NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Chargers, Panthers on the Rise; Dolphins, Ravens Slumping

1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-0) Last Week: 2

The Chiefs are the last undefeated team standing. How did K.C. go from a league-worst 2-14 record in 2012 to a perfect 7-0 start in 2013? In short, the Chiefs’ aggressive-minded defensive unit has made critical plays and forced timely turnovers. The Chiefs rank first in the NFL in points per game allowed (10.8) and total sacks (30). They also hold the league-lead in turnover ratio with 19 takeaways versus 8 giveaways.

2. Seattle Seahawks (6-1) Last Week: 3

Russell Wilson had his best game of the season on Thursday night at Arizona, completing 18 of 29 passes for 235 yards, with TD passes of 31 yards to Sidney Rice, 15 yards to Zach Miller and a 1 yard pass to Kellen Davis.

3. Denver Broncos (6-1) Last Week: 1

Amazing to think that the Broncos’ 33 points scored on Sunday night was their season low. The Broncos unquestionably feature one of the best offenses ever, but can they win a championship with a sub-par defense that allows 28.1 points per game?

4. Indianapolis Colts (5-2) Last Week: 6

The Colts gave the 49ers their only home loss in Week 2, handed the Seahawks their only loss of 2013 in Week 5 and took down the purported “unstoppable” Broncos on Sunday Night Football… With No. 1 WR Reggie Wayne out for the season with a torn ACL, will the Colts try to acquire a receiver at the trade deadline? 

5. New England Patriots (5-2) Last Week: 4

The Pats were victims of one of the worst calls in league history in their overtime loss to the Jets… Tom Brady was held without a TD pass for the second time in the last three games, a legitimate concern for the Patriots’ offense moving forward.

6. New Orleans Saints (5-1) Last Week: 5

The Saints return to action with a home contest versus the pesky Bills on Sunday.

7. San Francisco 49ers (5-2) Last Week: 7

The 49ers played exceptionally well in all phases of the game at Tennessee, running the ball with authority, playing cutthroat defense and scoring a special-teams TD via a Kassim Osgood recovered muffed punt that he returned to the house.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) Last Week: 11

The Bengals had already beaten the Patriots and the Packers, but their victory over the Lions at Ford Field may have been their most impressive win of the season. Andy Dalton played his best game of the season (24-for-34 for 372 yards with 3 TD) and Mike Nugent hit a game-winning field goal as time expired for the second week in a row.

9. Green Bay Packers (4-2) Last Week: 12

The Packers' defense has surrendered just 39 points in their last three contests, impelling a three-game win streak that put Green Bay atop the NFC North for the first time this season.

10. San Diego Chargers (4-3) Last Week: 15

Philip Rivers continued his torrid MVP-pace in Sunday’s win… The Chargers suddenly look like a dangerous playoff contender.

11. Dallas Cowboys (4-3) Last Week: 16

The Cowboys are 3-0 in division play, Tomy Romo is playing some of the best football of his career and the defense is playing at an elite level, despite the absence of recently injured defensive end DeMarcus Ware.

12. Detroit Lions (4-3) Last Week: 8

The Lions’ pass defense was torched on Sunday, surrendering 364 passing yards, including 155 yards to Bengals star wideout A.J. Green.

13. Chicago Bears (4-3) Last Week: 10

Josh McCown was outstanding in relief of Jay Cutler (out at least four weeks with a groin injury), posting a passing rater of 119.6. He completed 14 of 20 passes for 204 yards and a touchdown in the Bears' loss to the Redskins. However, McCown can’t be relied upon to win a shootout match every week, which is a problem considering the Bears’ defense is seemingly getting worse and worse by the game.

14. New York Jets (4-3) Last Week: 20

An egregious call propelled the Jets to an overtime victory over the Pats. Even so, the Jets demonstrated yet another dominating performance on defense, proving this club won’t go away any time soon.

