Seattle is flying high after a Week 8 win over division rival San Francisco
After we saw a handful of upsets in Week 8, teams enter the back half of their schedules some are vying for playoff positions while others are struggling to keep their season alive.
Week 8 saw the Titans, Packers, Browns, and Rams get upset by their opponents. The Seahawks and Steelers picked up impressive victories to keep their foothold among the top teams. Tom Brady and his Buccaneers barely escaped with a Monday Night Football win over the Giants. Dallas' woes continued on Sunday night as they lost to the Eagles and failed to score a touchdown for the second consecutive week.
Let's take a look at the Week 9 power rankings based on what we've seen so far this season.
32. New York Jets (0-8, Last Week 32 +/- 0) - Gross.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6, Last Week 31, +/- 0) - Should have traded Gardner Minshew at the deadline.
30. New York Giants (1-7, Last Week 30, +/- 0) - Looked competitive against Tampa Bay in Week 8, but the outlook for the season still looks bleak.
29. Dallas Cowboys (2-6, Last Week 29, +/- 0) - Should have traded for Gardner Minshew at the deadline.
28. Washington Football Team (2-5, Last Week 28, +/- 0) - Football Team gets the Giants coming off their bye week and will hope to get continued production from Antonio Gibson to put a win streak together.
Highest-graded rookie RBs: 1. Antonio Gibson - 80.5 2. Clyde Edwards-Helaire - 75.8 3. James Robinson - 75.1 4. Jon… https://t.co/5SSkm62TGu— PFF (@PFF) 1603895462.0
27. New England Patriots (2-5, Last Week 26, - 1) - The Pats fell just short against Buffalo in a game that could've gotten their season back on track, at least from a record standpoint. Instead they're at the bottom of the division looking up and in unfamiliar territory at this point in the season.
26. Houston Texans (1-6, Last Week 24, - 2) - The Texans come out of their bye week with the Jaguars, Browns, Patriots, and Lions on their schedule. This stretch could put them back in the playoff picture if Deshaun Watson can will them to some wins.
25. Chicago Bears (5-3, Last Week 18, - 7) - The Bears lost in OT to the Saints in Week 8, and they slide down seven spots this week. Although they looked better offensively in this game, we need to see it on a more consistent basis.
24. Carolina Panthers (3-5, Last Week 17, -7) - The potential of Christian McCaffrey this week may reverse the drop the Panthers took in the rankings this week. They managed to go 3-3 while McCaffrey was injured behind good play from Teddy Bridgewater and Mike Davis. Their division is competitive, but they're within arm's length of a wildcard spot once they get CMC back.
23. Los Angeles Chargers (2-5, Last Week 21, - 2) - The Chargers lost a close one in Week 8 to the Broncos 31-30. Justin Herbert continues to impress however, and Mike Williams appears to be getting in sync with the rookie QB.
22. Detroit Lions (3-4, Last Week 14, - 8) - After looking better with Kenny Golladay in the lineup, the Lions got blown out 41-21 by the Colts in Week 8 knocking them down a few spots this week.
21. Denver Broncos (3-4, Last Week 27, + 6) - A good comeback victory against a surging Chargers team behind the play of Justin Herbert caught our attention. Resulting in Denver being a big mover on the list this week in the right direction.
20. Las Vegas Raiders (4-3, Last Week 19, - 1) - The Raiders dominated the Browns offense and really should have won by a lot more. The Raiders lose a spot this week due to their average performance against a flat Cleveland team in Week 8.
19. Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1, Last Week 25, + 6) - The Bengals had an impressive win over the Titans last week and resulted in them jumping up six spots this week. They're on a bye this week and have the Steelers in Weeks 10 and 15. But in between those games Cincinnati plays Washington, the Giants, Miami, and Dallas. While the playoffs are probably out of the question in a competitive AFC, what Joe Burrow and the Bengals have done this year at least makes you wonder Who Dey?
Love my team #WhoDey https://t.co/iTwpZ0UOHq— Billy Price (@Billy Price) 1604276906.0
18. Atlanta Falcons (2-6, Last Week 23, + 5) - The Falcons seem higher on this list than they should be, but their potential has been close to the surface all season and they seem poised to breakout. Their five spot jump is preemptive to what we expect to see from them the rest of the way out.
