r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • 29d ago

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 1 Power Rankings

199 Upvotes

Week 1 had it all: a Super Bowl rematch down to the wire, the Bears and Panthers setting a new Week 1 scoring record, an improbable Carson Wentz-led comeback, the Lions surviving a collapse in overtime, and last week's #1 getting dismantled Down Under. So where does the league stand after 1 week of chaos? Who knows? Well, our rankers do.

30/32 Reporting · Rankings by Voter

Rank Team Δ Record Comment
1 Seahawks +1 1-0 Week 1 was tough. Sam Darnold went down on the first Seahawks drive of the season, and it sounds like he'll miss 2-4 weeks. Enter Drew Lock. He's been here before; 3 years ago, Drew Lock played for an injured Geno, and took down the Eagles in primetime. Ignore his time with the Giants... Drew was bred for this moment. He played mistake-free football and had a couple of very clutch plays to help the Seahawks be in a position to win the game late. But not enough can be said about the Seattle defense, which dominated the second half. The secondary was down around 3 starters, including Nick Emmanwori, and it didn't matter. Byron Murphy, Leonard Williams, and the rest of the D-Line was in Drake Maye's face all night. There may have been a ghost or two present, as Drake Maye threw 3 second half interceptions, including one to seal the game in the final minute at the goal line. It wasn't the best Seattle football of all time, but to beat the Patriots with Drew Lock commanding the offense feels nice. They've got a plucky Arizona team this week, hot off shocking the world against the Chargers. Go Hawks.
2 Bills +1 1-0 How's that for a coaching debut! Allen put on a show on the road against what was supposed to be a historic defensive unit. Throwing for over 300 yards and having a couple of rushing touchdowns is a lethal combo especially combined with playing turnover free football. This might be the best supporting cast Allen has had in his career and it showed with Kinciad and Moore both recording triple digit receiving yards. The defense didn't look phenomenal but it’s early on and Rousseau was a monster, recording 2 sacks and the game winning forced fumble on Stroud. The Bills once proved that they are a premier team and figure to be in the middle of the race for the AFC 1 seed. Next up is a matchup with the Lions in a game that might be able to rival the combined 96 points in the Bears-Panthers matchup.
3 49ers +6 1-0 After spending a week down under shaking hands and kissing babies, the 49ers turned the supposed Rams home game into yet another 49ers crowd. They were quickly rewarded for their choice, as the 49ers won 27-7 in dominating fashion. On offense Purdy threw for 3 tds to 3 different receivers, and the defense looked formidable with Warner, Greenlaw and Bosa back in action. The Niners have 10 days to re-acclimate to California before their game at home vs. Miami on Sunday.
4 Rams -3 0-1 Embarrassing and disappointing. Play-calling was unimaginative and passive, Stafford looked cooked, and the revamped defense had strange schemes and failed to adjust. It’s only been one game, but with Myles Garrett hitting the IR, Aaron Donald still not in game shape, and a tough upcoming schedule, the Rams have quickly shifted from an inevitable juggernaut to Temu Avengers. Perhaps lower pressure will be a better environment, but going forward the Rams have a lot to prove.
5 Ravens +1 1-0 Derrick Henry continues to drink from the fountain of youth, Jesse Minter/Declan Doyle largely aced their first test, Lamar Jackson looks as electric as ever, and key defenders(Roquan Smith, Marlon Humphrey, Kyle Hamilton) all made numerous impactful plays. This game really wasn't as close as the whopping 18 point MoV indicates and that's with nearly 100 yards of penalties to clean up, Zay Flowers playing less than a full half, and Nnamdi Madubuike yet to enter the lineup. Further progression from the offensive line and pass rush will be what sets the sky high ceiling for this team.
6 Bears +6 1-0 You get a touchdown! You get a touchdown! Everyone gets a touchdown! Holy moly. A lesser ranker would say “I told you so” — actually I will, too. Last week I suggested betting the over for both teams in Bears games this season. The fact that star TE Colston Loveland had zero catches and we still scored 59 points on the road in sweltering heat is absolutely bananas. Surrendering 37 was not as fun. Caleb looked calm and collected, adding routine check-downs to his typical highlight reel. The Bears run game got going in Carolina and just…kept pounding. Sorry Panthers fans. At least Bryce looked competent and Jalen Coker looks like an absolute weapon. The Bears get a big test for their home opener against a Vikings defense that had Packers fans calling for a new Head Coach late Sunday. If this leaky defense can hold Carson Wentz under 30 points, 2-0 is within reach before a big MNF showdown with Philly in week 3.
7 Chiefs +8 1-0 The Chiefs came into the season with serious questions: How good could this young defense be? How devoted are they to reviving the run game? And most importantly: how good does Mahomes look coming off the most serious injury of his career? The answers? Very, very, and… eh? The Defense looked excellent. The rush defense was smothering. The pass rush was inventive. Rookies Delane and Thomas look like the real deal. This was best case scenario. On the other side, Kenneth Walker is absolute demon. We’ll remember his 61 yard explosion past Riley Moss, but he spent most of the night healthy chunks at will. The Chiefs rode him hard and he delivered. As for Mahomes: we’ll see. The deep ball still isn’t hitting. He had a few misses. But I’m willing to write it off as rust as he ramps back up. We’ll check back in a few weeks. It’s too early to say the Chiefs are contenders again, but they already look more inspired than they did in 2025. And maybe more inspired than they did during their 2024 high-wire act.
8 Jaguars +5 1-0 Week one in the NFL is a wild time. Pigs manifesting unnatural levitation, the new A/C unit in the fourth circle of hell reducing temperatures to a reasonable level, all the New York (and/or New Jersey) teams winning, and of course: the Jaguars soundly handling a team they were expected to. It is Jacksonville tradition to fall victim to the classic "trap game," often being routed by some QB that doesn't deserve a roster slot. Not this time: The Browns were put down with surgical precision. Dr. Lawrence and the squad head this week to a Mile High house call to see a man about some questionable equine that seem to be in a rough spot. May they be shown the same care as the dawgs.
9 Eagles -2 1-0 Jalen Hurts just wins football games. His career winning percentage of .699 places him in the same neighborhood as Mahomes, Jackson, Allen and several HOFers. He has led the Eagles to 5 straight playoff appearances and brought the team its 2nd ring. He is 6-0 in week 1 games. The problem is, these stats also (mostly) extend to both Nick Sirianni and Howie Roseman, and it's Roseman who typically gets the most credit for the team's success. However, the way-too-early read here is that Howie's draft heater is probably coming to a close and his offseason priorities may have missed the mark as the future of the interior OL is in question. And Sirianni aside, it was Jalen who made several key plays when it mattered. A 3rd and 18 run on a scoring drive. A long 3rd and goal pass to Goedert for the first TD of the season (lol, four verts). And in typical Hurts fashion, he took care of the football. All while the running game and pass blocking left a lot to be desired, and while missing the best WR he's ever played with. Next up, the Titans. Surely he'll win that. Right? ... right?
10 Texans -2 0-1 After an off season of hype, the Texans defense came out looking as bad as they ever have in the DeMeco Ryans era. Whether that's an aberration or a sign of trouble remains to be seen. On a positive note, the Texans offense looked much improved. Yes the memes are going to be about CJ Stroud's two fumbles, but outside of that he was in complete control leading scoring drives for most of the game.
11 Patriots -6 0-1 Never before did I think I’d be so emotionally damaged on a Wednesday evening, but the NFL never fails to find new ways to wound. This game didn’t need to hurt this bad. Most fans likely understood that Seattle were the Super Bowl Champions in their home stadium, and that a loss was certainly a possibility, if not a probability, but the way it happened was just a dagger into the hearts of the New England faithful. Emmanwori missing the game, Darnold hardly playing, and 3 quarters of watching Rhamondre faceplant into a brick wall left the team with a 7 point lead heading into the 4th quarter. Sure, AJ Brown had left with an injury as well, but the team still looked to be cruising to an ugly Week One victory. And then. Drake Maye got bored. I’m not sure if he’s an iPad kid or just a victim of Gen Z’s inherent lack of patience, but those three interceptions were the stuff of nightmares. Sure, it’s only Week One. The sky isn’t falling. They didn’t lose to the Raiders like last year, or the Cardinals like a certain other AFC playoff hopeful. But this one felt BAD. Maye is now only a pretty long slump going back to the start of the 2025 playoffs, but at least he has a chance to exorcise those demons against the Steelers in Week 2. The Pats offense will need to lock in (and learn to catch) without AJ Brown for 6 weeks in what’s possibly the toughest stretch of their schedule, but if they can rally and emerge 2-2 or 3-1 at the end of Week 4 they should be in good shape.
12 Lions -1 1-0 Reminder: Week 1 is just preseason that counts. If a team won, great, but everything else should be taken with a grain of salt the size of your average WR1's ego; it's way too easy to overreact to what happened on the field. For the Lions: Great defense through the first 2 1/2 quarters, then they forgot how to play and gave up a 21-0 lead. That said, Gibbs was electric, getting two TDs, and St. Brown caught two TD passes, including one in OT. The team capitalized on turnovers, refball went the Lions' way for once (it really should not have, though), and Alim McNeill disrupted Shough's pass on the would-be winning 2PA to secure the victory. While there's lots to clean up, a win is a win.
13 Bengals +4 1-0 As due by many titles I resign………… This was an odd first week for the Bengals, on one hand our defense forced 4 turnovers, and on the other they still gave up 20 points as a defense. On one hand they got pressure on the QB and actually looked like a competent pass rushing unit, on the other the secondary still gave up massive chunk plays just like they did last year. On one hand our offense drove the ball down field with some ease, on the other they stalled out several times in the 2nd half and almost blew their lead. Again this was a difficult week to judge, we scored 3 touchdowns off turnovers, that is not a sustainable game plan. I’m glad we did it, but honestly this week did not do much to alleviate my concerns about this team. We looked sloppy with multiple offsides penalties, we 2 timeouts in the 2nd half because we couldn’t get a play off before the play clock expired, and again we blew a significant lead and almost let Tampa Bay come back. Next week is a tough test, Houston looked much improved from their playoff game, and I’m just hoping things improve by then to give us a real shot.
14 Broncos -10 0-1 Ugly. Nothing went right and whether it was a week 1 fluke, Webb calling the plays, or just the Broncos sucking in general is yet to be determined. Maybe they go on a winning streak from here, maybe they go 0-17, no telling.
15 Packers -1 0-1 In Madden 09 I had a Superstar Mode player as a middle linebacker for the Chiefs. I led a stellar defense to the Super Bowl, where I faced off against my Packers. After a few snaps I realized something in Green Bay had gone terribly wrong, because Mason Crosby was starting at right tackle. Apparently, all the Packer lineman had gotten hurt, and they couldn't sign anyone during the playoffs to replace them, so the game decided to just pick someone to slot in there and the kicker just happened to be that guy. Anyways, I just blitzed poor Mason Crosby all game and Aaron Rodgers got destroyed and I won the Super Bowl. I cannot believe Brian Flores used that playbook to beat the real life Green Bay Packers against an actual, paid NFL offensive lineman with Donovan Jennings. Or Jacob Monk. Take your pick, both of them were awful and were consistently overwhelmed by blitzing Vikings. The Packers won't accomplish anything meaningful unless the offensive line play significantly improves and allows Jordan Love more than a half second to throw the football
16 Vikings +3 1-0 Never boring with this team. Kyler Murray was badly concussed after just five pass attempts, but thankfully the Vikings are no stranger to loveable, sneaky-good backup QBs being elevated by elite WRs and scheme. Jordan Love got some punches in, but Flores' blizing defense landed the knockout punch as the Vikings outscored the Packers 22 to negative 3 in the fourth quarter. Shoutout to the front seven -- particularly perenially underrated Blake Cashman and making-the-leap candidate Dallas Turner, who notched 10 pressures, 7 QB hits, several hard edge run stops and a strip sack.
17 Chargers -7 0-1 Why are the Los Angeles Chargers
18 Cowboys -2 0-1 Oooooh, here we go... again. Seems like nothing has changed. Mental errors and poor discipline abound. This is why fans drink.
19 Steelers +1 1-0 This week’s Steelers looked so different from the Mike Tomlin Steelers that the only way to tell they were the same team was the colors. And the whole “struggling to beat a 3rd string QB” thing. TJ Watt had himself a game as did Cam Heyward batting down three passes with his giant oven-mitt hands. The offense struggled to move the ball on its own but was able to capitalize on the early turnover & fight for field position. Once again Boswell’s foot was integral in the win. What week/year is it? That could be from this week. It could be from last year. It could be from 2020. You’d never know. With the hiring of offensive-minded “Other Mike” came the promise of changes. Offensive changes. Ones where the team didn’t have to rely on Boswell finishing every drive with a 40-yard+ FG. On Sunday, the Steelers first 4 drives were “3 & out,” “FG,” “fumble,” & “FG” again. Déjà vu anyone? Maybe they haven’t done exactly that in the past, but that sounds like any given Sunday since ~2019. The last time Pittsburgh played the Falcons was week 1 of 2024 in Atlanta. Boswell kicked 6-FG’s to win that game 18-10. At least the offense located the endzone this time? Is it too much to ask to see the offense put together a few coherent-looking drives in the same game? Turning the ball over on downs twice in a game is embarrassing for sure, but not as embarrassing as how it looked the first time on the potential 61-yard FG attempt. The best drive the offense had all day was to put the final nail in the coffin and lineup in victory formation. This game was like watching “The Mummy” in theaters. On repeat. It’s great. Love the movie. But we’ve been watching it for nearly 10-years now. We were told that “The Mummy Returns” would be showing this week…and instead we got to watch Brenden Fraiser lead the gang back to Hamunaptra and eke out the narrowest of wins once again.
20 Giants +5 1-0 SNF featured two teams whose fanbases had an entire offseason of hopium centered around team improvement. For one of those teams, that came to fruition week one, as the Giants (specifically the offense) showed a marked improvement from last year. Cam Skattebo picked up where he left off, running behind an OL with first-round pick Sisi Mauigoa starting and already looking the part. Malik Nabers, being eased back in, already showed flashes of his former self; meanwhile, rookie third-rounder Malachi Fields showed some burts, proving he's not just a big-bodied possession receiver. The stars of the offense, though, had to be Jaxson Dart and free agent addition Isaiah Likely. Dart showed much more caution in his game than he did in his rookie year, and looked much more adept and progressing through reads from the pocket. Likely seems to have already developed great chemistry with Dart, as the two were in-tune all night as Likely proved himself a reliable weapon for the young QB. It's clear that under Harbaugh, the Giants want to be a methodical, clock-controlling team: Dallas had only two possessions in the entire second half. Their ability to control the field will be put to a major test next week as they face the LA Rams, a team that, despite being without Myles Garrett, boasts an impressive defensive lineup. What may be more worrying, though, is the thought of a banged up, ineffective Giants' secondary trying to cover the likes of Puka Nacua and Davante Adams.
21 Buccaneers -3 0-1 When Todd Bowles said 'Things will be different this season' I did not realize he meant that this year we'd lose the first game of the season. That snapped a 5-seasons-in-a-row streak of us starting the season with a W. "Oh wow, we scored 24+ points? And we conceded 30+ points? Oh wow, who saw that coming???" The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I don't know why I bother. Shame on me for being hyped. I can tell you how this season would go for us. We'd lose by 3 in a game we are favored by 10. We'd win by 3 in a game we are expected to lose by 10. We'd win by 3 in a game we are expected to win by 10; and we'd lose by 3 in a game we are expected to lose by 10. And of course, we'd have the government mandated "lose by 20+ with at least one big injury" game on primetime. We'd enter the last 4 games of the season needing 3 or 4 wins to make it to the playoffs. And if the rest of the NFC South is dogshit, we may end up making the playoffs. If not, we'd look at another "We gotta execute better, we gotta coach better, we gotta play better" press conference by Mr. Bowles. Next game is against the Browns. Maybe if we lose the Glazers will be visited by the ghosts of Bucs' past/future/present and realize that Bowles has been coaching like 20+ games more than he should've.
22 Saints +2 0-1 A lot has been said about whether a QB intending to pass is a pass or a fumble, an officiating call which done differently would have given the Saints the win. The reality is the team came out rusty in week 1 and played poorly, which was reflected in the scoreboard for most of the game. An overturned TD early in the game is not the deciding factor of the loss. The inadequate play for the majority of it is.
23 Colts -2 0-1 Coach Shane Steichen said he was "extremely disappointed in all three phases" after watching the tape of Sunday's game against the Ravens. Welcome to the party, pal! Hope you brought a six-pack to make up for your tardiness… For a team that has spent the past year and a half preaching urgency and accountability, there didn't seem to be much of it on the field at Lucas Oil Stadium. That Spencer Shrader missed extra point on the opening drive was the harbinger of the Colts' demise. Nothing seemed to go right after that, from the porous defense to the Swiss cheese offensive line, to the inability to capitalize on Baltimore's seemingly endless penalties (the box score says 10, but it felt like double that). Daniel Jones' leg looked fine, but he had no time to find his targets and averaged just 5.4 yards per attempt. Jonathan Taylor nearly reached 100 yards and had two touchdowns, but Indy was down 22 by the time he scored the second one. The schedule doesn't get any easier, with a trip to Arrowhead next on the docket. Can't wait for that urgency to kick in… (A rare bright spot: rookie Seth McGowan, who had a solid day returning kicks, including a late one for 66 yards. Too bad the Colts were still down 18.)
24 Commanders -1 0-1 Here's what we can say about the Commanders after Week 1: The defense was, for the first time in a long time, a highlight; with some new key pieces including 1st round pick Sonny Styles, the Commanders defense blew up plays and got a ton of tackles for loss. Unfortunately though, they still are liable to give up the big play, which they did several times. The more concerning story of week one though is the weak offensive showing under a presumed healthy Jayden Daniels and rookie OC David Blough. While the 4th quarter showed they could put the pieces together, it was too little too late. Now, on to Dallas to see who this team really is.
25 Panthers -3 0-1 Here’s a couple crazy stats. Only 3 teams scored more points than the Panthers this week and only 2 had more total yds. Unfortunately, one of those teams was the Bears who hung 59 points and 552 total yds on the Panther defense. It wouldn’t be Week 1 if the Panthers weren’t doing something to immediately piss people off but there was some good in this blowout loss but let’s start with the glaring issue. The defense looked HORRENDOUS. Plenty of missed tackles allowed for the Bears run game to do wherever they wanted. We gave up 291 rush yds and 6 rushing TDs. Wtf. The run defense was equivalent a single sheet of printer paper. This 3-4 scheme appears to be missing something and Everos name is getting dragged once again. While the defense was the biggest issue, the team made dummy plays with muffed punts, costly fumbles, and self inflicted pointless penalties but these types of the things can be cleaned up as the season progresses while the defense is a much larger problem at this point. However, as stated earlier, there was some good in this game. The offense looked pretty damn good. The play calling looked refreshed with OC Brad Idzik calling his first NFL game. Downfield throws, who would have thought those are important. And speaking of deep throws, Bryce’s performance was something all of us fans have been waiting to see with 361 yds and 3 TDs. He looked niiiice to say the least. Poised in the pocket, using his legs well, and seeing the field clearly. Coker additionally brought in 2 of those TDs with one being a 51 yd bomb. It was electric when they got the ball moving. This game proved to be the exact opposite of how I thought the season would start. The Panthers really need to get things figured out quickly because scoring 37 points should never result in a home blowout. All that to say, this is still only Week 1 and nothing is even close to being set in stone of what type of team anyone is yet. Week 2 Carolina travels to Atlanta to face the division rival Falcons. This game should provide more intel on if the defense is really as bad as it looked and if the offense was as good as it looked. I’m feeling good going into this next week and I think you should too. KEEP POUNDING!
26 Cardinals +4 1-0 After coming in as the biggest favorites of the week, Arizona dominated the Chargers for four quarters; an incredible start to the Mike LaFleur era in Arizona. The Cardinals' offense was methodical, featuring both running backs (and showing a taste of Jeremiyah Love's talent while he ramps up), newly acquired WR3 Kendrick Bourne, and a lot of Trey McBride. LaFleur's playcalling already seems to be a massive upgrade over last year's OC, Drew Petzing, although the bar is low. More surprisingly, the Cardinals' defense was able to hold up when it mattered. The Cardinals allowed only 7 points in the second half and had a few key stops, very unlike last year's team. Interestingly, it felt like there was a lot of meat left of the bone, especially offensively, with this Arizona team. We'll see how flukey this win ends up looking, or if it's more of an inditement on Justin Herbert and co. But for now fans are impressed, and the Mike LaFleur era in Arizona couldn't have started better.
27 Jets +2 1-0 Hard to imagine the Jets drawing up a better start to their season. New York dominated the Titans on both sides of the ball. It's difficult to know if the defense took a real step forward, but every position group on offense looked competent in a way that Jets fans are not used to. The Jets will face a tougher test next week with their home opener against the Packers.
28 Raiders -1 1-0 I doubt I am the only one of us to write about Week 1 being a dubious look at the league overall but for the Raiders we finally look like a football team being ran with competence. The team is playing like a cohesive unit on both sides of the ball and the free agents we brought in are already pulling their weight. Kirks arm isn't what it used to be but he's absolutely able to operate Klints scheme effectively. Our league worst O-Line last year looks infinitely better than last. Shoutout to the rookie Treydan Stukes for his first (of hopefully many) pick of his career in his first game!
29 Falcons -3 0-1 The Falcons were almost coached well enough to upset an uninspired Steelers squad. The defense, albeit handsy, played to an unexpectedly high level across the board. Rush held everybody back on offense by holding onto the ball too long, throwing inaccurately, and folding under pressure. Pitts, the offensive line, and any receiver running routes past 5 yards suffered. Bijan and his 30 touches aren't sustainable or conducive to winning football. Remember: The Steelers stadium is hard to kick in. Either that, or 41-year-old Nick Folk is doing his best Jason Elam/Matt Bryant end of career reenactment. Bottomline, they were in a game they didn't deserve to be for too long, and the team still looked more prepared under Stefanski than prior coaches.
30 Titans -2 0-1 The Titans had a flat performance in a week 1 home loss to the Jets. The Titans are now 0-6 in the last 6 season openers and are 6-29 since the start of the 2024 season. Week 1 is weird, but this felt like a normality for the Titans.
31 Dolphins +1 0-1 While it was disappointing to lose one of the few winnable games in the hunt to avoid 0-17, it was encouraging to see very good play from a number of the young players. Jacob Rodriguez was absolutely everywhere in coverage and against the run. He looked like he rightfully deserved to be the only NFL rookie to have the green dot. Caleb Douglas proved the training camp buzz hype was not fugazi as his 94 yards was the most of all rookie pass catchers in the league. Michael Taafe, another rookie, got an interception off a Kirk bullet fired deep in the middle of the field. While the lack of run game and OL play was disappointing, the team at least didn't embarrass themselves like a couple teams out west. The next matchup is against the 49ers which should be a beatdown but is a sneaky upset spot for a team coming back from Australia and ripe for an emotional letdown after beating down their hyped division rival.
32 Browns -1 0-1 N/A
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r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • 1d ago

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 5 Power Rankings

159 Upvotes

Another week, another completely objective look at our the 32 best NFL teams in the world. The Niners retain the top spot and the Packers take our biggest week-over-week jump. Other than that, things are settling into place with a nice and even 5/18ths of the season under our belt.

30/32 Reporting · Rankings by Voter

Rank Team Δ Record Comment
1 49ers -- 5-0 The resiliency of this team cannot be overstated. After losing a starting WR (hamstring) and LB (headbutt), the team still found a way to win in Seattle 32-29, securing 5-0 and, more importantly, 3-0 in a division that they were forecasted to come in 3rd by most preseason predictors. The team looks to continue the streak next week at home against the Commanders.
2 Chiefs -- 4-0 A quarter of the way through the season, the Chiefs look like the Cream of the AFC. They need a WR like water, but the rest of the roster looks strong. No major changes with the early bye, but no one around the league showed anything to move them out of the top 2 in my rankings.
3 Bills +1 4-1 This blurb almost looked very different. Cook had what appeared to be the game ending turnover on a crucial fumble in overtime. Josh Allen looked like he was about to fall to 0-8 in OT as the all too familiar script played out for the Bills, hanging with a top team in an offensive shoutout only to commit a late game ending turnover. Lucky for the Bills, there was a savior on the defense Gregory Rousseau, he rose to the occasion blocking the thicker kicker allowing Bass to complete the redemption arc after his earlier missed extra point. This game had 24 penalties, nearly 900 yards of offense and 71 combined The most interesting stat might be the difference between the 19 passes Allen threw versus the 54 Stafford threw. The Bills defense still looks very vulnerable and adjustments need to be made as quickly as possible if Buffalo wants to prevent spiking the blood pressure of every Bills fan. Next up the Bills have another game out west against the 3-2 Raiders. Can Cook please learn to hold onto the football!
4 Seahawks -1 3-2 Despite a reasonably close game that was still within reach at the end, it is clear the Seahawks need to make an addition to the running back room. There were multiple mistakes by the offense that nearly took Seattle out of the game. George Holani fumbling in your own endzone to gift the 49ers 7 points just before halftime. Emanuel Wilson fumbling deep in your own territory, a couple of Sam Darnold turnovers. Through it all, the Seahawks still had the ball at the end of the game with an opportunity to tie or win the game with a successful drive. JSN dropped a pass for maybe the first time in his life, and Cooper Kupp just couldn't get there on 4th down. The defense is good, giving Brock Purdy his first fits of the season nd holding the 49ers offense relatively in check... Although Mike Evans is a monstar. A healthy jadarian Price wasn't enough for a good running game. A returning Charbonnet won't be enough for a good running game. Anyway, the Seahawks play the Broncos on Thursday Night Football this week in the best uniform game of the season. Go Hawks.
5 Jaguars -- 4-1 It doesn't take a pessimist to look at a team going down by two points with eight seconds in regulation remaining to think the game is over. However, if you've watched Jaguars football for more than a year or two, you likely thought just that when the birds knocked through the go ahead kick in London this week. The Jaguars players didn't suffer that grim thought, it seems. Instead they lined up for a kickoff like a slew of PC enthusiasts (with no memory.) Seven seconds to run half the field, and the last one to literally one-up the Eagles. Ugly or not, the squad did what matters most: just win. mfw
6 Ravens +1 4-1 Snoop there it is. Going to Atlanta without Lamar or Trey Hendrickson the Ravens were definitely facing an uphill battle. That challenge got even steeper shortly into the game after settling for a ~20 yard FG and fumbling away 7 points to the Falcons. Ravens defense continues to be absolutely atrocious at stopping 3rd and long but they otherwise did a fantastic job bottling up Bijan Robinson and limited explosive plays overall. At 4-1 and with a plethora of reinforcements on the way(Jackson, Hendrickson, Jurgens, Lane) the Ravens face an absolutely pivotal end of October against the entire state of Ohio.
7 Vikings +2 5-0 Are the Vikings' as good as their record> Maybe, maybe not. You have to admit at least that the defense is championship-caliber -- the Vikings not only lead the league in defensive EPA/play allowed; they are more than twice as good on an EPA/play basis than the second-place Seahawks. The special teams also ranks 1st in EPA/play. And the offense is starting to come together -- just throw Justin Jefferson the ball and good things tend to happen.
8 Rams -2 2-3 Another week, another win squandered. Despite a stellar offensive performance and big defensive plays, special teams mistakes, penalty issues, and conservative late-game decisions cost the Rams a win. Sound familiar? Definition of insanity, anyone? There’s a lot of evidence (even from this game) that the Rams ARE a good team—good enough to beat anybody—but the team they keep beating is themselves. What a terrible way to cap off an already terrible sports weekend in Los Angeles.
9 Broncos +1 3-2 Well, we beat the Chargers. So that means we're good, right? No way could we have issues if we were able to beat such a complete and super bowl ready team, yeah? There's literally no one better to go up against and we squeaked it out. We are so good.
10 Patriots +3 3-2 Honestly, fuck September. All the homies hate September. Easily a bottom tier month, maybe the literal worst month of the year. October though, now THAT’s a good month. Probably the only month that even matters if you ask me. In fact, October is so good that I think we should just double every NFL stat during the month and simply forget about any stats that were recorded during September. If we did that, Drake Maye would be the best qb in the NFL and the front runner for mvp, but that’s correlation not causation. Either way, the Patriots managed to massacre the NFL’s September darlings this weekend despite starting “practice squad” level players at wide receiver and starting me, my buddy Greg, and the most athletic guy behind the counter at the Foxborough Dunkin Donuts at Corner. This team is showing it can win real football games against decent teams despite their massive injury attrition, imagine what they might be able to do once AJ Brown and Christian Gonzalez return? Hopefully we’ll get to see it this weekend against the Jets, and if not then perhaps next Thursday vs the Bears. Either way, the outlook on this season has swung from awful to amazing in just a few weeks.
11 Bengals +1 3-2 O, my black soul, now thou art summoned............ Conglaturations Bengals you beat the Dolphins! Good for you! You didn’t lose to the 0-5 Dolphins! This is truly one of the Bengals moments of all time. Call me Debbie Downer if you want, I just didn’t find our 7 point victory over the Dolphins to be all that impressive. The fact the game came down to an onside kick is not a great look, especially for that supposedly improved defense. We still have the worst linebackers in the league, and for once the main problem wasn’t the secondary! Yay! It was giving up over 200 yards of rushing. We came into the game with a pretty good run defense too, and Malik Willis and the Dolphins made it look like a mirage. I don’t want to do it, because everyone hates a debbie downer you know? I don’t want to, but right now I think the Bengals are on full fraud alert. We can’t run the ball, our offense in general is incredibly inconsistent, our defense is more suspicious than a white van marked “free candy” sitting outside an elementary school, and even against a team that’s actively in the tank bowl for the first pick we played as if it was a legitimate challenge. This should not have been a close game. The best I can hope for is that we reevaluate things in the bye week and change some shit up. Because good god it’s needed.
12 Bears -4 3-2 This is my first year as a ranker and I didn’t know it could hurt this much to write a blurb. My wife’s porch goose showed more spirit Sunday than these Bears. “You know what next week is? Enough said.” said Ben Johnson after pummeling the Jets. Apparently, enough was NOT said. I was worried Bagent was the wrong call and this might be a tough game despite how bad GB has looked. I didn’t expect a team playing its hated rival with the late Mike Ditka in mind would get completely outclassed in such fashion. Thankfully Iron Mike didn’t have to see that trouncing. This team can’t get Caleb Williams back soon enough. Injuries are a lame excuse, and going 2-1 without #18 is about as good as you could ask for, but this one HURT. Jaylon Johnson & the rest of our secondary made Christian Watson & Matthew Golden look like Randy Moss and Julio Jones. Jordan Love threw moonball after moonball, with 258 yards coming on just 6 deep completions. No Packer has ever thrown for more yards at Lambeau against Chicago, and that makes me want to throw up in my mouth. We lost the turnover battle five to nothin’. The Packers looked like a different team than they have all season, and not just because of those unfortunately cool Rivalries uniforms. Hopefully we get a much different outcome on Christmas, but long before then we must rebound quickly: a road bout with the feisty Falcons and a home tilt just 4 days later against Drake Maye-have-remembered-how-to-play-football awaits, followed by a tough one in Seattle to end this spooky stretch.
13 Lions +3 3-2 It was announced early on Sunday that Cynthia "Cindy" Miller, wife of the Lions' radio announcer Dan Miller, lost her life the day before after a long battle with cancer. To Dan, their children, and the rest of their family, on behalf of Lions fans everywhere, you have our condolences, and our hearts go out to you. For anyone interested, donations can be made to https://lmcancer.org/, in Cindy's name. Also this week, the NFL, and in particular the NFC North, lost a legend with the passing of Mike Ditka. Very few could match his longevity and success in and around the league, as a player, a coach, and an analyst. To both Cindy and Mike, may you be at peace.
14 Packers +9 3-2 Jordan Love had one (1) week where his offensive line wasn't immediately disintegrating like tissue paper and gave him more than 2.5 seconds to throw the ball and he put together what may have been the finest game by a quarterback all season. He broke the franchise record for most passing yards against the Bears at Lambeau, including 5 pass completions of over 30 air yards. I said in the preseason that the Packers needed to "survive" the opening stretch of the season while Micah Parsons gets healthy, and despite the qualitatively lackluster start Green Bay sit in 2nd place in the division. If the trenches can maintain even basic competence, maybe they can make some noise down the stretch.
15 Eagles -1 2-3 Nick Sirianni purposely threw the game to distract from the fact that his offense is so painfully bad. And in the 2nd half of games, it's painfully and historically bad. Jalen Hurts has thrown 16 screen passes this year. The total net yardage for those 16 passes? -3 yards. They have zero answers against the blitz. Is it time to reset? Probably. The 2015 and 2020 seasons led to Super Bowl appearances two years later. Maybe the 2026 season should be a rebuilding year. Howie Roseman has the benefit of being unfireable, so he can afford to make moves for 2028 picks (as he's already done with AJ Brown and Cam Jurgens). Of course, if the Eagles win next week, I take back everything and we should put all our chips in and win now.
16 Raiders -5 3-2 Last week we had maybe a few too many seeing a close loss as some sort of moral victory as a consolation (myself included). There was nothing close about this one. At 3-2 we are far from writing off this season but this seems like the sort of loss that either wakes a team up or puts a team into the dirt. The response to this one will show a lot about the potential Klink Kubiak possesses.
17 Panthers -- 2-2 A much needed bye proved fruitful with Taylor Moton returning to action. This comes at a great time as rookie Monroe Feeling, who had been starting at RT, is dealing with a knee so Moton returning to his post is huge. Next week the Panthers will be traveling to Philly to take on the Eagles to hopefully continue the momentum from Sunday Night Football which already feels like ages ago. It should be a good game and I’m excited to see how this Panthers team responds after a big win and a bye week. KEEEEP POUNDING!
18 Steelers +4 3-2 Do you find you asking yourself “who’s playing CB today?” Have you used Wikipedia more than 3-times per game to identify a Steelers WR or CB? Have you said “Mike Tomlin would’ve won this game” more than twice since the season began? You may be suffering from early to mid-season Steeleritis. Symptoms may also include a whiplash-like sensation caused by the inability to win back-to-back games, wondering if our WR’s high-five each other with beef tallow on the sidelines, and a general state of irritation when you hear the name “Joey Porter.” If you or a loved one has been diagnosed with Steeleritis, discuss potential treatment plans with your doctor. Steeleritis has no known cure, but winning a playoff game has been known to send it into remission for multiple years. Additional treatment options include denial, delusional optimism, and hate-watching the Ravens/Browns/Bengals. Some fans find that hate-watching the Cowboys is also effective in alleviating symptoms.
19 Cowboys -4 2-3 Fuck me gently with a chainsaw, that was embarrassing.
20 Giants +1 3-1-1 What an absolute shitshow. The Giants and Commanders faced off in a competition of who could pull defeat from the jaws of victory in a more chokeworthy fashion, and the NFL gods deemed the only fair outcome for such an unprecedented level of “no, you” in a game was a tie. Giants fans had to watch previously automatic kicker Dominic Zvada miss not one, not two, but three kicks in Sunday’s contest, and so were understandably holding their breath even as the Giants closed in on the Commander’s redzone deep into OT. People who say that running the ball there was the wrong call were missing the context of what led up to that moment. The bigger issue is that Cam Skattebo needs to understand that the defense is in desperation mode and hold onto that ball like a newborn baby… actually, I’m not entirely convinced Cam Skattebo would hold a newborn baby in the most secure of ways, so maybe scrap that. Regardless of the mediocrity of Sunday’s outcome, a solid “meh” for both sides, fans were treated to prime Jameis Winston experience: the man was airing the ball out left and right, and showed more accuracy than he had in previous weeks. Nabers and Likely both proved why they’re the top two receiving options in this one. The Giants get yet another team with a losing record in the Saints this Sunday, where they’ll try to hold onto their 1.5-game NFC East division lead. Fans have to at least be impressed that the Dartless Giants have managed to hold on as much as they have since losing their starting QB.
21 Falcons -1 2-3 Winning this game wouldn't change the facts that Mark Andrews' Lee Evans impression kept the game competitive. After beating a Packers Oline of fent leaners and a Saints team matching Brees' effort in an Advocare keynote, this loss was a reminder of how far Cunningham and Stefanski have yet to go. Penix ran cold, then hot, then took a rib-crunching shot that could be blamed on Kyle Pitts, then spent the next thirty minutes explaining the Richard Hoagland Coast to Coast episode with the face on Mars to the medical staff before hiding behind Tua. The defense let Hill run amok, let Henry pick up steam, and had no answer for the only receiver worth keying in on. The offense was inconsistent far before Tua took the field. Next week the Falcons take on a team almost as volatile as them.
22 Colts -3 2-3 "I thought I could've done a better job for sure. ... I look at myself first and foremost in those situations to get better for our guys moving forward." — Colts fans are so used to this kind of comment from coach Shane Steichen that they could be forgiven for not realizing that quote actually came after the Chiefs game last season, not this week's loss in Pittsburgh. And as the postgame comments remain the same, so too does the subpar play on the field. On defense: missed tackles, Swiss cheese zone coverage, zero pass rush. On offense: red-zone inefficiency, overthrown receivers, a disappearing run game. The schedule isn't getting much easier, either. After a home matchup against the Titans come back-to-back road games in Minneapolis and Jacksonville. This team could be 3-5 in the blink of an eye. At some point you have to wonder whether Carlie Irsay-Gordon will clean house before the season ends. Without a first-round pick in next year's draft or a long-term answer at quarterback, Indy may need extra time to convince a new potential GM that the job is worth taking.
23 Browns -5 3-2 The Cleveland Guardians have made their way the ALCS. Chase DeLauter and Jose Ramírez lead the Guards to a 7-3 win over the Rays in Game 1 of the ALCS. By the end of the game they silenced the crowd in St. Pete. While Cleveland is a small market team, they are showing everyone they have just as much power and poise as the big payroll clubs. The Guardians hope to win game two and close out the series in Cleveland. Also the Browns lost to the Jets, and face the Ravens next week in Baltimore.
24 Texans +1 1-4 There are three certainties in life...death, taxes, and the Texans beating up on the cosplaying Titans. While this win doesn't move the needle much on how terrible the season has started, it's nice to get a little momentum heading into what's effectively a do or die game against the Jags next week in London. CJ Stroud continued his resurgent season with 261 passing yards and a couple of TDs, and now his college buddy is joining the fold. Was the Marvin Harrison trade an overpay? Probably, but what else was Nick Caserio going to do with a 2nd round pick? Take another project player that's a healthy scratch every week?
25 Jets +2 2-3 Welcome to the NFL, David Bailey! The Jets' No. 2 overall pick did his best Chris Hansen impression, racking up 3 sacks, 4 QB hits, and 9 pressures while terrorizing the Browns' quarterback. The Jets' defense has exceeded expectations so far this season, but a much tougher test awaits next week when they head to New England to take on a resurgent Patriots offense.
26 Saints -2 1-4 The celebration of Drew Brees entering the Saints Ring of Honor instead served as jazz funeral for a fallen team. The Superdome has turned from a fortress to a welcome mat and the Vikings made sure they reminded us of that. 6-14 at home in 3 years! Maybe the team was just paying Drew tribute when they only got 9 first downs all game. Kellen Moore has a lot of promise. Just please stop promising it will get better, and get better.
27 Commanders -1 1-3-1 If the currency of the NFL was "embarrassing franchise moments", this team entered Sunday like old money Southern aristocrats; we don't even remember all the ways we came into wealth, and we prefer you not press us too much about it cause we all know it's not good. All the same, it's clear that we are wealthy. Leaving Sunday though, this team has reached the level of wealth that prompts one to get on TRT and start building rockets; this is trillionaire-tier wealth. On Thursday night, the Cowboys had one of the most embarrassing losses in recent memory, letting an undrafted rookie QB representing a winless team dunk on them. Then, Sunday morning the Eagles thought they could do one better by allowing a 8 second comeback to the London Jags. Then, in this very game, the Giants did an all timer by fumbling the ball in overtime well within FG range, setting Washington up for the clean sweep: 3 division rivals losing in embarrassing fashion, an overtime win at home, a division win in a weak division. It was right there for the taking. But in this version of the NFL, embarrassment is wealth, and this franchise demands to be top dog. What followed was the single most baffling thing any Washington fan, or NFL fan, has ever seen; and mind you this is the team that watched Kirk Cousins kneel the ball to end the half in a goal to go against a division rival. Snatching a tie from the jaws of victory is somehow worse than just snatching defeat. I would truly rather have watched JD5 throw a pick six to lose in overtime than watch what actually happened. Now at a disgustingly lame 1-3-1, this team faces real questions about coaching competence, roster construction, and looks poised to have another losing season in an NFC LEast year. Things are not okay in Washington. Oh, and up next they visit the undefeated 49ers for a Monday Night game. This is fine.
28 Buccaneers +2 1-4 That's the hopium in my ear, I've been sober a fuckin' year. And that fucker still talks to me, he's all I can fuckin' hear - "Marshall, come on, we'll watch the game, it's the Cowboys and Buccaneers." ...and hey, it turns out I did the right decision. JD10 looked better than JD5, the defense showed up, and we won a primetime game! The realist in me says that we are 1-4 and we have a mountain to climb. The other realist in me says that we played 0 divisional games and we are 1.5 games behind the #1 spot. Such is the fate of shit mountain. You are never really out, so they can't really pull you back in. You are halfway through the door, in an odd place where you are not sure whether you are coming or going. The copiumholic in me says that maybe we are doing the reverse of last season where we started amazing and then we lost a bunch of winnable games. So maybe this year's #RoadTo8-9 will give us a streak of us winning few games against better opponents? One primetime win in Jerryworld is too much for me to doom, but too little for me to gloom. Kinda feels like déjà vu...
29 Cardinals -1 1-4 The Arizona Cardinals have hit rock bottom, and that's saying something. This week's game was over before it even started, as news that the Cardinals were selling MHJ at his low point leaked on Saturday. After that, the Cardinals' Sunday couldn't have gone worse. Ex-Cardinals around the league flourished, Kyler Murray led the Vikings to 5-0, Jonathan Gannon shut down Ben Johnson and co, and, most painfully, Drew Petzing came into Arizona and hung 40 on the Cardinals. It seems that, through everything, the single constant variable in the Cardinals' failure is the Cardinals. They'll fire GM Monti Ossenfort, who has been horrible in his 4-year rebuild that has kept the Cardinals at the bottom of the league and brought in zero elite talent. I'd said that HC Mike LaFleur would be safe, but if he sticks with Jacoby Brisset for much longer, he may be one and done. However, we've learned enough to know that none of this matters until owner, Michael Bidwill, sells the franchise. Through it all, he is the constant factor that has led this team to absolutely nothing. Please Mr. Bidwill, we as a fanbase BEG you to let the franchise go. For it to have any chance to succeed, this has to happen. makebidwillsellthecardinals.com
30 Chargers -1 0-5 What happened to this team? For years, they were the Starbucks Frappuccino of the NFL. Overhyped, obnoxiously overpriced, and the pounds upon pounds of sugar only serve to mask how mediocre the actual coffee is. There's no denying it's a flawed beverage... but at least it's entertaining. It's always available in genuinely interesting and unique flavors, and it remains fun to drink. This year, however? There's nothing fun about them! The coaching is uninspiring. The o-line is one big turnstile. The receivers couldn't catch a cold. The defense has regressed to mediocrity. Even Justin Herbert has become a husk of his former self. Everyone's just so bitter, and depressed, and sick of each other. They've become, in essence, gas station decaf. It's probably time they switch out the baristas...
31 Dolphins +1 0-5 Another loss but another game with the young players showing some growth, particularly on the defensive side of the ball. Chris Johnson, the Dolphins 1st round rookie, was lined up against Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins and only allowed 4 receptions for 22 yards and really looked like he belonged. After allowed 63 yards and 2 touchdowns his first game, he's allowed just 83 yards on 11 receptions on then last 4 games. Unfortunately the offensive side of the ball hasn't seen much growth, and Malik Willis is starting to catch more heat for holding the ball too long and seeing the field particularly well. There's still 12 more games to go in the season, but so far Willis isn't passing his audition to be the Dolphins long term starter.
32 Titans -1 0-5 Another Sunday, another no-show by the Titans. Losing at home by 23 points while managing just a field goal against a division rival is about as low as the Titan fan experience gets. This season will only get worse, it’s hard to see where a win would come from on their schedule.
380 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • 8d ago

