Who is the best team in the NFL? The offseason and preseason have drawn to a close and rosters are finalized, with all focus now shifting towards Week 1. Ahead of the 2025 season kicking off, we’re evaluating all 32 teams in our latest NFL power rankings heading into the season.

We’ll update ourNFL power rankingsevery Sunday night, analyzing all 32 teams every week. Let’s dive into our evaluations on all 32 clubs. You can find out NFL power rankings from the previous weeks further below.

Week 14

1. Seattle Seahawks

The Seattle Seahawks were tied 6-6 with the Falcons at halftime. Then, trade acquisition Rashid Shaheed took the kickoff back 100 yards for a house call, and that seemed to light a spark for the Seahawks. Seattle outscored Atlanta 31-3 the rest of the way, demonstrating why this could be the best team in the NFL as long as Sam Darnold avoids multi-interception games. With the unfortunate state the Colts are in, Seattle should have minimal trouble making it four consecutive wins and an 11-3 mark after Week 15.

2. New England Patriots (2)

Are the New England Patriots the best team in the NFL? Probably not, given their issues running the football consistently and some of the issues with the pass defense. It also doesn’t help that the left side of the offensive line is injured, and the run defense is taking a step back with Milton Williams and Khyiris Tonga sidelined. What matters is that Drake Maye should be the NFL MVP front-runner right now and the 11-2 Patriots have a clear path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed and a first-round bye.

3. Green Bay Packers (4)

When the Green Bay Packers absolutely needed it, Jordan Love, Josh Jacobs and the defense made the big plays. Sunday put Green Bay (9-3-1) atop the NFC North and now gives the club a realistic shot at the No. 1 seed and a potential first-round bye in the playoffs. It was crucial for the Packers to pass this test against Chicago and if they can go on the road and beat the Broncos in Week 15, it might be time to talk about Green Bay as the team to beat in a wide-open NFL.

4. Los Angeles Rams (3)

It feels safe to say the Los Angeles Rams had something to prove in Arizona coming off last week’s losstothe Panthers. The Cardinals put up some garbage points late, which says a lot given the final score. This offense is absolutely electric and, if the secondary can just do an adequate job in coverage, Matthew Stafford and Co. can beat absolutely anyone on any given week.

5. Denver Broncos (5)

Ignore the final score because this game was far more one-sided than a seven-point victory. What Sean Payton has to feel great about coming out of Sunday’s win is that the Denver Broncos were finally able to run the football, with RJ Harvey delivering a career-best performance. Is it a sign of things to come? We’ll find out in Week 15 from an outstanding matchup at home versus the Packers.

6. Houston Texans (7)

The Houston Texans offense with C.J. Stroud and Nico Collins simply needs to be league-average with Stroud making a few big-time throws to Collins for this team to make a run. Sunday Night Football was another example, as was the win over Buffalo, that Houston’s defense can neutralize elite quarterbacks and put the team in position to win as long as the offense scores 17-plus points. Given the Texans schedule, we think there’s a real chance of Houston finishing the regular season with a 12-5 record.

7. Buffalo Bills (9)

Trailing by 10 points midway through the fourth quarter on Sunday, the Buffalo Bills were in real danger of dropping to 8-5 and that would mean having to fight for one of the last wild card spots. Josh Allen and Buffalo’s defense responded to that with some of their biggest plays of the season, including a pick-six and a career-long rushing touchdown by Allen. Now, Buffalo is in firm control of its playoff destiny and a win next week versus New England would re-open the door to a division title.

8. Detroit Lions (8)

Amon-Ra St. Brown playing through the ankle sprain on Thursday Night Football and being instrumental in a Week 14 victory captured the magnitude of this game for the Detroit Lions. They are now in must-win territory, needing St. Brown and Jahmyr Gibbs to step up and carry this offense. Mission accomplished on Thursday. Now at 8-5 on the season, the Lions imm

9. Chicago Bears (6)

Trailing 14-3 at halftime, Caleb Williams and the Chicago Bears rallied for a comeback that fell just a few yards short. If anyone was left questioning just low legitimate the Bears’ success is, keep in mind they lost by a single score in Lambeau Field in a game without Rome Odunze and Kyler Gordon. Chicago is very real as a dangerous threat in the NFC, especially with Williams’ ability to step up in critical moments.

10. San Francisco 49ers (12)

What Kyle Shanahan has done with the San Francisco 49ers this season is remarkable. With so many injuries, this team has somehow found its way to a 9-4 record. The bye week also came at the perfect time, giving Christian McCaffrey, George Kittle and Brock Purdy some time to recover. Best of all, the 49ers schedule for the next two weeks (Titans and Colts) offers a clear path to reaching double-digit wins. Even if this team doesn’t feel destined for sustained playoff success, double-digit wins is remarkable.

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (13)

It’s now a two-team race for the AFC South crown. The Jacksonville Jaguars’ roller-coaster season continued on Sunday. Trevor Lawrence and Liam Coen have won four in a row, turning a 4-3 record into a 9-4 mark. At a minimum, Coen has delivered a five-win improvement, and he’s got a legitimate shot at delivering a 10-win season for Jacksonville, which would be just the second for the franchise (2017) since 2008. Considering the Jaguars face the Jets in Week 15, double-digit wins two weeks before Christmas is very doable.

12. Dallas Cowboys (10)

The Dallas Cowboys still don’t have a defense good enough for them to overcome multiple turnovers, especially when Brian Schottenheimer is so willing to settle for field goals in a high-scoring game. Thursday’s loss is a devastating blow for the Cowboys’ playoff hopes and it now seems unlikely that the team will win out to just finish 10-6-1. Still, if CeeDee Lamb clears the concussion protocol quickly, this will be one of the most exciting teams to watch in the final four weeks.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (18)

The Los Angeles Chargers have entered that territory where it doesn’t make a ton of logical sense how this team keeps winning games, amid so many injuries, yet they have a 9-4 record. In short, you might call them the AFC’s 49ers. We could point out that the number of takeaways it required for Los Angeles to win in overtime on Monday Night Football is evidence of how flawed this team is because of its offensive line. This shouldn’t be repeatable. Yet, the Chargers keep winning games.

14. Philadelphia Eagles (11)

Just throw the record (8-5) and the fact that these are the reigning Super Bowl champions out. The Philadelphia Eagles haven’t looked like a top-12 team for nearly a month now and it took some outstanding defense and a bit of good fortune to beat the Packers and Lions before that. Philadelphia is now in a situation where it feels like A.J. Brown will need to be traded this offseason, Kevin Patullo must be fired and the front office will have to overhaul the receiving corps and find a lot more depth on the offensive line. It’s truly unfathomable how this good of a defense, albeit weak against the run, can be wasted.

15. Carolina Panthers (17)

Inconsistency is the big issue right now for the Carolina Panthers. The same team that beat the Packers and Rams also lost by 10 points to New Orleans on Nov. 9, and now gets a Week 15 rematch versus the Saints. The hope for Carolina is that Dave Canales and Bryce Young will have solutions to what the Saints defense threw at them a few weeks ago. If so, the Panthers have a legitimate shot at the NFC South crown.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (20)

Week 14 unfolded perfectly for the Pittsburgh Steelers. Cincinnati’s loss puts it in a hole that feels practically impossible to dig out of given its defense. So, that leaves the Steelers versus the Ravens for the AFC North crown. Sunday’s victory over Baltimore gives Pittsburgh a one-game lead in the division, and with how the Ravens have performed in the last two weeks, the Steelers might back themselves into a home playoff game.

17. Miami Dolphins (21)

The Miami Dolphins went into November with a 2-7 record and one of the league’s worst defenses. During this four-game win streak, Miami has outscored its opponents by 48 points. De’Von Achane, who exited early in Sunday’s victory with a rib injury, is the biggest reason for that success. Right behind him is a defense that has surrendered just 13.25 points per game in that span. Don’t be surprised if Miami goes into Pittsburgh this week and turns a 2-7 record into a .500 mark.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (15)

We’ll acknowledge that both the weather and the absence of Tristan Wirfs had a massive impact on the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense underperforming in Week 14. Even when accounting for those factors, this was an embarrassing performance from a team with expectations of winning the division. The Buccaneers just opened the door for the Panthers to take the NFC South, and if that happens, Tampa Bay won’t have a good enough record to make it in as a wild card team.

19. Kansas City Chiefs (16)

It’s over for the Kansas City Chiefs. Drops can partially be blamed for the Sunday Night Football loss at home in Houston. The bigger problems, unsurprisingly, are a Chiefs offensive line starting a backup and fourth-string offensive tackles for the rest of the season and a skill group that doesn’t have any explosive playmakers. The offense is stale, the defense can’t generate pressure without blitzing and the roster just isn’t good enough. Some changes are needed in Kansas City, but they are unlikely to happen.

20. Indianapolis Colts (14)

It’s over for the Indianapolis Colts. When Daniel Jones played well and was healthy, Shane Steichen had the quarterback who could make defenses pay for going all-out to stop Jonathan Taylor. Playing hurt (fibula) coming into Week 14, Jones and this Colts offense were already struggling. Now that he’s lost for the season with the Achilles, Indianapolis is about to experience a devastating free fall that will prevent it from even making the playoffs.

21. Cincinnati Bengals (22)

Consecutive interceptions, including a pick-six, were certainly part of the reason the Cincinnati Bengals lost in Week 14 and effectively took themselves out of the playoff hunt. However, the complete absence of a pass rush and the second-half collapse by this defense remain the club’s biggest problems. Joe Burrow is in the same situation he was last season, and given we have no faith in the Bengals’ ability to draft and develop talent on defense, why would there be any reason to believe things get better next season?

22. Baltimore Ravens (19)

There are moments when Lamar Jackson looks like 80 percent of the two-time MVP quarterback who can single-handedly carry the Baltimore Ravens to victories. They are just few and far between as he’s still greatly limited by multiple lower-body injuries. That version of Jackson isn’t good enough to overcome missed kicks, failed fourth-down attempts and drops that take touchdowns off the board for Baltimore.

23. Minnesota Vikings (26)

A much-needed win for the Minnesota Vikings and quite the confidence booster for J.J. McCarthy. We don’t think a ton of stock should be put in the quarterback’s performance, given the competition faced, but it is good to see that Minnesota can get its run game going to complement this stifling defense. Sitting at 5-8 entering Week 15, it will take a near-flawless game from McCarthy to beat Dallas on Sunday Night Football.

24. New Orleans Saints (27)

Devin Neal filled in admirably with Alvin Kamara still sidelined and the coaching combo of Kellen Moore and Brandon Staley is providing reason to believe in the New Orleans Saints’ future. This still isn’t a particularly strong roster, but the Saints now have road wins this season against both the Buccaneers and Panthers. Winning division games when you’re basically rebuilding, that says something about the young coaching staff in New Orleans.

25. Arizona Cardinals (23)

After taking the Jaguars and Buccaneers to overtime in the last two weeks, the Arizona Cardinals had the misfortune of facing an angry Rams team in Week 14. The results went about as you’d expect. This loss really won’t change anything regarding Jonathan Gannon’s chances of sticking around in 2026. Arizona has played competitively enough with quarterback Jacoby Brissett that the Cardinals’ coach will be back next year.

26. Atlanta Falcons (24)

It’s time for Raheem Morris to go. Sunday’s 28-point loss at home to the Seahawks locked the Atlanta Falcons into a losing record for the second consecutive season. Given the Buccaneers and Rams remain on the Falcons schedule, Atlanta is going to have double-digit losses this season. The organization went all-in on this core, and while there are plenty of issues, Morris needs to pay the price for the disastrous end result.

Related:Predicting NFL Coaches Fired After the Season

27. Washington Commanders (25)

Just a few quarters into his return, Jayden Daniels left the game with an injury. That was about the only thing that happened in an ugly loss in Minnesota, in which the Washington Commanders got shut out. We thought last week’s performance was a sign of a potential turnaround, but it sure seems like Dan Quinn’s team got up for that game and then had nothing left for Minnesota.

28. New York Giants (28)

When the New York Giants return from the bye in Week 15, the hope is that the organization will have convinced Jaxson Dart to protect himself more. However, that seems unlikely to happen. On the bright side, Theo Johnson is emerging as a true No. 1 tight end and Wan’Dale Robinson is demonstrating why he is an ideal No. 2 wide receiver long-term. So, at least the future is bright.

29. Cleveland Browns (29)

Ordinarily, we wouldn’t give any credence to NFL conspiracy theories. What can’t be denied, though, is that Shedeur Sanders has looked significantly better since taking over as the Cleveland Browns starting quarterback than Dillon Gabriel did earlier in the season. To that point, it’s inexplicable how Sanders could deliver that fourth-quarter comeback and put Cleveland in position for the game-tying, two-point conversion, only to be taken off the field for the try. We don’t believe Sanders should be Cleveland’s quarterback of the future, but it would be even more absurd for the organization to retain Stefanski.

Related:Cleveland Browns Coaching Candidates to Replace Kevin Stefanski

30. Las Vegas Raiders (31)

If you want to know the point the Las Vegas Raiders are at in Pete Carroll’s tenure, he delayed the inevitable defeat and settled for a field goal just so he could lose to the Broncos by a single score. Never mind the fact that Las Vegas was outgained by over 120 total yards and really dominated on the field; Carroll wanted the margin to look a little better. It really doesn’t matter; the Raiders are unlikely to win another game this season, and we’d assume that Carroll will be fired.

Related:Las Vegas Raiders Coaching Candidates to Replace Pete Carroll

31. Tennessee Titans (32)

Tony Pollard willed this team to a win. Not a sentence we expected to write about the Tennessee Titans given they came into Sunday with a 1-11 record. Tennessee’s defense still lacks any real long-term starters outside of Jeffery Simmons, Cedric Gray, and T’Vondre Sweat, but at least this offense is showing a little something. Another benefit for Tennessee? It still has a shot at the first pick in the 2026 NFL Draft, which would mean trading down and picking up some much-needed draft capital.

Related:NFL Coaching Candidates 2026

32. New York Jets (30)

We’d be perfectly happy if we never had to watch Brady Cook play quarterback in a regular-season NFL game again. It feels safe to say that the New York Jets feel the same way. Injuries to Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields forced the team’s hand on Sunday, the results were disastrous. Week 14 also demonstrated that talent remains, a lack thereof, is the biggest issue with this defense. We stand by the argument that this team isn’t ready for a rookie quarterback and the Jets should use their first-round picks building a surrounding core.

Read More:2026 NFL Mock Dr

Week 13

1. Seattle Seahawks (3)

The Seattle Seahawks reclaim the top spot in the NFL power rankings after shutting out the Vikings on Sunday. Sam Darnold wasn’t particularly effective against his former team, but he doesn’t need to be with a defense this good and a run game that’s starting to come alive. Now sitting at 8-3 on the year, the Seahawks head out on the road for a very winnable game in Atlanta that would lock them into a winning season for the second consecutive year under Mike Macdonald.

2. New England Patriots (2)

How good are the New England Patriots? The Bears, Lions and Packers beat the Giants by just 18 combined points. New England, playing without two of its offensive linemen, beat New York by 18 points on Monday Night Football. Heading into the bye with an 11-2 mark, New England has firmly established itself as not only the best team in the division but the clear team to beat in the AFC.

3. Los Angeles Rams (1)

In Sunday’s loss to the Panthers, Matthew Stafford threw a pick-six, lost a fumble in Carolina territory and had a deflected pass picked off in the end zone. That’s how you get the Los Angeles Rams losing 31-28 to Carolina on Sunday. Matthew Stafford will rebound, but Week 13 served as a reminder that the secondary for Los Angeles is still a bit of a problem. We fully expect the Rams to rebound next week versus the Cardinals.

4. Green Bay Packers (5)

The Green Bay Packers pulled off the coveted sweep of the Lions, improving to a perfect 3-0 record in the NFC North. Now, losing Devonte Wyatt to a season-ending injury is a blow for one of the league’s best defenses, but this Packers offense should be getting back Jayden Reed and Matthew Golden in Week 14. As of now, this looks like the team to beat in the NFC North, and that’s led by Jordan Love playing near an MVP-caliber level.

Related:Winners, Losers from Green Bay Packers vs Detroit Lions

5. Denver Broncos (4)

Bo Nix leads another comeback in a game that again raises significant questions about just where the Denver Broncos rank among the best NFL teams in 2025. Nix should’ve performed much better than this and the fact that Denver’s offense is now averaging just 76.7 rushing yards per game with a 3.2 yards-per-carry average in the last three weeks. The issues will work just fine next week to beat the Raiders, but performances like this do leave doubt about Denver’s future matchups against the Packers, Jaguars and Chiefs.

6. Chicago Bears (9)

Coming into Week 13, the Chicago Bears were viewed as a bit of a fluke because they had a negative point differential. Bullying the Eagles on Black Friday in Philadelphia should put an end to that narrative. The thing is, Caleb Williams isn’t even playing at a particularly high level right now. However, he doesn’t need to because Ben Johnson has orchestrated the league’s best rushing offense for nearly two months now and Chicago’s defense is turning around. The two Bears vs Packers matchups, including in Week 14, will almost certainly determine who wins the NFC North.

Related:Winners, Losers from Chicago Bears vs Philadelphia Eagles

7. Houston Texans (11)

Here come the Houston Texans. Going on the road Sunday, the return of C.J. Stroud and more excellence from this Texans defense proved to be just enough to take out Indianapolis. While the Texans (7-5) are still a game behind the Colts (7-4) in the AFC South race, Houston is riding a four-game win streak withtwo or threeof those victories coming against the Jaguars, Bills and Colts. Quite frankly, if Stroud would’ve been healthy in Week 9 against Denver, we’d probably be looking at an 8-4 record with a six-game win streak. If Houston’s offensive line can protect Stroud enough next week, the Texans can beat Patrick Mahomes.

8. Detroit Lions (6)

Already without Sam LaPorta, this Detroit Lions offense now won’t have Amon-Ra St. Brown for the next week-plus. It’s certainly part of the reason why this unit has taken a significant step backward, but Dan Campbell’s play-calling on fourth down (0-for-7 in the last two games) is only magnifying the problems. Unfortunately for Detroit, its offensive woes all come ahead of a matchup against the red-hot Cowboys. To make matters worse, the brief excitement for Frank Ragnow’s return was immediately squashed with a season-ending hamstring injury.

9. Buffalo Bills (12)

Sunday’s victory in Pittsburgh might not have erased the concerns many have for the Buffalo Bills’ passing game, but all that matters right now is the win. By moving to 8-4 on Sunday, the Bills keep themselves in a favorable position for a playoff spot ahead of a critical two-game stretch versus the Bengals and Patriots. For the time being, Buffalo gets to control its destiny.

10. Dallas Cowboys (15)

A league-average defense is all Dak Prescott, CeeDee Lamb, and George Pickens needed for the Dallas Cowboys to become a playoff threat. Since falling into a 21-point hole against Philadelphia, the Cowboys have outscored the Eagles and Chiefs 55-28. Given how injury-depleted Detroit is entering Week 14, we feel there’s real reason to believe the Cowboys will go into Ford Field next Thursday and make it four straight wins.

Related:Winners, Losers from Dallas Cowboys vs Kansas City Chiefs

11. Philadelphia Eagles (7)

The Lane Johnson injury has taken an obvious toll on this Philadelphia Eagles offense, but even the eventual return of the All-Pro right tackle won’t make up for Kevin Patullo remaining offensive coordinator. To make matters worse, Friday’s loss showed how ill-equipped Philadelphia is to play from behind or in poor weather conditions. A soft schedule in the final five weeks might be the only reason the Eagles hold off Dallas to retain the NFC East crown.

12. San Francisco 49ers (13)

Some good fortune on special teams made this game more of a blowout than it was really played, but all that matters to Kyle Shanahan and the San Francisco 49ers is improving to 9-4 on the season. It seems absurd that San Francisco could finish with a winning record and likely hit double-digit wins in a season with so many devastating injuries, but that’s the position this team has clawed its way to. There are reasons to be a bit suspicious of how San Francisco would fare versus top competition, but it should roll over the Titans in Week 14 to move to 10-4.

13. Jacksonville Jaguars (16)

The roller-coaster ride of a season continues for the Jacksonville Jaguars. From a 4-1 start to dropping to 5-4 in early November and now rolling into December atop the division with an 8-4 mark. Jacksonville’s defense is feasting as of late against bad competition, and Trevor Lawrence is playing well at a time when the rushing attack has slowed down a bit. Now, Jacksonville (8-4) is standing on the doorstep of a win next week at home versus Indianapolis that would put them a game up in the division.

14. Indianapolis Colts (8)

A month ago, the Indianapolis Colts stood atop the NFL world with a 7-1 record and a path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. They recovered from the loss against Pittsburgh to beat Atlanta and then had two weeks to prepare for Kansas City. As we feared coming out of their fourth-quarter collapse against the Chiefs, it felt like something broke in this team and Daniel Jones had fallen back to earth after a hot start to the year. That carried over into Sunday’s home loss to Houston. Given the upcoming Colts’ schedule – at Jaguars, at Seahawks, vs 49ers, vs Jaguars and at Texans – it wouldn’t shock us if Indianapolis finishes the season with 8 or 9 losses.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (17)

The Tampa Bay Buccaneers had a 14-point lead midway through the third quarter, seemingly in perfect position to coast to a much-needed victory at home. Instead, the offense fell flat on its face in the fourth quarter and might have only escaped with a victory (7-5) because of a turnover on downs by Arizona. Fittingly, the Buccaneers didn’t gain a yard on that drive but the field position set up a 57-yard field goal that proved to be the difference in a 20-17 win. Fortunately for the Bucs, they get to control their playoff destiny with two games in the final five weeks versus Carolina that will determine which NFC South team makes the playoffs.

16. Kansas City Chiefs (10)

It’s not just that the Kansas City Chiefs are a six-loss team; it’s that Patrick Mahomes and Co. are 1-3 in their last four games. Since crushing a lifeless Commanders team at the end of October, Kansas City has a -10 point differential, and there’s a distinct possibility of them dropping their home matchup against Houston next week. What’s particularly alarming is that Andy Reid seems to be coaching with no urgency in games, and it may cost the team again next week.

17. Carolina Panthers (20)

What a fitting win in Week 13 that embodies this season for the Carolina Panthers. A heavy underdog at home versus Los Angeles, the Panthers defense delivered three takeaways that changed everything. We also have to give credit to Bryce Young, who rebounded nicely after a disastrous performance in San Francisco. If Carolina could build upon this performance coming out of the bye, it would have a good shot at winning the NFC South.

18. Los Angeles Chargers (19)

Defeating the Raiders on Sunday moves the Los Angeles Chargers to 8-4, keeping them well within the playoff hunt entering December. The issue is that this Chargers offensive line has proven to be a massive liability and they are about to close out the season against the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans and Broncos. For as much as we might like Jim Harbaugh, Justin Herbert and Jesse Minter, that offensive line puts Los Angeles in real danger of finishing the season with an 8-9 record.

19. Baltimore Ravens (14)

Even if you remove the turnovers, what’s so concerning about the Baltimore Ravens at this point is how ineffective the offense is. Between Lamar Jackson playing through multiple lower-body injuries and one of the league’s worst offensive lines, the Ravens offense is now averaging just 312.7 total yards and 20 points per game with a 29.4 percent third-down conversion rate in the last three games. It’s hard to believe anything gets better anytime soon, and this club is in real danger of losing next week to Pittsburgh.

Related:Winners, Losers from Baltimore Ravens vs Cincinnati Bengals

20. Pittsburgh Steelers (18)

The Ravens’ loss on Thanksgiving created an opening for the Pittsburgh Steelers to regain control of the AFC North. Instead, the Steelers offense laid an egg at home versus Buffalo. Less than two months ago, Pittsburgh was riding high with a 4-1 record. Entering December, the Steelers are a .500 club and they still have to play Baltimore twice and the Detroit Lions.

21. Miami Dolphins (21)

Another win where the Miami Dolphins are carried by De’Von Achane. Everything looked great early, with the Dolphins jumping out to a 16-0 lead at home entering halftime. New Orleans would outscore Miami 17-3 from there, making it a 19-17 game. Thankfully for Miami, Minkah Fitzpatrick picked off the two-point try and returned it to the house to give the Dolphins two points and a 21-17 win. If the Dolphins can beat the Jets next week, turning a 1-6 record into a 6-7 mark, it might be safe to say that Mike McDaniel saved his job.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (23)

It’s great for the Cincinnati Bengals that Joe Burrow is back under center, and he’ll likely look better throwing deep as he settles back down and gets further removed from toe surgery. We’re also not going to question Burrow wanting to return, as he’s determined to compete for a playoff spot and to just be out there on the field with his teammates. However, Cincinnati would need to win out to make the playoffs, and we just don’t see any scenario where that happens.

23. Arizona Cardinals (25)

Still missing Trey Benson and with Marvin Harrison Jr. playing through a heel injury, Jacoby Brissett and the Arizona Cardinals rallied back on Sunday in Tampa Bay and at least had a shot at a game-winning drive. What these last few weeks with Brissett under center have shown is that Arizona has put together the supporting cast to elevate a young quarterback. Now it’s about finding that quarterback and, if the Cardinals find the right signal-caller, this could be a team that makes the big leap next season. Granted, we said the same coming into the year when we had hope for Kyler Murray.

24. Atlanta Falcons (22)

Different coach, different quarterback, same Atlanta Falcons team that blows a lead in the fourth quarter. Earlier in the season, we were hesitant to suggest that Raheem Morris was a part of the problem and a head-coaching change in Atlanta was necessary. Now, with a 4-8 record and this franchise taking a significant step back in his second year, that feels like the right call.

25. Washington Commanders (30)

The Washington Commanders may get Jayden Daniels back in Week 14 and they are coming off arguably their best performance of the season. Having a healthy Terry McLaurin makes quite the difference in this passing game and it stands to reason things could get even better when Daniels gets under center. With a matchup against the struggling Vikings, Washington will now have a shot at its first win since Oct. 5.

26. Minnesota Vikings (26)

Unsurprisingly, the UDFA quarterback Max Brosmer isn’t the guy either for the Minnesota Vikings. It’s a shame too because this defense continues to perform at a playoff-caliber level. It’s just all going to waste because the organization completely botched its handling of the quarterback situation this offseason. Until it’s fixed, this is by far the worst team in the NFC North.

27. New Orleans Saints (28)

The New Orleans Saints are going to face a fascinating decision in the 2026 NFL Draft. Tyler Shough looked solid in a second-half comeback on the road versus Miami, but it came up just short. The rookie quarterback has shown some nice flashes since being named the starter, but a 2-10 record likely means an opportunity to take the best quarterback prospect in the draft. We’d tend to lean toward using the pick on a defender and then taking a quarterback in 2027, but Mickey Loomis might feel inclined to give the fan base hope immediately.

8. New York Giants (24)

Jaxson Dart returned and showed little regard for preserving his long-term health, all the while, Abdul Carter was benched again for disciplinary reasons. It was that kind of night for the New York Giants. After consecutive strong performances, in losses, New York looked like a team that won’t win another game this season.

29. Cleveland Browns (27)

Given the weather conditions on Sunday, we can’t be too critical of Shedeur Sanders’ performance (16-of-25, 149 passing yards, 6.0 ypa and 1-0 TD-INT) as a whole. He protected the football in his second career start and made a nice throw to Harold Fannin Jr for a score. However, what we can’t excuse is Sanders’ decisions on the final drive when he threw the ball away on third down and then ran for 6 yards before sliding on 4th-and-26 instead of at least trying something deep. That felt like someone who was trying to protect his stats, which isn’t exactly what you want to see from a quarterback who still needs to prove himself.

Read More:NFL Coaching Candidates 2026

30. New York Jets (31)

It’s been a difficult season for the New York Jets and first-year head coach Aaron Glenn. You have to give credit to this club’s willingness to fight. New York fell down by a touchdown in the second half twice and then responded with game-tying scores. Then, the Jets defense made two big stops in the fourth to set up Nick Folk for the game-winner.

31. Las Vegas Raiders (30)

Either the Las Vegas Raiders roster has quit on Pete Carroll or he assembled such a bad offensive staff that there’s nothing redeeming about this unit. Whichever it is, Las Vegas needs to make a change. We say that with the understanding that the Raiders’ coaching vacancy, given all of the turnover, wouldn’t be particularly attractive. Unfortunately for the franchise, Carroll has left them with no other choice.

Related:Las Vegas Raiders Coaching Candidates to Replace Pete Carroll

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

The Tennessee Titans really are just an utter implosion by Arizona away from potentially going winless in a 17-game season. There have been some nice moments from Cam Ward, but each week Tennessee demonstrates why it is easily the worst team in the NFL and there isn’t a close second. All we’re hoping for in Week 14 is that Cam Ward avoids a major injury because Myles Garrett is going to sack him multiple times.

