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NFL Nation, ESPN
Welcome to Week 15 of the 2024 NFL season. The Detroit Lions and Kansas City Chiefs stored rolling final week to maneuver to 12-1, however just a few wild video games shook up our standings.
The Buffalo Bills had been upset by the Los Angeles Rams, the Philadelphia Eagles narrowly escaped the Carolina Panthers, and the Arizona Cardinals misplaced their third straight recreation.
Along with the up to date rankings, we requested our NFL Nation reporters to choose probably the most surprising statistical rating — good or unhealthy — for the staff they cowl. The place does quarterback Bryce Young rank among the many greatest within the league proper now? Is the Minnesota Vikings‘ protection sliding?
Let’s begin with the Lions.
Our energy panel of greater than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluates how NFL groups stack up towards each other, rating them from 1 to 32.
Earlier rankings: Preseason | Week 2 | Week 3 | Week 4 | Week 5 | Week 6 | Week 7 | Week 8 | Week 9 | Week 10 | Week 11 | Week 12 | Week 13 | Week 14
Soar to a staff:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Packers 34-31
Week 14 rating: 1
Most surprising rating: 1st in whole factors per recreation
Detroit’s offense has posted 20-plus factors for 11 straight video games whereas averaging a league-high 31 factors. Offensive coordinator Ben Johnson makes use of a inventive method to getting probably the most out of his playmakers, together with quarterback Jared Goff, operating backs David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs, receivers Jameson Williams and Amon-Ra St. Brown, amongst others. Detroit additionally has some extent differential of plus-183, which is its highest by way of the primary 13 video games of any season in franchise historical past. This offense has appeared unstoppable at instances. — Eric Woodyard
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Chargers 19-17
Week 14 rating: 3
Most surprising rating: Twenty eighth in sack share
The Chiefs sack opposing quarterbacks on simply 5.5% of dropbacks and put strain on them simply 32% of the time, which is twenty second within the league. Defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo’s protection remains to be blitzing 36.5% of the time, which is the third-highest mark, however it’s removed from the dominant pass-rushing staff it was final season when the Chiefs led the NFL in sack share (8.8%). — Adam Teicher
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Panthers 22-16
Week 14 rating: 4
Most surprising rating: 1st in whole protection
The Eagles had one of many worst defenses within the league in 2023 and have carried out a whole 180 below new coordinator Vic Fangio. Philadelphia permits the fewest yards per recreation (284.2) and is tied for second in factors per recreation (18) in contrast with thirtieth final season (25.2). The go protection has proven probably the most development, leaping from thirty first (252.7 yards per recreation) to second (178.5). — Tim McManus
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Rams 44-42
Week 14 rating: 2
Most surprising rating: nineteenth in time of possession
The Payments are second within the NFL in factors margin per recreation (9.9) and have the ninth-most rushes per recreation (27.8). Regardless of all of that, profitable time of possession (29:40) has not been a power. A part of that’s as a result of Payments’ potential to attain shortly, as they’re averaging 30.5 factors per recreation. It is also as a result of protection struggling to get off the sector — it is eighth worst in third-down protection, which was an excessive situation towards the Rams. — Alaina Getzenberg
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Falcons 42-21
Week 14 rating: 6
Most surprising rating: seventeenth in yards allowed per recreation
The Vikings’ protection ranks No. 1 in effectivity and No. 2 in anticipated factors added, but it surely permits 337.8 yards per recreation. In actual fact, over the previous three weeks, Vikings opponents have averaged 433.3 yards. Largely, that tells us there are holes within the Vikings’ zone coverages that may be exploited. However Minnesota has restricted scoring to 18.5 factors per recreation, sixth within the NFL, partly as a result of it has the second-most takeaways (27). — Kevin Seifert
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Browns 27-14
Week 14 rating: 5
Most surprising rating: T-Fifteenth in whole sacks
With 32 sacks, the Steelers’ go rush ranks close to the center of the pack — a shock given the Steelers and T.J. Watt often rank close to the highest. However do not mistake this quantity for an absence of effectiveness. In any case, the Steelers lead the league with 28 takeaways. Previous to going through the Bengals, defensive coordinator Teryl Austin famous opponents are attempting to neutralize Pittsburgh’s go rush by operating plenty of max safety and three-man routes. Austin did not sound too involved in regards to the lack of sacks. “Generally the strain is simply pretty much as good as a sack if we are able to drive an errant throw or drive some issues like that,” he stated. — Brooke Pryor
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Lions 34-31
Week 14 rating: 7
Most surprising rating: Thirty second in dropped passes
The Packers had a difficulty with dropped passes final season, however nothing like this. They lead the league in each drops (26) and drop share (7.3%) and have already got yet another drop than that they had in all of 2023 (when their 25 drops had been tied for tenth most), in keeping with ESPN Analysis. Inexperienced Bay has three gamers within the high 10 in drops. Dontayvion Wicks is No. 1 with 9 drops, Jayden Reed is tied for second with seven, and Romeo Doubs is tied for ninth with 5. — Rob Demovsky
1:27
Why Josh Jacobs is a star fantasy RB
Mike Clay refers to Josh Jacobs as a “fantasy star” following his hat trick landing efficiency within the Packers’ loss to the Lions.