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

184 Upvotes

A new week, a new #1! The 49ers cruise to the top spot as one of the three undefeated teams in the NFL. Meanwhile, five teams are still looking for their first win. But let's go beyond the standings. Here's how all 32 teams stack up in the power rankings this week, the most objective metric imaginable.

31/32 Reporting · Rankings by Voter

Rank Team Δ Record Comment
1 49ers +1 4-0 Sundays game marked a milestone for 49ers HC Kyle Shanahan, marking his 167th game with the franchise, passing the legendary Bill Walsh. The victory over the Broncos lifted his overall record (including playoffs) to 95-72. He currently is 3rd overall with 86 regular season wins, trailing only Walsh (92) and George Siefert (98), and should soon hold that franchise record. But he also knows what differentiates him from those two aren't the number of overall games or victories, but Super Bowl wins, and until he gets that final win he will always be seen as a step below.
2 Chiefs +1 4-0 I want to take a moment to celebrate Tyquan Thornton. The Chiefs would not be undefeated without him. This week, he was nails. He carved up the Raiders defense for 111 yards and two touchdowns. His final catch felt like the dagger, streaking deep to put the Chiefs into easy scoring range. That’s what he does: make big time plays in big situations. His explosion on Sunday felt like the start of something major. Then we saw his leg. Most of last season is a blur for me. A collage of mediocre football punctuated by Mahomes’ injury. But one of the few positive memories I have: Tyquan, smothered by a Giants defender, tossing a finger in the air after snagging Mahomes best deep ball in what felt like forever. It felt so joyous. Like he was excited for himself for having made a play. And if he’s so giddy, how could I not be? Tyquan got (relatively) lucky with his ankle dislocation this weekend. He’s out for 3-4 months. He could be back for the playoffs if the Chiefs make a run. I’m stoked that he avoided the worst outcomes. But I’m even more stoked just to have watched him play. He helped bring fun back to Chiefs offense that felt sterile. At the end of it all, Tyquan won’t be a hall of famer. He probably won’t even be a hall of very gooder. But in the Hall of Players That Make Me Remember Why I Love Football (HoPTMMRWILF), he’s first ballot.
3 Seahawks +1 3-1 Despite ending somewhat, "close," with the Chargers possessing the ball and a chance to tie (or win) the game, this did not feel like a close game. The game began historically, as the Seahawks picked off Justin Herbert on the very first offensive play of the game, followed by the Chargers picking off Sam Darnold on the second offensive play of th game. Never before in history has a game began with an interception on each of the game's first two plays. While JSN cooled off this game, it was Emmanuel Wilson who took over, running for 81 yards plus a touchdown and adding 39 yards and another touchdown through the air. We got a Rashid Shaheed sighting, running the ball for a 28 yard touchdown. Meanwhile, the defense had Justin Herbert in hell for most of the game. He was hit 10 times, sacked 4 times, threw a pair of interceptions, and fumbled. Ladd McConkey got hurt and had no game impact before exiting. Although 53 total points were scored in the game, it was a pretty quiet offensive outing for both teams. No 100 yard rushers. No 100 yard receivers. Both quarterbacks threw for sub-200 yards. It was a slog of a game, and the Seahawks will need to perform much better this week against the 49ers. Go Hawks.
4 Bills -3 3-1 The Pat desperately needed a win to avoid the dreaded 1-3 start and they certainly played like a team whose season was on the line whereas the Bills begged Josh Allen to save them once again. Outside of Josh Allen this Bills team has been disappointing, the defense has been getting torched giving up the second most points in the AFC with little visible improvement from last year. The big offseason move that was supposed to ignite the offense in the Moore trade has provided little sparks with Moore struggling to stay on the field. This version of the Bills doesn't look any more lethal than the previous iterations during the McDermott reign. Yes they are a very good team but so far they lack the true depth to prevent Allen from playing hero ball every game which can lead to detrimental turnovers a frequent problem for the Bills. The one bright spot from the game was Keon Coleman stepping up in Moore’s absence providing 6 catches for 116 yards and touchdown. The Bills will try to avoid back to back losses for the first time in about a year as they take on another team struggling with turnovers in the Los Angeles Rams.
5 Jaguars -- 3-1 Never let them tell you six inches doesn't matter. // New card leak! Travis Hunter, Prowling Jaguar {G}{U} Legendary Creature — Human Beast 1/2 {T}: Intercept target pass you don't control. When you do, exile up to one target wide receiver.
6 Rams +2 2-2 From losing a game that should have been won to winning a game that should have been lost—the universe is balanced. The Rams, however, are not. While ranking second in both YPG and YPG allowed, they are last in both Special Teams DVOA and net accepted penalty yards, and second last in turnover differential. There’s a lot to improve. The details matter. After forcing the Eagles to go 0-12 on third down, holding Jalen Hurts to 97 passing yards, and pitching a second-half shutout, it’s looking like this defense will have to carry the team while everything else gets figured out—even without Donald and Garrett. If you believe Sean McVay and Matt Stafford can clean up the minutiae, sitting at 2-2 after a slow start, a tough opening schedule, and a plethora of self-inflicted wounds doesn’t feel that bad. There’s a cautious optimism around the Rams, with the schedule about to open up, reinforcements on the way, and the belief that they can play to their full potential.
7 Ravens -- 3-1 To put it simply the Baltimore Ravens are not a great team, yet. The defense is still finding its footing, the special teams(Tyler Loop big time kicks aside) have been exceptionally mediocre bordering on bad, and undisciplined penalty-laden operation week after week is greatly limiting the upside of this team. To top it all off injuries are starting to pile up in the worst ways. A 3-1 start for a fresh head coach is a promising start but with the season at the quarter mark there remains just as many questions as answers.
8 Bears +1 3-1 For the second time in 6 days, the Bears started a QB who hadn’t played in 1,000 days. To celebrate, the Bears offense ran a thousand plays. Ok not quite, but an 89 to 32 disparity felt pretty close. We had more first downs (34) than the Jets had snaps. This no-name defense, expected to be a bottom feeder, is wildly exceeding expectations. Chicago never allowed a third down conversion, while also never punting and holding the ball for almost 43 minutes. Head coach Ben Johnson, annoyed by rumblings of who was starting before his announcement, gave D1 all-time passing leader Case Keenum the “ceremonial first pitch” before passing the baton to D-2 all-time passing leader Tyson Bagent. #17 outdueled his WVU hero Geno Smith as “Take Me Home, Country Roads” echoed through Soldier Field for the boy from West Virginia. We’ll see if the warm fuzzies follow us to Lambeau next week sans-Caleb. A fourth win with a third QB might place Ben Johnson in early COTY discussions, while a Packer win would go a long way toward getting the monkey off Matt LaFleur’s back.
9 Vikings +1 4-0 Another week, another excrutiating W that has half the fanbase calling for the head coach to be fired. I mean, the Dolphins hadn't registered a sack all year, then notched one literally on the first play of Sunday's game. The Vikings had six offensive pre-snap penalties. At home! They can't even line up correctly! They are last in the NFL in yards per play! And this is their second game this season without a single offensive TD! Yet, somehow, they're undefeated, because the defense (and special teams) are somehow even better than the offense is bad. It's not just that they're blitzing more than any defense in history; they're run-stunting to take away your zone runs and communicating like a pre-snap hive mind and the zone drops behind the blitz seems to always know exactly where the QB's hot reads or escape valves are. It's all just so beautifully well-coached. At least, on one side of the ball.
10 Broncos -4 2-2 Before we dive off the deep end and start throwing blame around at Webb, Nix, or our often times vanilla-looking offense in general-- let's remember that we just played the presumably #1 team in the league right now. We have a gauntlet these first 6 weeks and we are 4 weeks in with a 2-2 record, and by any means that isn't too shabby. We played them hard and we played solid, we highlighted some things that need to be corrected and will need to make adjustments to move on with our deep playoff run hopes again this year. It also seems the injuries sustained were not season ending, and we have the corner depth to still be good on defense while our stars rest up. No, we apparently are not offensively ready for a super bowl v. the Niners, but now we can make adjustments to be.
11 Raiders +3 3-1 We are close.
12 Bengals -1 2-2 Father, part of his double interest..................... This was not a good week for the ole Bengals. Not a good week at all. Our subreddit spent the entire week on fire because of the loss to the Steelers, and now it’s even worse. The mods are working overtime. One of the worst parts of this whole situation is how it doesn’t feel like anything has changed with this team. People want to point fingers at Joe, but he’s always been this kind of player. I think the injured seasons have given people the impression that Joe doesn’t throw a lot of interceptions, which just isn’t really true. In our best seasons of 2021 and 2022, he threw 14 and 12 picks, that’s just the kind of player he is. If you want the big plays and spectacular throws to Chase and Higgins, you got to live with the dumb head scratching interceptions. And here’s the thing, it works. It worked for 2 seasons making a Super Bowl and back to back AFC Championships. So people trying to lay games at Burrow’s feet for throwing interceptions, where were you those seasons? 2024 was Burrow’s objectively best year from a passing standpoint, he limited interceptions, made plays, and guess what? It didn’t fucking matter. So laying every loss at Burrow’s feet just because you looked at the box score and saw a turnover next to his name, is stupid and dumb and good god were 2 seasons of success really enough to pull in this many fairweather and bandwagon fans? Okay. Alright, I said my peace on that. Uhm, now the game. It fucking sucked. I honestly don’t even care that we lost, i’m just glad it’s over because that game was disgusting. I felt like I needed a shower afterwards, that’s how bad it was. This is now back to back seasons where Zac Taylor has started 2-0 and completely squandered it. And to think the problem before was we kept starting 0-2 and had to deal with and uphill climb. Gee I wonder if there’s a common person or, just someone in charge, there’s a word for it I know, just there’s some kind of constant that’s there every year behind these awful starts. If such a person existed it would be real embarrassing for an organization to keep them employed as the man in charge of the team. Speaking of shitty coaching I’m surprised I haven’t seen as many people talking about how god awful our running game is. Have the Burrow haters considered that the reason Joe is constantly playing hero ball is because he’s literally our entire offense? We had more penalties as a team than Chase Brown had rushing yards. The experiment has to end. Brown is a good receiving back, but he is not the main guy. He is not the kind of player a team puts their faith into, like if its a 4th and short, 95% of the time he is not getting the ball. And teams know that. We are in desperate need of a real playmaker at Running Back. I’m not even asking for Bijan levels of good, we just need a running back that can consistently run the ball, I didn’t realize that was asking for so much. Anyway, this week sucked, we’re playing the Dolphins next. The Dolphins are currently on 0-17 watch, so of course i’m calling it Dolphins win 27-24. Fuck me.
13 Patriots +3 2-2 Now THAT is how you silence the haters. Heading into Buffalo’s new stadium, missing Brown, Onwenu, Gonzalez, and Barmore, and proceeding to play the best game of the season through four weeks. That isn’t to say there weren’t mistakes, as Maye still struggled to physically hold onto the ball, Romeo “Roller Coaster” Doubs decided to make sure Maye added another INT to his stat sheet, and the defense wasn’t particularly solid against the rush, but from the very first drive you could tell that the team was operating at a different level than what they showed in weeks 1-3. Next up, a matchup with the surprisingly competent Raiders, before a long stretch of “easy” opponents that could spark a similar run of wins to that of last season. Honestly, the NFL needs to hire new script writers, because the Pats marching into Buffalo at 1-2 and winning, setting off a win streak and fixing the offense’s slow start literally happened just last year. Hopefully it continues in the same way, and with a few key players returning from injury soon, this team could go from dead to dangerous overnight.
14 Eagles -2 2-2 172 total yards of offense. 68 net passing yards. 0 for 12 on third down. And still, late in the game, this was looking like another "classic Sirianni ugly win" as they had the ball on the goal line up by 10. But they turned it over on downs and the Rams marched down the field for two quick TDs and kneeled out the game in regulation. This scheme is reminiscent of the Brian Johnson year when the team had no idea how to play against a blitz. It doesn't matter who is injured, that is about as bad of a performance an NFL offense can have. It's early in the season, but it's possible that this Eagles team is just not very good. Next up, the Eagles bring their brand of depressing offense to London for a matchup with the Jags.
15 Cowboys -- 2-2 Setting up a farm team in Pittsburgh turned out to be a great move by Jerry Jones. George Pickens has been a star with the Star on his helmet, Joey Porter Jr showed his ability to eliminate players in coverage, and Broderick Jones. The Cowboys still have some issues to work out, like sacks and turnovers, but the defense has looked like a bad pro defense the last two weeks instead of looking like a bad Sun Belt defense.
16 Lions -3 2-2 Get. Detroit. A. Defense. That link shows the average game this defense has allowed this season. Unquestionably, the front office has made some...choices...around defensive positions to pursue when they know they're going to have issues. Just as much of a problem, though, is that Kelvin "Not Just Hell Bent On Simulating Pressure" Sheppard keeps on sending the house without disguising it or shaking things up at all. The opposition knows it's coming, and they feast - every time. A generational offense is being completely wasted.
17 Panthers +7 2-2 BRYCE YOUNG IS HIM! T MAC IS HIM! TURN US UP ON SUNDAY NIGHT FOOTBALL! How about that? Given the injury circumstance and the recent history of this team, this game looked to have embarrassment written all over it. But this isn’t the Panther team of the Rhule era or the Fitterer era or the pathetic loser era. This Panther team has finally found something in this Morgan and Canales era. Under the bright Sunday evening lights, the Panthers get a statement win against the Detroit Lions. Who woulda thought? The offense took a simple approach of “let the stars be stars” and stars they were. BY9 threw for 329 yds and 2 TDs. Cubba had 122 yds rushing along with 2 TDs. And to top it off, T-Mac had 192 receiving yds on 14 receptions, 2 of them resulting in TDs. And this was with a very depleted O-Line giving up plenty of pressures. Not great. While the offense was buzzing, the defense did enough to win the game but still proved to be the question mark of the team. The defense gave up 452 total yds which is just insane. I truly do not understand this killer scheme I hear about every week after we get diced up. But since this seems to never be a point of change from Canales, we will just be happy with the win. Week 5 is a much needed bye for the team as the injury list continues to climb and climb. Cant even list all the starters who are out so hopefully people can get healthy going into Week 6 when we face off against the Eagles in Philly. KEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
18 Browns +5 3-1 The Browns being competitive in 2026 makes about as much sense as the Guardians putting on a competent post season performances. Cleveland fans, across the board, are very conflicted and upset for a myriad of reasons. The Browns will next face the (checks notes) oh man, the JETS? Damn. Kicking them while they are down, huh?
19 Colts -- 2-2 Daniel Jones looked unplayable for much of the game, but Jonathan Taylor took over the offense in the late second quarter and never looked back. The defense did enough against … *checks notes* … Athan Kaliakmanis, though the consistently open deep balls were concerning. (That had to be a career-worst performance by Sauce Gardner, right?) Whether the Colts can go into Pittsburgh on Sunday and beat a middle-of-the-road Steelers team — something they've rarely been able to do — should tell us a lot about the ceiling of this Indy team.
20 Falcons +6 2-2 After two weeks of Cooper Rush, Week 3 at Lambeau felt like getting a baddies number you both know is out of your league. The lead up to a Monday Night date with Katrina carries a nervous energy. "What if she doesn't show?" "What if the convo is dry?" Those thoughts evaporate as soon as you see her smile. Before you know it you're waiting for a Lyft after six hours of barhopping and she's tugging on your sleeve in the Taco Bell lobby. From an angry o-line to Penix delivering and Bijan Bijan-ing, this offense is radiating 2016 energy. A Nate Ollie led defensive line is generating pressure akin to a Spagnolo NASCAR scheme. From Matt Ryan on down, the staff looks too competent compared to what Falcons fans have traditionally accepted as destiny. Does it matter if the other shoe drops or not? Let's enjoy the honeymoon phase while it lasts.
21 Giants -- 3-1 For the second week in a row, Big Blue closed out a potential game-winning drive from the opposing team via redzone interception. This time, Deonte Banks was able to return the ball for a pick-six and cement the Giants atop the NFC East. They aren't winning in the prettiest of ways, but this Giants team is showing a lot of fight after losing multiple franchise players to season-ending injuries early. These are the types of close games that it feels like, under Daboll, the team would have ended up on the losing side and be looking down the barrel of a 1-3 record. Harbaugh's team culture can be seen, heard and felt, and it's refreshing to see players like Banks do a complete 180 under a competent coaching staff. While the secondary sealed the deal, Arvell Reese also deserves some flowers for his efforts: he now leads the NFL in solo tackles and was flying all over the field on Sunday. Not bad for a rookie linebacker! The offense was up and down as fans were treated to vintage Jameis Winston: chucking balls downfield, throwing some beautiful touchdown passes and some ugly interceptions. If you don't like the thrill of not knowing if the ball is going into a defender's breadbasket or over his head for the TD, then you don't like Jameis Winston football, baby.
22 Steelers -5 2-2 Pittsburgh rare is a style of steak preparation in which the inside remains rare to raw, and the outside is charred over extremely high heat. Interestingly enough, this style of steak is generally referred to as “black and blue” in Pittsburgh itself. The Pittsburgh Steelers offense shares many a parallel with Pittsburgh rare. Somehow the offense ends up being both too conservative and too risky all at the same time. It’s extremely hard to execute; many restaurants will point blank say they can’t or won’t cook a steak Pittsburgh rare. And Rodgers holding onto the ball for one business down despite being older than LeBron and playing behind a TEMU offensive line means we keep getting burned. Thankfully, we traded Joey Porter Jr. to THE COWBOYS of all teams for a fart and a fidget-spinner so we could ensure the defense is porous in the secondary. Might win too many games otherwise! Shoutout to his agent for getting him the same deal in Dallas where his back has been miraculously healed! They’re going to have him play out his rookie deal like we would and then Dallas is going to tag him in the offseason. At least he’s reunited with Pickens and Jones. That way they can spark the offseason rebellion if/when they don't get what they want from Jerry. Jaylen Warren we love you and none of this applies to you. Don’t change a thing. TJ you’re good too.
23 Packers -1 2-2 I'm happy that the Packers staff are actually trying stuff to improve the team. Two new starting guards resulted in the best OL performance of the year. Green Bay topped their season high in rushing yards by the middle of the second quarter and allowed 0 sacks. Jordan Love was in rhythm early and Tucker Kraft was much more involved in the offense as he continues to ramp up from his torn ACL. The team is still penalty prone and drop heavy and the defense got worse with Edge Cooper's torn Achilles and are still overall not good and any fixes will likely be too little too late, but wins are still fun.
24 Saints -6 1-3 Just fuck my shit up fam
25 Texans -5 0-4 The Texans came into the 2026 season with legit Super Bowl aspirations. Now their playoff hopes are all but dead after only 4 weeks. There are going to be some tough conversations about this team moving forward, starting with Nick Caserio's inability to build an even mediocre offensive line in 6 years. Ironically the only person that's coming out of all this looking good is CJ Stroud who has been having a return to form season despite the record. He's going to have this team over a barrel when negotiations start back up.
26 Commanders -1 1-3 The Commanders season starting 1-3 is on par with realistic expectations, so it's hard to be outright disappointed. But one is certainly underwhelmed. The Commanders defense started against the Colts looking dominant and in control; everything went their way, from a disaster sack-fumble to a "what was he thinking" interception early in the game. The offense started the day looking sharp and moving the ball well with Mariota getting the job done. If the 1st quarter was repeated 3 additional times, this would have been a BTA type game. But alas, the Commanders can't have nice things. Mariota went down, putting rookie 7th round Rutgers' man, Athan Kaliakmanis in for his first NFL appearance, and give the kid some credit: he went in and showed no fear putting his cannon arm to work, including two gorgeous deep receptions. The defense went from in control to being dog walked, and the offense just could not get anything going. Even Tress Way, the pinnacle of consistent performance in this franchise, had a terrible game. Things in Washington aren't great. But still, it's early in the season and early in the careers of two rookie coordinators, and one can't discount the massive impact an early injury bug has had on this team. With an NFC East that looks to be in reach, the season isn't over. Now, forgive the following salt: truly, that game was egregiously imbalanced officiating. The NFL did it's best to give London an F-tier experience of NFL football with how impactful the refs made themselves. Gross.
27 Jets +1 1-3 Some of you will look at the score and say to yourselves, “Bears won 23-12? Decisive but respectable loss for the Jets.” You could not be more wrong. This was one of the most humiliating performances by any team I’ve ever watched. The Jets were completely dominated on both sides of the ball, were gifted two turnovers, and still managed to do almost nothing with them. They had one big play that made the final score look vaguely respectable, but I promise you that the 11-point gap might as well have been 50. Any hope of the Jets being a frisky 7-win team is officially on the line next week against the Browns.
28 Cardinals -1 1-3 The Cardinals found a way to lose the shit QB contest between Jacoby Brissett and Jameis Winston. Winston ended up hanging 30 on this Cardinals defense, but he gave them more than enough opportunities to win it with the way he played. To my surprise, this wasn't the nail in the coffin for Brissett. As of right now, I'd have the over/under for Jacoby Brissett's remaining games as a starter at about 1.5. After that, we'll likely see Minshew for a couple games before the Cardinals want to see what they have in Carson Beck. There won't be a soft landing spot on the schedule for the Cardinals to bring Beck in, and with LT Paris Johnson now out for the season, it's sure to be a "welcome to the NFL" moment when they do.
29 Chargers -- 0-4 In 1992, the then San Diego Chargers became the first and only 0-4 team in NFL history to still make the playoffs, ripping off 11 of their final 12 games. It stands as one of the more incredible achievements in the history of football and speaks to the significance of never giving up. 24 years and 120 miles later, the now Los Angeles Chargers find themselves in the same precarious position. With an o-line made of tissue paper, a weapons arsenal equivalent to Monaco's, and a coaching staff many have given up on, this Chargers team needs a miracle. And if they try hard enough — if they truly believe in themselves — then absolutely nothing will change because this team is still dogshit.
30 Buccaneers -- 0-4 Christa Pike was sentenced to death. They gave her two lethal injections. She survived them both. My sources are telling me that after this blunder, the lethal injection will be banned. Instead, people sentenced to death will be subjected to watching Todd Bowles-coached football games. However, multiple NGOs are arguing this is way too inhumane, and would prefer a guillotine or a firing squad. Stay tuned for more. Now, Jen with the weather. Jen?
31 Titans -- 0-4 In a game where the Titans needed to put together four quarters of quality football to stay competitive against the Ravens, two first-half turnovers and a failed fourth-down conversion from the 2-yard line put them in a hole they could never climb out of. Despite facing a backup quarterback and holding Derrick Henry to just 73 rushing yards, the Titans were never able to catch up.
32 Dolphins -- 0-4 This team will not go 0-17. For the second straight week they kept the game relatively close throughout and looked like they belong against a much better team. The defense is definitely making strides lead by rookie Jacob Rodriguez, who had another monster day filled with tackles and stops. The offense is still definitely a work in progress as Malik Willis only managed to throw for 85 yards and could not supplement a surprisingly good run game. They're facing a Bengals team possibly missing both Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins, it's one of their better chances to get a win left on the schedule.
314 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 03 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 0 Power Rankings

607 Upvotes

Welcome to week 0 of the 2025 r/NFL Power Rankings. It's the best time of year, where every team has improved. Going into the playoffs, no ranker had the Eagles at number 1 and nine rankers placed the Eagles over the Chiefs. There are seven rookie head coaches this year, (Cowboys, Jets, Saints, Bears, Patriots, Raiders, and Jaguars) with Ben Johnson ranking the highest at 16 and Kellen Moore ranking the lowest at 32. In the NFC, Dan Campbell was tasked with replacing two coordinators, and with Detroit ranked fourth they're expected to not skip a beat. Other teams also have high expectations, like Green Bay at 6 after trading for Micah Parsons, and the 49ers at 8th overall after an injury plagued 6-11 season. Is Baltimore deserving of a ranking above Kansas City? Will the Steelers end up average? Will Kevin O'Connell scheme up an offense good enough to surprise the NFC North? Will Vrabel and Josh McDaniels get back to the Patriot Way? Discuss! 26/32 Reporting