Week 12

1. Los Angeles Rams (1)

Even without Tyler Higbee, Quentin Lake, Rob Havenstein and Ahkello Witherspoon, Sunday Night Football demonstrated why the Los Angeles Rams are the best NFL team right now. They an offense led by NFL MVP front-runner Matthew Stafford that’s capable of winning in a shootout against anyone. Of course, high-scoring games are a rarity when you have one of the league’s top defenses. Now at 9-2, Los Angeles can expand its lead in the NFC in these enxt two weeks with wins over the Panthers and Cardinals.

2. New England Patriots (2)

The 26-20 victory over the Bengals onSundaycame at a painful cost for the New England Patriots. Standout rookie left tackle WillCampbellwas carted off the field with an injury, and left guard Jared Wilson also was ruled out with an injury. New England still came out of this with a victory, and its defense should be good enough to beat the Giants on Monday Night Football. If those are long-term absences on the left side, however, the losses are coming in December.

3. Seattle Seahawks (7)

The Seattle Seahawks can come out of Sunday’s win over the Titans seeing room for improvement (punt coverage) and be excited about what’s to come. Kenneth Walker looked explosive in Week 12, with Seattle finding explosive plays and consistent gains for the first time in weeks. Now at 8-3, the Seahawks get to throw this defense at J.J. McCarthy next week**,** plus a little revenge for Sam Darnold against his former team.

4. Denver Broncos (7)

Bo Nix ultimately determines if the Denver Broncos are a Super Bowl contender. Losing J.K. Dobbins is a huge blow for an offense that was already averaging just 78.8 rushing yards per game and a 3.4 yards-per-carry average in its last eight contests. With Pat Surtain returning, Denver absolutely boasts a championship-caliber defense. It’s just a question of consistency with Nix.

5. Green Bay Packers (10)

Winning that one without Josh Jacobs, Quay Walker, Jayden Reed, and Matthew Golden is pretty big for the Green Bay Packers. It had been weeks since the Packers looked like a dominant team, and Jordan Love wasn’t necessarily great on Sunday, but that was a dominant second-half by that defense at Lambeau Field. Jacobs, Walker and Golden could all be back for a critical Thanksgiving matchup versus Detroit.

6. Detroit Lions (8)

So it’s not just the Packers who got a tough fight from the Giants. If not for a phenomenal performance from Jahmyr Gibbs (264 scrimmage yards and 3 total touchdowns), the Detroit Lions might be looking at a 6-5 record. Then again, this is exactly why Brad Holmes drafted Gibbs, and he was rewarded with a game-winning performance from arguably the best running back in the NFL. Now, Detroit gets its shot at revenge against the Packers on Thanksgiving.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (3)

Leading 21-zip early at AT&T Stadium, it looked like the Philadelphia Eagles offense finally figured things out through the air, and would roll to a dominant victory over Dallas. Instead, just as they did against the Broncos, the Eagles imploded. The absence of Lane Johnson is still looming large, but it would also be fair to highlight that Howie Roseman missed out on finding an Adoree Jackson replacement at the NFL trade deadline. Philadelphia is still 8-3, but that collapse is fuel to the fire for the drama already surrounding this team.

8. Indianapolis Colts (4)

The Indianapolis Colts held a 20-9 lead at Arrowhead and possession of the football. That’s exactly the kind of position this team seemed tailor-made to thrive in. Instead, the vaunted defense gave up 223 total yards to Kansas City’s offense on its final four drives in the fourth quarter and overtime. The Colts are still 8-3, but it feels like that late-game collapse could deliver a mental blow that carries over into a Week 13 matchup against an outstanding Houston defense.

9. Chicago Bears (9)

The Chicago Bears just keep finding ways to win. Avoiding the matchup against Aaron Rodgers on Sunday, Chicago’s defense found it much easier to stop Mason Rudolph (1-1 TD-INT, 2 sacks taken, and 5.5 ypa), and that proved key on a day where the team turned it over twice, including a fumble recovered in the end zone for a touchdown. Very few people likely believe this is the best team in the NFC North, but it can’t be denied who is atop the division right now. In the next two weeks, against the Eagles and Packers, we’re about to find out just how good of a team Chicago has.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (14)

It’s difficult to determine where to put the Kansas City Chiefs in NFL power rankigns after Week 12. The fourth-quarter rally at home versus Indianapolis looked reminiscent of the team that thoroughly wholloped the Lions, Raiders and Commanders in October. However, the first half also felt reminiscent of the losses to Buffalo and Denver. What we know is that the Chiefs recognize their back is on the wall and they are great in that situation. If Kansas City can dominate Dallas on Thanksgiving, maybe this needs to be viewed as a top-five team again.

11. Houston Texans (15)

DeMeco Ryans has turned the Houston Texans around again. Houston had multiple problems following an 0-3 start, and a rough end to October still put them in a 3-5 hole. Thanks to the Texans’ defense and improvements in the run game, Houston has won three straight—and that’s without C.J. Stroud. With their franchise quarterback returning in Week 13, this Texans defense will have a chance to beat Daniel Jones and the Colts.

12. Buffalo Bills (5)

It’s possible the Buffalo Bills just have a Texans problem. However, there seem to be much bigger issues beyond that. Josh Allen has now been sacked 20 times in the last six games, with Buffalo posting a 6-6 record during that span. In that same span, opponents have averaged 151.7 rushing yards and 1.7 rushing touchdowns per game against Buffalo. When looking ahead to potential playoff matchups, the Bills’ weaknesses and their reliance on Allen don’t bode well for success.

13. San Francisco 49ers (16)

The San Francisco 49ers almost seemingly tried to give away a win on Monday Night Football, but the Panthers wouldn’t take it. Nothing from Monday’s performance instilled new confidence in the defense, but we do expect quarterback Brock Purdy will rebound with better performances. Now at 8-4 on the season, San Francisco has two very winnable games (at Browns and vs Titans) sandwiched around a bye. Kyle Shanahan and Christian McCaffrey carried this team to a 10-win season.

14. Baltimore Ravens (11)

Our level of concern with this Baltimore Ravens offense is starting to tick up a bit. In the Week 12 victory against the Jets, Baltimore went just 2-fir-11 on third down, with one of its two touchdown drives coming on a short field. Lamar Jackson is playing through multiple injuries, but the greater concern is the Ravens’ offensive line. Fortunately, the defense has turned things around, and we think the offense will get back on track on Thanksgiving night against the Bengals.

15. Dallas Cowboys (21)

What an incredible rally. That’s both in regards to overcoming a 21-0 hole midway through the second quarter and this Dallas Cowboys team turning a 2-3-1 record into a 5-5-1 mark. George Pickens is everything Jerry Jones hoped for and more. Just as imperative to Sunday’s win, this Cowboys defense is playing much better football since the bye. Maybe, just maybe, there’s a path to a Wild Card spot. Even if not, this second-half turnaround will provide momentum to carry over into 2026.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (20)

Brenton Strange returns, and the Jacksonville Jaguars offense overcomes 4 turnovers to still put up 371 total yards in a 27-24 OT road win. Yes, the young tight end is integral to this team’s success both as a receiving threat and with what he brings as a run blocker. From 4-1 to 5-4 and now 7-4, the Jaguars dug themselves out of the hole they created and can move to four games over .500 with a win over Tennessee next week.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (12)

Chris Godwin returns and Bucky Irving will be back in Week 13, but now the Tampa Bay Buccaneers could be without Baker Mayfield for the foreseeable future. It’s been that kind of month for this franchise. On Oct. 13, the Buccaneers sat atop the NFC with a 5-1 record and seemed to be overcoming a lot of injuries. It’s spiraled out of control since then into a 6-5 mark. Given Mayfield’s likely absence in Week 13, there’s a chance we could be looking at a .500 Buccaneers team entering December.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)

It feels safe to say that the Pittsburgh Steelers can kiss the AFC North crown goodbye. Everything looked fairly promising heading into the middle of October, with the Steelers holding a $4-1$ record and the Ravens sitting in the cellar of the division. Fast forward to Week 13, Baltimore now sits atop the division, and the Steelers still have to face the Bills, Ravens (twice), and Lions.

19. Los Angeles Chargers (17)

As the Los Angeles Chargers return from the Week 12 bye, it’s worth noting this team has a 2-4 record in games without Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater. The offensive line is abysmal, and after facing the Raiders in Week 13, the rest of the Chargers’ schedule features the Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans and Broncos. Barring MVP-caliber play from Justin Herbert, Los Angeles could go from 7-3 to 8-9.

20. Carolina Panthers (17)

Bryce Young had one good game and then reminded everyone on Monday Night Football of why he probably shouldn’t be the Carolina Panthers starting quarterback in 2026. The physical limitations he has just puts far too many constraints on this Panthers offense, all the more reason why it’s odd Dave Canales abandoned the run game so early on Monday. Carolina had a window to win the NFC South with the Buccaneers imploding, but it appears they don’t have the quarterback to take advantage of it.

21. Miami Dolphins (20)

Will the Miami Dolphins do enough to make the playoffs? No. However, this team is now 3-1 in its last four games and heading into a two-game stretch against the Saints and Jets. By the second week of December, Miami could be just a game below the .500 line and that momentum could carry over into matchups against the Steelers and Bengals. At the very least, this team hasn’t quit on Mike McDaniel and that should matter for the offseason evaluation.

22. Atlanta Falcons (24)

Hats off to Kirk Cousins for making just enough throws, including a deep shot we didn’t know he still had the arm strength for, to deliver the Atlanta Falcons a road win in New Orleans. This doesn’t change the fact that the franchise’s future is bleak without a first-round pick next year and seemingly without a quarterback, but all that matters (rightfully) for the fan base in the days tocomeis beating the Saints in New Orleans.

23. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

The Cincinnati Bengals are 3-8 with slim-to-none chances of making the playoffs. Yet, Joe Burrow will almost certainly be out there on Thanksgiving Day against the Ravens. Is it the right decision for the franchise’s long-term outlook and Burrow’s health? No. However, he’s the face of the franchise and his desire to keep competing with this team will make the decision. We just hope he stays healthy.

24. New York Giants (26)

The New York Giants broke out all the tricks on Sunday to try and beat the Lions, and it was nearly enough. In some ways, the last two weeks have almost felt like the best result as New York took top teams to the wire and still improved their positioning in the 2026 NFL Draft. Best of all, we’ll see Jaxson Dart back on the field in Week 13 on Monday Night Football.

25. Arizona Cardinals (23)

The absences of Trey Benson and Marvin Harrison Jr. loomed large on Sunday. It also didn’t help the Arizona Cardinals that Chad Ryland missed another field goal and this offense went 1-for-3 in the red zone. Most will focus on Arizona’s 3-8 record entering Week 13, but it’s worth highlighting that the Cardinals have six losses this season by a combined 16 points

26. Minnesota Vikings (22)

Following Sunday’s brutal loss at Lambeau Field, quarterback J.J. McCarthy now has a6.3 percent interception rateentering Week 13. He’s the only quarterback with an interception rate of 5 percent or higher. To make matters worse for Minnesota, left tackle Christian Darrisaw left the game with an injury. The Vikings built a strong roster around McCarthy and he’s already looking like a colossal draft bust.

Related:Minnesota Vikings QB Options to Replace JJ McCarthy in 2026

27. Cleveland Browns (29)

The Cleveland Browns pulled Shedeur Sanders to a victory in his first NFL start. He made a nice 52-yard strike to Isaiah Bond, but rookie Dylan Sampson did all the work on that 66-yard touchdown. Of course, the driving force behind this two-touchdown victory was a defense led by Myles Garrett that recorded 10 sacks for 77 yards lost. This was a matchup that was ripe for a Browns’ victory. Set to facethe49ers next Sunday, Cleveland will likely return to its typical feeling in experiencing defeat.

28. New Orleans Saints (26)

On paper, with the Falcons missing Michael Penix Jr. and Drake London, this seemed like a game the New Orleans Saints should’ve won. Instead, rookie quarterback Tyler Shough looked like someone who can’t be the long-term answer, and Alvin Kamara demonstrated why he probably needs to retire. On the bright side, Chris Olave and Juwan Johnson remain bright spots for New Orleans.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (28)

This is rock-bottom for the Las Vegas Raiders. In the offseason, bringing in Geno Smith and Pete Carroll with a top pick spent on Ashton Jeanty was all to make this a competitive football team. As the loss at home to the Browns showed, this organization is the same disaster it always has been. Carroll needs to be fired before the season ends, and Las Vegas will probably have to reach for a quarterback in the first round of the 2026 NFL Draft and throw him into a situation with an awful offensive line. Raider Nation deserves better, but the on-field product reflects on how the organization has been for years now.

30. Washington Commanders (30)

This is rock-bottom for the Washington Commanders. This six-game losing streak has made it evident just how much of a fluke last season’s success was. It should also be clear to the front office that Jayden Daniels has no business returning to the field this season, even if it means changes need to be made to the coaching staff. Returning from the bye, there’s probably only one possible win on the Commanders’ schedule.

31. New York Jets (31)

We’re still not totally convinced the best strategy for the New York Jets this offseason is to use their top pick on a quarterback. This isn’t a particularly strong class, especially if Oregon Ducks signal-caller Dante Moore returns for another year. Instead, the Jets front office can use all that draft capital to keep filling out this defense and build a better supporting cast for the quarterback of the future. We’re focused on the future because there’s nothing really to take away from Sunday’s loss in Baltimore.

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

Well, at least Cam Ward came out of the game healthy, and he had a Cam Newton moment. That’s about all there is to say with Tennessee Titans games at this point. Although it would be fair to highlight rookie wide receiver Chimere Dike as he’s now returned a punt for a touchdown in two of the last three games. You’re one week closer to the No. 1 pick, Tennessee fans.

Week 11

1. Los Angeles Rams (3)

A statement win for the Los Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford wasn’t particularly effective in this one, but he didn’t need to be. Kyren Williams (91 yards and 1 touchdown on 12 carries) was outstanding against a top-three run defense, carrying the Rams offense. Meanwhile, Los Angeles returned to its familiar game plan against Sam Darnold and turned it into 4 takeaways and a 25 percent red-zone conversion rate allowed. The Rams are 8-2 on the year and look like the best team in the NFL right now.

2. New England Patriots (2)

Some view the New England Patriots as a fluke, a team destined to lose when it steps onto center stage and faces a top opponent. The thing is, though, you can find blemishes on the résumés of the best teams in the AFC (Chiefs, Bills, and Colts) this season that are even worse than New England’s marks. What matters right now is that the Patriots are 9-2, and the rest of their schedule gives Drake Maye and company a path to home-field advantage and a first-round bye come playoff time.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (5)

Whether it’s by choice or necessity, this is clearly the style of play the Philadelphia Eagles need to win with. It might leave one of DeVonta Smith or A.J. Brown frustrated each week and the Sunday Night Football performance won’t squash the calls from the fan base for Kevin Patullo to be fired. As long as Jalen Hurts is protecting the football, though, this Eagles defense can carry the team to victories against top-flight competition on its own.

4. Indianapolis Colts (4)

In his last two games before the Week 11 bye, quarterback Daniel Jones had a76.5 QB ratingwith seven total turnovers. The Indianapolis Colts have to hope it’s not a sign of the former first-round pick regressing closer to the player we saw for the majority of his NFL career. What Shane Steichen can do is put this offense on Jonathan Taylor’s shoulders, with the OPOY candidate averaging 140 scrimmage yards per game with 17 total touchdowns. Just as important, this Colts defense will hopefully get Charvarius Ward back sometime soon to pair with Sauce Gardner.

5. Buffalo Bills (7)

Despite three turnovers and some horrendous defense, the Buffalo Bills still found a way to a much-needed victory. It felt like the Josh Allen we saw a season ago, making a few mistakes (2 interceptions) and then wowing with everything else in a six-touchdown performance. Buffalo won’t get much rest, facing the Texans defense on Thursday Night Football, but fortune might be on the team’s side with C.J. Stroud (concussion) out.

6. Seattle Seahawks (1)

The Seattle Seahawks will be kicking themselves in this one. Sam Darnold’s turnovers and the offese’s inability to turn red-zone trips into touchdowns proved costly. Even with all of that happening, the Seahawks defense played well enough for Jason Myers to attempt the game-winning field goal. It’s a painful loss, but the Seahawks are still 7-3 and they can take out their frustrations on the Titans in Week 12.

7. Denver Broncos (10)

The Denver Broncos just find a way to win. It’s rarely pretty, as evidenced by their last two wins against the Texans and Raiders, but they get to enjoy Victory Monday each time. In Week 11, Bo Nix took advantage of the great field position set up by Denver’s defense and twice put Wil Lutz in position to deliver. Just as he did for Sean Payton in New Orleans, Nix is doing the same today for the Broncos. The victory moves Denver to 9-2, taking a commanding lead in the AFC West.

8. Detroit Lions (5)

It’s safe to say that Dan Campbell taking over offensive play-calling for the Detroit Lions didn’t fix everything. The head coach also seemed unnecessarily overaggressive with his go-for-it mentality on fourth downs in the Sunday Night Football Loss to Philadelphia, sticking with it even when it was evident that Jared Goff was rattled by the pressure. Still, it’s only one loss and there are no major long-term concerns for Detroit. The club will make improvements and rebound from the loss against the Giants next week.

9. Chicago Bears (12)

Are the Chicago Bears one of the best NFL teams in 2025? Probably not. However, they went into Sunday night atop the NFC North thanks to a 7-3 record. Chicago has won 7 of its last 8 games, with Caleb Williams leading three consecutive game-winning drives. Just like that, the Bears have tied their season high for wins from the last five seasons. Regression feels inevitable given the Steelers, Eagles, Packers (twice), and Lions loom on the Bears’ schedule, but Chicago will finish this year with a winning record at a minimum.

10. Green Bay Packers (14)

Drops and injuries have become a recurring theme for the Green Bay Packers this season. Josh Jacobs (knee) exited early in Week 11 and didn’t return, a blow an offense that was already struggling couldn’t afford. Fortunately for Green Bay, it was facing the Giants. New York eventually gave the game away, only after the Packers tried to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. It’s hard to have a ton of confidence in this team right now, but the Vikings (Week 12 opponent) have been even worse and don’t seem to have a starting-caliber QB.

11. Baltimore Ravens (13)

The Baltimore Ravens survived a brutal showing from their offense, improving to 5-5. The path to a .500 record was ugly, but that seems fitting for a team that started the season with a 1-5 record. Baltimore’s defense is trending in the right direction and, since this offensive line doesn’t have to face Myles Garrett again, it should be alright. Up next, a chance for this passing game to get back on track against the Jets.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (11)

In a game where the Tampa Bay Buccaneers eclipsed the 200-yard rushing mark and their defense couldn’t get a stop, the decision was made to have Baker Mayfield throw it on 3rd-and-2. When he couldn’t convert, Raheem Morris opted to punt the football away, and the Bills answered with a touchdown drive that put the game away at 44-32. Injuries to the receiving corps are an obvious issue right now for Tampa Bay, but coaching feels like the bigger reason the Buccaneers have lost two straight and now sit at 6-4 after a 5-1 start.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (15)

Aaron Rodgers exited with a hand injury before halftime of a 10-6 game, forcing the Pittsburgh Steelers to put the ball in the hands of Mason Rudolph. Fortunately for Mike Tomlin, the Steelers’ defense (2 defensive touchdowns) and Kenneth Gainwell (105 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns) turned this into a blowout. They are the reason why the Steelers are 6-4, with the win providing desperately needed breathing room in the AFC North.

14. Kansas City Chiefs (8)

At some point, you just have to acknowledge the 5-5 record instead of the name. If the NFL Playoffs started today, the Chiefs wouldn’t be in it. To make matters worse, the .500 record comes before they have to take on the nine-win Indianapolis Colts. There’s also still a rematch versus Denver later this season and we wouldn’t rule out the Texans beating Kansas City in Week 14. There’s a very realistic chance we’ll be looking at a 10-7 Chiefs team that barely sneaks into the playoffs when the regular season ends.

15. Houston Texans (16)

The good news for the Houston Texans is that they are 2-0 with C.J. Stroud still in the concussion protocol. It was the usual suspects on Sunday, with receiver Nico Collins and the Texans’ shutdown defense carrying Davis Mills and Co. to another victory. The 5-5 mark is a decent position to be in, but it already appears that Stroud will be out again for the Thursday Night Football matchup versus Buffalo. Barring an all-time defensive masterpiece, Houston is likely headed for a loss.

16. San Francisco 49ers (17)

Brock Purdy is back and it feels so good for Kyle Shanahan. Everything was working for the San Francisco 49ers offense on Sunday, charting the course for a comfortable three-score victory over Arizona. Moving to 6-4 on the season, San Francisco now gets a very favorable four-week stretch that features the bye (Week 14) and matchups versus the Panthers, Browns and Titans.

17. Los Angeles Chargers (9)

The moment it was announced that Trevor Penning was starting at left tackle, it was over for the Los Angeles Chargers. It’s understandable that injuries forced the team’s hand, but Justin Herbert’s health was always going to be at risk behind this offensive line. Unfortunately, the Week 12 bye won’t change much.

18. Carolina Panthers (18)

Bryce Young delivered. A week after being the reason the Carolina Panthers lost, the third-year quarterback turned back the clock in Atlanta by performing like the Heisman Trophy winner who tore up SEC defenses. Even beyond Young’s 448 passing yards and 3 scores, it was the timing of his biggest drives that should be remembered from this game. Carolina now has six wins for the first time since2018.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (21)

The good version of the Jacksonville Jaguars suddenly returned in Week 11. Facing the worst offensive line in football certainly helped, but this pass rush had been non-existent at times coming into the game. Liam Coen also saw his rushing attack (192 rushing yards and 4 touchdowns) wake up after a month-long slumber. Jacksonville is a really weird 6-4 team, but this version of the Jaguars can beat the Cardinals and Titans on the road to close out November.

20. Miami Dolphins (24)

It was an ugly international win for the Miami Dolphins, but they got their style points last week at home against the Bills. No one will mistake a 4-7 Dolphins team for a playoff contender, but Mike McDaniel and De’Von Achane do have a 3-1 record over the last month. When Miami returns from its Week 12 bye, there’s a very real chance we’ll be looking at a 6-7 team a few weeks later, as long as they can handle their business against the Saints and Jets.

21. Dallas Cowboys (23)

The Dallas Cowboys delivered a season-best performance on Monday Night Football. The question is, how much of the success belongs to the Cowboys roster versus what percentage of it is an indictment on the Raiders as a whole. We’ll find that answer out immediately in Week 12 when Dak Prescott and arguably the best receiver tandem in the NFC takes on the red-hot Eagles at AT&T Stadium.

22. Minnesota Vikings (19)

The J.J. McCarthy problem. That’s what the Minnesota Vikings have. He’s now up to nine turnovers this season, and he hasn’t played nearly as much as the rest of the quarterbacks with equally alarming turnover rates. What feels even worse is that he’s wasting Justin Jefferson and Jordan Addison. Now at 4-6 on the season, McCarthy must head to Lambeau Field to face Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary.

23. Arizona Cardinals (22)

The Arizona Cardinals just never had it on Sunday, with a 98-yard kickoff return to the 1-yard line seemingly setting the tone for what the 49ers were going to do in Arizona. Now at 3-7 on the season, the focus shifts to discussion in who will be the Cardinals quarterback in 2026 and whether or not Jonathan Gannon is the right head coach for the franchise.

24. Atlanta Falcons (20)

The Atlanta Falcons have lost five in a row, with the last three defeats coming against winning teams and decided by a combined 10 points. It’s a reflection on head coach Raheem Morris at this point. Atlanta has now blown three consecutive fourth-quarter leads, and the coaching staff isn’t taking full advantage of all the talent on this roster. With Michael Penix Jr. now lost for the season and Drake London (knee sprain) potentially missing Week 12, the losses will keep coming for Atlanta.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

There’s no reason Joe Burrow should return this season. The Cincinnati Bengals are a three-loss team that can’t protect Joe Flacco, so there’s little faith this offensive line will do anything to keep Burrow safe coming off surgery. Besides, Cincinnati’s record further demonstrates why the organization is better off telling Burrow to shut it down and come back in 2026.

26. New Orleans Saints (26)

The New Orleans Saints used their bye week to remind Who Dat Nation that Mickey Loomis is practically like family to ownership, so he’s never leaving. That’s disappointing, given the top decision-maker in the Saints front office hasn’t built a viable playoff-caliber roster since 2020. There are elements of the roster and coaching staff to like, but ownership just reminded us that the person most responsible for this being one of the worst NFL teams is never leaving until he voluntarily retires.

27. New York Giants (28)

The New York Giants had a shot at winning against Green Bay in Week 11. Yet, it feels like the Packers kind of let that happen with dropped interceptions and receptions. Jameis Winston probably should’ve had three interceptions on Sunday, but he only threw the game-sealing pick in the end zone. Fortunately, Jaxson Dart (concussion) is nearing a return, and there’s a bit more confidence in the surrounding skill talent given how Wan’Dale Robinson and Tyrone Tracy Jr. have looked recently.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (24)

Is this the ‘winning culture’ that Pete Carroll and Tom Brady were supposed to be bringing? Because right now, the only thing it looks like is that Brock Bowers and Ashton Jeanty will join Maxx Crosby among the young careers that the Las Vegas Raiders have cast a black cloud over. The Chip Kelly hiring has proven to be a disaster and it seems pretty evident this team needs a new coaching staff and offensive line.

29. Cleveland Browns (30)

Well, there’s Shedeur Sanders. He looked like the same quarterback from college, one who holds onto the football far too long but can do a few nice things. Not exactly the repertoire you want from a quarterback behind the Browns offensive line, but it’s better than what we’ve seen in previous weeks. He is different than Dillon Gabriel, so the Browns might as well try him out for a little while.

30. Washington Commanders (29)

It’s reached that point for the Washington Commanders where the fan base views every game that passes as just one week closer to this season mercifully coming to an end. Similar to the Bengals’ situation, there’s zero point in bringing Jayden Daniels back in 2025. Washington’s roster needs a lot of work this offseason, and the injuries on both sides of the ball have only highlighted that.

31. New York Jets (31)

With each passing week, the New York Jets are that much closer to being put out of their misery. Thursday Night Football highlighted how much work must be done to overhaul this roster, fixing issues on both sides of the ball. New York’s plan, as of now, seems fairly simple: find a bridge quarterback for 2026 and use the offseason to fill some of the gaps on this roster. Take a step forward next season, then find a quarterback with those three first-round picks and ample cap space.

Related:New York Jets QB Options for 2026 Outside of the 2026 NFL Draft

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

There’s really nothing left to say about the worst team in the NFL. The Tennessee Titans have absolutely nothing on offense to help Cam Ward. Truly, the only hope is that the effects of playing on this Titans offense as a rookie don’t carryover into 2026 and beyond.

Week 10

1. Seattle Seahawks (5)

TheSeattle Seahawkshave arguably the best defense in the NFL and the best offense in the NFL. What other club would belong atop the NFL power rankings after Week 10? Seattle completely dominated Arizona on Sunday afternoon, turning it into a first-half blowout before starting to take its foot off the brake. Now at 7-2 on the season, we’re going to get a fantastic battle for the NFC West next Sunday in Los Angeles.

2. New England Patriots (4)

It took overtime to beat Atlanta, but this has been a season of chaos and theIndianapolis Coltsabsolutely have a resume worthy of a top spot in the NFL power rankings. Jonathan Taylor practically single-handedly carried the team to victory with over 200 yards and three touchdowns. The regression has arrived a bit for Daniel Jones, but he’s at least still making some nice throws and getting the football out to his playmakers. There’ll be a lot more pressure on his shoulders in the next two games versus Kansas City and Houston.

3. Los Angeles Rams (8)

The Los Angeles Rams would be 8-1 right now if not for their weird implosion in the TNF loss to San Francisco back on Oct. 2. Since then, they’ve dominated nearly every opponent put in front of them, with Matthew Stafford delivering MVP-caliber play and this Rams defense playing even better than it did during its best stretches last season. We still tend to believe that Seattle is much better defensively and is well-equipped to match up against the Rams, but Los Angeles could easily prove that wrong next week and take the top spot in the NFL power rankings.

4. Indianapolis Colts (3)

It took overtime to beat Atlanta, but this has been a season of chaos and theIndianapolis Coltsabsolutely have a résumé worthy of a top spot in the NFL power rankings. Jonathan Taylor practically single-handedly carried the team to victory with over 200 yards and three touchdowns. The regression has arrived a bit for Daniel Jones, but he’s at least still making some nice throws and getting the football out to his playmakers. There will be a lot more pressure on his shoulders in the next two games versus Kansas City and Houston.

The Philadelphia Eagles passing game certainly didn’t look fixed coming out of the bye on Monday Night Football. Fortunately, the Jaelan Phillips trade immediately paid off as this Eagles defense is starting to look like a top-five unit. We still have concerns about how Philadelphia will fair if a high-scoring game is necessary and that will be immediately put to the test on Sunday versus the Lions.

