Top 14 NFL regular season Power Rankings, 2022

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1) - tie - Bengals/Forty Niners
3) Bills
4) Eagles
5) Chiefs
6) Cowboys
7) Vikings
8) Jaguars
9) - tie - Chargers/Ravens
11a) Lions
11b) Steelers
13) Seahawks
14) Giants

At the game myself as the unbeaten Eagles were burying the Steelers I did, indeed, see them as a SB-caliber team. I just didn't see them as the best in the league. At the very time I was picturing San Fran, three months later, going into the very stadium I was at and beating them to get to the Super Bowl.

Of course what did I know. and I also saw Cincy and Buffalo above the Eagles going into the playoffs. I still thought San Fran would beat them in the NFCC, but if the Eagles would get by, then they'd not be able to beat the Bengals. Beat KC I thought the Eagles could do, but not Cincy.

Again with the "what did I know?"

I couldn't picture, at the time, who'd win in a Bengals/SF Super Bowl. I did think it'd go into OT. So I may as well have both tied. If I must pick a '1a', I guess it'd be Cincy with the Burrow over 'new' Purdy factor. Perhaps I should have had Bills at '3a' with Eagles at 'b' (or maybe even tie them).

Lions' 7-2 finish a bit more impressive then the Steelers' 7-2 finish so I gave them the nod. And both looked more impressive down-the-stretch than actual playoff-qualifiers, Sea & NYG. Det & Pit tie each other in '21 and then each make those strong finishes last year. You almost feel a 'connection', already, between both blue-collar-town franchises!

Miami's fall into the post-season, of course, is what knocks them out with me. And then Tampa finishing...8-9!