Tyler Ash Sports Blog: NFL Power Rankings Week 7: America's Team atop the List; Browns on the Rise

1. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

The Cowboys outgained the Seahawks 401-206 in their stunning victory over Seattle at CenturyLink Field. The Cowboys ran for 162 yards—DeMarco Murray’s 115 yards leading the way—against the team that entered the contest with the best rushing defense.

2. San Diego Chargers (5-1)

Philip Rivers finished 22-of-34 for 313 yards and three touchdowns in the Chargers’ nail-biting victory over the Raiders. Rivers posted a 123.8 passer rating—the fifth straight game the QB posted at least a 120 passer rating, an NFL record.

3. Denver Broncos (4-1)

Peyton Manning now has 506 touchdown passes, trailing Brett Favre by just two scores for the NFL record.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)

The Eagles' defense sacked Eli Manning five times in the first half en route to recording the team’s first shutout since 1996. LeSean McCoy rushed for a season-high 149 yards, more than his previous three games combined.

5. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

Russell Wilson lost for just the second time in Seattle, playing one of the worst games of his three-year career. Wilson’s 47.8 passer rating was his third lowest in 42 career contests (including playoffs).

6. Arizona Cardinals (4-1)

In his return to game action for the first time since a Week 1 victory, Carson Palmer completed 28-of-44 passes for 250 yards with two touchdowns and an interception. He connected with 10 different targets in the win. Larry Fitzgerald scored his first TD of the season, recording a team-high 98 receiving yards, while WR Michael Floyd added 48 yards and a TD of his own.

7. New England Patriots (4-2)

Terry Pegula recently bought the Bills, but in reality, Tom Brady owns them. Brady is 23-2 in his career against Buffalo, the highest winning percentage (.960) a QB has ever complied versus an opponent (minimum of 10 starts) in NFL history. Three New England players—Brandon LaFell (97 yards, two touchdowns), Julian Edelman (95 yards) and Rob Gronkowski (94 yards)—eclipsed 90 receiving yards in the win over the Bills. Tim Wright caught one of Brady’s four TDs, while Brian Tyms reached the end zone in his first game with the Patriots via a 43-yard touchdown grab at the onset of the third quarter.

8. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

T.Y. Hilton had a career-game in the Colts’ win on “Thursday Night Football,” hauling in 223 receiving yards, the second-highest total in franchise history.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1-1)

Mike Nugent has hit just 11-of-17 of his field goal attempts (64.7 percent) this season, the worst percentage among kickers (minimum of five attempts) in 2014. Nugent pushed a 37-yard field goal from straight away wide right as time expired, solidifying the first tie of the NFL season and depriving the Bengals of a win.

10. San Francisco 49ers (4-2)

The 49ers play their best with their backs against the wall. So it makes sense they rallied from a 14-0 deficit to score 31 of the final 34 points in a 31-17 victory over the Rams on “Monday Night Football.” Colin Kaepernick threw three TDs and finished the game with 343 passing yards, the second highest total of his career.

11. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

Joe Flacco threw a career-high five touchdown passes on Sunday, all of them coming in the first 17 minutes of Baltimore’s drubbing of the Buccaneers. Flacco joined Tommy Kramer as the only players in league history to throw 4 TDs in the first quarter of a game.

12. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Aaron Rodgers emerged into the MVP discussion following his heroics against the Dolphins. He completed 24 of his 42 pass attempts for 264 yards and three touchdowns. Rodgers’ 4-yard touchdown pass to Andrew Quarless with three seconds remaining rallied the Packers past the Dolphins, 27-24.

13. Detroit Lions (4-2)

The Lions’ tenacious defense flustered Teddy Bridgewater all game long. The rookie QB was sacked eight times and picked off three times by the Lions.

14. Cleveland Browns (3-2)

Ben Tate and Issiah Crowell combined for 155 yards and three touchdowns on 36 carries in the Browns’ convincing rout of the rival Steelers.

15. Carolina Panthers (3-2-1)

A tie on the road against the Bengals—one of the NFL’s best home teams—could be viewed as a win for the Panthers, at least in the moral department. Cam Newton played a terrific all-around game, throwing for 284 yards with two TDs and adding 105 yards on the ground with a TD.

16. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

Coming off their bye week

17. Houston Texans (3-3)

Another poor outing by QB Ryan Fitzpatrick—is it time to put Ryan Mallett under center?

18. Buffalo Bills (3-3)

The Bills struggle to take care of the football when facing the New England Patriots. The Bills have turned the football over a whopping 20 times in their last five home games versus the Patriots. Buffalo handed the Patriots 13 easy points on Sunday by virtue of their three turnovers.

19. Chicago Bears (3-3)

The Bears throttled the Falcons at the Georgia Dome, improving to 3-1 away from Soldier Filed in 2014. The Bears are undefeated this season when Jay Cutler—who tossed for 381 yards and a TD in the victory—does not throw an interception.

20. New York Giants (3-3)

The Giants suffered the most deflating loss of Week 6. Demolished 27-0 on national television by the division rival Eagles, the Giants lost Victor Cruz for the year to a torn patellar tendon.

21. New Orleans Saints (2-3)

Coming off their bye week

22. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

The Steelers must deal with the reality that they are the worst team in the highly-competitive AFC North.

23. Miami Dolphins (2-3)

The Dolphins choked in crunch time, failing to stop Aaron Rodgers on the final drive of the game in a gut-wrenching loss. The blame cannot be placed all on the defensive unit. The Dolphins’ atrocious offensive performance in the first half—93 total yards with two interceptions thrown by QB Ryan Tannehill—proved costly in the defeat.

24. Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

Matt Ryan’s talents are being wasted on a soft Falcons team. Ryan, who ranks second in the NFL in passing yards, is encumbered by a weak offensive line and an inadequate rushing attack. To make matters worse, the Falcons have arguably the worst defense in the league.

25. Minnesota Vikings (2-4)

Teddy Bridgewater failed to supply an encore performance in his second NFL start. The Vikings’ defensive effort was commendable in defeat, though, limiting Detroit to 255 total yards, the Lions' lowest offensive output of the season.

26. St. Louis Rams (1-4)

The Rams have mustered only a single sack this year. One sack in the first five games is the worst start to a season in league history.

27. Washington Redskins (1-5)

Kirk Cousins threw three interceptions down the stretch of the Redskins’ loss to the Cardinals, capped by a game-clinching pick-six to Rashad Johnson on Washington's final drive. Cousins has squandered a big opportunity to seize the starting QB job. Things are so bad that there has even been some clamoring for Colt McCoy to handle the quarterback duties until Robert Griffin III returns from his injury.

28. New York Jets (1-5)

Geno Smith’s season-long woes continued versus the Broncos. His game-icing pick-six was a microcosm of the Jets’ wretched year. The Jets’ rushing offense is actually worse than the passing attack right now. Smith led the team in rushing yards with 11 in the loss. Chris Ivory and Chris Johnson need to produce more if the Jets have had any hope of salvaging their season.

29. Tennessee Titans (2-4)

The Titans defense showed progress in their narrow victory over the Jaguars. The Titans sacked Blake Bortles five times, two of which coming from star defensive end Jurrell Casey.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)