NFL Power Rankings Week 17: Where does every team stand?

The cream of the NFL crop entering the penultimate week of the season

#8 - Buffalo Bills (9-6)

Last Week: 33-21 W @ New England

Top Performer: QB Josh Allen (378 total yards, 3 passing TDs)

This Week: Sunday vs. Atlanta (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Josh Allen rediscovered his MVP form at the perfect time, giving the Bills the greatest NFL Christmas gift of all: control of their divisional destiny, as they'll take the AFC East with two more wins.

#7 - Cincinnati Bengals (9-6)

Last Week: 41-21 W vs Baltimore

Top Performer: QB Joe Burrow (37-of-46, 525 yards, 4 TDs)

This Week: Sunday vs. Kansas City (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

Week-after-week, the Bengals are passing tests, the latest being a complete annihilation of the Ravens, but it feels that football's powers-that-be aren't content with just letting them contend: their NFL playoff spot is anything but assured in the wild AFC North and the mighty Chiefs lie ahead this weekend.

Tampa Bay will officially defend its Super Bowl title after clinching an NFL playoff spot on Sunday (Photo: Getty)

#6 - Tampa Bay Buccaneeers (11-4)

Last Week: 32-6 W @ Carolina

Top Performer: S Jordan Whitehead (7 tackles, 3 pass breakups, 1 INT)

This Week: Sunday @ NY Jets (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Sunday's win against the downtrodden Panthers likely serves as a temporary reprieve from the Buccaneers' medical issues, but if that means hoisting yet another NFL division trophy — and keeping Tom Brady in tow — they can certainly live with it.

#5 - Los Angeles Rams (11-4)

Last Week: 30-23 W @ Minnesota

Top Performer: DT Aaron Donald (5 tackles, 3 TFL, 1 sack)

This Week: Sunday @ Baltimore (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Even if Matthew Stafford is inching toward NFL postseason jitters (throwing three interceptions despite the win on Sunday), the Rams have all the momentum in the NFC West and have recaptured the division lead from the reeling Cardinals.

Carson Wentz's lack of vaccination could hurt the Colts at the worst possible time (Photo: Getty)

#4 - Indianapolis Colts (9-6)

Last Week: 22-16 W @ Arizona

Top Performer: QB Carson Wentz (18-of-28, 225 yards, 2 TDs)

This Week: Sunday vs Las Vegas (1 p.m. ET, Fox)

Just as it seemed like Carson Wentz was ready to take further control of the surging Colts' offense — taking charge after Jonathan Taylor put only "only" 102 yards — his lack of vaccination status will keep him out of the horseshoe helmet for the rest of the regular season after testing positive for COVID-19, keeping him out for 10 days per the NFL's policies.

#3 - Dallas Cowboys (11-4)

Last Week: 56-14 W vs Washington

Top Performer: DE DeMarcus Lawrence (2 tackles, 1 sack, 1 INT, 1 TD)

This Week: Sunday vs Arizona (4:25 p.m. ET, Fox)

A downright dominant performance from a team that's notorious for playing up or down to its competition (which included an in-character 330-yard outing for Dak Prescott) has many pegging the Cowboys as the greatest threat to a Pack-Bucs rematch in the NFC title game.

Aaron Rodgers (12) made Green Bay history in the NFL's Christmas Day showcase (Photo: Getty)

#2 - Green Bay Packers (12-3)

Last Week: 24-22 W vs. Cleveland

Top Performer: WR Davantae Adams (10 rec., 114 yards, 2 TDs)

This Week: Sunday vs Minnesota (8:20 p.m. ET, NBC)

While it was, perhaps, a bit more dramatic than it should've been, the Packers earned a win in the NFL's Christmas showcase while Aaron Rodgers earned history, passing Brett Favre for the most touchdown passes in the history of the legendary franchise.

A breakout game for Byron Pringle helped the Chiefs win their eighth straight game, an NFL-best (Photo: Getty)

#1 - Kansas City Chiefs (11-4)

Last Week: 36-10 W vs. Pittsburgh

Top Performer: WR Byron Pringle (6 rec., 75 yards, 2 TDs)

This Week: Sunday vs Cincinnati (1 p.m. ET, CBS)

The NFL's worst nightmare is normally a full-strength Chiefs squad, but the fact that Kansas City were able to dismantle a somewhat legitimate Pittsburgh squad with such ease might be even more terrifying.