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Mason's Week 13 Power Rankings: Rams rise; Cowboys fall

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1. PHILADELPHIA (10-1) Last week: 1

This is the third time in the last 65 years that the Eagles have started 10-1. In the previous two seasons, they made the Super Bowl (1980, 2004).

2. NEW ENGLAND (9-2) Last week: 2

Two road games against AFC East rivals Buffalo and Miami are all that separate the Patriots from a showdown with Pittsburgh that seems likely to decide home-field advantage in the AFC playoffs.

3. PITTSBURGH (9-2) Last week: 5

Four of Pittsburgh's six previous Super Bowl wins came in seasons in which they had two or fewer losses in their first 11 games.

4. MINNESOTA (9-2) Last week: 4

A Thanksgiving win at Detroit ensures that they won't go winless on their current three-week road swing, but the toughest two-thirds is yet to come, with games at surging Atlanta and steady Carolina.

5. L.A. RAMS (8-3) Last week: 7

In the second and third quarters last Sunday, the Rams defense held New Orleans to three points and four first downs on six possessions, allowing them to take control.

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  1. NEW ORLEANS (8-3) Last week: 3**

Alvin Kamara accounted for 188 yards from scrimamge on 11 touches against the Rams; the rest of the Saints' skill-position players gained 158 yards on their other 41 snaps.

7. CAROLINA (8-3) Last week: 8

One touchdown on defense and another on special teams allowed Carolina to avoid an upset loss to the Jets.

8. JACKSONVILLE (7-4) Last week: 6

After allowing 8.8 points per game in a six-game stretch, the Jaguars conceded 27 to their former quarterback (Blaine Gabbert) and the Cardinals.

9. ATLANTA (7-4) Last week: 10

With an average of 31.7 points per game in the last three weeks, the explosive Falcons are back.

10. SEATTLE (7-4) Last week: 11

Their next three opponents -- Philadelphia, Jacksonville and the Rams -- are a combined 25-8.

11. BALTIMORE (6-5) Last week: 13

Thanks to a pair of shutouts, the Ravens have a plus-67 scoring margin in their last four games, three of which were wins.

12. L.A. CHARGERS (5-6) Last week: 16

No team has had a more efficient offensive performance in a single game than the Chargers last Thursday in Dallas, averaging 4.9 points, 74.3 yards and 3.6 first downs per possession with no three-and-outs.

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  1. TENNESSEE (7-4) Last week: 14 **

After losing nine consecutive games in Indianapolis, any win there -- even an unimpressive one -- is worth savoring.

14. DETROIT (6-5) Last week: 9

You can't rely on touchdowns off returns forever.

15. KANSAS CITY (6-5) Last week: 12

The Chiefs have nine offensive touchdowns in their last six games, during which running back Kareem Hunt has averaged 46.8 rushing yards per game after averaging 121.8 yards in Weeks 1-5.

16. WASHINGTON (5-6) Last week: 15

If the Redskins are to turn their season around, they will need to do something they haven't done since Weeks 2-3: win consecutive games.

17. BUFFALO (6-5) Last week: 21

The Bills are ranked 20th or below on both offense and defense in net points, net yards and first downs per possession, but because of takeaways and timely defense, they are lingering in the playoff race. Last Sunday in Kansas City, they held the Chiefs to just two conversions in 15 third-down attempts.

18. CINCINNATI (5-6) Last week: 19

A 5-3 mark since an 0-3 start is solid, but all but one of the wins came at the expense of teams with worse records.

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  1. OAKLAND (5-6) Last week: 22**

The Raiders' struggling defense held Denver to just three first downs before Trevor Siemian replaced Paxton Lynch.

20. GREEN BAY (5-6) Last week: 20

Brett Hundley had his most efficient game as a starter in the loss at Pittsburgh, but with a two-game deficit for the wild-card spot and a four-game hole in the NFC North race, it might be too little, too late.

21. TAMPA BAY (4-7) Last week: 18

The Bucs are at the brink of missing the playoffs for a 10th conseucutive season -- which would be the second run of a decade-plus out of the postseason in their 42-season history.

22. N.Y. JETS (4-7) Last week: 24

The Jets are 2-5 in games decided by one score.

23. ARIZONA (5-6) Last week: 28

Blaine Gabbert has an 87.6 passer rating in two starts, leading Cardinals head coach Bruce Arians to say that "I'd be very, very comfortable" with the idea of Gabbert replacing Carson Palmer if Palmer retired.

24. HOUSTON (4-7) Last week: 23

Their offense has stabilized in the last two weeks, but it wasn't enough in Baltimore.

25. DALLAS (5-6) Last week: 17

They've lost three straight games by an average of 23.3 points.

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  1. DENVER (3-8) Last week: 25 **

Denver's starts have been better the last two weeks, but turnovers continue to undermine the Broncos' chances.

27. MIAMI (4-7) Last week: 27

Four of the five losses during their current losing streak have come by double digits.

28. INDIANAPOLIS (3-8) Last week: 29

Although Jacoby Brissett has shown some promise, he has to curb his sack rate; he has been brought down once every 6.7 pass plays in his last five starts. The league average in that time span is one every 16.0 pass plays.

29. CHICAGO (3-8) Last week: 26

The Bears are not equipped to compete when they average 0.4 yards per carry, as they did Sunday.

30. N.Y. GIANTS (2-9) Last week: 30

There are myriad other reasons why the Giants' offense has averaged 12.7 points per game since their receiving corps was shredded by injuries in Week 5, but they're still benching the quarterback who has a 6-to-2 touchdown-to-interception ratio with a decimated group of targets.

31. SAN FRANCISCO (1-10) Last week: 31

Despite the 49ers' lowly ranking and poor record, it would be no surprise if the they won their next two games against the Bears and Texans.

32. CLEVELAND (0-11) Last week: 32

The Browns are 2-36 since a 2-3 start to the 2015 season.

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