Nfl Power Rankings: Nfc Team Takes Over Top Spot

Good greeting and invited to a very important Tuesday. Yes, it’s Power Rankings time but it’s besides Election Day and I promote you to workout your correct to ballot (which you tin do while reference nan Power Rankings successful line). 

This was a typical week because 1 of nan teams I’ve been fascinated pinch each offseason has risen organically to No. 1. How agelong I tin support them location is highly limited connected what happens complete nan adjacent fewer weeks. However, I don’t retrieve having this overmuch forced turnover atop nan database successful caller years (meaning, successful nan past I could beryllium a spot avant garde and downgrade nan Chiefs for a mediocre capacity 1 week, but it would really beryllium a stretch, whereas this year, it looks for illustration there’s a caller champion squad successful nan convention each Sunday). 

I dream this loop entertains you arsenic overmuch arsenic it entertained me. Let’s get going, shall we?

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: hit Commanders, 38–14
This week: vs. Cardinals

Why do I person nan Seahawks No. 1? They’re torching teams who are consistently respecting nan threat of Seattle’s tally game—despite nan truth that Seattle has nan second-worst EPA per unreserved successful nan NFL aft 9 weeks. While immoderate return this arsenic a squad pinch a short fuse astir to tally out, I wonderment what’s going to hap erstwhile nan Seahawks’ numbers inevitably mean out. 

2. Buffalo Bills (6–2) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: hit Chiefs, 28–21
This week: astatine Dolphins

The Buffalo Bills are nan only squad successful nan NFL pinch a higher percent of tally plays than walk plays. Anyone who is complaining astir Josh Allen preserving moreover a small spot of himself for nan agelong tally is retired of their minds. What Joe Brady has accomplished arsenic violative coordinator is nan materialization of years of activity successful getting Allen to a much sustainable place. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: idle
This week: astatine Packers

Already active, scooping up high-potential separator talent earlier nan deadline, nan Eagles are entering Howie Roseman Super Bowl territory. Imagine being a instrumentality of a squad whose wide head really makes consequential moves astatine nan deadline alternatively of making a circus retired of entertaining nan idea. 

4. Los Angeles Rams (6–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: hit Saints, 34–10
This week: astatine 49ers

The Saints laughably tried to unit Matthew Stafford connected Sunday and, according to PFF, those unit plays yielded much Stafford touchdown passes than they did incompletions. Better luck adjacent time, New Orleans!

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: mislaid to Bills, 28–21
This week: idle

Sean McDermott is ever a inclination setter versus Mahomes successful nan regular play and connected Sunday his crippled scheme was masterful. The Bills played a batch of DBs, pinch 5 corners and 2 safeties playing astatine slightest 50% of nan snaps and, arsenic Arrowhead Pride pointed out, simply called Mahomes’s bluff erstwhile it came to each of Kansas City’s pre-snap motion. The consequence was nan worst completion percent of Mahomes’ career. 

6. Detroit Lions (5–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: mislaid to Vikings, 27–24
This week: astatine Commanders

In our waste and acquisition deadline primer, we had nan Lions calling New Orleans for violative statement help. After watching nan near broadside of that portion get caved successful against Minnesota connected Sunday, yet forcing nan Lions to change their crippled scheme because of nan ineffectiveness of their RB walk protections, that seems for illustration an inevitability. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: mislaid to Steelers, 27–20
This week: vs. Falcons (in Berlin)

You tin cheque our statement connected nan Steelers and really unexpected that protect displacement was by moving Jalen Ramsey to information and altering their sum tendencies. I deliberation that is arsenic overmuch to blasted for Indianapolis’s return-to-earth crippled than Daniel Jones each of a abrupt becoming a bad quarterback. So galore of you are eager for these players to move backmost into pumpkins erstwhile he should simply beryllium enjoying nan ride. 

8. New England Patriots (6–2)

Patriots backmost Drake Maye, center, ranks first successful passer standing (116.9) among players pinch astatine slightest six games played. / Eric Canha-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: hit Falcons, 24–23
This week: astatine Buccaneers

This week connected The MMQB podcast, I played a crippled pinch co-host Albert Breer. If you region Allen, Mahomes and Jackson and besides return Sean McVay retired of nan fold, which discourtesy arsenic presently constructed are you astir frightened of? 

I said Ben Johnson and nan Chicago Bears.

Albert? Josh McDaniels and nan New England Patriots. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: hit Texans, 18–15
This week: vs. Raiders

The Broncos get nan Raiders connected a short week. While I’m ne'er trying to look excessively acold ahead, does a imaginable three-game lead connected nan Chiefs (and pinch nan Chargers continuing to get hammered by injury) commencement to go insurmountable? 

