2018 NFL Power Rankings: Week 14
Teams Ranked 22nd to 13th
| Rank | Team | nERD | Rec | Playoff Odds | Off. NEP Rank | Def. NEP Rank | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 22 | Atlanta Falcons | -3.42 | 4-8 | 1.1% | 9 | 32 | -1 |
| 21 | Tennessee Titans | -2.79 | 6-6 | 11.4% | 20 | 20 | 2 |
| 20 | Jacksonville Jaguars | -2.6 | 4-8 | 0.2% | 29 | 8 | +4 |
| 19 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers | -2.52 | 5-7 | 3.0% | 12 | 28 | +1 |
| 18 | Green Bay Packers | -0.94 | 4-7-1 | 1.5% | 10 | 26 | -4 |
| 17 | Philadelphia Eagles | -0.73 | 6-6 | 28.8% | 16 | 19 | +1 |
| 16 | Carolina Panthers | -0.66 | 6-6 | 13.8% | 11 | 24 | 0 |
| 15 | Cleveland Browns | -0.32 | 4-7-1 | 1.1% | 27 | 3 | 0 |
| 14 | Dallas Cowboys | 0.81 | 7-5 | 77.4% | 22 | 7 | +3 |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts | 1.03 | 6-6 | 13.7% | 8 | 21 | 0 |
In August, it would have been crazy to say this sentence: “The Dallas Cowboys are the favorites to win the NFC East thanks to their defense.”
Three months later, and you have an accurate statement.
The Cowboys stopped the red-hot Saints offense in their tracks in a win on Thursday night, and that was hardly a fluke.
They are 7th in opponent-adjusted NEP allowed per play and 11th against the pass, running a bend-but-don’t break style to near perfection. Dallas ranks 28th in completion percentage allowed (68.8%) but is tied for 11th in yards allowed per throw (7.4).
They have done so by allowing the sixth-fewest yards per completion (10.8), and while Dallas has allowed the ninth-fewest overall passing attempts, only Buffalo has allowed fewer completions of at least 20 yards. Dallas has combined this with a pass rush that is tied for eighth in sack rate (7.7%) and a run defense that is tied for second in yards allowed per carry (3.7).
The Cowboys' offense is holding the team back from climbing further up the rankings and into legitimate Super Bowl contention, but the defense has played well enough to give them the inside track for the division title.