15. Tennessee Titans (3-4) Last Week: 14

Tennessee has lost three games in a row to quality opponents (versus Chiefs, at Seahawks, versus 49ers). Things could turn around quickly for a Titans club that has a bye in Week 8, followed up with a visit to Saint Louis and a home contest versus the winless Jags in Week 10.

16. Carolina Panthers (3-3) Last Week: 23

Cam Newton is playing at an elite level, posting a sensational 139.6 passer rating in the past two games. The Panthers’ defense, ranked third in the NFL, notched its 14th takeaway of the season on Sunday. As a team, the Panthers have a (+ 5) turnover ratio, the third best mark in the league.

17. Buffalo Bills (3-4) Last Week: 22

The Bills players have certainly bought into head coach Doug Marrone’s system and preaching. The Bills are the most banged-up team in the league, losing key players to injury virtually every game they play. Yet, the Bills refuse to quit and have pulled out upset wins over the Ravens and the Dolphins in Miami.

18. Baltimore Ravens (3-4) Last Week: 13

The Ravens are the first defending Super Bowl champion to have a losing record after seven games since the 2006 Steelers… The Ravens anemic rushing attack was dreadful again on Sunday, gaining just 2.8 yards per carry against the Steelers.

19. Miami Dolphins (3-3) Last Week: 9

Losers of three in a row, the Dolphins have quickly gone from contenders to pretenders in the AFC. Miami had the luxury of the bye week to prepare for Buffalo yet still lost, despite the Bills starting third-string QB Thad Lewis. The Dolphins head to Gillette Stadium on Sunday, where they have lost 9 of the 11 all-time meetings against the Patriots.

20. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4) Last Week: 17

The Eagles murky quarterback situation got even worse when Nick Foles suffered a head injury during the fourth quarter of Sunday’s 17-3 loss at home to the Cowboys. Matt Barkley was horrendous in relief of Foles, throwing three interceptions in his NFL debut. The Eagles better hope Michael Vick recovers from his hamstring injury that he sustained in the first half of the Oct. 6 game against the New York Giants at the Meadowlands. 

21. Cleveland Browns (3-4) Last Week: 18

Brandon Weeden played terrible in the Browns’ loss to the Packers on Sunday, throwing for just 149 yards, despite 42 pass attempts. He completed just 40 percent of his passes, averaging 3.5 yards per pass attempt.

22. Arizona Cardinals (3-4) Last Week: 19

Carson Palmer told reporters that the Cardinals have “a stretch of very winnable games upcoming.” Should a QB with 8 TD versus 13 interceptions be belittling other teams, even if the upcoming opponents are the struggling Falcons, the hapless Texans and the winless Jags? 

23. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) Last Week: 25

The Steelers won their second consecutive game on the leg of Shaun Suisham, who kicked four field goals, including the game-winner as time expired in the Steelers’ 19-16 win. Suisham has connected on all 14 field goal attempts this season.

24. Atlanta Falcons (2-4) Last Week: 24

Matt Ryan was on fire in the Falcons’ win over the Bucs, completing 20 of 26 passes with three touchdowns. The Falcons’ holes on defense were exposed, however, by a lowly Bucs club, an alarming exploit with road contests against the Cardinals and Panthers looming.

25. Washington Redskins (2-4) Last Week: 27

RG3 led his third come-from-behind victory of his young career, marching the Redskins down the field on a game-winning drive versus the Bears in the final minutes of the game. RG3 completed 18 of 29 passes for 298 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. He also ran 11 times for 84 yards. 

26. St. Louis Rams (3-4) Last Week: 21

With Sam Bradford lost for the season to a torn ACL, who will the Rams turn to at QB? Will backup Kellen Clemens fill the void, or will the Rams do the unthinkable and sign Tim Tebow?

27. Oakland Raiders (2-4) Last Week: 26

After a much needed bye week, the Raiders will now battle the Steelers at home.

