(UPDATE: SI's in, and we slid down two spots. The table's been updated to include the SI rankings.)
Everybody's favorite dose of conventional wisdom comes a day late and, uh, one set of rankings short. I'll update this later today when Don Banks publishes SI's power rankings. In any case, these are just more reminders that we're not close to where we need to be. Things could be worse. We could be any other team in the NFC West.
| Average ranking (# of rankings) | 19.92 (12) |
| Average change from last week | -0.58 |
| Highest ranking (source) | 18th (multiple) |
| Lowest ranking (source) | 25th (Sporting News) |
| Biggest positive change (source) | +1 (multiple) |
| Biggest negative change (source) | -2 (multiple) |
SB Nation: 22nd (23rd last week) - SBN finally leapfrogs us ahead of the 'Chickens
The Rams lost by 14 and the Seahawks lost by 16 so St. Louis moves ahead of them. I'm not sure how else to separate these two. They'll meet in Week 17 for the division title.
The rest of the major power rankings after the jump.
ESPN: 20th (18th)
Losing to the 49ers in Week 16 probably would doom the Rams' playoff hopes.
NFL.com: 18th (16th)
CBS Sports: 23rd (23rd) - Prisco's rankings are consistently the worst. Please note the Niners are 21st. A
Losing at home to the Chiefs was a tough hit. They couldn't handle the run. But if they win their last two, they win the division.
Fanhouse: 18th (18th)
Sam Bradford has been 10 steps forward, 10 steps back in his first season. After being incredibly efficient early in the season, the rookie has thrown no TDs and five interceptions in his last three games. And yet, the Rams are still in the driver's seat for the NFC West title. Unreal. St. Louis faces the 49ers and Seahawks in the last two weeks.
USA Today: 19th (20th) - We slide up a spot ahead of the sliding Texans. The commentary though seems a couple weeks too late...
With better receivers, Sam Bradford might become a stud.
National Football Post: 21st (20th)
The Rams still control their own playoff fate—even with a 6-8 record.
Sporting News: 25th (24th)
Can someone please give QB Sam Bradford a home-run threat? And we're not talking Albert Pujols.
Pro Football Weekly: 18th (18th) - Somebody's paying attention. And yet we're still at 18th? Seems like more of a compliment than a realistic appraisal.
Conservative offense has its limits.
Pro Football Talk: 18th (18th)
Though the Rams have a long way to go to become the Greatest Show on Turf again, they’re much better than last year, when they were the Greatest Turds on Show.
Fox Sports: 18th (17th)
Despite losing to the visiting Chiefs last week, the Rams are still in the thick of the NFC West race. And even if they don't win the division, the Rams have made tremendous strides on both sides of the ball this season. They are clearly on the right track to becoming a good football team.
Sports Illustrated: 19th (17th)
The Rams are the NFC West's best hope to save a little face and avoid becoming the first division in NFL history to have a champion with a losing record. St. Louis has San Francisco at home this week and travels to Seattle in Week 17, and both are winnable games if St. Louis plays its best. If the Rams can get it done in that fashion, that 8-8 will feel pretty good to a Rams team that hasn't been relevant since 2004.