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NFL Power Rankings, Week 16: 49ers, Chargers Move Up, Raiders Continue Slide

Two of the west coast's teams are playing well while the other is struggling. Check it out to see which ones.

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The West Coast is feeling real good about itself, well, except in one place.

The San Francisco 49ers put on a defensive clinic on Monday night with a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers that reminded everyone of just how good this team is. The San Diego Chargers bludgeoned the Baltimore Ravens in a showcase of how good they can be with their backs against the wall. Only the Oakland Raiders couldn't keep up their end of the bargain as they allowed the Detroit Lions to put together a furious late comeback that could be the end of the Raiders season.

Let's see how the Power Rankings saw it.

Sportsline (no. 4) and ESPN (no. 3) both kept the 49ers in their same spot as last week. Only SBNation (moved up four spots to no. 2) showed any movement. Both Sportsline and SBNation were impressed with the Monday night showing and ESPN pointed out just how dominant the rush defense has been during their 15-game streak without allowing a rushing TD.

Sportsline moved the Chargers up two spots to no. 19 and said nobody wants this team to make the playoffs. That's pretty much fact. ESPN moved the Chargers up four spots to no. 14 but recognized how tough the Bolts last two games are against Detroit and Oakland. SBNation gave the Chargers the biggest boost, moving them seven spots to no. 11. The Chargers in December, comes every year like Christmas.

The Raiders fell one spot (Sportsline, no. 15), three spots (ESPN, no. 19) and one spot (SBNation, no. 17) as their three-game losing streak has everyone questioning the Carson Palmer trade, their playoff hopes and the damage the late-game collapse against the Lions will cause.