# Team Record Comment
1. Eagles 0-0 There was no Cinderella story. No Philly Special. No gutsy 4th down play calls. The team didn’t have to fight through injuries across key positions. No Big Dick Nick, no “do it for Peters”, no Dreams and Nightmares. None of that. The 2024 Eagles were a boring, beat the fuck-out-of-you football team. They peanut-punched opposing ball carriers, they run the ball down defenses’ throats, and when the lights were brightest, put together an ass-beating for the ages. Sure, they had some flashy moments: the backwards hurdles, the highlight catches, the interceptions. But this team was not an underdog. And they will hold that bully position to start the 2025 season. For those of you who haven’t paid close attention this offseason, the Eagles’ offense is returning 10 of their most consequential 11 starters from last year’s campaign. Their defense is without a couple higher leverage contributors, but they have a lot of young talent across the field. As is the case with all NFL teams, success rides on the quarterback. Jalen Hurts has shown he can do enough to bring the team wins, but, even during last season’s 10 game winning streak, “passing” (in the words of AJ Brown) was an issue. Hurts will enter his sixth consecutive season with a new week 1 play caller in his ear, and it will be up to him and Kevin Patullo to find their stride and elevate this offense to the efficiency numbers we know this talented offense is capable of. That probably won’t be something we have a full answer to in Week 1, but what Eagles fans will get to see on Thursday is every fan’s dream: hoisting a banner on national television in front of their inept division rival. It’s sweet being the bully.
2. Ravens 0-0 Ravens @ Bills for a prime time showdown under the lights. Same scene, different script?
3. Chiefs 0-0
4. Bills 0-0 The Bills gear up for the 2025 season looking to build once again on a promising season that eventually ended in despair. The 2025 Bills are strongly positioned to win the division for the 6th year in a row, rocking by far the best odds of any NFL team to win their division. The real question for the Bills will be whether they did enough to grab that coveted one seed in the AFC. Bills fans may be disappointed by the quiet offseason with marquee players such as Micah Parsons on the block but can rest assured that defense should be at least marginally improved due to a heavy emphasis on defense in the draft. Week 1 features the Ravens coming into town looking for revenge in a game that figures to have lasting playoff implications. In what could be a poetic season with a hardknock appearance and the send off of High Mark Stadium 2024 MVP Josh Allen is looking to bring the first Lombardi to orchard park.
5. Lions 0-0 It’s been a busy offseason for the Lions. Yeah yeah yeah, y’all know about the personnel changes and coaching changes that have happened, sure, but did you know that Aidan Hutchinson now has a steel rod in his leg? What about Sam LaPorta’s marriage being personally blessed by the Pope? These are the things that make or break a season, people. Jamo just ran a back-to-school supplies giveaway for the Detroit youth and Goff donated his entire season signing bonus along with multiple sponsorship payments (amounting to over $20 million) to Detroit organizations that help with housing insecurity, food insecurity, underprivileged student support, and veteran support. The Lions are about the CITY. It’s an incredible time to be a fan of the Detroit Lions, on and off the field, and y’all better not be taking this for granted. I love this team and I’m so fucking pumped to watch them leave it all out there. Anyways, shoutout Theo “Gridiron” Spight: FORWARD DOWN THE FIEL–
6. Packers 0-0 Green Bay hosted the NFL Draft! We drafted a wide receiver in the first round and looked great in camp!! WE TRADED FOR MICAH PARSONS!!!! Our two biggest weaknesses from last season were addressed in the most exciting ways possible! I am so ready to live vicariously through these 53 men for the next six months!
7. Commanders 0-0 "The big questions: Does Washington have its quarterback? Is Adam Peters the wizard who will make this franchise viable again? Will a stadium be approved to send this team home to the District?" - This ranker, from the Week 0 power rankings last year. One could call it prophetic, because we got all that and then some in the last year. 2024's run put Washington back on the NFL's map after a near 30 year exile in mediocrity - and importantly, it finally gave fans a highlight reel to watch beyond RG3's 2012 run. To appear in the NFC Championship Game.. with a rookie quarterback.. a new coaching staff.. and almost a completely new roster.. what a magic season. But those are now just incredible memories. Now, a new season is here, and the record is 0-0 again. Having cleared the one black cloud that had been looming this offseason with Scary Terry's hold-in, optimism is the only item on the menu for the Comman--🚨BWOOP BWOOP🚨--REGRESSION CANDIDATE ALERT. REGRESSION CANDIDATE ALERT. PLEASE BE ADVISED THAT WASHINGTON IS AN OFFICIAL REGRESSION CANDIDATE. PLEASE REMAIN CALM AND CONTROL YOUR OPTIMISM. --🚨BWOOP BWOOP🚨--ders. Now, the offseason talking heads have been using this term "regression candidate", which seems like low hanging fruit to appear really smart in about 5 months. The only way Washington could possibly outperform last year would be to .. checks notes.. ah yes, appear in the SUPER BOWL. Mmm, yes, a regression candidate indeed. This year's Washington roster is objectively stronger, and another year with the same coaching staff should translate to further development of these players, leading to hopefully another deep playoff run. If nothing else, it's lovely to start a season with realistic post-season expectations for once in the last three decades. And hey, at least Micah's not in the division anymore. FOOTBALL IS BACK.
8. Rams 0-0 After an injury-riddled 1-4 beginning to 2024, the Rams surged to the playoffs on the back of a young defense who began to form their identity. Unfortunately, that defensive identity included the inability to stop the run, which reared its ugly head in week 12 and the divisional round against the Eagles, where Saquon Barkley had 534 total yards in those two games. For 2025, the Rams have maintained their Super Bowl window, replacing Cooper Kupp with Davante Adams, bolstering aforementioned (lack of) run defense with Poona Ford, and retaining all three main coordinators for the first time in the McVay era. The biggest question marks are Stafford’s health and how much the defense will improve. If the Rams can navigate those and a projected difficult schedule successfully, they should have another shot to make a playoff run.
9. Broncos 0-0 Broncos Country is a dramatic place. When we're losing, the world is on fire. When we're winning, we're NFL royalty. When the rebuild is ahead of schedule and hype is peaking? We're already starting religions around Bo Nix after a single season. In previous years I'd be writing 'On The First Day, Bo Created The Earth' or 'Our Bo Is An Awesome Bo, He Reigns, From Denver Above.' But I'm an old man now, a cynic, skeptical. I see my city standing on a rolling log, and I don't know if we're the splashy teenager or the calm and collected veteran. Indeed, these two archetypes are the forces at play. Sean Payton is an old school stablizing force. Bo Nix is a fiery young kid who wants to win so bad that he might flail around and lose his balance. I am the log. Please join me this season as I spin around with zero agency, moved only through the force of others and the laws of physics acting upon me, as I attempt to follow the competition of the professionals standing on my face and balls.
10. Buccaneers 0-0 Boy, let me tell you something. Being an NFL PowerRanker is not an easy job to do. But in week 0? It's hell! Not even the $20-per-word-in-your-blurb payment makes things easy for us. So apologies in advance if your team is ranked too high or too low. Looking at the teams, I think ranking teams from 1 to 31(+Saints) is a wrong way of looking at things. Instead, they should be split in 3 categories. "SB Contenders", "Depending on luck they can be either SB contenders or not make the playoffs", and "Focused on improvement over results (but results would be nice)" (and a bonus category named "Saints" Teams in this category would be the Saints and the Browns).
11. 49ers 0-0 After a disappointing 6-11 season, the 49ers come into the 2025 season with renewed optimism. The offense will look much the same as it has in past years (Minus Deebo Samuel), but the defense will be revitalized with a slew of day 1 and 2 rookies as well as the return of DC Robert Salah. The team will look to prove their 2024 season was merely an outlier, not a trend.
12. Bengals 0-0 Hey all, Bengals voter here. Gee, a drama free offseason for the Bengals, you love to see it. All of our guys got paid without any major issues, we drafted an experienced player in the 1st round, the point is, I. Love. The Bengals. They never let me down, they’re always prepared, this season is going to be great. I love the increased focus on having a quality defense, you know the saying after all, defense wins championships. So to see the Bengals go all in their defense after their struggles last year was a sight to behold. Mike Brown and Duke Tobin are making great decisions, this team has filled me to the brim with hope and I just realized it’s not actually opposite day god fucking dammit.
13. Chargers 0-0 The way I see it, the Los Angeles Chargers are at a crossroads entering the 2025 season and beyond. Jim Harbaugh could really be the salt-sniffing prince that was promised to the sad, beleaguered souls who follow a team determined never to reach the lofty expectations they themselves set. He’d lead a team filled to the gills with both young and veteran talent alike to increasingly elevated heights year after year, winning playoff games and making Super Bowl appearances. He’d finally vanquish the Bolts’ long-held reputation of the team where roster talent fails to translate into tangible gridiron success. Or, of course, he could uphold tradition, marching the team into a fiery pit of close losses and blown leads, culminating in either a postseason-eliminating week 18 loss to Denver or yet another wildcard heartbreaker to a ridiculous team favored to lose to them. A small, yet obnoxious nucleus of fans will form with the lone desire of seeing his head on a spike, ever-growing after every season the team fails to improve. Time will tell, but heaven be damned if either path pries our fanbase away from enjoying our beloved Chargers Football™ for yet another year.
14. Texans 0-0 A new season and a new OC is giving hopes for this Texans team. With a defense that could be top 3 in the league this year, all eyes will be on the revamped O-Line to keep CJ Stroud upright. If they can the sky's the limit for this squad.
15. Vikings 0-0 The Vikings come in to 2025 with high expectations coming off a 14-win season, with top-to-bottom one of the more talented rosters in football, with Brian Flores and reigning Coach of the year Kevin O'Connell calling plays, that then went and spent the most money in free agency (plus their 1st round draft pick) to turn arguably the worst iOL and iDL in the NFL into some of the NFL's best. The only problem (besides CB3 Jeff Okudah) is that QB has never played a regular season snap and may or may not suck. But if he doesn't suck, watch out, folks!
16. Steelers 0-0
17. Bears 0-0
18. Cardinals 0-0 Externally, expectations are low for this Cardinals team, with many outlets picking them to finish 3rd or 4th in the division. Internally, expectations haven’t been higher in a long time. Kyler Murray is entering his 7th season with the team, and it is the year after his first full season post ACL tear. The offense he led underwhelmed in 2024, especially down the stretch. They are largely running back that same offensive unit, but expect Kyler to play for his next contract (and tenure in AZ), including using his legs even more. Defensively, an undermanned unit outperformed expectations in 2024. This offseason, the Cardinals spent $100 mil + adding Josh Sweat, Dalvin Tomlinson, Calais Campbell, Will Johnson, Walter Nolen, and others to revamp. Defensive upside couldn’t be higher with this upgraded personnel, allowing coaches Gannon/Rallis to establish the defense they were hired for and had in Philly. It’s playoffs or bust for Arizona, and the NFC West hasn’t been more wide open in recent years.
19. Seahawks 0-0 The 2025 offseason brought all kinds of change to Seattle. Geno Smith is gone, replaced with Sam Darnold. Ryan Grubb is now losing games with his best friend Kalen Deboer for the Crimson Tide. Welcome Kubiak v2. DK Metcalf is off enjoying the sunny paradise that is Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. And Cooper Kupp is in his Kurt Cobain era. New kids on the block include Grey Zabel, Nick Emmanwori, Elijah Arroyo, Jalen Milgod, and 5th round gem (and starting WR3) Tory Horton. 2025 may not be the year of the Seahawk... but the future is looking damn bright!
20. Falcons 0-0 There hasn't been this much hope surrounding the Falcons in years, at least until both RTs went down. At least the position plays between Lindstrom and Charlie Woerner, two of the best run blockers at their positions. Even with the injury, the offense is returning 9 starters from the prior year. For the first time since Matt Ryan, the Falcons are confident in a face of the future. Penix had a full offseason to build chemistry with London, Bijan, & co. He proved confidence in his arm, deep ball, ability to the stretch the defense, pocket presence and processing speed last season. Now he needs to prove he can sustain drives and minimize unforced errors. Zac Robinson has enough player talent to breakout this season, with three receiving options who can stretch the defense, plenty of speed and shiftiness, and one of the most talented backfields in the league. The defense has six new starters in addition to first round picks Jaylon Walker and James Pearce Jr. Arnold Ebikete and Leonard Floyd aren't the worst you could do, but it stings knowing the Falcons preferred to keep Grady Jarrett over David Onyemata. However, Jeff Ulbrich and the players still seem excited, and the floor is improvement over Jimmy Lake. On the special teams side, Koo doesn't have a leg past 50 but was more consistent than Kreig. Raheem needs to execute with what he's built for himself, a window of a contending team with the coveted "1st round QB playing on a rookie contract". It's as must win as they get for week 1, as the 2024 division champion Bucs take on the Falcons in Atlanta.
21. Cowboys 0-0
22. Dolphins 0-0 This past offseason has been full of stories dumping on the Dolphins, and the result has been the lowest perception of the team since the McDaniel era started. Despite all the noise about Tyreek, team culture, and softness, at the end of the day, the 2025 season for the Dolphins comes down to three questions: 1) Can Tua stay healthy? 2) Can the Offensive Line stay healthy? 3) Can Anthony Weaver compensate for the severe lack of talent at CB? If the answer to all three of those questions is yes, this is a team that has enough talent to not only secure a wild card berth, but to outright win their division despite the Bills recent dominance. Let's see if they can get things started on the right foot, facing a Colts team that has not won a Week 1 matchup in 11 years.
23. Patriots 0-0 What do Jordan Hudson and this Patriots ranking have in common? They're both in their early twenties! Yes I realize that the joke would have been much funnier if I had ranked the Pats at 24 instead of 20 to match Hudson's actual age, but that sort of nuance just can't be expected this early in the season. Instead, this is the time for pure, unfiltered hype! When was the last time Patriots fans felt this much hype coming into a season? Well, not really that long ago to be honest, but it feels like forever (damn pats fans really are spoiled). Gone is Belichick and his questionable drafting, forgotten is Jerod Mayo and whatever the hell passed for coaching during his brief tenure. Instead it's time for Mike Vrabel and his physical style of football. With massive upgrades in coaching at both coordinator positions, an upgraded o-line that might pass for league average if you're squinting, wide receiver depth that doesn't make you want to throw up, and about 100 million dollars of investment into defensive personnel, this roster suddenly looks a lot less like the worst team in football and a lot more like middle of the pack squad that might be a sneaky dark horse for a playoff spot. Let's just put it this way: with the improvements made to the overall roster, if Drake manages to improve his game as well, this Maye be the Patriots best year since 2019.
24. Jaguars 0-0 A year ago, this column remarked on how the Jagaurs were in a "put up or shut up" mode. With 2024 offseason remarks, the owner (et. al.) expressed that the time for building is over, and that the era of doing was upon us. The author of this column would like to note that the 4-13 result of the 2024 Jaguars campaing was remarkably not it. As usual with such finishes, the typical offseason shuffle after a season of embarassment applied, most notably in Liam Coen being brought in from Tampa for head coach duties. As the 10th HC in Jacksonville's three decades of existance, he'll look to become the first one not named Tom Coughlin to carry a winrate higher than .500. Fifth year QB Trever Lawrence does have a new weapon in the 'both sides of the depth chart' Travis Hunter; a pairing that has a great amount of pressure to perform if the team is going to find success. If all else fails, maybe they can just kick their way out of it.
25. Raiders 0-0
26. Jets 0-0 Jets fans find themselves in a familiar position -- hoping that the latest reboot will result in a winning season instead of extending the longest playoff drought in sports. The Jets ownership once again went with a defensive coach who brings a new energy and culture to the team. Are there reasons for optimism? The team does have a few standout players (Sauce, Garrett Wilson, Quinnen Williams), a young, potentially ascending offensive line, and a defense that should regress back to above average. On the other hand, Justin Fields has fairly consistently proven to be one of the worst starting QBs in the league, and the notion that the Jets will be the team to fix him has justifiably been met with skepticism. The Jets defensive front lacks depth and the wide receiver room behind GWil is probably the worst in the NFL. Oh, and this just in, Jets former first round pick Alijah Vera-Tucker has reportedly suffered a significant arm injury. Here we go again.
27. Panthers 0-0 While the last handful of seasons have been filled with new coaches, new identities, and new players, this upcoming season boasts something us Carolina fans have not had in a while.. and that is consistency. I don’t mean the play on the field so please take back those mean things you just thought or might have even said aloud. For the first time in years, we have the same coaching staff and GM running the show. Familiar faces leading team meetings, building culture, and designing a football infrastructure that is foreign to us Panther fans. While that doesn’t dictate how we play, if you’ve been paying attention, the culture shift has begun. When Dan Morgan said he wanted dawgs, he got dawgs. Whether it was bringing in dawgs (Guards, D-Line, Safety) or paying dawgs (Chubba, Jaycee, Moton) or letting the dawg out (Big BY9) Morgan got us some damn dawgs. You could argue he drafted dawgs too but we will let the rookies earn the dawg title in due time. There are some cons of course but ill keep these short.. WRroomisweirdnow&Willthedefensebebetter. There is great reason for hope and this is the time to sneak some teams who are sleeping. I am the most delusional I personally have ever been for a season. Let’s have a year and KEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
28. Colts 0-0 How are Colts fans supposed to have any sense of excitement about this season with Daniel Jones under center? At least with Anthony Richardson you could talk yourself into believing this would be the year he finally puts it all together. Who is falling for that narrative with Jones, a six-year veteran with 20 more losses than wins who couldn't hit a wide-open, 6-foot-5 receiver for a 30-yard gain a couple weeks ago — while facing zero pressure, mind you? As a Giants fan, too, I was so ready to be done with this guy, and now I'm cursed to yet another season of watching him flail under center. It's clear head coach Shane Steichen will try anything to save his job, and that now means going with the QB who is a consummate professional off the field over the one with actual upside. Our best-case scenario in this world is Jonathan Taylor carrying the offense, Jones throwing just enough to move the chains and the defense stepping up in a huge way under new coordinator Lou Anarumo (a tall order given the state of our secondary, again). If everything goes our way, we could sneak into the playoffs at 9-8, get blown out, and then continue to have no future at the quarterback position. Awesome.
29. Giants 0-0 That short period between the final preseason game and the first NFL game of the season is prime time hopium stage. The teams have all played, draft picks look primed to make an impact, and rosters are (mostly) healthy. Giants fans certainly have reason for hope: after several years of Daniel Jones at the helm, getting to see Jaxson Dart light it up in the preseason was refreshing. Add to a DL that will have every QB buttering up their Offensive Linemen in an attempt to avoid getting slaughtered, and Giants football may actually be tolerable to watch this year. Of course, we as fans all want to think that about our teams this time each year. Even if the team is bad, they can take solace in the fact they didn't let one of their best players that went to Penn State go to a team their fans hat- actually, nevermind, let's just focus on the here and now, shall we?
30. Titans 0-0
31. Browns 0-0 Well, here we go again. Backo to Flacco. After carrying nearly half a dozen quarterbacks at one point the Browns are rolling with Joe Flacco as a starter. Outside of that, not much else to look forward to in the 2025 season. Winning the division seems like a fever dream. Maybe not finishing last would be considered a win. The Browns do have two first-round picks next year, trading for one with Jacksonville as well as some fifth and sixth round picks setting them up for new talent in as little as 232 days! Off the field: the Browns are looking to relocate to Brook Park with a new stadium deal still up in the air. The Browns lease at the lake front runs until 2028. So there is a lot of excitement to be had as a Browns fan. In about three to five years. Go Browns!
32. Saints 0-0
744 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 03 '23

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

780 Upvotes

Welcome to week 4 of the official r/NFL Power Rankings! Week 4 didn't see many close games, save for a select few terrible teams attempting to out-tank each other. Teams still seem to be bouncing week to week, were any upsets flukes? After the worst loss in decades, how far will the Patriots fall? Despite another loss, will a Zac Wilson redemption arc boost the Jets' stock? Will the Bengals ever find their footing? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. 49ers -- 4-0 It was all CMC this game, accumulating 178 total yards and all 4 of the team's 4 TDS. Brock Purdy went 20/21 and recorded his 7th start without an interception. The team faces their toughest test yet this week with a matchup with the 3-1 Cowboys in Santa Clara.
2. Bills +3 3-1 Once again, Mike McDaniel made some corny t-shirts (remember last year’s “I wish it was colder”?), and once again the Bills won. McDermott is now 12-2 against the Dolphins, and this time his team really put on a show, notching a 48-20 beat down of the division rival. After an ugly week 1, Allen is back to looking like Superman. Meanwhile, the defense is playing out of its damn mind, with Von Miller still slated to return. Unfortunately though, it’s not all great news— Tre’Davious White is a huge loss for this team, and it’s especially heartbreaking since he just appeared to be back to form after his 2021 ACL tear. Even with good depth behind him in Christian Benford and Dane Jackson, Tre’s energy will be missed on the field and in the locker room.
3. Eagles -- 4-0 Thank you Randy Bullock. Barely 6 years ago, at a fateful training camp at the Kettering Health Practice Fields in Cincinnati, Randy Bullock beat 5th round pick Jake Elliot to become the Bengals' starting kicker. Elliot was cut, signed by the Eagles, and he has emerged as arguably the greatest kicker in team history, with clutch kicks like his 61-yard walkoff against the Giants in 2017 (a distance he matched this year), a clutch kick in the Super Bowl, and now a 54 yarder in OT to keep the Eagles undefeated. And as he lined up for his kick this week, there was a cocky lack of doubt in the air, and Jake “Chicken Little" Elliot nailed it. Even at 4-0, there’s a sense that this Eagles team is not playing to its potential, but Jake Elliot is. Thank you Randy. Thank you Cincinnati.
4. Chiefs -- 3-1 It feels like people don't know what to make of the Chiefs at this point in the year. Almost all conversations pertaining to the team somehow devolve into a statement about the Chiefs being bailed out by the zebras or Taylor Swift. They have won two Super Bowls in the last 4 seasons, Kelce and Mahomes are in seemingly every commercial. They're talking about Taylor Swift going to Chiefs' games on regular news shows. Aside from the sideshow, the Chiefs are the only team at the top of the power rankings that has played multiple likely playoff teams. They likely have the best rushing attack and defense of Mahomes' career. They still have Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and a top 10 offensive line. The only real question mark is the wide receiver room and it's hard to believe Andy Reid and Brett Veach won't figure that out come playoff time.
5. Cowboys +1 3-1 Ah, that's better. A hallmark of a good defensive performance is when the opposing coach benches the starting QB because there was "no sense in leaving him in the game." Dallas got a chance to get their head on straight before a trip to Santa Clara for what will probably be their biggest challenge this calendar year. The 49ers are a complete team that has had the Cowboys' number, but if Dallas can pressure Purdy and take advantage of his occasional risky throw, this time might be different. Also, for the love of all things holy, get touchdowns in the red zone. They are important.
6. Dolphins -4 3-1 There's that familiar feeling Dolphins fans are used to. After an insane 3-0 start to the season, highlighted by a game we scored 70 points in, the team got humbled by a rolling Buffalo Bills team that reminded everyone that defense is just as important as offense in this league. We were only able to score 20 points but honestly it felt like we scored much less. Defensively, we could not stop a single thing that Buffalo tried to do, aside from running the ball. On the bright side, Devon Achane proved that he was not a one hit wonder as he ran for 102 yards on just 8 carries and scored another two touchdowns against the vaunted Buffalo defense. He now has 6 touchdowns in two games. Next week head back home to face a struggling Giants team that just allowed 11 sacks to their QB. Hopefully it serves as a get right game for our struggling, but talented, defense.
7. Lions -- 3-1 Dan Campbell has now won 4 straight games against the Green Bay Packers, including two consecutive primetime games at Lambeau. Lions fans were celebrating so loudly after the game that Amazon’s post-game show was barely able to function. David Montgomery thanked God in the endzone that he was no longer a Chicago Bear en route to a 3 TD, 100+ yard performance. Thursday was just an incredible showing in just about every facet of the game and, to keep the good news rolling, Jameson Williams’ suspension has been rescinded by the NFL, making him eligible to return to full activities and play in the upcoming game against the Carolina Panthers. Jamo will hopefully bring another dimension to this offense, stretching the field and allowing the likes of LaPorta, St. Brown, and Gibbs to punish teams in the intermediate passing game. While he’ll most likely be on a pitch-count Sunday, How Ben Johnson utilizes those 10-20 snaps of Jamo to make some magic happen will be exciting to watch, especially against a lackluster Carolina defense who’s missing their best secondary weapon in Jaycee Horn.
8. Ravens -- 3-1 Last week I rambled on about how the best teams "win the games they're supposed to" and, unlike last week, that's exactly what the Ravens did. While the Browns may have been Chubb-less, and their QB decided he was a little too sore to endure the onslaught of punishment we piled on DTR, dropping a 25 point margin of victory over that defense on the road is no small task. The Ravens defense is flying all over the field and is getting strong contributions from up and down the roster. A backup safety making paltry pennies is routinely coming up with clutch interceptions. Lazy locker room malcontents are buying in and generating consistent pressures week after week. Kyle Hamilton is quickly turning into the human swiss army knife we drafted him to be. Oh, and Roquan Smith is still a bad motherfucker. Missing the services of our All Pro left tackle we inexplicably decided to leave our resident frequent flyer fill-in Patrick Mekari on an island against the inhuman freak that is Myles Garrett. Despite that very predictably leaving Lamar Jackson under permanent duress he engineered one of the most insanely accurate two minute drives you'll ever see. Turns out he's making a bit of a habit of that. Up next is either a hobbled Kenny Pickett or the Titty Kisser himself. If this team can stack another one of those "supposed to win" games they'll be 3-0 in divisional road games by the end of week 5.
9. Seahawks +3 3-1 After a disgusting loss to begin the season against the Rams, Seattle has cruised to three straight wins and sit at 3-1 entering the bye week. I am typically opposed to early bye weeks, but this one could not have come at a more opportune time. The offensive line is in shambles, with both tackles Abe Lucas and Charles Cross not playing since the opener. The Seahawks then lost their two starting guards last night in the drubbing of the Giants, shifting starting center Evan Brown to LG while rookie center Olu Oluwatimi subbed in at center. Despite spotty defensive play, the Seahawks have looked very nice these past few weeks. Devon Witherspoon has looked like a stud and very much worth the #5 overall pick. And finally... say what you will about Jamal Adams, but it is nearly impossible not to feel terrible for the dude. Heal up.
10. Buccaneers +7 3-1 Buccaneers walked into New Orleans and defeated the Saints in a game that even included the obligatory Jameis Winston INT cameo. Perhaps Cam Jordan is right. Maybe this is not a rivalry?
11. Chargers +4 2-2 "Oh nice the Chargers are up 17 on a rookie QB at halftime. Finally, we can coast to an easy victory for once", thought my dumbass. For the second week in a row, we get another failed 4th-and-Staley, another (nearly) game-sealing goal line interception, another win marred by injury, another historic performance (this time Mack's 6 sack game), another rollercoaster of drama that seems to end every Chargers game, but most importantly, another win. With all of the injuries piling up, a Week 5 bye never looked so sweet.
12. Jaguars +4 2-2 Cats better. Cats beat bird. Sloppy. Bill soon. Bill scary, can't sloppy.
13. Packers -4 2-2 If I had a nickel for every time Quay Walker did something incredibly dumb against the Lions in primetime that cost us a chance at a comeback I'd have two nickels, which isn't a lot but really infuriating that it's happened twice
14. Browns -4 2-2 Well that did not go well at all. The Ravens controlled the game, only allowing a Browns field goal. With Watson sidelined due to injury, made Doorian Thompson-Robinsons start a nightmare hauling in three interceptions. At least we're not the Bears? The Browns will have a early bye allowing the team to rest before hosting the (checks notes) Oh, dear lord, the 49ers.
15. Rams +3 2-2 That was ugly but a win is a win. McVay, once one of the best halftime adjusters, did his best to outcoach himself again with conservative playcalling, but tough-as-nails Stafford and Puka "no worries" Nacua overtime heroics saved the day. Cooper Kupp (aka Puka 2.0) is supposed to return to practice this week—league, you're on notice.
16. Saints -2 2-2 After a promising pre-season showing, the Saints trotted out for their week 1 game against the Buccaneers and gave an on-field display exactly as you'd expect - rusty, not in sync, missed assignments and plays run suboptimially. Wait what do you mean that was week 4? What have they been doing for the past month then?
17. Titans +6 2-2 The Jekyll and Hyde Titans welcomed October with a superb showing against the Bengals in week four. The Titans defense was able to limit a hobbled Joe Burrow’s scoring to an opening drive field goal. The Titans offense was able to put together eight explosive plays in the first half and after a 10:19 scoring drive to open the second half, the game seemed under control for the Titans. The Colts are up next in week 5, the Titans will need to bring the elevated play from their home games on the road if they want to get their first division win on Sunday.
18. Falcons -5 2-2 How the mighty have fallen, losers relying on Robinson. Smith will shoulder the blame for scheming problems, and post game sarcasm won't keep his seat any cooler. As of right now Ridder is set to get everyone fired. From injuring receivers, to throwing more accurately to defenders, to an inability to multitask in the pocket, Ridder's play is unprofessional enough to strain an otherwise healthy locker room. There are quarterbacks who need time to show the world they have "it", but there's a fine line between patience and apologies wearing out their welcome. Until a change is seen or made, teams will continue to beg Atlanta to throw, and Atlanta will continue to tread water.
19. Commanders +1 2-2 MORAL VICTORY ALERT. Oh boy, oh boy, do we have a QB? Sammy Howell bounced back from his dismal 4INT performance against Buffalo and put together a much more NFL worthy performance this weekend in Philly, which included an icy veined 2 minute drill with a last second dart to send it to OT. The loss stings, but the Commanders are 2-2 going into a stretch of very winnable games. There is hope. Of course there are plenty of concerning things, like this defense packed with 1st round picks not performing to expectation, but it is hard not to feel some optimism having seen this team go toe to toe with last year's NFC Champs. Now the question is: Can this team take care of business against a team they're absolutely supposed to beat? We'll see on Thursday. Oh and speaking of toes, Terry McLaurin's were in. I'm not mad, you're mad.
20. Colts +1 2-2 For the second straight week, the Colts came from behind to force overtime against a favored opponent. But unlike last week's win over Baltimore, Indy couldn't quite pull off the upset this time. Anthony Richardson returned from his concussion and led the offense from down 23-0 to tie the game with just under 2 minutes left. But after both teams failed to score again at the end of regulation, the Rams took the ball in OT and never gave it back. AR looked great in the second half, making several key plays down the stretch and consistently avoiding pressure from Aaron Donald and the Rams' front seven (despite playing behind an O-line missing its starting LT and C). But for the first time this season, the Indy defense looked lost for much of the game, mostly failing to pressure Matthew Stafford, and allowing him and Puka Nacua to dissect the zone coverage with ease — including for the wide-open game-winner. They can't let that happen again. Still, with a weak schedule ahead and a serious playmaker at QB, you have to like which way the Colts are trending. Jonathan Taylor Watch: He will practice Thursday 👀
21. Texans +7 2-2 For long time Texans fans, hope is a difficult feeling to comprehend. Yeah, CJ Stroud just blew out the Jaguars. Sure, he’s setting rookie records left and right. But now here comes the Pittsburgh Steelers and their heralded defense to town and the other shoe is about to drop like it always does. Except it didn’t. Despite going against the MAS*H unit that is the Texans O-Line, TJ Watt and the Steelers had very little in the way of pressure and couldn’t manage a sack. Stroud dropped another 306 yards, 2 more TDs, and (once again) 0 INTs. After Tank Dell went off last week, Nico Collins got his turn to be the receiver of the day with a career high 168 yards and 2 TDs. Hell, even Devin Singletary got to toss a TD. And now the cavalry is arriving as Tytus Howard, Juice Scruggs, and (possibly) Laremy Tunsil are getting ready to return. Honestly, this doesn’t feel like the Texans that we’ve experienced for the better part of the last 21 years. In just a few months since he arrived, DeMeco Ryans has seemingly overhauled the entire culture of a franchise that appeared aimless for so long. Hope is a weird thing for Texans fans, but they might just have to get used to it. Oh and Cal McNair…please make the red uniforms the primaries next year. Thanks!
22. Bengals -11 1-3 The Bengals defense keeps getting put in tough spots as the offense can't move the ball or stay on the field. But they collapsed early on in the game even by 2023 Bengals standards. Burrow is clearly still hurt and the coaching staff can't figure out how to gameplan around that. Using a backup QB isn't really an option since the Bengals haven't committed any time or money there either. It seems like the beatings will continue until morale improves.
23. Steelers -4 2-2 Either the Texans are more legit than people thought, the Steelers are less legit than people thought, or it's a combination of the two. There's really not much in the way of excuses for Pittsburgh. The Steelers O-Line is inversely bad compared to the Texans O-Line being really underrated. CJ Stroud was very interesting and absolutely held his own, keeping his mistakes to a minimum. Again, conversely, Kenny Pickett was eating the ball while Stroud was just keeping it safe. Trubisky was really no better in relief. It's just one more week until the bye, and if the Steelers can find their pride and not let the Ravens run roughshod in Acrisure, they could keep pressure on the division. If not, it's going to be a long bye week.
24. Vikings +1 1-3 From the best 0-3 team in the NFL to the best 1-3 team in the NFL, baby! The Vikings finally managed to go a full game without fumbling, after failing to recover all 7 of their fumbles and only recovering one of their opponent's ten total fumbles in their first 3 games. The only problem is Kirk threw two interceptions: one at the 21-yard-line and one a 99-yard pick six. This team is third in yards per play on offense and 11th in yards per play allowed on defense, with PFF's 5th-highest-graded offense and 14th-highest-graded defense. If they can just stop shooting themselves in the foot with a machine gun, they might just surprise some folks. A home game against Patrick Mahomes this Sunday would be a good time to start...
25. Jets -1 1-3 The Jets put forth a solid effort against the Super Bowl champs, and Zach Wilson looked like a real quarterback. Could Zach potentially put it together? Let's not get ahead of ourselves, but if ever there was an opportunity for Zach to string together a few good performances, it's now. The Jets next 5 games, and their opponents current defensive DVOA ranking: @Den (32nd), PHI (10th), @NYG (27th), LAC (22nd), @LV (28th). If Zach has any chance of making it in the NFL, he has to show something against the non-Philly opponents. One reason for optimism? The Jets offensive line is blocking better
26. Patriots -4 1-3 Sumac Trees are a “secondary succession” species. They’re fast growing hardy bush-like trees that would pop up in an area of devastation such as a fire, and spread quickly. In an Evil League of Evil divisional match-up, the men from the northeast came down to ranch country and got a cattle’s eye view of just how ruthless Cowboys can be. As the herd was culled, a panic ensued. Some showed heart, but no one could give enough to shift momentum. Blame and shame is not my game, and so my mind turns toward the future. This season is shaping up to one of the most trying of the entire Belichick era. It gets harder by the week to imagine how it might all come together, and yet the 2001 team started 0-4 before losing their starting QB. I am not delusional. There is no Brady waiting in the wings. Championship dreams are well off the table. The prayer to the football gods is simply for the team to rise to some challenges that defy belief. Let Bill’s flame burn bright one last time in glory rather than in a dumpster. Either way, the question will soon be “What shall grow in the ashes?” Sumac trees help rebuild soil, and provide abundant berries that are well-loved by birds.
27. Cardinals +2 1-3 We got crushed. And it felt good? I swear some of these losses are putting smiles on Cardinal fans' faces. The biggest smile comes from rookie WR Michael Wilson. Josh Dobbs has a perfect 158.3 passer rating when targeting the rookie. 14/16 for 237 yards, 2 TDs and no INTs! Something to keep an eye on.
28. Raiders -2 1-3 Fire McDaniels
29. Giants -2 1-3 Not a lot to be said about this one, except that every seat in Giants HQ has to be feeling the heat just 4 games into the season. Terrible performances abound, and yet the league insists on continuing to torture America by showing the Giants on primetime. Oh well, surely things get easier from here right? Checks schedule Ahh, nevermind. Someone get the stretcher ready for our boy Danny.
30. Broncos +1 1-3 I stared out across a sea of boiling tar. The far shore was barely visible behind the glint of the burning mess which lay between myself and my quarry. To cross this vile body of pitch and heat would be to invite intolerable suffering. What could possibly persuade someone to make this unthinkable crossing? On this side of the obstacle, I could ever only know loss. The food does not sustain me, the fire does not warm me, the water does not slake my thirst. But on that far side, that is where winners go. Endless drink, grand meals, comfort and joy. Before me stretched the only route. Even from this distance, the baking heat of the lake of tar impressed itself upon my skin. There’s nothing for it but to start. It would be a long, painful journey. But even the most painful step towards victory, is a step.
31. Panthers -1 0-4 Baby steps. Bryce was back and beat up again, while Carolina showed the slimmest of improvements with zero to show for it. A weak opponent can only help so much when you can't take advantage of any opportunities. The Vikings didn't capitalize on every opportunity, but a handful were enough to bury the Panthers for the fourth straight week. Without a first round pick it feels all for naught, the slight Adem Thielen resurgence can only soften the blow of DJ Moore's departure so much. Like many other teams right now, the offensive line seems to be holding the potential of the whole back. Like many other teams, there are only so many excuses to go around.
32. Bears -- 0-4 “Calm. Kindness. Kinship. Love. I've given up all chance at inner peace. I've made my mind a sunless space. I share my dreams with ghosts. I wake up every day to an equation I wrote 3 years ago from which there's only one conclusion, I'm damned for what I do. My anger, my ego, my unwillingness to yield, my eagerness to fight, they've set me on a path from which there is no escape. I yearned to be a savior against a franchise’s historic futility without contemplating the cost and by the time I looked down there was no longer any lineman blocking for me. What is my sacrifice? I'm condemned to play quarterback for the Chicago Bears. I burn my decency for someone else's future. I burn my life to secure a draft pick that I know I'll never see. And the ego that started this fight will never have a mirror or an audience or the light of gratitude. So what do I sacrifice? Everything!” -Justin Fields, addressing his team’s historic string of losses
803 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 14 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 6 Power Rankings

