2023 NFL Power Rankings Week 16: Browns climb to No. 6 overall

Another win for the Cleveland Browns means they're now 9-5 on the season. This guarantees them their second winning campaign in four years under Kevin Stefanski. They're also still in control of their playoff destiny, currently sitting at the No. 5 seed in the AFC.

Led by a stingy defense, this Cleveland roster can go toe-to-toe with any team in the NFL. That's how they enter these Week 16 NFL Power Rankings firmly inside the top 10. Let's dive right in and see how the entire league looks when compared to one another.

32. Carolina Panthers (2-12)

The Carolina Panthers finally got their second win this past weekend. Even with that being the case, they managed a mere nine points and had no touchdowns. They have a long way to go to be taken seriously.

31. New England Patriots (3-11)

There are now reports that the New England Patriots are going to move on from Bill Belichick after the season. It makes sense considering their atrocious 3-11 record. Still, it will be the end of an impressive era for the former Cleveland coach.

30. Arizona Cardinals (3-11)

It's safe to say Jonathan Gannon's first year as the head coach in Arizona hasn't gone well. But judging by how cringy some of the videos were coming out of camp, it's actually gone better than expected. At 3-11, that says a lot about how bad those clips were.

29. Washington Commanders (4-10)

Ron Rivera is another veteran head coach who is expected to be gone in 2024. He's had some solid moments in Washington but overall, they've been lackluster during his tenure. Then again, that's kind of the norm for them, so it will probably be the same under whoever replaces him.

28. New York Giants (5-9)

Last year, Brian Daboll was the talk of the NFL. The rookie head coach had the New York Giants playing well and they made it into the postseason. This year, it's all come crashing down and they're a mere 5-9.

27. Los Angeles Chargers (5-9)

Brandon Staley was let go after the Chargers latest loss and will be replaced by Giff Smith (we don't know who that is either). This organization has a lot to figure out if they ever want to get back on the right track. It's hard to figure out exactly what's wrong but no matter how much talent they have, they can't put together wins.

26. New York Jets (5-9)

Had Aaron Rodgers stayed healthy, this could have been a great season for the New York Jets. Their defense remains stingy but their offense is a mess. There are rumors he could come back but at 5-9, he needs to worry about getting fully healthy before the 2024 campaign.

25. Tennessee Titans (5-9)

The bad news for the Titans is that they won't have a winning season in 2023 — that will be two years in a row which isn't the norm for Mike Vrabel. The good news is that Will Levis looks to be the real deal. That could be enough to help them rebound quickly.

24. Atlanta Falcons (6-8)

Losing to the Carolina Panthers is bad. Sure, that's a divisional rival but the Falcons were still in the NFC South race but that loss may have put them out of it. For the rest of the year, they need to focus on figuring out whether or not Desmond Ridder is their guy.

23. Chicago Bears (5-9)

Chicago won two weeks in a row and nearly made it three. But the Cleveland Browns had other plans thanks to a fourth-quarter comeback win. Now, they're 5-9 and will have a lot of questions, including what to do with Justin Fields who has been playing much better as of late. They can add Caleb Williams since they own the Panthers pick but then they'll need a suitor for Fields.

22. Las Vegas Raiders (6-8)

The Las Vegas Raiders scored 63 points on Sunday, which might be more than they did the entire time Josh McDaniels was their head coach. They're sitting at 6-8 but shouldn't try and take too much from this win. The Chargers were awful and made life miserable for themselves — but the first-down celebration from Austin Ekeler while trailing by 56 was a sight to behold.

21. Green Bay Packers (6-8)

It's still weird to see the Green Bay Packers play like a normal team. For years with Aaron Rodgers, they were one of the best in the league and consistently winning 10-plus games. Now, they're 6-8 and trying to decide if Jordan Love is the answer for them.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-7)

Cleveland fans have seen a lot of lows since returning to the NFL in 1999. Having said that, they never openly chanted for Mason Rudolph to take over as the starting quarterback. Pittsburgh Steelers fans have done this and are now getting their wish. They could be sliding down in a hurry soon — which they're already doing which is why they think Rudolph could help.

19. New Orleans Saints (7-7)

A win in Week 15 improved the New Orleans Saints to 7-7 and Derek Carr tossed three touchdowns in the victory over the Giants. They're now tied with the Bucs for first place in the NFC South but they need to show some consistency before anyone buys in. They have talent but the coaching is a mess and Carr has been up and down all year.

18. Minnesota Vikings (7-7)

Josh Dobbs had a solid run but he's out as the starter for the Vikings. In his place is Nick Mullens, another former Cleveland Browns backup. Mullens had over 300 yards but made too many mistakes and his team fell to the Bengals in overtime. One of many teams going without their starter, the Vikings are still alive but the margin for error is thin.

17. Seattle Seahawks (7-7)

If there was any game the Browns felt like they should have won but failed, it would have to be when they fell to the Seahawks 24-20. A late pick from P.J. Walker led to the defeat and it was the reason Cleveland turned back to Dorian Thompson-Robinson. Since that win, Seattle has struggled but they came up with a huge win over Philly on Monday Night Football to keep their season alive.

