Post-Week 8 Power Rankings

Cover photo taken from Dallas Morning News.

1 – Eagles (7-0)

The NFL’s best teams destroying some of its worst is never exactly the most revealing thing in the world. Sunday showed me once again that the Eagles can absolutely decimate you through the air if they want to. Their dominance in the run game is well-documented, but people forget just how good of a passer Jalen Hurts has become. It helps that AJ Brown is continuing to shred secondaries. This team is just so incredible on both sides of the ball, and is only going to get better defensively with the acquisition of Robert Quinn. How they’re not the universal #1 across the media is beyond me.

2 – Bills (6-1)

The Bills would probably tell you that they didn’t play the way they wanted to on Sunday night. They obviously got off to a great start, but after going up 24-7, they phoned in the rest of the game. Josh Allen threw two really bad picks to take points off the board, their defense let up, and they just looked lethargic. They luckily didn’t have to continue playing their best ball to stave off a bad Packers team, but I would’ve liked to have seen a more complete performance out of them, especially coming off a bye.

3 – Chiefs (5-2)

The Chiefs had the week off ahead of a suddenly huge primetime showdown with the Titans at home on Sunday night. If they look even slightly as good as they did against San Francisco, then we should see some more fireworks out of this team.

4 – Cowboys (6-2) 1

This team just keeps on playing better and better. I think that giving up points in bunches to the Bears makes them look worse, but they went up 28-7 in the blink of an eye. The rest of the game was simply keeping Chicago’s offense in front of them, hence the big numbers from them. It doesn’t change the fact that this defense continues to play like the best in the NFL, and their offense finally poured in a great performance highlighted by a hat trick from Tony Pollard. They are so dominant defensively that any above average game from their offense means they win by 20+. I think the league should be a lot more scared of Dallas than they might be right now.

5 – Vikings (6-1) 1

The Vikings are still winning games by closer margins than they’d like, but all that matters is that the winning ways are continuing. The streak has reached five games, and they looked very solid on Sunday, especially offensively. Kirk Cousins played a great game and everyone on that side of the ball continues to contribute greatly. Now, TJ Hockenson is being added into the mix after being traded by Detroit. I’m not sure how he’ll fit into the system, but in due time, he should be another great weapon for Cousins. I still want to see the defense sure up the secondary, but they’ll continue to get away with it as long as this offense keeps their scorching ways going.

6 – 49ers (4-4) 3

Who would have thought that Christian McCaffrey would make a huge impact in this offense after a full week of practice? CMC became the first player since LaDainian Tomlinson in 2005 to throw, run for, and receive a touchdown in a single game. He was an absolute nightmare for the Rams, as he will continue to be for any and all defenses in the future. The rest of the offense looked just fine without Deebo Samuel, highlighted by another good game from Brandon Aiyuk, and the defense got back on track thanks to Nick Bosa being fully healthy again. His impact on the defense simply cannot be overstated, and it showed in bunches on Saturday. This team bounced back in a huge way from last week’s embarrassment, and I think they’re only going to get better. They are so much better than their record.

7 – Ravens (5-3) 1

This team is one of the hardest to make heads or tails of. I love Lamar Jackson, but I don’t know how to feel about the weapons around him. Nobody can stay healthy, but he continues to make it work. I don’t like this defense very much, but they played a solid game on Thursday. As a whole, I think this team is getting by on having a great QB and a generally talented roster, but we continue to see that they can’t play full games. I think they can be elite if they get healthy, but that feels unlikely for the time being. We’ll see how far Lamar can take them.

8 – Titans (5-2) 2

Honest question: how many people know that the Titans have won 5 games in a row? I feel like this team is getting completely lost in the mix of everyone else. It could be because of their cupcake schedule or their awful division, which is totally fair, but we have to put some respect on Tennessee. Winning on the road in a divisional game with a backup QB in his first career start isn’t easy. Handing the ball off to Derrick Henry over and over again is pretty easy though. He had his fourth consecutive 200 yard rushing performance against Houston. That is genuinely unfathomable stuff. None of the Titans wins on this streak have come against teams with winning records, nor have any of them been by more than 7 points. I know it’s not impressive, but they’re running away with the division and Henry is playing like an OPOY candidate. If no one else will respect them, I will.