17. Minnesota Vikings (2-5, Last Week 20, +3) - It looks like Dalvin Cook is healthy and he has been the most explosive runner in the NFL when healthy. He is leading the league in rushing touchdowns and has been the focal point of that offense that includes a developing Justin Jefferson opening up the passing game. Like Atlanta, the Vikings benefit from the direction we see them going in.
Anyone playing against Dalvin Cook in fantasy @brgridiron https://t.co/OjpIqLnp4F— Bleacher Report (@Bleacher Report) 1604259911.0
16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4-1, Last Week 22, + 6) - Speaking of teams making big jumps we see the Eagles(!) making a six spot jump up our rankings this week. They have won two in a row and appear to be the clear favorites to win the NFC East. Even if they finish under .500 they still project to be a division winner.
15. Cleveland Browns (5-3, Last Week 11, - 4) - After throwing for five touchdowns in Week 7, Baker Mayfield fell flat on his face in an awful loss to the Raiders in Week 8. The Browns are now without Odell Beckham and need Nick Chubb to return from IR to help boost the running game to the level we saw earlier in the season. This is a good spot for them as they're season is teetering and could go either way depending on the next few weeks.
14. Miami Dolphins (4-3, Last Week 15, + 1) - Tua Tagovailoa got his first NFL win in the first start of his professional career but the Dolphins' defense and special teams helped out adding a fumble returned for a touchdown and a punt return for a touchdown to beat the Rams in Week 8.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-3, Last Week 13, +/- 0) - The Rams five wins are against the Eagles, Cowboys, Redskins, Giants, and Bears. Their three losses have come against the Dolphins, 49ers, and Bills. Something is askew and we should know who the real Rams are after the next couple weeks.
12. San Francisco 49ers (4-4, Last Week 12, +/- 0) - Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle went down with injuries in Week 8 and it looks like Kittle will be gone for at least eight weeks. Why do they remain at 12 this week in the rankings? Kyle Shanahan has done an extraordinary job with this team through injuries so far, and until he proves unable to keep up, I'm keeping the faith in him.
Put Kyle Shanahan on the QB depth chart 😂 @49ers https://t.co/Rj7mE1ZQLi— The Checkdown (@The Checkdown) 1603992274.0
11. Indianapolis Colts (5-2, Last Week 16, + 5) - The Colts trounced the Lions last week and hope to keep that offensive momentum going as they'll have Baltimore this week.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-2, Last Week 8, - 2) - This seems like a really low spot for Baltimore and it is. But keep in mind they dropped a few spots the prior week just because they were on a bye and they took a loss in which Lamar Jackson looked pretty bad. They don't drop further though because that bad loss was to the undefeated Steelers and that nasty defense.
Lamar Jackson vs Steelers: 2 starts, 3 Pass TD, 5 INT Lamar Jackson vs everyone else: 27 starts, 50 Pass TD, 8 INT https://t.co/8dBEc74MoH— NFLonCBS (@NFLonCBS) 1604266685.0
9. Arizona Cardinals (5-2, Last Week 7, - 2) - Arizona coming off the bye drops a couple spots, but are riding a three game winning streak into their Week 9 matchup with the Dolphins.
8. New Orleans Saints (5-2, Last Week 10, + 2) - Winners of four straight, the Saints will hope to keep the momentum going against Tom Brady and the Buccaneers this week.
7. Tennessee Titans (5-2, Last Week 4, - 3) - Losers of two straight, the Titans want to avoid a mid season slide after starting out 5-0. The loss to the Steelers wasn't alarming, but dropping a Week 8 game to the Bengals certainly raises a flag.
6. Buffalo Bills (6-2, Last Week 9, +3) - Even though they haven't looked their best the past two weeks in division matchups against the Jets and the Patriots, the Bills have managed to win. They will have the Seahawks, Cardinals, and Chargers over their next three games with a bye scheduled for Week 11.
5. Green Bay Packers (5-2, Last Week 6, + 1) - The Packers dropped their second game in three weeks as they lost to the Vikings in Week 8. They don't lose much ground in the rankings though because of what we've seen out of Aaron Rodgers this season. Once they get healthy we expect the Packers to finish the season as NFC North champions.
