Analysis
10/25/22
14 min read
Week 8 Power Rankings: Jets' Rise, Packers' Freefall Continue
The 5-1 Vikings have won four in a row and are running away with the NFC North. Is that who they really are? Or is Kirk Cousins teasing us again?
The 3-4 Bucs lost for the fourth time in five games Sunday to a team that is holding a frickin’ trade deadline garage sale. Is that who they really are? Or will Tom Brady and Co. eventually get their act together?
The 5-2 Jets are off to their best start since 2010 when they made it to the AFC Championship Game. Is that who they really are? Or are we overestimating the significance of five wins over teams with a combined 13-21 record?
The 6-1 Giants own wins over the Titans and Ravens and are nipping at the heels of the undefeated Eagles in the NFC East. Is that who they really are? Or are they a Saquon Barkley ankle injury away from their playoff carriage turning back into a pumpkin?
The Seahawks and the Jets were the biggest winners this week. The Seahawks jumped seven spots from 23rd to 16th after an impressive 37-23 win over Justin Herbert and the Chargers. And the Jets moved up six spots from 17th to 11th after their 16-9 win over the Broncos.
The 4-2 Titans continued their steady ascent up the rankings. They jumped five spots from 15th to 10th with a 19-10 win over the Colts and losses by the Bucs, Falcons and 49ers.
The slip-slidin’ 3-4 Packers continued to drop, falling from 19 to 24 after a 23-21 loss to the Carson Wentz-less Commanders.
1. Buffalo Bills (5-1)
Previous: 1
Last week: Bye | This week: vs. 3-4 Packers
Good news: Stefon Diggs has 18 catches for 250 yards and two TDs in the Bills’ last two games. He went into the bye week second in the league in receiving yards (656), TD catches (6), and targets (65), and third in receptions (49).
Bad news: Their defense has gotten off to slow starts. The Bills had given up the sixth-most first-quarter points in the league in the first six weeks.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)
Previous: 2
Last week: Bye | This week: vs. 2-5 Steelers
Good news: The Eagles have won the turnover battle in every game they’ve played. Their league-leading plus-12 turnover differential is the NFL’s best through the first six games since 2012.
Bad news: Their run defense has been inconsistent. They’re 27th in opponent rush average (5.0), including 18th on first down (4.5) and 22nd on second down (4.9).
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
Previous: 3
Last week: W 44-23 at 49ers | This week: Bye
Good news: Tyreek who? The two guys the Chiefs brought in to replace Hill – JuJu Smith-Schuster and Marquez Valdes-Scantling – both had 100-yard receiving games against the Niners.
Bad news: The defense is 24th in points allowed (24.6), 25th in yards allowed (369.0) and last in touchdown passes given up (17). Maybe that will matter down the road or maybe it won’t, depending on whether anybody can slow Patrick Mahomes.
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
Previous: 4
Last week: Bye | This week: vs. 3-4 Cardinals
Good news: Dalvin Cook is averaging 4.8 yards per carry and 5.0 during the last four games.
Bad news: Kirk Cousins is averaging a career-low 6.6 yards per attempt. Even with the pass-catching weapons he has, the Vikings had the sixth-fewest 20-plus-yard pass plays (15) in the league through the first six weeks.
5. Cincinnati Bengals (4-3)
Previous: 6
Last week: W 35-17 vs. Falcons | This week: at 2-5 Browns
Good news: Joe Burrow’s protection has improved considerably. He’s been sacked just 11 times in the last five games after getting dropped 13 times in Weeks 1-2.
Bad news: Their run game isn’t contributing much. In the last six games, they’ve averaged just 79.8 yards per game on the ground and 3.3 yards per carry.
6. Baltimore Ravens (4-3)
Previous: 5
Last week: W 23-20 vs. Browns | This week: at 3-4 Bucs
Good news: Friendly seas ahead, mate. First Brady and the struggling Bucs, then three straight 2-5 teams – the Saints, Panthers and Jaguars.
Bad news: Ravens have scored just 82 points in the last four games.
7. Dallas Cowboys (5-2)
Previous: 7
Last week: W 24-6 vs. Lions |Â This week: vs. 3-4 Bears
Good news: Dak Prescott looked pretty good for a guy who had been on the shelf for a month and a half. He averaged 8.3 yards per attempt and completed 76% of his attempts against the Lions.