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6–2) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Patriots

Todd Bowles is ever successful nan lab. Coming disconnected nan bye week, Tampa Bay’s caput coach admitted that he’s watching a batch of assemblage shot and 7-on-7 football. A nosy trial of that newfound knowledge comes against New England this weekend, a squad whose main deficiency whitethorn beryllium its expertise to protect Drake Maye. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: hit Giants, 34–24
This week: vs. Rams

All Mac Jones has done is support nan 49ers applicable during nan Brock Purdy wounded saga. The slightest personification tin do is guarantee he’s included successful nan dance. 

12. Green Bay Packers (5–2–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: mislaid to Panthers, 16–13
This week: vs. Eagles

I deliberation Peter Bukowski of The Leap had nan cleanable constituent astir Jordan Love aft Sunday’s unserious nonaccomplishment to nan Carolina Panthers. When Jordan Love has bad, mistake-ridden games, nan mistakes are loud. On Sunday, for illustration Will Levis 2024 loud. That feeds a communicative of inconsistency that conscionable isn’t accurate. 

Still, Love was a dropped prime distant from being successful a very, very bleak spot this week. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: hit Colts, 27–20
This week: astatine Chargers

By wholly flipping nan book against nan Colts and utilizing a ton of two-safety looks, nan Steelers accomplished 2 captious benchmarks this weekend: placed Jalen Ramsey astatine a position that takes amended advantage of his skillset and wholly muddies up nan mentation of their opponents for nan adjacent fewer weeks. The double information looks seemed to free up immoderate of Pittsburgh’s younger protect playmakers for illustration Payton Wilson. 

14. Baltimore Ravens (3–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: hit Dolphins, 28–6
This week: astatine Vikings

Because he missed games, we’re not going to springiness Lamar Jackson nan use of putting nan due position connected what he’s done done his first 5 starts, which yielded convention highs and profession highs successful touchdown percentage, mean yards gained per effort and QB standing per crippled (136!). Oh, and he has conscionable 1 pick. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: hit Titans, 27–20
This week: vs. Steelers

The Chargers are evidently amended pinch Joe Alt connected nan field. But they are besides markedly better pinch Joe Alt connected nan field. Markedly amended aerial yards per attempt, walk yards per effort and TD to INT ratio. If Jim Harbaugh continues connected playoff pace, this will spell down arsenic thing short of a miracle.

16. Chicago Bears (5–3) 

In 8 games, Bears QB Caleb Williams has recorded 1,916 passing yards, 12 touchdowns and 4 interceptions. / Albert Cesare/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: hit Bengals, 47–42
This week: vs. Giants

Here’s a column from Sunday connected nan Ben Johnson effect. The Bears are only a crippled amended successful 2025 than they were successful 2024. But acknowledgment to nan benignant of triumph they notched complete nan Bengals connected Sunday, it feels for illustration a world apart. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: hit Lions, 27–24
This week: vs. Ravens

My afloat thoughts connected nan J.J. McCarthy comeback are here. Essentially…he’s bully capable that we don’t person to overreact successful immoderate meaningful way. That’s perfect. 

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (5–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: hit Raiders, 30–29
This week: astatine Texans

While we don’t cognize precisely what Trevor Lawrence was dealing pinch connected Sunday, caput coach Liam Cohen called him “ghost like” successful color, and Lawrence’s woman alluded to a superior unwellness connected Instagram. We tin person a batch of takes connected really Jacksonville’s discourtesy hasn’t embodied rather what we hoped. But we cannot contradict this squad has a grit—defensively, successful nan tally crippled and via nan QB position—that we weren’t arsenic successful tune pinch a twelvemonth ago. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: hit Packers, 16–13
This week: vs. Saints

A awesome look astatine what Bryce Young is bringing backmost to nan fold pinch Carolina. Loved this eagle-eyed study from nan superb Josh Norris, who pointed retired that Young is faking walk protection calls successful bid to free up Rico Dowdle for 1 of his many, galore large runs. 

20. Arizona Cardinals (3–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: hit Cowboys, 27–17
This week: astatine Cowboys

Here travel nan Cardinals. My Lord, does Walter Nolen make a difference. And, my Lord, tin Marvin Harrison Jr. make you look silly:

And…my Lord, really do you put Kyler Murray backmost into this discourtesy correct now?