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 8
Most surprising rating: 1st in wide-open throws
Quarterback Lamar Jackson tops the NFL with 35.9% of his passes being wide-open throws, in keeping with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. Which means over one-third of his makes an attempt have come when the typical separation between the goal and nearest defender is 5 or extra yards on the arrival of the go. That is the results of Jackson’s potential in addition to the improved elusiveness of Baltimore’s broad receivers and tight ends. There have been many cases when he would not see anybody open and scrambles to purchase time for one among his targets to release. — Jamison Hensley
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Chiefs 19-17
Week 14 rating: 9
Most surprising rating: nineteenth in dashing
All through the offseason, Chargers coach Jim Harbaugh and offensive coordinator Greg Roman boasted in regards to the dominant dashing offense they’d construct in L.A., but it surely hasn’t panned out that method. Averaging 111.5 yards per recreation, the dashing offense is barely improved from the place the Chargers completed final season (twenty fifth), but it surely has largely been a disappointment and by far the worst of Harbaugh’s NFL profession. Throughout Harbaugh and Roman’s 4 seasons in San Francisco, that they had the second-best dashing offense within the NFL; the bottom the 49ers ranked was eighth in Harbaugh’s first season. — Kris Rhim
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 10
Most surprising rating: third in dashing
Beneath offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy final season, Washington rushed for greater than 125 yards solely twice and ranked twenty seventh in dashing yards per recreation (93.6). Now, it averages 156.9 dashing yards per recreation. A few of that stems from quarterback Jayden Daniels, however even when it was simply the operating backs, Washington would nonetheless rank eighth and common nearly 14 extra yards per recreation than a yr in the past. It has been an emphasis below coordinator Kliff Kingsbury, and it has led to 5 video games with greater than 200 dashing yards and 9 with greater than 125. — John Keim
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 11
Most surprising rating: Quarterback C.J. Stroud leads the league in dropbacks below strain
Stroud has been pressured on 39% of his dropbacks (199), the third most within the NFL, and he has probably the most passing yards below strain (1,053). That begins with the offensive line. It might make extra sense if the unit wasn’t closely invested in, but it surely’s made up of excessive draft picks and costly contracts. That is why the Texans have a cap hit of roughly $51 million this season, per Roster Administration System, which is seventh highest within the NFL. In 2023, Stroud was pressured on solely 35% of his dropbacks (sixteenth). — DJ Bien-Aime
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 12
Most surprising rating: T-Eighth in go makes an attempt
In the course of the offseason and coaching camp, coach Sean Payton talked a few good protection and a productive run recreation as two of the perfect “allies” for a rookie quarterback. After which he proceeded to place the primary rookie starter he has coached in dropback mode early and infrequently, with 434 go makes an attempt thus far. Bo Nix has responded positively for probably the most half, however he has thrown extra passes than Josh Allen, Jared Goff, Justin Herbert and Lamar Jackson, and he is tied with No. 1 choose Caleb Williams. It is a good wager plenty of of us did not see that coming, maybe even Payton, when the season started. — Jeff Legwold
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Cardinals 30-18
Week 14 rating: 13
Most surprising rating: Quarterback Geno Smith is second in passing makes an attempt
Smith has thrown 466 passes, and the Seahawks are fifth in designed go charge. Few anticipated their offense to be that go heavy with a defensive-minded coach in Mike Macdonald who desires to run the ball, however that has been the truth in Ryan Grubb’s first season as coordinator. Numerous components contributed, together with repeated struggles to remain on schedule, some massive deficits that put Seattle in dropback mode and maybe Grubb’s pass-first inclination. The Seahawks additionally have not been efficient at operating the ball for a lot of the season, although their run recreation is likely to be rising after breaking out for a season-high 176 yards Sunday. — Brady Henderson
