Getty Gallery: 2/6
No. 1 New Orleans Saints
The New Orleans Saints were able to right the ship after their Thursday Night Football loss to the Cowboys. Although that Week 13 loss was one of the worst we've seen from them in a very long time, they bounced back with a big win. Even beyond that, the Los Angeles Rams came up short against a strong Chicago Bears team.
Realistically, an argument could be made for either the Saints or Rams to hold this top spot. But with the Saints bouncing back by picking up a road win against a division rival who was playing to keep playoff hopes alive, they get a tip of the cap. Drew Brees and company are going to be scary when the playoffs roll around, and the loss to Dallas will only help them get better.
Arguably the scariest part of the Saints at this moment is the emergence of their defense. Over the past five games, they've allowed no more than 17 points while facing some talented offensive units. If that trend continues into the postseason, New Orleans will be a tough out for any opponent.
Moving forward, the Saints will need to hold off the Rams down the stretch to earn the No. 1 seed in the NFC. They do hold the tiebreaker due to their Week 9 win, but have a tough final stretch. New Orleans draws a Carolina Panthers team desperately in need of wins for their playoff chances in Weeks 15 and 17, with a home game against the Pittsburgh Steelers in the middle. All three games are key for the two opponents.
No. 2 Los Angeles Rams
I can't really dock the Los Angeles Rams for falling to the Chicago Bears in a primetime game in Soldier Field. This isn't the same Bears team of years past where they're trending towards a high draft pick. Traveling across the country to take on a team who's playing exceptional football in a primetime game is a tall task, as we saw on Sunday Night Football.
The Rams still have one of the NFL's best offenses, their defense has the potential to change games and they have a top MVP candidate in running back Todd Gurley. Although Gurley likely won't win the award this year, the young Rams offense took shape around Sean McVay and it won't be long before a Super Bowl is heading back to Los Angeles.
Following Week 14, the Rams sit at 11-2 on the year, leaving them tied for the best record in the NFL. Let's also not forget that the two losses came against another 11-win team and a Bears group sitting atop the NFC North. In turn, there's a lot of reason to praise Goff, Gurley, McVay, and the rest of the Rams roster.
Although the loss to the Bears didn't derail their playoff outlook in terms of the top seed, the Rams do need a Saints loss and their own win to jump into that No. 1 spot in the NFC. It will also be interesting to see how the two top teams in the NFC approach the final stretch of the year, as health of players heading into the postseason is by far the most important topic.
The Rams wrap up the year with a home game against a Philadelphia Eagles team who face a crucial home stretch for their own playoff chances in Week 15. From there, it's a date wiith the Arizona Cardinals followed by the San Francisco 49ers.
Gurley and company hold the No. 2 spot currently, but they have a heavy push for multiple teams behind them in the power rankings.