28. Houston Texans (2-5) Last Week: 28

Case Keenum likely won the starting QB job after his gutsy performance at Arrowhead Stadium, nearly upsetting the undefeated Chiefs… Losing linebacker Brian Cushing for the season is a major blow for a team that relies heavily on its defense.

29. New York Giants (1-6) Last Week: 31

After posting a (-16) in turnover differential in the first six weeks of the season, the Giants won the turnover battle (3 takeaways versus one giveaway) in their victory over the Vikings.

30. Minnesota Vikings (1-5) Last Week: 29

Josh Freeman doesn’t appear to be the answer at QB for the Vikings. He overthrew his receivers on 16 pass attempts in his Vikings debut, the most overthrown passes by any QB since 2006. (Via ESPN Stats and Information)

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-6) Last Week: 30

The winless Bucs have lost 11 of their 12 games, dating back to last season. The Bucs likely held off firing Greg Schiano because the club has a quick turn around with a game on Thursday night versus the Panthers. But if the Bucs lose (which they probably will) at home on Thursday, will GM Mark Dominik finally dismiss Schiano from his coaching duties?

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-7) Last Week: 32

The Jags have been outscored 89-11 in their three home contests, scoring just three points in the second half all season at EverBank Field.

NFL Week 7 Picks

Seattle Seahawks (5-1) at Arizona Cardinals (3-3)

New England Patriots (5-1) at New York Jets (3-3)

Dallas Cowboys (3-3) at Philadelphia Eagles (3-3)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-5) at Atlanta Falcons (1-4)

Cincinnati Bengals (4-2) at Detroit Lions (4-2)

Saint Louis Rams (3-3) at Carolina Panthers (2-3)

Chicago Bears (4-2) at Washington Redskins (1-4)

Buffalo Bills (2-4) at Miami Dolphins (3-2)

San Diego Chargers (3-3) at Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6)

San Francisco 49ers (4-2) at Tennessee Titans (3-3)

Cleveland Browns (3-3) at Green Bay Packers (3-2)

Baltimore Ravens (3-3) at Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)

Houston Texans (2-4) at Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)

Denver Broncos (6-0) at Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

Minnesota Vikings (1-4) at New York Giants (0-6)

Week 1: 11-5

Week 2: 13-3

Week 3: 6-10 

Week 4: 11-4  (Byes: Carolina, Green Bay)

Week 5: 8-6 (Byes: Minnesota, Tampa Bay, Pittsburgh, Washington)

Week 6: 9-6 (Byes: Atlanta, Miami)

Season Record: 58-34

NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Undefeated AFC West Foes Top League Hierarchy; Texans, Vikings Nearing Rock-Bottom

1.      Kansas City Chiefs (9-0)                                Last Week: 1

The Chiefs enter Sunday night’s highly anticipated showdown against the Denver Broncos fresh off their bye week. A win at Denver would give the Chiefs their first 10-0 start in franchise history and a two-game cushion in the AFC West race.

2.      Seattle Seahawks (9-1)                                   Last Week: 2

Russell Wilson had a 92.3 Total QBR in the Seahawks’ 33-10 thrashing of the Falcons, his second-highest Total QBR this season. It was his seventh game with a Total QBR above 90.0 over the last two seasons, second-most in the NFL behind just Peyton Manning. (Via ESPN Stats and Information)

3.      Denver Broncos (8-1)                                     Last Week: 3

Peyton Manning tossed four TD’s in the Broncos’ 28-20 win over the Chargers in San Diego. This marks the eight time in Manning’s career that he has thrown at least 30 TD passes in a season, second-most in NFL history behind only Brett Favre, who achieved this feat nine times in his career. (Via ESPN Stats and Information)

4.      New England Patriots (7-2)                            Last Week: 5

The Patriots are 10-3 coming off the bye week in the Bill Belichick era. Winning their 11^th game following the bye week since 2000 will be a challenge for the Patriots at streaking Carolina.

