The NFL Power Rankings by nature look at what teams have done thus far, but this week we're looking ahead. With six or seven games left on the schedule, there are some matchups that loom larger than others in deciding how the story of the 2019 season will be written.
Some of these matchups will determine playoff seeding (49ers-Saints looks particularly fun). Others will decide the 2020 NFL draft order (see the Dolphins/Bengals/New York duo royal rumble below). And still others involve fringe playoff contenders looking to stay alive. Our power panel -- a group of more than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluates how teams stack up throughout the season.