2024 NFL Week 14 betting power ratings: Major shakeup at the top, plus how to value all 32 teams
Last week I sung the praises of the Ravens as the clear best team in the NFL. This week, I can't put them any higher than third in my spread power ratings after getting pasted by the Eagles, one of my co-No. 1 teams, as Baltimore's run defense collapsed and Justin Tucker's struggles continued. If the Ravens meet the Bills, my other co-No. 1 team, in the playoffs, they've already proven how they match up well and have a great chance of winning the game, even on the road in Buffalo. But since our power ratings are geared toward projecting the current week's spreads, what happens in the future is irrelevant, and it's hard to argue with anyone but Buffalo and Philadelphia as the top two teams in the league in the moment.
What about the Lions and Chiefs, the two teams with the best record in football? A rash of defensive injuries finally appeared to catch up to the Lions in the second half of the Bears game, turning a dominant first half into a close win by the final whistle. While the Lions have as good an offense as any in football, the defense is unlikely to perform anywhere near the level of Buffalo or Philadelphia in the short-term. I have Detroit slightly behind Baltimore, but I'm not sure if they met on a neutral field that I'd feel confident backing the Ravens.
As for the Chiefs, the left tackle and cornerback positions have proven to be catastrophic issues, with Wanya Morris getting run past so often that he may as well be playing on bended knee, while Nazeeh Johnson has been a clear target for opposing quarterbacks. With Jaylen Watson not expected to return this season, it's unclear how the cornerback issue will be resolved, but left tackle should have reinforcements as soon as this week with D.J. Humphries expected to take over as starter. I've still downgraded the Chiefs slightly from their normal lofty status after six straight games failing to live up to the market's expectations, but they'll be as tough an out as anyone come playoff time.
What are NFL spread power ratings? You can check out the explainer in how to build and maintain NFL power ratings in our Week 1 version of this column. Or, you can read on to see my ratings for every team and where I think the market is off this week. I went 636-534-34 (+4899) on ATS picks from 2017-23 and even better with my top five picks each week, going 428-327-25 (56.7%) from 2015-23 in the big Las Vegas spread picks contests. My power ratings have been a big part of maintaining that success.Â
Which teams are being underrated by the betting market? And which spreads are the furthest off where they should be? ... Join SportsLine right now to see Week 14 NFL power ratings from the expert who's 636-534-34 on ATS picks from 2017-23, returning $4,899 to $100 players!Â
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