In one of the most exciting games of the season, the Bills outscored the Lions on the road to end Detroit’s 11-game winning streak. And since the Lions were my No. 1 team entering Week 15, you would think that the Bills should claim the top spot.
Not so fast. Yes, the Bills have scored 90 points the past two weeks, but they’ve also given up 86, forcing Josh Allen to be Superman. So after an aerial display against the Steelers on Sunday, it’s the Eagles who jump to the top spot. The Bills are a close No. 2, and the Lions, dealing with a rash of injuries on defense, drop to No. 5. The Chiefs and Vikings, meanwhile, keep chugging along.
Here’s my top 10 for Week 15 of the 2024 season.
Josh Allen‘s MVP campaign is gaining momentum like a runaway freight train after the seventh-year pro put on a show against the Lions with 300-plus passing yards and four total touchdowns. As an unstoppable force with the ball in his hands, Allen can single-handedly carry Buffalo’s offense through the postseason tournament, utilizing his superior arm talent and athleticism to light up scoreboards. Though the Bills will need better defense to advance through an AFC bracket loaded with juggernauts, No. 17 gives them a puncher’s chance to knock out any heavyweight on the schedule.
Andy Reid’s squad is inching closer to locking up the AFC’s No. 1 seed and home-field advantage throughout the playoffs. Although the Chiefs are not the dominant force that rolled through the playoff field a few years ago, the 2024 version is a gritty collection of playmakers who know how to close out games in the fourth quarter. Given the Chiefs’ unprecedented 15-game winning streak in one-score games, dismissing the defending champs as viable options in a single-elimination tournament would be foolish.
Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores have the Vikings running laps around the competition with their creative schemes. As exceptional tacticians and strategists, Minnesota’s brain trust has tweaked the X’s and O’s to elevate Sam Darnold and others to lead a playoff run that could result in a title game appearance.
Injuries could derail the Lions‘ title chances this season as the team loses blue-chip defenders to various season-ending ailments. The loss of Carlton Davis and Alim McNeill further weakens a defensive unit already missing Aidan Hutchinson, Alex Anzalone, Ennis Rakestraw and others due to long-term injuries. With so many backups and inexperienced players forced into action, it was only a matter of time before the lack of talent and depth impacted Detroit’s performance. In the past two weeks, the Lions have given up 79 points.
After pummeling opponents with a punishing running game built around Josh Jacobs‘ strength as an inside runner, the Packers defense suffocates opponents with a blitz-heavy game plan that overwhelms quarterbacks and playcallers. With Matt LaFleur intent on building a team that can win in various ways, the Packers’ personnel and schematic versatility create problems for teams unable to deal with Green Bay’s collective size, strength and athleticism.
Sometimes, a loss is the perfect wake-up call for a sleeping giant. If that is the case, Mike Tomlin’s squad should have gotten the message during a Week 15 setback against the Eagles. The NFC heavyweight exposed some of the Steelers‘ flaws, providing Tomlin with a to-do list to work on down the stretch. Given how championship-caliber teams improve steadily heading into the postseason, the Steelers can use their latest loss to absorb a few lessons that will help them in the playoffs.
Credit Sean Payton for building game plans that maximize the Broncos‘ strengths while minimizing their weaknesses. In Week 15, the mastermind was up to his old tricks, coaching around struggling rookie quarterback Bo Nix and trying to curb his turnover woes. If Payton can continue to control games with his superb clock management and execution, the Broncos can make a late surge up the charts as a legitimate playoff contender.
Despite owning one of the deepest and most talented rosters in the league, the Ravens play up or down to their level of competition. While John Harbaugh has the luxury of leaning on Lamar Jackson to erase his team’s mistakes, the Ravens must get everyone on the same page to propel a roster capable of making a Super Bowl run.
Jayden Daniels‘ return to full health gives the Commanders the superstar who can close out tight games in the fourth quarter. Though the slender playmaker needs to avoid big hits as a dual threat, the Commanders need his improvisational skills to spark the offense against the league’s heavyweights. As an imperfect squad with a dynamic franchise quarterback, the Commanders might be the biggest boom-or-bust team in the playoff field.
Bucky Brooks is an NFL analyst for FOX Sports. He also breaks down the game for NFL Network and as a cohost of the “Moving the Sticks” podcast. Follow him on Twitter @BuckyBrooks.
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