Tonight's Monday Night Football matchup between the New England Patriots and New York Jets will decide most week 14 NFL power rankings and clarify the AFC playoff race considerably, with the winner becoming the first AFC team to reach 10 wins. A Pats win would propel them from No. 5 to No. 1 in the AFC playoff picture.
In the NFC, one team has already collected 10 wins: the Atlanta Falcons. But power ranky types are going to be more impressed by the Pats-Jets winner, nevermind that the Falcons just beat the Baltimore Ravens and Green Bay Packers in recent weeks.
Still have no idea what to make of the Chicago Bears and San Diego Chargers. The Bears are a game away from tying the league's best record, and the Bolts have a point differential only one behind the Falcons', but they're 6-6. Here's my best guess at what we might be looking at tomorrow:
- Patriots/Jets winner
- Atlanta Falcons
- Pittsburgh Steelers
- Green Bay Packers
- New Orleans Saints
- Patriots/Jets loser
- Baltimore Ravens
- Chicago Bears
- Philadelphia Eagles
- Kansas City Chiefs
- New York Giants