6. Detroit Lions (10)

There was never any doubt that Dan Campbell’sDetroit Lionswould respond to that tough home loss a week ago by beating the proverbial dead horse that is the Commanders. Detroit took full advantage of a non-existent Commanders pass rush and did whatever it wanted in the trenches, total domination on both sides of the ball. Great teams should beat up on inferior opponents, and that’s precisely what we saw from the Lions on Sunday. After this get-right game, Detroit now gets a shot on Sunday Night Football in Philadelphia to prove it is one of the five best teams in the NFL.

7. Buffalo Bills (1)

From a monumental win over the Chiefs to falling flat on their face in Miami: the 2025Buffalo Bills, ladies and gentlemen. Buffalo returned to fielding the league’s worst run defense, surrendering 197 yards and 2 touchdowns to Miami. Fittingly, no one in the Bills receiving corps could really get separation, and the typically stout offensive line allowed 7 QB hits and 3 sacks. It’s a loss the 6-3 Bills couldn’t afford heading into a stretch of matchups against the Buccaneers, Texans, Steelers, Bengals, and Patriots. At this point, a wild-card berth might be Buffalo’s path to the playoffs.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (9)

TheKansas City Chiefsare a fascinating team at this point in the season. On the one hand, they’ve lost four times already this year, including a defeat at the hands of the Jaguars along with several clubs with winning records. However, they also beat Detroit with relative ease, and this offense has looked a lot different since Rashee Rice returned. The litmus test comes in the next two weeks, with Kansas City’s offense tested on the road in Baltimore, and then the Chiefs’ defense will be put to the test by the Colts in Week 12.

Justin Herbert got hit a lot on Sunday Night Football, but the Los Angeles Chargers still pulled out a comfortable win thanks to a defensive clinic by Jesse Minter’s group. It also helps that even with Omarion Hampton out, Los Angeles can put the football in Kimani Vidal’s hands and run it effectively. Now at 7-3 on the year, the Chargers can dispatch Jacksonville in Week 11 before going into the bye with an 8-3 mark.

10. Denver Broncos (6)

It’s extraordinarily difficult to have any faith that theDenver Broncosare one of the best NFL teams right now. Defensively, this unit belongs on the field with Super Bowl contenders. Once the football is in Bo Nix’s hands, outside of a few miraculous fourth-quarter performances, confidence in this team evaporates. Nix isn’t improving in his second year; he’s regressing. There are no positive signs from him that he’s turning the corner, even in November. Since Sean Payton won’t fully commit to making this a run-first team, there’s added weight on Nix’s shoulders, and that’s a recipe for disaster.

111. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)

TheTampa Bay Buccaneersfought back from a 21-10 deficit early in the third quarter, pulling it to within five and giving Baker Mayfield a chance to complete the comeback. Missing Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers’ offense simply couldn’t take advantage, and then TreVeyon Henderson sank the dagger into Tampa Bay’s hearts with his second 50-plus-yard touchdown run. The Buccaneers are now 3-3 since the last week of September and heading toward a two-game road slate against two of the best NFL teams right now (Bills and Rams). With reinforcements not coming anytime soon, there’s a chance Tampa Bay goes from 5-1 to 6-5 entering the final week of November.

12. Chicago Bears (15)

Caleb Williams and theChicago Bearskeep finding ways to win. That’s certainly not something we could’ve said about this club during the Matt Eberflus era. There’s plenty of room for criticism of this Bears defense and the fact that Chicago needed New York to play conservatively and then lose Jaxson Dart to injury for the win to come together, but that 6-3 matters. The Bears offense keeps demonstrating the ability to rally in key moments and that will be needed in Week 11 on the road versus the Vikings.

13. Baltimore Ravens (18)

TheBaltimore Ravenswon a game because of their defense. That’s not something anyone expected a month ago when Baltimore statistically had the worst defense in football with a 1-5 record entering its bye. Since then, the Ravens are riding a three-game winning streak with a defense that has allowed just 13.6 points per game in that span. With two upcoming matchups against the Browns and Jets, it’s hard to see any reason why this version of Baltimore won’t be 6-5 when it faces the Bengals on Thanksgiving.

14. Green Bay Packers (12)

Matt LaFleur’s offense certainly seems entirely dependent on Tucker Kraft and the occasional bail-out big play on a downfield throw by Jordan Love. With Kraft lost for the season, LaFleur’s short-comings as a play-caller have become increasingly evident. Given all the draft capital and money invested into this Packers roster this season, there might now be reason to question if LaFleur is the right coach for the Packers.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)

The Pittsburgh Steelers had a 4-1 record with a massive lead over the reeling Ravens entering the third week of October. Baltimore now only trails Pittsburgh by one game in the AFC North. The Steelers gave up control of their destiny and with a slate of games in the next four weeks that includes the bears, Bills and Ravens, Pittsburgh could drop under .500 quickly.

16. Houston Texans (19)

A massive win for theHouston Texanswithout C.J. Stroud. Trailing by 19 points entering the fourth quarter, Houston stared a 3-6 record in the face with its playoff hopes dwindling by the second. A methodical 13-play touchdown drive brought life, and then the defense got a big stop. Once more, Davis Mills delivered a touchdown drive to make it a five-point game. The Texans’ defense delivered another three-and-out, and that set up the go-ahead touchdown drive, covering 93 yards on 14 plays in just under six minutes. The difference between 3-6 and 4-5 is massive, especially ahead of next week’s very winnable game in Tennessee with Stroud likely returning from a concussion.

17. San Francisco 49ers (13)

With the Rams not giving the game away this time around, theSan Francisco 49ersstood no real chance on Sunday. Injuries have once again taken a heavy toll on this 49ers roster, playing a significant role in the team going from 4-1 after facing Los Angeles the first time this season to now 6-4 after the Rams got their revenge. We’re not ruling out Arizona beating the 49ers next week, though; getting Brock Purdy back would help. The real problem, of course, is what’s left of San Francisco’s defense after so many season-ending injuries.

18. Carolina Panthers (16)

This is what happens when an opponent forces theCarolina Panthersto beat them with Bryce Young. New Orleans threw everything it had at stopping Rico Dowdle on Sunday, seeing what Young could do. The former first overall pick finished with 102 net passing yards on 25 attempts, taking two sacks and turning it over twice in a 10-point home loss. Carolina is a better team than it was last season, but it can’t take that real step forward until it finds a viable starting quarterback who can carry a lot more weight in the offense.

19. Minnesota Vikings (17)

TheMinnesota Vikingsoffense opened the game with a seven-play, 86-yard touchdown drive. They generated 370 total yards and 12 points on their next 12 drives. There really seems to be an issue with this unit when it comes to maintaining efficiency the further removed they get from the scripted opening series. Given Chicago’s tendency for fourth-quarter comebacks this season, we wouldn’t be surprised if Minnesota takes an early double-digit lead at home next Sunday and the Bears rally for a win.\

20. Atlanta Falcons (22)

There was no moral victory in the Week 11 defeat overseas, but theAtlanta Falconsdid take one of the best NFL teams to overtime. Atlanta’s run game and Drake London are as good as ever, and it’s nice to see Zac Robinson get Bijan Robinson a little more involved. Unfortunately, the defense has started to regress considerably in recent weeks, and that, paired with pedestrian quarterback play, creates a 3-6 record.

21.Jacksonville Jaguars(20)

TheJacksonville Jaguarsare the same as they’ve always been. Wins certainly aren’t entirely a quarterback stat, but the fact that Trevor Lawrence is now 1-3 when facing a Davis Mills-led team is a damaging indictment on one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Of course, it doesn’t help either that the once-explosive and effective Jaguars rushing attack has stalled. It’s hard to believe this team was 4-1 a month ago and coming off a win over the Chiefs. Five weeks later, Jacksonville has a 1-3 record in its last four games, and it would be without a win if Las Vegas didn’t gamble on the game-winning two-point conversion attempt in OT.

22. Arizona Cardinals (21)

At least theArizona Cardinalswere put out of their misery early on Sunday. The ugly loss in Seattle doesn’t change the fact that Jacoby Brissett is the right option to be the Cardinals’ starting quarterback in the weeks to come. Against a worse defense, like San Francisco’s in Week 11, we think this Cardinals offense will look a lot better and give the team a shot at a win.

23. Dallas Cowboys (23)

Jerry Jones made the big splash at the NFL trade deadline, but acquiring Quinnen Williams likely won’t be quite enough to salvage this defense in 2025 and pull out of a 3-5-1 record. That’s what makes the gamble next season fascinating. Williams will pair up with a healthy DeMarvion Overshown with edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku poised for improvement in his second season. We don’t view Dallas as a playoff contender moving forward this season, but this team just became a lot more intriguing for 2026.

24. Miami Dolphins (28)

Credit where it’s due, the Miami Dolphins looked like the better team at home on Sunday versus Buffalo. The standout, of course, is running back De’Von Achane (225 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns), who delivered the explosive runs that really seemed to bury the Bills in key moments. Miami is still four games below .500, but it does have two blowout wins over the Falcons and Bills in the last three weeks.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

The frustration from the likes of Ja’Marr Chase and Chase Brown with this Cincinnati Bengals defense is justified. For two years, one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses has had a losing record because the defense gives out points like they are candy at Halloween. It’s the end result of both bad drafting and, quite frankly, the insistence from Joe Burrow on paying Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki. Cincinnati doesn’t draft or develop talent well enough on the defensive side to spend so much money on offensive skill players. Given ownership and the front office aren’t changing, it’s hard to see where improvement comes from even next year.

26. New Orleans Saints (29)

You’ve got to hand it to first-year head coach Kellen Moore, who has helped both his quarterbacks (Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough) look fairly good this season as starters. TheNew Orleans Saintsalso have to feel great about the decision to keep Chris Olave past the NFL trade deadline, and he should be in line for a contract extension this offseason.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (26)

Losing on Thursday Night Football to Denver certainly isn’t surprising for theLas Vegas Raiders. What is underwhelming, though, is the continued ineffectiveness of Ashton Jeanty behind this offensive line and play-caller Chip Kelly generating just two touches for All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers. For comparison, Bowers had three fewer touches than Tyler Lockett. Now at 2-7, Las Vegas has to get ready to host a Cowboys offense that will be far better equipped to exploit this defense. Although, Bowers and Jeanty should do well versus the Cowboys defense on Monday Night Football.

28. New York Giants (27)

If ownership needs a further push to move on from Brian Daboll, look no further than what happened in the New York Giants game on Sunday. On 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line with a touchdown lead, Brian Daboll opted for a 19-yard field goal and then declined a Too Many Men on the Field penalty that would’ve made it 4th-and-goal from the half-yard line. Inexcusable for a two-win team.

29. Washington Commanders (24)

The next few weeks without Jayden Daniels should be an evaluation period of Dan Quinn for theWashington Commandersfront office. Quinn’s defense has been abysmal this season, and while injuries play a part in that, he also holds some responsibility for the injury Daniels suffered a week ago. If the Commanders perform in the next few games like they did against Detroit, perhaps Quinn shouldn’t be the head coach long-term.

30.Cleveland Browns(30)

Dillon Gabriel simply isn’t a starting-caliber quarterback. Even if you take out the 6 sacks, which put him at 167 net passing yards, he finished Sunday’s game averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. He’s now eclipsed 5.5 ypa just once since taking over. If Shedeur Sanders truly isn’t ready to start in the NFL in the mind of the coaching staff, that says everything about the organization’s decision to draft both quarterbacks.

31. New York Jets (31)

There’s selling at the NFL trade deadline, and then there’s what theNew York Jetsdid. Utterly blowing up the defense by moving Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner sets that unit back multiple seasons and pushes the rebuild timeline back a year. However, it was also the right move. All of the 2026 draft capital can be used to start filling out this roster, creating a better supporting cast for a quarterback from the 2027 NFL Draft to walk into. It’s early, but we do believe right now that the Jets front office is taking the right approach to rebuilding this roster. As for Sunday’s win, we probably won’t see back-to-back kickoff and punt return touchdowns for a long time.

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

TheTennessee Titanscouldn’t follow the Jets’ teardown model because the franchise wanted to keep key players Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat. The current Titans roster prominently features Simmons, Sweat, quarterback Cam Ward, and very limited additional talent. This situation makes it difficult to have strong confidence in the franchise’s long-term vision as of now. While there is potential to improve during the offseason, that period is still months away, and the team faces the prospect of more struggles on the field in the meantime.1. Seattle Seahawks (5)

TheSeattle Seahawkshave arguably the best defense in the NFL and the best offense in the NFL. What other club would belong atop the NFL power rankings after Week 10? Seattle completely dominated Arizona on Sunday afternoon, turning it into a first-half blowout before starting to take its foot off the brake. Now at 7-2 on the season, we’re going to get a fantastic battle for the NFC West next Sunday in Los Angeles.

2. New England Patriots (4)

It took overtime to beat Atlanta, but this has been a season of chaos and theIndianapolis Coltsabsolutely have a resume worthy of a top spot in the NFL power rankings. Jonathan Taylor practically single-handedly carried the team to victory with over 200 yards and three touchdowns. The regression has arrived a bit for Daniel Jones, but he’s at least still making some nice throws and getting the football out to his playmakers. There’ll be a lot more pressure on his shoulders in the next two games versus Kansas City and Houston.

3. Los Angeles Rams (8)

The Los Angeles Rams would be 8-1 right now if not for their weird implosion in the TNF loss to San Francisco back on Oct. 2. Since then, they’ve dominated nearly every opponent put in front of them, with Matthew Stafford delivering MVP-caliber play and this Rams defense playing even better than it did during its best stretches last season. We still tend to believe that Seattle is much better defensively and is well-equipped to match up against the Rams, but Los Angeles could easily prove that wrong next week and take the top spot in the NFL power rankings.

4. Indianapolis Colts (3)

It took overtime to beat Atlanta, but this has been a season of chaos and theIndianapolis Coltsabsolutely have a résumé worthy of a top spot in the NFL power rankings. Jonathan Taylor practically single-handedly carried the team to victory with over 200 yards and three touchdowns. The regression has arrived a bit for Daniel Jones, but he’s at least still making some nice throws and getting the football out to his playmakers. There will be a lot more pressure on his shoulders in the next two games versus Kansas City and Houston.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (7)

After losing to the Broncos and Giants in October, we wanted to see thePhiladelphia Eagleswork their way back up the NFL power rankings by returning to what made this team great in 2024. While it’s evident now the team isn’t returning to those heights, Philadelphia’s last two wins before the bye week showed different glimpses of what this offense can be. Now, drawing a Monday Night Football matchup versus a Packers defense that is weak at cornerback and thin on the interior, this Monday Night Football matchup can be the moment where this Eagles offense explodes both through the air and on the ground.

6. Detroit Lions (10)

There was never any doubt that Dan Campbell’sDetroit Lionswould respond to that tough home loss a week ago by beating the proverbial dead horse that is the Commanders. Detroit took full advantage of a non-existent Commanders pass rush and did whatever it wanted in the trenches, total domination on both sides of the ball. Great teams should beat up on inferior opponents, and that’s precisely what we saw from the Lions on Sunday. After this get-right game, Detroit now gets a shot on Sunday Night Football in Philadelphia to prove it is one of the five best teams in the NFL.

7. Buffalo Bills (1)

From a monumental win over the Chiefs to falling flat on their face in Miami: the 2025Buffalo Bills, ladies and gentlemen. Buffalo returned to fielding the league’s worst run defense, surrendering 197 yards and 2 touchdowns to Miami. Fittingly, no one in the Bills receiving corps could really get separation, and the typically stout offensive line allowed 7 QB hits and 3 sacks. It’s a loss the 6-3 Bills couldn’t afford heading into a stretch of matchups against the Buccaneers, Texans, Steelers, Bengals, and Patriots. At this point, a wild-card berth might be Buffalo’s path to the playoffs.

8. Kansas City Chiefs (9)

TheKansas City Chiefsare a fascinating team at this point in the season. On the one hand, they’ve lost four times already this year, including a defeat at the hands of the Jaguars along with several clubs with winning records. However, they also beat Detroit with relative ease, and this offense has looked a lot different since Rashee Rice returned. The litmus test comes in the next two weeks, with Kansas City’s offense tested on the road in Baltimore, and then the Chiefs’ defense will be put to the test by the Colts in Week 12.

9. Denver Broncos (6)

It’s extraordinarily difficult to have any faith that theDenver Broncosare one of the best NFL teams right now. Defensively, this unit belongs on the field with Super Bowl contenders. Once the football is in Bo Nix’s hands, outside of a few miraculous fourth-quarter performances, confidence in this team evaporates. Nix isn’t improving in his second year; he’s regressing. There are no positive signs from him that he’s turning the corner, even in November. Since Sean Payton won’t fully commit to making this a run-first team, there’s added weight on Nix’s shoulders, and that’s a recipe for disaster.

10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)

TheTampa Bay Buccaneersfought back from a 21-10 deficit early in the third quarter, pulling it to within five and giving Baker Mayfield a chance to complete the comeback. Missing Bucky Irving, Mike Evans, and Chris Godwin, the Buccaneers’ offense simply couldn’t take advantage, and then TreVeyon Henderson sank the dagger into Tampa Bay’s hearts with his second 50-plus-yard touchdown run. The Buccaneers are now 3-3 since the last week of September and heading toward a two-game road slate against two of the best NFL teams right now (Bills and Rams). With reinforcements not coming anytime soon, there’s a chance Tampa Bay goes from 5-1 to 6-5 entering the final week of November.

11. Green Bay Packers (12)

Tucker Kraft’s season-ending injury takes the stabilizing force out of the Green Bay Packers offense. The run game is inconsistent and the passing attack, outside of Kraft, is dependent on big plays downfield. With Kraft out of the equation and a defense that is both weak on the interior and at cornerback, it certainly feels like the Packers will get exposed versus the Eagles on Monday Night Football and the downward spiral may continue on from there.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (11)

ALos Angeles Chargersoffensive line without Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater makes this offense non-functional. It was evident in the three games where Alt was sidelined (high-ankle sprain) earlier this season and we fear that we’ll see the same thing on Sunday Night Football versus Pittsburgh. If anyone can find a way to salvage this offense, it would be Jim Harbaugh and Justin Herbert. For now, though, we don’t have confidence in Los Angeles salvaging this season given the injuries.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (14)

Can thePittsburgh Steelersstave off the Ravens? That’s the big question moving into the second half of the season, and this defense will likely dictate the answer. A Sunday Night Football matchup against the Chargers’ backup offensive line certainly works in Pittsburgh’s favor, and Aaron Rodgers can make a few good moves in a chess match versus Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter. If Pittsburgh loses this game and drops to 5-4, though, it’ll be time to view Baltimore as the team to beat in the AFC North.

14. Chicago Bears (15)

Caleb Williams and theChicago Bearskeep finding ways to win. That’s certainly not something we could’ve said about this club during the Matt Eberflus era. There’s plenty of room for criticism of this Bears defense and the fact that Chicago needed New York to play conservatively and then lose Jaxson Dart to injury for the win to come together, but that 6-3 matters. The Bears offense keeps demonstrating the ability to rally in key moments and that will be needed in Week 11 on the road versus the Vikings.

15. Baltimore Ravens (18)

TheBaltimore Ravenswon a game because of their defense. That’s not something anyone expected a month ago when Baltimore statistically had the worst defense in football with a 1-5 record entering its bye. Since then, the Ravens are riding a three-game winning streak with a defense that has allowed just 13.6 points per game in that span. With two upcoming matchups against the Browns and Jets, it’s hard to see any reason why this version of Baltimore won’t be 6-5 when it faces the Bengals on Thanksgiving.

16. Houston Texans (19)

A massive win for theHouston Texanswithout C.J. Stroud. Trailing by 19 points entering the fourth quarter, Houston stared a 3-6 record in the face with its playoff hopes dwindling by the second. A methodical 13-play touchdown drive brought life, and then the defense got a big stop. Once more, Davis Mills delivered a touchdown drive to make it a five-point game. The Texans’ defense delivered another three-and-out, and that set up the go-ahead touchdown drive, covering 93 yards on 14 plays in just under six minutes. The difference between 3-6 and 4-5 is massive, especially ahead of next week’s very winnable game in Tennessee with Stroud likely returning from a concussion.

17. San Francisco 49ers (13)

With the Rams not giving the game away this time around, theSan Francisco 49ersstood no real chance on Sunday. Injuries have once again taken a heavy toll on this 49ers roster, playing a significant role in the team going from 4-1 after facing Los Angeles the first time this season to now 6-4 after the Rams got their revenge. We’re not ruling out Arizona beating the 49ers next week, though; getting Brock Purdy back would help. The real problem, of course, is what’s left of San Francisco’s defense after so many season-ending injuries.

18. Carolina Panthers (16)

This is what happens when an opponent forces theCarolina Panthersto beat them with Bryce Young. New Orleans threw everything it had at stopping Rico Dowdle on Sunday, seeing what Young could do. The former first overall pick finished with 102 net passing yards on 25 attempts, taking two sacks and turning it over twice in a 10-point home loss. Carolina is a better team than it was last season, but it can’t take that real step forward until it finds a viable starting quarterback who can carry a lot more weight in the offense.

19. Minnesota Vikings (17)

TheMinnesota Vikingsoffense opened the game with a seven-play, 86-yard touchdown drive. They generated 370 total yards and 12 points on their next 12 drives. There really seems to be an issue with this unit when it comes to maintaining efficiency the further removed they get from the scripted opening series. Given Chicago’s tendency for fourth-quarter comebacks this season, we wouldn’t be surprised if Minnesota takes an early double-digit lead at home next Sunday and the Bears rally for a win.\

20. Atlanta Falcons (22)

There was no moral victory in the Week 11 defeat overseas, but theAtlanta Falconsdid take one of the best NFL teams to overtime. Atlanta’s run game and Drake London are as good as ever, and it’s nice to see Zac Robinson get Bijan Robinson a little more involved. Unfortunately, the defense has started to regress considerably in recent weeks, and that, paired with pedestrian quarterback play, creates a 3-6 record.

21.Jacksonville Jaguars(20)

TheJacksonville Jaguarsare the same as they’ve always been. Wins certainly aren’t entirely a quarterback stat, but the fact that Trevor Lawrence is now 1-3 when facing a Davis Mills-led team is a damaging indictment on one of the league’s highest-paid quarterbacks. Of course, it doesn’t help either that the once-explosive and effective Jaguars rushing attack has stalled. It’s hard to believe this team was 4-1 a month ago and coming off a win over the Chiefs. Five weeks later, Jacksonville has a 1-3 record in its last four games, and it would be without a win if Las Vegas didn’t gamble on the game-winning two-point conversion attempt in OT.

22. Arizona Cardinals (21)

At least theArizona Cardinalswere put out of their misery early on Sunday. The ugly loss in Seattle doesn’t change the fact that Jacoby Brissett is the right option to be the Cardinals’ starting quarterback in the weeks to come. Against a worse defense, like San Francisco’s in Week 11, we think this Cardinals offense will look a lot better and give the team a shot at a win.

23. Dallas Cowboys (23)

Jerry Jones made the big splash at the NFL trade deadline, but acquiring Quinnen Williams likely won’t be quite enough to salvage this defense in 2025 and pull out of a 3-5-1 record. That’s what makes the gamble next season fascinating. Williams will pair up with a healthy DeMarvion Overshown with edge rusher Donovan Ezeiruaku poised for improvement in his second season. We don’t view Dallas as a playoff contender moving forward this season, but this team just became a lot more intriguing for 2026.

24. Miami Dolphins (28)

Credit where it’s due, the Miami Dolphins looked like the better team at home on Sunday versus Buffalo. The standout, of course, is running back De’Von Achane (225 scrimmage yards and two touchdowns), who delivered the explosive runs that really seemed to bury the Bills in key moments. Miami is still four games below .500, but it does have two blowout wins over the Falcons and Bills in the last three weeks.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

The frustration from the likes of Ja’Marr Chase and Chase Brown with this Cincinnati Bengals defense is justified. For two years, one of the NFL’s highest-scoring offenses has had a losing record because the defense gives out points like they are candy at Halloween. It’s the end result of both bad drafting and, quite frankly, the insistence from Joe Burrow on paying Chase, Tee Higgins and Mike Gesicki. Cincinnati doesn’t draft or develop talent well enough on the defensive side to spend so much money on offensive skill players. Given ownership and the front office aren’t changing, it’s hard to see where improvement comes from even next year.

26. New Orleans Saints (29)

You’ve got to hand it to first-year head coach Kellen Moore, who has helped both his quarterbacks (Spencer Rattler and Tyler Shough) look fairly good this season as starters. TheNew Orleans Saintsalso have to feel great about the decision to keep Chris Olave past the NFL trade deadline, and he should be in line for a contract extension this offseason.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (26)

Losing on Thursday Night Football to Denver certainly isn’t surprising for theLas Vegas Raiders. What is underwhelming, though, is the continued ineffectiveness of Ashton Jeanty behind this offensive line and play-caller Chip Kelly generating just two touches for All-Pro tight end Brock Bowers. For comparison, Bowers had three fewer touches than Tyler Lockett. Now at 2-7, Las Vegas has to get ready to host a Cowboys offense that will be far better equipped to exploit this defense. Although, Bowers and Jeanty should do well versus the Cowboys defense on Monday Night Football.

28. New York Giants (27)

If ownership needs a further push to move on from Brian Daboll, look no further than what happened in the New York Giants game on Sunday. On 4th-and-goal from the 1-yard line with a touchdown lead, Brian Daboll opted for a 19-yard field goal and then declined a Too Many Men on the Field penalty that would’ve made it 4th-and-goal from the half-yard line. Inexcusable for a two-win team.

29. Washington Commanders (24)

The next few weeks without Jayden Daniels should be an evaluation period of Dan Quinn for theWashington Commandersfront office. Quinn’s defense has been abysmal this season, and while injuries play a part in that, he also holds some responsibility for the injury Daniels suffered a week ago. If the Commanders perform in the next few games like they did against Detroit, perhaps Quinn shouldn’t be the head coach long-term.

30.Cleveland Browns(30)

Dillon Gabriel simply isn’t a starting-caliber quarterback. Even if you take out the 6 sacks, which put him at 167 net passing yards, he finished Sunday’s game averaging 5.2 yards per attempt. He’s now eclipsed 5.5 ypa just once since taking over. If Shedeur Sanders truly isn’t ready to start in the NFL in the mind of the coaching staff, that says everything about the organization’s decision to draft both quarterbacks.

31. New York Jets (31)

There’s selling at the NFL trade deadline, and then there’s what theNew York Jetsdid. Utterly blowing up the defense by moving Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner sets that unit back multiple seasons and pushes the rebuild timeline back a year. However, it was also the right move. All of the 2026 draft capital can be used to start filling out this roster, creating a better supporting cast for a quarterback from the 2027 NFL Draft to walk into. It’s early, but we do believe right now that the Jets front office is taking the right approach to rebuilding this roster. As for Sunday’s win, we probably won’t see back-to-back kickoff and punt return touchdowns for a long time.

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

TheTennessee Titanscouldn’t follow the Jets’ teardown model because the franchise wanted to keep key players Jeffery Simmons and T’Vondre Sweat. The current Titans roster prominently features Simmons, Sweat, quarterback Cam Ward, and very limited additional talent. This situation makes it difficult to have strong confidence in the franchise’s long-term vision as of now. While there is potential to improve during the offseason, that period is still months away, and the team faces the prospect of more struggles on the field in the meantime.

Week 9

1. Buffalo Bills (7)

Just an excellent performance by theBuffalo Billson Sunday. James Cook continues to perform like an All-Pro this season, and Josh Allen was nearly perfect through the air. But what really stood out today was how well this defense performed against an offense that looked unstoppable coming into Week 9. We know Buffalo’s history versus Kansas City in the regular season versus playoffs; that doesn’t matter right now. What does matter is that the Bills looked like the best team in the NFL for the first time since September.

Related:NFL Award Predictions after Two Months

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6)

Health is everything for theTampa Bay Buccaneersas they return from the Week 9 bye. Baker Mayfield needs Bucky Irving and Chris Godwin back, especially given what lies ahead on this Buccaneers’ schedule. These matchups against the Patriots, Bills, and Rams will put the Buccaneers’ defense and offensive line to the test. A 1-2 record during this three-game stretch is well within reason, which could make that 6-2 record amid all the previous injuries even more crucial.

Related:NFL Trade Deadline Predictions including a Buccaneers’ Deal

3. Indianapolis Colts (1)

Halloween is over, but the nightmare version of Daniel Jones came out in Week 9 against the Steelers. TheIndianapolis Coltslost their second game of the season because of it. Indianapolis performed really well defensively and it was still a one-score game even with Jonathan Taylor (45 rushing yards) shut down. It was just those four turnovers by Jones, turned into 24 points for the Steelers, that proved so costly. Four turnovers is fluky, but Jones turning back into pumpkin again could prove costly in the coming weeks versus Atlanta, Kansas City, and Houston.