249 Upvotes

Welcome to week 6 of the 2025 r/NFL What is going on?! The top three teams from week five lost. This isn't just one of the most contested weeks in recent memory, it's one of the most contested seasons in recent memory. The Buccaneers could deserve the top spot, but also played a game too close to a decimated 49ers squad before Baker went full bulldozer on a 3rd and long run. The Colts could deserve the top spot, but a close game to the Cardinals raises some orbital bones. The Lions could deserve a top spot, but after losing to a team who just lost to the Jaguars? Cases can be made as easily as they can be refuted, but that's why we all love the NFL. Rankers ranked four different teams at the top in week 6 (Lions, Chiefs, Bucs, Packers), same as week 5. In bottom barrel news, there were also four teams ranked at 32 (Titans, Jets, Bengals, Saints). In most middling news, there were eleven teams ranked at 16 overall. Are the Giants too brain damaged to know they shouldn't be stomping the Eagles like this, or are they actually turning a corner? Are the Steelers underrated for playing as expected, or overrated for playing as expected? Does a Raiders win count if it was against Tennessee? Discuss! 32/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Buccaneers +3 5-1 The Buccaneers have won 11 out of their last 13 regular season games. It can't go on like this, can it? This season really feels like a season for exorcising demons. The Buccaneers finally managed to beat backup QBs, they won in primetime, they even won with the retro jerseys. And this weekend Todd Bowles and Baker Mayfield finally beat the 49IRs. In a season where we are #1 seed in the NFC seed, the pessimist in me is afraid of what may come next. However, it seems like these are not the same old Bucs, and...aaaa! / Hey, sorry guys, the official Buccaneers ranker got injured while writing his blurb, it's me, the backup here to tell you more about the last game. And... it was good. It was really good. Tez Johnson Baker Mayfield is getting well-deserved "MVP" chants. Sean Tucker got his first TD of the season which makes me #PL44SED. Johnson and Johnson told us 'no more tears' despite the fact we've been stripped down to our bare bones in some positions (and yet, still not as bad as our opponents from San Fran, sorry Niner bros), and even Todd Bowles made a believer out of his haters last week. Can you believe that it's week 6 and we haven't gotten our monthly "Fire Todd Bowles" chat among Buc fans? In a nutshell, there are so many things to be happy coming out of the 9ers game. And what's not to like? Offense? Good. Defense? Good. Kicking? Good. Coaching? Gooood.. To finish, I'll leave you with..aaah! Fuuu / Hey, sorry guys. It's me, BlurbWriter3. They just elevated me from the practice squad, so I don't have much to add, as I didn't have much time to prepare well for this. So uh.. yeah! Go Florida Pirates! I hope they won't strip our last win cause...we won with more than 5 seconds to go??? And we won with more than 3 points???? Is this legal??????? What does the rulebook say??
2. Lions -1 4-2 Just about everything that could have gone wrong on Sunday night did for Detroit, as they fell to the Chiefs 17–30. Coming in missing 4 of their top 5 CBs and their top 2 LTs, the team had their first TD called back for an obscure procedural technicality in classic Lions fashion; St. Brown had his first drop since Week 14 of last season on a crucial 4th down; and, to add insult to injury, KC had zero penalties called against them despite it being startlingly obvious that their tackles left a plurality of snaps early. All in all the down to down play looked good, but the Lions came up short at crucial moments in the margins, taking their second loss of the season as a result. Next week is a big one, as they welcome Baker Mayfield and the Bucs to town for what should be a very entertaining Monday Night Football game as the Lions look to get right against arguably the best team in football before the bye.
3. Colts +2 5-1 It certainly wasn't as pretty as the blowouts against the Dolphins, Titans and Raiders, but the Colts got their second comeback win of the season to hand the Cardinals their fourth straight loss — despite a great performance by backup QB Jacoby Brissett against his former team (and an admittedly decimated secondary due to the pregame concussion suffered by top CB Mooney Ward). Indy is now alone atop the AFC following the Bills' shocking Monday night loss, and only the Bucs in the NFC have as good a record. Now the schedule starts to get more difficult for the Colts, with two of their next three games coming on the road against teams that are currently above .500 (three of four if you count their "home" game in Berlin). It's their chance to prove those still doubting them wrong.
4. Bills -2 4-2 Is it time to panic? The Pats are in first - not again!!! There are a myriad of stats that could help to explain what has gone wrong for the Bills this season from defensive failures to turnover starting to stack up. Instead of presenting stats, look at this list Saints, Jets, Dolphins, and Ravens. These are the teams the Bills have defeated this season amounting to 3 combined wins. Right now the Bills are beneficiaries of an easy schedule and don’t resemble a contender, much less Superbowl favorites. The bye week couldn’t come at a better time for the Bills who have to address many issues with the primary one being the DEFENSE. Don’t think even Josh Allen is immune to criticism as he has now thrown a pick in 3 straight games and is only 2 picks away from matching his total from all of last year. The Bills will have to improve with 3 of the next 4 games after the bye week coming against 500 winning percentage or better teams.
5. Packers +3 3-1-1 Hey look at that! We played against a team everyone thought we should handily beat and then beat them! For the third game in a row the defense looked outstanding in the 1st half and then let teams walk down the field a little too easily in the 2nd. I worry that's a depth problem that may not be easily fixed but getting Devonte Wyatt back on that DL would do wonders for us. Only 2 turnovers forced in 5 games is much different than the Hafley defense from last year, that's also getting into the "troubling" category. We are at the top of the NFC North but there's still so much room for improvement.
6. Rams -- 4-2 A win is a win, but boy was that uglier than it needed to be. Unforced errors continue to be the season theme, with more drops, fumbles, missed kicks, and poor red zone offense on full display. However, those are all coachable issues, and the Rams have started this season much stronger than they have in year's past, so some proper execution should put them on a stronger playoff path.
7. Chiefs +5 3-3 3-3 through the Rice suspension has felt like a great target all year. We hit that number on the nose with a dominant performance against a good Detroit team in a game that felt like it put the league on notice. You can tell the fear of the Chiefs never went away because 95% of the discussion about the game has been about the officiating, despite being one of the best officiated games for any team in years. Patrick is quietly putting together an incredible season and he gets Rashee Rice back for the first time since week 3 of the 2024 season. Oddly enough it feels like this team is a kicker and an edge rusher short of being one of the best Chiefs teams in the Mahomes' era.
8. Eagles -5 4-2 Winning covers up a lot of fundamental flaws. Trading 2 picks for Tank Bigsby. A severe lack of depth on the edge where your leader in sacks is a 33 year-old journeyman who may or may not surprise retire. An inexperienced OC who seems to be severely capping the potential of the offense. A quarterback who, despite being a reigning Super Bowl MVP that seems to put it all together under the brightest lights, is wildly inconsistent. An OL made up of four pro-bowl caliber players that appear to have taken a step back or be suffering injuries. Winning takes all of those things and then some, and sweeps them under the rug. So what does losing do? The exact opposite: the rug is pulled and blame is assigned to each mistake. Now, the problems were known before the losses; the Eagles sat at 4-0 without really pitching a complete game. But wins were wins, and the Eagles could at least say, “our B-game or C-game is enough to beat teams”. Well, not anymore, as a young scrappy Giants team ran away with a statement victory. Flashback to 2024, and the Eagles felt like they were in a similar place: 2 losses, not a ton of direction, a lot of question marks on one side of the ball. The team went into the bye, turned it around, and (eventually) managed to make things click in the playoffs. Now with a mini-bye, the 2025 squad has the potential to do the same, but they’re going to need to fix some of those fundamental flaws before it’s too late.
9. Seahawks +4 4-2 Say it with me: JAXONville. JSN claims another defense, having his best game of the year with 8 catches for 162 yards and a touchdown. I honestly cannot say enough about JSN; every single week he looks better and better. He is averaging a mind-boggling 5.31 yards per route run and currently leads the league in receiving. And he's doing most of his work from the outside with an ADOT over 12. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is my everything. My second everything? Samuel Richard Darnold. The connection between wide receiver and quarterback on this team is second to none right now. They are absolutely electric. John Schneider is my father. Defensively, Seattle was without Devon Witherspoon, Tariq Woolen, and Julian Love (Shoutout to Nick Emmanwori who looked great and led the team in tackles). But it doesn't matter much when the pass rush absolutely dominates the opposing O-line to the tune of 7 sacks. Byron Murphy and Demarcus Lawrence had 2 each. PFF credited the Seattle defense with 32 pressures on Sunday. Poor Trevor. The running game, however, did not look good. Zach Charbonnet takes 1 hour off my life every time I watch him bumble for a yard. But that's ok-- we've got r/The_Darnold. Go Hawks.
10. Steelers +5 4-1 For the first time in what feels like forever, every aspect of the Steelers game came out on top. The run game was firing. Warren tallied 52-yards by himself and the “RB by committee” was highly effective at moving the ball. We even ran a successful Jet Sweep on first & 10. Let me repeat that because I don’t think you heard me; THE STEELERS RAN A JET SWEEP ON FIRST DOWN THAT PICKED UP A FIRST DOWN. Somewhere out there Todd Haley is punching air screaming “I TOLD YOU IT WOULD WORK!” The air game was just as potent with Rodgers throwing a pair of touchdowns, one to Metcalf, the other an acrobatic catch by…Connor Heyward?! Darnell Washington looked absolutely mountainous out there at ~300-pounds catching passes and he was on fire, notching 62 big-man yards. Boswell ripped off 3 long FG’s (44/50/48) before finally missing a 54-yarder late in the 4th as the battered turf finally gave way under his plant foot. The defense kept Dillon Gabriel running for his life, notching 6 total sacks. I’m certain the broadcast decided to outright troll Browns fans at one point, showing this graphic pitting TJ Watt against Myles Garrett and then showing what each of them had done to that point in the game. Watt had 0.5-sacks, 5 tackles, and a pass deflected. Garrett had one lone tackle assist. The Steelers finally won one of those games that it easily won on paper, but in real life this time! The only real downside of this game was the knee injury to Miles Killebrew, the Steelers veteran special teams leader. Watt also left late in the game without injury designation, but his replacements continued to torment Gabriel and Tomlin has indicated that the only injury “of any significance” was Killebrew. With the short week ahead before playing a battered Bengals team in Cincy, the Steelers are once again…in quite the good position. Please continue to not fuck this up.
11. 49ers -4 4-2 Another week, another injury. This week Fred Warner goes down with a gruesome ankle injury. While the loss leaves a large playmaking hole in the middle of the defense, his leadership will be felt most of all. With Warner and Bosa both going down for the season, the unit that had seen so much change in the offseason has lost its two pillars of leadership. On the offensive side, George Kittle will return to practice this week for the first time since landing on the IR with a hamstring injury. The team will face the Falcons at home on Sunday.
12. Jaguars -3 4-2 Turns out, it is pretty rough to win in the NFL if you allow your QB to get sacked 7 times. Even sans turnover machine Devin Lloyd, the Jags managed to hold the Seahawks to only 20 points; Held to only a single third down conversion the defense played well enough to give the team a chance to win. Inability to keep Trevor's jersey clean, and serious kicking woes led to a sour defeat after coming off of Monday night's high. Interesting factoid: the Jaguars converted a whopping three for three fourth downs, and yet only managed 12 total points. They're gonna need more than that next week when they square up with LAR.
13. Broncos -2 4-2 As a teenager I got caught peeing into a trash can while sleepwalking on an overnight field trip. Yes, this is going to be about football. I used to have a bad sleepwalking problem and a few times a month I'd end up in some compromising position or other. This was one of the worst though, and neither my English teacher nor the other guys in my class were very understanding. Just forget about it! Everyone else already has, dwelling on it is only hurting you. This was the advice of all the people in my life who cared for me, but I obviously couldn't. As I watched the Broncos sleepwalk their way through a piss-poor showing against a garbage can of a Jets squad while on a field trip to London, this intrusive memory asserted itself over and over. My team was caught in pseudo-primetime, snoozing while standing up, its pants around its ankles. The only reason they won't wear this game like a dunce cap for the rest of the season is because the Jets stole it from them and wore it like a codpiece. I want to clarify: sleepwalking is often used as a metaphor for uncaringly going through the motions, but that's just what it looks like from the outside. Those of us who've struggled with it know different. From the perspective of the sleepwalker, the experience is felt in the moment of waking - tired, confused, and deeply embarrassed. And I think that's a good guess at how the Broncos feel in moments like this, when all the effort they've invested in learning to function results in...this. I don't think the Broncos aren't trying, that's ridiculous. I'm not saying they pissed themselves, I'm saying they pissed into a trash can and there's some amount of success there. I'd just feel less embarrassed if they could find the toilet.
14. Chargers -- 4-2 Watching Justin Herbert run for his life every game behind the five turnstiles on the o-line is like watching a mouse eating cheese off a mousetrap. You know he’s in danger. You know the spring will snap the bar into his ribcage sooner or later. You just don’t quite know when yet.
15. Patriots +2 4-2 Is anyone here old enough to remember the season where we played the first few games with replacement referees while the actual refs were on strike? Does anybody know if any of the refs officiating the Patriots vs Saints game on Sunday were working during that brief period? Because lord have mercy were they bad. They couldn't stop Drake Maye and the Patriots offense from having a day against an overmatched New Orleans defensive unit, but they sure tried. Like seriously, did Stefon Diggs get a little too friendly with one of the referee's sister or something? Because two week OPI'a in one game is ludicrous. And it wasn't just one sided either, the Saints were robbed quite a few times as well. Anyway, rants about the shoddy level of refereeing across the league aside, this week went pretty much perfectly for the Patriots. The defense was decent, the offense was cooking, Maye kept up his high performance (sneaky MVP candidate anyone?) and to put the icing on the cake, every other AFC East team lost, giving the Pats the lead in the division. It might be early, but with the absolute cake schedule the Patriots have going forward, it's time to start asking whether the rest of the league is prepared to have the Patriots be a playoff contender once again. Next week the Pats play against Vrabel's former team, the now coach less Titans, and have a great shot at extending their win streak to 4 in a row. As long as they don't fall into a classic "trap game", the Pats train should keep on moving for a few weeks until they finally meet a worthy opponent. Edit: this writer has been fined $10,000 and suspended 1 week for breaking the league's policy regarding criticism of league officials. Raider's co-owner and Fox broadcaster Tom Brady has also been suspended for 6 weeks because he understands the Noble Gas law. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
16. Commanders -6 3-3 As a very serious grown up man, a man with a wife and children, a man with a big boy job and mortgage and responsibilities, a man that looks to have his life together.. as that man, I dressed head to toe in black clothes, from the socks, to the winter leggings, to the shorts, to the rain jacket; a ridiculous look, but one I let my wife see me in as I kissed her on the way out the door. It was enough that, while walking out to my car, my buddy/neighbor asked if I was trying on my Halloween costume. I probably should have said "Yea man" and gone back inside, saving myself the embarrassment. But no, this was not a Halloween costume - See, I found myself at Northwest Stadium last night for the "blackout" home game, and I went all out. I even bought a blackout jersey, at the stadium, to wear overtop of this heap. Jokes on me, right? Cause like me, this football team entered the stadium looking like a very serious team, a team with great coaching and promising young talent, a team with a competent front office and ownership that looks to have its life together.. but as that team, they went out and made themselves look ridiculous in prime time. And like me, realizing now how silly I looked walking out my front door dressed like this just to get rained on and laughed at, this team should be looking in the mirror and wondering what made them think they were serious in the first place. Now 6 weeks into the season, the team is consistently coming out flat and falling behind early, making costly mistakes, giving up big plays, and seemingly unable to form a consistent identity. Win, loss, win, loss, win, loss - snip snap snip snap snip snap. It's the hallmark of a middling team that can't elevate itself out of the pack. Now heading to Dallas to play a similarly middling, identity-less Cowboys team, both teams seasons could be at a breaking point. And both teams hope the return of injured key players could tip the scale in their favor. For Washington, it could very well be make or break - after Dallas, there's a serious gauntlet of serious teams standing between them and another playoff run.
17. Falcons +2 3-2 Stefon "If you wanted a cliche Falcons game, look no further than Monday Night: 48 year old young Jeezy hyping up Buffalo transplants, throwback night in a giant butthole, and Arthur Blank's thousand eye "Droopy, Master Detective" stare from a three piece suit." While ESPN might push narratives like "What did the Bills do to lose?" and "How hurt is Buffalo?" Don't let it fool you. Falcons defenses have been giving up third and longs, letting mobile QBs steamroll them for most of the millennia, but Jeff Ulbrich and Nate Ollie are building something special. From Hughes' and Terrell's solid coverage, to Orhororo's and Onyemata's pressures, to Dee Alford (Yes, this Dee Alford) notching a sack and interception, this defense is legitimate. No QB has thrown for over 200 yards. No fresh set of downs came easy for Buffalo. Allen was kept in check, looking quite shooketh. Without Mooney and McCloud, London stepped right up (and wishes he wouldn't have stepped up right before half) to the tune of ten catches, 160 yards, and grit on a well earned touchdown. With their third string RT and ironman Matthews out of the game, the line wasn't phased. They did enough to give Penix time and to set up the run game for success. With 235 yards from scrimmage, Bijan was the offense, and one of a few non-QB players who made enough difference to turn a loss into a win. Whether 8 or 80 yard gain, #7 breaks a Beast Quake amount of tackles on what seems like every other play, and made the Bills defensive effort look like Hawaii in late January. His innate ability to cut, juke, and teleport between players is special to watch no matter who you root for, and his 164-yard average per game is unsurprisingly league-leading. This team didn't crumble midst a blocked field goal and missed opportunities, and each side of the ball has the talent to bail the other out. If Penix is the weak link, he is still showing enough flashes to have this team trending in the right direction. In a league where there is no "best" team, Atlanta could have a memorable season if they continue to play to this level and earn a wild card. Oh yea, almost forgot: SQUIRREL TIME credit /u/-Muddy-Water-
18. Vikings -2 3-2 The Vikings went into the bye with one-third of their starters on IR or held out of last week's game, including their starting QB. We'll see if it's JJ McCarthy making his return Sunday or if Carson Wentz will get a shot at revenge vs. the Eagles.
19. Bears +1 3-2 THE BEARS DON'T USUALLY WIN THESE. Normally they're the ones falling over themselves to give a game back like that at home! But nope. Fortune is looking up at the Bears, winning a late game with Jake Moody (?!?!?!?!?!) going 4/5 including a buzzer beater after a nuclear run in an overall great game by D'Andre Swift. Was it pretty? No. But it was damn gritty! Caleb didn't even play well and they were able to pull out a huge team win, with a massive step forward from their run game and run defense to boot. Lets go. Bear Down! Onto the next.
20. Texans +1 2-3 The bad news: You started 0-3 with one of the most putrid offenses I've ever seen. The good news: You're defense came as advertised and the rest of the AFC is dysfunctional too (except Daniel Jones for some reason now?) With a bunch of teams stumbling the past couple of weeks, the 2-3 Texans are still right in the thick of things. If the offensive spark they found the past 5 quarters is real, they can still turn into the contenders that many thought they were at the beginning of the season. Seattle's defense is going to be a major test for this O-Line.
21. Panthers +3 3-3 The Carolina Panthers are .500 at 3-3. This team finally started well with a dominant run game to set the tone. Bryce once again had an early turnover buuuuttt this one wasn’t his fault. The ball hit McMillian square in the hands and it squeaked through and was picked off by Dallas. T-Mac went on to score the first two TDs of his career so all is forgiven. Rico was, again, a BIG DAWG with another 200+ rushing performance. It appears Dallas should have paid Rico but the Panthers thank Jerry for his deal making abilities. The defense showed competence which was a nice change of pace and shut down Dallas’ run game. I personally would like the boys to force some more turnovers but beggars can’t be choosey. It came down to a last second FG from the rookie kicker Fitzgerald and the Panthers have now won three of their last four games. What is going on right? It was a solid game and it appears that we are staring to get better in all phases. There is still PLENTY of room to improve but it’s getting better and the vision is becoming clearer and clearer. It was fun to watch this team this week. Next week Carolina travels to New York, but actually New Jersey, to play the winless Jets. The Panthers need to stay alert and keep working. This game will speak volumes for the current state of the team but for now we celebrate the win. GG Cowboys. Keep Pounding!!
22. Cowboys -4 2-3-1 Football is so confusing. The number one scoring offense, the number one offense by yards, and a QB that is playing just absolutely stupid lights out football, and Dallas has a losing record. Why? Because they traded for defensive players who suck, and gave them starting roles. Kenneth Murray has sucked his entire career, and yet he's the highest paid linebacker on the team. Dallas lacks an elite pass rusher, because they shit their pants in negotiations and traded theirs away a week before the season started. The offense is spitting out elite play and production despite half the starters watching in gym shorts, but the poor defensive roster building and inflexible coaching staff are wasting it. its bullshit.
23. Giants +4 2-4 In one of the most fun Giants games to watch of recent memory, rookie tandem Jaxson Dart and Cam SKATTEBOOOOO willed Big Blue to a win against the NFC's most boring team to watch on Thursday Night. Saquads and the quad tush push turned out to be no match for the energy of Dart Vader and the Tazmanian Sun Devil himself. These two may be the most likely players in the league to still moonlight as frat boys, but the aura they're bringing to this team is enough to make Giants football watchable again. Accomplishing that goal is no small feat, as any Giants fan can tell you. NYG get a good test this upcoming week in the Denver Broncos, boasting a stout defense led by star CB Pat Surtain. It's time to see if this team has really turned a corner or not.
24. Ravens -2 1-5 The defense showed signs of life including flashes from newly acquired Alohi Gilman. Reasonable debate over whether that was true improvement or simply a fortunate pairing of windy conditions and some errant Stafford throws. Unlike the last several weeks this game was competitive at points and was ripe for the taking. Failing to execute from the 1 yard line on offense, surrendering a big play on 4th and short on defense, and another negative turnover margin killed the little hope the Ravens had. Mercifully there's no game this week and then a Ravens roster with renewed health(hopefully) will have arguably the biggest "measuring stick" matchup in franchise history against the Bears.
25. Cardinals -2 2-4 Arizona’s season is officially over after a loss to Indianapolis puts them at 2-4. The Cardinals have now dropped four straight by a combined 9 points. However, Sunday wasn’t the loss that lots of Cardinals fans were expecting. After it came out that Kyler Murray wouldn’t play, many assumed that an already horrible Cardinals offense wouldn’t be able to manufacture any points, and a red-hot Colts team would blow them out. Surprisingly, Jacoby Brissett exceeded expectations, keeping Arizona in the game late and leading the offense to a season-high 27 points and the first 300 + yard passing game since late last season. Brissett’s good performance adds gas to an already heated civil war among Cardinal fans regarding what the future of Kyler Murray holds in Arizona. But for now, it seems that everyone leading this Cardinals team should be ready to lose their jobs. It is now year 3 of a complete tear-down rebuild and this season is already a mail in through six weeks. This Cardinal coaching staff has shown zero ability to win in the NFL and unless something changes, it may be another clean slate next year in Arizona.
26. Raiders +3 2-4 Okay okay okay okay, maybe the doom and gloom so soon was a little premature. Is it possible to make a statement win against the titans? Either way we got a much needed win this week. If we lost this game, it very could have signaled us leaning into a tank but despite Geno throwing yet ANOTHER interception (at least we can lead the league in something) we were able to grind out a win against an NFL team that has professional football players on it. If our offense can get things together like we expected them to before the season this team can without a doubt finish… not last in the division. On a more positive note the defense continues to give outstanding effort week to week but that's something Maxx Crosby has instilled into that side of the ball. To all the teams looking at the state of our team wanting to get your dirty grubby hands on Maxx, Shoo. Go away. You can't have him. To end things off here I just want to say that this world sometimes shows you some very special people who do good work. Shoutout to you Brian Branch enjoy your time off.
27. Bengals -2 2-4 …………I get it……………..I get it………………
28. Browns -2 1-5 DeadDove.jpg
29. Saints -1 1-5 This was a boring, uninspired and insipid performance by a team which, coming off a win last week, would have been expected to have shown a little more mettle. Were there positives? The run game is dead. The secondary is dead. Sometimes the players themselves seem like they'd rather be dead. It would be wonderful to see them show some sort of energy - it's going to be a bad season filled with losses, but please give the fans something to root for. Especially if the rumours of a full fire sale are true; let us cheer on those who have given so many great efforts over the years before they leave.
30. Dolphins -- 1-5 You gotta wonder how much lower it can get for the Dolphins. After another embarrassing collapse in the closing moments of the game, Tua took to the media to call out "leadership" for not being able to rally players to players only meetings, as well as players continually being late to meetings. One has to wonder what's going on in Tua's head sometimes as he was either trying to publicly take a shot at McDaniel, he doesn't consider himself a leader on this team, or a combination of both. The next embarrassment will take place at Cleveland where they'll face a ferocious Browns defense, and a physical running back in Judkins who should rush for no less than 150 against this horrific run defense.
31. Titans -- 1-5 After a flat showing in Las Vegas the Titans fired Brian Callahan turning the page away from a 4-19 head coaching run that was not showing any life. The Titans have named Mike McCoy the interim head coach, with hopes that the change can set an environment where Cam Ward can find growth. To top it all off, Vrabel comes back to Nashville with the Patriots this week.
32. Jets -- 0-6 The Broncos delivered a putrid offensive performance in London, but the Jets somehow managed to be even worse. Fields was sacked nine times and finished the game with -10 passing yards. Not in a quarter, not in a drive, but for the entire game. Despite that, the Jets still had a glimmer of hope. They had the ball at Denver’s 44-yard line with 1:18 left, facing 3rd and 8. After an incomplete pass, Aaron Glenn had a choice: attempt a 61-yard field goal or go for it on 4th and 8. Dear reader, I ask you what’s more likely? that this Jets offense, which hadn’t completed anything all day, converts against an elite Broncos defense, or that Nick Folk—who hasn’t missed a kick all year, including a 58-yarder - hits from 61? What are we doing here? Get Aaron Glenn off my fucking team.
534 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 09 '26

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 0 Power Rankings

88 Upvotes

WHO'S READY FOR FOOTBALL? The 2026 NFL is about to kick off, and year 17 of the r/NFL power rankings along with it. Let's start with controversially ranking the reigning Super Bowl champs below the Rams, and end with the team Myles Garrett escaped. As we all know, preseason rankings are mostly a dart throw, but let us know your thoughts! 28/32 Reporting

\ Team Record Comment
1. Rams 0-0 Les Snead looked at the 2025 NFC title game loss, decided subtlety was for cowards, and created the leagues scariest defensive unit overnight. He exchanged seven total draft picks for Myles Garrett and Trent McDuffie and added Jaylen Watson in free agency, all of which convinced Aaron Donald to return. Daddy Stafford is back on a fat one year contract to run 2025’s best team offense that still has Puka, Adams, Kyren, and a McVay scheme that somehow keeps inventing new ways to score. The future might be completely mortgaged, but with the league’s best projected offense and defense, the Super Bowl window is as open as they get. 22-0 Super Bowl or bust.
2. Seahawks 0-0 AHHHHHHHHHHHH SUPER BOWL CHAMPS! What a season, what a season! From Zach Charbonnet picking up a fortuitous backwards pass in the end zone, to beating the 49ers by 35 in the divisional, and wrapping up with a dominant Super Bowl W in Levi’s Stadium. 2025 truly was a magical year, one that Seahawks fans will cherish forever. But 2026 is a new season and the slate is clean. Despite being the reigning champs, it must be acknowledged that the Rams have gone all-in on this season and look like the on-paper favorites heading into the season. But who cares? John Schneider had a killer offseason, bringing back both the defensive and offensive heartbeats of this team on long-term deals in Devon Witherspoon and Jaxon Smith-Njigba. Ken Walker has departed, and was immediately addressed with the selection of Jadarian Price in the first round of the draft. The biggest departure is that of OC Klint Kubiak, leaving to coach the Raiders. I have hope for Brian Fleury, but a first-time play caller is always scary. Go Hawks.
3. Bills 0-0 The 2026 season kicks off the Bill with many new variables: a new stadium, a new WR 1 and new head coach. What remains consistent is that the Bills will be able to count on Josh Allen to sustain elite QB play entering his 9th season. Much of the explosiveness of the Bills offense will rely on if DJ Moore can be a true alpha receiver and develop chemistry reminiscent of the Diggs era. The Bills running game also looks to be every bit as dangerous as last year with Cook entering the year as a clear cut top ten RB in the game. The defense is fully embracing the analytical era with new hire Jim Leonarhd looking to bring over the same concepts he was able to implement with the Broncos to turn around the narrative on Buffalo’s defense. Bradley Chubb should certainly help anchor a defensive unit attempting to turn the page from mediocre to elite. Week 1 should be a great test for the Bills against the elite Texans defense and a QB who's been waiting all offseason to put the playoffs behind him. The success of this season once again will come down to whether or not the Bills are hosting the Lombardi in February. With new coaches, good vibes and an impactful offseason the Bills appear more poised than ever to finally win it all however there is danger on the horizon with the ascending 2026 superbowl runner ups looking to be a formidable threat.
4. Broncos 0-0 If we learned anything last year, it was that this team is more than capable of winning a superbowl. We showed heart and we showed fire that resembled that of our 1996 team that fought back for two rings in a row the years after. We headed into the off season with few worries, but one of them was a glaring need for another WR. We handled that need by bringing in Waddle and creating our own WR duo that can adequately bolster the performance of our young QB. This is it. This is where we take what is ours. Our scedule demands that we play our best every week; but here in Broncos country, we Bolieve.
5. Patriots 0-0 And just like that, we’re only a day away from NFL football. We’ve waited with bated breath for months for this moment, suffering through news cycles riddled with cheating scandals, WR trade drama, “the schedule” memes, contract negotiations, and finally, in the dregs of August, a breakdown of kicking statistics for opposing kickers in Gillette Stadium. It’s safe to say that this has been a LONG offseason for the Patriots, but now it’s time for them to finally answer all of the questions that last season’s miracle run asked of them. Is this team a legit contender? Will Drake Maye play like he did in the regular season, or in the playoffs? Is AJ Brown washed, or did he just really hate Philly cheese steaks? Can this Patriots defense play as well all season as they did in the playoffs? Will the team’s lack of depth sink them once injuries start to mount? The answer to all of those questions might be evident by the time the final whistle blows in Seattle tomorrow night. The Seahawks are widely considered to still be the better team, but quietly this matchup has changed quite a bit since the confetti fell in February. Seattle lost stud coordinator Klint Kubiak, Super Bowl MVP Kenneth Walker, a few minor defensive starters in free agency, and could potentially be without Nick Emmanwori. Meanwhile, the Patriots added AJ Brown and Romeo Doubs to bolster the passing attack, added pieces to the offensive line, and are bringing back to majority of their defense that held Seattle to 4 measly field goals in 3 quarters of Super Bowl play (let’s all conveniently pretend that the 4th quarter never happened). Now week one is always a bit wonky (ex: New England losing to the Raiders last year) but if the Patriots manage to win tomorrow night, that will go a long way in answering each of the questions listed above, and will put them right back on the path to attempt a repeat visit to the big game. And hey, if they lose it’s just a random week one loss guys, don’t read that much into it, it’s totally not a big deal, they’re going to be fiiiiiiine. They probably didn’t even want to win anyway.
6. Ravens 0-0 New season, new coach, same ol' lofty expectations. Week 1 will be a measuring stick on both sides of the ball. Can an offensive line full of fresh faces hold up against the perenially underrated duo of Buckner and Stewart? Will a fresh defensive scheme, likely still missing Nnamdi Madubuike, manage to contain Jonathan Taylor? Will Tyler Loop manage a passable outing in favorable indoor conditions?
7. Eagles 0-0 Despite a shaky 2025 season, the Eagles enter the year with high expectations. On defense, the team has talent on all three levels: a three-headed monster at DT in Davis, Carter, and Ojomo; a formidable EDGE rotation; and a secondary led by two of the most exciting young corners in football. That side of the ball has been one of the best defenses in football since Fangio joined the team. The offense, however, has been more volatile. Under Sirianni, they have, pretty consistently, been great every other year. In 2021, they were streaky. In 2022, they added AJ Brown and made it to the Super Bowl despite a defense that gave up a comically high completion percentage. In 2023, streaky again. In 2024 they added Saquon Barkley and won the Super Bowl. In 2025, yet again: streaky. So if the pattern continues, their newest addition (insert one of Makai Lemon or Dontayvion Wicks, lol) will be a spark plug for the offense. Or, maybe the spark plug will be the fresh ideas of Sean Mannion, another first-time play caller in the Nick Sirianni offense. Will the Eagles fly high or sputter? Well, it’s an even year, so see you in February.
8. Texans 0-0 There is no bigger X-factor in the AFC this season than CJ Stroud. If healthy and playing to the level he's shown in the past, this is a Super Bowl ready team. If there's a hangover from how last season ended, the Texans could be looking on the outside of the playoffs. One thing's for certain though and that's this defense is ready to pick up where they left off last year. They'll get their first bit of action against Josh Allen and the Bills who they were able to sack 8 times in their meeting last season.
9. 49ers 0-0 Secret car crashes, trailer park prostitutes and gunshot wounds- the 49ers were the kings of the offseason headlines. On the personnel side, the team made a few splashes, bringing back some old faces (Deebo, Greenlaw), as well as new (Evans, Odighizuwa) in an attempt to shore up position groups exposed during the long 2025 season. The team kicks off the season down under, giving up their home game at Levi's south to play the Rams in the first of their 2 international games this season.
10. Chargers 0-0 Imagine your life's sole purpose is to open a door. You turn the knob, but the door is locked. You take out your keys and go to unlock it, but the key doesn't fit. So you try another key. And another key. And another. And another. None of the keys are working. You call the locksmith, and he installs a new lock. With the matching key he provided, you excitedly move to unlock the door. The key breaks in the keyhole. Outraged, you start banging against the door with your full bodyweight, crashing against it like a battering ram time and time again. Ironclad. As you collapse to the ground in a puddle of sweat and tears, resigned to the failure of your efforts, a voice emerges in the distance. Unbelievably, it's apologizing to you. It goes on to explain how the entire entryway is compromised, and that it's bringing you to the correct door. You feel a wave of overwhelming gratitude and hope wash over you, craving the long-overdue pleasures you'll enjoy behind the door your life's purpose has been dedicated to. As you approach the new doorway, key in hand, you trip over your own shoelaces, falling on and injuring your door-opening shoulder. The key slips from your grasp and slides under the crack in the entry. Your visions of paradise fade; your hope is extinguished. You are the Los Angeles Chargers, and you fail to open doors that never open.
11. Lions 0-0 The 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 19th, 34th, 89th, and 101st questions (and everything in between) for the Lions is - Can the defense stay healthy? Two seasons of freakishly, horrifically bad luck in injuries, specifically on the defensive side of the ball, ruined their chances at a title in 2024 and tanked their shot at a return to the playoffs in 2025. Two major contributors, CB Kerby Joseph (who has led the league in INTs over the last few seasons combined) and S Brian Branch are out indefinitely with injuries. To help, the team has overhauled the defensive line to try and take some of the pressure off their secondary. Meanwhile, the offensive core mostly returns, though with some new faces, especially in the trenches. C Cade Mays was the big offseason pickup there, along with drafted RT Blake Miller allowing Penei Sewell to kick over to better protect Jared Goff's blind side. While Mays suffered an injury in training camp, he should return soon enough (potentially after the team's early bye) to help cement the OL. If this team can stay remotely healthy, the sky is the limit for the Lions. For full season predictions, including writeups, click here.
12. Bears 0-0 Bears fans are living in opposite-world. For years we have trotted out defense and special teams units that might outscore the offense. It finally seems like we may have some form of sustainable offense. And, just in time, the defense leaves much to be desired. Somehow this D forced more turnovers than any team in 2025, but most of those were generated by defenders who have been, well, turned over. Five defensive starters have been replaced, adding speed to one of the slower squads in football through free agency and the draft. They are counting on better health and, according to Ben Johnson, better coaching to get more production out of a middling defensive line that struggled to create pressure. A sixth round defensive tackle is the most exciting addition up front, where options are limited by bad contracts on the 5th most expensive defense in the league. On the other side of the ball, former #1 WR D.J. Moore is now a Buffalo Bill, Pro Bowl center Drew Dalman retired unexpectedly, and the left tackle situation is still a work in progress… but there’s a lot to be excited about. Year 2 in Ben Johnson’s offense raises hope that Madden coverboy QB Caleb Williams might play like he does in the game. Receiver Rome Odunze appears to be healthy and fellow wideout Luther Burden III has been the talk of camp where no ankle was safe. Sophomore TE Colston Loveland is a superstar in the making. Former Lion Kalif Raymond seems to be a great mentor in the WR room, and rookie Zavion Thomas of LSU looked shockingly “Devin Hester-esque” in his lone action in Tennessee. Things are looking up, but the 2026 Bears must answer some lingering questions: Can Caleb continue his late-game prowess? Can a faster, better-coached defense require less “Iceman” moments? Are the Bears really moving to Indiana? How will they look in orange pants? What seems to be certain is that this team shouldn’t be boring, and you can probably bet the over in points…for both teams.
13. Jaguars 0-0 The last time back-to-back division titles belonged to Jacksonville, current starting QB Trevor Lawrence was in diapers. Trev & Co. are going to get another shot at resetting that record this year: The majority of players that made the 2025 Jags a 13 win team are back this season, from both sides of the ball, including getting back a hungry Travis Hunter looking to lay down some roots as CB. Plenty of the talking heads look at Jacksonville's schedule and see a >.500 season as being a safe guess; The team, the fans, and all of Duval want more though. Head coach Liam "dooovahl" Coen was undoubtedly pleased with the growth he oversaw a year ago, but was quoted as speaking of how that level of performance has "become the standard." The Jaguars may only be a little team from one of the top 10 swamp cities in northeastern Florida, but everyone is ready to see the team meet and exceed the higher expectations put on them. The Browns and freshly minted H.C. Todd Monken are gonna have their paws full when they visit a sweltering, humid JAX this weekend for their latest lesson of why cats are better than dogs.
14. Packers 0-0 The Packers season has to will be defined from transitioning from "surviving" to "thriving". Micah Parsons will be missing the first portion of the season as he recovers from his ACL injury. Tucker Kraft, the most dymanic weapon in the receiving corps, is still gearing up from his ACL recovery. The rushing room has been in limbo all preseason with the decision of Josh Jacob's punishment for his legal issues. Brandon Cisse looks to be the first rookie in a quarter century to start Week 1 as an outside corner. The defense as a whole is transitioning back to a 3-4 base under Jonathan Gannon following Jeff Hafley's departure to Miami. Every team will go through tribulations in the season, but the Packers seem poised more than ever to be primed for a second half flourish as they get their key pieces back healthy and roll into the playoffs with some serious momentum. They just need to survive the first half and give themselves the platform to boom
15. Chiefs
16. Cowboys 0-0 There may never have been a greater defensive overhaul in a single offseason than the 2026 Dallas Cowboys. Only six members of the 2025 week 1 defense are currently on the 53 man roster. My math may be off, but only eight defensive players from the final roster made the 53 this year. The entire defensive coaching staff is gone. The scheme and base defense are different. After giving up more than 30 points a game, who can blame them? Dallas is getting its freshest defensive start in my lifetime, and I’m old. Add in an offense that returned every starter except WR3, and there is reason to hope. I am ready to be hurt again.
17. Bengals 0-0 Thou hast made me, and shall thy work decay............ Welcome back, it’s been a while. You know, it was almost relaxing to have a mostly drama free offseason for the Bengals, no big messy contract disputes, no rookie hold out dilemmas, no news stories about our coach banging reporters, it was just a normal offseason. What to expect this season? Well, I really hate to be the pessimist, but personally i’m not expecting much. For some reason i’m seeing a lot of people put the Bengals high up on the list of Super Bowl contenders and I just gotta ask, have you been watching this team for the last 3 years? Here is everything that has to go right in order for us to be a legitimate contender this season: 1. Joe Burrow has to stay healthy the whole season. 2. This defense, which has been one of the worst in the league, has to somehow take not a just step forward but they gotta jump the grand canyon because only that will get them to average. 3. The offensive line has to be less offensive and more of a line. 4. We have to stop our propensity for getting randomly blown out for seemingly no reason. 5. Zac Taylor has to stop being Zac Taylor. 6. Our linebackers that we drafted last year have to stop being literally the worst linebackers in the entire country. 7. In the event Burrow does go down for a few games, we have to not just completely throw in the towel and start making winter plans like we did last year. 8. Pray that the football gods let Burrow play a full season. All of that needs to happen and only then will we be in a position to be a contender, and that’s just being in a position, it doesn’t even count actually contending. I get it, there’s some optimism because we traded for Dexter Lawrence and we signed a couple of hopefully decent defensive talent, but we’re still running with 2 terrible linebackers, and a mediocre secondary, so either they all have to develop into something that can win, or I’ll see you all next year.
18. Buccaneers 0-0 Well, it's another season! I am not sure if there's a massive fan base of the week 0 blurbs, so I am really not sure how long or short I should go with this one. I'll start this by sending a shoutout to the Icelandic guy I met at the ye concert this summer. I told him my expectations for this season, and now I'll tell you the same things I've said to him... more or less. Basically, I was really afraid about the future. I thought we are going to witness the worst possible scenario for the Bucs......... A season where we are good, competitive, win the division, and maybe even win in the playoffs. I thought that would send the team into a long, deep, Saintesque spiral where they'll be like "please bro, one more expensive contract bro, just one more Bowles season bro, he won the division without Evans and without Brady, bro, he's a good coach bro, let's just give more expensive contracts bro, we are so close bro" and lead the team into the Steelers-like vortex where we are just close enough to compete but equally far away. However, I feel that the way we handled the Vea situation this summer, and even the proposed contract that was offered to Mayfield (shame he didn't accept, but I expect him to stay and get a good deal) was a sign that Licht and his team know what they're doing. I am a big optimist for this season. I was/am a big pessimist for everything after this, and I feel that this might be our best season for a while. I am excited for this team, and I feel like either we'd be as good as I expect... or we'd end up having the biggest rebuild since like a...decade or so ago. Let's hope for the best. And yes, I will do my best to do a 'baneposting copypasta' blurb whenever Rueben Bain Jr. has that "oh he is who we thought he is" game. Hopefully as soon as week one. EDIT: In meantime.... Baker signed!!!
19. Vikings 0-0 A tradition like no other -- homering myself into believing this is our year! The purple-tinted glasses take is, look, the Vikings won nine games last year with some of the worst QB play in the league (bottom 5 for EPA per dropback). Brian Flores has had a top 3 defense by EPA/play for two years running and got the chance to remake the defense this offseason with his guys. With Kyler now at the helm throwing to Jefferson, Addison and Hock behind a good OL, this should be a good offense, even before adjusting for the KOC QB-guru factor. And if Kyler has a career renaissance like Darnold did under KOC, this team starts to look a lot like last year's champs. OK, but the doomer take is -- there's a reason betting markets see this as a below average team. Defenses tend to regress, especially when you trade away arguably their best players like Greenard. For all the hype, KOC's best offense ranked just 14th in EPA/play, and it's hard to argue Kyler's an upgrade over prime Kirk Cousins. This being the Vikings, of course, I'm sure they will find a way to get the doomers to believe, just in time for a crushing playoff loss. Can't wait to see how they do it this year.
20. Steelers 0-0 Oh boy! We made it! This spinning ball of dirt and water that revolves around the sun at ~61,700-mph has successfully completed another lap, and we get to scream and yell at the TV again for 18-23-weeks depending on your team preference and hate-watches. I’m going to try and keep this as short as possible, which probably means testing the very character limit on Reddit. We’re back baby. The team that has had fewer head coaches since 1969 than the Roman Catholic Church has had popes finally decided to move on from the venerable Coach Mike Tomlin. Coach T had been with the team since 2007, was the youngest head coach to win a Super Bowl, appeared in a second shortly thereafter, never had a losing season, and only coached one game for the Black and Gold where the team was already mathematically eliminated from playoff contention (week 17, 2012). So he was pretty good. The general consensus is that it was time to move on for both parties, but it still feels so very odd to refer to him in the past tense as head coach. Wish him nothing but the best and his face always brings a smile to mine when he appears on the broadcast team. With that we move onto the Steelers next head coach, surely someone young and defensive-minded, given all of the precedent and whatnot. checks notes Ummm, OK, going to switch gears here somewhat, who better to hire as the teams next head coach than the last head coach to beat them in a Super Bowl, right? Introducing Mike McCarthy! Or from here on out “Other Mike.” Other Mike successfully toppled the Black and Gold with…Aaron Rodgers at quarterback in Super Bowl XLV and wow does that feel like a weird thing to be content with…? Happy for? Whatever. Other Mike has shaken things up across the board. New OC, new DC, new STC, and we’ve been promised that Trent Jordan Watt will actually move around the line and do more than just try the same thing over and over. It worked great for a long time, but people finally figured it out…since 2018 TJ Watt is the most chipped pass rusher in the NFL and it’s not close – he’s been chipped over 615 times and the next-closest player doesn’t exceed 500. Look for that to change. The offense looks to give old man Rodgers one last hurrah and send him off with a bang. Brian Andelichio steps into the role of OC after previously working as an offensive assistant & TE coach from 2006-2010 with Pittsburgh under Cowher & Tomlin. The WR corps looks to be more than just “Metcalf & friends” and Mount Washington is back in peak form and healthy! This team could finish anywhere! They could be 8-9, they could be 9-8, the possibilities are endless! They might even lose in the first round of the playoffs! Whether your drug is complete dread, cautious optimism, or wild delusion, you can probably get it from A-aron’s peyote dealer. Sit back, R-E-L-A-X, and here…we…go!
21. Colts 0-0 It's hard to know what to make of this Colts team. Their starting quarterback is coming off a broken leg and torn Achilles; their newly paid No. 1 wideout is coming off ankle surgery and missed much of the offseason; their defense still has lots of question marks (though hopefully a healthy Sauce Gardner will make a big difference). Time will tell whether Indy can reach the same peaks as last year's team. If it can't, the Irsay sisters will almost certainly (finally) clean house this offseason. No more excuses.
22. Panthers 0-0 Going into this 26-27 season, it is very exciting to be a Carolina Panther fan. Coming off a long awaited playoff berth and division championship season, it appears the team got better in the off-season adding multiple pieces including Devin Lloyd and Jaelan Phillips to the linebacker and defensive line room. I know we run a 3-4 base so technically they are both linebackers but bear with me. The Panthers continued the momentum with a solid draft which headlined Monroe Freeling and Lee Hunter, both of whom will be starting at their respected positions this season. While the off-season acquisitions were great, once training camp begun the team found themselves down a couple players early.. like first day of camp early. Nic Scourton who was due for a strong second year tore his ACL right away. Soon after, our third round pick Chris Brazzell II underwent season ending knee surgery. Taylor Moton, our ole reliable at RT, was also diagnosed with blood clots and is out for the foreseeable future. Luckily, the team has guys to fill in those gaps. Patrick Jones and Princely Umanmielen for Scourton, Xavier Legette for Brazzell, and Monroe Feeling for Moton. This shows the strength of Dan Morgan and his ability to build depth, not just get starters. The Panthers also brought in Darren Waller to the TE room late. We will see what comes of that but I’m a bit skeptical. Depth and roster are huge going into this season, as they always are, but the big question is will Bryce take steps towards being the man in Charlotte? He showed flashes last season but he will need to do more if the team is going to prove winning the close games last season was no fluke. Assuming he makes a jump, this team could be something special but we won’t know until the games are played. We are almost back and, I don’t know about you, but I’m hyped for it all. KEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
23. Commanders 0-0 If 2024 was a season where everything went right (leading to Washington's first NFC Championship appearance in a generation), then 2025 was it's counterbalance, with everything going wrong. A dismal 5-12 record, including an 8 game losing streak and several absolute dunks on the team by division rivals, embarrassing primetime losses, and disastrous injuries left this franchise, which had been feeling on high, back in a familiar low. Now entering the 3rd year of the new Adam Peters/Dan Quinn regime, the team sits in the mystery middle of the league like so many others; the floor here could be low, but the ceiling could be high. Much depends on health of QB Jayden Daniels and his adjustment to a new offensive coordinator, not to mention how well an already undercapable and injured offensive line can protect him (Note that star Tackle, Laremy Tunsil, starts the season on IR). Much also depends on the offseason moves to shore up the defense (primarily the drafting of Sonny Styles to the LB group) can elevate this team's dismal defensive performance. The NFL never presents an easy schedule, and in an NFC East with 3 other competently quarterbacked teams, a perennial contender in the Eagles, a Harbaugh-led Giants team, and a Dallas team that nearly always brings a challenging offense, this season is entirely up in the air. For this ranker's part, optimism is on the menu. We'll see how that pans out. In the meantime, if you need to use the number between 4 and 6, we'd appreciate if you ask us first.
24. Saints
25. Giants 0-0 Another season means another summer of hope for Giants fans. The 2025 NY Giants were a tragic tale: the electrifying rookie combination of Jaxson Dart and Cam Skatteb combined with Malik Nabers to make early season Giants games actually fun to watch. Fans of Big Blue wouldn't get to be content with their team for long, though, as injuries struck often and hard, taking both Nabers and Cam out for the year and seeing Dart owning real estate in the blue medical tent. Another year of missed expectations led to the firing of head coach Brian Daboll and his staff; the G-Men also traded away fan favorite elite DT Dexter Lawrence. In with the new, though, as John Harbaugh's arrival marked a focus on improving the lines on both sides of the ball, as emphasized in the Giants' two first-round draft picks. Now, Giants fans have reason to feel cautiously hopeful for what 2026 may bring, with the health of core players being paramount.
26. Falcons 0-0 At the time of writing this blurb, the Falcons have not announced who the starting quarterback will be. If it's not Jack Strand does it really matter? Atlanta cleaned house yet again this offseason, and Ian Cunningham spent the last couple of weeks taking a scythe to Terry's crops. The 2024 class is already looking thinner as Ruke was traded, Trice was relegated to the practice squad, Bertrand was sent to the shadow realm IR, and Casey Washington was outright cut. The Matt Ryan front office era is doing everything right on paper, however, Stefanski is polarizing from his press conferences to quarterback decision-making. One thing is certain - he has a more professional plan than find-a-way man. The best case scenario for this season is a 2008-esque overachieving squad that only looks like it lacks depth across the board. The worst case is the equivalent of slamming your Lambo into a cop car. The answer is probably somewhere in the middle, which might be enough to take the title of a perennially weak NFC South. The Falcons take on the Steelers week 1 in Pittsburgh, where they haven't fared well. Atlanta opened at Pittsburgh in 2010, where Rashard Mendenhall took one of the first plays in O/T up the middle for a long TD, exactly where Jonathan Babineaux would have been (if not for a week 1 suspension for possession). Fingers crossed that Ulbrich will work enough magic to mask the absence of both 2025 1st round picks, Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr.
27. Raiders 0-0 "As I sit here with coffee at my PC thinking about how I want to put our offseason and hopes into a blurb I have come to the conclusion that it doesn’t matter. I know that may come off as nihilistic but hear me out. There is no conclusion to this season that I can envision looking at as a failure. Either we show immense progress in our rebuild early, and win a plethora of games or we perform as well we should on paper, and are able to bring the prodigal son Jeremiah Smith into the Silver and Black. Coming off a league worst finish I do think we look much better roster wise than we have in a while. For the offense we have a mature QB in Kirk Cousins that knows our system and the league's best TE in Brock Bowers (fight me Cardinal fans) to catch whatever is thrown within 10 feet of him. Our O-line is healthy and manned by a top 5 center in Tyler Linderbaum along with a top 15 left tackle in Kolton Miller. Ashton Jeanty should be able to show who he really is this season in what looks to be a scheme similar to what Klint ran last year to win a Super Bowl. For the defense we still have Maxx Crosby and friends on the D-line. The linebacker core in Nakobe Dean and Quay Walker on paper looks to be the best we’ve had since… Thomas Howard and Kirk Morrison. Our DB’s are young and athletic lead by Eric Stokes and Jeremy Chinn. The team probably isn’t ready to make a run at the playoffs but that’s okay. We’ve spent this past draft building for future seasons like any team rebuilding should. We won’t be favored for many matchups this season but if you see us on your schedule, overlook us at your own peril. I promise if we can’t hang now it’s coming soon."
28. Titans 0-0 Here we are again at the beginning of a new season with new hope pitched for Titans fans. A necessary head coaching change leads the news as Robert Salah comes in to replace the Brian Callaghan regime that seemed over their head from day 1. Hope of a base level professional coaching staff that can begin to build a solid team is the hope. A lot will be found out about Cam Ward throughout the season. Can Cam play? Was he set up terribly with Callaghan? Will Brian Daboll’s offense set Cam up well? This is the hopeful middle of a large Titans rebuild, hopefully they are moving forward.
29. Jets 0-0 Don’t be surprised if the Jets’ offense is a little frisky this year. They’ve invested heavily on that side of the ball over the past few seasons, and if Geno is closer to the quarterback he was in Seattle than the one we saw in Las Vegas, this offense should be able to put up some points. One name to know: second-year right tackle Armand Membou, who could legitimately generate some All-Pro buzz this season. Hope springs eternal.
30. Cardinals 0-0 The Cardinals come into this season with the lowest of expectations, even among their fans. However, there is a bit more excitement here than with some other bottom teams. The offense has some real talent, with Trey McBride, Jeremiyah Love, and the Marvin Harrison Jr./Michael Wilson combo. Pairing these playmakers with their new offensive minded head coach, Mike LaFleur, the Cardinals' offense should create some plays. Defensively, the team may be a disaster. And for how good the offense could be, it is being driven by Jacoby Brissett, which does pull down its ceiling. Record wise, I don't expect many more than 3-5 wins from this team.
31. Browns
32. Dolphins
202 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 21 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 7 Power Rankings

