Nfl Power Rankings: Broncos' Offense Powers Surge To The Top Tier

This is 1 of nan astir difficult powerfulness rankings I tin retrieve successful nan 10 aliases truthful years I’ve been putting it together. I’m stuck betwixt teams I emotion (Seahawks), teams that are very bully correct now and person yet to person faults exposed (Colts) and teams that you cognize you person to emotion but conscionable don’t correct now for immoderate logic (Bills, Eagles). Then location are nan teams that group will kick astir if you don’t emotion yet (Patriots) followed by nan teams that you cognize you are going to look stupid for not being up of nan curve connected loving (Ravens). 

And so, you splatter each this overgarment onto a canvas and this is what we came up with. I dream you enjoy. And, yes, I work together your squad should beryllium higher. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: hit Commanders, 28–7
This week: astatine Bills

Is it unusual that I americium acold much successful awe of nan 4–3 Chiefs than nan 7–0 Chiefs astatine nan aforesaid constituent past season? 

2. Indianapolis Colts (7–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: hit Titans, 38–14
This week: astatine Steelers

NextGenStats did not grounds a azygous Titans protect threat successful which Tennessee had much than 8 defenders successful nan container against Jonathan Taylor. I dream to God this was immoderate benignant of (predictable) A.I. related correction and not nan truth that a ascendant moving backmost who scores 3 touchdowns a week is simply getting distant pinch 1 ray container aft another. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: idle
This week: astatine Commanders

Blow nan whistles. Blow nan horns. 

4. Denver Broncos (6–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: hit Cowboys, 44–24
This week: astatine Texans

The Broncos’ rookie people is soaring and, while RJ Harvey’s three-touchdown crippled was somewhat opportunistic, cleaning up nan grunt activity from J.K. Dobbins, his effect connected nan section reminds maine of a Lions squad that moved much toward Jahmyr Gibbs aft a Gibbs/David Montgomery platoon.

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Saints

It seems much and much apt that Sean McVay will suffer his third defensive coordinator to a caput coaching occupation since 2021. The Rams are disconnected a bye and backmost to anchoring nan No. 5 spot successful nan powerfulness rankings, showing nary signs of slowing down. 

6. Detroit Lions (5–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Vikings

It seems much and much apt that Dan Campbell will suffer his second defensive coordinator to a caput coaching occupation since 2024. Watch Kelvin Sheppard springiness nan crippled shot backmost aft 1 of his players tries to manus it to him. 

Packers backmost Jordan Love completed 20 consecutive passes successful Green Bay's 35–25 triumph complete nan Steelers. / Barry Reeger-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: hit Steelers, 35–25
This week: vs. Panthers

The Packers are getting patient astatine nan correct time, and pinch nary existent protect tackle beingness connected nan waste and acquisition market, it would look its cornerback aliases thing for Green Bay. Still, I wouldn’t discarded a Super Bowl opportunity that feels much existent than astatine immoderate different constituent successful nan Jordan Love era. 

8. Buffalo Bills (5–2) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: hit Panthers, 40–9
This week: vs. Chiefs

One 100 and forty 1 of James Cooks’ 216 yards connected Sunday came earlier first contact. That doesn’t mean James Cook doesn’t break tackles. It intends that nary 1 tin touch James Cook.

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: hit Giants, 38–20
This week: idle

I emotion A.J. Brown. But I besides deliberation he has a Super Bowl ringing because this squad is acold much than a feeding conduit for an elite wide receiver. And I deliberation that nan endless charade of cryptic societal media messages and nan deletion of tweets mentioning Jalen Hurts are sophomoric astatine best. Don’t beryllium amazed if nan “blockbuster” connection Philadelphia reportedly seeks earlier nan waste and acquisition deadline astir materializes, scaring Brown into believing that he could beryllium successful New Orleans, for example. 

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6–2) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: hit Saints, 23–3
This week: idle

Is this nan absolute coldest pick-six of each time? 

