Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 15 power ranking where the major players continue to jostle for top spot in the countdown to Christmas.

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 15

1. Detroit Lions (12-1) +1

A couple of 50-50 calls may have gone in the Lions’ direction in their thrilling win over the Packers last Thursday, but with a relentless offense and a defense that is top 10 by Expected Points Added and Success Rate, it’s tough to escape the feeling that their march to the Super Bowl is an inevitability.

2. Buffalo Bills (10-3) –1

Josh Allen’s remarkable heroics were somehow not enough to propel the Bills to victory over the Rams, but the latest stunning addition to his MVP resumé was yet further evidence of their Super Bowl ceiling when the rest of the team matches his ridiculous standards.

3. Minnesota Vikings (11-2) +4

Do you believe in Sam Darnold yet? If you don’t after his dissection of the Falcons last Sunday, I don’t know what to tell you. With Minnesota getting the top-tier play of which Darnold has been capable, and the Vikings boasting a playoff calibre defense, Darnold could be back at the Super Bowl as a starter after his trip with the 49ers last season.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (12-1) =

Another week, another dose of Mahomes magic late in the game and on late downs. Can it last? The better question is: what evidence have we seen that it is ever going to run out?

5. Philadelphia Eagles (11-2) -1

The Eagles can run the ball extremely well, to the point where Saquon Barkley is an MVP candidate, and their defense has made tremendous strides. What they can’t do consistently is throw the ball effectively. It almost cost them against the lowly Panthers and it almost certainly will in the playoffs if they can’t find a solution.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (10-3) -1

Pittsburgh got their revenge on the Browns for their defeat in a snowstorm two weeks earlier, but games in Philadelphia and Baltimore before a Christmas Day meeting with the Chiefs will provide a better barometer of their status as a true contender.

7. Green Bay Packers (9-4) -1

The Packers might feel aggrieved not to have left Detroit with a victory, but their focus should be on the lack of a consistent pass rush rather than spotty officiating. Assuming they make the playoffs, that’s a problem that could ultimately sink them.

8. Seattle Seahawks (9-4) +3

If Seattle runs the ball as well as they did in completing a season sweep of the Cardinals in Arizona, then the Seahawks could be a serious threat in the NFC playoffs if they ultimately win the West. Meetings with the Packers and Vikings in the next two games will go a long way to deciding if they achieve that first feat.

9. Los Angeles Rams (7-6) +3

Aiming to stop the Seahawks are the Rams, who proved they can go toe-to-toe with a member of the elite and prevail in their shootout with the Bills. The challenge now is to back that effort up against a desperate 49ers team fighting to keep their playoff hopes alive in primetime.

10. Baltimore Ravens (8-5) -2

After a bye week in which to lick their wounds, the Ravens now face a trip to the Meadowlands. Serious questions will be asked if they can’t get back on track against a dismal Giants team.