Half of the schedule featured divisional games. A Super Bowl contender has lost twice as many games as it did a year ago. Changes in the NFL Power Rankings?
It would be the final weekend of in-season vacations for teams in the league. The Indianapolis Colts, Miami Dolphins, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Eagles got some time off.
As for the clubs that were playing, Week 14 featured a schedule in which seven games were of the divisional rivalry and the other seven contests interconference clashes. So how did the results affect this week’s NFL Power Rankings?
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Houston Texans 2-11
Last week: L, 33-13 vs SEA
Last rank: 32nd
Davis Mills was back behind center for David Culley’s team and will be the team’s starting quarterback for the remainder of 2021 (via Mark Lane of TexansWire.com). He would throw for 331 yards and one score and Houston amassed a respectable 380 total yards.
But the league’s worst run defense was gashed for 193 yards and an ineffective pass rush did not sack Seahawks’ quarterback Russell Wilson. The Texans ran for only 63 yards.
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New York Jets 3-10
Last week: L, 30-9 vs NO
Last rank: 31st
The Green and White took the field against the Saints. Robert Saleh’s defense had no answers for a New Orleans’ ground attack that rolled up 203 yards. New York only had the ball for 21:08 and settled for just three field goals.
Rookie Zach Wilson threw for 202 yards but hit on less than half of his passes (19-of-42). And the Jets dropped their 10th game of the season – the fourth time in five years that the club will finish with double-digit losses.
30
Jacksonville Jaguars 2-11
Last week: L, 20-0 at TEN
Last rank: 30th
It’s been a frustrating season for first-time NFL head coach Urban Meyer (see ESPN’s Michael DiRocco). The club looked to end a four-game losing streak when they traveled to Tennessee.
Rookie quarterback Trevor Lawrence had a very rough afternoon. He threw for 221 yards and zero touchdowns but was sacked three times and threw four interceptions. But even more startling was the fact that the Jaguars ran the ball eight times for eight yards.
29
Detroit Lions 1-11-1
Last week: L, 38-10 at DEN
Last rank: 29th
The depleted Lions made their way to the Mile High City looking to build on the team’s first win of the season. But Dan Campbell’s club was down 14-0 after one quarter. The Lions narrowed the gap to 17-10 by intermission but were outscored 21-0 in the second half.
Jared Goff threw for 215 yards and a touchdown but was also picked off – one of two Lions’ turnovers in this latest loss. And the Detroit defense was gashed for 184 yards on the ground.
