NFL Power Rankings, Week 17: Seahawks reclaim No. 1 spot, while Jaguars hit top 5; Rams plummet

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This is an interesting playoff race. One that’s less about who’s getting in and more about how seeding shakes out.

In the AFC, five teams (the Broncos, Patriots, Jaguars, Chargers and Bills) have officially clinched a postseason slot, and we pretty much know who’ll get the remaining two bids: the Steelers and Texans, barring something crazy. The NFC also has five teams locked into the playoff field: the Bears, Eagles and three-fourths of the NFC West (sorry, Cardinals).

The Ravens and Lions aren’t dead yet, but they’re on life support. The one true “coin toss” situation is in the NFC South. The Panthers landed the first blow against the Buccaneers on Sunday, but the all-important Week 18 rematch in Tampa looms.

It might feel like things are fairly settled, but that’s far from the case. The Broncos and Rams were skating toward the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, but last week’s losses hurt — especially for the Rams, who dropped down to the sixth seed. The NFC West race is remarkably fluid, and the 49ers somehow could steal the darned thing, even if the Rams remain fully capable of hoisting the Lombardi Trophy in February.

So, are the Seahawks the best team in football? That might be what these very temporary rankings suggest right now, but who knows what this week will bring? It’s a fool’s errand, but we keep fetching answers.

NOTE: Up/down arrows below reflect movement from the Week 16 Power Rankings.

I couldn’t have imagined vaulting the Seahawks into the top spot after a game in which they allowed 581 yards and lost the turnover battle, 3-0, but here we are. Seattle has been here before, and I clearly have served as the team’s white knight for various stretches, but I admit I am making this elevation with sincere hesitation. These Seahawks scare me, too, as good as they truly are. Sam Darnold deserves a ton of credit for bouncing back after throwing two bad interceptions on the prime-time stage, and there’s undeniable fight/grit to this squad. Even still, the NFC West and the No. 1 seed are not locked up yet, and Nick Emmanwori, Coby Bryant and Riq Woolen all suffered injuries in last Thursday’s big win. The ‘Hawks can wrap everything up with two more victories, but games against the Panthers and 49ers will be no cakewalk.

Down 11 points in the fourth quarter, on the road, with several key players injured, Drake Maye and the Patriots refused to die. Maye caught fire in the final quarter, leading two long touchdown drives, with Rhamondre Stevenson’s TD romp giving the Pats a lead they wouldn’t relinquish. The comeback win clinched a playoff berth for New England, moving the team into a dominant position to also claim the AFC East crown in the next two weeks. Losing Offensive Rookie of the Year candidate TreVeyon Henderson (concussion protocol) for any length of time would be a worry, and as mentioned above, that wasn’t the only notable health setback the Pats suffered in the game. They’re very thin on both lines of scrimmage right now but should eventually get help from players returning from IR, including OT Will Campbell and DT Milton Williams. They’ll be warmly welcomed back to a team that has outplayed all expectations and will be a fascinating case study in the postseason.

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