Side note: I cognize I americium going to get power for dropping Tampa Bay aft a triumph complete nan Saints. At this point, they are for illustration nan very bully Pottery Barn wedding image framework a friend sewage maine arsenic an engagement gift—incredible, but I person nary thought wherever to put it. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: hit Browns, 32–13
This week: vs. Falcons

Last week this very file was a launching pad for a groundswell of haughty, blindly assured Patriots fandom nan likes of which we haven’t seen since … for illustration 4 years agone erstwhile nan Patriots’ dynasty was still benignant of a thing. 

12. San Francisco 49ers (5–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: mislaid to Texans, 26–15
This week: astatine Giants

The Rams person a small much than $2 cardinal successful net connected each of their various wounded lists this season. The 49ers person a small much than $96 cardinal in net connected those lists (calculated by adding up nan mean per twelvemonth net of each player). 

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: hit Vikings, 37–10
This week: astatine Titans

The Chargers person Tennessee, Jacksonville and Pittsburgh earlier nan bye and would theoretically beryllium person to afloat spot for a back-season agelong that includes Philadelphia, Houston, Kansas City and Denver. I support that this squad could still very easy extremity up successful nan AFC title game. 

14. Chicago Bears (4–3) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: mislaid to Ravens, 30–16
This week: astatine Bengals

The Bears are truthful adjacent successful personality to nan Jaguars. While needing to tally nan shot and create turnovers is an evident way to success, some of those teams struggle to find a competitory avenue without it.

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: hit Bears, 30–16
This week: astatine Dolphins

Now that Lamar Jackson is back, tin we inquire astir why Cooper Rush was location for truthful agelong successful nan first place? The Ravens had done specified a bully occupation of matching Jackson pinch a stylistic doppelganger. Rush was thing but, and nan frenzied Baltimore discourtesy went old and near Jackson rather a spread to excavation retired of.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: mislaid to Packers, 35–25
This week: vs. Colts

The Steelers consciousness aged to me. They don’t play good successful 2nd halves. They request to triumph successful a very circumstantial measurement that involves getting up connected opponents and creating turnovers. But pinch this loop of nan roster, location needs to beryllium a waste and acquisition deadline upgrade focused connected speed, durability and pieces that Mike Tomlin tin usage to make pressure.  

Stroud threw for 318 yards and 2 touchdowns successful Houston's triumph complete nan 49ers. / Sean Thomas-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: hit 49ers, 26–15
This week: vs. Broncos

I thought immoderate of C.J. Stroud’s champion throws of nan time were against pressure. That, aft watching Seattle wholly undress nan Texans’ violative statement and Stroud by association, was nan benignant of alleviation that gives maine religion successful a playoff berth. 

18. Minnesota Vikings (3–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: mislaid to Chargers, 37–10
This week: astatine Lions

I deliberation that nan only measurement to forestall nan shot world from digging into nan unusual timing of nan J.J. McCarthy wounded and moreover alien insistence that an injured Carson Wentz play erstwhile McCarthy was seemingly healthier, is for McCarthy to commencement playing lights out. He reenters nan fold this week against … nan Lions. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: mislaid to Jets, 39–38
This week: vs. Bears

I don’t cognize what this says astir nan Bengals different than nan truth that, nan past 4 times nan squad has scored 38 aliases much points, Cincinnati is 1–3. Lou Anarumo is now successful Indianapolis, truthful Zac Taylor remains nan unfortunate communal thread. I don’t deliberation nan play is complete by immoderate stretch, but nan Bengals amended believe nan Ravens don’t person nan tally successful them Vegas believes they do.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: idle
This week: astatine Raiders

From Mike DiRocco complete astatine ESPN: Don’t beryllium amazed if nan Jaguars extremity treating Brian Thomas Jr. for illustration WR1 aft a struggle-laden, drop-heavy first half of nan season. That intends Travis Hunter imagination owners, overmuch for illustration RJ Harvey, mightiness yet find their cookware of gold. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: mislaid to Chiefs, 28–7
This week: vs. Seahawks

The Commanders came into Monday night’s crippled 2nd successful missed tackles, which whitethorn opportunity conscionable arsenic overmuch astir nan team’s existent predicament arsenic really agelong they’ll beryllium without Jayden Daniels.

