Just two weeks remain in the NFL regular season. Playoff tickets are being punched. Legitimate Super Bowl contenders are coming into focus. And wagering on games has never been more difficult due to the rash of COVID-19-related absences each week.
Please, football gods, just allow us the privilege of enjoying an NFL postseason in which the outcome is not affected by which teams are luckiest with the virus, but instead decided by which are just better on the field.
Let's take a look at this week's new Power Rankings:
Dallas Cowboys (3)
This is the best team in football. The Cowboys deserve to be No. 1. They are 11-4 and the current 2-seed in the NFC. Yes, they get to beat up on an awfully weak division, but they prove each time out how superior they are to the Giants, Eagles and Washington Football Team. They have the best ATS record in the NFL at 12-3. The offense can run. The offense can pass. The defense can pressure the quarterback. The defense is one of the best in the NFL at creating takeaways.
There are no weaknesses to this team when it's at full health and playing its best football ... and it appears it is doing just that as we head into January. In Week 17, the Cowboys host the reeling Arizona Cardinals as 5.5-point favorites. I'd jump on the Cowboys now with that number under two field goals. I have a feeling it won't be there very long.
Cincinnati Bengals (10)
Joe Burrow, Joe Mixon, Tyler Boyd, Tee Higgins, Ja'Marr Chase. Wow. Week 17's most intriguing matchup might be the Bengals hosting Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs. The Chiefs have been the standard bearer for offensive excellence in the NFL the past couple of years, but it's hard to argue the sky-high potential of this bunch after what they did to the Ravens. Cincinnati might be just 8-7 ATS this season, but its cover margin of +4.4 is fifth best in the NFL.
The Bengals are certainly an intriguing bunch when they play to the best of their abilities on offense. Can they find that again against a Chiefs defense that is far from the liability it once was 10 weeks ago? We shall see. Right now, The Burrow Bunch is a 5-point home 'dog against Kansas City in Week 17, and I'm very intrigued by that number. Of course, I'd love to reach 6 points, but with that unlikely to happen, I'd play the Bengals or pass in this matchup.
Detroit Lions (31)
This is erroneous! The Lions are 10-5 ATS this season, tied with Indianapolis for the third-best mark in the league! They cannot be 31st in the NFL Power Rankings. Ask bettors if they would rank the Lions this low and you'd get laughed at. Dan Campbell deserves a ton of credit for putting a team out there every week that is less talented but provides competition no matter the opponent.
Jared Goff was out last week? Who cares! Tim Boyle slid in at QB and still helped the Lions to a cover in another loss to Atlanta. In Week 17, the Lions travel to Seattle to take on a Seahawks team that has seemingly given up on the season. The Lions are currently catching 6.5-points and, well, you know what to do.