BY RALPH VENTRE
The Detroit Lions made a massive leap this week, breaking into the Talking Pigskin Pro Football Top 10.
Overcoming a 1-6 season start to become a playoff contender, the Lions have surged up to the No. 9 spot in the power poll.
With four regular season games remaining prior to the National Football League Playoffs, the Philadelphia Eagles hold the No. 1 ranking for the sixth week in a row.
ON THE BRINK
WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (11), NEW YORK JETS (12), LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (13), NEW YORK GIANTS (14), TENNESSEE TITANS (15), NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (16)
No. 10 MIAMI DOLPHINS 📉
Last Week: 8
Record 8-5
The Dolphins suffered back-to-back stinkers in California and will look to avoid a three-game slide when they visit snowy Buffalo on Saturday night. Over the past two games, Tua Tagovailoa completed fewer than 46 percent of pass attempts.
No. 9 DETROIT LIONS 📈
Last Week: NR
Record: 6-7
Maybe we watched too much “Hard Knocks,” but we’re certainly hitting the Lions’ Kool Aid hard. QB Jared Goff appears to have resurrected his career in the Motor City and Detroit owns the NFL’s fourth-ranked offense. Coming off a convincing victory over division-leading Minnesota, Dan Campbell’s crew has won five of its last six games with the lone loss being a last-minute 28-25 setback to Buffalo on Thanksgiving Day.
No. 8 MINNESOTA VIKINGS 📉
Last Week: 5
Record: 10-3
Minnesota was tripped up by Detroit, losing its second straight conference game. Despite having already reached the 10-win mark, the Vikings do not feature a top-10 offense and their defense has surrendered the most yards in the NFL.
No. 7 BALTIMORE RAVENS 📈
Last Week: 9
Record: 9-4
The Ravens were down to their third quarterback, but still pulled out a win over Pittsburgh in Week 14 thanks, in part, to the return of RB J.K. Dobbins. Baltimore, which holds its opponents to fewer than 20.0 points per game, hopes backup QB Tyler Huntley can clear concussion protocol prior to Saturday’s battle with the Browns.
No. 6 CINCINNATI BENGALS ↔️
Last Week: 6
Record: 9-4
Joe Burrow and the reigning AFC champions have found a groove. The Bengals own the longest active win streak in the conference right now, having strung five straight victories together.
No. 5 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS 📈
Last Week: 7
Record: 9-4
The 49ers’ defense continues to dominate and QB Brock Purdy looked surprisingly sharp in his first NFL start. Even with a third-string signal caller, San Francisco is rolling along on a six-game win streak.
No. 4 DALLAS COWBOYS ↔️
Last Week: 4
Record: 10-3
Dallas survived a scare from the Texans to reach the 10-win mark. The Cowboys, who will play three of their last four regular season games on the road, carry a four-game win streak into a Week 15 visit to Jacksonville.
No. 3 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS ↔️
Previous Rank: 3
Record: 10-3
The Chiefs held off the Broncos in Denver to join Buffalo as the only 10-win teams in the AFC. QB Patrick Mahomes leads a Kansas City offense that tops the NFL in yards per game (423.8).
No. 2 BUFFALO BILLS ↔️
Last Week: 2
Record: 10-3
The Bills’ offense, which ranks second in the NFL (397.1 ypg), has fallen off the record pace it set early on in the season, but the team has won four games in a row. The defense, which holds opponents to 17.0 points per game, has been getting healthier.
No. 1 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES ↔️
Last Week: 1
Record: 12-1
Philadelphia, which pummeled the Giants on the road in Week 14, seems destined for the top seed in the NFC while QB Jalen Hurts chases the NFL MVP award.
TALKING PIGSKIN 
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