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Payments 44-42
Week 14 rating: 16
Most surprising rating: Linebacker Jared Verse ranks fifth in QB pressures
Verse, the Rams’ 2023 first-round choose, has 59 pressures, which ranks fifth within the NFL this season. He is first amongst rookies, beating out Chop Robinson (43), Laiatu Latu (39) and teammate Braden Fiske (32) by way of Week 14. The Rams entered the season attempting to determine easy methods to exchange the manufacturing of retired defensive tackle Aaron Donald, and so they added two gamers who’ve had success attending to the quarterback this season. — Sarah Barshop
2:19
Dan Orlovsky calling in receipts after Rams’ win over Payments
Dan Orlovsky calling in receipts after Rams’ win over Payments
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Raiders 28-13
Week 14 rating: 14
Most surprising rating: Eighth in dashing
Tampa Bay not solely went from the league’s worst dashing assault the previous two years, averaging 82.5 yards per recreation, to 138.3 yards per recreation this season, however its 6.7 yards per rush on hole run performs is tops within the league. The Buccaneers have dominated with a three-headed assault that includes Rachaad White, Bucky Irving and Sean Tucker. — Jenna Laine
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Seahawks 30-18
Week 14 rating: 15
Most surprising rating: T-Twenty fourth in receiving touchdowns
An offense with Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride, together with Michael Wilson and Greg Dortch, has simply 15 receiving touchdowns by way of 13 video games. That is as gifted and deep of a receiving unit because the Cardinals have had in current reminiscence. The landing receptions, to date, have been concentrated between Harrison, who leads all rookies with seven, and Wilson, who has 4. Nobody else has greater than two, however one other surprising stat is that McBride — who leads the staff in receiving yards with 851 — would not have a landing reception. — Josh Weinfuss
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Jets 32-26 (OT)
Week 14 rating: 20
Most surprising rating: thirtieth in dashing yards per try
The Dolphins led the NFL in 2023 with 5.1 dashing yards per try on the power of Raheem Mostert‘s profession season and De’Von Achane‘s breakout marketing campaign. This yr, that quantity has dropped to three.9 yards per carry as Miami has struggled to seek out the explosiveness that made it so harmful final season. Mostert has battled accidents and was basically demoted after a vital fumble in Week 9. Achane has been Miami’s lead rusher, however his effectivity unsurprisingly dropped after he averaged almost 8.0 yards per carry in 2023. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Bears 38-13
Week 14 rating: 21
Most surprising rating: twenty second in purple zone effectivity
In 2023, the Niners led the league in purple zone effectivity and their 67.2% conversion charge was the fourth greatest by any staff over the previous three seasons. This yr, the Niners have had little hassle shifting the ball with 51 purple zone drives, which is tied for sixth within the NFL. However they’ve constantly didn’t put the ball in the long run zone. A few of that may be attributed to the star gamers they have been lacking with damage, resembling wideout Brandon Aiyuk (ACL) and operating again Christian McCaffrey (PCL), however the variety of unfavorable performs and ineffectiveness within the run recreation has been jarring for an offense that not way back was the perfect in soccer at ending drives. — Nick Wagoner
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Vikings 42-21
Week 14 rating: 17
Most surprising rating: Quarterback Kirk Cousins leads league in interceptions
By way of the primary 9 video games, Cousins was environment friendly sufficient to guide the staff to a 6-3 report, together with a 4-0 NFC South mark. The wheels have come off since. The Falcons have misplaced 4 in a row, and Cousins has been a significant turnover threat with 15 interceptions on the season. He has no landing passes and eight interceptions throughout that four-game stretch, the primary time a QB has had no touchdowns and eight or extra interceptions in a four-game span in a season since 2005. Cousins is tied with Baker Mayfield for probably the most fumbles (12) this season. — Marc Raimondi
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 18
Most surprising rating: Twenty eighth in go block win charge