Aaron Rodgers is really, really good... Since 2018, Rodgers has thrown for 68 TD and 8 INT for a TD/INT ratio of 8… https://t.co/qhfud65RfE— CBS Sports HQ (@CBS Sports HQ) 1603906683.0
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2, Last Week 3, - 1) - The Bucs drop a spot here because of the struggle they had closing out the Giants on Monday night. They shouldn't have been in a position where they were needing to come back and it feels like they were overlooking this game and their opponents.
3. Seattle Seahawks (6-1, Last Week 5, + 2) - The Seahawks had an impressive win over division rival, San Francisco last week. Russell Wilson had four touchdown passes while Seattle was without their top two running backs in Week 8.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-1, Last Week 2 +/- 0) - KC took care of business against the Jets handling them easily. They have Carolina this week before their bye and they're in the driver's seat to win the AFC West.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-0, Last Week 1, +/-0) - The Steelers had an important division win against the Ravens in Week 8 allowing them to remain undefeated. Turnovers made the difference in that game and the Pittsburgh defense continues to be one of the most feared in the league. The Steelers have the Cowboys, Bengals, and Jaguars over their next three games before taking on the Ravens for the second time. The path for them heading into that game 10-0 is pretty clear.
JuJu and Chase had the Steelers locker room lit after staying undefeated 🔥😂 @TeamJuJu @ChaseClaypool @steelers (… https://t.co/QsGK0ZktdV— The Checkdown (@The Checkdown) 1604269160.0
TJ Watt and the Pittsburgh defense has them on top
The NFL has reached the halfway point in the season, and we have a clearer picture of who are contenders and who should be turning their attention to 2021 already.
The Chiefs, Ravens, Seahawks, and Packers have justified being favorites to win the Super Bowl going into this season. Drew Brees and Tom Brady have the Saints and Buccaneers positioned to be in a battle for the NFC South title all year. The Bills and Cardinals have gotten MVP caliber performances from Josh Allen and Kyler Murray, which has resulted in both teams exceeding expectations in 2020. The Steelers look damn near unbeatable so far, and head coach Mike Tomlin made it clear that "we do not care" about anything standing between them and a championship.
Let's take a look at the Week 8 power rankings based on what we've seen so far this year.
32. New York Jets (0-7, Last Week 32 +/- 0) - For the second week in a row there isn't a lot to say about the Jets. Until they fire Adam Gase this franchise has no chance to turn things around.
Adam Gase Insists It Way Too Early To Think About Destroying Trevor Lawrence https://t.co/JX8aXuF7XR https://t.co/nzmdunocoQ— The Onion (@The Onion) 1603401604.0
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6, Last Week 29, -2) - Three bad losses in a row and they just don't seem to have enough players on the current roster to win. Still have Packers, Steelers, Browns, Titans, and Ravens on their schedule.
30. New York Giants (1-6, Last Week 30, +/- 0) - Daniel Jones continues to show flashes of what could be next year when Saquon Barkley returns from injury.
29. Dallas Cowboys (2-5, Last Week 25, -4) - Jerry Jones this past week reinforced that Mike McCarthy is their guy which should tell you where this season is going for the Cowboys. Time to jump ship on all Dallas players in fantasy including Ezekiel Elliott.
WANTED: Three men for robbery, stealing a total of $259,000,000 from the Dallas Cowboys. https://t.co/jChAXy2Al6— Fake SportsCenter (@Fake SportsCenter) 1603926956.0
28. Washington Football Team (2-5, Last Week 31, +3) - Antonio Gibson and Terry McLaurin are really good position players for Washington. They cut up a porous Dallas defense in a Week 7 win, and once the Football Team has a new name and quarterback their fortunes could be changing in D.C.
27. Denver Broncos (2-4, Last Week 21, -6) - Denver has been ravaged by injuries this year most notably with Von Miller and Courtland Sutton sidelined for the season. They don't have the depth on their roster to compensate and should continue to fade even with starting quarterback Drew Lock back with the team.
26. New England Patriots (2-4, Last Week 23, -3) - New England is coming off an embarrassing 33-6 loss to the 49ers one of the worst in Bill Belichick's tenure, and things look bleak for the Patriots for the first time in nearly two decades. Cam Newton was benched in the whooping, but Belichick has confirmed that Newton is still the starter there. Unless Julian Edelman can wind the clock back five years there simply isn't enough left in the cupboard for chef Bill to cook with.