4. New England Patriots (11)

Week 9 was chaotic, and theNew England Patriotswere one of the few teams to survive it. Drake Maye was sacked six times on Sunday and has now taken 12 sacks over the last two games, but three first-half touchdowns were enough in Foxborough to beat the Falcons. New England should come out of this one feeling like if it can clean up the mistakes—two takeaways turned into 10 points—it can challenge for the No. 2 seed in the AFC.

5. Seattle Seahawks (6)

This is who the Seattle Seahawks are now. They certainly won’t win blowouts every week, but this is a team with an elite defense and an offense capable of putting up 28-plus points on any given week. Sam Darnold is thriving behind a much-improved offensive line, Seattle’s run game is getting better and Torry Horton could be emerging as a No. 2 receiver. This is the team to beat in the NFC West.

Read More:NFL Trades We’d Like to See, including the Seahawks

6. Denver Broncos (8)

Bo Nix and theDenver Broncosjust find ways to win. Missing reigning DPOY Pat Surtain, Denver again found itself facing a fourth-quarter deficit. Of course, Mr. Fourth Quarter delivered again. Maybe that game shouldn’t have been as close as it was, given CJ Stroud left early with a concussion, but the Broncos salvaged a victory on Sunday, and that’s never a given in the NFL as teams like the Colts and Packers demonstrated.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (9)

We’re a tad bit lower on thePhiladelphia Eaglesthan the consensus NFL power rankings entering Week 10, but that can change in a hurry. The bye week came at a good time, allowing A.J. Brown and the Eagles’ offensive line to get healthy. If Philadelphia’s front five can hold up, Brown and Saquon Barkley could be critical to humbling the Packers on Monday Night Football in Week 10.

8. Los Angeles Rams (10)

TheLos Angeles Ramswon convincingly on Sunday over New Orleans, but there has to be a bit of concern following the Puka Nacua injury. If it is not serious, it is time to talk about Matthew Stafford as a top-two candidate for NFL MVP. Los Angeles is rolling right now, and Sean McVay’s club now has a shot at revenge in San Francisco versus Kyle Shanahan.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (2)

Both the Kansas City Chiefs offensive line and defense came crashing back down to earth on Sunday. Patrick Mahomes was under duress far too much, and Kansas City’s defense was picked apart by Josh Allen, all the while James Cook seemingly turned every carry into a chunk of yards. The Chiefs still looked like one of the best NFL teams, but they also have four losses on the season and still have looming matchups against the Colts and Broncos (twice). All of that is to say Kansas City will be playing at least one road game in the playoffs.

Related:Kansas City Chiefs ‘Drilling Down’ on Position Target Before NFL Trade Deadline

10. Detroit Lions (4)

Sunday was a particularly painful loss for theDetroit Lions, given what happened at Lambeau Field on Sunday. Detroit’s offensive line was certainly an issue versus Minnesota, and it could get even worse given the injuries suffered on the interior. However, it was really the special-teams woes that ultimately swung this 27-24 game in the Vikings’ favor. Given how well-coached Detroit is, we expect the team to recover immediately next week against the reeling Commanders.

11. Los Angeles Chargers (12)

We’ll start with the good for theLos Angeles Chargers. In a game where they gave up a pick-six and a punt return touchdown, they still won on the road after making a cross-country trip to Tennessee for an early game. Unfortunately, left tackle Joe Alt was carted off the fieldwith an ankle injuryin Week 9 and didn’t return. The Chargers’ offensive line without Alt is abysmal, and that could prove very poor timing with matchups against the Steelers and Jaguars looming before the Week 12 bye.

12. Green Bay Packers (3)

Everything that could go wrong for theGreen Bay Packersin Week 10 did. Brandon McManus missed a field goal, Savion Williams fumbled in the red zone, Tucker Kraft suffered a significant knee injury, and Jordan Love’s questionable decision-making with the football returned. Oh, Green Bay also repeatedly shot itself in the foot with penalties and red-zone ineffectiveness (1-for-5). The Packers just seem to have a penchant for playing at their opponent’s level, so we’ll just have to see what’s in store for a Monday Night Football matchup versus the Eagles.

13. San Francisco 49ers (13)

Feed Christian McCaffrey—that was what theSan Francisco 49ersneeded to do on Sunday to win at MetLife Stadium. Mission accomplished. CMC turned 33 touches into 173 scrimmage yards and 2 touchdowns, carrying San Francisco to a 10-point victory over the Giants. The 49ers don’t necessarily look like an impressive six-win team, but being three games above .500 is quite remarkable given all the injuries.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (17)

Where has this version of thePittsburgh Steelersdefense been? Against a historically great offense, Pittsburgh generated six takeaways and turned them into 24 points. Aaron Rodgers and Co. didn’t play particularly well in this one, but it didn’t matter because Pittsburgh put on a defensive clinic. What we’ve seen from this unit over the first two months of the season suggests regression will happen, but that was a monumental win for the Steelers (5-3) ahead of another tough matchup against the Chargers.

15. Chicago Bears (15)

Snatching defeat from the jaws of victory and then reaching in at the last second to snag the win, that is what theChicago Bearsdid in Week 9. Chicago led Cincinnati 41-27 with 2:24 left, and Caleb Williams next took the field trailing 42-21 with 54 seconds left. Thankfully for him, rookie tight end Colston Loveland delivered the game-winning touchdown that could be his breakout moment in the NFL. It was too close for comfort, and the Bears’ defense is a mess, but Chicago comes out of it with a 5-3 record and a chance at its sixth win if it can handle its business at home in Week 10 versus the Giants.

16. Carolina Panthers (21)

Look at what happens when Dave Canales makes Rico Dowdle the centerpiece of theCarolina Panthersoffense. We also have to acknowledge the fine work done by this Panthers defense on Sunday at Lambeau Field, recording two critical takeaways and holding Green Bay to 1-for-5 in the red zone. This is a great recovery after the Buffalo game, and Carolina now has a shot at its sixth win of the season in early November. Who saw that coming after the 1-3 start?

17. Minnesota Vikings (24)

For theMinnesota Vikingsplayoff hopes to remain alive, they desperately needed a big win against a top-flight opponent. All three sides of the ball proved instrumental in Sunday’s stunning win in Detroit. J.J. McCarthy was outstanding in the first half, Aaron Jones had a big game, big plays on special teams generated points, and Brian Flores’ defense got back on track. While a 4-4 record still leaves something to be desired, the arrow is pointing up on the Vikings as they head into a Week 10 fight at home versus Baltimore.

18. Baltimore Ravens (20)

Here come theBaltimore Ravens. Lamar Jackson returns and this offense, for the most part, fires on all cylinders and the defense is playing relatively well with Roquan Smith back on the field. Health coming out of the bye week has helped deliver two consecutive wins for Baltimore, all at a time when the Steelers are struggling. If the Ravens can go into Minnesota and win in Week 10, this might be the new favorite in the AFC North moving forward.

19. Houston Texans (13)

The C.J. Stroud concussion wiped out whatever chance the Houston Texans had of taking out Denver in Week 9. Houston’s defense held on for as long as it could, but that unit was bound to break eventually since the Texans’ offense had five three-and-outs after taking a 15-7 lead. If Stroud doesn’t clear the concussion protocol this week, Houston will be staring down a 3-6 record.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (16)

That version of the Jacksonville Jaguars that started the season 4-1 with victories over the 49ers and Chiefs is long gone. There are plenty of reasons for the regression, including this defense’s historic takeaway rate plummeting back to normal. However, the holes on this offense have also become evident, and Trevor Lawrence is demonstrating that he’s simply never going to recapture the form we saw a few seasons ago. Going to OT against the Raiders is unacceptable; Jacksonville looks like a mediocre football team.

21. Arizona Cardinals (23)

Marvin Harrison Jr. is establishing himself as a true No.1 wide receiver and the Arizona Cardinals held onto a fourth-quarter lead. Those are the two biggest developments for Arizona coming out of Monday Night Football. Now, Kyler Murray is poised to return to the starting lineup and the Cardinals offense has looked worse with him under center. Maybe, though, Arizona just figured out its passing game and Murray can keep this going. We’re not optimistic, especially since its a matchup against the Seahawks defense.

22. Atlanta Falcons (22)

Keeping it close on the road against the Patriots is nice, but the end result is still a 3-5 record for theAtlanta Falcons. The team’s outlook seemed promising after beating Buffalo on Monday Night Football, but the Falcons are now riding a three-game losing streak and set to face an Indianapolis team that will be looking to rebound after a stunning Week 9 loss. It suddenly feels like this could be a 10-loss team by the time the season ends, given there are still matchups versus the Seahawks, Buccaneers, and Rams, too.

23. Dallas Cowboys (18)

Fumbles likely cost the Dallas Cowboys two scoring drives on Monday night, but it wouldn’t have mattered because this defense would’ve just given up the game-winning points. Trading for Logan Wilson and whoever else Jerry Jones thinks will help won’t move the needle, not even close. This team is everything the Bengals were in 2024.

24. Washington Commanders (19)

There will be discourse about whether or not Jayden Daniels should’ve been playing in that moment, but that shouldn’t be the real discussion. TheWashington Commandersroster is bad, injuries play a part of that, but years of poor drafting are the biggest reason why. This is also the oldest roster in the NFL. It might be in the Commanders’ best long-term interest to be a seller at the NFL trade deadline and start prioritizing the 2026 NFL Draft.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

TheCincinnati Bengalswon’t trade Trey Hendrickson because that is how this defense looks when he isn’t on the field. That is a bigger indictment on the ‘talent’ assembled by the Bengals front office, but the end result is that this team is a worse version of what fans saw last year. If the losses keep piling up, it is fair to wonder if the Bengals eventually consider just shutting Joe Burrow down for the season because he does not need to return to this.

26. Las Vegas Raiders (29)

Brock Bowers returns and Geno Smith delivers a season-best performance, looking like an above-average starting quarterback. How about that. Las Vegas clearly doesn’t have the offensive line nor the defense to beat the Broncos or Cowboys in the next two weeks, but at least a Bowers-led Raiders offense looks capable of winning two more gmaes this season.

27. New York Giants (27)

This is the new normal for theNew York Giantsoffense. Even against an injury-decimated 49ers defnese that struggles mightily to rush the passer, New York finished under 300 total yards on Sunday and much of the damage came after San Francisco had a 17-point lead in the fourth quarter. The hope is just gone with this team and the only desire now should be for Jaxson Dart to stay healthy and steadily make improvements.

28. Miami Dolphins (26)

The true victory for theMiami Dolphinsin Week 9 is the firing of general manager Chris Grier. He is responsible for constructing one of the league’s worst rosters, and that is the biggest reason why this team has fallen off so drastically in the last two years. A head-coaching change and new quarterback still feel necessary, but the biggest step has finally been taken.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel

29. New Orleans Saints (26)

While we understand that theNew Orleans Saintswant to use the rest of the season to evaluate Tyler Shough, it would still be in the team’s best interest to be a fairly aggressive seller atthe NFL trade deadline. Move on from Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks, Alontae Taylor and Carl Granderson. This roster needs to be reloaded and trading away contributors now will give the front office a better shot at rebuilding the roster.

30. Cleveland Browns (30)

We can see the rationale in theCleveland Brownsnot trading Myles Garrett, given he chose to stay with the franchise this offseason for the money. What we don’t understand is the franchise’s commitment to Dillon Gabriel, who hasn’t looked like an NFL-caliber starting quarterback since taking the field. If Shedeur Sanders isn’t any closer to making his first NFL start after Week 9, that is a further indictment of the Browns’ entire organization.

Related:Worst NFL Starters after First Half of Season

31. New York Jets (31)

Can that first victory of the season serve as some sort of springboard for Aaron Glenn’sNew York Jets? They’ve shown some fight this season versus Denver and Tampa Bay, losing by4 total points, but that elusive first win is now in the books. Selling at the NFL trade deadline is still the right call for the Jets, but there’s reason to hold out hope for 3-4 more wins over the rest of the season.

32. Tennessee Titans (32)

TheTennessee Titanswon’t win many games if they continue to lose control like they did in their recent matchup. Despite grabbing an unlikely victory against the Cardinals on a last-minute field goal, the broader trend is concerning. As of now, they sit at a 1-7 record, with the season still far from over. That catch-up effort against Arizona was a bright spot, but the overall performance this season suggests a team that is still mired in rebuild mode and struggling with consistency, talent, and injuries.

Week 8

1. Indianapolis Colts (1)

TheIndianapolis Coltshave the best record in the NFL right now, which warrants the top spot in the power rankings entering Week 9. Indianapolis’ résumé—with signature wins over the Chargers and Broncos—paired with the preseason skepticism surrounding this team, explains why some remain cautious about buying in. What Shane Steichen and company keep demonstrating, however, is that they can dominate weaker competition and rise to the level of tougher opponents. Sunday’s win was the latest example of that. Given the Colts’ strengths, they should go into Pittsburgh next week and beat Aaron Rodgers.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (2)

TheKansas City Chiefs‘ dominance continues. If they hadn’t taken their foot off the break on Monday Night Football, it would’ve been three consecutive games with 30-plus points scored. Still, Kansas City has to feel great about the 21-0 second half. This is still a three-loss team, including that painful MNF loss to Jacksonville in Week 5. As long as Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice keep doing this, though, Kansas City can win every single game remaining on its schedule and be the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl.

3. Green Bay Packers (6)

Jordan Love has made that ascension into the next tier of top quarterbacks, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for theGreen Bay Packers. The play-calling and offensive line aren’t where they need to be right now, which is playing some part in this unit’s penchant for three-and-outs mixed between explosive plays. Fortunately for Matt LaFleur, he has time to figure those issues out because Love and this Packers defense are playing at a top level.

4. Detroit Lions (2)

Coming out of the Week 8 bye, theDetroit Lionsare starting to get healthier defensively. The time off also provides offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard an opportunity to make adjustments, learning from their first seven games as play-callers to better position their units moving forward. At 5-2, fielding one of the best rosters in the NFL, Detroit can quickly demonstrate in the second half of the season that it’s the team to beat in the NFC.

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)

Survival. That’s all Week 8 needed to be about for theTampa Bay Buccaneers. The offense has been devastated by injuries and desperately needs some time off. So, while Baker Mayfield’s MVP campaign is taking some big hits, the Buccaneers’ defense is rising to the occasion. Excellent defense is what the Buccaneers didn’t have last season. If they can return from the Week 9 bye with the offensive line in better shape and both Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving returning to the field, that 6-2 record will feel even better.

6. Seattle Seahawks (5)

TheSeattle Seahawkshave a Super Bowl-caliber defense, especially once Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love return to the secondary. One unit that’s really flying under the radar, though, is Seattle’s offensive line. Heading into the Week 8 bye, the Seahawks ranked 21st inESPN pass-block win rate(58 percent) and 12th in run-block win rate (72 percent). Last year, they were in the bottom 10. That’s been one of the biggest keys to Sam Darnold playing so well this season. Now, as Seattle heads into a Week 9 matchup versus Washington, the next objective is finding a way to run the football more effectively (26th in Rush Success Rate), which should help improve an offense that entered the bye with the fifth-lowest third-down conversion rate in the NFL.

7. Buffalo Bills (7)

That’s something much closer to the version of theBuffalo Billsthat Bills Mafia expected this season. James Cook shouldered the load for this offense early, proving instrumental in Buffalo taking a 26-3 lead. That forced Carolina to go away from the one thing it can do well, run the football, and that was all she wrote in this one-sided blowout. It’s the kind of confidence builder Buffalo needs before facing the Chiefs, especially given how dominant Kansas City has looked lately.

8. Denver Broncos (9)

After throwing a pick on the opening drive, Bo Nix and thisDenver Broncosoffense locked in, and the rest is history. Considering how dominant the Cowboys’ offense had been until now, Sunday’s win over the Cowboys felt like the most well-rounded performance by the Broncos all season. If Nix and Denver’s ground game can maintain anything close to the effectiveness we’ve seen in the last five quarters, this could become the second-best team in the AFC. That said, we’re at least a month away from buying into Nix at that level.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (10)

That’s a good note for thePhiladelphia Eaglesto enter the bye week on. Saquon Barkley (174 scrimmage yards) got going again, and Jalen Hurts had nearly as many touchdowns (four) as incompletions. Nick Sirianni has to feel particularly good about how the run game looked. Carryover will be necessary after the bye, given the upcoming stretch includes matchups at Green Bay, versus Detroit, and at Dallas.

10. Los Angeles Rams (8)

Special-teams woes and some mistakes are the reason why theLos Angeles Ramsentered their bye with a 5-2 record instead of an undefeated mark. Still, Sean McVay and Les Snead have to feel great about this team sitting near the top of the NFC West given the injuries suffered by Puka Nacua, Rob Havenstein and Ahkello Witherspoon. Los Angeles is one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL right now, boasting a top-10 defense and offense. We’ll find out quickly just where the Rams rank among the top NFC teams, as they face the 49ers, Seahawks and Buccaneers in November.

11. New England Patriots (11)

Drake Maye had one thing left to prove nationally entering Week 9: could he maintain that All-Pro-level play against a top-shelf defense? He proved he could do just that on Sunday. Equally meaningful for theNew England Patriots, TreVeyon Henderson’s breakout game has arrived. This five-game win streak has provided a litany of reasons why New England looks like a very good team right now — and one that’s legitimately capable of winning 11 games.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (15)

Moving theLos Angeles Chargersup this many spots in our NFL power rankings is more about the return of Joe Alt than the Thursday Night Football victory over Minnesota. As that game demonstrated, though, getting the standout blindside protector back on the field actually gives Justin Herbert time to throw to this excellent cast of weapons, and it helps out the run game. Plus, the Chargers’ defense seems to be getting back on track. Los Angeles has three very winnable games (at Titans, vs. Steelers, and at Jaguars) ahead, so there is a path to an 8-3 record entering the bye week.

13. Houston Texans (21)

Winning that game without Nico Collins feels monumental for theHouston Texans. C.J. Stroud certainly benefited from the fact that the 49ers’ front seven has been decimated by injuries, but he still played extremely well on Sunday against a game plan from one of the league’s top defensive coordinators. Houston is now 3-1 in its last four games and if it can win at home next week versus Denver, this is a playoff contender again.

14. San Francisco 49ers (13)

A week later, it feels like that victory over Atlanta says a lot more about the Falcons than it does the San Francisco 49ers. This looked like an injury-plagued team on Sunday in Houston and the issues up front, resulting in a non-existent run game, reared their ugly head again for San Francisco. There’s still a 5-3 record, but there are still some tough matchups remaining on the schedule and the defense is clearly regressing.

15. Chicago Bears (14)

TheChicago Bearshave no one but themselves to blame for Sunday’s loss. Poor decision-making before halftime cost Chicago points, and the situational play didn’t get any better with a chance to win the game in the closing seconds, as Caleb Williams came up inches short on his goal-line dive and then threw way off the mark on fourth-and-goal to lose the game. With the way this Bears defense is performing and the inconsistency of this offense in the first year of the Caleb Williams–Ben Johnson pairing, there’s an outside shot Chicago loses next week to the Bengals.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (18)

It’s not hard to see what went wrong for theJacksonville Jaguarsduring their two-game losing streak before the bye. The defense couldn’t generate takeaways after recording 14 in its first five games , and the offensive line allowed 14 sacks while the rushing attack mustered just76.5 rushing yards per game. Those takeaways had masked other issues — drops and inconsistency from Trevor Lawrence — that are now glaring. If those areas don’t improve quickly coming out of the bye, Jacksonville could lose three of its next four games.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)

The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have above-average quarterback play and it’s not going to matter. There’s a real possibility of this Steelers defense being bad enough to allow the Baltimore Ravens to steal the AFC North with a second-half revival. It’s a shame for Aaron Rodgers, because he’s played very well this season and is making this passing game work despite only having one true reliable wide receiver. With a looming matchup versus Indianapolis in Week 9, the Steelers will likely at .500 next Sunday.

18. Dallas Cowboys (16)

Dak Prescott and thisDallas Cowboysoffense need to be near-flawless to overcome the defense. They were nothing close to that on Sunday. There’s every reason to believe this passing attack will rebound quickly, especially next week on Monday Night Football versus Arizona. However, no matter who Jerry Jones acquires at the NFL trade deadline, this defense won’t be good enough to make the playoffs.

19. Washington Commanders (19)

The lone bright spot that could’ve come out of that ugly Monday Night Football loss for the Washington Commanders, Terry McLaurin’s return, was wiped out by the Pro Bowl wideout exiting again with a quad injury. Jayden Daniels could return in Week 9, but the Commanders are now two games below .500 and entering a two-game stretch that will almost certainly result in a 3-7 record. Realistically, Washington will be 4-7 entering its bye week.

20. Baltimore Ravens (26)

TheBaltimore Ravensmight finally be turning a corner, which is very unfortuante for the rest of the AFC North. It wasn’t a banner performance by any means, but a victory without Lamar Jackson against Chicago is a significant step forward.

21. Carolina Panthers (20)

The only path to victory for theCarolina Panthersin Week 8 was stopping the run and getting a big game from Rico Dowdle. James Cook put up 200 rushing yards in three quarters, and Carolina found itself down three scores quickly. Sunday was a game that put the Panthers back in their place as a league-average team that can win when things are going right. That doesn’t bode well for a Week 9 matchup at Lambeau Field.

22. Atlanta Falcons (17)

We’re going to need an explanation from Zac Robinson on why theAtlanta Falconsabandoned the run game so early. Facing one of the league’s worst defenses, Atlanta put the ball far too much in Kirk Cousins’ hands when it was still a close game. Unsurprisingly, especially with Drake London out, he looked just as bad as he did last season. Of course, it’s also worth recognizing how bad the Falcons’ offensive line has been over the last two games — going from beating the Commanders and Bills to dropping games against San Francisco and Miami. It’ll only get worse from here with the Patriots and Colts up next.

23. Arizona Cardinals (25)

TheArizona Cardinalshave a -1 point differential this season, better than multiple four-win teams (Bears, Panthers, Jaguars, and Chargers) and just behind the five-win 49ers and Eagles. Remarkably, Arizona has outscored its opponents by 44 points through the first three quarters of games but has been outscored by 45 points in the fourth. This is a good team that implodes in the final 15 minutes. Given that Kyler Murray will return as the starter in Week 9, even though Jacoby Brissett has been more effective so far, it’s hard to see significant improvement coming for the Cardinals.

24. Minnesota Vikings (23)

It’s now beyond time to panic with theMinnesota Vikings. The bye week is already behind them, and it’s pretty evident, seven games into the season, that there isn’t a reliable starting-caliber quarterback on this roster. Earlier in the season, that could be masked a bit more because of the defense. Now, with the pass rush regressing, the secondary has been exposed, and Minnesota’s defense has been just as bad as its quarterback play in the last month. Even worse for the Vikings, they have a 3-4 record before a stretch against the Lions, Ravens, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, Commanders, and Cowboys. A losing record now feels inevitable.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (22)

New quarterback, same team. TheCincinnati Bengalsare a carbon copy of what we saw last season—a team that needs to score on nearly every possession because its defense might give up just as many scoring drives. The fact that nothing has changed is an indictment of the entire organization. At this point, trading Trey Hendrickson and waving the white flag on this version of the team might be the best idea. Then again, it’s hard to imagine this front office and coaching staff executing the kind of draft-and-develop approach necessary to turn this Bengals defense around.

26. Miami Dolphins (31)

That will probably go down as the best performance of the season for theMiami Dolphins. Defensively, this unit played extremely well and took full advantage of Atlanta abandoning the run far too early. De’Von Achane and Tua Tagovailoa capitalized on that, putting Miami up 24-3 and making this a Week 8 blowout that no one saw coming. This win probably won’t be enough to save Mike McDaniel’s job long term, but it’s promising to see the fight this team showed on the road.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel

27. New York Giants (24)

The life was taken out of theNew York Giants’ season immediately after the Cam Skattebo injury. He was more than just an excellent running back — the rookie was the heart of this Giants team. With him done for the season, there will be far too much of this offense placed on Jaxson Dart’s shoulders. The only hope now is for Dart to stay healthy, for Skattebo to make a full recovery, and for a new Giants coaching staff to be in place next season.

Related:New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll

28. New Orleans Saints (28)

The Spencer Rattler era ends as quickly as it seemed to be taking off. He wasn’t entirely to blame for all the turnovers committed by this New Orleans Saints offense in Sunday’s 20-point home loss, but we can’t fault Kellen Moore for making a change. At 1-7 with the NFL trade deadline nearing, it seems increasingly likely that Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks and a few veterans could be off this roster in the near future.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (29)

The one hope for theLas Vegas Raidersto be a competitive team this season and win seven to nine games was having an above-average offense. Instead, Geno Smith has suddenly regressed to the player he was in New York. Brock Bowers is dealing with a serious knee injury, and neither Smith nor Ashton Jeanty stands much chance behind this struggling offensive line. Coming out of the bye, without an offensive turnaround, the Raiders might only win two more games this season. Smith has a low passer rating, ranks near the bottom in the league for interceptions (tied for most with 10), and has been benched recently after poor performances, leaving the team in a difficult position offensively.

30. Cleveland Browns (27)

There’s just nothing inspiring about watching Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. It wouldn’t have made a difference if Shedeur Sanders or Joe Flacco were under center on Sunday — theCleveland Brownsdefense didn’t perform well enough to win. Still, Gabriel hasn’t shown the physical tools that starting-caliber quarterbacks need. With a matchup next week against the Jets, Cleveland’s defense should absolutely rebound in a win.

31.New York Jets(32)

Aaron Glenn gets his first win as a head coach, and theNew York Jetsdeliver their best offensive performance since the regular-season opener. Glenn’s team, led by Justin Fields, showed real fight on Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati, responding to a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter with 15 unanswered points and a timely defensive stop for that elusive victory. This is still one of the worst NFL teams in 2025, but Glenn and the Jets finally delivered a performance that gives fans a little hope for the future.

32. Tennessee Titans (30)

TheTennessee Titansare in a class of their own as the worst team in the NFL. It legitimately took another franchise finding unique ways to give the game away, in the form of 14 points, for Tennessee to win its lone game this season. Outside of that, this has looked like by far the worst roster and worst-coached team in the league. Cam Ward deserves so much better than this.

Week 7

1. Indianapolis Colts (2)

What else do theIndianapolis Coltshave left to prove? The offensive line and receiving corps in Shane Steichen’s system have provided the perfect supporting cast for Daniel Jones, especially with defenses still having to respect Jonathan Taylor in the backfield amid his All-Pro season. Defensively, Indianapolis just delivered one of its best performances of the season even with top corner Charvarius Ward on IR. Indianapolis is the Super Bowl contender we didn’t see coming, but it’s undeniable at this point.

2. Detroit Lions (3)

The resiliency of the Detroit Lions is remarkable. A decimated secondary forced to start backups and rely on career journeymen is one of the biggest reasons why Detroit won on Monday Night Football. Well, them and Jahmyr Gibbs. It hasn’t mattered in these last three years who the defensive or offensive coordinator is, this team is a reflection on head coach Dan Campbell. The Lions have one of the best NFL rosters in 2025 and they are going to get healthier. With how wide-open the NFL is this year, Detroit has as good of a chance as anyone as hoisting the Lombardi Trophy.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5)

This is theKansas City Chiefsoffense now. Patrick Mahomes has a deep threat (Tyquan Thornton) that defenses have to respect, an offensive weapon (Xavier Worthy) and two chain-movers (Travis Kelce and Rashee Rice) who consistently get open. Oh, he also is playing with far more confidence in his offensive line than he has in years. The only thing Kansas City’s offense is missing is an explosive running back, but there’s a chance of that being found at the NFL trade deadline.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1)

Baker Mayfield was dreadful on Monday Night Football, there’s no other way around it. It proved especially costly because, outside of the one big touchdown run allowed, this Tampa Bay Buccaneers defense held its own against an elite unit. Mayfield will be able to put this game behind him, he’s played at an MVP-caliber level until now. However, the long-term absence of Mike Evans and the lingering Chris Godwin injury could start taking a toll on the efficiency of this passing game.

5. Seattle Seahawks (4)

A 5-2 record going into the Week 8 bye. Certainly not we expected from the Seattle Seahawks, but this defense is playing at an exceptional level, the offensive line is respectable for the first time in years and Sam Darnold looks like a Pro Bowl quarterback. This looks like one of the five best NFL teams right now. Best of all for Seattle, its defense will get back two of its most critical pieces in November.

6. Green Bay Packers (6)

Micah Parsons earned his money on Sunday. Not only did the All-Pro edge rusher contribute 3 sacks on his own, but his very presence proved essential in the team setting a season-high in six. We could knock theGreen Bay Packersfor putting themselves in a position where they nearly lost to Arizona, but the Cardinals have taken the Colts, 49ers, and Seahawks to the brink this season too. Now, the Packers get to unleash Parsons on Aaron Rodgers while hoping Jordan Love outduels his mentor.