The Colts have had some shocking offensive line struggles. Their extremely regarded line remains to be one of many league’s greatest at run blocking (74.1% run block win charge), however go safety (53.2% go block win charge) has been an journey. If not for quarterback Anthony Richardson‘s potential to flee the pocket, the Colts may rank a lot worse than seventh in sacks allowed, the place they at present sit. — Stephen Holder
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Cowboys 27-20
Week 14 rating: 19
Most surprising rating: thirty first in run block win charge
The Bengals are by no means going to be recognized for his or her floor recreation. Since 2022, Cincinnati has the fewest whole rush makes an attempt within the league. Nevertheless, the run blocking has been lackluster, to say the least. The Bengals have the worst win charge on run performs (67.4%) after being eighth(71.8%) in the identical class final season. Chase Brown has helped mitigate that by rating eleventh in yards after contact per carry, in keeping with NFL Subsequent Gen Stats. However the incapacity to win on blocks must be one thing that have to be evaluated because the Bengals enter a pivotal offseason. — Ben Child
5:27
Ja’Marr Chase reunites with younger Bengals fan Brixton Wooden
Ja’Marr Chase reunites with Brixton Wooden after the younger Bengals fan’s most cancers returned and required vital remedy.
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Giants 14-11
Week 14 rating: 24
Most surprising rating: T-Thirty second in yards per carry allowed
The Saints did not permit a 100-yard rusher for 55 straight video games from 2017 to 2020 below then-defensive coordinator Dennis Allen, who grew to become the pinnacle coach in 2022 earlier than he was fired earlier this season. The Saints’ as soon as stout run protection has struggled and is tied for final in yards-per-carry allowed. The Saints and Panthers are permitting rushers to run for five.0 yards per carry. — Katherine Terrell
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Bengals 27-20
Week 14 rating: 23
Most surprising rating: Thirty second in dashing touchdowns
The Cowboys’ 4 dashing touchdowns have them threatening the staff report. In 2011, that they had simply 5. Three different instances that they had six, together with the primary two seasons of the franchise in 1960-61. Calvin Hill (1971) and Emmitt Smith (1990, 1995) share the staff report for many dashing touchdowns in a recreation with … 4. With how the Cowboys dealt with operating again in free company, perhaps there figured to be a drop-off in 2024, however the poor effectivity up entrance has contributed to the shortage of dashing touchdowns. — Todd Archer
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Steelers 27-14
Week 14 rating: 25
Most surprising rating: 2nd-most explosive performs allowed
The Browns gave up the fewest yards per play (4.6) final season, however that determine has ballooned to five.7 in 2024, primarily due to the 100 explosive performs they’ve allowed. It is a head-scratching situation for a protection that gave up the second-fewest explosive performs in 2023 and returned the vast majority of its starters for a second season with coordinator Jim Schwartz. In response to Schwartz, there was no commonality in these performs — typically it is missed tackles and different instances it is protection breakdowns. — Daniel Oyefusi
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the 49ers 38-13
Week 14 rating: 22
Most surprising rating: Rookie quarterback Caleb Williams leads NFL in sacks taken
Opposing defenses have introduced down the No. 1 draft choose 56 instances by way of 14 weeks, which is 15 greater than the subsequent most-sacked quarterback (Houston’s C.J. Stroud, 41). The Bears did a greater job of defending Williams after Thomas Brown took over playcalling duties starting in Week 11 (Williams was sacked thrice every versus Green Bay and Minnesota), however the numbers crept again up towards Detroit (5) and culminated with Williams taking seven sacks within the Bears’ seventh straight loss in San Francisco. David Carr nonetheless owns the single-season report (2002, 76), which Williams is flirting with as a result of he is sacked a mean of 4.3 instances per recreation. — Courtney Cronin
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Eagles 22-16
Week 14 rating: 26
Most surprising rating: Quarterback Bryce Young is thirteenth in Complete QBR since Week 9