Bad news: Aside from CeeDee Lamb, the Cowboys aren’t getting a lot of production from their wide receiving corps. Michael Gallup, who tore his ACL last season, has just eight catches for 86 yards in four games since his return.Â
8. New York Giants (6-1)
Previous: 9
Last week: W 23-17 at Jaguars | This week: at 4-3 Seahawks
Good news: Daniel Jones’ running is an important component of the Giants’ offense. He rushed for 107 yards with seven rushing first downs against the Jags. He’s third in the league in rushing first downs with 29, seven behind the Raiders' RB Josh Jacobs and five behind the Browns' RB Nick Chubb.
Bad news: The Giants don’t have a single player with 80 or more receiving yards in a game this season.
9. Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
Previous: 11
Last week: Bye | This week: vs. 3-4 49ers
Good news: Their defense hasn’t allowed a red zone TD since Week 2.
Bad news: The Rams are averaging nearly 10 less points per game this season than last year.
10. Tennessee Titans (4-2)
Previous: 15
Last week: W 19-10 vs. Colts | This week: at 1-4-1 Texans
Good news: Derrick Henry had his third straight 100-yard rushing performance on Sunday.
Bad news: The Titans still haven’t scored more than 24 points in a game, which could be a problem against some of the league’s more potent offenses.
11. New York Jets (5-2)
Previous: 17
Last week: W 16-9 at Broncos | This week: vs. 3-4 Patriots
Good news: The last time the Jets started 5-2 was 2010. They finished 11-5 and made it to the AFC Championship Game that year.
Bad news: Rookie RB Breece Hall, who had a 62-yard TD run Sunday and is the Jets’ leading rusher, tore his ACL and is out for the season.
12. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Previous: 8
Last week: L 23-37 vs. Seahawks | This week: Bye
Good news: Keenan Allen played for the first time since Week 1, but played just 23 snaps and finished with two catches for 11 yards.
Bad news: The Chargers’ run defense is absolutely pathetic. It was gashed for 200-plus yards for the second time in the last three games.
13. Miami Dolphins (4-3)
Previous: 14
Last week: W 16-10 vs. Steelers | This week: at 1-5 Lions
Good news: Tua Tagovailoa’s first start since the concussion(s) was without incident.
Bad news: The Dolphins had five 20-plus yard pass plays and three 10-plus yard run plays against the Steelers and managed to score only 16 points. They haven’t scored more than 17 points in a game since Week 3.
14. Tampa Bay Bucs (3-4)
Previous: 10
Last week: L 21-3 at Panthers | This week: vs. 4-3 Ravens
Good news: Despite losing four of their last five, Tampa is somehow still tied for first in the NFC South.
Bad news: The Bucs' offense can’t get out of its own way. It has scored one touchdown in the last nine quarters. Gisele must be loving this.
15. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
Previous: 12
Last week: L 23-44 vs. Chiefs | This week: at 3-3 Rams
Good news: The Niners’ 24 sacks are the second-most in the league.
Bad news: Welp, the Christian McCaffrey era got off to an inauspicious start.
16. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
Previous: 23
Last week: W 37-23 at Chargers | This week: vs. 6-1 Giants
Good news: This is the ground-and-pound offense Pete Carroll envisioned when he traded away Russell Wilson. In their last four games, the Seahawks have averaged 184 rush yards and 6.2 yards per carry.
Bad news: WR DK Metcalf suffered a knee injury early in Sunday’s game. It’s not season-ending, but he could miss multiple games, including this week’s big matchup with the 6-1 Giants.
17. Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
Previous: 13
Last week: L 17-35 at Bengals | This week: vs. 2-5 Panthers
Good news: They live in the NFC South, where 3-4 is good enough for a share of first place.
Bad news: TE Kyle Pitts had just three catches for nine yards against the Bengals. The 2021 first-round pick has just one game with more than 25 receiving yards this season.
18. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)
Previous: 22
Last week: W 42-34 vs. Saints | This week: at 5-1 Vikings
Good news: The return of DeAndre Hopkins and the trade acquisition of Robbie Anderson have given the Cardinals’ anemic passing game a much-needed shot in the arm.
Bad news: Andy Dalton looked like Joe Montana vs. the Cardinals' defense. He threw for 361 yards and four TDs, with two of them in the fourth quarter when the Cardinals were outscored 17-7.
19. Indianapolis Colts (3-3-1)
Previous: 16
Last week: L 10-19 at Titans | This week: vs. 3-4 Commanders
Good news: Jonathan Taylor returned after missing two games with an ankle injury and averaged 5.8 yards per carry.
