Boy, does a resounding Chiefs victory like that take of the juice out of this exercise, which, you may have heard me say, absolutely provides boundless delight in the ability to subjectively assess the concept of power. It’s like having your own personal ant farm that you’re able to shake like an Etch A Sketch whenever you want.
But, there is nothing more powerful than a team that absolutely whips a divisional opponent so badly that most of their star players didn’t need to be in the game beyond the 40% mark. I hope that you—like me—were cautious in your criticism of Kansas City. I’ll be coming up with ideas to cover this team in its *checks notes* straight Super Bowl appearance.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (4–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: beat Raiders, 31–0
This week: vs. Commanders
Granted, against a Raiders team that seems completely adrift, but here were the Chiefs’ first three possessions with Rashee Rice, in which he was dotted all around the offense, playing different positions and getting advantageous matchups against linebackers:
Nine plays, 92 yards, touchdown
17 plays, 84 yards, touchdown
16 plays, 94 yards, touchdown
2. Indianapolis Colts (6–1)
Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: beat Chargers, 38–24
This week: vs. Titans
On podcast this week, I unleashed my 2025 Colts comparison, and I think fans will appreciate it: the 2024 Eagles. I was honestly surprised at how dominant this offensive line and running back tandem could be against light boxes, but the Shane Steichen/Jonathan Taylor tandem has been forcing teams to choose which way they would like to be filleted. So far, Taylor is seeing heavy boxes on only 24% of snaps.
3. Seattle Seahawks (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: beat Texans, 27–19
This week: idle
Each week, there is some new innovation, some new wrinkle. We saw it with Sean McVay in the lead up to his first Super Bowl and we’re seeing it with the Mike Macdonald/Klint Kubiak pairing now. They’re in their creative period and we get to sit back and enjoy.
MANZANO: Seahawks’ Overhauled Roster Makes Them One of NFL’s Most Dangerous Teams
4. Detroit Lions (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: beat Buccaneers, 24–9
This week: idle
Without question, the most impressive part of Detroit’s decisive victory over the Buccaneers was the strength of this patchwork secondary. This apparently wasn’t just an Aaron Glenn thing, this is a Brad Holmes/Dan Campbell thing. The Lions could field a contending defense with the remnants of the Amazon Prime Video analyst desk.
Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: beat Jaguars, 35–7
This week: idle
Here’s how dominant the Rams’ defense has been: Going into , the team trailed only the Texans in points allowed. But…the Rams played one more game than Houston, and the Texans played the Titans and the Lamar Jackson–less Ravens.
6. Philadelphia Eagles (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: beat Vikings, 28–22
This week: vs. Giants
It’s almost as if a new offensive coordinator builds up a few tendencies over a very limited sample size of playcalling and then…breaks those tendencies in favorable spots against elite defenses when he needs a knockout punch. Why do we always assume the Chiefs are going to be fine, but the Eagles, who continue to elevate offensive coordinators to head coach positions, and made two of the last three Super Bowls, are some ponderous melodrama despite a similar track record of success?
7. Buffalo Bills (4–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Panthers
At the bye week, Bills Mafia is…scouring Reddit hoping that the team signs Tyler Lockett. This was not on my bingo card a few weeks ago, though life tends to move at you fast.
8. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: lost to Lions, 24–9
This week: at Saints
A broken collarbone for Mike Evans was an absolute gut punch for this Tampa Bay team in a frantic loss to the Lions that seemed much closer than it actually was. For the first time this year, Baker Mayfield was clamped down and looked to be off his spot—but I’m guessing the reason was more complex than “off night.”
9. Green Bay Packers (4–1–1)
Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: beat Cardinals, 27–23
This week: at Steelers
I think this cutup of Micah Parsons game-wrecking performances on Sunday speaks for itself, don’t you?
10. San Francisco 49ers (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: beat Falcons, 20–10
This week: at Texans
The 49ers suffer from a kind of implosion of the top 10, which saw a few teams rise, a few good teams drop, and, in the process, force out some of the good teams like dough overage in a cookie bake. Still, I loved this pregame tactic by Kyle Shanahan to rally the 49ers after the loss of Fred Warner: show him as a rookie, absolutely swag-less.
VERDERAME: Robert Salah’s Injury-Plagued Defense Has Become the 49ers’ Saving Grace
11. Denver Broncos (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: beat Giants, 33–32
This week: vs. Cowboys
While this stat is a little dubious considering the fact that Denver has been trailing more than it probably wants to have this season, Bo Nix’s numbers when behind this season are incredible. He’s completing more than 75% of his passes. He averages a 100-plus passer rating. Eleven touchdowns. No picks.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (4–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: lost to Bengals, 33–31
This week: vs. Packers
There is quite a subplot developing of Aaron Rodgers not preferring overly aggressive displays of affection. I think we have him all wrong. He’s not prickly. He’s not mercurial. He’s just a house cat.
Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: beat Saints, 26–14
This week: at Ravens
Now that the Bears have figured out their run game, the rest of the NFL should be on notice. It’s not just D’Andre Swift turning it on, it's both he and Kyle Monangai averaging more than three yards per carry before first contact with a defensive player. That’s bonkers.
14. New England Patriots (5–2)
Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: beat Titans, 31–13
This week: vs. Browns
While it seems a little redundant for regular readers of the Power Rankings, the Drake Maye feat of ridiculousness is one of my favorite features. This week, according to the NFL, Maye became the first quarterback since the invention of the Super Bowl to log a 90% completion rate, 200-plus yards passing and 50-plus yards rushing.