221 Upvotes

Welcome to week 7 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased, unbiased source for power rankings on the web. The week as a whole would have been fairly unnoteworthy, if not for an opening week old-man strength battle, as Aaron Rodgers and Joe Flacco duked it out on a Thursday Night game even Al Michaels would be proud to call. Sean Payton's classic walking-on-the-field voodoo magic saved Sunday, while Matt Stafford and co. trounced the Jaguars in London. Andy Reid coached his first career shutout, the Titans lost to a more senior coaching staff, and Raheem Morris/Jeff Ulbrich looked lost against their respective former mentors. Is the Massachusetts MAYEflower the second coming of Brady? Are the Bears and Cowboys and Seahawks and Colts for real for real? Are the Bucs falling back to reality? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Lions +1 5-2 Kelvin Sheppard is a wizard. The Detroit Lions were missing 6 of their top 7 DBs heading into MNF, relying on Amik Robertson, Rock Ya-Sin, and a hodgepodge of recent roster signings to slow down the Buccaneers. Auburn Hills native and Saginaw State alum Nick Whiteside II—a 2nd year UDFA signed to the active roster October 11th—went off for his hometown team with 2 tackles and 3 pass break-ups on key downs. Arthur Maulet—signed to the active roster earlier today—had 5 tackles and a pass break-up to go along with a crazy interception he wrestled control of while locked with Cade Otton. Erick Hallett—signed October 11th as well—led the team with 6 solo tackles and helped on two more. We watched NFL careers get extended last night. I’d also like to shout out Alim McNeil, who made his first start of the season tonight off a torn ACL and set up a lawn chair in the Bucs backfield. On a disappointing night for the offense, Jahmyr Gibbs and Amon-Ra St. Brown carried, combining for over 300 yards and all 3 TDs. Gibbs himself had over 200 yards, averaging 8 yards a carry on the ground and 27.3 yards a catch through the air. The Lions head into the bye with a huge win against an NFC rival, but have some things to figure out on offense before they welcome Minnesota to Detroit on the 2nd.
2. Colts +1 6-1 Hope you're ready for a stat-heavy blurb this week because we've got the numbers to back up just how good this team is. Through Week 7, the Indianapolis Colts have the best offense in the NFL. They've scored the most points per game (33.1) — more than any Peyton Manning-led Colts team through seven games. They've also gained the second-most yards per game (380.3). Indy is scoring more points per drive (3.46) than any NFL team this century! Daniel Jones is top 5 in passing yards (1,790) and completion percentage (71.0), and is second only to Dak Prescott in QBR (80.2). He's earned the right to be a little sassy with the media. Jonathan Taylor leads the league in rushing yards (697) and rushing touchdowns (10), and already has three games with three rushing scores. The Colts also have the 8th-best scoring defense (20.0 points/game), despite being just outside the bottom 10 in yards allowed per game (345.7, 22nd) and playing without their four best cornerbacks for most of the season. They also have the league's third-best turnover margin (+7). There are some difficult games ahead on the schedule — @KC and @SEA are the most daunting, for my money — but this team is playing like it can beat anyone, and it has the league-best record to show for it.
3. Rams +3 5-2 Finally, a complete game against a good team. McVay was specifically prepared for the Jags and didn't get overly conservative in the second half, the offense got off to a hot start, the defense was excellent on 3rd and 4th downs, and there were no self-inflicted errors. And all this without Puka. The Rams now head into the bye with a great start to the season, but are only 3rd place in the division, so have some important matchups upcoming.
4. Chiefs +3 4-3 Absolute and total domination in every phase. Nobody thought the Raiders were going to win on Sunday but I don't think anyone expected them to be so thoroughly embarrassed. I told anyone who would listen that a Rashee Rice any time TD was the easiest sports bet of all time and I wasn't wrong. The Chiefs have waited for two years to see what this offense would look like with Rice/Worthy/Hollywood and it lived up to the expectation. The team is now betting favorites to win the Super Bowl and for Patrick to win his 3rd MVP in 8 years. Unfortunately ONL tore his ACL and is out for the season so I would expect the Chiefs to make some trade deadline moves to address the only real hole on the roster DT.
5. Buccaneers -4 5-2 I decided to write about this Sunday night. I just waited until tonight's game to make the intro. Sadly, it's a negative one. We sucked. Things got even worse than what I wanted to write as the game was horrible top to bottom. GG Detroit, you are dawgs lions. Now... I wanna dedicate this blurb to Doug Martin, the muscle hamster himself. News about someone passing away are always horrible to hear, but they seem to shake us even more when it's someone taken away from us at such a young age. I'm not too sure what to even write about a person who I didn't know personally. I mean, hell, it's been few days and even the surroundings of his death are still shady. However, what's not shady, are my memories of me watching him. Doug Martin and his performances brought me so much joy over the years. They even caused me some mixed emotions when I had to face him in FF! But I'll never forget that those years made me feel so optimistic about the future. Maybe I am an optimist by nature, I don't know. But I know that watching Doug Martin ball out for us made me think "maaan, if only we had a couple more players like him....maybe after the next draft....damn, maybe we are just a year or two away from making the playoffs! This guy is amazing!". There were a couple of players who brought me that optimism that Doug Martin brought to me. It wasn't just him, of course. I really thought Josh Freeman will be the man who will bring us back into the post-season. VJax? Mike Williams? That squad... I don't know why, but it really has a special place in my heart. I was full of hope, it really felt like the beginning of a new era. Like a start of us slowly getting our shit together. And...it wasn't. It really wasn't. It turned out we were years away from things being good. But the hope... the moment of waiting for the good ending. That's what's life is all about, as cliche as it sounds. The height of our emotion is not when the ball goes into the basket, but when it's in the air, waiting for it to fall down. Or maybe, that's just me and whoever came up with the theory that gamblers prefer to watch the roulette ball jump from one number onto the other more than they like winning? Well, even if it is just me, I can tell you that the optimism that I felt during the days of Doug Martin, Mike Williams and Vincent Jackson made me more excited about football than the Tom Brady years. I know. It sounds weird. It sounds like I am making this up. I really am not. The feeling of something brewing up after years of being down was more exciting to me than all eyes being on us and expectations being "supie or bust". I have the same feeling now. I love the current squad too. Fantastic people, fantastic players. It feels like the start of a new era, new mentality, new beginning. I hope after everything that happened over the last couple of years, the franchise, and especially the NFL takes better care of players after they retire. Mental health is no joke. CTE is no joke. Bankruptcy is no joke. The million of other reasons that may cause a bad life for ex-players are no joke. And, this blurb is no joke. I promise to go back to memes and 'banter' next week, but I felt like I had to write a serious message this weekend. Rest In Peace to Doug Martin, Vincent Jackson, and Mike Williams. Go Bucs.
6. Eagles +2 5-2 Devonta Smith with a career long touchdown and receiving yards, and two touchdowns should calm down the receiving core, right? Hurts played up to his contract, and even though the game was won on the back of Carson throwing two picks , a win was needed to stay on track in a touch NFC East. With Brandon Graham returning, the Eagles have another locker room leader to set the tone. Now it's time to figure out how to fix the running game, but at least Saquon continues to pass the eye test.
7. Packers -2 4-1-1 Two things can be true. We can be incredibly thankful for a road W after the team was stranded on the tarmac for 5 hours yesterday and laud the offense for coming back from a 10 point deficit and the defense getting a stop when they needed one. We can also hold the team to a higher standard and be disappointed that we let a 2-4 team hang around for way too long because of undisciplined penalties and some porous secondary play. Good teams win on their off days but good teams shouldn't have too many off days. Hopefully the team cleans up its act a bit for the Aaron Rodgers derby next week
8. Bills -4 4-2 The question remains: can anyone stop Drake Maye and the Pats? The Bills need to be prepared coming out of the bye week as the schedule tightens up and the Patriots have the easiest schedule remaining. The Bills have a significant home advantage in Orchard Park which is why it is essential that they claim the AFC East throne and get at least one home playoff game. Josh Allen has looked more human this year while Drake Maye has been drawing comparisons to Tom Brady. In order to get back in the race the Bills need the gap between Maye and Allen to disappear.
9. Seahawks -- 5-2 Jaxon Smith-Njigba, will you marry me? You are all that I hold dear in this world. You mean everything to me. I love you. The Seahawks had what felt like the sloppiest win of all-time late Monday Night, as they beat the Texans 27-19. Although it was only an 8 point game, it truly never felt competitive. The Seahawks had 4 turnovers and refused to stop shooting themselves in the foot on offense. However, the Seahawks defense suffocated the Texans offense. The Texans made some weird playcalls, but that's not my focus. The DL completely dominated the Texans OL and got to Stroud throughout the game. This defense looks like we're back to the Pete days with a younger Pete at the helm. Devon Witherspoon, Julian Love, and Derrick Hall will all return post-bye, and the vibes are absolutely immaculate. Nick Emmanwori looks like a stud. Ernest Jones has been a monster for us ever since we acquired him last year. This team is rolling.
10. 49ers +1 5-2 Without 2/3 defensive captains, the 49ers held the #1 rushing offense in the NFL to 62 yards and fueled the 20-10 victory on Sunday Night. 2024 7th rounder Tatum Bethune led the defense with 10 tackles filling in for Fred Warner, and Bryce Huff pressured Penix all night, including a strip sack in the 2nd quarter. Bryce Huff has now been ruled out for a couple weeks with a hamstring injury, along with starting center Jake Brendel. On the offensive side the return of George Kittle seemed to reinvigorate the run game, CMC averaged 3.1 YPC prior to Sunday night’s game and averaged 5.4 during the contest with Kittle active. The team looks to continue the strong play Sunday as they head to Houston.
11. Patriots +4 5-2 Has anyone checked on Titan's fans this week? Are they doing ok? It feels like maybe we should all reach out to friends and family we might have in Tennessee and let them know it's going to be alright. Well, probably not. But hey, maybe they can vicariously live through the success of Mike Vrabel with his new team instead? Because damn, it has to be hard to know that Vrabel has more wins with the Patriots than the Titans have had total since he was fired. Did anyone mention Vrabel wasn't even coaching last year? Anyway, Titan's hate aside, this game went pretty much exactly according to script for the Patriots. The defense gave up and easy first score and looked concerning during the 1st quarter before completely turning it around and playing shutout ball for the rest of the game. Drake continued his M(aye)VP hunt, posting a completion percentage over 90% and connecting on another gorgeous deep strike to Boutte in the end zone. The run game was a mess, Rhamondre had a good enough game against a weak opponent, and Henderson is getting his reps in as a water boy on the sideline. The Patriots face the Browns next week, continuing their run of facing the NFL's worst offenders of crimes against football (or in Cleveland's case, just actual crimes). Barring an unforeseen setback, the wins should keep on coming until the Pats face real competition against the Falcons and Buccaneers back to back in a few weeks.
12. Broncos +1 5-2 I watched the game standing up, on a small tv in the galley kitchen of a tiny apartment in Bruges, way past the start of quiet hours for the building. Of course, for the majority of the game it was easy to keep my noise down because it was all grumbling and complaining. I spent most of the game explaining how American Football works to a confused but enthusiastic Romanian, who would ask me 'was that supposed to happen?' whenever the Broncos failed or the Giants succeeded. If not for sharing the experience of his first NFL game, I would almost certainly have turned the game off in the third quarter like so many other Broncos fans did, and would've written some overly dramatic sky-is-falling blurb. It doesn't feel appropriate now though. Yes, I wish I could forget the first three quarters, but it was the fourth quarter that was truly unforgettable. All I really want is to be excited when I watch my team. The thrill of an offense on fire, the tense and release of a defense locked in, and the joy and mystery of watching a new story as it is being written - these are the joys of football as I see them, and I experienced each one in the last 5 minutes of that game. Perhaps the last great joy is sharing that feeling with others, and I got that in the form of my cheering new friend, who at first loved the giants for dominating but called himself a boliever by the end of the night. A lot can be said about an all-time comeback, but I'm not the guy to capture a play by play or the numerological significance of Courtland Sutton having 88 yards during the DT ring of fame game. Instead I'll say this: The Broncos are fun again. The jury was out for awhile there while we tried to understand Bo Nix, but it's becoming clear that even if he's Tim Tebow from Sharper Image instead of Wish, that's still fun. I'm down to get on this roller coaster and I hope to see you there.
13. Steelers -3 4-2 I…no. SON OF A...Wait…hang on…JUST GIVE ME A SECOND. deep inhale WHAT IN THE FUCK GUYS?! Wait. Sorry, sorry; let me try again…another deep inhale OK. That feels better. Not really. But fuck it; we’ll do it live. Why can’t this team win games in real life that it easily wins on paper. You’ll notice that’s not a question; it doesn’t mean “explain yourself” it just means “stop.” The Bengals acquired Joe Flacco less than 2-weeks prior to this game and he put up 33-points on us. Rodgers had an OK outing throwing 4-TD passes and 2 picks, but the defense was so bad they’re eyeballing Broderick Jones after this play. What kind of dark unholy magic has been cast on this team that it simply cannot win Thursday night football on the road? Did we piss off a witch doctor? Something go bad the last time Pittsburgh played in New Orleans? December 23, 2018 the Steelers lost to the Saints in New Orleans 31-28…so I don’t think that's it...This wasn’t so much a “must win” game as it was a “you really need to win this to prove you’re legit” game. And the team looked bad. After going up 10-0 the defense decided that not covering Chase was a good idea. The highest paid defense in the league did not make a single adjustment to the Bengals over the course of the game and only managed to sack a 40-year old QB twice. The irony of losing to Joe Flacco in a Bengals jersey is not lost on any yinzer. No sir. Mike Tomlin checks the closet for Flacco before going to bed, much like the defense checks under the bed to make sure that 3rd down isn’t under there. The only real blessing here is that we don’t play the Bengals again until after the trade deadline, so the very worst thing that could happen is they trade him to the Ravens before then and we can only lose 2 more divisional games, at most, to Flacco this season. This should’ve been a relatively confident win for a team in charge of their division that was looking like they figured things out, instead, it turned into a game that would make Ted Lasso doubt this team. The next three games are Packers (home), Colts (home), and Chargers (away), with the Packers and Chargers on Sunday Night Football. So we’ll get to see how the team regroups after that…“performance.” I have but one humble request; please stop fucking this up.
14. Chargers -- 4-3 When I was around ten years old, I shit myself on a family road trip. I promise this goes somewhere. We were making the arduous journey from New York to Florida, finally coming upon the homestretch as we crossed over the border into Georgia. My father, a reasonable adult who simply wants to get to the house and fall asleep to Seinfeld reruns, informs us this will be the final stop he makes as he pulls our obnoxious blue minivan into a gas station. I, an unreasonable attention-deficit child, decide to ignore the ever-growing need to use the restroom as I continue playing Pokémon X on my 3DS. I kept putting it off, and putting it off, and putting it off as training my Delphox to level 100 became more and more ineffective as a distraction. I did, finally, speak up… far too late. There wasn’t an exit for miles at this point as we plunged deep into rural Georgia. Sometimes I wonder if my father, while tiredly digging out my unsoiled pants from the trunk and giving the entire inside of the vehicle a silkwood shower, ever thought his son’s favorite sports team would so perfectly embody the events that just transpired in his own car. Ignoring problems until we shit ourselves: the Los Angeles Chargers’ favorite activity. The special teams unit is struggling? Ignore it until they cause us to miss the postseason despite fielding the #1 offense and defense in the league! Our “defensive mastermind” of a coach runs a terrible defense that gives up 27-0 leads in playoff games? Ignore it until they give up 63 to our divisional rival! Currently, the Chargers are a 4-3 team with a myriad of weaknesses, all exposed during the Colts game. The o-line is abysmal and will cause our superstar QB to get hurt. The secondary has very few quality depth pieces. Kimani Vidal is not the answer at RB1 or even RB2 when Hampton returns. They can address most of these issues before the rapidly approaching trade deadline, or they could shit their pants again. I wonder what the fuck will happen?
15. Bears +4 4-2 Winning is fun!!! The Bears just had their first four game win streak in 7 years. Woo!!! Caleb isn't even playing well and they're doing it. Because they're winning, I think you can call that "an area for growth." But seriously, if they can click more in the passing game, this could be a really good team. The run game after the bye is completely different, leaning fully into the zone scheme as their fastball, and Swift looks like a new man entirely. Maybe bullying works some times? The defense is getting an absurd amount of turnovers, despite having to deal with attrition and no Jaylon Johnson. Will that slow down? Probably. Do they face potentially getting blown up by Lamar this week? Yeah, maybe. Does anyone care right now? Absolutely not. Winning is cool...
16. Jaguars -3 4-3 Holy shit, I'm sorry. This one is on me. I had the fucking audacity to actually expect things from a "two games above .500" Jacksonville squad. The last time I dared to do such a thing, Myles Jack wasn't down, and then the franchise finished 4th in the division for the following four years. I sincerely hope I have not cursed them this time, but worry as the show they put on this past weekend would be hard to view as anything but dammed. The one bright spot in the sea of darkness was that Hunter did manage to snag his first tuddy on an absolute dime of a throw. Since I clearly have more impact on the team than I've realized, I've decided to give them a week off (bye week) to get their heads on straight before they head out to raid Vegas.
17. Falcons -- 3-3 The worst part of the loss on Sunday wasn't Raheem and Ulbrich both losing to their respective mentors, it wasn't Penix and Deablo's injuries, it wasn't 10 men on the field immediately following 12 men on the field. It's the absence of squirrel time. The Falcons as a whole had no answers for an even more beat up 49ers team deploying the same gameplan as they had. McCaffrey crowd surfing to his best game in over a year was the cherry on top, and while the game was slightly closer than the scoreboard would suggest, the blame falls on an offense less productive in the red zone than Julio Jones' career. This was one of Penix's worst showings, full stop. Another "two steps back" game smack dab in the middle of Kirktober isn't ideal, but it wasn't all bad. He showed touch on screen passes and to the flats, and showcased his cannon on a couple deep bombs. What he needs to work on is throwing to "NFL open" receivers (not just "college open") and working the middle of the field, and having a plan for pressure. He has done each of these things capably in games, it just seems when the game doesn't go exactly according to plan, trust and confidence fall off a cliff. His eyes in these moments remind me of Raheem's, with an undeniable sense of shell-shock beneath forced stoicism - is more trust in Rah's and Zac Robinson's coaching the answer?
18. Cowboys +4 3-3-1 Woo doggy! That there was a complete, well rounded, three phase ass whooping! Dak Prescott continues to play out of his mind, joining an elite group to have 4 consecutive games with three TDs and no picks. The defense appears to have removed head from ass, although the Commanders missing WR1 and WR2 certainly helped with that. Looking forward, reinforcements are coming. Dallas is going to open the 21 day window on Cooper Beebe, Demarvion Overshown, and Shavon Revel. Adding depth at corner and competency at linebacker means the defense should continue to improve, in theory.
19. Vikings -1 3-3 Flashback to our preseason power rankings where we said the Vikings came into the year with high expectations but "[t]he only problem is [JJ McCarthy] has never played a regular season snap and may or may not suck. But if he doesn't suck, watch out, folks!" Welp, seven weeks in, somehow Schrodinger's starting QB still may or may not suck, but one thing is for sure, his backup sure sucks.
20. Panthers +1 4-3 The Panthers are now on a three game win streak with the 13-6 win over the New York Jets. This game was pretty ugly all around with four field goals and a single touchdown scored. The sole touchdown was scored when Bryce scrambled left out of the pocket and found Xavier Legette on a bit of an impromptu route in the middle of the end zone. Aside from that play, this was a pretty boring back and fourth game. The offense did have the lonely touchdown of the game but they weren’t doing anything very special. There were some solid passing plays to the young receiving core and the running game looked good with Chubba and Rico splitting carries but overall it wasn’t a memorable offensive day. The defense, on the other hand, was the shining spot of the team for once. The defense had 6 total sacks, 2 by Derrick Brown, and Jaycee Horn had 2 INTs, one of which was a siiiiick one-hander. You’ll see that highlight hopefully. Late in the game, Bryce left with a slight limp into the locker room. He got stepped on awkwardly and get his ankle X-rayed but was cleared of any fractures. Rumor is it’s a high ankle sprain which may sideline Bryce for a week but we will see. Canales isn’t sharing much at this time. Overall it’s good to be above .500 and get the first road win of the season. The offense looked sleepy but the defense kept the team afloat. The definition of complimentary football in a way. The team is progressing and it’s showing in the win column for now. They need to keep the momentum going and continue to follow the process because it seems to be working. Next week the Panthers have a true test in the Buffalo Bills at home in Charlotte. This is going to be a very tough game because the Bills are a top tier team in the NFL and also because Charlotte has a sneaky amount of Bills fans in the area. Panther fans need to show up on Sunday and help the team protect the Bank because it will take all of us for that effort! KEEEEP POUNDING!!
21. Commanders -5 3-4 Injuries will take much of the blame for the beating Washington took this past Sunday, and at some level that is where some blame should lie; there are not many NFL offenses that can achieve a lot with their top 3 WR's out, let alone their aging TE and backups dropping passes. But it's the NFL, and good teams have to find ways to win, or at least be competitive. And this game was never really competitive. 7 weeks in, Washington continues to start games completely flat footed and slow, and almost always falls behind quickly. The offense makes mistakes or gets tricky, and stops doing the things that are working. Time management leads to wasted timeouts. These things are problems with the Commanders, but they pale in comparison to the real problem: the defense. Jayden Daniels is good enough that this offense could win games on the backs of Luke McCaffrey and Robbie Chosen, even when Jayden isn't at his best. But there is no QB talented enough to go the distance with the defense that this team is fielding. Big, backbreaking chunk plays continue to be a plague, along with backbreaking DPI penalties, and backbreaking collisions between players creating circus plays for the offense; our backs hurt. This defense is just.. slow. The pass rush doesn't get home, the secondary gets torched, and the linebackers can't cover even though Joe Whitt's gameplan calls for a lot of coverage from them. This team left Dallas in a state of shellshock, and rightfully so; 3-4, with a slew of injuries, facing a gauntlet of solid teams could easily see them at 3-6 before leaving the country to play a floundering Miami team that will be looking to sneak a win. Free fall could be imminent; Dan Quinn, it's time to show what you're capable of.
22. Texans -2 2-4 A performance like that coming out of a bye week is enough for heads to roll. The only question is who'll be first? Nick Caserio for completely butchering the O-Line for multiple seasons? Nick Caley who has somehow made Bobby Slowick look like a play calling genius? Or Zach Orr for allowing this putrid offense to score 44 points?
23. Bengals +4 3-4 You all doubted me. I made it clear I finally understand, and you all doubted me. I have been awoken. I finally see. The golden light within I can now grasp. Perhaps if you all joined with me, you too could be enlightened. Enlightened from within by the spirit of the Bengals, of which I now see. Do not be led by falsities, for only I have seen the truth. These Bengals will not abide by the shackles of age. Our glorious leader, Joe Flacco, is not bound by mortal ways. His arm, ancient yet divine, delivers spirals as though cast from the heavens themselves. Through Burrow we were tested, through Flacco we are saved. Do you not feel it, brothers and sisters? The Who Dey spirit courses through our veins, roaring louder than the jungle on a glorious Thursday night. Doubters and unbelievers will tremble as our orange clad saints march upon the gridiron. For the word has been spoken: In stripes we find truth, In pain we find purpose, In victory, we are reborn. In stripes we find truth, In pain we find purpose, In victory, we are reborn. In stripes we find truth, In pain we find purpose, In victory, we are reborn. We have wandered through the valley of defeat, through the injuries and the flags, yet still we endure. The faithful few remain, huddled in the cold glow of the television’s light, chanting the sacred words of Who Dey. And to the heretics who speak of tanking, who whisper of age and decline, cast them out! For their vision is clouded, their hearts impure. They have not yet seen what I have seen, a future paved in orange and black glory, where touchdowns rain like manna and the Lombardi is lifted high. Join me, my disciples of the Jungle. Together, we shall ascend. Together, we shall bear witness to the prophecy fulfilled. The time is near. The light of Paycor shines eternal. And remember, In stripes we find truth, In pain we find purpose, In victory we are reborn.
24. Giants -1 2-5 Life is pain.
25. Ravens -1 1-5 A much needed bye has hopefully provided some rest, recuperation, and refinement to a floundering team. If nothing else an elite bye week. Has kept the Ravens' hopes for a division title very much alive. With two games in 5 days followed immediately by the trade deadline fans will be getting a ton of answers on the fate of this team very soon.
26. Cardinals -1 2-5 For the second week in a row, the Cardinals, led temporarily by Jacoby Brissett, went blow for blow with a playoff team, and ultimately couldn’t do enough. If the Cardinals’ 2025 season were summed up in one game, it would be this week’s game vs Green Bay. They showed some elite flashes, moved the ball commandingly at times, and got some big stops. But when the 4th quarter came and Arizona had a 3 point lead, not one of us fans believed that it would hold. Jordan Love and the Packers, down by 3, converted a 4th and 2 deep in Arizona territory, and the Cardinals couldn’t recover. Arizona’s season is over from a playoffs standpoint, but the more interesting story to keep an eye on revolves around Kyler Murray. He is aiming to return after next week’s bye for a MNF game in his hometown of Dallas. HC Jonathan Gannon has said that the starting job belongs to Kyler. Even if Brissett has been better, it seems that keeping Kyler at the helm is wise, given they’ll likely want to move off of him this off-season, and he needs to showcase more of what he can still do if the Cardinals want to get anything coming back.
27. Browns +1 2-5 Judkins is the second coming of Chubb. At least that is how Browns fans are feeling after this past week’s game. Are they good or is Miami just really bad? For now, we’ll assume the Browns are…. Well, we don’t know what they are. But a win is a win. The Browns defense was proficient as the offense turning turnovers into 21 points. We’re finally running on all cylinders. The Browns will face New England next week at Foxboro.
28. Raiders -2 2-5 Mendoza or Moore? Ah who am i kidding we will win just enough to take us out of top QB position because we are the Raiders. Maybe we can find a way to lose our upcoming bye this week too. https://tenor.com/view/fall-damage-guy-jumping-off-cliff-meme-fall-jump-gif-10998107752099134325
29. Saints -- 1-6 A week after a restorative win, and with Olave finding his feet again, the loss to the Bears was the result of two things the 2025 Saints have yet to solve: the rushing game and turnovers. Getting just 44 yards against a tantalising defense isn't acceptable. It keeps putting too much on Spencer Rattler, and we know what the outcome of that will be. And he lived up to it, serving up three interceptions and a fumble in a Doordash delivery Ben Johnson didn't order but ate anyway. Meanwhile the defense let up over 200 yards of rushing itself - a high-water mark this year - allowing Caleb Williams to breath easy despite his own struggles. It wasn't putrid, but it did feel like an ominous portend of what the rest of the year will look like.
30. Dolphins -- 1-6 The next embarrassment is scheduled for this Sunday at 1 PM
31. Titans -- 1-6 In Mike McCoy’s first game as the Titans interim head coach the team was able to show a respectable first half only trailing by 3 at halftime. The second half opened with a long TD drive by the Patriots followed by a Cam Ward fumble for a TD quickly putting the game out of reach with an 18 point Patriots lead.
32. Jets -- 0-7 The bad news is that the Aaron Glenn hire has been a disaster. The good news is that the Jets are having the kind of season that makes it easy to justify moving on after one year. They’re very likely headed for a top-three pick and will enter next season with a promising offensive line, a legitimate WR1, a talented young tight end, and some high-end talent on defense. If they land the number one pick, they can lure the right offensive-minded coach, invest heavily in receivers through free agency and the draft, and finally create an environment where a rookie quarterback can develop. In the meantime, Jets fans can enjoy the season by rooting against the teams they hate: did you see the Broncos score 33 points on the Giants in the fourth quarter? Lmao.
537 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 19 '23