Bad news: The Colts, who have been outscored 65-128 in the first three quarters this season, won’t have starting QB Matt Ryan this week. He was benched in favor of Sam Ehlinger and has a Grade 2 shoulder sprain.Â
20. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4)
Previous: 20
Last week: W 38-20 vs. Texans | This week: at 2-5 Saints
Good news: In the Raiders’ last three games, Jacobs has rushed for 441 yards and six TDs.
Bad news: Their defense has given up the third-most TD passes (13) in the league and has an NFL-low nine sacks.
21. Chicago Bears (3-4)
Previous: 25
Last week:Â W 33-14 at Patriots | This week: at 5-2 Cowboys
Good news: The Bears, who entered Monday night’s game averaging the third-fewest points in the league, scored a season-high 33 points against Bill Belichick’s defense.
Bad news: They won’t be scoring 33 points this week on the road against Micah Parsons and the rest of the Cowboys’ defense.
22. Denver Broncos (2-5)
Previous: 18
Last week: L 9-16 vs. Jets | This week: at 2-5 Jaguars
Good news: The Broncos' defense has held six of its seven opponents under 20 points.
Bad news: If Nathaniel Hackett can’t get more production from the Broncos’ offense, he’s going to be the highest-paid Walmart greeter in the history of the world.
23. Washington Commanders (3-4)
Previous: 27
Last week: W 23-21 vs. Packers | This week: at 3-3-1 Colts
Good news: With Taylor Heinicke starting for the injured Carson Wentz, Washington ran the ball a season-high 38 times and put up its highest point total since Week 2.
Bad news:Their defense has just four takeaways.
24. Green Bay Packers (3-4)
Previous: 19
Last week: L 21-23 at Commanders | This week: at 5-1 Bills
Good news:RB Aaron Jones had a career-high nine receptions.
Bad news: RB Aaron Jones had a career-high nine receptions.
25. New England Patriots (3-4)
Previous: 21
Last week:Â L 14-33 vs. Bears | This week: at 5-2 Jets
Good news:Â Matthew Judon had 2.5 sacks Monday night, giving him a league-high 8.5.
Bad news:Â The Patriots gave up a season-high 243 rushing yards to the Bears.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
Previous: 24
Last week: L 17-23 vs. Giants | This week: vs. 2-4 Broncos
Good news: The Jaguars' offense had season-highs in net yards (452) and first downs (27).
Bad news: It converted all of that into just 17 points.
27. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5)
Previous: 28
Last week: L 10-16 at Dolphins | This week: at 6-0 Eagles
Good news: Their defense has given up just two touchdowns and 34 points in its last two games.
Bad news: Rookie Kenny Pickett, who threw three interceptions against the Dolphins, has seven in his first four NFL games. That’s the most in franchise history.
28. Carolina Panthers (2-5)
Previous: 32
Last week: W 21-3 vs. Bucs | This week: at 3-4 Falcons
Good news: D’Onta Foreman and Chuba Hubbard celebrated McCaffrey’s departure by combining for 181 yards and 7.5 yards per carry against the Bucs.
Bad news: They’ve got just 10 sacks and are getting trade calls for the guy that has half of those, Brian Burns.
29. New Orleans Saints (2-5)
Previous:Â 26
Last week: L 34-42 at Cardinals | This week: vs. 2-4 Raiders
Good news: The Saints are averaging 31 points per game in Dalton’s four starts.
Bad news: They picked a really bad year to trade away their first-round pick to the Eagles.
30. Cleveland Browns (2-5)
Previous: 31
Last week: L 20-23 at Ravens | This week: vs. 4-3 Bengals
Good news: Their defense has given up just three touchdown passes in the last five games and none to Lamar Jackson on Sunday.
Bad news: After averaging 192.4 rushing yards in their first five games, they’ve averaged just 91.5 in the last two games.
31. Houston Texans (1-4-1)
Previous: 29
Last week: L 20-38 at Raiders | This week: vs. 4-2 Titans
Good news: The Texans have given up just five TD passes.
Bad news: The record of the Texans’ next three opponents? 16-3.
32. Detroit Lions (1-5)
Previous: 30
Last week: L 6-24 at Cowboys | This week: vs. 4-3 Dolphins
Good news: The Lions are hoping to get RB D’Andre Swift back this week. Swift has missed the last three games with ankle and shoulder injuries.
Bad news: So much for those spunky, competitive, close-but-no-cigar losses. The Lions have been outscored 53-6 in back-to-back lopsided defeats to the Patriots and Cowboys.
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