NFL Power Rankings 2013, Week 15: Giants out of contention, fall in rankings

Week 14 proved to be do-or-die for the New York Giants, and a defeat at the hands of the San Diego Chargers meant the postseason was no longer in the cards. The Giants didn't play like a contender, and now the team is no longer a contender. And as a result, they plummet in the power rankings.

In the NFC East, the Eagles rallied against the Lions in the blizzard at the Linc. The Redskins' issues on the field are glaring, but they may not even compare to the circus that is taking place away from it.

The top-five squads have been shuffled again, as the Saints ended the Panthers' eight-game win streak and top-ranked Seattle fell to their NFC West rival.

Here are the Big Blue View Power Rankings for Week 15:

1. Denver Broncos (11-2): Warm weather, cold weather, wherever. This offense is very transportable. (LW: 2)

2. Seattle Seahawks (11-2): Seattle hasn't been able to win at Candlestick Park since 2008, but perhaps a late-season loss will get the team focused on the road ahead. (LW: 1)

3. New England Patriots (10-3): Second-half comebacks against Denver, Houston and now Cleveland. This is vintage Tom Brady, who will have to take it up another notch with Rob Gronkowski now done for the year. (LW: 3)

4. New Orleans Saints (10-3): After being trounced in Seattle, the Saints looked like a Super Bowl contender in the Dome. (LW: 4)

5. Cincinnati Bengals (9-4): The Bengals were the far superior team against Indy, and at their best could arguably be the best in the conference. (LW: 6)

6. San Francisco 49ers (9-4): Winners of three straight, the Niners are falling into a rhythm at the right time of the year. (LW: 7)

7. Carolina Panthers (9-4): Finally, the Panthers have been cooled off. I wouldn't be surprised to see Cam Newton and Co. bounce back strong and make their way into the playoffs. (LW: 5)

8. Kansas City Chiefs (10-3): For the first time in weeks, it was the Kansas City defense and special teams making winning plays. (LW: 9)

9. Philadelphia Eagles (8-5): Welcome to the top 10, Philly. The Eagles played lights out in the second half in the snow en route to a fifth straight win. (LW: 11)

10. Detroit Lions (7-6): The Lions looked lost in the cold weather. Need I remind them the Super Bowl will be played outdoors in Jersey? (LW: 8)

11. Arizona Cardinals (8-5): The Cardinals continue to do their thing. It may not be in the cards this year, but this is a team on the rise. (LW: 13)

12. Indianapolis Colts (8-5): Fortunately for the Colts, they face Houston, the perfect pick-me-up. (LW: 10)

13. Chicago Bears (7-6): Josh McCown is giving Chicago a lot of reasons why they shouldn't pay Jay Cutler in the offseason. (LW: 15)

14. Baltimore Ravens (7-6): The Super Bowl champs pulled some magic out of their hats, but it shouldn't take so much luck to beat the Vikings at home. (LW: 14)

15. Dallas Cowboys (7-6): This kind of defense doesn't belong in the playoffs. (LW: 12)

16. San Diego Chargers (7-6): The Bolts proved to be the true contender in their battle with Big Blue. (LW: 17)

17. Green Bay Packers (6-6-1): A one-point win over Atlanta means the playoffs are still a possibility. Is that Aaron Rodgers I hear warming up? (LW: 18)

18. Miiami Dolphins (7-6): Amazingly enough, after all of the off-the-field drama the Dolphins are a game out of the playoffs. (LW: 19)

19. Tennessee Titans (6-7): The Titans are reportedly planning some wholesale changes in the offseason. I wasn't aware the regular season was already over. (LW: 16)

20. New York Jets (6-7): Geno Smith quieted his critics ... for this week at least. (LW: 23)

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-8): If Antonio Brown's foot was an inch to the right, we might be talking about the Steelers' playoff chances. (LW: 21)

22. St. Louis Rams (5-8): St. Louis is no easy out. New Orleans and Seattle should look out. (LW: 22)

23. New York Giants (5-8): There will be no postseason for the Giants, and the front office should start considering how to revive this offense. (LW: 20)

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-9): The Bucs are 4-1 in the second half of their season, which bodes well for this team's future. (LW: 28)

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-9): The Jags have reeled off three straight wins. That's right, the Jags. (LW: 29)

26. Cleveland Browns (4-9): Cleveland was seconds away from one of the biggest upsets of the NFL season. (LW: 26)

27. Buffalo Bills (4-9): Though a 21-point loss looks bad on paper, this team is giving Doug Marrone a lot to build upon. (LW: 24)

28. Oakland Raiders (4-9): There was a time when Terrelle Pryor looked like the future at quarterback. It seems as if the search for one is back on. (LW: 25)

29. Minnesota Vikings (3-9-1): This is team is a play-making quarterback again from being a .500 team, at least. (LW: 27)

30. Atlanta Falcons (3-10): I'm wondering what wholesale changes are in store for the Falcons. (LW: 30)

31. Washington Redskins (3-10): The nation's capital is in a mess. Is Mike Shanahan already out the door? (LW: 31)

32. Houston Texans (2-11): Can a new head coach and the No. 1 pick in the draft reverse this team's fortunes quicker than we think? (LW: 32)