16. Los Angeles Rams (7-7)

It wasn't that long ago the L.A. Rams were the defending Super Bowl champs. Now, they're 7-7 but do have the final playoff spot currently. They won this weekend against the Commanders which was fourth win in five games — including a victory at home over the Browns. They've turned it around from a three-game losing streak before that and could be a dangerous team in the postseason.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7-7)

Baker Mayfield had a game to remember in Week 15. In a win over the Packers, Mayfield had 381 yards and four touchdowns while completing 22-of-28 passing attempts. He's been playing well for the Bucs (24 touchdowns against eight picks with 3,315 yards) and could wind up in the postseason. Not bad at all for the former No. 1 overall pick.

14. Denver Broncos (7-7)

Another team that defeated Cleveland not too long ago is the Denver Broncos. They shook off a 1-5 start and won five in a row before a loss to Houston in Week 13. They're now 7-7 after a loss to Denver but have three teams with losing records to close out the year.

13. Indianapolis Colts (8-6)

The Colts have been playing much better in the second half of the season and are now 8-6 following a win over the Steelers. They had won four in a row before a Week 14 loss to the Bengals but are back on track following the beatdown over Pittsburgh. It could all come down to a Week 18 game against Houston.

12. Jacksonville Jaguars (8-6)

Well, the Texans and Colts could decide the division in Week 18 — if the Jaguars don't turn it around. They were in control of the division before a three-game skid which included losses to three teams in the AFC North. Their latest was against the Ravens but they can turn it around with the Bucs, Panthers, and Titans up to close out the year.

11. Houston Texans (8-6)

If Jacksonville slips at all, the Texans can wind up doing the impossible and winning their division. If so, DeMeco Ryans could walk away with the NFL Coach of the Year Award. A case can be made for Kevin Stefanski but Ryans is right there — as is Dan Campbell. They also have C.J. Stroud who should be ready for his Rookie of the Year speech.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (8-6)

Even without Joe Burrow, the Cincinnati Bengals continue to win. Jake Browning continues to be a great story as they improved to 8-6 on the year. They're in line for a postseason berth and if they keep playing at this level, they'll be a tough out.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (10-4)

During the week, the Eagles quietly replaced Sean Desai with Matt Patricia as the defensive coordinator. Desai is still with the team but the former Lions head coach — who seemed like a nightmare to work for — was calling defensive plays. They then loudly failed on Monday Night Football with Patricia's team giving up a game-winning drive to Drew Lock. That's three losses in a row and they were unable to take advantage of the loss by Dallas.

8. Detroit Lions (10-4)

The Lions lost to the Bears which raised a few concerns — especially since they had just lost to the Packers two weeks prior. They silenced the noise, however, with a convincing win over the Denver Broncos this weekend. They dropped 42 points on them and are back in contention for the No. 1 seed in the NFC— although they'll need some help to pull that off.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (9-5)

The Chiefs might be the defending champs but they have a lot of questions right now. They were able to win this past weekend but Patrick Mahomes has been beyond frustrated with his receiving corps. If they wind up not repeating, it will be due to their lack of depth at that position.

6. Cleveland Browns (9-5)

This has been a year to remember for Cleveland fans. The Browns have battled through adversity like no other franchise and despite being on their fourth quarterback, they're currently 9-5 and in control of their playoff lives. The Browns have proven they can go up against anyone and even when the odds are against them — as they were in Week 15 — they can't be counted out.

No matter what happens in the playoffs, they've proven themselves a worthy contender this year. They're finally learning how to win and will head into 2024 with even more confidence. They'll also surely be coming into the year with a head coach on a brand new extension thanks to the work Kevin Stefanski has done despite countless injuries this year.

5. Dallas Cowboys (10-4)

At home, the Dallas Cowboys are arguably the best team in the NFL. On the road, you never know what you'll get. This Sunday, they were a disaster and surrendered nearly 300 yards on the ground in a 31-10 loss to Buffalo. They were fortunate the Eagles lost on Monday, which keeps them ahead in the NFC East. For now.

4. Buffalo Bills (8-6)

What a dominant win for the Buffalo Bills. After barely escaping the Chiefs in Week 14, they took it to the Dallas Cowboys in Week 15. They were unstoppable on the ground which made life easier for Josh Allen. If they can keep playing complementary football, they can be a problem in the playoffs.

3. Miami Dolphins (10-4)

With Tyreek Hill out due to an ankle injury, the Miami Dolphins offense was expected to be slower than normal. That ended up not being the case as Jaylen Waddle recorded 142 yards and a touchdown through the air and Raheem Mostert added two touchdowns on the ground. Their defense was the real story though as they blanked the Jets for their 10th win of the year.

2. Baltimore Ravens (11-3)

With their win over the Jaguars, the Baltimore Ravens put some space between them and the rest of the competitive AFC North. They also stayed one game ahead of the Dolphins for the No. 1 seed in the conference. They have a huge test next week against the San Francisco 49ers but the AFC might come down to the Week 17 meeting between Baltimore and Miami.

1. San Francisco 49ers (11-3)

There was a stretch of the season where the San Francisco 49ers appeared to be trending in the wrong direction. They lost three games in a row, starting with the Week 6 loss to the Browns. They then fell to the Vikings and Bengals but those were their only losses on the season. They're again on a roll and it's hard to find a weakness on this roster.