Belichick's "magical system" offense, without Tom Brady, currently has the most INTs thrown in the NFL with 11 and… https://t.co/JEaJ9qVQzO— Dov Kleiman (@Dov Kleiman) 1603912338.0
25. Cincinnati Bengals (1-5-1, Last Week 26, +1) - All the Bengals need is a defense because Joe Burrow is already a bona fide stud. He's thrown for 300 or more yards in five of his seven career games and thrown for three touchdowns now twice. Cincinnati is much better than their record indicates and adds yet another team in the AFC North you don't want to face.
Joe Burrow BALLED out today despite the loss: 🔥 440 Total Yards 🔥 4 Total TDs https://t.co/9znwVgeZqK— ESPN (@ESPN) 1603658964.0
24. Houston Texans (1-6, Last Week 22, -2) - Should get on track this week against Jacksonville although the playoffs may be out of reach already for Houston.
23. Atlanta Falcons (1-6, Last Week 24, +1) - The Falcons should've came out of Week 7 with a win, instead their strange season rolls on as it feels like a matter of time before they start to add some games in the wins column.
22. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1, Last Week 28, +6) - A big jump by Philadelphia this week as any resemblance of a football team playing football should be enough to win the NFC East this year. Travis Fulgham has settled into a good chemistry with Carson Wentz and has them looking better going into Week 8.
21. Los Angeles Chargers (2-4, Last Week 27, +6) - Justin Herbert gave the Chargers over 400 yards of total offense and four touchdowns last week. They have a favorable schedule the rest of the season and could surprise us by grabbing a wild card spot.
Justin Herbert was electric in the Chargers' win vs. the Jaguars ⚡️ ⚡️ 412 total yards ⚡️ Four total TDs ⚡️ First… https://t.co/4rtcJruEK6— ESPN (@ESPN) 1603669076.0
20. Minnesota Vikings (1-5, Last Week 20, +/- 0) - Coming off a bye week, unfortunately for them they'll be welcomed back by Green Bay this week.
19. Las Vegas Raiders (3-3, Last Week 17, -2) - The Jekyll and Hyde for me the in the first half. They've beaten the Saints and Chiefs, but got crushed by the Patriots, who we thought were good, and the Bucs, who we know are good. Should know more after this week. TBD for Gruden's Raiders.
18. Chicago Bears (5-2, Last Week 11, -7) - I was looking for a reason to fade the Bears this week and I got it with another flat performance by them against the Rams in Week 7. Expect them to continue to trend down until their offense looks like they have a pulse.
17. Carolina Panthers (3-4, Last Week 18, +1) - Christian McCaffrey a longshot to comeback this week, but is back from IR and should be back on the field in the next few weeks. Teddy Bridgewater has kept them competitive picking up a few wins and adding in CMC could turn them into legit playoff contenders.
Christian McCaffrey has been designated to return from the reserve/injured list.— Carolina Panthers (@Carolina Panthers) 1603814799.0
16. Indianapolis Colts (4-2, Last Week 15, -1) - Coming off a bye week, they get a surging Detroit team this week.
15. Miami Dolphins (3-3, Last Week 13, -2) - Tua Tagovailoa will make his first NFL start against the Rams this week. A head scratching move by head coach Brian Flores not only to replace Ryan Fitzpatrick who had the offense clicking, but to put a rookie in front of Rams' defensive superstar Aaron Donald in their first start is asking a lot of the young prospect.
14. Detroit Lions (3-3, Last Week 19, +5) - The Lions look like a different team with Kenny Golladay in the lineup. His long reception setup the eventual winning touchdown in Week 7 against the Falcons.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-2, Last Week 12, -1) - The Rams have beaten every NFC East team and the Bears to comprise their five wins on the year. YOU'RE STILL ON NOTICE RAMS at least until you get a good win.
12. San Francisco 49ers (4-3, Last Week 16, +4) - The 49ers have dealt with more injuries than anyone this year and coach Kyle Shanahan has done an excellent job keeping his team focused on winning. If they can get healthier down the stretch the division crown isn't out of the question.
11. Cleveland Browns (5-2, Last Week 14, +3) - A career performance from Baker Mayfield who tossed five touchdowns against the Bengals in their Week 7 win made up for the fact that they lost receiver Odell Beckham for the season. Beckham tore his ACL on the team's first drive and will join Nick Chubb on IR.