9 – Seahawks (5-3) 3

How fun is this team? Everything they do is awesome. I never thought I’d see myself enjoying Seahawks football or them even being this good, but they are, and I am. They just keep on winning, and continue to do so in impressive fashion. Their defense stood out the most on Sunday, limiting the Giants all game long, allowing just 53 rushing yards from Saquon Barkley. Geno Smith did his thing again, DK Metcalf looked fine after suffering a minor injury last week, Tyler Lockett made amends for an uncharacteristic drop, and of course Kenneth Walker kept on scoring. This team now sits atop the division with a full game lead. I don’t know how long they’ll stay there with the Niners nipping at their heels, but it might be a tighter race than we thought.

10 – Dolphins (5-3) 3

Tyreek Hill and Jaylen Waddle are the best WR duo in the league. That argument has been put to bed. It might get to the point where they become one of the best duos we’ve ever seen. Both of them are so incredibly dynamic and talented. It makes every Dolphins game a must-watch. It helps that Tua Tagovailoa is playing solid ball. Granted, they won’t be playing the worst defense in the NFL every week. Moreover, their own defense needs to play vastly better than they did on Sunday. They should never have been a 27-17 hole in the first half alone. I will say that I loved the fact that they shut out the Lions in the second half. And the pass rush is getting a huge boost thanks to trading for Bradley Chubb. I love the way this team is playing, and they are so much better with Tua at the helm. Their playoff push is imminent against a fairly easy schedule.

11 – Bengals (4-4) 5

Last week, I declared that the Bengals were back. Then, Ja’Marr Chase’s injury was decreed way more serious than any of us expected. I’ve said for over a year that Chase is one of the most valuable players in the league thanks to his ability to alter the way this offense works and is played against by opposing defenses. With him out on Monday night, you could see just how much worse this team is. The Browns weren’t moved at all by just Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, who are typically open because of the attention that Chase gets. They couldn’t run the ball effectively without a threat of deep shots. They were absolutely manhandled, giving the rest of the league the blueprint to shut this team down while Chase is out. The next few weeks are a bit easy on paper, so Cincy better hope they can notch some ugly wins while #1 gets healthy.

12 – Giants (6-2) 5

The Giants finally lost a game they deserved to lose. About time! Their offense was an absolute sham for sixty minutes as their patented running game did a whole lot of nothing and Daniel Jones played his worst game of the season. Moreover, their defense, which has been so solid all year long, let up a lot of big plays and long drives. They were able to force some turnovers and get pressure, but it just wasn’t enough this time. And that’s what I’ve been waiting to see. The Giants have had a winning formula for a while, but it was only going to take them so far. Their games against actual teams will go like they did on Sunday. Luckily for them, their schedule is remarkably easy, with their next two games being at home against the Texans and Lions, so wins should still be pouring in for them.

13 – Jets (5-3) 2

The Breece Hall injury effectively ruined the Jets season. Now they can’t run the ball, which means the offense rests on the shoulders of Zach Wilson. And he is the worst starting QB in the league. I’m not afraid to say that there are several backups in the league, including his own, that are better than he is. If the Jets want to win, they should have Flacco under center. Wilson’s inability to read defenses and inexplicable tendency to hand the ball right to them multiple times a game is holding this team back so much. Despite the fact that they couldn’t run the ball, the Jets might have won on Sunday if it wasn’t for those boneheaded picks. Their defense could have played better, but I’m placing all the blame on the guy who was unfathomably selected #2 overall last year. He is the problem.

14 – Chargers (4-3)

I don’t know what the rest of the Chargers season will look like as they come out of their bye week, but I’m having a hard time feeling good about it. They’re still super banged up and simply not great across the board, and Justin Herbert needs to elevate his level of play. I don’t like their chances this week coming across the country to play a solid Falcons team.

15 – Falcons (4-4) 4

I’ve felt pretty good about the Falcons for a while now, and suddenly they have sole possession of first place in their division. That’s merely a product of how bad it is, but I’m not going to sit here and say this team isn’t good. Perhaps they should have lost on Sunday, but they found a way to win, as good teams do. Their offense continues to play very well, especially at home, but their defense sorely misses AJ Terrell. I think the secondary play can and will hold them back in future games, but for now, they’re content to be .500 in spite of their last two defensive performances.

16 – Rams (3-4) 1

I honestly might have the Rams too high here. As I’ve said all year, this team is the definition of mid. With Cooper Kupp nursing an injury, they could look like one of the worst teams in the NFL this week. He is their entire offense, although Allen Robinson is contributing ever so slightly. Matt Stafford is doing nothing, nor is the defense. The only good thing about this team is #10, as has been the case since the start of the year. If he can’t go this week, you’ll see just how reliant this team is on him.