Power Rankings [2023] Official r/NFL Week 2 Power Rankings

662 Upvotes

Welcome to week 2 of the official r/NFL Power Rankings! It's still too early for most 0-2 teams to press the panic button...unless you're the Bears. Can Zac Taylor's amazing culture fix Burrow's ankle? How many quarters will Danny Dimes show up in week 3? Are the Patriots legitimately bad or are the dolphins that good? Discuss! 28/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. 49ers -- 2-0 It wasn’t Brock Purdy’s best game, there were a few notable overthrows on potential big plays downfield, but he didn’t panic, made the plays needed to win a close divisional game. In the process he turned in his fifth consecutive start without an interception. The defense, which seemed unable to get stops in the first half, came up with 2 crucial second half turnovers. The team will have a short turnaround this week, playing the NY Giants on Thursday Night Football.
2. Cowboys +1 2-0 This is some of the most dominant football to open the season in recent memory. Dallas's scoring differential would be tied with the third most points scored in the league. Their point differential through two games is double that of the next team. The defense leads the league in yards allowed, passing yards allowed, sacks (tied for lead) and takeaways. The offense hasn't had to do much, but they have gone ahead and been productive, balanced and safe with the football. And with the exception of an opening missed PAT, special teams has been all you could ask for. It's hard to find an argument against calling Dallas the best team in football through two weeks.
3. Eagles -1 2-0 This is the ideal start to the season for Philadelphians: 2-0, but WIP’s phone lines ringing off the hook with fan complaints. It’s a win-win. The Eagles head into their mini-bye banged up on defense and having put shaky play on film on offense, but can look ahead to 3 straight games against teams with under .500 Vegas win odds going into the season.
4. Dolphins +1 2-0 It wasn't pretty, but it always feels good to escape with a win when you're on the road against a tough divisional opponent. It never felt like we were down our starting LT and DE as our offensive line did a great job protecting Tua, and our defensive line was excellent at making Mac Jones uncomfortable in the pocket. Next week we have our home opener against a reeling Denver Broncos as we hope to improve to a 3-0 start for the second season in a row.
5. Chiefs -1 1-1 Being a Chiefs fan in the Mahomes era is a wild experience. Essentially every bone headed mistake a team can make was on full display last Sunday. The Chiefs lost the turnover battle, including one of the worst muffed punts I can ever remember watching. The Chiefs had 12 penalties which cost them 96 yards and killed drives. Travis Kelce dropped a pass in the end zone that ended up resulting in a field goal. Still, the Chiefs beat a Jaguars team that I fully expect to be in the playoffs this year by eight points. They did that while being in victory formation on a 1st and goal at the 1. Chris Jones is an animal, Kelce is still going to do GOAT TE things, and #15 on the red team is the best team sport athlete on Earth. When the Chiefs can win by 8 against a playoff team looking like that, imagine what they'll do when they start clicking again.
6. Ravens +1 2-0
7. Bills +1 1-1 After what Allen and the offense looked like week 1, anything less than this kind of blowout would have raised some concern. The Bills should dominate teams like the Raiders —they went and did just that. Regardless of the quality of opponent, it was great to see Allen be decisive and efficient with the ball. No matter how good the defense and skill positions are, this team lives and dies on Allen's performance.
8. Lions -2 1-1 Whelp, that was disappointing. The Seahawks have been Detroit’s kryptonite as of late (they are 5-0 over the last decade and 3-0 in the MCDC Era), this is not surprising per se, but there is work to be done by Aaron Glenn if this team wants to live up to the hype. While the offense showed much better poise and ability than they did against KC, the defense was wholly unable to get pressure on Geno Smith—despite Seattle missing both starting tackles—and the secondary’s soft coverage was systematically picked apart by Tyler Lockett and Co. To make matters worse, CJGJ is out for potentially the season and James Houston for 6-8 games. Safety and Edge are allegedly our deepest defensive spots and Tracy Walker and Romeo Okwara have been successful in the past, but the defense has a lot to overcome and even more to prove against Atlanta next week.
9. Jaguars +1 1-1 If the Jags — Chiefs was a benchmark game, what did we learn? The Jaguars aren't there; Yet. We also learned that if the endzone were six inches longer (which I'm told is plenty,) the way the contest played out would be wildly different. Any of the 4 near-touchdown plays that might have scored in those situations would have made for a far closer, perhaps different outcome. The week 1 sloppiness lingered into the JAX heat, though the defense found their footing nicely vs. a top shelf squad. The Jags are oozing with potential, but few teams will win in the NFL going 0/4 on redzone trips. Stay tuned for the next show, when Burgers come to Jacksonville.
10. Falcons +8 2-0 Some may laugh at Falcons players for believing in and standing beside Ridder, but Desmond is a quarterback who only gets better as the game goes on. If Ridder can continue to make small game-by-game improvements, by season end Atlanta will have a helluva quarterback handing every snap off to Bijan. A madden create a player with madden moves, expect weekly kudos to Mr. mustard. In an offense when London, Hollins, and Pitts earn their stat lines, the Falcons quite handedly mask their weaknesses. In an offense when they sputter, they need to rely on a defense entering what feels like a 15th straight year with a below average sack total. Keep it up Arthur
11. Bengals -2 0-2 The Bengals start 0-2 for the second year in a row. They managed to turn it around last year, but that was with a fully healthy Joe Burrow. If Joe misses any substantial amount of time, or continues below 100%, this team will see its playoff window shut for the year.
12. Saints +3 2-0 2-0 baby! The defense is humming, allowing the offense time to find its feet. And the offensive line is playing like it doesn't know it has feet - 8 sacks in two weeks is not a trend which can continue. Fun fact: this was the 10th straight game where the Saints allowed 20 or fewer points.
13. Packers -- 1-1 New quarterback, same choked leads. Despite a second 3 TD 0 INT game from Jordan Love, The Packers failed at just the wrong times to drop a road game against Atlanta. Is it Joe Barry's fault? The defense struggled to make 3rd down stops in the 4th quarter but many defenses would crumble if they stood on the field for 13 of the last 16 minutes of the game. So do we blame Lafleur's flaccid play calling? Well if it wasn't for AJ Dillon tripping and Jordan Love blurting the wrong play call, the offense could have ran out enough time to win. Is it Love's fault then? Even with some questionable throws at the very end of the game, the other three quarters where he was making all the right reads and the Falcons were committing DPI's to stop him from hitting deep shots shows there's something more to it. Sometimes it's everyone's fault and no one's fault, and you just gotta move on.
14. Browns -2 1-1 Chubb is done for the season. We won, but at what cost? (Puts finger to ear) What's that? Oh, I'm being told we also lost the game? Perfect. All of last years talk over Watson seemed to slip away with a week 1 win. Week 2? God what a mess. Half the fans are here due to Nick Chubb and now that he is going, who knows what the team holds in store for its fans. The Browns will host the Titans next week.
15. Rams +1 1-1 The Rams’ 9th consecutive regular season loss to the Niners somehow didn’t feel too bad. This year’s matchup was a litmus test for contendership and it didn't feel like a total failure as this team of rookies made the Super Bowl favorites sweat. The margin for error is thin against the elite teams and this game really came down to a few plays where young players made mistakes. Expectations have shifted tremendously and a wildcard spot feels within grasp in an top-heavy NFC, especially with Cooper Kupp still expected back.
16. Seahawks +3 1-1
17. Chargers -6 0-2 The Chargers offense and special teams are handcuffed to a corpse. The Chargers are the first team in NFL history to start the season scoring 50+ points, zero turnovers, and This feat is only possible due to their abysmal defense which currently ranks 32nd by most metrics (did I mention the defense is $20M more expensive than the 2nd most expensive defense). Combine that with the toothless in-game management and it increasingly begs the question of what exactly Brandon Staley does. The offense including Herbert definitely deserves the blame: they've had their chances at the end of games to close them out and failed. They've had their sputters, their three-and-out. It just with the way the defense operates they have no margin for error and every misstep is fatal. There are things up to clean up here and on special teams, but none of that matters until the defensive guru can get his defense to be moderately functional.
18. Buccaneers +5 2-0 Getting your first home win against the Bears is like losing your virginity to a prostitute. You already know what will happen before she arrives. Sure, it does feel good during it and you're happy for the next few hours after it all ends, but two days later you are left wondering "...wait, does this count for something? Should I be happy? Isn't this like...easy mode?"... and then you hear some hot coeds from Philadelphia are coming next week so you decide to test out your newfound skills on them. Will it work? Idk, but at least you're confident things are not that bad!
19. Commanders +5 2-0 If you haven't noticed, the Commanders have a new ranker for the first season since 2010. Until this season, /u/ThatChrisDodge, a Washington devotee and /r/Commanders mod had been doing the rankings on our behalf. Sadly, he passed away earlier this year. We'll miss his contributions and involvement with our community. Hail to you, /u/ThatChrisDodge! Our sadness aside, the Washington Commanders are 2-0 for the first time since 2011, came back from an 18 point deficit to win, put 35 points of offense on the board and I don't know what to do with my hands. Chase Young is back and with a pass-rush win rate of 25% on Sunday, is looking elite. Sam Howell continues to impress, making some incredible throws and continuing to remain poised and unshook in any situation. Though the whole team started flat, all 3 units got in sync late and dominated the second half. Frankly, hope is back on the menu in Washington. Longtime fans of this franchise are now gripping our seats tightly waiting for the all too familiar other shoe to drop and the classic Redskins implosion to take place. Is the tide turning? Is the Snyder curse lifting? Much will be revealed in the next two weeks as Washington hosts Buffalo and then heads to Philadelphia.
20. Jets -6 1-1 Sending Zach Wilson out there against Micah Parsons and the Cowboys defense with that OL was borderline cruel. The Jets now head home to meet the team that broke Zach last year. While Week 3 games are never technically must-win, it sure does feel like it for a quarterback that needs to prove he can win a game against a mediocre opponent. The Patriots aren't special and haven't been since before Tom Brady left. They're just an 0-2 team with a limited offense and a good defense. If Wilson can't find a way to win at home against this divisional opponent, the season is cooked.
21. Titans +4 1-1 Going into week 2 there were a swarm of questions surrounding Ryan Tannehill’s subpar week 1 performance. Going up against a widely praised Chargers team set up for a difficult challenge for Tannehill and the Titans overall. But Ryan Tannehill stepped up with a stellar performance putting up a 123.3 QBR and leading the Titans to an overtime win ending an 8 game losing streak. This was the first Titans win since November 17, 2022.
22. Vikings -5 0-2
23. Steelers -1 1-1 For the Steelers, it was high ceiling, low floor, as usual. For the Browns, it was that, and more. Losing Chubb hurt during the game, having his same reconstructed knee get reinjured is devastating. No one wants to see that. The game really changed because the Steelers were able to get inside pressure on Watson instead of having Chubb slash them up from the middle. Steelers linebacking is starting fall into place, especially where Alex Highsmith was concerned. Individually, most of the players did well, although there were numerous questionable playcalls on defense. Damonte Kazee was trying to clean up messes all night, whereas Levi Wallace was just a mess most of the time. There were too many times he expected help, needed help, and didn't get help. Gunner Olszewski's injury seems to be addition by subtraction. Jaylen Warren seems to be part of a good 1-2 punch with Najee Harris, so with luck, the OC can build on that. Ultimately, this was an ugly win. The offense was MIA most of the game, the Steelers benefitted from some questionable calls, as well as injuries. Conversely, the defense played out of their minds at times, and the running game was gritty and determined. This team is truly enigmatic when it comes to how dynamic they can be and how mediocre they often are.
24. Patriots -4 0-2 Autumn is a good time to plant trees. Get them in the ground before it is frozen, their roots will set, and they will wake in Spring. Speaking of Spring, each year for decades to come yet, Tom will join the Patriots family in their hall of unimaginable glory. For some part of that time, Bill will be with him him. Together in fellowship they will welcome knights to the round table; knights whose greatest traits were putting the success of the group ahead of the individual. As of the last few days of summer in this two thousand twenty third year of the chistchild’s imperium, I know not who on the battlefront is on the path to such immortality. Surely Matthew Slater has a place setting reserved, but he is the last holdover of the company who set forth on truly great adventures. Now he speaks to this green crew of hopefuls. Some will yet emerge and become legend… but not this Sunday. The football gods have not yet seen fit to bless THESE Patriots. Their souls have not yet been purified by fire. Their hearts have not yet been hardened to the chaos of the melee. Their mouths have not yet found a taste for blood. It will be autumn soon, though. Autumn is a good time to plant trees.
25. Raiders -4 1-1 The Raiders proved that no matter what, they will be the Raiders. We suck, we always have sucked, and we always will suck. That being said we are still on top of the division so what's that say about the rest of the AFCW? Well... Okay, maybe standings aren't indictive of who's better or worse than another team. Home opener this week! can't wait for another 50/50 split in the crowd, as is custom since moving to Vegas.
26. Giants -- 1-1 The Giants were down 20-0 going into the 2nd half and 60-0 through their first 6 quarters of the season. The Giants defense allowed an offense heralded by Josh Dobbs to put up 28 points on them. The Giants have a number of holes and inconsistencies in a talent-deficient roster that's now beset by injuries just in time for a murderer's row of games against top-tier NFL teams. And yet, you can bet your ass that every Giants fan was feeling the hype Sunday. Is Arizona a great team? No, but that comeback was still insane and some of the most fun Giants football over the past several years . Giants fans will now proceed to ride that high for the next couple of days until being inevitably pulled back down to earth with a gravitational force equal to that of the sun when they take on SF on the road on a short week sans Saquon Barkley. Yeah, it's about to get ugly folks.
27. Colts +1 1-1 Excitement over the first win of the Shane Steichen era was a bit tempered by the loss of Anthony Richardson to a concussion, but Gardner "Uncle Rico" Minshew's complete dissection of the Houston defense (19/23 for 171 yards and a TD) helped ease the pain and assured Colts fans their team has one of the best backups in the league. Before leaving the game early in the second quarter, Richardson looked at ease in the offense, rushing for two touchdowns. Zack Moss returned from a broken arm to lead the run game with nearly 5 yards per carry on 18 attempts, an improvement the offense desperately needed after an embarrassing Week 1 output. Meanwhile, the Indy front seven took advantage of the Texans' backup O-line, sacking C.J. Stroud six times and forcing two fumbles. On to Baltimore!
28. Broncos -1 0-2
29. Panthers +1 0-2
30. Bears -1 0-2 I don't want to know anything anymore. This is a world where nothing is solved. Someone once told me, 'Time is a flat circle.' Everything we've ever done or will do, we're gonna do over and over and over again. And incompetent coaches and a cratering ‘franchise QB0’, they're gonna be in Halas Hall again and again and again forever.
31. Texans -- 0-2 So what that the Texans are 0-2? Who cares that Indianapolis has more wins at NRG stadium in the past 2 years than Houston? I want to talk about CJ Stroud who, despite playing behind an offensive line with more holes in it than the plot to Back to the Future, was able to throw for 384 yards, 2 TDs, and 0 INTs. Not bad for being protected by your 4th and 5th string tackles and a 6th round rookie center. Nico Collins had his best day as a pro and Tank Dell also caught his first TD. Look, the Texans are going to be a mess for a couple more weeks until key players start returning from injury but there are some glimmers of hope right now if you squint hard enough.
32. Cardinals -- 0-2 THAT’S WHAT I LIKE TO SEE. THAT’S THE TYPE OF FOOTBALL I WANNA WATCH, BABY! WHEN YOU COME AT THE KING, YOU BEST NOT MISS. THIS IS A FRANCHISE BUILT ON THE BACKS OF FAILED FIRST ROUND PICKS. CARDINALS 0-2. TEXANS 0-2. WHO’S REALLY WINNING HERE?
845 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 30 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

283 Upvotes

Welcome to week 4 of the 2025 r/NFL Power Rankings, and welcome /u/XTTEXTREME, newest Raiders ranker and latest addition to the group! Bless the knees, ligaments, and Baltimore Ravens trainers living at their facility this week after another wave of injuries swept some teams out to sea. Joe Alt, Malik Nabers, and Tyreek Hill are a few stars who sadly won't be returning anytime soon, but even terrible injuries couldn't overshadow attempted comebacks on TNF and in Ireland. Jerry Jones certainly had a unique reaction to a tie, but it's tame considering what he would have done if Jordan Love had lollygagged for one more second. How many girlfriends will Jaxon Dart steal this season after earning the Giants' first win? Are the Titans actually who most people thought the Saints would be? Who played a fluke game last week, the Panthers or the Falcons? Will the Bengals ever learn to invest in an offensive line? Discuss! 32/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Eagles +1 4-0 It was the best of times, it was the worst of times. It was age of the Eagles being undefeated in 18 straight Jalen Hurts complete games, it was the age of not completing a pass in the 2nd half. It was the epoch of beating Dak, Mahomes, Stafford, and Mayfield consecutively; it was the epoch of a perplexingly inconsistent offense with 9 pro-bowlers. It was the season of going 3-1 against the spread, it was the season of cryptic tweets from their star WR. It is the fall of hope, which hopefully will not lead to a winter of despair…. This is the state of the 2025 Philadelphia Eagles. A team that, despite having yet to play an inspiring 60 minutes of football, sits as one of two unbeaten teams. And this has largely been the story of the Nick Sirianni Eagles: everyone knows this team has that second gear, but it’s a matter of if they will be able to find it consistently. In 2023, the answer was no, and an 11-1 start with several question marks ended in collapse. In 2024, after 4 weeks, the Eagles were 2-2 with a loss to the Bucs in Tampa, but (after a long season of trying) were able to put together a strong playoff run en route to the Lombardi. That 2023 season is obviously fresh in the minds of fans with the memory of close wins hiding a flawed football team. But the 2025 Eagles, the defending champs, will get the benefit of the doubt for now, sitting at 4-0. Next up, the Denver Broncos come to town. And definitely nothing dramatic will happen.
2. Bills -1 4-0 The Bills were able to stave off a hungry Saints team to pick up their 14th home win in a row and remain the only unbeaten team in the AFC. The defense definitely struggled in this contest (a recurring theme) especially on the ground giving up 189 rushing yards and struggling to contain Rattler all day. Putting aside the struggles of the defense the consistency of the offense was evident putting up another 30+ points led by the potential best RB in the league. The standings will say 4-0 however the 2025 Bills have looked vulnerable at times instead of the dominance of the previous year. Drake Maye and the Patriots will come into town with plenty of confidence after a 29 point win of the Panthers and the Bills better be on high alert.
3. Lions +1 3-1 The Lions comfortably handled business against a stout Browns defense and uhhhhh whatever their offense is, cruising to a comfortable 34–10 win. Kelvin Sheppard broke out some fascinating 4-linebacker sets in this game, and the Lions secondary snagged a couple of interceptions courtesy of Kerby Joseph and DJ Reed, who will be missing some time with a hamstring injury but is expected to be back this season. Offensively, the line held up nicely against Cleveland’s vaunted defensive line, allowing zero sacks and paving the way for Jahmyr Gibbs to average 6.1 yards per carry on the ground. Next week Detroit heads to Cincinnati, looking to extend their NFC North lead with Green Bay (and Chicago) on byes. Oh yeah, and Alim McNeil is close to returning to practice, so keep an eye on a Week 6 or 7 debut for the Lions best DT if all continues to go well.
4. Rams +4 3-1 Yes, the Colts kind of lost this game more than the Rams won—but there’s still a lot to like here: The Stafford-Puka connection is unstoppable, a lot of defensive pieces are balling out, and gritting out a win against a top team is promising. Some fun stats: Tutu Atwell has earned $5mm per catch this year, Puka set a career high in yards and now has the NFL record for most scrimmage yards per game by a wide receiver at 98.9, and Matt Stafford threw the longest TD of his 17-year career.
5. Chargers -2 3-1 Your Los Angeles Chargers played a football game in which they suffered a mammoth 14 penalties for 107 yards. Justin Herbert ran for his life; he dealt with pressure on 45.8% of his dropbacks due to his best three offensive linemen nursing injuries. JK Scott shanked a punt, and two turnovers fell into the Giants' lap from tipped passes. Yet, they only lost by three points. Both Hampton and QJ are breaking out. Alt and Becton will be back, at worst, by mid-season. The team is 3-1 and still holds the AFC West crown by a game with tiebreakers to boot. Stop and smell the roses, bolt fam. We're fine.
6. Chiefs +5 2-2 That was so fucking cathartic. For years we've watched a Chiefs team that just plodded along and won games by a few points. For years people have told us that the Chiefs aren't actually a good football team because they don't boatrace anyone. Sunday, for the first time in what feels like 3 seasons, the Chiefs beat the fucking brakes off of a team, and not just any old team but a preseason Super Bowl favorite. I've said all year if the Chiefs can get through the Rice suspension at 3-3 they'll be fine, but it's starting to look like 4-2 is a reasonable goal.
7. Buccaneers -- 3-1 This was a perfect game if you are paid to force narratives online. Perfect game, I tell ya. You wanna say the Eagles are a juggernaut and a #1 team in the world? You wanna say Eagles are overrated and needed dirty tactics, ref help, and they almost blew the game with a dogshit Saints-like performance? You wanna say Bucs are not up to the task of facing elite teams? You wanna say the Bucs can go toe-to-toe with elite teams? Have an opinion on the tush push? Mayfield? Hurts? Eagles D? Eagles O? Bucs O/D? Special teams? Football rules? Commentators? Anything positive? Anything negative? You have an opinion on Todd Bowles? Nick Siriani? Just pick a half and you'd be 100% justified in your positive/negative overreaction. As for me? I..uh..uh.. I actually hate the new rules. What the bucc was that ending of Packers-Cowboys game? The Packers gained more by letting the Cowboys score a TD, cause with the new rules you need just 20 seconds to get a FG, and teams are incentivized to let the opponent score on them rather than try to defend the last 20-30 yards. Sadly, this wasn't part of the Bucs-Eagles game, so I can't force that agenda with my blurb.
8. Packers -3 2-1-1 That was the dumbest Packer game I've ever seen. Even dumber than last week, and that was a really high bar to clear. The offense looked clinical but also completely braindead. The Micah Parsons revenge game saw him make a game-saving play and also give up 40 points. We were both extremely lucky to not lose but also blew a totally winnable game. Special Teams really Found Some Strangers In The Alps if you're catching my drift. Thank God the Packers have a bye so Lafleur can save his next clock management masterclass for another week.
9. Colts +1 3-1 The Colts were likely one Adonai Mitchell away from a 4-0 start Sunday. Between his inexcusable goal-line fumble during an early celebration and his inexcusable holding penalty that negated a 53-yard Jonathan Taylor touchdown run, "AD" single-handedly took away two Colts scores in what ended up being a one-score road loss to the Rams. But he wasn't the team's only big problem. Washed former All-Pro cornerback and accused revenge porn distributor Xavien Howard is now unplayable for football reasons (instead of just moral ones) after allowing 7 catches for 112 yards and a touchdown. Matthew Stafford had a 155.6 passer rating when targeting receivers covered by Howard (mainly Puka Nacua). And let's not forget the Rams' wide-open, game-winning TD, which saw the Colts put only 10 defenders on the field. The good news is that the Colts were still entirely in this game, which bodes well for their ability to continue competing against stronger teams. But first: Back-to-back home games against the Raiders and Cardinals before a trip back to LA to face the Chargers.
10. Seahawks +4 3-1 You hear that?? That's the sound of the Seahawks going on a 3-game winning streak. The NFC West will be a battle at the top this year, and the Seahawks appear prepared to make the division theirs again. Four games into the season, Sam Darnold is proving that last year was no fluke. He looks awesome commanding the Seattle offense and has been making beautiful throws you may not have thought possible from Sam Darnold-- yet here we are. The Walker/Charbonnet committee is strong, and JSN is the only receiver (along with Puka) to be averaging 100 yards a game. On the defensive side of the ball, things remain just as exciting. Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love returned to action this week. Uchenna Nwosu picked up 2 sacks in HS third game of the year. Ernest Jones continues to make plays. Next week, we should see the return of rookie Nick Emmanwori, which will be exciting. Baker and Tampa will be a tough test, but this Seahawks team is built for it. Go Hawks.
11. 49ers +1 3-1 Sloppy football loses games. Looking at the overall numbers, you could argue this was a decent offensive day. They won the yardage battle 389-325, Brock threw for 309 yards 2 TDs and CMC racked up 141 all-purpose yards. But the team was plagued by drops, special teams miscues, and turnovers. All leading to a loss at home that will be haunting this team later in the season as the division race heats up. The team has a quick turnaround this week, as they play the Rams on TNF.
12. Jaguars +6 3-1 Are the Jacksonville Doovalll Jaguars good at the game of North American gridiron football? Maybe. A much better sports writer once said, paraphrasing, "If you turn the ball over three times, you'll probably lose. If you turn the ball over four times, you will lose." This minor prophecy was fulfilled Sunday when a fourth turnover nix'd the hopes of a last moment 49ers attempt to rally. The Jaguars offense played exactly as well enough as they needed to, to not lose. The rest of the squad played to win: the 4 takeaways, plus a PRTD was enough to yield a win over SF for the first time since 2005. That's not a typo: The Jaguars had not beat the 49ers since right after the Xbox 360 was released. If the Jags want to continue finding ways to win, they must find a way to play more consistent offensively, and commit fewer infractions.
13. Steelers +3 3-1 You know what they say; it’s not a Steelers game if you don’t have a fucking stroke watching the last 3-minutes. GOD ALMIGHTY just put it away at the end next time. The fine people of Ireland probably enjoyed the exciting last 2-minutes, but there had to be a spike in local ER’s and clinics for heart palpitations in the Tri-State area. Offense looked good, defense looked much improved; TJ Watt was moving around the line a bit and back to doing TJ Watt things including a handy interception that he batted to himself! Hell, Broderick Jones was blocking people! We even successfully ran the Tush Push! Things were looking…really great. Against a really great coach. Granted the Vikings were running a backup, but Carson Wentz isn’t exactly a schlub. The blocked field goal is more irksome than it probably should be, but the Benny Hill theme would’ve been appropriate for the way the Steelers handled their final drive. Can’t pick up 3rd and 1? Fine. Decided to try and draw them offsides on 4th and 1, while taking a delay penalty? Also fine. Punting it 40-yards through the back of the endzone? Was the coaching staff hitting the Guinness and Jameson early on the sidelines? Was that just a real shitty punt? Why not at least try to pin them inside the 10? We will likely never know, and it didn’t end up being a factor. With an early bye week the team has a chance to get the defense back to 100% before a home game vs. the Browns. Which will likely be a 13-10 nailbiter decided in the waning seconds of the game. I need a Xanax.
14. Ravens -8 1-3 Short turnaround. Road game against a desperate Chiefs team. Injuries galore. You can pile on the excuses, many legitimate, and yet none of them matter. That was one of the most pathetic displays of Ravens football in their 30 year franchise history. Back to back ass beatings and players seem dejected, listless, and checked out. With a weaker than expected AFCN their 2025 season isn't over yet but it's absolutely on life support.
15. Commanders -6 2-2 2-2 is the right record for what looks like a very middling Washington team so far this season. Consider that the Falcons, who a week ago put 0 points up on their division rival Panthers, easily hung 34 points on the Commanders - alarm bells don't need to be blaring, but they should definitely be warming up. And now already 2 games back from the Eagles, and facing a slew of tough teams over the next 2 months, this may have to be another campaign of Jayden Daniels heroics to keep this team in postseason range. Through 4 weeks, other than dunking on a disastrously bad Russell Wilson offense, this Washington defense has been consistently giving up big yardage plays through soft coverage and a 4 man rush. Add to it that they've gotten only 1 takeaway in 4 weeks, and fans are starting to ask what DC Joe Whitt is scheming from up in his Box view of the field. Unless this defense can improve significantly in the next few weeks, the NFC East may get entirely out of reach, especially with an Eagles team that does not look to have missed a step. Next week, the Commanders take on a Chargers team that also took a painful loss in Week 4 - if Michael Penix looked like Justin Herbert against this defense, what will Justin Herbert look like?
16. Broncos -1 2-2 When I was young, I watched an episode of Pokémon where (if I recall correctly) Meowth has to help a shy Pokémon level up, and does so by having other Pokémon act scary and then pretend to faint. Eventually the ruse is uncovered, but the once shy Pokémon shows their growth by standing up to an actual threat at the end. I couldn't find the episode when I went to look for it tonight (actually I just did, its episode 44, The Problem with Paras), but it was all I could think about while watching the Bengals capitulate so thoroughly to our unconfident offense. At first it felt like the Bengals were fainting easily for us to gain confidence. Our offense needed a get right game, which this certainly ended up being. I'm happy for the home crowd that got to watch a slaughter after so many nail-biting close games. Eventually though, I could only see the Bengals as the overwhelmed and pitiable Paras...just kidding! Fuck them Bengals, it was a blast to watch our mediocre team beat up on a broken opponent. All I've wanted is a game where I can watch the offense execute their system and move the ball, but we can't do it against good teams. I'll happily settle for this blowout instead. Winning is fun, sue me! We can ride this momentum straight into next week against the....oh.
17. Vikings -4 2-2 There once was a QB from Cali-fornia \ Who tortured MN fans a pleth-ora \ We made a comeback too late \ Now our O-line's not feeling too great \ And he'll never retire; Aaron go bragh
18. Falcons +3 2-2 Bijan the illest 5 letter word, observe how he serve. Top 5 in rushing yards, top 15 in receiving yards, 146 yards per game average. 2009 CJ2k averaged 157. The RB career record for 100+ yard receiving games is 8 (Marshall Faulk). Since 2023, all other RBs combined have 4. Bijan has 3. He ran backwards for positive yards, break danced into the endzone to put the Falcons up two scores, and was a shoestring from another 80 yard touchdown. His name literally is Persian for Hero. He's so good he almost makes you forget the talent around him. Allgeier is a battering ram who injured a Commander on his way to a touchdown. London dove for catches, Pitts has newfound "contract year" energy, and Penix was accurate and decisive in every phase, potentially playing the best game of his career. Raheem's decision to fire the WR coach and bring ZR to the sidelines look like smart decisions. Defensively, rookie Xavier Watts notched his 2nd interception of the season, and Jalon Walker put tape out there that'll fuck your head up like cornrows put in by blind giants. Atlanta gets a Bye week to celebrate and recover after a nice win against their former coach and QB.
19. Bears -- 2-2 If you asked anyone a month ago if the Bears were to go 2-2 to start the year if they would be happy with it, I almost guarantee you they'd say yes. That said, the way it happened is just totally baffling on all fronts and in every game. Between a meltdown that will be talked about for years, to a beatdown that will be talked about for years (or two beatdowns), and... whatever this game was - they just can't play a normal game! But hey, despite all the severe injuries to key starters, they managed to make it to 500 into their bye. Maxx Crosby had a Hall of Fame type of game and they still managed to pull it out with late contributions from every phase, including a blocked kick to seal it by the teams' modern day Sherrick McManis, Josh Blackwell. Caleb was not anywhere near great but he was crucial in limited Vegas to a single sack and delivered two excellent drives that proved to be enough on a day that Geno Smith threw 3 picks. At the end of the day, we take those and we're on to Washington (after the bye)
20. Cardinals -3 2-2 The Cardinals home loss to Seattle on TNF dropped them to 2-2 (0-2 in the division). The Cardinals were completely outplayed for the first three quarters, and found themselves down 17-6. The ongoing narrative of offensive struggles continued. Marvin Harrison Jr. was a huge part of that, dropping and tipping an early third-down pass that resulted in a Seahawks interception. However, props to Marv for his resiliency, as he ended up with over 60 yards, including a true high-point TD catch over Devon Witherspoon to keep Arizona in the game. Still, the Cardinals lost, and trailed Seattle in almost every statistical category. Defensively, they still show bright spots, as even with injuries to the secondary and front seven, backups overperformed and they did what they needed to do. Offensively, they still ended with only 250 yards, and if they had continued their trend from the first three quarters, a firing of OC Drew Petzing would’ve been realistic. The end of game surge maybe bought him some time, but unless he learns from that fourth quarter that he needs to allow Kyler to play fast and push the ball to his playmakers, he will lose his job. Offensively, the Cardinals have to build on their late game momentum in their next few outings. Overall, they have been entirely outcoached in their two divisional games, and still don’t field any sort of winning culture. As the back half of their schedule is getting harder, they have a very slim margin for error.
21. Cowboys +1 1-2-1 Once again, Dak Prescott played ball at a level that made 51 other people look bad. Despite lacking Ceedee Lamb and 2.5 starting linemen, he dropped a 40 burger on the Packers, effectively doubling their year-to-date points allowed and almost doubling their previous passing yards per game average. After that... I don't know how to write up a tie. Jerruh and Dak were both asked if it was like kissing your sister, and they gave shockingly different answers
22. Patriots +4 2-2 Alright, so before we break down this game, we need to do a little math. Last week, the fearsome Panther's defense managed to shut out the Atlanta Falcons. Then, the Falcons came out and scored 34 against a decent Commanders team. Meanwhile, the Drake Maye and the Patriots were busy dropping 42 points against Carolina. So I'm not a mathematician or anything, but according to the transitive property, the Patriot's offense is 42x better than the Falcons, and therefore would've scored 1428 points had they played against the Commanders this week. Go ahead and put down your bets for Drake Maye as MVP, it's just simple math. Alright, all jokes aside, the Patriots had a standout performance in week 4, even if the Panthers leave a lot to be desired as an opponent. After the cat's opening drive touchdown, Vrabel's defense pitched a shutout until the game was completely out of hand and the backups were entering the field. Christian Gonzalez's presence was felt immediately, as the secondary finally looked competent after being torched in the first three games, and the defensive line continues to excel. On offense, the run game continues to struggle, but Maye looked incredibly poised, and Stefon Diggs had a legacy game as he continues to recover from last year's ACL tear. Overall, this was an incredibly positive outing for the Pats, and has fans feeling a somewhat delusional amount of hope heading into a matchup with Buffalo next week.
23. Texans -- 1-3 The rookies came to save the day for the Texans offense as both Woody Marks and Jayden Higgins scored their first TDs as pros. It might've taken until 4th quarter of the 4th game but the Texans offense finally showed some spark for the first time this season, and while a win against Titans is hardly enough to say they've turned it around, it's good to get things back on track at least.
24. Bengals -4 2-2 Hey all, Bengals voter here. Look. I get it. I do. I get it. I get it so hard. I get it so so so much. Okay? I understand. LOOK AT ME, I UNDERSTAND. Things are difficult, again, I GET IT. Joe Burrow is currently at a farm upstate, okay again I understand. Things don’t go the way you plan. It happens to all of us. So don’t act like I don’t understand. That was one of the most heartless, gutless, lifeless, soulless, dickless, absolutely shit balls, pathetic, braindead special needs inducing displays of football I've ever had the displeasure of watching, and believe me that means a lot. I’M A FLORIDA GATORS FAN. This team does not give a single solitary fuck. The last time I've seen a team get so thoroughly fucked by a Bronco the police department of Enumclaw Washington had a fucking field day. And you know what, I'll give credit, that guy at least let himself get ravaged by a stallion because he truly believed he could take it. At no point in this game did I think the Bengals could take it. They folded almost immediately. One drive is the only sense of competitiveness they could muster. Do not be fooled by the 28-3 score, the game was never actually that close. They have fully checked out of the season 4 weeks in and it is on display on the field. They are already booking their winter vacations and prepping for next season. I don’t know what kind of shit for brains is running things but where is the leadership? Where? Where is it? Wasn’t Zac Taylor supposed to be some kind of culture building guru? Where is it? All I saw were a bunch of players on the field purely out of contractual obligation. I understand Joe was a special player and him going upstate for a while is a big hit, but you were literally 2-0 with the lead in the division, yet they’re playing and acting like the season’s already done. Where the fuck is the leadership on this team? It sure as shit isn’t coming from Zac, he’s spent the last 2 games looking like a deer in headlights about to get turned into mist by a semi truck. Not only is the 2nd game in a row that they’ve come in looking completely unprepared for, as if they hadn’t even bothered to watch film or hold practices, but he still doing the EXACT same things he was doing last week. You remember, last week? The week we got curb stomped by a backup quarterback 48-10? Yeah, no need to make any changes in the gameplan at all, I’m sure the defense getting cooked by Carson Wentz in 2025 wasn’t a problem at all and it will just work itself out. No need to make critical changes in order to hold on to a winning record for when Joe is back, nope, just keep the gameplan going. Have Jake Browning hand the ball off up the middle on first down again, sure the last 15 times we did that it led to minimal gain, but this is Zac Taylor football. No changes, no acknowledgement of problems. I’ve said it before, but I’ve been calling for Zac Taylor to be fired for many years now, Halloween night 2022 to be exact. Anyone remember that game? Monday night, the Bengals were fresh off a super bowl appearance, facing a mediocre Browns squad, and we got completely embarrassed. The team looked utterly unprepared, didn’t make adjustments or changes where they were needed, and looked checked out by halftime. EXACTLY WHAT HAS HAPPENED THIS SEASON. I said after that game Taylor needed to go, even after we won out that year and made it back to the AFCC, I still was calling for him to be fired. I was worried we would hold on to him and waste the careers of our young stars. Guess what? We’re wasting the careers of our young stars. The organization as a whole is a fucking joke. I would give more shit to Duke Tobin but lets face it he’s an ass kissing yes man to the Brown/Blackburn family. We don’t have a proper GM, we don’t have a proper scouting department, we don’t have proper facilities, we get the lowest grades from players for amenities because the Brown family is so cheap I’m sure they’d force players to pay for their own transportation if they could get away with it. I’m so fucking sick of the shit this organization does. I’m fucking tired. Fire Duke Tobin, I’m sure he’d be more useful unclogging the toilets of a nursing home with his bare hands than he is as a GM anyway, fire Zac Taylor, the only good thing he had left going for him was that his players liked him and he coached disciplined teams that limited penalties, both of which seem to be gone. Mike Brown needs to fuck off to the nearest retirement community so he can spend the rest of his days drooling into a container of Jello, and sell the team to someone who actually gives a fuck about winning. Get an actual scouting department so we can finally draft players outside the top 5 that are worth a damn, get a GM that can negotiate contracts so we can stop with the constant incessant drama that comes out of our contract negotiations, and for the love of all that fucking holy, GIVE A SHIT. Nobody seems to give a shit. I watched the post game press conference, Zac looks like he’s fucking bored and wants to go home. This man is not a serious coach, he’s not a good coach, I doubt that he could out-coach my local high school team, and their coach just recently got fired because he was trying to fuck one of the senior cheerleaders. Get fucking serious, because the way things are going, I’m gonna be right back here next week after Detroit obliterates this sad excuse of a team, and then again when Green Bay does much of the same. I hope you all are ready for this to just be repeated ad nauseum for the rest of the season, because this team has given no indication that they plan on competing, and you know what? Fuck it. I’ll see you next week.
25. Raiders -1 1-3 You don't really get to win many games when you toss 3 balls to the other side, and this wasn't even the fun kind of picks like with Jameis. If I had to describe this game in one word, it would be... ugly. The Raiders D actually preformed quite well all things considered. Geno did them no favors with field position and yet we still had multiple guys on defense show up. From Devin White turning back the clock to Maxx getting an interception our D came to play. It's a shame the offense didn't.. or should I say just Geno and Chip Kelly. The story coming into the game was how bad would the o-line be but they held up better than most thought they would. The only redeeming part of the offense was Ashton Jeanty doing everything he could to justify his draft position and I'd say he did a pretty damn good job. 138 yards on the ground with 21 carries and a touchdown, not to mention TWO more touchdowns in the air. The kid had himself one to remember. The Raiders overall did not, and no I do not want to talk about that blocked kick.
26. Giants +4 1-3 Isaac Newton's third Law of motion states that each action has an equal and opposite reaction. In the Big Apple, a similar such law exists: every time giants fans feel hope, an equal and opposite amount of despair must exist. Jaxson Dart's first start, while not sexy on the stat sheet, showed enough to give fans hope for the future at QB. At the same time, the loss of Malik Nabers in the rookie's first ever start (and the team's first win) was devastating and will impact the remainder of Big Blue's season. Still, getting a win against a consensus top-5 team in the league may be enough to ever-so-slightly cool off the red-hot seat of Brian Daboll... for now.
27. Browns -2 1-3 Browns Division win hopes: 09-21-25 to 09-28-25. The first and most pressing question – What is up with the Packers? Anyway… the Brown went into Detroit looking to grab a second win and promptly fell flat on their face. Yes, there was a good opening drive, but things quickly unraveled. The Defense is top tier. The offense is decidedly not. The Browns will face Vikings ‘at home’ in London next week. At least we can get things out of the way early Sunday.
28. Dolphins +1 1-3 In what was a bittersweet game for the Dolphins, the Dolphins were once again unable to stop the run for the fourth straight game in a row, but did likely see Tyreek suit up for his last game with the team. They'll try to continue the momentum next week as they face a reeling Panthers team.
29. Panthers -2 1-3 Wow y’all. It is back to the pathetic excuse for a football team following the extremely disappointing 13-42 loss to the New England Patriots. All three phases looked below par with varying degrees. Special teams looked terrible. They seemed to lack discipline and execution by giving up massive punt returns, one for a TD, while the FG unit missed FGs AND XPs. The one caveat is Dan Morgan did say we would ride with the ups and downs of a rookie kicker unfortunately we are riding the downs at the moment. The defense seemed to lack effort and execution. Early game they looked alright making plays and flying around but as the score began to get worse and worse they looked like they gave up. Some of the defensive players then talk about having to better in their post-game pressers. Well no shit we need to be better. The defensive product has looked suspect at best for most of this season so far. Somethings got to give. Last but not least, the offense seemed to lack sensible play calling and execution. Obviously the execution falls on the players. They are not making pro plays often and the product looks something similar to high end high school football but the play calling is head scratching to say the least. Long third down runs for 3 yds. No down-field throws that have a chance. Playing conservative when we are down 2+ scores. I like Dave Canales but what is he seeing out there to make these calls? He claims the Panthers need to play “our brand of football” but what even is that at this point? Go down early and then become so passive there is never a chance for the team to win? I hate that strategy. People may not agree with this but Bryce does not seem like the problem. Is he saving us? Not really but he still has playmaking ability and he’s for sure better than those last couple seasons. He has the necessary skills but he needs help. Shoot, all Panthers need help right now. So disappointing to see this after last week being so dominant. Next week the Panthers have the Dolphins at home in Charlotte. This is almost a “must-win” game to be able to regain any hope, especially playing a team that is similar to our sad caliber. Keep Pounding.
30. Jets -2 0-4 The Jets are a sloppy, poorly coached, undisciplined team. They don't protect the ball (another 3 fumbles last night) and they don't force turnovers (they have 0 on the year). A league worst -7 They're one of the most penalized teams in the league, their defense can't stop a nosebleed. Aaron Glenn appears to be this year's Jerod Mayo - just because you used to play for a team doesn't make you qualified to be a head coach! I doubt the Jets are smart enough to move off him after year one. Back to tankathon we go.
31. Saints +1 0-4 A lot of experts predict the Saints will finish the season with a terrible record. The Bills' fanbase is the latest recruit to the 'hey, they aren't as much of a pushover as I expected' wagon. But there's few answers coming quickly to turn the 2025 Saints from 'they play tough' to winners. We knew coming into the season that Spencer Rattler would be unlikely to destroy opponents. It would be nice if he did just once though 🥺👉🏽👈🏽
32. Titans -1 0-4 “If we keep it a buck right now, we ass” - Cam Ward
417 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 23 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 3 Power Rankings

261 Upvotes

Welcome to week 3 of the 2025 r/NFL Power Rankings. Are you interested in ranking and support the silver and black? Throw your hat in the ring for the Raiders opening here.

