Dolphins, 49ers take drastic turns
Just when it looked like the seven playoff teams in the AFC might be set before Thanksgiving, here come the Dolphins.
Just when it looked like the defending NFC champions were getting their act together after a slow start, there go the 49ers.
Two teams with a lot of similarities because of their overlapping coaching staffs are headed in starkly different directions.
The Dolphins have won three straight to move to within 1 ½ games of a playoff spot and are feeling optimistic about mounting a playoff push because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is back from a concussion. The 49ers have lost two straight to drop to last place in the tightly packed NFC West and have questions about when quarterback Brock Purdy will take his next snap.
So, where do those two teams — and 30 others — fit in The Post’s power rankings for Week 13?
1. Lions 10-1 (1)
The NFL’s best running back tandem combined to rush for three touchdowns — two by Jahmyr Gibbs and one by David Montgomery — in a 24-6 win against the Colts. The Lions have won nine straight mostly with offensive fireworks but also have not allowed a touchdown in 10 straight quarters or a second-half touchdown in three straight games.
2. Bills 9-2 (2)
Josh Allen has watched his AFC rivals Patrick Mahomes and Lamar Jackson win multiple MVP awards apiece, but now it might be his turn. Allen has 18 passing touchdowns (compared to just five interceptions) and five rushing touchdowns as he enters the post-bye-week stretch. Winners of six straight, the Bills have the biggest division lead in the NFL.
3. Chiefs 10-1 (3)
Poached from the Jets practice squad, kicker Spencer Shrader kicked a walk-off 31-yard field goal to avoid the biggest upset in the NFL this year and seal a 30-27 win against the Panthers. Patrick Mahomes passed for three touchdowns and set up the game-winning kick with a 33-yard scramble. The Chiefs improved to 8-0 in one-score games despite blowing a 14-point lead.
4. Eagles 9-2 (6)
Saquon Barkley had one of the best offensive nights in NFL history, with 302 yards from scrimmage (255 on the ground) and two touchdowns in a 37-20 win against the Rams. He became the first player in NFL history with two 70-plus-yard touchdown runs in the second half of a game. The NFL’s top-ranked overall defense tallied five sacks.
5. Packers 8-3 (5)
Josh Jacobs did more than become the first rusher to top 100 yards against the 49ers defense in their past 55 regular-season games. He also scored three touchdowns in a 38-10 rout. Jordan Love passed for two touchdowns. Midway through the second quarter, the Packers led 17-0 and had played only six defensive snaps against injury-fill-in quarterback Brandon Allen.
6. Vikings 9-2 (7)
Sam Darnold shrugged off a foot injury and threw for 90 of his 330 yards in overtime to set up John Parker Romo’s game-winning 29-yard field goal that beat the Bears, 30-27. Jordan Addison and T.J. Hockenson both went over 100 yards receiving on a quiet day for Justin Jefferson. The Vikings overcame allowing an onside kick recovery.
7. Steelers 8-3 (4)
Playing in heavy snow, the Steelers managed just two field goals through three quarters before scoring two fourth-quarter touchdowns only 102 seconds apart to take the lead. But the defense couldn’t get one final stop and the Browns pulled a 24-19 upset. Russell Wilson was sacked three times by Myles Garrett, who sent a message to fellow pass-rusher T.J. Watt.
8. Ravens 8-4 (8)
The Ravens went 3-for-3 on fourth down and turned those conversions into 14 points — or the exact margin of victory in a 30-23 win against the Chargers. Derrick Henry bulldozed his way to 140 yards and Lamar Jackson tossed two touchdown passes for an offense that was averaging 7.1 yards per play early in the fourth quarter — before conservative play-calling took over.
9. Chargers 7-4 (11)
Head coach Jim Harbaugh lost again to his older brother John, the head coach of the Ravens. Same result as Super Bowl 47, when John’s Ravens beat Jim’s 49ers in February 2013. Justin Herbert and Gus Edwards ran for touchdowns, but the Chargers certainly missed running back J.K. Dobbins after he left the game injured.
10. Broncos 7-5 (13)
The Broncos’ 29-19 win was their first on the road against the rival Raiders since 2015. Bo Nix boosted his surprise Offensive Rookie of the Year campaign by throwing for 273 yards and two touchdowns, leading a second-half comeback. Courtland Sutton has five straight games with at least 70 receiving yards — the longest streak for this franchise since 2014.
11. Texans 7-5 (9)
12. Commanders 7-5 (10)
13. Seahawks 6-5 (14)
14. Cardinals 6-5 (12)
15. Falcons 6-5 (18)
16. Buccaneers 5-6 (16)
17. Dolphins 5-6 (21)
18. 49ers 5-6 (15)
19. Rams 5-6 (17)
20. Bengals 4-7 (20)
21. Colts 5-7 (19)
22. Saints 4-7 (22)
23. Cowboys 4-7 (24)
24. Bears 4-7 (23)
25. Browns 3-8 (29)
26. Titans 3-8 (30)
27. Jets 3-8 (26)
Quiet bye week for the Jets? No such thing. Lame duck GM Joe Douglas joined former head coach Robert Saleh on unemployment, and reports surfaced that quarterback Aaron Rodgers and meddling owner Woody Johnson mutually will seek a split after the season. How long until Tyrod Taylor is playing out the string in place of a banged up Rodgers?
28. Panthers 3-8 (27)
29. Patriots 3-9 (25)
30. Raiders 2-9 (28)
31. Giants 2-9 (31)
The Giants benched (and then cut) Daniel Jones, bypassed backup Drew Lock and turned to third-stringer Tommy DeVito, who took four sacks in a 30-7 loss to the Buccaneers. After the game, stars described the team’s own performance as “soft,” questioned play-calling and called out a lack of effort. Throw in a modern NFL-record-tying 10 consecutive games without a defensive interception.