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: mislaid to Patriots, 24–23
This week: astatine Colts (in Berlin)

A time later, and #ClapGate (gross, nevermind) successful Foxborough doesn’t really look to beryllium holding immoderate water. I’ve watched this play almost 100 times and cannot look to find wherever nan phantom clap (again, gross) arose from. 

22. Houston Texans (3–5) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: mislaid to Broncos, 18–15
This week: vs. Jaguars

One unthinkable facet of Sunday’s Texans nonaccomplishment to nan Denver Broncos is that each of Houston’s points were a nonstop consequence of immoderate awesome typical teams play. Not only is nan Texans’ defense playing astatine a first-class level, but Frank Ross’s typical teams portion is erstwhile again among nan champion successful nan NFL. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: mislaid to Bears, 47–42
This week: idle

I was truthful incredibly—irrationally?—excited astir nan Joe Flacco era successful Cincinnati. What I did not spot coming was a defense that is connected gait to rewrite history and not successful a bully way. Since 2000, nary squad has fixed up much points per thrust done 9 games. No squad misses a higher percent of tackles successful 2025. And it syncs up well, apparently, to nan Benny Hill theme. 

24. Washington Commanders (3–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: mislaid to Seahawks, 38–14
This week: vs. Lions

Here’s my file connected nan aftermath of nan Jayden Daniels injury. In short, I really don’t deliberation you blasted Dan Quinn for having Daniels successful nan game. This is precisely what we’ve travel to expect retired of nan modern quarterback. 

Cowboys QB Dak Prescott ranks 3rd successful QBR (75.2), but Dallas’s defense doesn’t look up to nan task truthful acold this season. / Kevin Jairaj-Imagn Images

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: mislaid to Cardinals, 27–17
This week: idle

I deliberation location are a batch of examples societally wherever I wonderment why group are giving a definite personification truthful overmuch oxygen and why we’re truthful hopeless to reprint each half-baked thought that exits their brains and farts retired into nan universe. Then I realized that taking Jerry Jones earnestly erstwhile he says thing for illustration he did Monday—that he had completed a waste and acquisition but conscionable won’t denote it yet—was portion of nan problem. Wake maine up erstwhile this man takes existent steps toward bettering this franchise. 

26. Las Vegas Raiders (2–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: mislaid to Jaguars, 30–29
This week: astatine Broncos

I was fresh to emotionally reinvest successful nan Raiders aft seeing this discourtesy pinch a afloat complement of playmakers. Brock Bowers put together 1 of nan champion tight extremity games I’ve seen successful nan past 5 years and has a straight-up freaky level of athleticism. Geno Smith was 1 touch propulsion distant from having Vegas a very manageable 2 games nether .500. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: mislaid to 49ers, 34–24
This week: astatine Bears

Jaxson Dart has nan juice, but nan Giants defense is wholly and wholly sucking nan life retired of this franchise. The 21st-best unit percent pinch a hyped trio of walk rushers, a league-worst EPA against nan run—yes, worse than nan Bengals—and nary accountability post-game. When it looks for illustration this….

…You cognize you person immoderate trouble. 

28. Miami Dolphins (2–7) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: mislaid to Ravens, 28–6
This week: vs. Bills

The Dolphins pulled nan plug connected nan GM. Here’s a breakdown of who I deliberation mightiness get that occupation and why Chris Grier had to spell agelong earlier Mike McDaniel (though almost nary 1 I’ve spoken to astatine this constituent expects McDaniel to clasp onto nan gig). 

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: idle
This week: astatine Jets

Count maine among those excited to spot Tommy Rees get immoderate play-calling reps successful Cleveland. As a longtime Notre Dame fan, I tin attest to Rees’s expertise to get immoderate really bully shot retired of mid-level quarterbacks. That seems to beryllium a prerequisite for succeeding successful Cleveland these days. 

30. Tennessee Titans (1–8)

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: mislaid to Chargers, 27–20
This week: idle

The Titans person not had much touchdowns successful a crippled than their force successful nan past 14 contests they’ve played. If that seems bad to you, nan CBS broadcast connected Sunday pointed retired that it’s 4 games worse than a one-time grounds for futility group by the…Dayton Triangles. Interestingly enough, nan Triangles went connected to go nan Brooklyn Dodgers. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Browns

For those of america still reasoning of Nick Mangold a week later, here’s a nexus to nan National Kidney Foundation, wherever you tin make a quality for nan 90,000 Americans connected a transplant list. 

32. New Orleans Saints (1–8)

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: mislaid to Rams, 34–10
This week: astatine Panthers

The Saints request to rustle it each up this day astatine nan deadline. Stats for illustration these are not suggestive of a squad that deserves to play together. 

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