17 – Cardinals (3-5) 1

The Cardinals looked exactly how I thought they would look on Sunday. They were competitive all game long, but when it came down to it, they could not execute. It was very predictable, and for that reason, I’m not going to be that harsh to them. It was a tough road test against a very good team, and they played a solid game. DeAndre Hopkins’ return from suspension has proven to be massive for this offense as he put together yet another monster statline, but the rest of the offense is just lingering. They need to get healthy in the RB room if they want to be better. The defense isn’t good and they’ll just have to live with that. But if they slightly improve, they really could be a playoff team.

18 – Patriots (4-4) 3

This team is weird. I expected them to look better after last week’s thrashing in primetime, and they did. They still could have and should have looked better considering how bad the Jets played, but a win is a win, and they’re back to .500. I don’t know how much I buy this team on either side of the ball, and their inconsistency makes it that much harder to read them. Mac Jones still isn’t playing well, but the emergence of Rhamondre Stevenson makes this offense viable. The defense played much better, which is good to see. I just don’t see New England actually rising to the occasion and beating the good teams on their schedule.

19 – Browns (3-5) 4

I thought the Browns would play well on Monday night. I did not foresee them playing their best game of the year by far and winning by nearly 20 against their division rival. After the Ja’Marr Chase news broke, I figured the Browns would win (and rushed to take them +3.5), but I didn’t see it being so dominant. Jacoby Brissett played a solid game, Amari Cooper was spectacular, and their RB tandem of Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt finally returned to form. Chubb continues to play like the NFL’s best back, racking up TDs like it’s a video game. While the offense moved the ball up and down the field, perhaps the most impressive part of the performance was how their defense shut down and dismantled Joe Burrow and the Bengals offense from start to finish. Without Chase on the field, they couldn’t get anything going, and the Browns pass rush looked as good as we know they can be. I don’t know how many of these types of performances Cleveland has in them, but if they can get some more good momentum going with Deshaun Watson just 3 games away from returning, then perhaps they can turn their season around.

20 – Saints (3-5) 4

Like the team above them, I didn’t know the Saints had such a dominant performance in them. It certainly helps that Alvin Kamara is finally looking like himself again with an incredible 3-touchdown performance, but something got into their defense after being thrashed last week by Arizona. They absolutely locked down a very solid Raiders offense to the tune of the second shutout of the season thus far in the NFL. Josh Jacobs, who had been unstoppable coming into the game, had just 43 yards on the ground, and Davante Adams might as well have stayed in Vegas after just 1 catch for 3 yards. New Orleans’ dominance on both sides of the ball was very impressive, but it remains to be seen whether or not that can be replicated against the tougher teams on their schedule. This week’s primetime matchup with the Ravens should help us get a better understanding.

21 – Commanders (4-4) 4

Strap in folks, we’re going on our yearly Linsanity run. This year, it features 3 straight wins against 3 awful teams that will have this fanbase stirred up and ready for a “playoff push”. Left hand up, am I right? I wish people would temper their expectations. We should have lost to Chicago and Indianapolis, who both beat themselves. We realistically could have lost to Green Bay if it wasn’t for a defensive touchdown taken off the board. This team still is not good. However, it’s not all bad (for once). The defense has been playing very well, especially up front. I’m taking that with a grain of salt considering the offenses they’ve played. Taylor Heinicke has been… fine I suppose. The gameplan of throw it up to Terry McLaurin and praying has worked thus far since #17 is one of the best receivers in the NFL and continues to earn every penny of that extension. If there’s one good thing that comes from Heinicke starting, it’s that Terry gets the love he deserves. So yes, we are somehow back at .500 and on a streak. But the next two games are against the 6-1 Vikings and 7-0 Eagles. Prepare for this team to look as awful as they did on that 4-game losing streak.

22 – Packers (3-5) 4

The Packers have now lost four in a row. Despite that fact, they are content to continue with their roster being the same while the rest of the division around them makes moves. It’s a sign of the times in Green Bay. They seem perfectly fine with being bad. I do think they played alright on Sunday night, and it helps that Aaron Jones is becoming the central focus of the offense. But the defense is still getting torched, especially in the secondary, and they can’t throw the ball. The losing ways are going to continue for the Packers, and they have no one to blame but themselves.

23 – Buccaneers (3-5) 4

This has been perhaps the worst week of Tom Brady’s life, but I’m not here to beat him up. I’ll also lay off on beating up his team for once. Yes, this team sucks, but we already knew that. They’re the same team every single week, and that’s why they can’t win. They are simply not good at anything other than statpadding in the passing game. Every week is more of the same, so none of the Buccaneers’ struggles shock me anymore. They’ll just keep on plummeting.