22. Dallas Cowboys (3–4–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: mislaid to Broncos, 44–24
This week: vs. Cardinals

Here’s a fun/wild/unlikely hole for nan Cowboys defense that I wrote astir connected Monday. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: mislaid to Bills, 40–9
This week: astatine Packers

I thought Dave Canales did an admirable thing, first by welcoming Chuba Hubbard backmost into nan starting lineup, past admitting really exceptional Rico Dowdle has been and that he would person nary prime but to provender Dowdle until nan power wears out. That’s arsenic beyond coachspeak arsenic 1 is going to get successful these times. 

24. Atlanta Falcons (3–4) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: mislaid to Dolphins, 34–10
This week: astatine Patriots

I for illustration erstwhile we get this heavy into nan play that coordinators tin use common-sense strategies based connected a healthier sample size of film. Josh Norris wisely points retired here that nan delirious tally from Bijan Robinson occurred without anyone reasonably asking: Are we expected to respect Kyle Pitts arsenic a blocker? 

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: mislaid to Eagles, 38–20
This week: vs. 49ers

The Cam Skattebo injury, astatine nan extremity of this sadistic drawstring of reliable losses and moreover tougher injuries, was a twisted and macabre extremity to nan strangest period of shot I tin remember. At nan very, very least, I tin attest that Skattebo had a awesome meal post-surgery acknowledgment to Big Dom. 

26. Arizona Cardinals (2–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: idle
This week: astatine Cowboys

The Cardinals person returned from nan bye and, pinch them, comes Kyler Murray backmost into nan starting lineup. We’ll spot if he tin tamp down nan increasing communicative that this discourtesy was much businesslike successful his absence (which is benignant of true, though Murray is oddly still a amended 4th fourth quarterback). As a gift, he gets nan perfectly directionless Cowboys defense.

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Jaguars

I don’t deliberation nan Tyler Lockett signing makes nan Raiders immoderate much interesting, but pinch games against nan Cowboys, Browns and Jaguars upcoming, I deliberation we’ll spot whether aliases not Pete Carroll and his unit tin carve retired a longer-term opportunity successful Las Vegas. Remember, it is believed that Carroll signed a shorter-than-normal coaching statement that tin beryllium much easy moved connected from. 

28. Miami Dolphins (2–6) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: hit Falcons, 34–10
This week: vs. Ravens

How—how—does an NFL backmost who is intelligibly struggling person his champion crippled erstwhile 1 of his eyes is swollen shut. How?! Just look astatine this thing…

First-year Saints coach Kellen Moore opted to alteration quarterbacks against nan Buccaneers, but still couldn't get nan discourtesy going. / Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: mislaid to Buccaneers, 23–3
This week: astatine Rams

A backmost alteration did small to juice nan Saints, who person gone from absorbing and plucky to benignant of moribund again—and rife for speech astir really they’ll grip nan upcoming waste and acquisition deadline. 

30. Cleveland Browns (2–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: mislaid to Patriots, 32–13
This week: idle

A proposal from Albert Breer connected this week’s MMQB Podcast: Myles Garrett should re-up his waste and acquisition request. Garrett should return statement from nan Joe Thomas tenure successful Cleveland that this franchise almost ne'er provides nan benignant of occurrence befitting a legendary player’s career. If Garrett wants to triumph and reach nan Hall of Fame, he must do truthful elsewhere else.

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: hit Bengals, 39–38
This week: idle

Here’s a file connected Nick Mangold, nan Jets and what Sunday really meant. Some players successful that locker room felt thing typical connected nan field. Having gotten to meet Nick a fewer times, I tin spot wherever they’re coming from.

32. Tennessee Titans (1–7)

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: mislaid to Colts, 38–14
This week: vs. Chargers

I person a batch of sympathy for Mike McCoy, who is apparently being directed to simply support nan vessel consecutive while nan Titans fig retired a scheme astatine caput coach for nan agelong term. But what is straight nether his power are crippled events for illustration 4th downs. If you were an interim coach, why would you effort thing but complete radicalism? You cognize you’ll beryllium location other adjacent twelvemonth and that you’ll astir apt beryllium hired to coach quarterbacks. Why not research nan ceiling of this opportunity and spell for it all nan time?

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