NFL Week 14 Power Rankings for 2023: A comparison of all 32 teams.
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Welcome to Week 
The San Francisco 49ers outdueled the Philadelphia Eagles in a matchup that left no questions of who should be No. 1 in this week’s ranks.
The Kansas City Chiefs struggled against the Green Bay Packers, and the Cleveland Browns were overpowered by the Los Angeles Rams. Also, one team no one could have expected at season’s beginning has debuted in the top 10.
In addition to the updated rankings, our NFL Nation reporters name one player or coach who has been a pleasant surprise for each team.
These players/coaches have exceeded preseason expectations or have stepped up into their roles in a big way.
Let’s get started with our new No. 1 — the 49ers.
Our power panel of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities evaluates how NFL teams stack up against one another, ranking them from 1 to 32.
1. San Francisco 49ers (9-3)
Week 13 ranking: 2
Pleasant surprise: QB Brock Purdy
For anyone who watched Purdy last year, it’s not surprising that he has had a productive year. This is more about the extent of that production and that it’s come so soon after he suffered a torn UCL in his right elbow in late January.
Through 12 games, Purdy leads the NFL in QBR (75.6), completion percentage (70.2%) and yards per attempt (9.6), among other key categories.
Purdy hasn’t just picked up where he left off, he has been better and helped elevate the Niners’ offense to heights it hasn’t previously reached since coach Kyle Shanahan arrived in 2017. — Nick Wagoner
2. Philadelphia Eagles (10-2)
Week 13 ranking: 1
Pleasant surprise: ST coach Michael Clay
The Eagles’ special teams group turned from a weakness in 2022 to a strength this season. Philadelphia entered Week 13 with the No. 1 special teams ranking in the NFL, per ESPN’s Football Power Index.
Britain Covey is third in punt return average (14 yards per return), Jake Elliott is 6-of-7 on field goal attempts of 50-plus yards, and the coverage units have been sound. — Tim McManu
3. Miami Dolphins (9-3)
Week 13 ranking: 6
Pleasant surprise: OL Austin Jackson
Jackson flashed potential in 2022, but he wasn’t on the field long enough to see it come to fruition.
After playing two games last season, Jackson has not missed a snap for the Dolphins in 2023 and has anchored quarterback Tua Tagovailoa’s blind side.
Miami declined Jackson’s fifth-year option as a 2020 first-round pick, instead asking him to prove himself after an inconsistent start his NFL career.
He has done that so far in 2023, and he very well could be back with the team next year on a multiyear contract. — Marcel Louis-Jacques
4. Baltimore Ravens (9-3)
Week 13 ranking: 3
Pleasant surprise: DT Justin Madubuike
Madubuike has gone from being a very good player to an All-Pro one. He has dominated the interior of the line, becoming the first Ravens player since Terrell Suggs in 2017 to record double-digit sacks in a season with 10 so far.
A third-round pick in 2020, Madubuike had 8.5 sacks in his first three seasons combined (42 games).
This year, a contract year, he has recorded at least a half-sack in nine straight games, which is the longest active streak in the NFL.
“He’s walked in this year with just mission-minded [focus] from the beginning,” Ravens defensive line coach Anthony Weaver said.
“I’m talking about in March, and to see it all come to fruition has been awesome.” — Jamison Hensley
5. Dallas Cowboys (9-3)
Week 13 ranking: 5
Pleasant surprise: CB DaRon Bland
Who else could it be? Bland leads the NFL with eight interceptions, and his five pick-sixes are a single-season NFL record.
All this while filling in for Pro Bowl CB Trevon Diggs, who suffered a season-ending torn ACL in his left knee in a Week 3 practice.
The Cowboys thought they would be OK with Bland, who had five picks last year to lead the team, but they couldn’t have expected he would do this.
In his past two games, he has given up a lot of catches and yards, so maybe he is hitting some kind of wall or just learning what life is like for a regular cornerback. — Todd Archer
6. Detroit Lions (9-3)
Week 13 ranking: 7
Pleasant surprise: TE Sam LaPorta
There were obviously expectations for the Lions rookie after being selected in the second round (34th overall) of the 2023 NFL draft out of Iowa, but LaPorta has been better than advertised. Last season, Lions GM Brad Holmes made an unpopular decision to trade Pro Bowl tight end T.J.
Hockenson to the Vikings and decided to go with a committee approach at the position. But this season, LaPorta has been the guy.
His NFL career is off to a great start with the third-most catches (64) and the fourth-most receiving yards (679) through the first 12 games of a tight end’s career in NFL history.
Not many people expected this type of production from Day 1. — Eric Woodyard
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