24 – Raiders (2-5) 4

I should start a new rule where I don’t talk about your team if you get shut out. That seems fair. That being said, I can’t ignore how embarrassing the Raiders were on Sunday. They let a defense who has gotten gashed in nearly all of their games this year put them in a padded cell. Davante Adams had yet another game where he was invisible. Josh Jacobs’ hot streak ended and the rest of the team had no idea what to do, namely Derek Carr, who looked genuinely awful. We knew their defense was bad, so seeing them get gashed wasn’t shocking. But I never expected this offense to look so poor.

25 – Colts (3-4-1) 3

The first game of the Sam Ehlinger era went as expected. The Colts were simply mediocre all game long, and could have won thanks to being handed the game by the Commanders offense. But, their defense fell apart late, and they completely blew it. Ehlinger was painfully average, as was everyone else involved. Like so many other teams in this range, we know what we’re going to get out of Indianapolis every single week. It’s really shocking to see Jonathan Taylor continue to be a complete non-factor, but I’ve gotten used to it at this point. Teams won’t fear Ehlinger, and they don’t fear Taylor anymore either.

26 – Bears (3-5)

Despite another loss, it’s hard to not feel encouraged by what the Bears have been doing in recent weeks. Justin Fields has looked really solid and extremely comfortable as the offense around him continues to produce. He had a career day on Sunday with efficient passing and three total touchdowns. It helped that Chicago put themselves in a massive deficit early on, allowing Fields to put up numbers, but regardless, I was once again impressed. He looks much more comfortable in the pocket and is throwing the ball really well. The RB duo of David Montgomery and Khalil Herbert continues to shine as well. I’m not sure what the direction of this team is after dealing LBs Robert Quinn and Roquan Smith but trading for a WR in Chase Claypool, but I think they feel better about Fields too and are preparing to build around him for the future. I love to see that.

27 – Broncos (3-5) 2

Like so many other teams this week, the Broncos looked exactly how I expected them to on Sunday morning in London. The offense was able to put up enough points against a bad team, and the defense was able to shut down a solid offense when it mattered. They forced key turnovers in key moments, and it won Denver the game. I still think this team is relatively awful, but there’s no denying how good they are defensively. As I’ve said all year long, that defense will win them games against inferior competition. That is exactly what happened on Sunday.

28 – Panthers (2-6) 2

I feel pretty bad for the Panthers. Once again, they were competitive to the very end. They pulled off an incredible Hail Mary which should have won the game and missed two game winning kicks, including the extra point after that Hail Mary. D’Onta Foreman put up a monster statline in his first game as the team’s true RB1 and PJ Walker continued to look very solid as the QB1. I do think losing while putting up those numbers was the best-case scenario for this team, but it definitely stings.

29 – Jaguars (2-6) 2

Just about the only positive with the Jaguars right now is the fact that Travis Etienne has fulfilled the promise of being a true RB1. He had a huge game on Sunday morning in London and continues to be the best player on the offense. No one else is playing close to his level, especially QB Trevor Lawrence, who continues to lay a ton of duds on the field. His costly, bad interceptions lost the Jags the game, and he’s simply regressing. There’s nothing else but himself to blame it on. He has a RB, good WRs, a good coach, and a decent defense. He is the main reason this team is losing games.

30 – Steelers (2-6) 2

The Steelers have a real case for being the worst team in the NFL right now. Kenny Pickett hasn’t done anything in his starts, Najee Harris has regressed into Trent Richardson, and the defense is playing like one of the worst in the league. There isn’t a single thing this team does well. They are firmly in the running for the #1 pick, and it wouldn’t shock me at all if they end up with it by season’s end.

31 – Texans (1-5-1)

If you can’t beat a team playing their backup QB in his first start at home, then you’ve got problems. We all know the Texans have problems, though. None of this is remotely shocking. I think they could have and should have played better, but the Titans have absolutely owned them in recent years, namely Derrick Henry, who had his fourth straight 200-yard rushing day against Houston. Losing games is the best-case scenario for the Texans, so I’m sure they’re not too upset.

32 – Lions (1-6)

The Lions in a closed environment, especially at home, are simply different. It’s the only place where they can play like an actual football team. The offense got off to a blazing hot start on Sunday, but the second half was anything but. Getting shut out for the entire second half after putting up 27 in the first is a bit mind-boggling, but this is the Detroit Lions. Everything is mind-boggling. Now, they’ve dealt away TJ Hockenson and seem fully geared towards continuing the rebuild next year. It’s only a matter of time before Dan Campbell is sent on his way as well.

All stats taken from ESPN.