7. Buffalo Bills (8)

It’s not a given that thisBuffalo Billsdefense will improve coming out of the bye. During their recent two-game losing streak, Buffalo allowed opponents to average 8.1 yards per attempt, and this unit has been pretty abysmal against the run (156.3 rush ypg, 5.8 ypc allowed). Josh Allen, behind an elite offensive line, is still an incredible force who will propel Buffalo to double-digit victories and likely the AFC East crown, but there’s now real reason to question if Buffalo can overcome its defensive issues come playoff time.

8. Los Angeles Rams (13)

No Puka Nacua? No problem for theLos Angeles Rams. Matthew Stafford still threw five touchdowns, connecting with10 different receiversin a remarkably efficient performance. The most impressive showing, of course, came from the Rams’ defensive line, which generated 11 QB hits and 7 sacks. Los Angeles will get Nacua back following its Week 8 bye, and Sean McVay has to feel like his team should have an even better record if not for some special teams woes.

9. Denver Broncos (11)

The Denver Broncos trailed the Eagles 17-3 entering the fourth quarter and then witnessed Bo Nix lead an 18-point comeback for the victory. Evidently, that was just the opening act. Denver’s outlook seemed bleak late on Sunday afternoon at home, trailing New York 19-0 in the fourth quarter. Again, Nix led a comeback and then had to watch the defense give it up with less than a minute left. So, he just pulled out another miracle drive to win another one with a 33-point fourth quarter. There’s just something about this franchise and quarterbacks who struggle for three quarters and then lead fourth-quarter comebacks that will be remembered for months.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (12)

It would be an understatement to say thePhiladelphia Eaglesneeded that one. DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown took full advantage of a Vikings’ secondary that had far less talent, with Jalen Hurts taking full advantage on multiple downfield strikes. At the very least, the Eagles’ passing game was explosive on Sunday and that was especially true in crunch time. We are still a bit suspect of this Eagles defnese, but right now the victory is all that matters for Philadelphia.

11. New England Patriots (14)

TheNew England Patriotsschedule has given Drake Maye and Mike Vrabel a real shot at a 10-win season in 2025. This legitimately looks like a very good team right now. New England has a strong defense now that everyone is healthy, which is one of the best supporting elements a young franchise quarterback can have. Vrabel should feel particularly good about Rhamondre Stevenson rewarding him for sticking with the veteran, as Maye’s early success came largely without a stable run game until now. The Patriots are poised to make it five consecutive wins and improve to a 6-2 record with a matchup against the Browns upcoming

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (10)

The lone bright spot for thePittsburgh Steelerscoming out of that Thursday Night Football loss is that Aaron Rodgers wasn’t seriously injured when 311-pound lineman Broderick Jonestackled him to the ground. Pittsburgh had an opportunity to almost coast to an AFC North win if it could beat Cincinnati in Week 7. Instead, the Steelers’ defense reverted to the form we saw in September. The timing couldn’t be worse either, as the upcoming Steelers schedule pits them against three of the best NFL teams in 2025 (Packers, Colts, Chargers), with other tough matchups ahead as well.

13. San Francisco 49ers (17)

You just have to tip your cap to Kyle Shanahan, Robert Saleh and Christian McCaffrey. Playing that well defensively without both Nick Bosa and Fred Warner is simply remarkable. Likewise, Shanahan continues to make this offense function when it needs to with Mac Jones under center and CMC was phenomenal tonight every time he touched the football.

14. Chicago Bears (18)

Ben Johnson finally has a run game. Development from Caleb Williams is great, but what’s crucial to this offense being effective is a ground game that Johnson knows he can depend on. In the last two games,Chicago Bearsrunning backs D’Andre Swift (232) and Kyle Monangai (100) have combined for 332 rushing yards. That rushing attack will be crucial to beating a healthier and motivated Ravens team in Week 8.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (14)

Every team is dealing with significant injuries at this point in the season, but no unit is as banged up as theLos Angeles Chargersoffensive line. Most weeks, it just makes it nearly impossible for this offense to function even at a league-average level. Unfortunately for Justin Herbert, Los Angeles faces the Vikings’ pass rush in Week 8. For Los Angeles to have any shot to win, it will require a defensive clinic, and that side of the ball isn’t playing near that level as of late. The Chargers avoid a big drop in our NFL Power Rankings, but that drop will likely come next Sunday.​

16. Dallas Cowboys (22)

Credit to theDallas Cowboysfor putting Washington into the one position it couldn’t afford to fall into. Dallas’ offense jumpted outto an early 20-8 lead, forcing the Commanders to abandon the run game and play catch-up with their top three receivers sidelined. It was over after that. This game doesn’t erase the concerns abotu the Cowboys’ defense long-term, but the return of CeeDee Lamb could help Dak Prescott and Co. overcome this defense even more often in the weeks to come.

17. Atlanta Falcons (7)

Just like that, we’re back to wondering if the Atlanta Falcon are going to wast the season when they finally have a good defense. Michael Penix Jr. and Bijan Robinson both stood little chance behind that offensive line on Sunday Night Football and it’s not like San Francisco was renowned for its excellence up front coming into Week 7. The Falcons now have two inexplicable losses on their resume this year. On paper, they should roll through Miami next Sunday, but that’s clearly never a given with this team.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (9)

What has happened to theJacksonville Jaguars? In their first four games this season, Jacksonville allowed just 3 sacks of Trevor Lawrence and its rushing attack averaged144 rush ypg and 5 ypc. In these lastt wo losses, Lawrence has been sacked 14 times and Jacksonville is averaging just 76.5 rushing yards per game. It’s all fallen apart right ahead of the Week 8 bye, with Jacksonville now opening up a window for the Texans to jump them in the AFC South.

19. Washington Commanders (15)

There’s nothing left to make this passing game function. We might only be a week away from Terry McLaurin and Deebo Samuel rejoining this Washington Commanders offense, but now Jayden Daniels (hamstring) could miss Week 8. If that’s not bad enough for Washington, its defense has fallen apart in the last two games before facing Patrick Mahomes and a Chiefs’ offense that looks unstoppable. Last season’s success seems so far away right now, especially since this year is going to get even more painful.

20. Carolina Panthers (21)

TheCarolina Panthershave a winning record entering Week 8 for the first time since2019. Victories over the likes of the Dolphins, Cowboys and Jets might not hold much weight to many, but Carolina also blew the doors off Atlanta 30-0 back in Week 3. Once again, the story for the Panthers is the continued success of Rico Dowdle (96 scrimmage yards) and this stifling run defense. It’s highly improbable that either of those will be enough to beat either the Bills or Packers in the next two games, but Carolina would still be just one game below .500 if it loses both those matchups.

21. Houston Texans (20)

As we feared, that five-quarter stretch of success by the Houston Texans offense was a far greater indictment on their opponents than it was a sign this unit was fixed. C.J. Stroud was ‘only’ sacked 3 times on Monday Night Football, but he lived in a state of pressure that gave Houston no chance at taking downfield shots. San Francisco’s pass rush isn’t as strong, but it wouldn’t be a surprise if this offensive line costs Houston another win in Week 9.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

Hope remains for theCincinnati Bengals. There will be ‘lows’ with Joe Flacco, but this Bengals’ offense is happy to take the bad that comes with the explosive plays and feeding Ja’Marr Chase. Now at 3-4, Cincinnati has a viable path to climbing above .500 before the bye as long as it can win at home versus the Jets and Bears.

23. Minnesota Vikings (19)

The fact that theMinnesota Vikingswould start Carson Wentz against his former team is not a promising indicator of what this coaching staff thinks of J.J. McCarthy’s readiness to start. Wentz has long been a poor decision-maker, and many of his mistakes, amplified by a banged-up offensive line, came back to haunt Minnesota in Week 7. Now 3-3 on the season, the Vikings’ upcoming schedule—at Chargers, at Lions, vs. Ravens, vs. Bears, at Seahawks and vs. Commanders—means there is a very strong possibility this team will be below .500 come December.

24. New York Giants (23)

We could focus on the fact that two missed extra-points are responsible for why the New York Giants lost in Denver on Sunday. However, that would also be letting the rest of this team off the hook for allowing THIRTY-THREE POINTS in the fourth quarter. It’s unfathomable, but New York found a way to do it. Just when it felt like this team was in a new era under Jaxson Dart and Cam Skattebo, the same ol’ Giants appear. It’s maddening for fans, but at least the three rookies (Dart, Skattebo and Abdul Carter) offer hope for the future.

25. Arizona Cardinals (24)

The Arizona Cardinals seem like a glutton for punishment. They led for nearly all four quarters on Sunday against Green Bay and then collapsed again. There are truly moments, as we’ve seen against the Seahawks, Packers, 49ers, and Colts, where it looks like this could be one of the best NFL teams in 2025. Then, the Cardinals implode. It’s happened with different starting quarterbacks, too. At some point, the blame has to fall on the head coach.

26. Baltimore Ravens (31)

There’s a glimmer of hope for theBaltimore Ravenscoming out of the Week 7 bye. Because of the Steelers’ TNF loss, the Ravens are now just three games back of first place in the AFC North. That’s with Lamar Jackson and Roquan Smith set to rejoin the team in Week 8. The Ravens schedule–Bears, Dolphins, Vikings, Browns, Jets, Bengals, Steelers– also gives this team a path to climbing out of its 1-5 hole.

27. Cleveland Browns (29)

TheCleveland Brownswere perfectly positioned to crush Miami, especially given the weather conditions. Quinshon Judkins continues to prove that he can be the centerpiece of this offense for years to come, and Cleveland is still fielding a top-five defense. Those are two great building blocks for a young quarterback, but that caliber of passer is not currently on the Browns’ roster.

28. New Orleans Saints (26)

It feels like Spencer Rattler heard all the national buzz about playing well enough to take theNew Orleans Saintsout of the quarterback market in the 2026 NFL Draft and decided to remind everyone there is another side to his play. That said, Rattler’s performance in the first two months of the season, combined with how poorly the 2026 quarterback class has played, makes it a smarter bet to keep building the core of this roster. As for the game itself, New Orleans simply lost to a much better team.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (28)

TheLas Vegas Raidersare nearing rock bottom. With the Chiefs’ offense recapturing its elite form, the Raiders’ defense was embarrassed on Sunday afternoon. For once, there isn’t much blame placed on Geno Smith’s shoulders, but he’s clearly not going to make things any better. The Raiders made a bit of a gamble this offseason by acquiring Smith and betting on Pete Carroll, who is now 74 years old, to still have something left in the tank. If there is one glimmer of hope, it is that many around the NFL remain high on the first-year Raiders general manager’s chances of rebuilding this roster.

30. Tennessee Titans (30)

The real victory for theTennessee Titanscame days before their Week 7 matchup, with ehad coach Mike McDaniel fired. Proverbial icing on the cake arrived on Sunday, with rookie Cam Ward delivering his best performance of the season. It didn’t result in a win, those are nearly impossible to come by with this Titans roster, but Ward’s game at least showed more glimpses of what he’s capable of once Tennessee provides him with a better supporting cast.

Related:Tennessee Titans Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Callahan

31. Miami Dolphins (27)

We can’t wait to see who Tua Tagovailoa throws under the bus this time. Firing Mike McDaniel might fix theMiami Dolphins‘ lack of culture and could bring some accountability to the organization. That said, the next head coach will not make much of a difference if Tagovailoa and general manager Chris Grier remain. Miami needs a full house cleaning. That is the only solution. Unfortunately, that is not a given with owner Stephen Ross as the fan base knows all too well.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel

32. New York Jets (32)

Well, at least Aaron Glenn made the change at quarterback. The frustration fromNew York Jetsfans is justified. Glenn waited far too long to bench Justin Fields. His decisions at the end of the first half in the last two games are inexcusable. However, the calls for him to be fired are still premature. This is a multi-year rebuild, and it’s worth giving this new regime at least two full years. After all, many fans called for Dan Campbell to be fired after he went 4-19-1 in his first 24 games. Just have a little patience.

Week 6

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2)

Next man up. Emeka Egbuka (hamstring) became the latest starTampa Bay Buccaneerswide receiver to go down, but Baker Mayfield still finds a way to make this offense flow. He spread the football around incredibly effectively on Sunday, paving the way for the Buccaneers to improve to 5-1 on the year. The injuries might finally catch up to Tampa Bay next week versus Detroit, but that will still be a must-see matchup on Monday Night Football.

2. Indianapolis Colts (10)

The Cardinals have proven feisty all season and put theIndianapolis Coltsin a 24-17 hole entering the fourth quarter on Sunday. Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor delivered, combining for 143 rushing yards and 2 touchdowns in another impressive win by Indianapolis. Moving to 5-1 on the season, the Colts have now scored 29-plus points in five of their six games this season.

3. Detroit Lions (1)

A dominant run by the Detroit Lions came to a screeching halt on Sunday Night Football. Injuries certainly played a key role in the primetime defeat to Kansas City, but Detroit can also blame itself for penalties and missed opportunities. Ultimately, the Lions still come out of this one with a 4-2 record that puts them near the top of the NFC and they haven’t played their best football yet with a healthy roster. Given Dan Campbell’s history as head coach, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if the Lions rebound in Week 7 by taking down the Bucs.

4. Seattle Seahawks (9)

It’s not easy to make a cross-country trip after a loss to face a matchup against one of the hottest teams in the NFL. Sam Darnold and theSeattle Seahawksdid just that in Week 6, going to Jacksonville and pulling out a convincing 20-12 win over the Jaguars. Seattle’s run defense rebounded in this one, but Sam Darnold (10.9 yards per attempt, 2-0 TD-INT, and 121.7 QB rating) was the real standout. Seattle faces a tough test against the Texans’ defense on Monday Night Football in Week 7, but a 5-2 record entering the bye is very doable for Mike McDaniel and Co.

5. Kansas City Chiefs (12)

The Kansas City Chiefs have an outstanding passing game again with Rashee Rice rejoining the team in Week 7. Even without his No. 1 wideout, Patrick Mahomes really started to make it work with Xavier Worthy, JuJu Smith-Schuster, Travis Kelce and Hollywood Brown. Now, Kansas City welcomes back a playmaker who was one of the most efficient and productive players prior to his season-ending injury in 2024. This is still a three-loss team, but Kansas City is starting to rediscover its Super Bowl form.

6. Green Bay Packers (11)

TheGreen Bay Packerswon fairly convincingly on Sunday coming out of the bye, but that performance still leaves something to be desired. First and foremost, the holes at corner and defensive tackle (Devonte Wyatt injury) remain apparent, and even a healthy Packers’ offensive line is having its share of issues in pass protection. With that said, Green Bay’s run game finally came alive on Sunday and this team now gets a chance to build on this momentum in a Week 7 matchup against the Cardinals.

7. Atlanta Falcons (17)

With how wide-open the NFL is this season, the ceiling can he as high as the Super Bowl for the Atlanta Falcons. Michael Penix Jr. is improving and this defense still boasts a young pass rush that can become more consistent over time. Even if you look at the Monday Night Football game as the Falcons just matching up really well versus Buffalo, Atlanta has strengths (Bijan Robinson and the defense) that can beat some of the best NFL teams in 2025. Whether or not the Falcons maintain that depends on more growth from Penix.

8. Buffalo Bills (3)

Either the Buffalo Bills have to find a No. 1 wide receiver or make improvements to this defense. Without addressing either of those problems, Buffalo will likely win the AFC East and then get knocked out by the Chiefs, Colts or potentially even the Jacksonville Jaguars in the playoffs. Josh Allen still hasn’t locked into his true MVP mode where he puts this offense on his back, but the glaring weaknesses on this Bills roster will still be there when that happens.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (5)

Coming off a monumental victory on primetime, a letdown performance the following week isn’t all that surprising for theJacksonville Jaguars. Liam Coen’s run game has hit a bit of a wall in the last two games and, without getting great field position or a score off a takeaway, Jacksonville couldn’t dig itself out of a 20-6 hole. This team is still 4-2 on the season and no one should rule out the Jaguars pulling off a surprise win versus the Rams next weekend.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)

This is all thePittsburgh Steelersneed from Aaron Rodgers, especially if the offensive line can protect like it did on Sunday afternoon. Rodgers now has a118.67 QB ratingwith a 75 percent completion rate in the last two games, both protecting the football and delivering some vintage downfield strikes. While we’re still a bit weary of the Steelers’ ground game and defense, this team can feel extremely comfortable about its standing as a playoff contender.

11. Denver Broncos (7)

TheDenver Broncosescaped with the victory overseas against New York, but the game renewed questions regarding the level of faith Sean Payton has in Bo Nix. Denver couldn’t effectively run the football, yet Payton kept trying to force it in the second half as he took the football out of Nix’s hands. Furthermore, Denver’s victory over Philadelphia a week later has lost some of its luster. We’ll see if Nix and J.K. Dobbins can get something going again next week versus the Giants.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (4)

In the last five quarters, thePhiladelphia Eagleshave been outscored 52-17. It’s become apparent this season how much Vic Fangio’s defense is missing the depth on the defensive line that it used to have, but the lack of cohesion from the Eagles’ offense is even more alarming. Given Philadelphia’s struggles and this team’s penchant for having some locker-room issues during difficult times, it might get worse from here.

13. Los Angeles Rams (14)

TheLos Angeles Ramsget the 14-point win, but Sean McVay can’t be feeling great after this one. Puka Nacua (ankle) is questionable to play in Week 7 against Jacksonville, and this Rams’ offense doesn’t look the same without its all-important offensive weapon. Los Angeles also had real trouble stopping Derrick Henry on Sunday (122 yards) despite knowing he was the Ravens’ only threat offensively. The 4-2 record is really all that matters, but we could be looking at a 4-3 team entering the bye after next week.

14. New England Patriots (16)

Drake Maye has definitely arrived. Even with theNew England Patriotsnot having any run game to speak of (2.4 yards per carry), Maye put on a passing clinic on the road in New Orleans. The Patriots legitimately could be 5-1 right now if they could’ve just held onto the football once or twice versus Pittsburgh. Still, credit to Mike Vrabel’s team for rebounding from that game with an impressive three-game win streak where the Patriots have looked like the better team in all three matchups.

15. Washington Commanders (8)

The Washington Commanders only have themselves to blame for that Monday Night Football loss. Three turnovers, two by Jayden Daniels, turned into 13 points for the Chicago Bears. Injuries, which Washington has its fair share of, can’t even be pointed to as the reason why the Commanders are now a 3-3 team. Fortunately, this defense continues to play relatively well and as long as Daniels avoids the giveaways in Week 7, Washington will rebound to beat the Dallas Cowboys.

16. Los Angeles Chargers (15)

TheLos Angeles Chargerssurvived a cross-country trip to Florida in Week 6, with Justin Herbert and Ladd McConkey ultimately saving the day on a game-winning drive. However, getting outscored 14-6 by Miami in the fourth quarter and nearly losing to a 1-5 team all the while being unable to stop the run does raise some concerns. Set to host the Colts next week, that tentatively looks like a matchup where the Colts’ weaknesses will really be exploited.

17. San Francisco 49ers (6)

Even more impactful than the loss for theSan Francisco 49ersin Week 6 is the likely season-ending injury for Fred Warner. This team has now lost the heart and soul of its defense, not to mention the fact that Warner and Nick Bosa are both now done for the year. Even with the offense potentially getting Brock Purdy back in Week 7, the injuries on defense make it feel like a spiral is coming.

18. Chicago Bears (23)

The Chicago Bears might’ve won because they caught some breaks on Monday Night Football, but the end result counts the same in the NFL standings. Just as important, Chicago finally got something out of its rushing attack as D’Andre Swift delivered the kind of performance, both in terms of efficiency and explosive plays, that has been absent from the Bears’ ground game all year. If that continues, the Bears schedule sets up to give them an outside shot of making the playoffs.

19. Minnesota Vikings (19)

The primary hope for theMinnesota Vikingsas they emerge from the Week 6 bye is that this team is healthier in the United States. Jordan Mason has had issues protecting the football since the Aaron Jones injury, and the Vikings offensive line without Brian O’Neill, Donovan Jackson, and Ryan Kelly has been abysmal. Even just getting a few key starters back should be enough to help Minnesota take down a reeling Eagles team in Week 7.

20. Houston Texans (20)

The good news for theHouston Texansisn’t just that they’ve won two games in a row by a 70-10 margin; it’s that their three losses (to the Jaguars, Buccaneers, and Rams) have been to very good teams and were decided by a combined 13 points. Houston’s passing game is also starting to click more, at least in its last five quarters, and this defense is exceptional. The next four weeks—Seahawks, 49ers, Broncos, and Jaguars—will be the ultimate litmus test to determine if we’re seeing a repeat of the 2024 Texans or the 2023 Texans.

21. Carolina Panthers (23)

Rico Dowdle now has 473 scrimmage yards in two starts as theCarolina Panthers‘ featured back, clearly taking the job away from Chuba Hubbard. While there are still very real limitations on the passing game with Bryce Young under center, he’s at least limiting the negative plays. It’s been enough to push Carolina to a 3-1 record over the last month, with a viable shot at a three-game winning streak thanks to a Week 7 matchup against the Jets at MetLife.

22. Dallas Cowboys (17)

Dak Prescott is doing everything he can to keep the Dallas Cowboys in the mix for a wild card spot in the NFC, but thisDallas Cowboysdefense is making that a nearly impossible task. Even if CeeDee Lamb returns to the field in Week 7, that won’t do anything for a team that still can’t stop the run and has issues generating a consistent pass rush. Now at 2-3-1 in the year, the upcoming Cowboys schedule (Commanders, Broncos, and Cardinals) could put this team in an even bigger hole.

23. New York Giants (26)

It’s still a small sample size, but the Jaxson Dart–Cam Skattebo pairing is certainly showing enough flashes together that Brian Daboll’s job might be safe. It’s possible that thisNew York Giantsoffense takes a major step backward in Week 7 against Denver’s defense, especially given the down performance against New Orleans. Even if the Giants lose that game, though, this season was about finding building blocks offensively for the future, and that’s exactly what Dart and Skattebo have provided.

24. Arizona Cardinals (22)

TheArizona Cardinalsare just too short-handed right now to overcome the little things. Budda Baker dropped a would-be interception on Sunday, and this Cardinals’ offense, now missing Trey Benson, James Conner, and Marvin Harrison Jr. (concussion), couldn’t deliver that go-ahead touchdown when it had a chance. Unfortunately, as fans have seen throughout the season, it’s both the little things and the injuries that have turned a potential 4-2 record into a 2-4 mark.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (25)

If what this Cincinnati bengals offense showed in the second half at Lambeau Field can carry over in the weeks to come, maybe this can be a slightly below-average team. That’s unfortunately the ceiling for a club whose defense continues to regress and just lost Trey Hendrickson to an injury. We’ve seen surprises on Thursday Night Football this season, but we don’t anticipate Joe Flacco delivering one in Week 7 versus Pittsburgh.

26. New Orleans Saints (24)

If it’s true that theNew Orleans Saintsaren’t willing to make an Alvin Kamara trade, that’s another mistake by the organization. While this club has proven more competitive than expected, with Spencer Rattler playing relatively well, they are still one of the worst NFL teams in 2025. There’s no sense in holding onto Kamara during a rebuild, and the Saints would certainly benefit from having more draft capital in 2026.

27. Miami Dolphins (27)

Now at 1-5 this season, theMiami Dolphinsare clearly headed in a direction where they should be sellers at the NFL trade deadline. While Mike McDaniel’s team has looked better over the last month, the end result is still this club being four games below the .500 mark with little hope for improvement. If Miami is open to selling, it’s fair to wonder if teams inquire about running back De’Von Achane, who now has585 scrimmage yards and 4 touchdowns, as he’s likely going to want a new deal next offseason and this team needs to reset.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (30)

TheLas Vegas Raidersare starting to get Ashton Jeanty going, and Tre Tucker has provided an explosive weapon that this offense needs with Brock Bowers sidelined. With that said, this is still an ugly two-win team. Maybe the Raiders can pull off a surprise next week at Arrowhead Stadium against the Chiefs, but the likelier outcome is Geno Smith getting picked off multiple times in a multi-score loss.

29. Cleveland Browns (28)

This is what you get withDillon Gabriel. Even if you take away the 6 sacks for 38 yards lost, he only averaged 4.25 yards per attempt on 52 passes in Week 6. Now throw in his penchant for sacks and you’ve got aCleveland Brownspassing game that finished with 183 net passing yards on 56 dropbacks in an ugly 23-9 loss. Cleveland simply doesn’t have its future starting quarterback on the roster, but this defense and Quinshon Judkins will give the Browns a shot at defeating the Dolphins next Sunday.

30. Tennessee Titans

It’s time for theTennessee Titans. Firing Brian Callahan might not fix anything for the foreseeable future, but it will at least send a message to the fan base that the organization is not going to accept what Callahan has done to help Cam Ward. Callahan is going to be fired anyway, so the front office might as well start its coaching evaluation process right now.

31. Baltimore Ravens (31)

On the bright side for theBaltimore Ravens, quarterback Lamar Jackson isexpected to returnfollowing the Week 7 bye. The perennial MVP candidate will rejoin a team with a 1-5 record that, quite frankly, didn’t look particularly good even before being decimated by injuries. With that said, the upcoming Ravens schedule—Bears, Dolphins, Vikings, Browns, Jets, Bengals—at least offers a path to get back on track.

32. New York Jets (32)

What was everyone expecting from theNew York Jetsin 2025? We understand the calls for Justin Fields to be benched, though, even that feels like a bit of an overreaction to one game. The wildest overreaction is those already suggesting Aaron Glenn should be fired. This was always going to be a multi-year project for the new regime to fix and that’s what is happening in 2025. The losses will keep coming, but anyone who is surprised by that never understood what this team was coming into the season.

Week 5

1. Detroit Lions (3)

TheDetroit Lionsare the best team in the NFC. Since that wake-up call in Week 1 at Lambeau Field, Detroit has been taking out its frustrations on every opponent in its wrath. Cincinnati was the latest to experience that on Sunday, witnessing this Lions’ machine fire on all cylinders without even a hiccup. Now heading to Arrowhead Stadium, Detroit can make another statement on national television.

2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)

Baker Mayfield’s Tampa Bay Buccaneers just find ways to win. Defeating the Seattle Seahawks seemed improbable given all the injuries this team is dealing with. Yet, against a top-five defense in Seattle, Baker Mayfield put on a masterclass through the air (11.5 ypa, 2-0 TD-INT, 379 passing yards) and then the ball bounced Lavonte David’s way for an interception that set up the game-winning kick. Tampa Bay remains a Super Bowl contender, even if it isn’t getting a ton of national attention.

3. Buffalo Bills (2)

The defense remains an issue for the Buffalo Bills. After New England’s first three drives resulted in 53 total yards and a lost fumble, it followed that up with 23 points and 285 total yards on the next seven drives. Buffalo will clean up its own turnovers, and it had three costly ones on Sunday Night Football, but that Bills’ defense is the team’s biggest issue.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (1)

Well, A.J. Brown will have even more to voice his frustration about now. ThePhiladelphia Eagles‘ got DeVonta Smith more involved on Sunday, but the end result was still a woefully bad third-down offense (2-for-11) and this team choking away a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter. Once again, the finger has to be pointed at an offense that totaled just 48 yards on its last five scoreless drives and much of that came in the closing seconds against a prevent defense.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (9)

Even with a fumble at the goal line and a controversial non-call for DPI that quickly turned into a Chiefs’ touchdown, theJacksonville Jaguarsstill found a way to win on Monday Night Football. Keep in mind that Jacksonville didn’t have No. 2 edge rusher Travon Walker, and quarterback Trevor Lawrence wasn’t entirely sharp as a passer, but Jacksonville still pulled it out. Seattle’s defense will be a great test for Travis Etienne and Liam Coen’s run game, but this defense gives Jacksonville a real shot at a 5-1 start.

6. San Francisco 49ers (12)

The resiliency of thisSan Francisco 49ersteam is remarkable. With Brock Purdy, Jauan Jennings, George Kittle, and Ricky Pearsall out, Kyle Shanahan’s offense still found a way to put up407 total yardsand beat the Rams in Los Angeles. Coming out of that game with a victory and the possibility of all four returning in Week 6 should give San Francisco a lot of hope for what’s to come.

7. Denver Broncos (14)

This can be a season-changing win for theDenver Broncos. Trailing 17-3 in the fourth quarter on the road, Bo Nix and Sean Payton were in real danger of falling to 2-3, with their only wins coming against the Titans and the Jake Browning-led Bengals. Instead, Denver came back decisively. The Broncos’ defense was lights out in the second half, allowing Nix to lead 18 unanswered points, stunning the crowd in Philadelphia and thrusting this team back into the thick of the AFC’s field of contenders.

8. Washington Commanders (15)

Jayden Daniels returned on Sunday, but the real story is the breakout game from running back Jacory Croskey-Merritt. Bill did it all. He delivered his first 100-yard game, scored a pair of touchdowns, and eclipsed 150 scrimmage yards on the day. Washington has found its featured running back, and this team is still waiting to get back Terry McLaurin, giving Daniels that No. 1 receiver he needs.