5.      New Orleans Saints (7-2)                                Last Week: 7

Drew Bress and the New Orleans Saints torched the Cowboys woeful defense, posting an NFL-record 40 first downs in its 49-17 demolition of Dallas.

6.      Carolina Panthers (6-3)                                   Last Week: 12

The Panthers 2^nd ranked defense played exceptional in their win over the 49ers in San Francisco. Carolina held San Francisco, a club that had scored 31 points or more in each of its past five contests, to three field goals and a paltry 45 yards in the second half.

7.      Detroit Lions (6-3)                                          Last Week: 11

By sweeping the season-series versus the Bears, the Lions put themselves in excellent position to take a strangle hold over the NFC North, especially with an ailing Aaron Rodgers in Green Bay.

8.      San Francisco 49ers (6-3)                                Last Week: 6

Offensive production continues to be the ultimate determinant of success for the 49ers. In their six wins, the 49ers have scored at least 31 points. However, in their three defeats, the 49ers have scored in single digits. The offense looked particularly atrocious on Sunday as Colin Kaepernick threw for just 91 yards and was sacked a season-high six times.

9.      Indianapolis Colts (6-3)                                  Last Week: 4

The Colts defeated the 49ers, Seahawks and Broncos earlier this season, but a 30 point loss at home to the middling St. Louis Rams has to raise some eyebrows for Indy’s Super Bowl aspirations.

10.  Chicago Bears (5-4)                                        Last Week: 8

Head coach Marc Trestman made a critical error by starting Jay Cutler, who did not look ready in his return to action, over red-hot QB Josh McCown. Trestman seemingly realized his mistake late in the Bears’ 21-19 loss to the Lions when he pulled Cutler with 2:17 left to play and inserted McCown, who steered the Bears on a 10-play, 74-yard drive that ended with an 11-yard TD pass to Brandon Marshall that pulled the Bears within two with 47 seconds left to play.

11.  Cincinnati Bengals (6-4)                                 Last Week: 9

Andy Dalton had his second straight rough outing, completing less than half of his passes (24 for 51) with three interceptions as the Bengals allowed the Ravens to climb back into the AFC North race.

12.  Green Bay Packers (5-4)                                 Last Week: 10

Seneca Wallace, filling in for injured QB Aaron Rodgers, suffered a season-ending groin injury midway through the first quarter of the Packers’ loss versus the Eagles, thrusting promoted practice squad QB Scott Tolzien into action. Tolzien played well, given the circumstances, completing 24 of 39 passes for 280 yards and a touchdown with two interceptions, earning him a start this week against the Giants at the Meadowlands.

13.  New York Jets (5-4)                                       Last Week: 16

The Jets, fresh off their bye week, aim for a season-sweep against the Bills on Sunday at Ralph Wilson Stadium in Buffalo.

14.  Dallas Cowboys (5-5)                                     Last Week: 13

It’s no wonder why Cowboys Owner/GM Jerry Jones regrets firing Rob Ryan. The Cowboys’ pitiful defense has broken the franchise record for yards allowed in a game twice in the past three weeks. The Cowboys rank dead last in total defense, prompting questions if defensive coordinator Monte Kiffin will last the season in Dallas.

15.  Arizona Cardinals (5-4)                                  Last Week: 18

The Cardinals continue to fly under the radar in a competitive NFC playing field, despite impressive play from their defensive unit. The Cardinals feature a stout run defense (3^rd ranked in the NFL) that surrenders under 87 rushing yards per contest.

16.  San Diego Chargers (4-5)                               Last Week: 15

The Chargers’ woes versus the Broncos continued on Sunday, losing their fourth consecutive head-to-head game against Denver.

17.  Cleveland Browns (4-5)                                  Last Week: 19

There is tremendous optimism surrounding the Browns following their bye week and why not? Their defense is playing at a championship level and QB Jason Campbell has seemingly resurrected his career. A win at Cincinnati this week would give the Browns a season-sweep over the Bengals and position Cleveland just a ½ game back of first-place in the AFC North.