15. Los Angeles Chargers (4–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: lost to Colts, 38–24
This week: vs. Vikings
I wonder if the Chargers are a trade deadline destination at this point in time. The injuries derailed what was a clinical start to the season, but this team has been overmatched of late—though still willing to fight back. That last quarter against the Colts was spirited but brutal seeing Justin Herbert batted around on every snap.
16. Dallas Cowboys (3–3–1)
Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: beat Commanders, 44–22
This week: at Broncos
The more incredible Dak Prescott’s season becomes, the more curious the involvement of Dallas ownership will be. This defense needs help in myriad ways. There are countless replacement options out there. There are trade deadline options out there. Jerry Jones said the Parsons trade was made with the purpose of capturing a sustainably winning team in Prescott’s prime. What if that time is actually right now?
17. Minnesota Vikings (3–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: lost to Eagles, 28–22
This week: at Chargers
My friend Dan Hanzus of the made a great point Sunday: At what point do we take a second look at Minnesota’s allocation of funding at the QB position? As far back as last September some (self included) were begging the team to extend Sam Darnold and allow J.J. McCarthy to sit for longer. Darnold left. Daniel Jones walked out the door. Aaron Rodgers was never allowed the door. Was it hubris? Did McCarthy have an amazing spring?
Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: lost to Cowboys, 44–22
This week: at Chiefs
Jayden Daniels is so good. I know this isn’t what anyone wants to hear, but putting him in bubble wrap for the next week or two is better for him and the universe.
19. Cincinnati Bengals (3–4)
Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: beat Steelers, 33–31
This week: vs. Jets
Now on loan from the Louvre:
20. Jacksonville Jaguars (4–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: lost to Rams, 35–7
This week: idle
I think two things can be true at once: Trevor Lawrence has by far the most incompletions in the NFL due to wide receiver error or straight-up drop. without a historical surge in extra possessions from a turnover-happy defense and a white-hot running game, he struggles to be as effective.
21. Carolina Panthers (4–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: beat Jets, 13–6
This week: vs. Bills
Genuinely curious to see this Panthers team against Buffalo. I would not make Sunday’s game a referendum on the offense when playing keepaway against the Jets is a perfectly acceptable strategy. I think 4–3 all things considered is miraculous, but can Dave Canales & Co. keep it going?
22. Atlanta Falcons (3–3)
Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: lost to 49ers, 20–10
This week: vs. Dolphins
Michael Penix’s bone bruise emerges at an interesting time: While Raheem Morris made the point that Penix was healthy enough to finish a game against the swarming 49ers defense, what kind of far-reaching implications could occur with having Kirk Cousins make a start before the trade deadline? I know most of the starting spots are settled but anything can happen and Cousins is still serviceable at the least.
23. Baltimore Ravens (1–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Bears
Not having Lamar Jackson available after the bye would be an absolute gut punch to this team. I’m not going to make this a referendum on toughness or willingness like some, but Jackson’s availability at this critical moment will be the foundation of many narratives to come.
24. Houston Texans (2–4)
Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: lost to Seahawks, 27–19
This week: vs. 49ers
Seattle’s defense will make anyone look uncomfortable, but my goodness was Monday night an indictment on the offensive line and C.J. Stroud. Like Lawrence, two things can be true about Stroud as well: He is almost constantly under duress he handles those situations increasingly poorly. It’s David Carr-ian or Carson Wentz-ian.
25. New York Giants (2–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: lost to Broncos, 33–32
This week: at Eagles
A column on heartbreak unlike any other.
26. Cleveland Browns (2–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: beat Dolphins, 31–6
This week: at Patriots
While this is not wholly surprising, it’s still wild that four of the six longest Browns plays of the season are simply handoffs to Quinshon Judkins.
Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: lost to Bears, 26–14
This week: vs. Buccaneers
With Chris Olave having a phenomenal season, this is really the first test of the Kellen Moore era. How rebuild-y does this team want to get? And are they prepared to dole out a top-of-market wide receiver extension a year from now?
28. Arizona Cardinals (2–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: lost to Packers, 27–23
This week: idle
I really don’t have anything to add about the Cardinals and need a place to put this Alabama entrance video from Saturday that I saw on Twitter. I mean, call me when the Cardinals fulfill almost exactly my preseason six-win prophecy that I was eaten alive for.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (2–5)
Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: lost to Chiefs, 31–10
This week: idle
The Raiders ran 30 plays on Sunday.
30. Tennessee Titans (1–6)
Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: lost to Patriots, 31–13
This week: at Colts
While we also said this about Caleb Williams during the first Thomas Brown interim OC game last year, Cam Ward finished with a more well-rounded statistical body of work than he has in any other game this season. I truly believe a coach is going to come in and have a field day with this guy.
31. Miami Dolphins (1–6)
Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: lost to Browns, 31–6
This week: at Falcons
I give Stephen Ross credit for not being reactionary when it comes to Mike McDaniel, and I caught a brief glimmer of hope when McDaniel threw some podium shade at players who weren’t willing to prepare. Here’s hoping that he can go out his way.
One note: If McDaniel is let go, he will be weaponized as a consultant by a team poised to make a deep playoff run. Mark my words.
32. New York Jets (0–7)
Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: lost to Panthers, 13–6
This week: at Bengals
A column on Aaron Glenn and the Lions comparison that I have grown quite tired of.