9. Seattle Seahawks (8)

Sam Darnold got the football back with 68 seconds left in a tie game, an opportunity to lead theSeattle Seahawksto another last-second win. Fate wasn’t on his side this time. Darnold’s throw bounced off a defender’s helmet and landed in the arms of Lavonte David at Seattle’s 38-yard line. The Seahawks’ defense, on a rare off day, couldn’t get a stop and Tampa Bay hit the game-winning field goal. It’s a painful loss for Seattle, but they took one of the best NFL teams right now to the final whistle. Another big challenge is looming, with a cross-country trip to face the Jaguars.

10. Indianapolis Colts (12)

That’s how you get back on track after a tough loss in Los Angeles. Returning home, theIndianapolis Coltsoffense feasted, with Daniel Jones delivering another passing clinic. Shane Steichen and the Colts coaching staff rightfully feel like this team should be 5-1, and this team proved on Sunday it can put its mistakes in the rearview mirror and move on quickly. Now 4-1 on the season, the Colts have a week to prepare for a Cardinals team that has proven feisty this year.

11. Green Bay Packers (10)

TheGreen Bay Packersoffensive line needs to get healthy. That is paramount coming out of the Week 5 bye, which proved more timely than this team likely imagined entering the season. Green Bay’s ceiling, with this offense and a pass rush led by Micah Parsons and Rashan Gary, can win on any given week. Returning from the bye, Green Bay immediately faces a get-right game against a woeful Bengals team.

12. Kansas City Chiefs (6)

The good news for the Kansas City Chiefs is that this passing game is getting back on track, even before No. 1 wideout Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension. Still, this team is in a 2-3 hole and Kansas City’s defense surrendered 24 points in the second half. Unfortunately for the Chiefs, it will likely be a 2-4 hole after facing Detroit on Sunday Night Football.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (11)

ThePittsburgh Steelers‘ recipe for success right now probably isn’t sustainable. Pittsburgh had a -2 point differential in its first four games, putting them in company with the Ravens and Falcons. Takeaways (10) have been a big part of the team’s success as of late, but efficiency isn’t exactly this team’s thing. Currently allowing the seventh-highest yards-per-play average (5.7) while ranking 24th in that same category, Pittsburgh needs to win its next two winnable games (vs. Browns and at Bengals) before its schedule gets a lot tougher.

14. Los Angeles Rams (5)

A missed field goal, blocked extra-point attempt, and two fumbles all proved costly in Week 5 for theLos Angeles Rams. The bigger problem, though, is this Rams’ secondary keeps demonstrating that it can’t be trusted even against backup receivers. Fortunately for Los Angeles, it should be able to rebound in Week 6 against the Ravens, the league’s worst defense and a team that appears to be in peril of further collapse.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (7)

Two turnovers inside the Commanders’ 25-yard line, including an unfortunate Justin Herbert interception at the 1-yard line, proved devastating for the Los Angeles Chargers on Sunday. Turnovers can be a bit fluky, but the Chargers’ porous offensive line without Joe Alt and Rashawn Slater is a problem that isn’t going away. Fortunately, Los Angeles gets to face a bottom-three Miami defense in Week 6.

16. New England Patriots (22)

TheNew England Patriotspulled it off on Sunday Night Football, winning the turnover battle and keeping Josh Allen in check for the first half. Even more notable, Drake Maye’s excellence after the first four drives and his game-winning drive. New England has an emerging star at quarterback and Stefon Diggs is playing that No. 1 role perfectly. If the Patriots could’ve just held onto the football versus Pittsburgh, we’d be talking about a 4-1 team on a four-game win streak.

17. Dallas Cowboys (21)

Dak Prescott is playing at an MVP-caliber level again, and thisDallas Cowboysoffense is cooking, even without CeeDee Lamb. We’re not going to put a ton of stock in the Cowboys’ performance defensively, given everything that happened in September, but running back Javonte Williams continues to deserve his flowers. He looks healthy for the first time in years, and Brian Schottenheimer is drawing up an incredible offense, even with starters missing on the offensive line. The wins are coming for the Cowboys.

18. Atlanta Falcons (19)

Can theAtlanta Falconsget even league-average quarterback play out of Michael Penix Jr? It doesn’t necessarily have to be consistent, but more highs than lows would mean everything for this team moving forward. Entering the Week 5 bye, Atlanta’s defense ranked 11th inEPA per Play(-0.033) and BIjan Robinson leads the seventh-best rushing attack in the NFL (136.5 rush ypg). If Penix can sustain more of the flashes he demonstrated vs Washington, the Falcons can beat teams like the 49ers (Oct. 19), Patriots (Nov. 2) and Colts (Nov. 9) and really be in a position to be a potential buyer at the NFL trade deadline.

19. Minnesota Vikings (21)

Justin Jefferson came up clutch for theMinnesota Vikingsonce again, proving instrumental in a victory this team desperately needed before its Week 6 bye. The team certainly has several flaws—run defense, pass protection, and pass defense—but the hope is that two weeks of rest will be enough for Minnesota’s offensive line to recover. If all goes well, Aaron Jones and J.J. McCarthy will also rejoin this unit soon.

20. Houston Texans (23)

Since the fourth quarter last week, thisHouston Texansoffense has resembled something close to what we saw two seasons ago when C.J. Stroud looked like a superstar. That at least provides hope, as does the two-game win streak. The real question is just how legitimate this mini-turnaround is, given that the success has come versus two of the league’s worst defenses. We’ll get that answer in Week 6 against the Seahawks, but a true turnaround would dramatically alter the playoff picture in the AFC.

21. Chicago Bears (18)

Coming out of the Week 5 bye, there is plenty for theChicago Bearsto feel good about right now. Most importantly, quarterback Caleb Williams (7-2 TD-INT, 102.0 QB rating, and 8.07 adjusted yards per attempt) has already shown strides in Ben Johnson’s offense over the last three games. The bye week also bought some time for Colston Loveland, Kyler Gordon, Darnell Wright, and T.J. Edwards to get healthy. All of this positions Chicago to be a threat to beat the Commanders in Monday Night Football in Week 6, but teams that can’t run the football and struggle to defend the run don’t tend to fare well long-term.

22. Arizona Cardinals (17)

TheArizona Cardinalscan’t get out of their own way. Arizona led this game 21-1, then collapsed just like it did against Carolina. Ordinarily, there would be one lowlight. Instead, the Cardinals had Emari Demercado slow down on a 72-yard touchdown run and drop the football short of the goal line for a touchback, and then Dadrion Taylor-Demerson fumbled an interception that Tennessee recovered for a touchdown. If this loss isn’t a wake-up call for the Cardinals, that’s a reflection on quarterback Kyler Murray, head coach Jonathan Gannon and the entirety of this organization.

23. Carolina Panthers (27)

No matter what happens to theCarolina Panthersfor the rest of the season, head coach Dave Canales needs to stick around. After two turnovers by Bryce Young put Carolina into an early hole, Canales dialed up a run game centered around Rico Pollard. The former 1,000-yard rusher erupted for 234 scrimmage yards on only 26 touches. Dowdle proved instrumental in the comeback, and Young chipped in late, engineering a game-winning drive to push Carolina to 2-3.

24. New Orleans Saints (31)

Spencer Rattler is beginning to take theNew Orleans Saintsout of the early mix for a quarterback in the 2026 NFL Draft. At the very least, his play should ensure that rookie Tyler Shough doesn’t see the field for a while. Shough’s numbers might not jump off the stat sheet, but he’s playing well within Kellen Moore’s offense, and this young Saints offensive line is really starting to stand out.

25. Cincinnati Bengals (24)

This is the new normal for the Cincinnati Bengals, at least for a while. Cincinnati has three blowout losses under Jake Browning and it’s hard to see things getting any better next week at Lambeau Field against the Packers. It’ll be a 2-4 hole and the Bengals schedule offers minimal relief after that.

26. New York Giants (25)

The scripted first two drives worked out great for Jaxson Dart and thisNew York Giantsoffense, as evidenced by the 14 points and 129 total yards. After that, Brian Daboll’s play-calling resulted in zero points and five turnovers. This came against a below-average Saints defense. We don’t want to imagine how poorly things could go for Dart and company in the weeks to come versus better defenses.

Related:New York Giants Coaching Candidates

27. Miami Dolphins (28)

TheMiami Dolphinsare one of the worst NFL teams in 2025, but at least this offense is starting to show some signs of life. Tua Tagovailoa played really well; unfortunately, Miami’s defense remains an anchor that continues to drag this team deeper and deeper into the abyss. It won’t get any easier in Week 6 against the Chargers and Omarion Hampton.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates

28. Cleveland Browns (26)

Quinshon Judkins was easily theCleveland Browns‘ most impressive rookie in Week 5, quickly proving he can be a building block for this team moving forward. As for Dillon Gabriel, he was fine taking all the short and easy throws, but his limited attempts 10-plus yards downfield left a lot to be desired. It wasn’t a particularly impressive first NFL start, but Gabriel protected the football better than Joe Flacco did.

29. Tennessee Titans (32)

Cam Ward is that guy. The Tennessee Titans caught a ton of breaks in Sunday’s thrilling comeback, with most of them self-inflicted by Arizona. Still, the Titans’ rookie quarterback had to take advantage of it all on the road. He did just that, and Tennessee got Calvin Ridley (5-131) back on track in this game. Wins will be few and far between for the Titans, but this game offered a glimpse into what Ward can do once he gets even more help around him.

Related:Tennessee Titans Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Callahan

30. Las Vegas Raiders (29)

It feels appropriate that just when it seemed like theLas Vegas Raidersfinally found a quality starting quarterback, Geno Smith flips the script and has a career-worst season. He’s not entirely to blame, as the Raiders’ offensive line is an eyesore, but many of his interceptions this season are of his own doing. Las Vegas will be in the quarterback market again this offseason, and they still don’t have the infrastructure (offensive line and receivers) to effectively support one.

31. Baltimore Ravens (16)

That’s a wrap for the 2025Baltimore Ravens. Injuries were certainly an accessory in the death of the Ravens’ Super Bowl window, but the collapse really started all the way back in the fourth quarter versus Buffalo. John Harbaugh’s team enver really recovered from it. With Lamar Jackson expected to miss Week 6, beating the Rams is unimaginable. That would drop Baltimore to 1-5 entering the bye and it’s not unfair to wonder if this team eventually has to start contemplating if it should be a seller at the NFL trade deadline in November.

32. New York Jets (30)

There is very little good to say about thisNew York Jetsperformance, outside of running back Breece Hall. We’ve tried to exercise some patience with this Jets defense since a new scheme is being implemented, but nothing shown five games into the season suggests defensive coordinator Steve Wilks should be around for much longer.

Week 4

32. Tennessee Titans (30)

It’s probably time for theTennessee Titansto make a coaching change. Cam Ward just doesn’t stand a chance at being successful in this current ecosystem, and play-calling has just as much to do with it as surrounding talent and the offensive line. Looking at the Titans’ schedule, it’s difficult to see when that first win of the season might come.

Related:Tennessee Titans Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Callahan

31. New Orleans Saints (31)

As Sunday’s loss in Buffalo demonstrated, the New Orleans Saints are at least being a bit competitive in games. Kendre Miller even showed some positive signs, as did rookie safety Jonas Sanker, so there are positives on both sides of the ball. With that said, now at 0-4, it’s fair to wonder when the Saints might finally start taking calls on an Alvin Kamara trade.

Related:NFL Trade Candidates 2025

30. New York Jets (28)

The New York Jets got in their own way on Monday Night Football, costing themselves a chance at a win. Fumbles and missed tackles seemed appropriate for a team that, despite the level of experience on the roster, needs an offseason reset. The results from Jeff Ulbrich’s defense this season are the most disappointing element of this team, but we’re willing to give him some time as he was hired to overhaul the team culture.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (25)

Well, at least Ashton Jeanty (138 rushing yards and 3 total touchdowns) finally broke free for a big game. That’s the lone positive for the Las Vegas Raiders. Geno Smith, hand-picked by Tom Brady after the Matthew Stafford trade fell through, now has a pair of three-interception games in September. If that’s not bad enough, the 1-3 Raiders just lost left tackle Kolton Miller to an injury. It really might get even worse in Las Vegas on offense.

28. Miami Dolphins (32)

Well, at least the Miami Dolphins got their first win of the season. The offense has looked better over the last two weeks, and the return of tight end Darren Waller certainly helped out Tua Tagovailoa in Week 4. However, that was largely all with Tyreek Hill. Now that the All-Pro wideout is done for the year, it could get ugly for Miami’s passing game again.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel

27. Carolina Panthers (23)

After rallying to fight back against Arizona and then shutting out the Falcons, it seemed like theCarolina Pantherswere starting to find a bit of an early stride before October. That came to a screeching halt on Sunday in Foxborough. Falling behind big in the second quarter, Carolina had to abandon the ground game, and Bryce Young was ill-equipped to put this offense all on his shoulders. Fortunately for the Panthers, they will have an opportunity to rebound next week against the Dolphins.

26. Cleveland Browns (22)

TheCleveland Brownsdefense is good enough to win a handful of games this season, just not on the road against a Super Bowl challenger when Joe Flacco can’t protect the football. One thing Sunday proved: Cleveland might as well give Dillon Gabriel a shot because the team isn’t gaining anything from starting Flacco at this point.

25. New York Giants (29)

As good as that stunning win over the Chargers must’ve felt for Jaxson Dart and the New York Giants, it came at a devastating cost. Malik Nabers’ injury certainly felt season-ending, and it was evident how ineffective this passing game was without him on the field. Maybe New York’s defense can lead it to a win over the Saints, but it’s going to be painful to watch this offense.

Related:New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll

24. CIncinnati Bengals (24)

This is the new normal for the Cincinnati Bengals. That brief run by Jake Browning at the end of the 2023 season was nice, but this is more in line of what he’s going to be behind this offensive line. It wipes out the explosiveness of the Bengals’ passing game and we’ve already seen the added strain it’s had on the defense. The losses are going to start piling up quickly here for Cincinnati.

23. Houston Texans (27)

C.J. Stroud still got hit a lot on Sunday, but theHouston Texansgot that elusive first win that evaded them until the end of September. What DeMeco Ryans and Co. have to feel great about is this offense putting up 20 points in the fourth quarter and running back Woody Marks seemingly emerging as the RB1. Unfortunately for Houston, it now faces a Ravens team that is extremely talented and desperate for a win

22. New England Patriots (26)

After turnovers kept them from beating Pittsburgh last Sunday, theNew England Patriotsprotected the football in Week 4 and won in emphatic fashion. There were bright spots in all three phases of the game, starting with Marcus Jones’ punt-return touchdown that brought some life to Gillette Stadium. From there, the return of Christian Gonzalez helped the Patriots’ pass defense improve, and all of that helped set up shorter drives for Drake Maye and the offense. It’s also great to see Stefon Diggs starting to get it going as the No. 1 receiver. New England moves to 2-2 on the season, but a Sunday Night Football bout against the Bills in Week 5 could be a bit of a buzzsaw for this momentum.

21. Minnesota Vikings (13)

It’s the injuries to thisMinnesota Vikingsoffensive line that are the most concerning moving forward. Four starters have been sidelined, and Carson Wentz has continued to demonstrate that his awful decision-making is never going away. It’s a recipe for disaster, specifically more turnovers, which cost Minnesota a win in Dublin on Sunday. It won’t get any easier with the Browns’ defensive line facing Minnesota’s offense in Week 5. An 0-2 international trip is very much on the table.

20. Dallas Cowboys (22)

On the one hand, Jerry Jones can claim that his team took a perceived Super Bowl contender to the wire and pulled off a tie. On the other, it’s also not hard to imagine this Dallas Cowboys defense faring a bit better if it had Micah Parsons. Ultimately, the Cowboys get to walk off the feel on Sunday Night Football feeling great about a playoff-caliber offense that doesn’t even need a healthy CeeDee Lamb or its customary offensive line to put up 40 points.

19. Atlanta Falcons (20)

What a rebound performance from Michael Penix Jr. and theAtlanta Falcons. While there aren’t necessarily must-win games in Week 4, this victory felt necessary for a team that has playoff aspirations but didn’t seem to have the quarterback play to make it happen. The stars in this offense (Drake London and Bijan Robninson) were put in a position for success and they delivered in a big way. All things considered, a 2-2 record with the offense on the upswing and the defense playing well is a good spot for Atlanta to be in.

18. Chicago Bears (19)

The Chicago Bears don’t win that game a year ago. Either Caleb Williams throws a game-sealing interception or the special-teams unit doesn’t block the field goal. It wasn’t a pretty showing by this Bears’ offense, but Ben Johnson’s team found a way to steal a victory from the jaws of defeat on the road. Chicago is now 2-2 heading into its bye week, and while this rushing attack is non-existent, there’s at least hope in the Bears’ passing game. Now, we’d advise the front office to go trade for a starting-caliber running back.

17. Arizona Cardinals (15)

The good news for theArizona Cardinalsis that their two losses against division opponents with winning records have been decided by 4 total points. Arizona also has to feel a bit better about that confidence-building fourth quarter that Marvin Harrison Jr. had on Thursday Night Football. Even with those positives, it’s evident that Arizona is still multiple pieces away on both sides of the ball from reaching that next tier in the NFC West. Fortunately, the Cards get a nice rebound matchup versus Tennessee in Week 5.

Related:Winners, Losers from Thursday Night Football

16. Baltimore Ravens (9)

It feels like the Baltimore Ravens’ Super Bowl window is slamming shut. The defense under coordinator Zach Orr, both due to on-field mistakes and bad coaching, has been awful against non-Browns teams this season. As for the Ravens’ offense, the absence of a true No. 1 receiver that defenses have to fear and poor play from the offensive line suggest this unit won’t be reaching the heights it did a year ago. If it’s not going to happen this season, which seems increasingly likely at 1-3, then when would it?

15. Washington Commanders (11)

Without Jayden Daniels and Terry McLaurin, theWashington Commandersneeded this defense to deliver a strong performance. Instead, Dan Quinn’s group had its worst showing of the season. It drops the Commanders to 2-2, which, given the injuries, isn’t all that bad of a spot to be in. Daniels is also expected back in Week 5, and it’s a much-needed return for a matchup against the Chargers.

14. Denver Broncos (17)

It matters that the success came against a top-10 defense, but Sean Payton should feel great about how this Denver Broncos offense looked on Monday Night Football. J.K. Dobbins became the team’s first 100-yard rusher in two years, RJ Harvey stood out as a No. 2 running back and Bo Nix was effective for the most part. If that can become a consistent theme, with the defense Denver already has, the Broncos will quickly start climbing their way back into the top 10 of our NFL power rankings.

13. San Francisco 49ers (8)

Nick Bosa’s absence was certainly felt on Sunday by the San Francisco 49ers, who finished without a quarterback hit or sack on Trevor Lawrence. With so much inexperience in the trenches, the Jaguars’ ground game also ate San Francisco’s defense alive. However, even that wasn’t enough for the 49ers to lose this one. It was Brock Purdy’s four turnovers and then a game-sealing punt return touchdown that doomed San Francisco. The 3-1 record is nice, but this certainly looks like a team that is moving backward fast, and injuries only play a moderate role in that.

12. Indianapolis Colts (7)

There’s the Daniel Jones we’ve all seen prior to the 2025 NFL season. The Rams had the pass rush to make the Indianapolis Colts quarterback uncomfortable, and his history in those situations is why he didn’t have many options in free agency. Defensively, the Colts’ cornerbacks outside of Charvarius Ward were also really exposed in this one. Indianapolis is still 3-1 in a very winnable division, and 4-1 is on the table with a Week 5 home draw against the Raiders.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (18)

Some questionable decisions from Mike Tomlin nearly proved costly for thePittsburgh Steelersin Dublin, but they still came out of Week 4 with a win. Pittsburgh’s defense still has some real issues defending the pass, but this pass rush has 11 sacks in the last two games and that has correlated to one of the highest takeaway rates in the NFL. It’s also become a more balanced team, with Kenneth Gainwell running well and Aaron Rodgers playing efficient football. Riding a two-game win streak into the bye, the Steelers are starting to look like a playoff-caliber team again.

10. Green Bay Packers (5)

The Green Bay Packers’ problems start in the trenches. Missing two starters on the trenches has further exposed both the lack of depth Green Bay has and how poorly Elgton Jenkins is handling the move to center. On the defensive side, injuries have left the cupboard empty at defensive tackle and that’s led to consistently losing the battles in the trenches.

Green Bay also deserves crticism over its handling of the cornerback position this offseason. Nate Hobbs has been a disastrous signing and depth was always an issue behind Keisean Nixon. One thing is for certain, the 2-1-1 Packers desperately need this Week 5 bye to get healthier and figure out some of their issues. Hopefully for Green Bay, Jordan Love learns to manage that time off.

9. Jacksonville Jaguars (16)

The Jacksonville Jaguars are some red-zone drops away from being 4-0. Plenty went right for Duval on Sunday—four takeaways and a punt return touchdown—but there’s something to be said about this team’s ability to find different paths to victory on Monday. It’s really the evolution of this Jaguars’ rushing attack, with Liam Coen unlocking Travis Etienne, that is standing out right now. Well, that and a Jaguars’ defense that creates takeaways like they are third-down stops. The Jaguars could surprise the Chiefs next week on Monday Night Football in Jacksonville.

8. Seattle Sehawks (14)

It might not have been decisive of a Thursday Night Football win as theSeattle Seahawksexpected entering the fourth quarter, but all that matters now is the 3-1 record. Seattle can also feel extremely confident about the rapport Sam Darnold has with Jaxon Smith-Njogba, especially in September. Darnold also desevers credit for his two big fourth-quarter throws against a stout Arizona defense. Now at 3-1, Seattle has provided itself a little margin for error ahead of a tough Week 5 home battle against Tampa Bay.

7. Los Angeles Chargers (3)

It felt like theLos Angeles Chargers‘ electricity got cut out after the Joe Alt injury. This offense found a way to survive after losing Rashawn Slater, but Alt’s departure in Week 4 dealt a catastrophic blow to this offense. Maybe the injury won’t keep him out for months, but starting two backup tackles against Washington next week could certainly result in Los Angeles going from 3-2 to 3-3.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (10)

In a must-win game, the better quarterback delivered. Patrick Mahomes and the Kansas City Chiefs haven’t gotten Rashee Rice back yet, but that statement win over Baltimore inspired new confidence in the offense. Xavier Worthy’s return resulted in a 100-yard day, and his presence played an obvious role in Mahomes’ four-touchdown game. Kansas City seems to be returning to its championship-caliber form.

5. Los Angeles Rams (12)

The Los Angeles Rams made sure not to let another victory slip in Week 4 after stealing defeat from the jaws of victory last Sunday against the Eagles. Puka Nacua feasted and paired with Kyren Williams; the two centerpieces of this offense combined for 264 scrimmage yards. Add to that a strong Rams’ pass rush pressuring Daniel Jones into mistakes, and you get a very impressive win by the Rams. Up next is a Thursday Night Football matchup against a 49ers team that just lost to Jacksonville.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)

Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin return, only for Mike Evans to go down. TheTampa Bay Buccaneers‘ offense came out sluggish early, resulting in a 21-point deficit late in the first half. Once again, though, Baker Mayfield rallied this team and took the Eagles to the wire. Tampa Bay’s turnovers and red-zone issues are ultimately what cost them in a 31-25 loss, but the team has to feel like it still has what it takes to beat the Eagles if there is a rematch in the playoffs.

3. Detroit Lions (6)

TheDetroit Lionsdid what the Packers couldn’t versus Cleveland: protect the quarterback. It made all the difference and allowed the Lions’ offense to get into a bit more of a rhythm, especially with the short fields created by takeaways. While the Lions have two upcoming road games—versus Cincinnati and Kansas City—both are very winnable, and the organization has to feel so much more confident in this team as a Super Bowl contender than it did a few weeks ago.

2. Buffalo Bills (2)

The Saints kept it close for a little while, at one point making it look like one of the best NFL teams in 2025 would become the next to lose to an undefeated club. Unlike the Packers and Chargers, though, Buffalo overcame some early missed opportunities by putting it away in the fourth quarter. The Bills are the unquestioned top team in the AFC right now, and their schedule provides a path to keep piling up victories.

1. Philadelphie Eagles (1)

ThePhiladelphia Eagleshave gotten their offense back on track a little bit since trailing the Rams by multiple scores last week, but its the special-teams and defensive stops that swung Sunday’s game against Tampa Bay. While the Buccaneers outgained the Eagles by a wide margin, Vic Fangio’s group locked things down in the red zone. Philadelphia improves to 8-0 and it has to feel confident about how its defense will fare versus Bo Nix.

Week 3

32. Miami Dolphins (32)

TheMiami Dolphinshave a lot of problems, and when that’s the case, blame should first fall on the shoulders of the general manager. Once blame is assigned to Chris Grier, next on the list should be Tua Tagovailoa. One of thehighest-paid NFL playersnow ranks 27th inAdjusted EPA per Play(-0.063), and the restraints he’s put on this Dolphins’ offense are apparent. Unfortunately for Miami, it’s stuck with him. That leaves Grier and Mike McDaniel as the ones to pay the price for what this team has become.

Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel

31. New Orleans Saints (29)

At least theNew Orleans Saintswere put out of their misery early on Sunday. It was over in the first quarter when Seattle took a 21-0 lead at home. That allowed the crowd to get wild and Mike Macdonald could give his defense the green light to match the stadium’s energy. As for the Saints, after a 0-3 start, it’s fair to wonder when we might hear NFL trade rumors about Alvin Kamara and Cameron Jordan.

Related:NFL Trade Candidates 2025, 8 Players Who Could be Moved this Season

30. Tennessee Titans (30)

It’s really only aboutTennessee Titansrookies Cam Ward and Elic Ayomanor at this point. There’s little else redeeming about this offense, with Calvin Ridley still failing to deliver on his contract and the offensive line struggling to protect the new face of the franchise. On the bright side for Tennessee, Ward continues to show franchise-caliber tools, and the 0-2 record means the front office can use premium draft capital to start building a better roster around him in the years to come.

Read More:NFL TV Ratings 2025

29. New York Giants (26)

TheNew York Giantsare now 11-33-1 since Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season. John Mara made it clear before this fall that he had high expectations for Brian Daboll and Co. As misplaced as those expectations were, he had them. It’s not going to get any better from here for New York, either. At this point, with a high likelihood of this being a one-win team heading into the Week 14 bye, there’s no time like the present to fire Daboll.

Related:New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll

28. New York Jets (27)

New York Jetshead coach Aaron Glenn will rightfully downplay the value of moral victories after Sunday’s loss to the Buccaneers, but this fan base should feel better about the direction of this team. On a day when the identity of the Jets’ offense couldn’t get much going on the ground, Glenn’s defense delivered by far its best performance of the season. Glenn’s defense held Tampa Bay to 4-of-13 on third-down attempts. Equally important, this team rallied from trailing 23-6 entering the fourth quarter to take a 27-26 lead late before it slipped away. Glenn is building a new culture for this franchise.

Read More:2026 NFL Draft Order, NFL Draft picks by Team 2026

27. Houston Texans (20)

This feels like rock bottom for theHouston Texansorganization. What’s happened to C.J. Stroud over the past year-plus is an indictment of the Texans’ front office and its inability to build an NFL-caliber offensive line. Truthfully, how general manager Nick Caserio handled this offseason feels like malpractice when you have a franchise quarterback. Houston can’t run the football, and Stroud is now rattled from more than a season of getting rocked and swarmed by pressure. The Texans ignored their biggest problems in the spring, and now the effects of that are on full display.

26. New England Patriots (23)

Turnovers were theNew England Patriots‘ downfall in Week 3, and they came at the costliest times. Drake Maye was intercepted in the end zone, and Rhamondre Stevenson fumbled at the goal line, wiping out an otherwise solid performance by this team. At some point, head coach Mike Vrabel needs to be willing to give TreVeyon Henderson a chance. Otherwise, the Patriots will keep quite a few games close but always be at risk of having the two centerpieces of their offense (Maye and Stevenson) turn the football over.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (24)

TheLas Vegas Raiderscertainly look like a team that used the sixth overall pick on a luxury position when it had absolutely no business doing so. Exiting Week 3, the Raiders are averaging72.3 rushing yards per gamewith just a 3.06 yards-per-carry average and Geno Smith has been sacked 12 times in three contests. One pick later, right tackle Armand Membou was selected. It’s still early in the season, but that selection feels especially detrimental to this Raiders’ offense right now.

24. Cincinnati Bengals (15)

Just an ugly loss for the Cincinnati Bengals in the first week of their new reality. Many bought into Browning’s impressive late-season run in 2023 as a potential sign that Cincinnati could stay afloat for a little bit. That’s just not doable given the current state of this Bengals’ offensive line and defense. More than likely, a 2-0 record will be 2-4 by the middle of October.

