alive.

23. Seattle Seahawks (24th)

They’re not going to make a charge for the playoffs, are they?

24. Atlanta Falcons (26th)

If they end up making the playoffs, they will be the team that everyone wants to face.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (19th) | This week’s big faller

I thought the bosses of Formula 1 did the most stupid thing on Sunday — and then the Raiders went and topped it.

26. Chicago Bears (27th)

Stop doing stupid things that wind up Aaron Rodgers.

27. Carolina Panthers (25th)

Cam is doing the Hokey Kokey on the bench.

28. New York Giants (28th)

I had no faith in their ability to beat the Chargers — and I was right.

29. Detroit Lions (31st)

Moving on up — despite losing in miserable fashion.

30. New York Jets (29th)

Their minds are already on the beach.

31. Houston Texans (32nd)

They were competitive for long periods of their game against the Seahawks. The problem with the Texans is that they are so talent-poor.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (30th)

I’m so bored of Urban Meyer stories. Just end it already.