NFL POWER RANKINGS – WEEK 8

1. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (6-0)

The Eagles were off this week. Let’s hope that the bye week doesn’t take away from the momentum they have accrued so far this season. 

2. BUFFALO BILLS (5-1)

The Bills had a huge win before their bye week. Sometimes a team can out of a bye week complacent when that happens, but I don’t see that happening with this team. These guys are hungry. 

3. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (5-2)

The Chiefs went to the Bay Area and spoiled Christian McCaffrey’s first game as a 49er with a 44-23 victory. This was more than enough to usurp the #3 spot from Minnesota. 

4. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-1)

Vikings fans could have a grievance with their team dropping in the rankings despite being off – and that is more than fair. However, the Chiefs did what Minnesota has had trouble doing this season, which is pulling away in the 2nd half to bury their opponent. 

5. NEW YORK GIANTS (6-1)

It wasn’t the toughest opponent, but the Giants were 3-point underdogs against Jacksonville on Sunday and they won the game outright. This team continues to outplay their expectations (albeit their expectations were a little low to begin with), and that’s what good teams do.

6. DALLAS COWBOYS (5-2) 

Dak returned and Rush is now  cooped up on the bench again. Sadly, this may be my last Cooper Rush pun.

7. BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-3)

The Ravens didn’t look as dominant as they would have liked after blowing a game to the Giants,  but a win is a win.

8. CINCINNATI BENGALS (4-3)

THIS is the Bengals team we were expecting after that Super Bowl appearance. 

9. LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-3)

Maybe the bye week is what this team needed to get back to an elite level. 

10. NEW YORK JETS (5-2)

The Jets have long been one of the funnest teams in the NFL. But for a while they were fun because they were always at the butt-fumble end of a joke. Now they are fun because they are young, they have personality, and most importantly they are winning football games.

11. TENNESSEE TITANS (4-2)

The Titans came out of the bye week just the way they entered it – winning.

12. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (4-3)

I understand that it’s difficult to consistently play at a high level in the NFL when you have injuries, but this team needs to find some traction… soon.

13. MIAMI DOLPHINS (4-3)

It wasn’t pretty, but Tua got a win in his return. Now they just need to find that gear they were in when he went down with a concussion.

14. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-3)

The Broncos are 2-5. The Seahawks are above .500. Is it possible that Russell Wilson was the most overrated QB in the NFL?

15. GREEN BAY PACKERS (3-4)

If I’m Green Bay, I’m trying to forget all of the negative traits and giving OBJ a serious look.

16. ARIZONA CARDINALS (3-4)

Interesting game from the Cardinals on Thursday night. The defense didn’t exactly look like a shutdown unit, but they had 3 INT’s, and 2 of those were of the “pick-6” variety. On offense, Hopkins had a decent return going for 10 catches and 103 yards. We’re getting close to the time of the season last year where Arizona began to fall off, so let’s keep an eye on this team going forward.

17. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-4)

Tom Brady has to be upset that he came back considering how things are playing out. This may be one of the worst teams he’s ever played on. Which is odd, because the talent is certainly there.

18. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-3-1)

It’s been a bit of a roller coaster season for the Colts. Let’s see if they can climb back up the hill.

19. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-4)

Christian McCaffrey is back in the Bay Area! The defense is full of studs. The offense has many dynamic playmakers. However, I have some serious doubts that Jimmy G can lead this team to a Super Bowl win. I know, I know. He’s been there before. He almost went again last year. But when you watch Garoppolo go against someone like Patrick Mahomes, his limitations are highlighted very clearly.

20. LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (2-4)

A win vs the lowly Texans isn’t exactly a “statement win”, but it was certainly a win that the Raiders needed.

21. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (3-4)

It’s not often that you see Bill Belichick embarrassed at home, but that’s exactly what happened against the Bears on Monday Night Football. It also looks like there could be a QB controversy brewing.

22. ATLANTA FALCONS (3-4)

For some reason it feels like the Falcons have a better record than 3-4. I guess that means things are working, right?

23. WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (3-4)

The Commanders have gained a little traction. They followed up a road win against Chicago with an impressive victory over Aaron Rodgers & the Packers.

24. CHICAGO BEARS (3-4)

His stat-line was nothing to marvel at, but Justin Fields went into Foxborough and beat Belichick’s Patriots in front of a national audience on Monday Night Football. I’m anxious to see how he performs next week after this confidence-boosting win.

25. DENVER BRONCOS (2-5)

This is wild. There was so much hype around this team in the preseason. Now there are people questioning whether Nathaniel Hackett will still be the coach at the end of the year.

26. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (2-5)

The Jags are slippin’ & slidin’ right back into the cellar of the NFL.

27. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (2-5)

Andy Dalton did his best Jameis Winston impression on Thursday Night Football, throwing 3 INT’s, 2 of which were returned for TD’s.

28. CLEVELAND BROWNS (2-5)

If the Browns could have kept things close until Watson returned, I believed they would be in the mix to win the AFC North. But now it’s looking like they won’t even be in the playoff race.

29. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (2-5)

They kept it closer than I expected, but the loss to the Dolphins means that Tomlin is almost certainly going to suffer his first losing season. The Steelers’ remaining schedule isn’t exactly friendly.

30. CAROLINA PANTHERS (2-5)

Just two weeks after firing Matt Rhule and losing Baker Mayfield, as well as 3 days after trading star RB Christian McCaffrey, the Panthers put together their best effort of the season – against Tom Brady nonetheless. Make it make sense.

31. DETROIT LIONS (1-5)

The Lions had the best offense in the NFL just a few weeks ago. However, in the past two games they have only scored 6 points. I guess that’s life in the NFL.

32. HOUSTON TEXANS (1-4-1)

I thought the Texans would put together a better effort coming out of their bye week. But I’ve been wrong before and I’ll be wrong again.