23. Carolina Panthers (30)

Performances like that restore a lot of confidence in the future of theCarolina Panthers. While the first win of the season came in Week 3, it feels like the real turnaround for this club came last Sunday. After falling behind 27-3 in the third quarter versus Arizona, Carolina clawed its way back and nearly pulled off the improbable comeback. Since trailing 27-3 last week, the Panthers have outscored their opponent 49-0. If this momentum can carry over into Week 4 on the road in New England, it will be time to buy early stock in Carolina.

22. Cleveland Browns (31)

That’ll be a win theCleveland Brownsremember for the entire season. What matters from that win over the Packers is rookie running back Quinshon Judkins (94 yards and 1 touchdown) breaking out in his first NFL start and the Browns’ defense suffocating Green Bay’s offense. If just those two things can be consistent themes from this Browns team, there’s a shot at Cleveland winning six games this season.

21. Dallas Cowboys (18)

Javonte Williams was the only bright spot for the Dallas Cowboys in Chicago. He looks rejuvenated this season, but he’s the only one on this team who brought some life to Soldier Field for Dallas. Week 3 feels like a brutal setback for a team that could now be without CeeDee Lamb (ankle) for some time. Up next, a Sunday Night Football bout against a Green Bay Packers team led by Micah Parsons, who will be determined to embarrass Jerry Jones at AT&T Stadium.

20. Atlanta Falcons (14)

TheAtlanta Falconsfinally have a defense and it might not matter. Michael Penix Jr. was just awful on Sunday, throwing 2 interceptions with a 50 percent completion rate against one of the league’s worst defenses in the last two years. It was his inability to move the football that largely resulted in this team failing to reach the red zone as part of a 30-0 blowout. With the Commanders, Bills and 49ers on deck, a 1-5 record before late October is very much on the table.

19. Chicago Bears (25)

Sometimes all it takes is one game. Caleb Williams and Ben Johnson needed a strong performance, something to get the fan base excited and quiet some of the outside noise. That’s precisely what happened in Chicago on Sunday afternoon. We could nitpick, focusing on the fact that the Bears’ ground game will be very ineffective as long as D’Andre Swift is the primary running back. However, the performances from Williams, Luther Burden, and Rome Odunze in Johnson’s offense are what matter most today.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers (21)

It’s sometimes better to be lucky than good. ThePittsburgh Steelerswere fortunate on Sunday, given New England gave the football up twice just inches away from the end zone. That made all the difference in a 21-14 game. With that acknowledged, Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers’ offense also deserve credit for making the most of their red-zone trips (3 touchdowns) and this defense finally delivered a quality performance. There’s momentum here, but we’ll see if it lasts after facing the Vikings in Week 4.

17. Denver Broncos (16)

On the one hand, the Denver Broncos have lost their last two games to undefeated teams by four combined points. Looking from the glass-half-empty perspective, though, Bo Nix has been one of the worst NFL quarterbacks this season and it’s been especially apparent inside the red zone. We fully expect the Broncos’ defense to end this two-game losing skid on Monday Night Football in Week 4, but a matchup with the Eagles could drop Denver back to below .500 immediately after.

16. Jacksonville Jaguars (22)

The Jacksonville Jaguars found a way to win against one of the league’s best defenses. That wouldn’t have happened last season. Trevor Lawrence protected the football and that’s really what this club needed on a day when the Jaguars’ defense racked up 2 sacks and 3 takeaways with just a 4.6 yards-per-play average allowed. A few mental mistakes are really the only thing that have prevented Jacksonville from being undefeated right now. All things considered, this team is in a very good spot.

15. Arizona Cardinals (17)

Fighting tooth and nail with the 49ers at home shows just how far this Arizona Cardinals team has come under head coach Jonathan Gannon. Even with injuries depleting the secondary, the Cards limited San Francisco to 16 total points and a 20 percent third-down conversion rate. At 2-1, our biggest question regarding Arizona right now is what happened to the top-10 rushing attack we saw last year? The absence of that is why the Cardinals lost on Sunday.

14. Seattle Seahawks (19)

Not only did the Seattle Seahawks win in dominating fashion in Week 3, they did it without Julian Love, Zach Charbonnet and Devon Witherspoon. This team impressed in every facet, including on special teams. Seattle should feel especially confident because, from a clean pocket, Sam Darnold looked like he did during his best weeks in Minnesota. After moving to 2-1 on the year, the Seahawks have an opportunity on Thursday Night Football to get their first divisional win of the season by beating Arizona on the road.

13. Minnesota Vikings (13)

Complete and utter domination by theMinnesota Vikingsin Week 3. Fittingly, Brian Flores’ defense set the tone early with a pick-six and later a fumble returned for a touchdown. That put Minnesota up 24-3, and from that point, the team put the game in Jordan Mason’s hands. He proved why he can be a highly effective starter with Aaron Jones sidelined. This was a great recovery by Minnesota, and with the way this Vikings’ defense is performing this fall, it’s fully capable of beating Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers in Dublin next Sunday.

Related:NFL Defense Rankings 2025

12. Los Angeles Rams (10)

It was a matter of when, not if, theLos Angeles Rams‘ secondary would cost them. The timing proved to be quite unfortunate. After leading 26-7 in the third quarter, the Rams’ secondary got eviscerated, with Philadelphia putting up 26 points in the second half. Los Angeles still had chances to win despite its secondary, but a pair of blocked field goals wiped that all away. It’s a gut-wrenching loss, but the Rams are still 2-1 with a chance to recapture some momentum next Sunday if they can take down an undefeated Colts team.

11. Washington Commanders (9)

Good teams find ways to win under difficult circumstances. Already ravaged by injuries on both sides of the ball, theWashington Commandersfound a way to win on Sunday afternoon without Jayden Daniels. Play-caller Kliff Kingsbury found a way on Sunday, dialing up a multi-faceted rushing attack that put up over 190 yards against a Raiders’ defense that allowed 70.5 per game (4th in NFL) coming into Week 3. Now at 2-1, Washington should feel great about making the long-term play for Daniels’ health and still coming out with a victory.

10. Kansas City Chiefs (8)

TheKansas City Chiefsmet expectations on Sunday Night Football. Steve Spagnuolo’s defense proved its Week 2 turnaround versus Philadelphia was no fluke, and this is a unit capable of carrying this team early in games while the offense figures things out. It’s still difficult to find a ton of positives from this Chiefs offense, but the emergence of Tyquan Thornton is big. Once Rashee Rice returns from his six-game suspension, we anticipate Kansas City will start looking like a Super Bowl contender again.

9. Baltimore Ravens (4)

The Baltimore Ravens still look like a team that can’t do the little things right in the biggest moments. Whether it’s turning it over on downs after having first-and-goal from the 3-yard line or Derrick Henry’s third consecutive game with a lost fumble, something always seems to go wrong. In past seasons, this team still had a chance to overcome that, thanks to an elite defense or an offensive line that could give Lamar Jackson time to throw. Baltimore doesn’t have either of those things in 2025. If the Ravens can’t beat the Chiefs in Week 4, there should be pressure on the front office to make a move at the NFL trade deadline.

8. San Francisco 49ers (11)

After originally cracking the top six in our NFL Week 4 power rankings, the Nick Bosa injury has dropped the San Francisco 49ers two spots. He is everything to that pass rush and without the Pro Bowl edge rusher on the field, regression from this unit is inevitable. Considering San Francisco was cutting its close in its 3-0 start to begin with, there now have to be real concerns about this team moving forward.

7. Indianapolis Colts (12)

Entering the season,Indianapolis Coltshead coach Shane Steichen sat squarely on the hot seat. The team is now 3-0, and with the way quarterback Daniel Jones is playing, it’s already time to start talking about Steichen for NFL Coach of the Year. Indianapolis has scored 29 or more points in all three of its games this season, with two of those wins coming by double digits. If this momentum continues in Week 4 in Los Angeles against the Rams, maybe it’s time we all start viewing the Colts as one of the best teams in the NFL in 2025.

6. Detroit Lions (5)

It’s safe to say that the season-opening loss in Green Bay served as a wake-up call for Dan Campbell’sDetroit Lions. Baltimore kept it very close for most of the Monday Night Football matchup, but it was over the moment the Lions tasted blood in the water. All of those concerns about the Lions’ ground game and defense from that Week 1 loss are gone. The Lions remain one of the best NFL teams in 2025 and as long as their offensive line stays healthy, they should win at home on Sunday against the Browns.

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5. Green Bay Packers (1)

The Green Bay Packers’ offensive linemen bear almost all of the responsibility for that loss. Jordan Love was sacked 5 times and hit 7 others, with the collapsing pocket blowing up everything Matt LaFleur wanted to do on Sunday afternoon. Despite the woeful performance up front, Green Bay’s defense still gave this team a chance to win. This time, the blockers on the field goal team gave up the block that wiped out a potential game-winning field goal. If Zach Tom and Aaron Banks miss significant time, Green Bay is in trouble.

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4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)

The best news from Week 3 for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers wasn’t a win over the Jets. Instead, it came fromAdam Schefter‘s report that Pro Bowl wide receiver Chris Godwin and All-Pro offensive tackle Tristan Wirfs have a “strong chance” to return this coming week against the Eagles. With the way Tampa Bay’s defense is performing this year, getting two core pieces of the offense back gives the Buccaneers a strong shot at beating Philadelphia at home in Week 4.

3. Los Angeles Chargers (6)

TheLos Angeles Chargershave beaten every team in the AFC West, all without Rashawn Slater. It was an ugly win under the sun in Los Angeles on Sunday, but that might be how Jim Harbaugh likes it against a rival. Once again, Jesse Minter’s defense (15.4 percent third-down conversion rate) led the way on a day when Justin Herbert wasn’t perfect. Who is perfect? The 3-0 Chargers, who should beat up on the Giants in Week 4.

2. Buffalo Bills (3)

It wasn’t the prettiest victory for theBuffalo Billson Thursday Night Football, but blowouts are especially hard to come by on short weeks. What Buffalo can feel good about here is its 3-0 record, with its offense putting up30-plus pointsand averaging3.28 points per drivein each of those victories. Buffalo already passed its first early-season test (Baltimore), so it can just pile up the victories in the next few weeks versus New Orleans and New England. Even with some issues defensively, there’s no reason to think the Bills won’t reach 5-0.

Related:Winners, Losers from Bills’ Thursday Night Football Victory

1. Philadelphia Eagles (2)

ThePhiladelphia Eaglesreturned to their status as the best NFL team in Sunday’s win over the Rams. Trailing 26-7 in the third quarter, the Eagles’ passing game finally came to life and helped snatch victory from the jaws of defeat. It looked like the version of Philadelphia’s passing game that we saw in the Super Bowl, all with a defense that shut out the Rams on their final four drives. It’s also exactly the momentum this team needed before a difficult road test in Week 5 against the Buccaneers.

Week 2

32. Miami Dolphins (30)

It’s time for theMiami Dolphinsto hit the reset button as an organization. What makes that more complicated is that general manager Chris Grier waited a little too long on a Tyreek Hill trade, as the NFL’s active investigation into domestic violence allegations will impact what teams pursue him. Moves made to fix the offensive line didn’t pan out, and without an effective run game, Mike McDaniel’s offense is fairly easy to stop. The bottom line is simple: it’s time for a new general manager and head coach in Miami.

Related:Miami Dolphins Could Fire Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier Midseason

31. Cleveland Browns (28)

For a half, theCleveland Brownslooked like the team that came missed kicks away from beating the Bengals. Then the team everyone expected before the season showed up in the second half, being outscored 31-7 until a garbage-time touchdown. We’re not going to put much stock in Dillon Gabriel throwing his first touchdown pass in his NFL debut since it came against the Ravens’ backups. Let Joe Flacco take the hits in the next three weeks against the Packers, Lions, and Vikings; then Gabriel can take over as the Browns’ starting quarterback.

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30. Carolina Panthers (32)

Kudos to Bryce Young and theCarolina Panthersfor rallying in Week 2, making the Cardinals sweat out what was originally a 27-3 game late in the third quarter. It still ended in a loss, but this is the version of the Panthers that showed up and fought in nearly every game in the second half last season. The talent still isn’t there to win much, but at least Dave Canales’ team fights.

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29. New Orleans Saints (29)

TheNew Orleans Saintswill be one of the worst NFL teams in 2025, but at least they are staying competitive in games thus far. Spencer Rattler is performing adequately, and Alvin Kamara is averaging over4.53 yards per carrythis season, so this young offensive line deserves credit. Considering how low expectations for New Orleans were this season, we’re just trying to highlight the positives that bode well for the future.

28. Tennessee Titans (27)

Already without right tackle JC Latham, theTennessee Titansoffensive line also lost guard Kevin Zeitler to an injury in Week 2. It goes without saying how awful of a situation that put rookie quarterback Cam Ward in. He took five sacks on Sunday, and while sacks are typically credited to the quarterback, he lived under duress versus the Rams’ defensive line. It won’t be that much better in Week 3 against the Colts’ defense. At this point, we just hope Ward stays healthy this season.

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27. New York Jets (25)

One takeaway from Week 2, the success of theNew York Jets‘ offense in the regular-season opener appears to be a much bigger indictment on Pittsburgh’s defense. Facing Buffalo, Tyrod Taylor and Justin Fields went a combined 10-for-22 with54 net passing yards, taking 4 sacks. Through two games, it is quite clear that New York’s defense doesn’t have the talent to make Aaron Glenn’s defense work. Facing one of the league’s top run defenses in Week 3, it will be another rough outing for this Jets’ offense.

Related:Game-by-Game New York Jets Predictions 2025

26. New York Giants (31)

Performances like this from the New York Giants offense will certainly be rare this season, but they sure are an incredible reminder of how phenomenal second-year wide receiver Malik Nabers is. What has to be a bit concerning for New York is how easily Dallas exploited the Giants’ secondary, which the front office poured tens of millions of dollars into this offseason. On the bright side, a 0-2 record is great for draft positioning, and New York at least delivered an entertaining game.

25. Chicago Bears (21)

It seems clear that it’s going to get worse before it gets better for Ben Johnson and theChicago Bears. After a relatively solid performance from the defense in Week 1, this unit just imploded against a Lions’ offense that clearly had a lot to prove, and they took it out on a division foe. On the bright side, at least the Cowboys’ defense this Sunday looked like a unit that Caleb Williams should be able to have some success against. However, it could be a little while before Johnson gets his first win.

24. Las Vegas Raiders (23)

The Las Vegas Raiders simply have to take the good with the bad; it comes with Geno Smith. On Monday Night Football, the ugly was on full display. The good news is that this Raiders’ defense is faring better than expected this season, so when Smith turns things around, Las Vegas will be competitive enough to win seven to eight games this season.

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23. New England Patriots (27)

It’s a step forward for theNew England Patriots, even if it comes against one of the worst teams in the NFL. Drake Maye (3 total touchdowns) played a lot more like a franchise-caliber quarterback in Week 2, resulting in this Patriots’ offense going 7-for-12 on third-down attempts and averaging 6.1 yards per play. There are still plenty of improvements for New England to make on both sides of the ball, but we certainly wouldn’t rule out the fan base experiencing a win over the Steelers in Week 3.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (18)

Trevor Lawrence couldn’t beat Jake Browning in a head-to-head matchup in Week 2. Liam Coen’s running backs, with126 rushing yards and 5.25 yards per carry, thrived on Sunday afternoon. Likewise, defensive coordinator Anthony Campanile’s group picked off Browning three times and allowed just a 42.9% third-down conversion rate. Unfortunately for theJacksonville Jaguars, Lawrence wasn’t remotely good enough to win. Jacksonville faces an uphill climb to beat the Texans in Week 3.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (15)

So much for the buzz about a huge rebound season from Aaron Rodgers. He looked like a 41-year-old quarterback on Sunday afternoon, one who has no business playing behind a bad offensive line. Pittsburgh allowed9 QB hits and 3 sacks, with that pressure resulting in 2 interceptions. What really makes matters worse for the Steelers is that opponents are now averaging 395 total yards per game against this defense with 63 total points allowed. Now headed to Foxborough in Week 3, Pittsburgh is in jeopardy of a 1-2 record.

20. Houston Texans (16)

TheHouston Texansoffensive line is going to derail this team for the second consecutive year, and that falls squarely on general manager Nick Caserio. Houston clearly has the quarterback and pass-catchers to at least operate a league-average offense, but this unit can’t get off the ground because Stroud almost never has time to throw. Houston’s defense will win this team some games, but with how good the Colts look already, it’s hard to see Houston making the playoffs.

19. Seattle Seahawks (22)

If theSeattle Seahawkscan even have a top-18 offense this season, they’ll be a wild-card contender. Mike MacDonald has been orchestrating a top-10 defense since the bye week last season, and that’s carried over into 2025. The biggest development for Seattle this season, though, is that the offensive line looks competent both in pass protection and run blocking. While that’s a low bar for some teams, it’s a level of play Seattle’s offense hasn’t had in years. This was a nice rebound win from the Seahawks, especially given Sam Darnold’s turnovers. With the Saints coming to town in Week 2, Seattle has a viable shot at a 2-1 record.

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18. Dallas Cowboys (20)

With cornerback DaRon Bland out for a bit, it’s going to take some masterclass performances from thisDallas Cowboysoffense to win games. Dak Prescott and Co. certainly delivered in Week 2. Cowboys running back Javonte Williams is the real standout right now, responsible for194 scrimmage yardsand three touchdowns in his first two games. With the way this offensive line is holding up, Dallas should feel very confident heading into its Week 3 duel against the Bears.

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17. Arizona Cardinals (16)

TheArizona Cardinalstook care of business, but it was far closer than it should have been. After taking a 27-3 lead midway through the third quarter, Arizona imploded and let the Panthers respond with 19 unanswered points and come within throwing distance of a game-winning touchdown. A 3-0 record after Week 3 is possible, given San Francisco will likely be without Brock Purdy, but the wins aren’t exactly inspiring.

16. Denver Broncos (13)

When it’s not one thing, it’s another for theDenver Broncos. In Week 1, the Broncos’ defense bailed out Bo Nix with a clinic to beat the Titans. With a shot to move to 2-0, Nix rebounded on Sunday afternoon, only to see the Broncos’ defense (473 total yards allowed) collapse and kicker Will Lutz miss a critical field goal that would’ve put Denver up by five. Sitting at a 1-1 record, the Broncos’ hype train has derailed and this club now looks like one that will have to claw its way to a playoff spot this season.

15. Cincinnati Bengals (12)

There’s never a good time for a Joe Burrow injury, but it would be especially damaging to theCincinnati Bengalsif he is sidelined for these next few weeks. In the next four weeks, the Bengals’ schedule includes matchups against four of the best NFL teams in 2025 (Vikings, Broncos, Lions, and Packers). If the early reports are true and Burrow is out at least two months, you can stick a fork into Cincinnati.

14. Atlanta Falcons (20)

If the Atlanta Falcons have a defense now, that’s a division-changer. Bijan Robinson is fully capable of carrying this offense into the future, Michael Penix Jr. seems to be settling in, and Parker Romo appeared to solve Atlanta’s kicking problem. We still tend to suspect that the inexperience of Atlanta’s young pass rushers will lead to very inconsistent performances, but even a top-20 defense from Atlanta gives them a shot at winning the NFC South.

13. Minnesota Vikings (9)

The ceiling for thisMinnesota Vikings‘ offense is certainly higher with J.J. McCarthy than it was last season, but seven quarters also show how much lower the floor is than it was with Sam Darnold. It will help to get Jordan Addison back in Week 4, but the pressure is still largely resting on Brian Flores’ defense until McCarthy settles in. For now, Minnesota is several tiers below the Lions and Packers in the NFC North.

Related:Game-by-Game Minnesota Vikings Predictions 2025

12. Indianapolis Colts (24)

It’s officially time to take theIndianapolis Coltsseriously. Facing one of the league’s top defenses, Daniel Jones delivered his second consecutive multi-touchdown performance and he’s now accounted for over 600 total yards through two games. Meanwhile, Jones’ presence and a strong offensive line have allowed Jonathan Taylor to play some of the best football in his career. On top of all that, the investments made in the defense this offseason are paying off in Lou Anarumo’s system. This is the team to beat in the AFC South.

11. San Francisco 49ers (14)

As the Bengals can also attest in Week 2, winning with your backup quarterback isn’t easy, regardless of the opponent you’re facing. Of course, it helps when you have Kyle Shanahan drawing up your offense and Robert Saleh serving as the defensive play-caller. TheSan Francisco 49ersmight be without Jimmy Garoppolo and Brock Purdy for a while, but Mac Jones played well within the structure of Shanahan’s offense, and Christian McCaffrey once again demonstrated that his health is all that really matters for San Francisco. Of course, Arizona will provide a bit more of a challenge for the 49ers in Week 3.

10. Los Angeles Rams (11)

Among the things we’ve learned from the first two weeks of the 2025 NFL season, it’s that the Titans’ defense is far better than expected. So, we’re not too concerned about theLos Angeles Ramsoffense having red-zone issues in Week 2. Los Angeles remains pretty well-rounded, albeit with some concerns in the secondary and along the interior offensive line (Steve Avila injured). The wins might not be pretty right now for Sean McVay, but his team is 2-0 ahead of a Week 3 trip to Philadelphia. While the Rams will be underdogs, the playoff matchup last season proved Matthew Stafford and Co. can make things interesting against the Eagles.

9. Washington Commanders (8)

TheWashington Commandersmight’ve only lost by 9 points in Week 2, but the score wasn’t a true representation of how one-sided the Thursday Night Football duel was. Defensively, Washington allowed a 6.7 yards-per-play average before the final kneel-downs, and there were some downfield plays that Green Bay just missed that could’ve made this game even uglier. What hurts even more for Washington is the mounting injury toll, with Austin Ekeler’s Achilles injury likely ending his season. We expect the Commanders to rebound in Week 3 at home versus Las Vegas, but it’s clear this team is a distinct tier below the top Super Bowl contenders.

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8. Kansas City Chiefs (6)

TheKansas City Chiefsare now 0-2 for the first time since2014, which will be reason enough for some to drop the perennial AFC champions outside of the top 10 in the NFL power rankings after Week 2. However, Kansas City looked a lot better defensively than it did in the regular-season opener against the Chargers in Brazil. Patrick Mahomes also played fairly well, but a mistake by Travis Kelce turned a potential Chiefs touchdown into a game-sealing touchdown drive for the Eagles. A 0-2 hole is still difficult for a Super Bowl contender to dig out of, but we do feel better about the Chiefs’ rest-of-season outlook than we did a week ago.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (7)

It wasn’t the crispest performance by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers offense on Monday Night Football, but this defense proved it is good enough to keep games close for three quarters until Baker Mayfield and Co. can get things going again. What makes the 2-0 record even more impressive is that it’s come without Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin. Set to face the Jets in Week 3, there’s no reason why the Buccaneers shouldn’t be 3-0 after Sunday.

6. Los Angeles Chargers (9)

Jim Harbaugh is doing it again, this time in the AFC. In his second season as the 49ers’ coach, Harbaugh helped them reach the Super Bowl. Maybe that ceiling feels a little bit lofty for thisLos Angeles Chargersteam, but they were clearly better than the Chiefs in Week 1 and handled the Raiders with relative ease on Monday Night Football. Facing Denver will be another great test for Los Angeles—one that could really give Justin Herbert and Co. a massive head start on winning the AFC West.

5. Detroit Lions (5)

We didn’t send theDetroit Lionsplummeting down the NFL power rankings after the ugly loss in the regular-season opener, believing that result said more about Green Bay. That proved to be the case in Week 2. The offensive line kept the pocket clean for Jared Goff, and this passing game fired on all cylinders, resulting in this offense putting up 511 total yards and averaging8.8 yards per play. There are going to be growing pains with two new play-callers and an overhauled interior offensive line, but Detroit is still one of the best NFL teams right now. While a road trip to Baltimore in Week 3 will be a tough test, the talent on this Lions roster absolutely gives them a chance to leave M&T Bank Stadium with a win.

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4. Baltimore Ravens (4)

A week after a brutal late-game collapse against Buffalo, theBaltimore Ravensresponded in Week 2 by wiping out the Browns in the second half of Week 2. What’s remarkable is that it was a 10-3 game at halftime and Derrick Henry fumbled for the second consecutive game. This time around, the Ravens kept their foot on the gas and pummeled Cleveland in the second half to win41-17. Other fans will rightfully point that a win over Cleveland doesn’t say much, but Baltimore did lose to this team once last year. Besides, it’s good to see that the Ravens are capable of staying aggressive with a big lead. We can’t wait for the Lions vs Ravens battle on Monday Night Football in Week 3.

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3. Buffalo Bills (2)

A nice rebound performance from theBuffalo Billsdefense in Week 2, especially against the run. It’s also always great to see the elite teams that can win in multiple ways, as James Cook and Buffalo’s defense really led the way in Sunday afternoon’s blowout win over the Jets. The upcoming Bills schedule — vs Dolphins, vs Saints, vs Patriots, at Falcons, and at Panthers — gives this club a fantastic shot to be undefeated heading into November. For now, though, the focus will be on beating Miami on Thursday Night Football.

Related:Game-by-Game Buffalo Bills Predictions 2025

2. Philadelphia Eagles (1)

Saquon Barkley put thePhiladelphia Eaglesoffense on his back and carried them to a victory. On a day when Jalen Hurts couldn’t get anything going through the air, Barkley made the plays to move the chains. Then, thanks to a fortunate moment when rookie Andrew Mukuba took 41 yards to set up the Eagles’ offense at the 41-yard line, a big-time catch by DeVonta Smith led to the game-sealing touchdown by Hurts. Philadelphia certainly doesn’t look quite as dominant as it did last season, but that 2-0 record is all that matters.

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1. Green Bay Packers (3)

TheGreen Bay Packerslook like the best NFL team in 2025. Through the first two weeks, the Packers’ defense has effectively shut down two of the league’s best offenses from last season. In the process, they’ve beaten two clubs that posted a combined 27-7 record last year and come out of it with a+23 point differentialafter Week 2. Up next on the Packers’ schedule is a road trip where they are expected to beat the Browns. It’s going to be a long wait, but that Week 10 duel on Monday Night Football against the Eagles feels like a potential NFC Championship Game preview.

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hers (29)

TheCarolina Panthersare the worst team in the NFL right now. In Week 1, facing the worst pass defense in the league last season, Bryce Young looked like the quarterback everyone was ready to give up on during his rookie season. The thing is, head coach Dave Canales isn’t really the problem right now. Young just looked awful, and this might be one of the easiest matchups he draws this season. As for the Panthers’ defense, they are just as awful at stopping the run as last season. This is a very bad football team.

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31. New York Giants (27)

Without left tackle Andrew Thomas in Week 1, theNew York Giants‘ offense. This is easily one of theworst NFL offensive lineswhen Thomas is out and Wilson, who hangs onto the football too long, only makes things worse. We understand why fans want to see Jaxson Dart, but rushing him into action this early would be a mistake. The upcoming Giants schedule – at Cowboys, vs Chiefs, vs Chargers – with the current state of New York’s offensive line would be setting Dart up to fail. Give it time, because the only value Wilson might bring at this point is taking the hits for Dart. It is a shame New York is going to waste such a great defensive line.

Related:Game-by-Game New York Giants Predictions 2025

30. Miami Dolphins (23)

Entering Week 1,Miami Dolphinsquarterback Tua Tagovailoa had a career 8-3 record with a 19-9 TD-INT ratio and 102.8 QB rating inSeptember. If this team can’t even get hot to open the season, Mike McDaniel is in serious trouble. A Dolphin’s rushing attack that ranked 21st in rushing yards per game (105.6) and 31st in Rush EPA (-0.246) last season, didn’t look any better in the season opener. Meanwhile, Tyreek Hill alreadyhad his first sideline outburst of the seasonand Tagovailoa struggled. If Miami can’t beat the New England Patriots in Week 2, there should already be alarm bells going off with this team.

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29. New Orleans Saints (32)

All things considered, not a bad head-coaching debut for Kellen Moore. The New Orleans Saints roster won’t give this team many chances to win this season, so keeping it close with the Arizona Cardinals in Week 1 should be considered a solid outcome. This young Saints’ offensive line only allowed Spencer Rattler to get sacked once, with just 2 QB hits surrendered. That’s really what matters for the long-term foundation, and it’s another positive sign for this organization.

28. Cleveland Browns (31)

Kudos to theCleveland Brownsfor at least giving the Cincinnati Bengals a scare in Week 1. Truly, Joe Flacco and Kevin Stefanski might have won this game (17-16) if rookie kicker Andre Szymt hadn’t missed a field goal and an extra-point attempt. This is the version of Flacco the Browns are going to get each week: multiple turnover-worthy plays and a few nice drives with some big-time throws. Given how good Cleveland’s defense looked in the season opener, they could win a few more games than expected, just not in Week 2 against Lamar Jackson and the Baltimore Ravens.