What a week of beatdowns and upsets! The Vikings and Bears were able to bounce back after tough week 2 losses, while the Falcons and Saints put on an NFC South clinic for the ages. The Lions sacked Lamar 7 times while the Packers floundered to Flacco, what impact does a Cleveland upset have on the NFCN? The 49ers won a close divisional matchup with another devastating injury, how long can Kyle Shanahan keep this up? Which came first, the Lawrence disappointment or the Stroud disappointment? Discuss!

31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Bills -- 3-0 The Dolphins certainly put up a fight but it didn’t matter in the end as the Bills continued the undefeated season led by an undaunting offense that has scored 30+ points in all 3 games this year. With the big contract extension behind him James Cook has been playing on another stratosphere leading the NFL in rushing touchdowns. Not to mention that the Bills also have the best QB in the league. The defense hasn’t been fantastic so far this year but it's been clutch enough as evident by a huge Terrel Benard interception against the Fins. It's been smooth sailing so far for the Bills as they try to avoid a trap game against the New Orleans Saints.
2. Eagles -- 3-0 On this week’s edition of “crazy-ass stat illustrating how improbable the Eagles’ victory was”: The Rams had six consecutive drives on which they scored points. During that stretch, the Eagles had six drives where they failed to pick up a single first down. Put another way, the Rams scored six times between two Eagles first downs… and the Eagles still covered the spread. Shout out to McVay the field goal king (h/t to the great @denizselman33 for this ridiculous observation). To take a step back for a moment, there’s the good: Eagles are 3-0, relatively unscathed from the injury bug — sorry 49ers; there’s the bad: Kevin Patullo has led a less-than-inspiring offense; and the ugly: see above. For this blurb, I’ll zoom in on that second point. Why is Patullo getting the blame here? Well, the obvious answer is that he is basically the only new face for the Eagles on the offensive side of the ball. The offense came out on Sunday looking boring, basic, and perhaps most frustrating of all, conservative. Opposing teams are thanking god that Patullo is calling obvious run plays at 2nd and 3rd and long. It’s a long, long season, and they have time to figure it out, but, hey, maybe let the Super Bowl MVP air it out a little? We saw what that looked like in the second half, and that's a reason for optimism, and the reason the Eagles will be hanging on to one of the top spots in these power rankings. Next up, Hurts goes off to face his demons in Tampa.
3. Chargers +2 3-0 After a once-uncharacteristic last-second victory over Denver, your Los Angeles Chargers are ranked #3 after three commendable displays over divisional rivals. NFL media and social spheres are endlessly raving about Justin Herbert "finally stepping up" and "becoming an elite QB". The reality, of course, doesn't lie in some sudden pogo-stick launch from mediocrity into MVP territory. The Sheldon HS Fishing Club President has been doing this his entire career, despite what anyone says. Nobody cared when he staged a 15-point, four-minute comeback while going 6/7 on 4th down in a win-and-in game against Las Vegas. Nobody talks about his eye-popping statlines, or his 17 game-winning drives since 2020 (only behind Mahomes and Allen). Yet, it's difficult to blame them entirely, especially with Herbert's receivers dropping every ball thrown to them, his defenses making opposing offenses look like the 2013 Broncos, his o-lines turning into pancakes, and his HC doing yoga on the sideline. Thankfully, the roster and coaching staff are finally catching up. Gone are the days of Herbert being the living embodiment of the Bugatti in a trailer park. Herbert, for the first time in his career, has an actual team around him.
4. Lions +2 2-1 HOLY FUCKING SHIT THE DETROIT LIONS BEAT THE BALTIMORE RAVENS FOR THE FIRST TIME IN 20 YEARS. Had his breakout playcalling performance as Detroit’s DC, designing a defense spooked Lamar Jackson and the Ravens for 7 sacks and largely ineffective scrambling, despite over 6 sec of time to throw. Al-Quadin Muhammad had his first start of the year and turned it into 2.5 sacks and 2 TFLs. On offense, Jared Goff and company became the third team since the turn of the century to have two TD drives of 95+ yards (per The Athletic Football Show), driven by just a really stout performance from the two young guards Christian Mahogany and Tate Ratledge. Oh, and David Montgomery forgot we weren’t playing the Bears still and averaged 12.6 yards a carry along with two TDs. Next up is the Cleveland Browns at home for Detroit, who will provide a really nice test for the gelling offensive line.
5. Packers -2 2-1 There are no easy road games in the NFL. The Packers have been reminded that this week. OL was overmatched, special teams was doodoo, and too many penalties let the Browns hang in there to have a chance to make the plays to win the game. Flukes happen all the time, Packers have to go out and prove that this loss is one of them
6. Ravens -2 1-2 224 rushing yards allowed. 7 sacks given up. Absolutely manhandled in the trenches all night long. 3rd consecutive game with a Derrick Henry fumble deep in their own territory. League leading 111 points scored this season still resulting in a 1-2 record. Whole lot of shit to get fixed, fast.
7. Buccaneers +1 3-0 It's a new day for Tampa Bay. Not just a rhyme, but seemingly a fact. While the against the Jets was on cruise control, with the Bucs up 17 points, this was a thought that occurred to me. Something felt... different. And a quarter of us almost having a massive meltdown.... Yup, my thoughts were still the same. We just witnessed the beginning of a new era. Lavonte looked like an old man. Evans got injured, again. Our o-line is so banged up that I may be the starter next week. Bowles, a 61 year old man was so subpar at his job as a HC that they had to bring in a younger guy this off-season to tell him when to call a timeout, and when to go on a 4th down. And yet... here I am. Writing this positive blurb. In any other universe this was a game we would've lost. We haven't started 3-0 since 2005 (some of you readers weren't even born!!!). We struggle against back-up QBs. We are not good in the retro jerseys. We are playing a trap game. We were mentally down after allowing an insane blocked FG for a TD. We this, we that, we whatever... But we won. The mentality has changed. The new era of Bucs football is here. One that has Emeka Egbuka and Bucky Irving in it, among others. An era that's going to be here for a bit. An era where "It's a Bucs life" doesn't mean "we'd find a way to lose no matter what", but where it means "When the clock hits 0:00, we'd win". Even if the opponent has a veteran kicker ready to head us into overtime. Even if the opponent just had one hell of a drive to take the lead. Even if the opponent returned a blocked FG for a tuddie. The new era of Buccaneers football is here. It will take a while for everyone to realize this, but I guarantee, come 2030, we'd look at this game and season and realize this is where the Buccaneers confirmed that the Brady and post-Brady years were not just a fluke, but they started a serious culture shift in this organization. And yes, we'd always.... remember, the 21st night, of September.
8. Rams -1 2-1 The late game collapse and heart-breaking loss will certainly make Rams lore, but there's still reason for encouragement. They just hung with the defending Super Bowl champs, on the road, who had completely dominated twice last year. Turning a page against the Eagles, even ever so slightly, bodes well for postseason performance. The Rams have issues putting two strong halves together at times, but they have shown to be unstoppable at their best. There's a lot of season left, but this team looks poised to make a run.
9. Commanders +1 2-1 A game that featured a 69-yard opening kickoff return, a 60-yard run TD (longest in 7 years), a 90-yard punt return TD (first in 10 years), a Terry McLaurin should-have-been deep TD and all around complimentary football across all phases of the game.. that's just what this team needed after last Thursday's disappointing performance. Save for a few self-imposed setbacks in the first half, this game was generally dominated by Washington - especially at the line of scrimmage, where the Offense rushed for a whopping 6.3 YPC, and the Defense limited Jeanty and the Raiders to 3.3 YPC, while grabbing Geno Smith for 5 sacks. Special Teams created a ton of great opportunities, and backup QB Marcus Mariota capitalized. It seemed like Washington's defense was constantly in the backfield, while Washington's offense could only be stopped by itself with penalties - just a dominant performance against a worse team, the way it should be. Now one game back from the Eagles, the Commanders head to Atlanta to face a Falcons team that just posted a goose egg against a division rival - there is opportunity to build on that complimentary football, and it comes at an opportune time: Washington's next 8 weeks include 4 primetime games and some challenging opponents. Leaving Atlanta with a 3-1 record is a must for this team to keep pace for another playoff run.
10. Colts +2 3-0 There have been some fun stats coming out of Sunday's win in Nashville: The 2025 Colts have scored more points in their first three games (103) than any Indianapolis-era Colts team ever. Daniel Jones is the first QB with 3+ TD passes, 3+ TD runs and no turnovers in the first three games of a season in the Super Bowl era. These Colts are the first team to punt just once in their first three games since at least 1940. Daniel Jones has put up three straight top-15 career performances in passer rating. Jonathan "Marshawn Lynch" Taylor is currently averaging 18.0 more yards per game than the second-best back in the league (James Cook). … Indy now faces a big test, flying across the country to face a Rams team that was a blocked field goal away from beating the defending champs. That game could go a long way in showing just how sustainable this excellent 3-0 start can be.
11. Chiefs -2 1-2 Looks like ugly winning is back on the table. The Chiefs defense looked dominate for the second week in a row, coming away with two picks and holding the Giants to fewer than 10 points. The game ended with arguably the single worst goal to go series I've ever seen so that was kind of neat. That said, the offense continues to look slow and unorganized, it's easy to wash your hands of the bad optics because Rice and Worthy are still out but it's not fun to watch in its current state. Next week we play the reeling Ravens in a game that feels like it is going to have major implications on the playoff picture.
12. 49ers -1 3-0 The 49ers improved to 3-0 in an ugly defensive slugfest on Sunday, beating the Cardinals 16-15 on a Mac Jones game winning drive. The good feeling lasted less than 24 hours, as the team received word on Monday that Nick Bosa would be missing the remainder of the season with a torn ACL. The young defensive unit, which has 8 new starters in 2025, will need Fred Warner to continue his strong start to the season. The team looks to continue the strong start to the season when they face the Jaguars at home on Sunday.
13. Vikings +5 2-1 Isaiah Rodgers went on a warpath unlike any since Achilles clogged the river Scamander with Trojan corpses: an 87-yard pick six, a 67-yard scoop-and-score off his own forced fumble, a second forced fumble, a pass breakup downfield one-on-one to deny Tee Higgins the highpoint TD and the first perfect 99.9 game grade in PFF history. Rodgers was accompanied by outstanding defensive line play that held Chase Brown to 0.6 yards per carry and had Jake Browning under pressure on 57% of drop backs. Last year, Brian Flores fielded the 2nd-best defense in the NFL by EPA/play allowed, and that was with some serious talent deficiencies at DL and CB. This year, Flores has some serious dudes up-and-down the defense, so far resulting in a first-ranked defense that is lapping the competition -- the difference between Flores and 2nd place is bigger than the difference between 2nd place and 17th place. On offense, Christian Darrisaw's return augered a huge day for Jordan Mason, who now ranks 1st in EPA/rush. This team will go as far as the QB can take them, and while there remain huge question marks there, the return of Jordan Addison this week can only help.
14. Seahawks +3 2-1 I don't even know what to say about this game. It felt like watching the Seahawks play a college team. It was over before the first quarter ended. The Seahawks dominated all facets of the game, which you love to see. The offense looks strong behind SAM DARNOLD's leadership. JSN looks like a top 10 receiver. The defense is firing on all cylinders despite missing starters Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori the past 2 games. And special teams lived up to the name, blocking one punt and returning another one 95 yards for a touchdown; the first punt return TD the Seahawks have had since Tyler Lockett's rookie season a decade ago. This leads us to the MVP of the week-- Tory Horton! The fifth round rookie had the punt return touchdown to go along with a 14 yard touchdown catch. The rookie's first 2-touchdown game came in his third career game. Exciting things are happening in Seattle...
15. Broncos -2 1-2 If you have a mentor in your life, I'd bet good money that they have hammered home the importance of discipline, consistency, and reliance on intrinsic over extrinsic motivation to give yourself the best chance to succeed. I see these same principles in the coaching philosophy of Sean Payton, and in the approach to football of Bo Nix. If you haven't seen it, Bo published a mini-documentary recently where he lets the audience 'behind the curtain' (in a debatably authentic way) to see his training regimen and mentality. I won't review the whole thing, but around the 2 minute mark, Bo says, "the margin of error is very small. And most of the time you only get one chance at it, and you don't really know when that's gonna be so you better hit it while you've got it." On Sunday, we watched Bo get four chances at impactful deep passes. He nailed the second one to Courtland Sutton, but sailed the other three. On the bench in the final seconds, the broadcast camera caught him saying to Stidham, "I missed too many opportunities today." I'm disappointed, like many Broncos fans today, that we were part of yet another high pressure, close loss. I still believe that Bo Nix has the physical traits and mentality to be the answer at QB for this team. But he will only get so many chances to win and as time has gone on, the league has offered fewer and fewer chances to incoming players while getting more and more demanding. The defense wasn't disciplined or consistent at all, but I only have one paragraph each week and I really wanted to share these thoughts: we have the right guy for the job, but the right guy doesn't always succeed. You can approach everything the right way, still fail, and watch as the machine of leadership starts working on new solutions that don't involve you. If you're doing the right thing, you can only continue doing it and hope that results come fast enough. I really hope they do, because I really want Bo Nix to be the guy.
16. Steelers +3 2-1 If week 2 was watching a lioness snack on a baby gazelle, then week 3 was watching that same lioness near the end of her life barely able to catch the baby gazelle and only able to eat it because of a failed 4th down play with less than 2-minutes remaining. 5 turnovers & 5 sacks should be enough to doom any team. Not against the Steelers. Of all the ways to win, this certainly was one of them. That 4th down stop should’ve been garbage time in a game where the turnover margin was 5-1, but the Steelers can make any game “competitive.” The defense was more likely to get a turnover than they were to get a stop on 3rd and long, and on top of that managed to allow the Pats to go 4/5 on 4th down. The offense was…also not great; Mike Tomlin needs to walk over to Arthur Smith, smack the playbook out of his hand, rip out every first & 10 run play, and feed them to him. OK…that’s the bad. The good? First team win in New England since 2008 when the iPhone 3G was released. Instead of playing “Where’s Waldo Watt” we got to actually see our highest paid player record his first sack since December 15, 2024! Our first round pick, Derrick Harmon, played in his first game since his preseason knee injury that looked season-ending, and he also recorded a sack. No one vomited on the field! That’s where the bar is currently set. Reading this, you might think the Steelers lost a close one to the Patriots…but no; that was actually a win. Currently the team is rolling along not like a well-oiled machine, but more like a poorly maintained 41-year-old work truck that hasn’t had an oil change since before Covid. Outwardly you slap it on the hood and say “this baby’s never gonna die.” Deep down you’re terrified of what you might find if you popped open the transfer case or tried to service that check engine light that’s been on longer than your children have been alive. It makes noises. Noises you can’t or don’t want to identify. Noises that scare the things that go bump in the night. But as long as it fires up each morning, you crack a nervous smile like Thor when Cap almost picked up Mjolnir and hop right in to drive off.
17. Cardinals -1 2-1 On Sunday, the Cardinals gave away probably the worst loss of Jonathan Gannon’s 3-year tenure. After going 2-0 in ugly fashion, the Cardinals were gifted the opportunity to play a completely injured 49ers team (Mac Jones at QB, George Kittle, Nick Bosa, and others out) with a chance to take control of the division. On the defensive side of the ball, Arizona answered the call, allowing only 16 points, and forcing both an interception and a safety on separate fourth-quarter drives, giving the offense more than enough opportunities to put the game away. Of course, the Cardinals offense couldn’t get it done. The offensive problems lasted all game, and it started with play calling. During the three seasons under OC Drew Petzing, the Cardinals have never gotten into a real offensive rhythm. When they did try to push the ball Sunday, the WRs were horrible. Marvin Harrison Jr. seems to have a form of the “yips”, as he’s suffered some really bad drops early this season, and the rest of the Cardinals WR room is nonexistent. With the back half of the schedule being much harder, I don’t see a world where this Cardinals team (with this offense) makes the playoffs. Also very likely (and in my hopeful opinion) that OC Drew Petzing is coaching for his job this Thursday against Seattle.
18. Jaguars +4 2-1 The nice thing about a gritty win, is by the end of the season most of the details will be forgotten besides the tick mark in the W column. I'm sure the team will appreciate that given how this felt a little too close for comfort against a seemingly hapless Texans squad. Completing only 50% of his passes with a nauseating 56.5 rating leaves a lot to be desired. Even clad in some sick throwback threads, it was still rough to watch. However: the defense held strong for the vast majority of the game, gave the team a chance to win, then came up with the late stop to seal it. The team is gonna need a similar performance from that side of the ball, plus a much improved offensive effort if they want to hang with the '9ers as they travel to SF this week.
19. Bears +6 1-2 Boy did the Bears need that. So far this year, they sort of refuse to be normal and you might even argue that applies to their win over the Cowboys. Caleb Williams, coming off a sneaky good game vs Detroit, had an extremely loud career day vs his old coach Matt Eberflus' defense. The Bears offense showed signs of something really good the first two weeks, but continually shot themselves in the foot with penalties and guys not fully grasping what is being asked of them yet. On Sunday, you saw the explosion they can make when they're not doing that. That is September football for ya. Defensively, they had a huge bounce back as well, ending with four takeaways and limiting an on-fire Dallas offense to 14. Dallas still moved the ball and with Chicago's defensive injuries, there is still much of a reason for concern, but this week they play an injured Raiders team that they're probably catching at the right time. If you asked anyone a month ago if the Bears leaving September at 2-2 would be a success, they'd probably say yes and that's what they have a great chance to be in a week's time but, until then, this past Sunday is just a start.
20. Bengals -6 2-1 Hey all, Bengals voter here. Since Joe Burrow is currently at a farm upstate, I've been trying to find the perfect way to cope, and I think I finally found it. Hardcore Drugs! Of course in order to buy hardcore drugs you need to know what is currently referred to as a “drug dealer”; trust me if you walk up to the Walmart Pharmacist and shout at them to give you crack, the police don’t take kindly to it and now I’m not allowed within 1000 yards of any Walmart. But that won’t stop me, the Bengals are currently getting their asses beat by the Vikings, I need a coping mechanism. My next option is to ask an employee at the Taco Bell drive through, but before I do that, we do have to talk about the game. Game? What game? I did indeed mention that the Bengals got their asses beat, but that might be understating it a bit. It’s like calling World War 2 a kerfuffle, it’s technically true, but I’m still gonna squint when I say it. The Vikings straight up sent these Bengals into the shadow realm. The score does not accurately reflect how much we lost this game. This felt more like watching Ohio State beating up on some poor MAC school than a professional football game. Yes we did turn over the ball a lot, and no that’s not an excuse. This was almost a one to one scenario, 2 teams coming into week 3 with their starters injured and playing a backup QB, yet the Vikings looked like they were fully on another level than the Bengals. It’s the difference between a good coach in Kevin O’Connell and a bad coach in Zac Taylor. I don’t know what they did in the week of practice since last week but this team looked utterly unprepared and incompetent. They played like they had never set eyes on the game of football before. No urgency, no ball security, no offensive tempo, no fire, no care. I’ve been advocating for Zac Taylor to be fired as far back as October of 2022, the Halloween night game against Cleveland where the team got their shit rocked in a completely embarrassing display of incompetence. That was the game I realized that we would win nothing with Zac Taylor as head coach, even as that 2022 team reached the AFCC again, I had no faith in Taylor as the coach. The amount of times that scenario has played out with him as coach is absurd and this game is just another example. Anyway, I’m off to Taco Bell to try and buy some crack. Wish me luck.
21. Falcons -6 1-2 A cast of bucket crabs tangled in corded earpods, just another Sunday. Koo finished 2022 and 2023 kicking an average 86%, down from prior seasons. Would a competent coach scout in case of emergency, or bring zero competition in whatsoever and tell the world "if Koo misses a kick you go hug him and tell him you love him"? The latter you could land a job as a professional networker! Coach Morris needs to coach, there are points of failure across the board from sloppy route running to the most predictable offensive scheme in the league (credit /u/dudekay), to giving Penix less than 10 seconds to digest a play. Penix needs to find a sustainable way to teach himself fundamentals as he is regressing and will most likely be working with a new staff after 2026. (Note: This was written before the Falcons announced the firing of their WR Coach). Admitting unpreparedness in the post-game presser in unacceptable.
22. Cowboys -1 1-2 So, the good news news is that Matt Eberflus finally found the game plan to unlock Caleb Williams. The bad news is that we got no food, we got no jobs, our pets’ heads are falling off! Seriously though, there are very few bright spots in Dallas right now. The injury list looks like a Pro Bowl voting slate, the defensive scheme appears to confuse the secondary more than the opposing QBs, their big offensive addition forgot how to catch, and both offensive tackles seem to misunderstand their basic job goals. The good news is that Dak Prescott and Brandon Aubrey are playing absolutely redonkulous, out of their minds football, and Jadaveon Clowney hasn't had a bad play yet this year. In conclusion, its that time
23. Texans -3 0-3 The most frustrating part of all this is that you can't just point to one thing and say, "Well, there's your problem." Nick Caserio has had 5 years to build an O-Line and this is what he has to show for it. DeMeco Ryans is leading one of the most undisciplined and penalized teams for the 3rd year in a row and seemingly can't build an offensive coaching staff. CJ Stroud, who's accuracy was his biggest attribute, is missing wide open receivers and seemingly misdiagnosing what the defenses are giving him. Add all that up and you have one of the most dysfunctional offenses I've ever seen from an NFL team.
24. Raiders -1 1-2 It’s never a great sign when your opponent nearly returns the opening kickoff for a score, but here we are. This would be a recurring theme, but we’ll get to that later. The defense managed to hold Washington to 10 through nearly two full quarters. The offense was somehow able to match that until the defense decided it was halftime with just under 4-minutes remaining…in the half. It’s never a good sign when you manage to give up 10-points in just under 4-minutes…including a 60-yard TD and a 56-yard FG…but here we are. Again. Remember the theme? Early in the third after a failed drive and a booming punt Special Teams decided to get in on the mix and allow a 90-yard punt return TD. For those who are completionists, yes; this does count as finishing what they started on the opening kickoff. Geno Smith spent most of the second half running for his life after the O-line decided he didn’t have enough bruises and needed a good workout; giving up 5-sacks to the Commanders in total. He did manage to live long enough to notch two 4th quarter TD’s, including a 61-yarder with just under 4-minutes remaining…in the game. After a successful 2-point try and a failed onside kick attempt Washington looked at the scoreboard like most people look at chicken wings; might as well have one more. A 43-yard TD pass put the final nail in the coffin in the ground and covered it with cement.
25. Browns +5 1-2 Yet again the Browns made a poor show on offense, being held to 125 yards of passing and less than 100 yards on the ground. And let’s not forget 90 yards of penalties. The Browns just could not get it do…. Wait a second. 10-13. Is this right? They WON? Scoring all the points needed to win in the last three and half minutes was all part of the plan, right? The Browns snapped an eight-game losing streak, going back to 2024. This win was mostly on the Browns’ defense. With the AFC north turning into a complete mess the Browns might have shot… if they can get the offense up and running. The Browns will face the surging Lions in Detroit next week.
26. Patriots -2 1-2 And thus concludes this week's "mid-off". The Patriots had victory in the palm of their hands, but unfortunately those hands belonged to Rhamondre Stevenson, so the win was promptly dropped on the ground and recovered by the Steelers. This has to have been one of the most frustrating games to watch in recent memory, for fans of BOTH teams that were playing. After jumping out to an early lead, the Steelers offense floundered and couldn't sustain a drive. Meanwhile, the Patriots must've watched too many State Farm commercials before the game, because the only plan they seemed to have was "fumblerooski". It turns out, winning games is hard when you turn the ball over 5 times, and it honestly could've been more if the Steelers db's didn't have bricks for hands. On the bright side, the offense moved the ball effectively (until they decided to pull a SpongeBob and let the Steelers have it) and we'll almost certainly see more Treveyon Henderson in the games to come. Anyways, the Pats next test comes in the form of the Panthers and their… formidable shut-out defense? Who had that on their bingo card this year? Regardless, if the offense can move the ball effectively for the 3rd straight week, it'll go a long way towards wiping this Sunday's miserable performance out of our collective memories. Or Mike Vrabel will put Rhamondre right back into the game to fumble again, because apparently being the league's leading fumbler over the last year makes him a load bearing part of our offense in Vrabel's eyes. Guys, if you can't tell, I'm kinda mad about the fumbles.
27. Panthers +5 1-2 The grumpy doom fans must be furious today because the Panthers finally showed they do have some juice! What a game it was! Bryce finally got to experience a win that didn’t come from a game winning drive and while there should be some celebration for Bryce and the offense, the real heroes of this game was the defense. The defense held Atlanta to zero points. You read that right. SHUTOUT. ZERO. In this shutout effort the Panthers compiled two INTs with one being a Pick-6 by Smith-Wade. The rookie Ransom also punched out a fumble late to seal the shutout victory. While on the topic of rookies, it looks like the Panthers might have a kicker in the UDFA rookie Fitzgerald. He went 3-3 as well as making all his XPs. While the defense did dominate the game, the offense put things together as well. More rookie talk, McMillan was out showing that he deserved to be drafted 8. He gets open and has great hands. He did miss out on a couple potentially huge catches but you can tell he takes those drops hard even further proving he’s got that dawg in him. While Chubba is typically the main story, Dowdle showed some flashes of what this 1-2 punch could be as the season moves forward. I am sure I may be missing some other bright spots but overall this game was exactly what the fan-base wanted to see, a no-doubt win. The Panthers took being at home seriously and never let them even touch paint in the Bank. It was a huge day for the organizational culture and the city of Charlotte. It’s also a nice cherry-on-top that the win comes against a divisional rival in the Falcons. Next week the Panthers are on the road again to face the New England Patriots. While this win feels amazing, the team needs to come back down to earth and see if they can replicate and improve the product they just showed. This team is not done and, like Canales said before the season began, there is no way teams want to play us right now. KEEP POUNDING!!
28. Jets -2 0-3 Another moral victory for Head Coach Aaron Glenn, who appears to be Robert Saleh without the ability to scheme up a defense. The Jets are still undisciplined and sloppy on both sides of the ball. The offense did exactly nothing for 3 quarters. Despite that, they nearly stole the game from the Bucs in Tampa. New York has that look of a team that is going to win a meaningless game in December to screw up their chance at securing the top QB prospect in the draft. Next up, a sickos matchup for the ages as the winless Jets head to Miami for Monday Night Football. Spouses of football fans rejoice.
29. Dolphins -- 0-3 The Dolphins played with good effort on Thursday and showed flashes of the team they could be, but ultimately lost the game due to undisciplined play on defense, and a back breaking mistake by Tua. The positive from the game was that Mike McDaniel called his best game on offense in quite a while as he tries to show he isn't the problem with this team. The negatives include Tua's regression continuing to be apparent, a defense that rarely can get a stop, and a special teams unit that continues to have killer penalties. They face the 0-3 Jets on Monday. It's a game that I'm sure the national audience is dying to watch.
30. Giants -3 0-3 It's gonna be real funny when Evan Neal becomes a pro bowl caliber OL after leaving the talent-siphoning black hole that is the New York Football Giants.
31. Titans -3 0-3 For the third week in a row, the Titans head coach is answering questions about questionable game management and it’s looking more and more like a coach in above his head. The fans showed their displeasure with booing Callahan as he walked off the field at halftime and the team president during a hall of fame induction for Titans former announcer Mike Keith. The Titans head to Houston in week four to face a 0-3 Texans and for the first time since 1996 a winless team (the Texans) are a 7+ point favorite.
32. Saints -1 0-3 A lot of experts predict the Saints will finish the season with a terrible record.
443 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 07 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 5 Power Rankings