Baker Mayfield started 0/5 with an INT, then went nearly perfect: 22-23 297 Yards 5 TDs His only incomplete pass… https://t.co/iDSPbl1XEE— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1603657787.0
10. New Orleans Saints (4-2, Last Week 10 +/- 0) - The Saints have been playing great in the absence of Michael Thomas. New Orleans gets the Bears this week before two tough matchups against the Buccaneers and 49ers.
9. Buffalo Bills (5-2, Last Week 8, -1) - Tyler Bass made six field goals against the Jets, but those were the only points the Bills could muster against the league's worst team. Josh Allen has played like an MVP at times this season, but needs to reduce the turnovers for them to make a deep playoff run.
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-1, Last Week 5, -3) - The Ravens drop three spots here, but only because they're coming off their bye. Lamar Jackson is going to have to be great over the next five weeks as they play the Steelers twice, the Colts, Patriots, and Titans. This will be a true test of whether Lamar is the same guy we saw last year or if he has in fact regressed.
NFL Twitter when Lamar Jackson makes a bad play or has a bad game https://t.co/azyfqYuCt9— 🃏 (@🃏) 1603419425.0
7. Arizona Cardinals (5-2, Last Week 9, +2) - It feels like Arizona should be moving up more than two spots here, but the competition at the top of this list is fierce. Kyler Murray is one of the most exciting players to watch in this league, and although they will be missing Kenyan Drake for a couple weeks Chase Edmonds has proven to be a reliable fill in.
6. Green Bay Packers (5-1, Last Week 7, +1) - Even without Aaron Jones the Packers continue to put up points. Jamal Williams filled in admirably with 77 yards and a TD. Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams stole the show though. Adams finished with 196 yards and 2 TDs against the Texans. They get the 1-5 Vikings in Week 8.
That @AaronRodgers12 to @tae15adams connection was 🔥 #HaveADay | @Packers | #GoPackGo https://t.co/ra9pEca3hP— NFL (@NFL) 1603657347.0
5. Seattle Seahawks (5-1, Last Week 4, -1) - The Seahawks' schedule does them no favor coming off a heartbreaking overtime loss to the Cardinals. They will play another tough divisional game against the 49ers this week, but that might be just what Russell Wilson needs to get his team refocused and back on track.
4. Tennessee Titans (5-1, Last Week 2, -2) - In the battle of the undefeated in Week 7, the Steelers appeared to be on track to blow out the Titans jumping out to a big first half lead. Tennessee came roaring back however and nearly completed a comeback, falling just short. Pittsburgh has the best defense in the league and did an adequate job of limiting Derrick Henry throughout the game. The Titans will continue to be the favorite to win the AFC South.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-2, Last Week 6, +3) - Coming off a convincing win against the Raiders, they will get the Giants on Monday night. Antonio Brown has agreed to terms with the team and could make his debut Week 9. The Bucs are for real and Tom Brady could be raising a Lombardi trophy again, and not for the Patriots. Sooo 2020.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-1, Last Week 3, +1) - The Chiefs are so good that Patrick Mahomes can throw for 200 yards and a touchdown and they still put up 43 points in Week 7. Le'Veon Bell made is Kansas City debut and he will add yet another weapon to that offense to give defensive coordinators nightmares far past Halloween.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-0, Last Week 1, +/-0) - They're a team that just looks the part. Along with the Packers, Chiefs, Seahawks, Bucs - they just look like a SB contender in all aspects of the game. Well coached, talent at every position group, next man up mentality. Best defense in the league. The AFC North will be a gauntlet, but everyone else adopted the dark, the Steelers were born in it.
THE DARK KNIGHT RISES - Bane Blows Up A Football Stadium www.youtube.com
Rookie receiver Chase Claypool of the Pittsburgh Steelers has been an emerging threat in that offense
We're almost at the halfway point in the NFL season, and it's been a wildly untraditional one so far.
With games needing to be rescheduled due to COVID-19 the NFL schedule has been thrown into a constant state of chaos at this point, and as fans we're just hoping that they can finish the season. An uptick in injuries can likely be traced back to a truncated offseason not allowing teams and players the adequate amount of time to get their bodies prepared for the season. Let's hope that the league and Commissioner Goodell are able to enact a plan to keep football going to see a proper end to the season with a team being crowned Super Bowl champions.