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27. New England Patriots (22)

TheNew England Patriotscertainly missed standout cornerback Christian Gonzalez in Week 1. Even if he played, though, it probably wouldn’t have made much of a difference. Patriots’ offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels quickly abandoned the run game – TreVeyon Henderson averaged5.4 ypcon five carries – with Drake Maye dropping back 50 times on Sunday. Maye still showed big-play ability, but the Patriots’ offensive line (9 QB hits and 4 sacks allowed) remains a big problem. It’ll be a battle of two struggling offenses in Week 2 in Florida against the Dolphins.

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26. Tennessee Titans (32)

Several of the worst NFL teams in 2025 showed a lot more fight than expected in Week 1. Cam Ward’sTennessee Titansare part of that group. It wasn’t a good performance by any means from the first overall pick, but we didn’t expect him to perform well against an elite defense. What matters for Tennessee is that this defense is much better than expected, and that’s an incredible asset to give a rookie quarterback.

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25. New York Jets (28)

TheNew York Jetsshould feel very good about the future of their offense coming out of Week 1. It starts up front with a Jets offensive line that, even without Alijah Vera-Tucker, looked great. Not only is New York showing the ability to consistently win up front, but first-year offensive coordinator Tanner Engstrand is also showing some nice early tricks up his sleeve and answers to what defenses throw at him. The Jets didn’t win, but Gang Green has to feel good about what this offense showed on Sunday.

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24. Indianapolis Colts (26)

For at least a week, Shane Steichen and theIndianapolis Coltsget to look brilliant for choosing to start Daniel Jones over Anthony Richardson. Kudos to the Colts’ offensive line for helping slow down Miami’s pass rush, which allowed Jones to sit back in a clean pocket and attack a woeful secondary. Indianapolis completely controlled this one, outgaining Miami by over 200 total yards in a completely one-sided game. We think this blowout might say a lot more about the Dolphins than the Colts, but Indianapolis will have a shot to prove that wrong in Week 2 against the Denver Broncos.

Read More:NFL Predictions 2025, Win-Loss Projections for Every Team

23. Las Vegas Raiders (25)

With the Patriots bottling up Ashton Jeanty in Week 1, quarterback Geno Smith showed how much of a difference it makes for theLas Vegas Raidersoffense to have a reliable signal-caller. Smith isn’t the perfect quarterback; his 4 sacks and 1 interception highlight his tendency to make a few negative plays. However, he handled the blitz well (9-for-13, 189 yards and 1 TD) and really took advantage of Chip Kelly’s open passing game. Set to host their home opener in Week 2, Las Vegas could surprise the Los Angeles Chargers.

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22. Seattle Seahawks (24)

Sam Darnold will prevent the Seattle Seahawks from challenging for a wild-card spot this season. He had no problem feeding Jaxon Smith-Njigba (9 receptions for 124 receiving yards), but that’s the only thing he could do. At the very least, fans can have fun watching Mike Macdonald’s defense play well this season. Plus, we might start seeing a little more of Zach Charbonnet in the weeks to come.

21. Chicago Bears (18)

Yes, Caleb Williams missed some open wide receivers on Monday Night Football, and this Chicago Bears offense went 3-for-12 on its third-down attempts. There was always going to be an acclimation period to Ben Johnson’s offense. In Week 1 of the 2022 season, Jared Goff had an interception with an 80.3 QB rating and a63.6 ESPN QBR. In Week 1 this season, Williams had an 86.6 QB rating with a63.8 ESPN QBRand a higher yards per attempt (6.0) than Goff did (5.8). All of this is to say that it’s going to take time for the Bears’ offense to start clicking; no one in Chicago should be panicking yet.

20. Dallas Cowboys (21)

TheDallas Cowboyswill certainly feel fairly good coming out of Week 1, having come just a Miles Sanders’ red-zone fumble away from potentially beating the reigning Super Bowl champions. If not for the second-half drops by CeeDee Lamb, maybe Dallas wins anyway. Although playing a defense that was without All-Pro defensive tackle Jalen Carter also helped the Cowboys’ offense a lot. Dallas at least showed, as long as Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb stay healthy, this can be a competitive team that keeps games close. It’ll be worth keeping a close eye on Week 2, though, on how the offensive line fares against the Giants’ defensive line.

Related:Winners, Losers from the NFL Kickoff Game

19. Atlanta Falcons (19)

In a game where both teams missed field goals, the whiff for theAtlanta Falconskicker Younghoe Koo came at the worst time. It was a heartbreaking home loss for Atlanta, but what the coaching staff can feel good about is how well second-year quarterback Michael Penix Jr. played. Atlanta did a nice job getting Bijan Robinson involved as a receiver (100 yards on 6 receptions), with the run game shut down by Tampa. A loss still hurts, but the Falcons at least showed they’ll be a very competitive team in 2025.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (20)

Liam Coen might not have worked magic with Trevor Lawrence in Week 1, but you saw the impact he had on the Jacksonville Jaguars’ rushing attack. Travis Etienne cleared the 100-yard mark in three quarters, his first 100-yard game since Week 17 of the 2023 season. Jacksonville also had a fairly efficient third-down offense, another staple of Coen’s tenure as a play-caller with the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. We saw positive signs from Jacksonville in Week 1. If they can go into Cincinnati in Week 2 and get after Joe Burrow, there’s a path to beating the Bengals.

Related:Bold NFL Predictions 2025, including the Jaguars

17. Arizona Cardinals (17)

It wasn’t quite the performance we were hoping to see from theArizona Cardinalsin Week 1. Kyler Murray did a good job getting Marvin Harrison Jr. and Trey McBride involved (11 receptions, 132 yards, and 1 touchdown on15 targets), but the Cardinals’ defense underperformed a bit. Still, all that will matter for Jonathan Gannon is the 1-0 record ahead of a very winnable home opener in Week 2 versus Carolina. We expect to see a few more explosive plays from this run game and a better defensive showing, too.

16. Houston Texans (12)

TheHouston Texansoffensive line remains an alarming concern for this team. To make matters worse, the absence of Joe Mixon means the team doesn’t even have a rushing attack to take some of the pressure off C.J. Stroud. It’s a shame because this defense is phenomenal, and the high-end skills with Stroud are still there. Houston is going to be the example of what happens when you fail to protect your franchise quarterback. Fortunately for head coach DeMeco Ryans, his defense still gives his team a shot to win a very weak division.

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (16)

We’ll start with the glass-half-full perspective for thePittsburgh Steelers. At 41 years old, quarterback Aaron Rodgers (244 yards, 4-0 TD-INT and 136.7 QB rating) delivered his best performance since Week 10 of the 2022 season. The four-time MVP showed good chemistry with DK Metcalf, and wide receiver Calvin Austin III made some big plays in the Steelers’ 34-32 win.

Related:Game-by-Game Pittsburgh Steelers Predictions 2025

What’s concerning is that Pittsburgh’s defense allowed a 50 percent third-down conversion rate, a 6.35 yards-per-play average, and a 75 percent touchdown rate to a Jets offense led by Justin Fields. It’s even more unnerving because offenses are typically supposed to be behind schedule early in the season. We’ll see how this unit responds in Week 2 against Sam Darnold and the Seahawks

14. San Francisco 49ers (15)

Look at the difference having Christian McCaffrey and Robert Saleh makes for theSan Francisco 49ers. Without the All-Pro running back and standout defensive play-caller, San Francisco isn’t beating the Seahawks in Week 1. Saleh’s defense held Seattle to a 30 percent third-down conversion rate, and McCaffrey delivered 142 scrimmage yards. We also have to highlight Ricky Pearsall, who could be kicking off a breakout season. The 49ers should be 2-0 after facing the Saints in Week 2.

13. Denver Broncos (7)

That sound you heard is theDenver Broncos‘ hype train derailing. Tennessee’s defense might not be quite as bad as everyone thought, but Nix was absolutely dreadful in Week 1. Denver’s defense delivered, neutralizing just about everything Cam Ward and the Titans tried. At the very least, it has to be nice for Sean Payton to know his quarterback can play this poorly and his team still wins. With that said, what the Broncos’ passing game showed in the regular-season opener should squash any talk of this being a dark-horse Super Bowl contender, at least for now.

12. Cincinnati Bengals (13)

Barely beating the Browns because their rookie kicker missed two kicks isn’t enough to move up much in the NFL Week 2 power rankings. TheCincinnati Bengalsoffensive line allowed 7 QB hits and 3 sacks in Week 1, all the while Chase Brown (2.0 yards-per-carry average) had nowhere to run. As for Cincinnati’s defense, it allowed the Browns to post a 56.3% third-down conversion rate and put up 327 total yards on 10 drives. Nothing the Bengals showed in Week 1 suggests they’re any better than they were last season.

Related:Game-by-Game Cincinnati Bengals Predictions 2025

11. Los Angeles Rams (10)

The Los Angeles Rams defense won this Week 1 matchup against the Texans, and it’s not the only game they’ll win for this team in 2025. Houston did a great job of containing Sean McVay’s offense, holding a 6-0 lead until late in the second quarter. Thankfully, for Matthew Stafford and Puka Nacua, the Rams’ defense kept this a game. That’s all it took, with just a few big plays setting up two touchdowns in a 14-9 win. It’s safe to say this Rams’ defensive front will cause Cam Ward problems in Week 2.

10. Minnesota Vikings (11)

In the first half of the Monday Night Football game, J.J. McCarthy looked like a quarterback who hadn’t taken meaningful snaps sinceJanuary 8, 2024. So yes, the early struggles shouldn’t have been too much of a surprise from the young quarterback. The second half is what inspires some confidence in what theMinnesota Vikings‘ ceiling can be, especially when they get left tackle Christian Darrisaw back. Minnesota should be able to win fairly comfortably in Week 2 at home against Atlanta.

Related:Game-by-Game Minnesota Vikings Predictions 2025

9. Los Angeles Chargers (14)

That was an MVP-like performance out of Justin Herbert. He elevated theLos Angeles Chargersin Brazil, consistently sustaining drives and never allowing Kansas City to really snatch back momentum in this game. What has to feel especially great for the Chargers is seeing how dependable the receiving corps was, with Quentin Johnston, Ladd McConkey, and Keenan Allen combining for 221 receiving yards and three touchdowns. We’ll need to see more from Los Angeles’s offensive line and pass rush over multiple weeks, but the early signs in Week 1 were promising. Just expect the Raiders to put up a good fight at home in Week 2.

Related:Winners, Losers from Chiefs vs Chargers in Brazil

8. Washington Commanders (11)

For being a season opener, when offenses are still working out a lot of issues, theWashington Commandersshould feel pretty good about their victory over New York in Week 1. We’re not going to overreact too much to the sack totals allowed by the Commanders’ offensive line. That’s for two reasons. First, guard Sam Cosmi (PUP list) remains sidelined as he recovers from an ACL tear. Second, the Giants’ defensive line is going to do that to a lot of teams. What matters is that Jayden Daniels, once again, handled the pressure with poise and kept the chains moving. As for the Commanders’ defense, let’s see it on Thursday Night Football against the Green Bay Packers before overreacting too much to its performance.

Related:Game-by-Game Washington Commanders Predictions 2025

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8)

Considering they were without Tristan Wirfs and Chris Godwin, that’s a good win for theTampa Bay Buccaneers. Baker Mayfield delivered a go-ahead touchdown drive late in the fourth quarter when Tampa Bay needed it, and this team posted a 50% third-down conversion rate under new offensive coordinator Josh Grizzard. We are a bit skeptical of the defense being good enough for Tampa Bay to be a Super Bowl contender, but we liked what we saw from the offense in Week 1 under the current circumstances.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (5)

Reaching the Super Bowl in three consecutive seasons certainly warrants a lot of respect. With that said, it felt like many were overlooking some holes on the roster and inexperience on the left side of the offensive line. Patrick Mahomes can help theKansas City Chiefsovercome a lot of that, but even he isn’t enough if this defense can’t cover or consistently generate pressure. With the Eagles on deck in Week 2, there’s a real chance Kansas City drops out of the top 10 in our NFL power rankings next Sunday night.

Related:NFL Defense Rankings 2025

5. Detroit Lions (3)

There were far too many people downplaying the significance of theDetroitLions losing both their play-callers. Likewise, there will be far too many overreactions to what happened in Week 1. Detroit looked like a team integrating a new interior offensive line and play-calling on both sides of the ball. This is still one of the best NFL teams in 2025, and we should see a much better version of the Lions in Week 2 against the Bears.

Related:Game-by-Game Detroit Lions Predictions 2025

4. Baltimore Ravens (2)

TheBaltimore Ravenslook like the best NFL team a times. Then, they get in their own way. Baltimore’s defense had a lot of issues on Sunday night, but this offense has answers for everything the best NFL teams can throw at them. We do have confidence that defensive coordinator Zach Orr will figure out some of the issues that showed up in the season opener. With that said, the repeated issues in clutch moments are an alarming trait with this team and tonight felt reminiscent of the playoffs. Just as important, it shouldn’t surprise anyone if this fourth-quarter collapse ultimately comes back to cost Baltimore the AFC’s No. 1 seed come January.

Related:Game-by-Game Baltimore Ravens Predictions 2025

3. Green Bay Packers (6)

TheGreen Bay Packersonly gave the NFL a small Costco-sized sample of what’s to come with Micah Parsons. In Week 1 against the Lions’ All-Pro right tackle Penei Sewell, Parsons immediately looked like a difference-maker. He also made life easier for Rashan Gary and helped make life easier for the Packers’ secondary. Green Bay also got a fairly clean performance from Jordan Love and showed they can still win games even when this offense isn’t playing up to its peak form. We won’t see a big jump in snap count from Parsons in Week 2, since Green Bay plays on Thursday Night Football, but that says even more about what this defense can become.

2. Buffalo Bills (4)

Josh Allen and theBuffalo Billsjust pulled off an unforgettable comeback. You can say that a bit of luck (Derrick Henry fumble) played a part, but the reigning NFL MVP engineered a fourth-quarter rally that will be remembered for the remainder of the season. Buffalo’s defense certainly is a concern, but the Ravens’ offense has always given them fits in the regular season. Just a phenomenal comeback from Buffalo at home.

Related:Game-by-Game Buffalo Bills Predictions 2025

1. Philadelphia Eagles (1)

It certainly wasn’t the cleanest performance for thePhiladelphia Eaglesin Week 1, starting with theJalen Carter ejection. That spearheaded a penalty-filled night (9 penalties for 110 yards) with the Landon Dickerson injury on top of that. What Philadelphia can feel good about is that, even on a night when the offense became sluggish in the second half and the duo of DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown finished with just 24 yards on 4 targets, Jalen Hurts played really well. The few holes on this Eagles roster—particularly on defense—become more apparent when Carter is out, but this is still an elite team.

Related:Game-by-Game Philadelphia Eagles Predictions

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ByMatt Johnson

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TheMinnesota Vikingsmay have a new starting quarterback on Sunday if J.J. McCarthy can’t clear the league’s concussion protocol in time for the road trip to Seattle. That means undrafted rookie Max Brosmer could be set to make his first NFL start after graduating from the University of Minnesota.

Odds are the Vikings will begin next season with McCarthy as the starter in Minnesota, but his durability concerns suggest the organization will need to make other plans to reinforce the QB depth chart. Perhaps McCarthy and/or Brosmer will prove enough to show that the Vikings don’t need to bring in another starting option, but we’re not there yet.

Thus, if the Vikings want to compete next season, and they surely will with a roster that features Justin Jefferson, they’ll need to add more experience at the position. Recently,ESPN’s Jeremy Fowlertossed out six other QBs who could suit the Vikings’ needs in 2026.

There are several intriguing options there. The question is how many of them will become available, and which ones does coach O’Connell like most?

As exciting as the potential of Richardson offers, our guess is the Vikings will prioritize experience in their hunt for another QB option. That means players like Flacco (who may not be mobile enough for the coach’s liking), Jones, Mills, and possibly even Murray are more likely solutions.

Though bringing in a former No. 1 pick like Murray may be a bit too rich for the team’s liking. A player of Murray’s status may also seriously threaten McCarthy’s status as the potential franchise QB of the future, but perhaps that’s what Minnesota’s minds think McCarthy needs at this point. Time will tell.

Related:Minnesota Vikings Connected to Trade for Former First-Round QB

ByAndrew Buller-Russ

Sports fan since birth. I am also passionate about cars, music, and anything funny. Minnesotan, born and raised. Maybe ... More aboutAndrew Buller-Russ

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Who’s the NFL’s best quarterback? Who’s the NFL’s worst quarterback? We felt it was only fair to evaluate all 32 NFL starting quarterbacks based on their performance this season. That means the typical greats like Patrick Mahomes won’t rank No. 1, simply because he hasn’t been at his very best this year. Scroll down for the full 2025 NFL QB rankings, from 1-32.

1. Matthew Stafford (Last Week: 1)

No one had Stafford as the top when the season kicked off, but he’s undoubtedly been the NFL’s best QB this season. The NFL’s touchdowns leader continued his dominance Sunday over the Cardinals. He was efficient and effective, completing 22-of-31 passes for 281 yards and three touchdowns.

2. Drake Maye (LW: 2)

Prescott, the NFL’s passing yards leader, has 98 more attempts than Maye, yet he only has 225 more passing yards than Maye. It’s just one stat that shows how potent Maye has been this season. He has, however, been the NFL’s third-most sacked QB, but he’s still only thrown six interceptions. More amazing is the fact that he’s ranked No. 2 already, yet is 14 years younger than Stafford at No. 1.

3. Dak Prescott (LW: 3)

Prescott had a season-high 376 passing yards on Thursday. That’s even more impressive when you consider he was under immense pressure, being sacked five times by the Lions. He did throw two interceptions, but both were on tipped passes his receivers could have caught. While the Cowboys were behind for much of the game, Prescott kept Dallas until the very end.

4. Josh Allen (LW: 4)

Playing in the Buffalo snow, Josh Allen recorded a season-high 78 rushing yards. More importantly, he was crucial in helping hold off Burrow’s rallying Bengals. Allen was not only efficient, completing 78.6% of his passes, he did well to limit mistakes, avoiding turnovers and only getting sacked three times.

5. Jared Goff (LW: 5)

Knowing he’d need a big performance to hang with the Cowboys’ high-scoring offense, Goff delivered in a big way. He’d post 309 yards, which surprisingly was just his third 300-yard game of the season. Yet, it was his third game completing over 73% of his passes in his past five contests, showing how sharp he can be. Goff was nearly perfect, managing to avoid turnovers and only getting sacked once despite attempting 34 passes. It was just what the Lions needed to beat the Cowboys.

6. Jordan Love (LW: 9)

Love and the Packers are getting hot at the right time, winning four games in a row. After three more touchdowns on Sunday, Love has tallied nine touchdowns and one interception in that span. He’s been particularly effective at finding the end zone as of late, getting touchdowns on 13.75% of his attempts.

7. Sam Darnold (LW: 6)

Darnold’s been one of the NFL’s best quarterbacks this season, but he’d come into Sunday on a bit of a cold streak, with just two touchdowns and five interceptions in that span. He started this week on the wrong foot too, beginning with a sack on his first drive and an interception on his third. Yet, a strong second half against a much-improved Falcons defense helped him get on track. Darnold recorded 249 yards and three touchdowns in what ended up being a blowout victory.

8. Patrick Mahomes (LW: 7)

Ugly. That’s the best way to describe Patrick Mahomes’ performance against the NFL’s best defense. Houston forced the future Hall of Famer to tie his career-high with three interceptions. He also had his second game completing fewer than 45% of his passes this season, but this time, Houston forced a new career-low 42.4% of his passes to be completed. Mahomes now also holds the record for the most consecutive incomplete passes at ten.

9. Daniel Jones (LW: 8)

A strong season has come to a rapid, ugly end for one of this season’s best breakout performers. Daniel Jones won’t have any issues landing a massive contract extension from the Colts this offseason, but he likely won’t be available at the start of the season after suffering the injury so late in the year.

10. Justin Herbert (LW: 11)

Herbert was recovering from a fractured hand he just had surgery on last week, and it showed. The Chargers’ QB completed just 12-of-26 passes (career-low 46.1 comp. rate) for a paltry 139 yards while taking a career-high seven sacks. We know his starting tackles are out, but you’d think a QB with an injured hand would find a way to get the ball out quicker to protect himself. But nope, Herbert didn’t mind putting his body in danger, even leading the team with 66 rushing yards. Ultimately, this is a warrior who did whatever it took to get the dub.

Related:NFL Power Rankings 2025: Week-by-Week NFL Evaluations of All 32 Teams

11. Joe Burrow (LW: 12)

Burrow has been forced to miss most of the season with turf toe, but he looks like he’s back to top form. This time, he’s coming off a season-high four touchdown passes while squaring off with Josh Allen. Burrow also tossed two picks, but one of them was tipped at the line of scrimmage. Still, those are mistakes that can’t be made in the fourth quarter. The Bengals’ season is likely over, but it’s not Burrow’s fault.

12. Baker Mayfield (LW: 13)

Mayfield completed a season-low 46.7% of his passes on Sunday, for just 122 passing yards. The weather was ugly and rainy in Florida on Sunday, but his opponent, rookie Tyler Shough, handled himself better than Mayfield, an eight-year vet. Yet, the former No. 1 overall pick still gave his team a chance to win in the end, but a dropped pass by rookie Emeka Egbuka surely didn’t help.

13. Jalen Hurts (LW: 10)

Oops! Hurts just became the first player to pass an interception and fumble on the same play. He also had a career-high four interceptions in the loss to the Chargers. Even when he wasn’t committing double turnovers, Hurts couldn’t find any rhythm. He’d complete just 21-of-40 passes for 240 scoreless yards. He added only eight yards as a rusher. We can’t imagine how livid the locker room was at their starting QB after a three-point loss.

14. Bo Nix (LW: 14)

The Broncos have won ten contests in a row, and Nix has an NFL-high six game-winning drives. He’d finish with a season-high 81.6% completion rate, but Nix needed 31 completions to get to 212 passing yards. Nix suffered a season-high three sacks against the Raiders, and Denver won by just one touchdown. Nix won’t wow you on a weekly basis, but all that matters is Denver being in position to potentially get the No. 1 seed in the AFC.

15. Lamar Jackson (LW: 15)

Robbed of a passing touchdown after poor judgment from refs, Jackson still managed to put forth a respectable performance in a close loss to the Steelers. He’d record a total of 262 yards and two touchdowns, but the interception surely hurt in what resulted in a five-point loss. Jackson hasn’t completed 60% or more of his passes in any of the past five games, and all his numbers are down this season. He just hasn’t been the same.

Related:1 Bold Prediction for Each Game on NFL Week 15 Schedule

16. Aaron Rodgers (LW: 17)

Playing with three fractures in his wrist, Rodgers turned in one of his best performances of the season. He racked up a season-high 284 passing yards to go with two scores (one by air and one by ground). He also avoided turnovers and sacks altogether while aggressively making throws in tight windows and downfield. Honestly, he looked like the Rodgers of old, the one who’s won four MVPs in his career.

17. Bryce Young (LW: 16)

The former No. 1 pick is coming off yet another great performance, finishing with a season-high 75% completion rate and three touchdowns while taking down the Rams. Young was nearly flawless, with just five incompletions, no turnovers, and two sacks taken. He even chipped in 23 rushing yards thanks to a 24-yard scramble. The real question is how he can follow this one up.

18. Jacoby Brissett (LW: 20)

Brissett had over 40 passing attempts for the fifth game in a row, yet this time it led to an ugly 28-point loss. That’s been the story for many opponents facing the Rams. He had other opportunities to make plays, but Brissett showed a bit of why he hasn’t been trusted as a starting quarterback for long. Yet, he’s undoubtedly sparked the Cardinals’ passing offense.

19. Caleb Williams (LW: 18)

The former No. 1 overall pick has the NFL’s second-lowest completion rate, yet the Bears have a 9-4 record. He finished with fewer than 200 passing yards for the fourth time this season, a further indication of how inconsistent he’s been leading Chicago’s passing offense. His game-sealing interception into the end zone put the cherry on top of an already ugly performance. However, Williams is definitely improving; he’s cut his sack rate in half, from once every 4,43% of his passing attempts to 10.79% as a rookie.

20. C.J. Stroud (LW: 19)

C.J Stroud hasn’t been elite this season. He’s coming off his second game with a completion rate lower than 49%. Yet, this time, Houston’s excellent defense helped lead the Texans to victory. Of course, it didn’t help that Stroud had nine consecutive incompletions, which Mahomes oddly topped later on with ten in a row.

21. Trevor Lawrence (LW: 22)

He could have perhaps padded his stats more (or possibly finished with a worse stat line), but the Jaguars didn’t need Lawrence for the whole game in a 36-19 victory. He still finished with 244 yards and two touchdowns while putting the Jaguars in prime position to win the AFC South.

22. Brock Purdy (LW: 21)

The 49ers are on a bye this week, buying them more time to get healthy for a playoff run. Mac Jones has arguably performed better than Purdy this season, but perhaps that changes after an extra week to recuperate. He’ll get to go up against bottom-rate pass defenses in three of his final four matchups.

23. Tua Tagovailoa (LW: 23)

The Dolphins’ offense started hot, and that was all they needed against a Jets team that didn’t have Justin Fields or Tyrod Taylor. Tagovailoa wasn’t very productive for a full game’s work, completing 13-of-21 passes for 127 yards and a touchdown, but we’ve had to get used to ugly stat lines from him this season.

Related:2025 NFL Report Card: Grading All 32 Teams Before Week 15

24. Jayden Daniels (LW: Marcus Mariota ranked 24th)

Once again, Jayden Daniels had to leave the game due to injury. This time, it wasn’t because of his ability as a scrambler; instead, he got knocked out of action after getting blown up on a block following his interception. Daniels otherwise struggled against the Vikings, completing just 9-of-20 passes for 78 yards while taking a sack. He’s had a season to forget.

25. Jaxson Dart (LW: 28)

While it hasn’t always been pretty, there’s no doubt that Dart has brought some spunk to the Giants’ offense. With 11 passing touchdowns and seven more as a rusher, he’s been able to find the end zone often. That’s impressive, given the Giants haven’t had Malik Nabers or Cam Skattebo for much of the season. Plus, the rookie has only thrown three interceptions. Aside from putting himself at risk of further injury, Dart is checking all the boxes so far.

26. Tyler Shough (LW: 29)

The second-round rookie is flashing signs of developing into a franchise quarterback, and the 6-foot-5 QB isn’t just doing it all with his arm. As we saw on Sunday, Shough’s not afraid to make plays with his legs too. We saw that with a 34-yard dash on a read-option of all plays, and more burst on a 13-yard touchdown run too. Though, with just 13 completions on 20 attempts for 144 yards and an interception, he still has plenty of work to do before securing the starting role for good.

27. Shedeur Sanders (LW: 31)

Officially earning the starting job for the remainder of the season, we’d argue Sanders has been the Browns’ best quarterback in 2025. He’s been the beneficiary of some luck on the back of his pass-catchers racking up YAC, yet he’s the one who found the open man and executed the throws in a timely manner. There’s room for improvement, but we can see why the Browns are suddenly more intrigued with their fifth-round rookie after his career-high 364-yard, three-touchdown day.

28. Geno Smith (LW: 26)

Geno Smith entered Sunday’s contest with a foot injury, and he left with an even more concerning shoulder problem that will knock him out for next week, too. Smith didn’t get much of a chance to add to his NFL-leading 14 interceptions. His day was done after completing 13 of 21 passes for 116 yards and a touchdown, but now fans get their wish of seeing what Kenny Pickett can do, and he looked good on Sunday.

29. J.J. McCarthy (LW: Max Brosmer ranked 32nd)

J.J. McCarthy actually looked the part in this one, with a new career-high 69.6% completion rate to go with three passing touchdowns. Though, Washington’s defense has been atrocious, so we’ll be curious to see if McCarthy can perform with more consistency against a few other opponents before putting too much stock into this effort.

30. Tyrod Taylor (LW: 27)

Taylor’s fourth start didn’t go well. He’d get knocked out after completing just 1-of-4 passes for six yards and a pick after suffering a groin injury. His replacement, undrafted rookie Brady Cook, expectedly struggled too, completing fewer than 50% of his passes while throwing two interceptions in his NFL debut, including one in the red zone.

31. Cam Ward (LW: 30)

Ward completed 50% or fewer of his passes for the third time this season, but this time it led to a victory because he also had a career-high two touchdown passes. It was also nice to see him set a new career best by being sacked just once. Though by finishing with just 117 passing yards, it’s safe to say Ward still has a very long way to go in his development.

32. Kirk Cousins (LW: 25)

Taking on an elite Seahawks defense, Cousins couldn’t get anything going. Given a second chance to prove the Falcons right by investing in him, Cousins hasn’t come close to looking like an NFL starting quarterback again. This time, he’d complete just 50% of his passes for 162 scoreless yards while adding two interceptions too. We’d imagine this will be his worst start of the season.

ByAndrew Buller-Russ

Sports fan since birth. I am also passionate about cars, music, and anything funny. Minnesotan, born and raised. Maybe ... More aboutAndrew Buller-Russ

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