With Mazz out this week, Adam Jones steps in to give his NFL tiers before week 16 of the season kicks off tonight. Did the Patriots stay in tier 4 this week? Or did Jones drop them after their tough loss to the Raiders last Sunday?
Audio
Tier 1
ORCHARD PARK, NEW YORK – DECEMBER 11: Dawson Knox #88, Spencer Brown #79 and Josh Allen #17 of the Buffalo Bills celebrates a touchdown from Allen in the fourth quarter of a game against the New York Jets at Highmark Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Orchard Park, New York. (Photo by Joshua Bessex/Getty Images
Buffalo Bills
Kansas City Chiefs
Philadelphia Eagles
Tier 2
SANTA CLARA, CALIFORNIA – DECEMBER 11: Brock Purdy #13 of the San Francisco 49ers looks on during the third quarter against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Levi’s Stadium on December 11, 2022 in Santa Clara, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
Cincinnati Bengals
Dallas Cowboys
San Francisco 49ers
Tier 3
Nov 24, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings wide receiver Justin Jefferson (18) celebrates a first down against the New England Patriots during the second quarter at U.S. Bank Stadium. Credit: Matt Krohn-USA TODAY Sports
Minnesota Vikings
Baltimore Ravens
Miami Dolphins
Los Angeles Chargers
New York Giants
New York Jets
Tier 4
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – DECEMBER 18: Mac Jones #10 of the New England Patriots looks on after losing to the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium on December 18, 2022 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Chris Unger/Getty Images)
Detroit Lions
Washington Commanders
Las Vegas Raiders
Seattle Seahawks
Jacksonville Jaguars
Tennessee Titans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Green Bay Packers
New England Patriots
Cleveland Browns
Tier 5
Dec 11, 2022; Seattle, Washington, USA; Carolina Panthers quarterback Sam Darnold (14) returns to the locker room following a 30-24 victory against the Seattle Seahawks at Lumen Field. Mandatory Credit: Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports
Pittsburgh Steelers
Carolina Panthers
New Orleans Saints
Atlanta Falcons
Chicago Bears
Indianapolis Colts
Denver Broncos
Los Angeles Rams
Arizona Cardinals
Houston Texans
Transcript
Jim Murray: Alright, Jones, who do we have in tier one?
Adam Jones: Alright. These are in order, by the way: Buffalo one, Kansas City two, Philly three.
Jim Murray: Alright. Who is in Jones’s tier two of the NFL power rankings?
Adam Jones: It’s another small tier because I don’t believe in a lot of teams. I have Cincinnati, they’re at the top of tier two. I have Dallas there. And I still begrudgingly put San Francisco there because I was never all that high on Jimmy Garoppolo. I don’t think Brock Purdy’s all that much worse, if at all then Garoppolo, so I’ll put San Francisco there. They’re absolutely stacked. They have everything maybe outside of the the head coach and the quarterback.
Jim Murray: Tier three, go ahead.
Adam Jones: This is my least favorite tier. I’d make it smaller if the graphics at NBC Sports Boston cooperated. I would make this smaller. I HAD to put these teams here. Minnesota.
Jim Murray: Frauds.
Adam Jones: Baltimore.
Jim Murray: Too beat up.
Adam Jones: I like them better than you when Lamar’s back, but he’s not back yet….Miami.
Jim Murray: Yeah, they’ve been exposed here recently.
Adam Jones: I don’t like any of these next three teams. Chargers, Giants, Jets. I don’t like any of them. But like, I think they all got to go there because I can’t in good faith put any of these other teams above them. But that’s just kind of the “I don’t know what to do with them” tier. They’re okay, but they could all lose in round one of the playoffs. I don’t believe in any of those teams.
Jim Murray: Let’s get to tier four in Jones’ tiers.
Adam Jones: Okay I have Detroit at the top of tier four.
Jim Murray: I would have them in tier three with the way they’re playing right now, but go ahead. These are Jones’ tiers.
Adam Jones: Team. Okay. I had them at the top of tier four. I have Washington. I moved Vegas up. Vegas is starting to play well, although easily they could have swung down on one play against the Pats. They almost lost to the freaking Pats. Seattle, Jacksonville, Tennessee, Tampa, Green Bay, beat the Patriots. They’re still in front of the Patriots. I have the Patriots and then Cleveland. But the Patriots are inching towards tier five.
Jim Murray: Tier five, to wrap it up.
Adam Jones: I mean, just going back to tier four outside of like Detroit and maybe Washington and Vegas, I don’t even like I don’t like any of these teams.
Jim Murray: Yeah. These are the dregs of the dregs.
Adam Jones: Here’s the rest.
Jim Murray: This is very magnanimous of you. I’m surprised you didn’t have the Patriots in Tier five.
Adam Jones: They said that to me the other week, too. How do I put them below these teams? Pittsburgh, Carolina, New Orleans, Atlanta, Chicago, I probably am higher on than most, but they’re still in the middle of tier five. Indy, Denver, the Rams, Arizona, Houston.
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