Younger’s QBR of 62.8 over his previous 5 video games is best than that of Patrick Mahomes, Jalen Hurts, Bo Nix and Jayden Daniels, to call just a few. That is surprising as a result of Younger had a QBR of 9.9 in his first two begins of the season and solely 34.1 final season as a rookie. His enchancment has been outstanding. — David Newton
Week 14 outcome: Bye
Week 14 rating: 28
Most surprising rating: Thirty second in go block win charge
After ending Thirty second in go block win charge in 2023, addressing the offensive line was one of many Patriots’ high priorities within the offseason. But, by way of 13 video games, the Patriots have had 9 totally different beginning lineups on the road on account of a mixture of missed personnel evaluations, poor efficiency and accidents. There was zero enchancment with a 51.4% go block win charge, which hasn’t helped Drake Maye‘s welcome to the NFL. — Mike Reiss
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Dolphins 32-26 (OT)
Week 14 rating: 27
Most surprising rating: T-Twenty eighth in takeaways
It is onerous to consider a protection with three gamers who earned All-Professional or Professional Bowl standing in 2023 (cornerback Sauce Gardner, linebacker Quincy Williams and defensive sort out Quinnen Williams) has solely 10 takeaways in 13 video games. That features solely two interceptions (each by backup cornerback Brandin Echols). In actual fact, the Jets have but to report an interception since Jeff Ulbrich grew to become the interim coach eight video games in the past. Scheme, teaching and underperforming gamers have contributed to the turnover scarcity. — Wealthy Cimini
1:18
Rodgers unsure what the Jets will appear like subsequent season
Aaron Rodgers tells Pat McAfee the significance of ending the season sturdy since there are not any ensures of getting a spot on the Jets subsequent yr.
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Jaguars 10-6
Week 14 rating: 29
Most surprising rating: twenty seventh in purple zone touchdowns allowed
Tennessee’s purple zone protection was the perfect within the league final season, permitting touchdowns solely 37.7% of the time. This yr’s staff is giving up touchdowns on 65.1% of opposing groups’ purple zone visits. Defensive coordinator Dennard Wilson has had a tricky time discovering methods to get strain on quarterbacks with out sacrificing protection on the backend. Tennessee has additionally had its share of points with penalties on the most inopportune instances, which extends drives and provides offenses one other set of downs to seek out the top zone. — Turron Davenport
Week 14 outcome: Beat the Titans 10-6
Week 14 rating: 30
Most surprising rating: Thirty second in whole protection
The Jaguars are giving up 396.1 yards per recreation. If that quantity holds over the ultimate month, it will likely be the second-worst common in franchise historical past, behind solely the 2020 staff (417.7). They employed coordinator Ryan Nielsen to repair the protection, and the numbers within the 4 main defensive classes — whole protection, dashing (132.6 allowed per recreation, Twenty fourth), passing (263.5 allowed per recreation, thirty first) and scoring (26.5, Twenty eighth) — are all worse than 2023. — Mike DiRocco
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Buccaneers 28-13
Week 14 rating: 31
Most surprising rating: Thirty second within the NFL in dashing
After grinding out a mixed 494 yards on the bottom of their closing 4 video games final season, averaging 123.5 yards per recreation, the Raiders had excessive hopes for the operating recreation in 2024. As a substitute, Las Vegas is averaging 79.1 yards per recreation. However whereas Zamir White and Alexander Mattison have missed a mixed eight video games due to damage, former follow squad lifer Sincere McCormick is averaging 5.5 yards per carry in three video games. Diamond within the tough, or extra like idiot’s gold? — Paul Gutierrez
Week 14 outcome: Misplaced to the Saints 14-11
Week 14 rating: 32
Most surprising rating: Thirty second in factors per recreation
There isn’t any purpose to get too fancy. Certain, the Giants are averaging an embarrassing 5.2 yards per go play and rank lifeless final with eight landing passes in 13 video games, but it surely all ties into their incapacity to attain factors. The Giants are averaging 14.9 factors per recreation, which is greater than two full factors worse than another staff. When requested Sunday why their passing recreation struggled so badly towards the Saints, coach Brian Daboll stated, “It is a collective factor, put it on me.” Honest sufficient, as a result of he took over playcalling this season. — Jordan Raanan
