NFL power rankings, Week 7: Big movement in top-10 as 49ers, Eagles take a big fall
We saw plenty of action in Week 6’s slate of games, with every undefeated team suffering a loss — there are now a crowd of 5-1 teams sitting on top of our NFL power rankings. With Super Bowl favorites like the San Francisco 49ers and Philadelphia Eagles plummeting, this would have been a perfect opportunity for the New Orleans Saints to take a big step forward; instead, they’re treading water in an NFC South that’s sorry from top to bottom.
Here are how we’re stacking up all 32 teams ahead of Monday night’s matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Los Angeles Chargers:
Carolina Panthers (0-6)
Last week: 32 (-)
The Panthers jumped out to an early 14-0 lead but couldn’t sustain that production against the fastest team in the league. This can’t be what Frank Reich thought he was signing up for.
Denver Broncos (1-5)
Last week: 31 (-)
At what point does Sean Payton throw in the towel and tank for Drake Maye or Caleb Williams? How much different would that look from his team’s current efforts?
Chicago Bears (1-5)
Last week: 30 (-)
It’s bad enough the Bears got swatted around helplessly by a bad Minnesota Vikings team. That quarterback Justin Fields suffered a dislocated thumb to his throwing hand only makes their season even greater a disaster.
New York Giants (1-5)
Last week: 29 (-)
Late-game heroics from Tyrod Taylor and some help by the referees aside nearly led to a big upset. But at what point does Brian Daboll face scrutiny for poor in-game decision making and quarterback handling? This team shouldn’t be this bad even if they did overachieve last season.
New England Patriots (1-5)
Last week: 28 (-)
Some flirtation with Malik Cunningham didn’t lead to substantial changes for the Patriots, and Bill Belichick’s legendary career is looking like it will end with a whimper. Fans in New England are finally learning how the other half has lived all these years.
Arizona Cardinals (1-5)
Last week: 26 (-1)
Joshua Dobbs has played his heart out for the Cardinals, but it hasn’t led to many wins without anyone to throw to or play defense. This tank is right on track.
Tennessee Titans (2-4)
Last week: 23 (-3)
An injury sidelined Ryan Tannehill, and Malik Willis looked competent enough while filling in for him. Whether that’s sustainable long-term remains to be seen, but this defense struggled to pull its weight against the Baltimore Ravens on Sunday.
Green Bay Packers (2-3)
Last week: 25 (-)
The Packers were on bye this week.
Washington Commanders (3-3)
Last week: 27 (+3)
Sam Howell was sacked six times on Sunday and the Atlanta Falcons controlled the clock for 36 minutes, but it didn’t seem to matter. Offensive coordinator Eric Bieniemy has this offense humming in scoring position and their defense is pulling their weight. Why didn’t the Saints hire him again?
Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)
Last week: 24 (+1)
Raiders coach Josh McDaniels finally remembered that he drafted Michael Mayer this offseason, and the rookie tight end led the team with five receptions for 75 yards. Maxx Crosby’s box score totals show he only had half a sack, but he wrecked the Patriots’ plans right out of the gate and ended the game with a safety. He’s playing at an absurdly high level.
Minnesota Vikings (2-4)
Last week: 21 (-1)
The Vikings aren’t any good, but they capitalized on the Bears’ mistakes and kept this game from ever getting too close. Don’t let the final score (19-13 Minnesota) fool you into thinking Chicago was really competitive.
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
Last week: 20 (-1)
The Steelers were on bye this week.
New Orleans Saints (3-3)
Last week: 20 (-1)
This Saints team might be doomed by an out-of-his depth play caller in Pete Carmichael, but that’s a reflection of head coach Dennis Allen’s failures to recruit an upgrade. They’re in for a tremendous test against a battle-tested Jacksonville Jaguars team on a short week.
Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
Last week: 18 (-1)
If it’s any consolation, the entire NFC South is in the mud this week, so the Saints haven’t lost much ground. Desmond Ridder had a meltdown and threw three interceptions in Sunday’s loss.
Indianapolis Colts (3-3)
Last week: 12 (-6)
The Colts could be in freefall with news that Anthony Richardson may undergo season-ending shoulder surgery. The good news is they have the pieces to support him when he returns, and this organization has done a great job drafting and developing keystone players. Can they give the Saints an easy win in a few weeks?
Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)
Last week: 22 (+5)
Joe Burrow looked more like himself on Sunday, as did the Bengals offense as a whole, but the Seattle Seahawks let this game get away from them. Cincinnati had fewer yards (passing and rushing) and a worse conversion rate on third down, more punts, and less time of possession and they still won. At the end of the day what mattered most was scoring points.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Last week: 16 (-)
The Buccaneers offense made some puzzling decisions to kick the ball away when they probably should’ve gotten aggressive, and it cost them big-time. At least they looked great in their throwback uniforms during a costly conference loss.
Los Angeles Chargers
Last week: 15 (-)
We’ll revisit the Chargers after their Monday night game with the Dallas Cowboys.
Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Last week: 8 (-6)
Yeesh. How could the Seahawks be in control of this game for so long and have so little to show for it? Geno Smith threw for over 300 yards but he didn’t connect on any touchdown passes and was intercepted twice. That’s how.
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)
Last week: 17 (+4)
The Jaguars took care of business against the Colts, but they left the game with injuries to key players including quarterback Trevor Lawrence. They’ve got a short week to prepare for Thursday night’s game with the Saints in New Orleans, but at least they don’t have to fly home first.
Cleveland Browns (3-2)
Last week: 14 (+2)
The Browns pulled off one of the week’s biggest upsets without their starting quarterback or star running back. How about that?
Houston Texans (3-3)
Last week: 13 (+2)
DeMeco Ryans has a great team in the works here. They gave the Saints some opportunities to rally back but at the end of the day C.J. Stroud made enough plays to get out with a win. That defense is stifling.
Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
Last week: 10 (-)
The Rams sure don’t look like a team rostering dozens of undrafted rookies. They’re playing at a high level, and they quite literally ran this Cardinals team off the field on Sunday. They’ll be a problem when the Saints visit in December.
Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)
Last week: 4 (-5)
The Eagles defense is deep and talented even without some of their best players, but this offense has some problems that the New York Jets were able to expose. Jalen Hurts was far too lax with his ball security, which has been a theme this season.
Dallas Cowboys
Last week: 7 (-1)
We’ll revisit the Cowboys after their Monday night game with the Los Angeles Chargers.
New York Jets (3-3)
Last week: 11 (+4)
Who wants to play this Jets team right now? If someone volunteered, they’re lying to you. Zach Wilson has cut down on his mistakes and gotten out of the way for head coach Robert Saleh’s defense to do their thing and take over games. Taking down the undefeated Eagles was a statement.
Buffalo Bills (4-2)
Last week: 6 (-)
The Bills got away with one Sunday night, with a plethora of errors — missed tackles, dumb penalties, blown coverage assignments, dropped passes, the works — failing to slow them down in the face of the Giants’ own ineptitude. But they’re vulnerable.
Baltimore Ravens (4-2)
Last week: 9 (+4)
The Ravens were in full control of their Week 6 game in London, but their climb in the rankings here is due more to other teams slipping and sliding down past them. Their defense got ran over at times Sunday and a more-committed opponent could take advantage of that. Their secondary had no interest matching up with Derrick Henry in the open field.
San Francisco 49ers (5-1)
Last week: 1 (-3)
The clock struck midnight, Brock Purdy turned back into a pumpkin, and the 49ers lost to the Browns in Cleveland. Injuries eroded their vaunted receiving corps with everyone from Deebo Samuel to Christian McCaffrey leaving the game for treatment. Can Purdy sustain his previously-impressive level of play without as much help around him?
Detroit Lions (5-1)
Last week: 5 (+2)
Lions fans deserve this after so many years on the outside looking in: a fun, entertaining, and highly competent football team. They’re well on the way towards Detroit’s first division championship since 1993 — when they played in the NFC Central.
Kansas City Chiefs (5-1)
Last week: 2 (-)
The Chiefs have only occasionally looked like the high-scoring juggernaut fans are used to fearing, which makes it all the worse that they’re already enjoying a 5-1 record. This team hasn’t even begun to hit its stride.
Miami Dolphins (5-1)
Last week: 3 (+2)
The Dolphins are in the driver’s seat in their conference, and maybe the NFL as a whole. How replicable is their meltdown loss to the Bills a few weeks back? What matters now is that no one seems able to keep pace with them.