18.  Philadelphia Eagles (5-5)                                Last Week: 21

The Eagles moved into a tie for first-place in the NFC East after defeating the Packers behind the play of Nick Foles. Foles has clearly won the starting QB job in Philadelphia, posting 16 touchdowns versus 0 interceptions on the season.

19.  Baltimore Ravens (4-5)                                   Last Week: 20

The Ravens saved their season by defeating the Bengals on Sunday. However, this club is headed nowhere if they can’t solve their severe rushing troubles. Tailback Ray Rice is averaging just 36.1 rushing yards per game and 2.5 yards per carry in 2013.

20.  Miami Dolphins (4-5)                                      Last Week: 17

As the Richie Incognito-Jonathan Martin saga lingers off-the-field, the Dolphins continue to crumble on-the-field, losing their fourth game in its past five contests, most recently to the previously winless Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

21.  Tennessee Titans (4-5)                                    Last Week: 14

The embarrassing home loss to the Jaguars is nothing new for the Titans in the Mike Munchak-era in Tennessee. Two years ago, Munchak’s Titans lost to the 0-13 Colts. An even more concerning stat: The Jaguars have won eight games since 2011, and three have come against Mike Munchak's Titans.

22.  St. Louis Rams (4-6)                                       Last Week: 28

The Rams were given hope for the future after Tavon Austin’s breakout game against the Colts that included a 98-yard punt return for a score and touchdown catches of 57 and 81 yards. Austin recorded 314 all-purpose yards, second most in franchise history.

23.  New York Giants (3-6)                                   Last Week: 27

The Giants are back in the playoff hunt—despite losing their first six games of the season—after notching their third straight win on Sunday versus the Raiders. Can the Giants make it four in a row versus the Packers sans Aaron Rodgers?

24.  Pittsburgh Steelers (3-6)                                 Last Week: 25

Big Ben is enraged over the report that said he wants out of Pittsburgh. Big Ben adamantly stated he has no desire to leave the Steelers organization and would rather retire than accept a trade.

25.  Washington Redskins (3-6)                            Last Week: 22

The Redskins ripped off seven straight wins last year after starting 3-6 to capture the NFC East crown. However, a lengthy win streak and thus a second consecutive division title are highly unlikely, given the club’s deplorable defense.

26.  Oakland Raiders (3-6)                                             Last Week: 23

QB Terrelle Pyror seems to be regressing as a play-maker. In his last four games, he has thrown just 1 TD versus 8 interceptions.

27.  Buffalo Bills (3-7)                                           Last Week: 24

E.J. Manuel did not provide a spark in his return to the Bills lineup as the offense was dreadful against the Steelers, punting the ball nine times and converting just 3-of-14 third downs.

28.  Houston Texans (2-7)                                     Last Week: 29

The Texans have lost 7 straight contests after starting the season 2-0. A home game against the struggling Raiders could provide Houston its first win in over two months.

29.  Atlanta Falcons (2-7)                                      Last Week: 26

The Falcons seem to hit a new low every single week. After getting pounded at home by Seattle, the team’s third straight blowout defeat, is highly respected head coach Mike Smith now on the hot seat in Atlanta?

30.  Minnesota Vikings (2-7)                                 Last Week: 30

Rookie return man/wide receiver Cordarrelle Paterson hauled in his first TD reception in the Vikings’ upset over the Redskins on Thursday Night Football.

31.  Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-8)                          Last Week: 31

Cornerback Darrelle Revis had his best game as a member of the Bucs on Monday Night Football, limiting Dolphins No. 1 wideout Mike Wallace to just four catches for 16 yards. Revis also snatched an interception late in the game to seal the Bucs first victory of 2013.

32.  Jacksonville Jaguars (1-8)                               Last Week: 32

The Jaguars’ defensive unit ensured the club won’t finish 0-16 by forcing four turnovers and limiting the Titans to 83 rushing yards in their stunning win on Sunday.