Let's take a look at the Week 7 power rankings based on what we've seen so far this year.
32. New York Jets (0-6) -There isn't a lot to say about the Jets. Until they fire Adam Gase this franchise has no chance to turn things around.
Stop hiring people like Adam Gase, and start hiring people like Eric Bieniemy. https://t.co/8q70NTLem4— Doug Farrar (@Doug Farrar) 1603401710.0
31. Washington Football Team (1-5)
30. New York Giants (1-6)
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) - It's hard not to like Gardner Minshew, but it's been getting increasingly harder to watch the Jaguars. DJ Chark, Laviska Shenault, and Keelan Cole provide a solid group of receivers to complement James Robinson, who has been a pleasant surprise for Jacksonville this year.
@NFL_DovKleiman Gardner Minshew should bench Doug Marrone— Clint Lamb (@Clint Lamb) 1603318520.0
28. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4-1) - The Eagles have been a major disappointment so far this season. They have dealt with injuries to their offensive line and receiving groups, but Carson Wentz needs to continue to post games like he did on Thursday against the Giants in Week 7 for them to have a chance at redemption. Miles Sanders has been banged up this season, but Boston Scott looks able to fill in. Scott scored the game winning touchdown to defeat the Giants.
WENTZ TO BOSTON SCOTT FOR THE LEAD WITH 40 SECONDS LEFT 😱 (via @NFL) https://t.co/lDrubfpYSr— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1603423956.0
27. Los Angeles Chargers (1-4)
26. Cincinnati Bengals (1-4-1)
25. Dallas Cowboys (2-4) - After getting a peek at how the Cowboys will look without Dak Prescott under center. It may be a good time to sell Ezekiel Elliott and the Dallas receivers in fantasy if you can find buyers.
The Dallas Cowboys organization after operating just one week without Dak Prescott https://t.co/3j3BbZFiM7— Blogging The Boys (@Blogging The Boys) 1603216929.0
24. Atlanta Falcons (1-5)
23. New England Patriots (2-3)
22. Houston Texans (1-5)
21. Denver Broncos (2-3)
20. Minnesota Vikings (1-5) - If Dalvin Cook can stay healthy this season, and Kirk Cousins stops throwing interceptions (10 already this season) the Vikings could find themselves climbing this list quickly. As Justin Jefferson continues to develop, he creates a dangerous tandem with Adam Thielen and should help Cousins as he attempts to overcome some early season struggles.
Most receiving yards in a game by a rookie since 2018: Justin Jefferson (Wk 3) - 175 Justin Jefferson (Wk 6) - 166 https://t.co/GS3inCFL24— PFF (@PFF) 1603053810.0
19. Detroit Lions (2-3)
18. Carolina Panthers (3-3)
17. Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
16. San Francisco 49ers (3-3) - As the Niners are still dealing with a rash of injuries, they have managed to keep themselves in the race for the division thus far. Raheem Mostert suffered a high ankle sprain last week and is looking at a stint on the IR. Jerick McKinnon will assume the role of starting running back in his stead.
49ers’ HC Kyle Shanahan said RB Raheem Mostert “most likely" will go on injured reserve with a high ankle sprain.— Adam Schefter (@Adam Schefter) 1603147588.0
15. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)
14. Cleveland Browns (4-2) - If Baker Mayfield doesn't start to look better quickly, the Browns season could begin to fall apart as they wait for the return of star running back Nick Chubb.
Baker Mayfield is now holding back a super talented offense & very capable coaching staff.— Colin Cowherd (@Colin Cowherd) 1603044242.0
13. Miami Dolphins (3-3) - Dolphins' coach Brian Flores this past week made the surprising announcement that Tua Tagovailoa would be taking over as starting QB for Ryan Fitzpatrick. Fitz had Miami sitting at 3-3 good for second in the AFC East. Considering Flores has done such a great job of turning the team around, as a fan you just have to have faith that this is the right time for the move.
Breaking: The Dolphins are naming Tua Tagovailoa their starting QB, a league source tells @AdamSchefter. Tua Tago… https://t.co/EjsftVVO2F— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1603207869.0
12. Los Angeles Rams (4-2) - All four of the Rams' wins this season are against NFC East teams. That makes them suspect until further notice. We're on to you Rams!
Tua Tagovailoa's first opponent as starter ... Aaron Donald and the Rams 😤 https://t.co/lQN67tk67d— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1603210169.0
11. Chicago Bears (5-1) - The most unlikely of 5-1 records. Neither Mitch Trubisky or Nick Foles has looked particularly good, and the same can be said of David Montgomery and Allen Robinson. The defense is good, but expect the losses to start to pile up.
10. New Orleans Saints (3-2) - Star receiver Michael Thomas tweaked his hamstring in practice this week, and his status for this Sunday is in question. After Thomas was suspended last week after an altercation with a teammate, the team may be missing him yet again as they will take on the Panthers in an important division matchup.
9. Arizona Cardinals (4-2) - The Cardinals have managed to keep pace with the rest of the NFC West behind the electric play of Kyler Murray. As Kenyan Drake appears to be settling into the offense, Arizona should be a threat to compete for the division crown all year.
This Kyler Murray-Christian Kirk TD is even better from this angle 😱 (via @AZCardinals) https://t.co/FUUD2eL2ov— Bleacher Report (@Bleacher Report) 1603159095.0
8. Buffalo Bills (4-2) - Coming off a poor performance against the Chiefs on Monday night, the Bills hope to rebound against the hapless Jets which shouldn't be a problem.
7. Green Bay Packers (4-1) - Speaking of poor performances, the Packers were thwarted by the Bucs last week 38-10 which resulted in their first loss of the season. Green Bay will need to brush that loss off and move on as they take on Houston, Minnesota, and San Francisco the next three weeks. Aaron Rodgers has been having a resurgent year, but FREE AARON JONES!
Aaron Jones with some major Macho Man vibes 😎 https://t.co/EbDRaxoWOf— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) 1603056582.0
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2) - The aforementioned Bucs have been getting it together since a shaky start to the year. Tom Brady appears to be getting more comfortable in the offense every week, and if Ronald Jones can continue to hand in 100 yard performances as he's done the past three weeks, Tampa will be tough to beat.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-1) - The Ravens have a Week 7 bye, but when they return they better be ready for the gauntlet. Over the next five weeks they will play the Steelers twice, the Colts, Bill Belichick's Patriots, and the Titans. Time to earn your respect Big Truzz.
4. Seattle Seahawks (5-0) - Coming off of their bye week, the Seahawks return to action this week against the Cardinals on Sunday night. Russell Wilson and Kyler Murray will headline a game of the week contender that promises to be a high scoring affair. If Seattle can pull out a win here, they will jump up a spot of two next week.
With so many injuries across the league, including ones to star receivers, is it time to start thinking about @AB84… https://t.co/xQD1ehUko1— FindBet (@FindBet) 1601222098.0
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-1) - An under-appreciated fact for the Chiefs this season is that, other than the outlier of the Raiders game, the Kansas City defense hasn't allowed more than 20 points in a game (40 to the Raiders). If the Chiefs can keep their defense healthy we know they have the firepower on offense to compete in any contest.
2. Tennessee Titans (5-0) - The Titans will play the Steelers this week in the rescheduled game from a few weeks ago. Tennessee is coming off a shootout win over Deshaun Watson and the Texans which featured a 94 yard touchdown run by Derrick Henry. Mike Vrabel has his team playing with discipline and focus early in the year. They will need their offense to continue its hot run against a Steelers defense that has only allowed 94 points on the season which is best in the NFL.
Man you are too damn big to be movin like that🤯 @KingHenry_2 https://t.co/sA2AbtiwIg— HJR III™💎 (@HJR III™💎) 1603053073.0
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0) - Our top two teams on the power rankings list clash in a battle for supremacy in Week 7. The Steelers had a statement performance on both sides of the ball against division rival Cleveland in Week 6. The Steelers will bring the NFL's stingiest defense into a matchup against the seventh highest scoring offense in the league in the Titans. With Chase Claypool emerging as a dual threat in the Pittsburgh offense, we like the Steelers to hold this spot next week.
The @steelers defense has been dominant to start the year! 😤 https://t.co/cVhugwomp0— FOX Sports: NFL (@FOX Sports: NFL) 1603402200.0