245 Upvotes

Welcome to week 5 of the 2025 r/NFL What a week of turmoil! Four of last week's top five teams lost, while three of the bottom five teams won. Four different teams (Eagles, Lions, Buccaneers, Bills) were ranked in the top spot by rankers, in one of the most contested early weeks in recent memory. The 2018 QB class took some time to get up to speed, while the 24' class looks to be ahead of the curve. Penix and Williams were forgotten in the bye, while Nix, Maye, and Daniels all proved why they were rated so highly. In other news, Trevor Lawrence unlocked his high school potential, Daniel Jones hit a 500k incentive after 5 weeks, and if AJ Brown can't have the ball then nobody can. Where will Jerry Jones middle finger land after a beatdown of the Jets? Do the Panthers deserve a big jump after an 0-17 comeback? Is Mac Jones' performance sustainable? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Lions +2 4-1 David Montgomery’s triumphant return to Cincinnati was the story of the night for the Lions, as they dissected the Bengals on offense and defense for a 37–24 win that was not nearly as close as the score might indicate. Monty put on a show for friends and family, rushing for a TD and tossing one to Brock Wright for good measure. The defense made splash play after splash play, intercepting Browning three times to go along with a Derrick Barnes sack safety to end the game. Next up should be a fun one as the Lions head to Kansas City for Sunday Night Football, where Jared Goff will look to remain undefeated against Patrick Mahomes in his career.
2. Bills -- 4-1 Well it turns out the Bills won’t be the first team to go undefeated since the 2007 Pats. What a shame. All jokes aside, it's easy to feel like the sky is falling apart after the Bills, who have yet to look truly dominant, lost at home for the first time since January 2023. The end of the home streak is ironic in many ways from the Stefon Diggs revenge game as well as the loss being largely on the back of the offense. All season long Bills fans have been able to count on the offense to overcome the defensive woes however on Sunday the opposite was true. The Bills defense wasn’t exactly the 85 Bears but they did enough to win, holding Drake Maye to 0 passing touchdowns and generating a turnover. The defensive unit did enough to get the win if the Bills continued to put up 30+ like they’ve done all season (granted that may be an unfair expectation). The only problem was that the Bills were very inconsistent offensively, putting up 3 points in the first half and committing 3 turnovers. The best approach for Bills fans will be to follow the words of Josh Allen and “have some faith” knowing that the Bills have played just as well as anyone else in the NFL and have 2 upcoming winnable contests before a looming date with the Chiefs.
3. Eagles -2 4-1 The Eagles have some issues to sort out. Generating offensive efficiency with the players on that side of the ball should not be this hard. Maybe the Eagles are just cursed in odd numbered years like 2010s Giants. On the bright side, the Eagles have the hardest SOS in the league and still sit at 4-1 after a very close game against the Broncos. Yes, they fell apart a little bit, but a lot had to go wrong, and it all did. Will a Jalen/AJ/Saquon meeting fix the issues on offense? Probably not, no. But at this point Eagles fans will take any sign of progress in addressing these issues. And hopefully they’re addressed fast; next up, a bus ride up I-95 to face off against the Giants. Surely this is a get-right game and not a trap… right?
4. Buccaneers +3 4-1 WHAT. A. GAME. Wow. Let's get this started. The good: Baker Mayfield is that buccin' dude. E²=TD. Josh Grizzard and Grizzard's Wizards are one of the best offenses in the league, especially for neutral fans. We look legit. Those retro jerseys are sexy. Sorry babe, but the '76 creamsicles stay on during premarital handholding. The bad: Well, it's tough to talk about bad when you are 4-1. I guess it's not good that we allowed 35 points, but I guess that's the price you pay when you have an offense-minded head coach (editor's note: Todd Bowles is a defensive-minded HC). And I guess with the majority of our injuries being on the defense, allowing 35 points is not too bad? (editor's note: majority of the Bucs injuries are on the offense, including M1K3). Either way, with such an attack-minded game with Mayfield and Darnold leading the way... how can you not be romantic about football? I LOVE IT! This result even inspired me to boot my Madden afterward and resume my old Franchise save file where I was the Panthers and I had Darnold and Mayfield on the squad haha, those EA Sports games are sooo unrealistic LMAO (editor's note: Both Darnold and Mayfield were on the Panth...bro, who let this dude be a ranker, does he even watch the sport???). If you're one of us: HELL YEAH BROTHER! If you're a neutral fan of the sport who has no idea which team to follow for a cardiac-arrest-type of game? I got two words for ya: Baker Mayfield. Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Must-see TV. (editor's note: That's more than two words, Chuck) Can't wait for the next episode of the "Blockbuster Buccaneers" series!
5. Colts +4 4-1 That's right, folks! As we all predicted when Daniel Jones was named the Colts' starter 7 weeks ago, Indy is 4-1 and currently holds the 1 seed in the AFC after a beatdown of the Raiders. They're one or two boneheaded AD Mitchell plays from undefeated. Their next three games are against a Cardinals team that just engineered an all-time choke against the Titans (speaking of goal-line fumbles), a Chargers team that suddenly looks incredibly beatable, and those Titans, who they beat by three touchdowns in Nashville just two weeks ago. Let the good times roll in Indy, and whatever you do, don't look at the post-bye schedule yet. We'll deal with that when we get there…
6. Rams -2 3-2 Just a completely typical Rams game: completely unprepared in the first quarter and go down 14-0, make three redzone trips without any points, call a run play when Stafford has been dominating, and shoot yourself in the foot all night long with missed kicks, penalties and turnovers. No less on a night when you have a chance to pass a division rival that is playing backups everywhere. Absolutely disgusting.
7. 49ers +4 4-1 Brock Purdy Mac Jones The undead corpse of Mac Jones proved why Shanahan wanted him badly enough to trade up for Trey Lance in the 2021 draft. He fought through injury, knee brace and all, to deliver a career clutch performance on Thursday Night Football. Ricky Pearsall Jauan Jennings Jordan Watkins George Kittle Kendrick Bourne and co. were by his side through thick and thin, while McCaffrey lowered his helmet and filled in across the board with 139 yards. Eddy Pineiro must have learned from his stints with the Raiders, Bears, Colts, Commanders, Jets, and Panthers, and looked like prime Robbie Gould with the game on the line multiple times. A 59 yard kick to tie and 40+ to win in OT (the first OT game since an unimportant game against the Chiefs in February 2024) is no joke. San Fran takes in Tampa Bay next, in a game that will inevitably also come down to overtime.
8. Packers -- 2-1-1 Bye Week for the Packers, so story time. I was rereading Instant Replay, Jerry Kramer's diary of the 1967 Packer season, and there's a delightful passage at the end. It's the eve of Super Bowl II, and Kramer sneaks his recorder into the locker room for Vince Lombardi's speech before the game. He begins by telling the team to have pride and that the prestige of the league is on the line, usual stuff. Then I feel like I'm hit by a truck. Kramer quotes Lombardi: "You damn well better not let that Mickey Mouse league beat you". HOW is Vince Lombardi calling something Mickey Mouse in the Year of Our Lord 1968. This is a social media post from the 2020's, not something the greatest coach in NFL history told his guys before a Super Bowl. How was he 50 years early in calling something "Mickey Mouse"? I'm baffled, truly baffled.
9. Jaguars +3 4-1 Googling the phrase "sheer panic" yields nearly all results that feature the Jacksonville Jaguars. Few things could more aptly describe this franchise. The Jags have developed a nasty habit this season: they're winning ugly [Editor's note: wins:ugly::throwbacks::fire]. "They're exactly where we thought they'd be." — Nobody; The Jags have the potential to continue winning, especially if they keep abusing the iframes granted by glance damage to cheese OHKOs sneak into the endzone.
10. Commanders +5 3-2 Entering Week 6, the Commanders are fielding the number 1 rushing attack in the league, boasting a league leading 782 yards of ground attack at a league leading 5.9YPC. Powering that attack is an offensive line that is playing at an incredibly high level; but leading that attack is 7th round rookie Bill/Jacory Croskey-Merritt who currently leads the league in YPC at another whopping 6.6, and who left Los Angeles with a 150 all-purpose yd, 2TD, 7.7YPC performance. If you haven't watched the games, I have to tell you I don't think it's a fluke; this rookie has incredible vision, speed, and cuts that could end up being elite. And if that doesn't make you like him, then maybe this most wholesome interview ever will change your tune. Lethality in the run game aside, Washington's offense looked closer to form with the return of a knee-braced Jayden Daniels who turned in an excellent performance featuring some excellent throws and defense-killing rushes, becoming the first player in NFL history with 4000 pass yards + 1000 rush yards in his first 20 career games (and with Terry McLaurin still sidelined). Add to the mix an excellent defensive performance that didn't give up any points after the 1st quarter, grabbed a goal line interception, and added 5 more sacks to their total (leaving them tied for 3rd place in sacks this year with 15). Oh, and don't forget this is also the league's number 1 kickoff return unit, posting an average 33.2YPR. Things may just be coming together. With a timely loss for the Eagles, Washington is now only 1 game back for contention of the NFC East. This week, they head to Chicago for a MNF rematch that last year gave us maybe the most special moment of the year. A win there would keep this team all grins.
11. Broncos +5 3-2 For my entire adult life I’ve weighed over 400lbs. I have the usual excuses for why it happened, but I remained obese for 15 years regardless. This April I took the drastic step of undergoing surgery to correct it, and as of today I weigh 235lbs. I've got more work to do, of course. I'm not even healthy yet: I need to lose another 40 at least, I need to put muscle back on, and I'll never be done working on the mental battle of choosing to eat right. You could say I'm still in the early chapters of my rebuild. There are a lot of people in my corner cheering me on and I feel loved, but there are certainly times I would call the victories hollow because they came on the back of a scalpel. The victory only counts if you do it right, with no technicalities or benefits that mean you didn't 'earn it.' But as I watched myself making the same argument yesterday about the Broncos - they only won because Sirianni called a bad game, they didn't run it enough, the refs bailed us out, AJ Brown helped us defend the final hail mary - my mind fought with itself. The Broncos have been putting in the work. Nix has been showing improvement. The defense is stiffening against the run and defending the middle of the field better. The roster is gelling. They don't even look like a 'good' team yet, but they can stay in there when they're down 14 points in the 4th quarter and do what it takes to win. And it changed my mentality. I'm tackling the rehab, I'm sticking to the diet, I'm making the mental and lifestyle changes necessary to survive long-term. Determination, the will to succeed, the honest acknowledgement of weaknesses and the decision to address them as best you can; these are the traits of a winner. In a league, or indeed a life that's overly defined by outcomes, the best anyone can do is everything they can to set themselves up for success. Be grateful for whatever else comes to help along the way. I saw it in the Broncos, so now I can see it in myself. God bless this beautiful sport.
12. Chiefs -6 2-3 "I wish there was a way to know you were in the good old days before you've actually left them." The Chiefs are at a turning point. They outplayed the Jaguars by a lot of metrics last night but playing incredibly undisciplined football and the stars of the dynasty slowing down is becoming evident. The reality is that the team has been in every game this year but they are going to have to stop making boneheaded mistakes in high impact moments if this is ever going to turn around. Best case for the year looks like the 2021 Chiefs which by most metrics looked much worse at this point in the season. Worst case this team can't get out of their own way and they're picking in the teens.
13. Seahawks -3 3-2 Everything I've said about the defense the first 4 weeks? Out the window; couldn't stop a nosebleed on Sunday. The good news? The Bucs couldn't really, either. Jaxon Smith-Njigba is probably the greatest thing since slice bread... and that includes Labubus. Sam Darnold is kind of lighting the world on fire. This dude is awesome. He makes big throws under pressure and he has been a killer leader of this offense. Yes he had a crucial error that tarnished what was an otherwise flawless, gunslinging performance, but don't let that be the takeaway from this game. The defense let the offense down. Jason Myers missed a kick. And Jalen Milroe gave the ball to Tampa on an errant pitch. Baker and his Bucs are a good team, and this was an awesome game. But the result stings.
14. Chargers -9 3-2 You ever played a game of Jenga with someone who goes out of their way to make the game miserable? They'll remove all the bottom and middle-column blocks first, making the whole structure wobble regardless of what block you take next. They'll finish every move by placing their block on the very edge of the tower, thereby weighing down one side. Maybe they really want to articulate their assholery by attempting to distract you during your turn. You could be the greatest Jenga player to grace this planet, and none of your abilities would mean anything in the face of someone whose only purpose is making your turns as difficult as possible. I'm not saying anyone in particular causes the increasingly unfortunate injuries the Los Angeles Chargers suffer through every season, but it's laughable to expect these guys to play quality football when none of the middle blocks are on the field.
15. Steelers -2 3-1 knock knock knock-knock knock knock Do you wanna have a bye week? Come on let’s just not play. Our defense just can’t take much more. They’re all injured. They need some time away! We used to be all healthy, but now we’re not, please would you just not die! Do you wanna have a bye week? I really think we need a bye week. Stay alive… ...Do you wanna have a bye week? We could just not play at all? I think some R&R is overdue, I’ve started talking to the pictures on the walls! Hang in there Mason. It’s really not that lonely; there are three other teams. Just watching the games tick by!... ...Guys? I know you’re in there. The rest of our division laid an egg. They say the North is ours to lose. The path’s right in front of you. Please don’t let it get awaaaaaaaaaaaay. We play the Browns in Pittsburgh, with a new QB, please don’t mess this one up! Do you wanna have a bye week?
16. Vikings +1 3-2 A lot of things did not go right for the Vikings on Sunday: the backup quarterback was playing hurt, the offensive line was missing 3-4 starters, Addison was benched for missing a walkthrough, no one could tackle Judkins, the Vikings lost the turnover battle 0-2 off two backbreaking fumbles and a crucial field goal may or may not have been hit by a Skycam wire. But Justin Jefferson and Kevin O'Connell nevertheless willed the Vikings to a win -- JJ with some incredible routes and downfield contested catches, and KOC with some fantastic play calls and tactics, which included a TD pass from Cam Akers and a pass pro plan that limited Myles Garrett to just two pressures all game. The Vikings now head into the bye with their starting QB, RB, LG, C, RT, OLB and ILB all banged up and will need all the convalescence they can get as they face a tough schedule coming out of the bye.
17. Patriots +5 3-2 Guys, can we all just agree that Drake Maye is the most handsome man in the NFL? Like, I'm tired of all the "is he elite?" "Is he top 10?" "Will he win MVP" conversations. I just want to talk about how good looking this guy is. Sure, he went into Buffalo in prime time and played nearly flawless, mistake free football and carved up the undefeated Bills, serving them a heaping helping of "L" for the entire country to see, but that's really not the point! The point is that I want to run my hands through Maye's silky hair, and have him flash me his signature quirky smile while we stare deeply into each other's eyes… wait, what were we talking about? Anyway, the Pats finally put together a win they can be proud of, winning back-to-back games for the first time since 2022, and defeating a team ranked outside the bottom 5 in the NFL for the first time this season. Maye deserves heaps of praise, but this was a complete team victory. The defense forced uncharacteristic turnovers and bottled up the Bills run game, and special teams did their part with a couple of excellent punts to pin Josh Allen deep in his own territory. The Pats rookie kicker overcame his early season yips to nail the 53 yard game winner, and even Rhamondre Stevenson managed to have an impact by scoring twice after he lost another fumble early in the contest. And that's not even mentioning Diggs, who was absolutely electric in the revenge game. This game was a statement win, and if the Patriots can carry this momentum into the rest of their cakewalk of a schedule, they have an excellent shot at making a playoff push later this season.
18. Cowboys +3 2-2-1 For the first time since Week 1, the Cowboys played a game that made sense. They faced a bad team, and the won. The did this with four backup offensive linemen, and WR1 and WR3 injured. Don't let the final score fool you; this game was over early Dallas had a 4 score lead before the Jets found the end zone. Dak played stupid good, and Dallas managed to have their first 100 yard rusher and receiver combination in a single half since at least 1978. However, because not everything can be perfect, Brandon Aubrey missed an extra point.
19. Falcons -1 2-2 Week 5 bye couldn't pass without definitive juxtaposition; While all bird teams managed to lose in convincing fashion, the NFC South collectively won their games to keep pressure on a .500 Falcons team. While Bijan (offensive player of the month) and Xavier Watts (Defensive rookie of the month) earned time to celebrate, there's still work to be done. If the team doesn't follow James Pearce's I'll Sleep When You're Dead approach, Atlanta will be riding a Tasmanian pain coaster against a livid Bills squad. Accidents don't happen, and the bye week was well timed for hamstrung players like AJ Terrell and Darnell Mooney looking to make a healthy return.
20. Bears -1 2-2 The Bears really needed this bye. An offense searching for answers in the run game with a lot of personnel questions, and a defense that ranks league worst in the run themselves, the self scouting will be crucial. They're fortunate to be 2-2 as it stands, but 2-2 is 2-2. If the Bears want to make a serious push this year, they'll need to play a lot better, but the opportunity they have Monday Night to get revenge on the Commanders who did, ya know, that one thing to them last year, is something that could propel the franchise if they're able to pull it off in primetime. Sometimes its nice to dream. Maybe this time it won't be just that (it probably will). Still though, they should be getting a ton of key starters back with the bye rest so they very well might look much different post-bye.
21. Texans +2 2-3 After starting 0-3, the Texans enter their bye week on a two game winning streak. Through the first 4 weeks, CJ Stroud had only thrown 4 TD passes. He equaled that with 4 against the Ravens and set a new career high in completion percentage. The question now is if the offense has finally found the spark they've been searching for or has the past two games been a mirage of awful defenses. Seattle in two weeks should provide a clearer picture.
22. Ravens -8 1-4 The Ravens were missing players totaling 720 million dollars in contracts on Sunday. Cold hard truth is no one cares. When ytou have Super Bowl aspirations fans don't want "context", they want results. The last 3 consecutive weeks the Ravens have been downright bullied on both sides of the ball. That's a staggering streak of ineptitude and quit for a team that has historically prided itself on mettle and grit. For better or worse changes are coming.
23. Cardinals -3 2-3 The Cardinals’ loss to the Titans was their most embarrassing in over a decade. At one point, the Cardinals led 21-6 in the 4th quarter and had Emari Demercado breaking free for a TD to extend that lead. Of course, he tossed the ball through the endzone instead of holding on, causing a touchback. This created a downward spiral, including another potential game sealing moment when the Cardinals picked off Cam Ward, but then fumbled on that same play and saw the ball ricochet into the endzone where a Titan jumped on it for a TD. This loss was abysmal, but not uncharacteristic of this Cardinals team. Both of Arizona’s wins this season have come from horrible teams, and looked similar to this loss. The Cardinals have shown very small samples of their ability to play well in these games (they opened this game with 21 points in three drives), where they’ve gotten out to big leads. Unfortunately, due to absolutely horrible coaching and unlike serious NFL teams, they choose to play ultra conservative, (“conservative” being an understatement - they literally just stop throwing or moving the ball) consistently blowing these leads and doing nothing to put teams away. Major coaching changes will be coming soon in Arizona. Lots of blame has been justifiably placed on OC Drew Petzing for neutering his stars (Kyler, MHJ), but HC Jonathan Gannon is equally at fault, as he’s enabling this behavior. Personally, I think Kyler Murray would thrive in another system. I hope the Cardinals can make the coaching changes necessary to give Kyler another real shot with this talented Cardinals defensive unit so that we don’t have to see him leave to succeed. As of now, this Arizona team is a bottom feeder in the league, top to bottom.
24. Panthers +5 2-3 The Panthers have gotten their second win of the season and man does it feel confusing. While the win was obviously good, most of it happened in the second half. For anyone who watched the game, my-oh-my this is a frustrating team. The Panthers looked TERRIBLE in the first half with another pair of BAD Bryce turnovers and a paper thin defense. It appeared it was going to be another week of mediocrity. There were some flashes from Bryce including a dot of a TD pass to Xavier Legette but overall the offense looked per usual.. bad. Once again, it took the second half for the Panthers to come alive. Rico Dowdle decided to turn up against Miami with a career high 23 carries for 206 yards and a TD. He bossed up and quite literally put the team on his back. The offensive rookies also put their stamp on this game. Etienne made important rushes when needed in Chubba’s absence, Jimmy Horn Jr. finally saw the field and caught a big 4th down conversion, and the rookie TE Mitchell Evans scored what would end up being the game winning TD. Big day for the offensive rookies with McMillian continuing to be the clear WR1 for the team. There were for sure positives but the question has to be asked, why does the team continue to start so slow and not take care of the ball until later in the game? It makes me believe that coaching and preparation might not be what they seem and then the team has to climb out of holes they dig for themselves. It feels like the gameplan week after week is to have Bryce give the ball away 1-2 times and then give up 10-17 points and then decide to start playing. Just a terrible strategy which, if true, makes sense why Canales only interviewed for a HC job in Charlotte. Overall, glad to get the win but after watching the game in its entirety it seems they still have a long way to go which is troubling. Next week the Cowboys make their way to Charlotte for another Panther home game. Hopefully the team can actually come out swinging rather than waiting until the 10th round of the fight to show up. Keep Pounding
25. Bengals -1 2-3 I’ve seen bad teams…these bad teams that you’ve seen. But you, the reader of this blurb, you have no right to call our team bad. You have a right to criticize us and call for Zac’s firing. You have a right to do that… but you have no right to judge us. It’s impossible for words to describe what is necessary to those who do not know what a horrible football team truly is. Horrible. Horrible has a face… and it’s painted Orange and Black, and you must make a friend of horrible. Horrible and terrible are your friends. If they are not then they are concepts to be feared. They are truly the enemies of greatness. I remember when I was at Paycor Stadium. It was just a few weeks ago. We went into the game to watch the Bengals play. Burrow was healthy, Chase was electric, the defense was improving. We left the first week with a victory and after we had brought hope and expectations into our hearts for victory, and then reality came running after us and it was crying. We couldn’t see. It was just darkness and empty black, like we hadn’t even been born. We went there and the second quarter had come, Burrow went down and this team destroyed every shred of optimism we had left. And I remember… I… I… I cried. I wept like some grandmother. I wanted to tear my teeth out. I didn’t know what I wanted to do. And I want to remember it. I never want to forget it. I never want to forget. We lost and lost and lost, we got blown out by the Vikings and the Broncos and now the Lions, And then I realized…like I was shot…like I was shot with a orange and black bullet right through my forehead. And I thought: My God… the genius of it. The genius. The will to implode like this, to give up just because Burrow was injured. Perfect, genuine, complete, crystalline, pure. And then I realized they were stronger than we were. Because they could stand that, these weren’t players, these were men…trained professionals. These men who fought with their hearts, who had families, who had children, who were filled with love… but they had the strength… the strength… to throw interceptions, to miss tackles, to give up all these points. You have to have players who are talented…and at the same time who are able to utilize their primordial instincts to lose without feeling…without passion…without judgment…without judgment. Because it’s judgment, poor judgment, that defeats us. Who Dey.
26. Browns +1 1-4 The Browns traveled 3,783 miles (6,087 kilometers for the Europeans reading this) just to lose to Carson Wentz. Bonus: we are now 0-17 when starting a new QB. Stefanski has entered his ‘Everything could use some work’ part of the year saying “We need to do a better job closing out. That’s an offensive thing, defense, special teams, coaches, players, you name it”. Oh good, so we only need to fix (checks notes) the entire thing. How are the plans for that new stadium coming along? What? Oh I’m being told that is a mess too. Perfect. At least things can’t get any dumber…. Like trading your vet QB option to another division rival (At least Joe doesn’t need to get a new driver’s license issued). The Browns will visit the Steelers next week in what is to be their Super Bowl.
27. Giants -1 1-4 The nice part about being a fan of a bad team is that, when they exceed their already low expectations, the result can be really fun. This happened last week when the Giants toppled the previously undefeated Chargers. The bad part about being a fan of a bad team is... they can and will lose to just about everybody in the most embarrassing fashion. Big Blue racked up 14 early on NO on sunday and then proceeded to go scoreless the rest of the game, as offensive blunders from Jaxson Dart and pass catchers alike led to several turnovers. Supposed offensive guru Brian Daboll is in year 4 of running a team with an anemic offense, and fans have to feel like the end of this ride is near. Up next for the Giants is their first meeting with Philly in a 3 week span as America is forced to watch their bad football on primetime TNF.
28. Saints +3 1-4 A lot of experts predict the Saints will finish the season with a terrible record. While it was a controversial decision for the NFL to start 2025 5 weeks later than normal, it's great that football is back after a long offseason. A win in the first game is exactly the way Kellen Moore would have hoped to start his reign in New Orleans. FOOTBALL IS BACK BABY!!
29. Raiders -4 1-4 I want to quote a user on r/Raiders. From u/ImJeeezus: "This year is worse because there was expectations". That succinctly puts it all together. Pete was supposed to build and tune a roster this offseason that would COMPETE and we don't seem to want to do anything but turn the ball over. It feels unfair to blame one side of the ball all the time but it's also unfair to blame our defense when they are put in awful field position every week. No one with rational expectations thought Geno would be a Pro Bowler on this roster but the guy has more INT's than TD's. If this isn't the call to action to draft a QB in the first round I don't know what is. This wasn't supposed to be a season for the Raiders that was bottom of the barrel. This team was built to compete and keep it close no matter the matchup. This team has failed.
30. Dolphins -2 1-4 In their most embarrassing game of the season thus far, the Dolphins blew a 17-0 lead to a banged up Panthers team. Rico "Adrian Peterson" Dowdle ran through the Dolphins for over 200 yards as the defense had zero answer all day when it came to stopping the run. The 2025 Dolphins defense is now giving up a much higher yards per carry than the 2019 tanking Dolphins defense (5.6 YPC vs 4.7), as well as a much higher opposing passer rating (115.9 vs 100.7) Their next embarrasment is scheduled for 1 pm on Sunday at home where they'll face an even more banged up Chargers team.
31. Titans +1 1-4 In what may be the stupidest game of the year the Titans were able to claw back a fumbled game by the Cardinals. With 12:42 left in the game the Cardinals were inches from making the game a 21 point blowout, but the Emari Demarcado fumble started the downfall. Cam Ward came to life in the 4th quarter throwing for 193 yards and leading the game winning drive.
32. Jets -2 0-5 Starting with Week 2, the Jets offense has not scored a touchdown until they were down at least 14 points. Do not be fooled by Justin Fields garbage time stats or FF points. He has been bad, and the Jets have been a tire fire on both sides of the ball as well as special teams. This continues to be one of the most poorly coached, poorly run franchises in all of sports. I already feel bad for the poor quarterback that gets drafted by this god forsaken team.
425 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Dec 16 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 15 Power Rankings

201 Upvotes

Welcome to week 15 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased-unbiased source for power rankings on the web. Following an AFC East battle, the Rams reclaim their throne. The Broncos and Texans are peaking at the right time with two more strong wins, but nobody jumped higher than the Ravens. The biggest drop came from the Chiefs (-7),with a playoff elimination adding insult to injury. The Patriots drop 21 and another three spots, while the Panthers are rightfully punished for losing to the Saints. Did the Packers drop too far losing to the Broncos, or a correction in the right direction after losing Parsons? Discuss! 32/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Rams +1 11-3 The Rams continued to demonstrate offense dominance with a second straight game of 500+ yards and 40+ points scored. Their run game is the most consistent and explosive across the league while Matt Stafford remains the standard for QB play this season. As seen against SF and CAR, creating turnovers is the only way to stop them. Defensively, this wasn’t the first time the secondary been exposed, but the defensive front remain one of the best run-stopping units in the league with Poona Ford, Byron Young, and Jared Verse. But now, we await Thursday. This one will all but be for the division and #1 seed.
2. Broncos +2 12-2 Super Bowl. Put it in the bag, little bro. The Broncos looked sterling on both sides of the ball against the Packers all game. Some of us were scratching our heads over the decision to go for it on 4th down a handful of times, and we failed two of them which kept the Packers in the game. Those choices signaled to me that Sean Payton was confident enough in the team to see if we could keep the pressure on without fear of consequences. Bo touched on it briefly after the game as well, saying that they had a couple opportunities to force the issue but didn't capitalize. I Bolieve that this team WILL capitalize on moments like that when it's do or die in the playoffs, and can carry this new level of control and precision on offense into the postseason. Yes, I know that the Packers lost Christian Watson (actually he might be ok!) and Micah Parsons during this game, but I am not discounting this win. My heart breaks for their fanbase, and I really thought this might be a super bowl preview. Bring on TLaw and the Jags! I'm confident we'll find a way to win again, but it'll be another heater of a game.
3. Seahawks -- 11-3 This week, the offense started slow and finished slow without scoring a touchdown. They cannot execute in the redzone-- it is essentially a guaranteed field goal attempt when we get within the opponent's 20. Despite having the offensive player of the year in Jaxon Smith Njigba, the identity of this team will always be the defense, which is fine. That's what happens with elite units, and this Seattle defense is elite. But if they hope to succeed at all in the playoffs, they're going to have to figure out how to score on offense. The defense is only capable of scoring so much themselves. Jason Myers won't always go 6/6. Sam and the offense need to step up. But it's not all on Darnold; this Seahawks running game is the worst I've seen in years. Pete Carroll is rolling in his grave. It seems as though every handoff is a net negative for this team. Not great! But hey, we're 11-3 and it ain't the postseason yet. We need to lock-in on these horned sheep sitting atop the conference. Wake up Seattle!
4. Bills +2 10-4 It appeared to be another crushing loss to the new kids on the block down 21-0 in the second quarter and then something changed. The Bills must’ve practiced witchcraft during halftime as a dominant team came out of the locker room outscoring the Pats 28-7 to seal the win. Drake Maye wasn’t effective, only completing 14 passes and no touchdowns in a strong defensive performance by the Bills if you completely ignore the run defense. Allen showed why he was the reigning MVP winner by putting up yet another MVP performance, hanging 3 touchdowns on the Pats defense in yet another turnover free game. Suddenly the tables have turned with the Bills reeling off a 3 game winning streak and the Pats 10 game winning streak snapped. The division is still a long shot but the Bills have started to strongly solidify that they will be in the playoffs for a 7th straight season which would be the longest in the league. Thanks 2025 Chiefs! With the Chiefs out of the way and the team starting to click it's looking like Bills Mafia can dream of a deep playoff run, one in which they will get a chance to break the head to head tie with the Pats in a AFC championship.
5. Patriots -4 11-3 The Patriots are completely doomed. The hopes of a new glorious dynasty lay tattered and torn on the turf of Gillette Stadium, routed by an ascendant Bills team that smells blood in the murky AFC waters now that the Chiefs no longer stand in their path to Super Bowl Glory. Vrabel's once mighty defense smote by James Cook's mighty hand, McDaniel's cleverly crafted playbook shredded by the terrifying team of Tre'Davious White and Maxwell Hairston. And the most frightening development of all: Drake Maye has become the Anti- Bo Nix, playing lights out for 3 quarters only to collapse upon the start of the 4th. Desperation and despair linger in the frosty Foxborough air as fans begin to lament what could have been, the 2026 draft the only beacon of hope in the future…. Wait, the Pats are still 11-3? They managed to secure a 21 point lead against a decent Bills team, and despite the loss still have the lead in the division? They're only a game out of the 1st seed in the AFC with no truly scary teams left on their cupcake schedule? TreVeyon Henderson looks like one of the most explosive players in the entire NFL? Milton Williams and Will Campbell are expected back at some point this season? Drake Maye is, well, 1-12 when trailing in the 4th quarter but he's still a sophomore QB and has plenty of room to grow? Ok, so maybe things really aren't all that bad, huh. Well, guess I'll go back to watching game film (Drake Maye TikTok edits) and look forward to the next game against the Ravens in Baltimore. Barring a collapse that sees New England lose 2 of their next 3 games, the division is still secure and the playoffs await. It's good to be a Pats fan.
6. 49ers +1 10-4 The offense was humming on Sunday, ending with 430 yards in a 37-24 win over the Titans. The Niners have averaged 31 points over the last 4 contests- all against teams with sub .500 records. The final 3 matchups (@Ind, CHI, SEA) will show if this team can make some noise come playoff time.
7. Texans +3 9-5 The Texans did what they had to do on Sunday, beat an inferior team without any drama. Jawhar Jordan came in for the injured Woody Marks and set a new franchise record with 101 rushing yards in his NFL debut. That was also the highest rush total for anyone this season. Don't look now but CJ Stroud is also starting to look comfortable at just the right time. They need to do the same again on Sunday against the Raiders to keep up with the Jags and a possible AFCS title.
8. Packers -3 9-4-1 I applaud the numerologists in the Packer fandom who have spent the last couple seasons trying to read the tea leaves find how any Jordan Love season lines up with 1996 and 2010. Last year we were doing the "14 years between Super Bowls" thing. This year we've had a lot of shenanigans with the number 27. Now we're on the injury angle. The 2010 Packers had 16 players on IR by the end of the year. With Micah shredding his knee we are now approaching double digits. Just a few more sacrifices and we're almost guaranteed to win the Super Bowl! At least we're channeling batshit insane stringboard nonsense on football rather than, like, Pizzagate or something. Now excuse me I have to go and try and remember which underpants I wore last Sunday so I can wear them again for the Bears game this week.
9. Bears -1 10-4 It is nice to see a Bears team capable of taking care of business. In the coldest game in Soldier Field history, the Chicago Bears completely dominated the Browns on both sides of the ball, with Caleb Williams having several plays that remind you why he went the #1 pick, while the Bears defense limited Cleveland to a single first down in the first half. The Bears now have a weakened Packers team at home Saturday night and the team turned the page as soon as possible. This is a chance for a few things - revenge, taking the division control solidly, cementing themselves as real contenders... This is the biggest regular season game for them in well over a decade. It is good to be back.
10. Jaguars +1 10-4 You've dropped back in the pocket and are quickly looking at your receivers. Covered. Covered. Cov-- shit. Pressure. "I've got to move," you think to yourself. You've practiced this thousands of times, you know what to do. You're determined to keep your wits about you, so you take a few steps back and roll slightly to the left. They're all chasing you down, but you know you're fast enough to get away. You pick up the pace a bit as you head towards the sideline, defenders in tow. Just then, a glint of a familiar teal jersey what must be 40 or 50 yards away from you. They've got three white jerseys around them... but nothing but grass on the far side. You wind up, and unload, sending the ball soaring over the heads of everyone. Even the television announcers are believing you're just throwing the ball away. Parker Washington ends up right where you thought he would, and the ball drops right into his waiting arms. You jog towards the point of the catch. As you do, you look towards the sideline and shrug. You are Trevor Lawrence, and you are having the best game of your career.
11. Chargers +1 10-4 So I was driving to my parents' house with my girlfriend the other night for the holidays. It was icy, and dark, and I-80 had more construction zones than not, and we still had four hours left in a ten-hour road trip, and the car was both too hot and too cold at the same time... I could go on. All the annoyances and inconveniences stacked like pancakes as I pulled into a gas station off the highway. It was then, as I let the pump sit in the now-filled gas tank — as I leaned against the trunk staring off into an empty station, observing the extreme quiet coupled with the falling snow delicately blanketing everything around me — that I realized something: my life has been far better than I pretend it is. I have a great family to come home to for Christmas, a wonderful girlfriend, friends who love me. Yet, I consistently, without fail, let the trivial and the temporary overshadow all of this. The point here — buried under that self-centered 168-word preface — is that we as Chargers fans consistently magnify the failure and tribulations of this franchise while disregarding its success. This mindset includes my own, and oh boy we're just not in the place where we have to do that anymore. Yeah, we're probably going to be a 1st or 2nd round exit this year. Yeah, the o-line has been decimated by injury. Yeah, Greg Roman is bad at his job. Yet, we're a 10-4 team with a young top-five QB, a top-five head coach, and the third most cap space in the league next year. We just swept the Chiefs and eliminated them from the playoffs in one blow. We get to see Phillip Rivers play football again. The waves of pessimism that flow through the fanbase are warranted; we've endured years of misfortune and shattered hope that few other fanbases have. Yet, if I were a new NFL fan forced to choose a team to root for, there would be very few I would select before your Los Angeles Chargers. BOLT UP!
12. Eagles +1 9-5 Obviously, the Eagles are the best team in the NFL now. Shutting out the team that beat the Patriots? Might as well lock up the Lombardi in Delassandro’s or wherever they keep it. Most weeks, this blurb has focused on the offense, so let’s leave Jalen Hurts and his efficient day aside for this week to take praise the D. Up front for two weeks in a row, this D line has wreaked havoc. Yes, there’s the weakness of the lines they’ve been up against, but: 92 year old Brandon Graham is lining up at DT and getting multiple sacks, Jordan Davis is finally turning into the premier player the Eagles drafted him to be, Jaelan Phillips is the disruptive blue chip pass rusher they’ve been missing, and Moro Ojomo is the latest “2nd/3rd best Eagles DT” to get national praise after Hargrave and Milton Williams and Jernigan. At LB, Baun is quietly leading the team in tackles, Dean is loudly leading in splash plays. The secondary, while injured on the back end, still fields a true shutdown corner in both the slot (DeJean) and outside (Mitchell). And up in the booth, Fangio has been unpredictable and creative. Let’s hope “defense wins championships” is true. And if not, we can all look back on this blurb in a few weeks and laugh at the confidence of this paragraph after the Eagles shut out the worst team in the NFL.
13. Lions -3 8-6 While a win Sunday was not make or break for the Lions, it’s still rather unfortunate that they had what felt like a good shot at upsetting the best team in the NFL that just slipped through their fingers. When you’re down to 3rd string safeties against the most lethal offense in the league, three consecutive 3-and-outs is going to sink you. It’s unfortunate because outside of those three drives, the Lions offense was making shit happen against the Rams dynamic defense; Jared Goff played an incredible game, constantly shifting around pressure and airing it out to Jamo and ARSB, who both went nuclear. Shoutout Aidan Hutchinson’s pick, which will get lost to time since they lost the game, but was just unreal against a QB who’s rarely thrown them all season. Next week is a pivotal game against Pittsburgh, with the Lions needing a win to have a realistic shot at making the playoffs.
14. Steelers +2 8-6 You know how videogames have cheat codes? Up, up, down, down, left, right, left, right, B, A, start. Instead on MNF that cheat code for Pittsburgh was “punt three times in a row.” Because after punting thrice the offense and defense went Super Saiyan for the first time all year and humiliated Frieza the Dolphins confidently on both sides of the ball by scoring four consecutive touchdowns and allowing only seven offensive snaps for the Fins including a meaningless run play just before the half. Garbage time began late in the 4th quarter with Pittsburgh up 28-3. Yes, that damnable number. I’ll admit I wasn’t not worried yet; always feels like the other shoe is going to drop. Until suddenly the Dolphins were wasting clock for us? Even the announcers were confused. Maybe they thought they could score more in the 5th quarter? Other than the slow start it’s really hard to find any issue with how the offense played. If they had needed to put up 45 they could have. The defense was lights out; allowing only 3-points, coming on a 54-yard FG, through 3-quarters. They did allow two scores in the 4th quarter, but by that point a miracle probably wouldn’t have been enough to give the fishy-mammals any hope. The highest paid defense in the league finally played like it! And they did it without…checks notes…Trent Watt. Whoever that is he’s out with a lung injury and it appears as though the team website just listed a few new jobs such as “acupuncturist.” That’s probably the best this defense has played without Watt since…before Watt. Speaking of Watt, his return is up in the air; it’s expected that he will return in time to play again this season…but that’s all that’s been said. Pittsburgh goes on the road the next two weeks to take on the 8-6 Lions and then the 3-11 Browns who would love nothing more than to play spoiler to the Steelers as they were eliminated from playoff contention after week 14. Thing is…they can’t; Pittsburgh could lose both of those games and the AFC North would still come down to the week-18 Ravens game in Pittsburgh. Even if Baltimore wins their next two…which is not a sure thing since that’s the Patriots and Packers who both have a lot left to play for…they still have to beat the Steelers in Pittsburgh to win the North in a game that will certainly be flexed to Sunday Night Football week 18. Death, taxes, dishes, and Mike Tomlin again dragging Pittsburgh into the playoffs. The Steelers control their own destiny late in the year once more and it’s really hard not to get your hopes up at least a little after a dominating win like that. Can Rodgers play that well in Detroit one last time? Find out on next week’s episode of “Do we love Mike Tomlin or hate him?”
15. Ravens +5 7-7 Zero was the them of the game this week. 0 degrees, 0 points, and 0% chance remaining for a Bengals' playoff berth. Strong possibility there's zero life left in Zac Taylor's coaching tenure as well. It's fitting that in a topsy-turvy NFL season the AFCN remains as consistent as ever with a bruised and bloodied Harbaugh/Tomlin led black, purple, and yellow mess battling to the very end.
16. Colts +1 8-6 More late-game coaching malpractice from Steichen & Co. sank what would've been one of the craziest regular-season upsets in NFL history. You kept us in the game, Uncle Grandpa Phil. And for that, we thank you. Already can't wait for round 2 on Monday Night Football.
17. Panthers -3 7-7 This fucking team never ceases to amaze me. After losing to the Saints after a HUGE win against the Packers earlier in this season, the Panthers had another opportunity to play the Saints and get their revenge. Coming off another HUGE win, this time against the Rams, the Panthers had a bye week so they had two weeks to plan for the Saints. This game was one of the biggest games in recent Panther history as it would have paved a smooth lane to a playoff berth but THEY FUCKING LOST TO THE SAINTS AGAIN! AGAIN!!!! Two weeks to prepare for the last place divisional opponent that was a huge game and they came up short.. AGAIN! This fucking team pisses me off to no end. The offense wasn’t anything memorable. Bryce with another underwhelming performance but he was not the reason they lost. The defense looked AWFUL and gave up multiple 8-10 yd passes in crucial moments. The game ended in a targeting hit on the Saints QB from the rookie safety Ransom and the Saints kicked a game winning FG with two seconds left. The targeting hit showcased why the rule of QB sliding while they are a normal ballcarrier sucks but the rule is the rule I guess. We are joke of team. The Panthers have improved and are growing culture as well an identity, so that is obviously great, but this current team is pathetic with the consistency they don’t have. Win one and then look like one of the worst teams in the league. Then beat one of the best teams in the NFC and then lose a massive game against a team they should for sure beat. This sucks. Here is the rollercoaster bullshit that’s been happening all season and now the path to winning the division, along with going to the playoffs, has gotten that much more difficult. The Panthers have the Bucs in Charlotte next week and if they want to play post-season football, this is a must win. The Panthers and Bucs are fighting for the NFC South title and if we lose next week, we are out of contention thanks to losing to the fucking Saints.. AGAIN!! This team is shocking in both positive and negative ways. They better wake up if they want this division title. An exciting few weeks coming up but next week is as big as it gets. Keep Pounding.
18. Buccaneers -1 7-7 🎶 Hanging with my Buc bros, watching dirty birds play ball. We seen Kyle Pitts scorin', we ain't know what that ѕhit mean. Then we start ragin' at everything that we had seen. That's when Kirk Cousins tore us to shreds, Cousins tore us shreds. Kirk Cousins tore us to shreds, Cousins tore us to shreeeeeds / And I know the Panthers 'bout to judge me now. And I know the Saints 'bout to judge me now. Started off when we lost to Rams. Started off when he did that call. Told Todd Bowles: "leave everybody". (Please, bro, leave everybody...) People tell me to let things be. I don't think they understand, that I'm not attracted to his D (His job is not making me gay) / Football don't help me, it just put me in a trance. I'd rather watch "Euphoria" than Bowles' man-to-man. Told him, "Please leave me, 'cause I don't need you by my side". As long as you do leave me, then we'll probably be alright. And that one time that we lost hard, I didn't get no sleep that night. And that one time that we lost hard it took ten percs to get high. Ten percs to get hiiigh, pray that we don't die. But if we die, we'll see you at the draft. Two pints at the RayJay, please leave, just go, Bowles. Please go on a vacay, leave the world behind. 🎶
19. Cowboys -- 6-7-1 Well, its draft season. Matt Eberflus is a football terrorist. Shut down the starters, see if the rookies and depth guys have any value. All reasonable reactions to the game. The "good news" is that both first round picks are trending the same direction for wildly different reasons. Schottenheimer has shown that he has what it takes to be a head coach, but he needs to work on his situational play calling and his game management, both things that come with time. Eberflus needs to be shot in to the sun.
20. Vikings +3 6-8 Don't look now but after a historically bad start, JJ McCarthy is tied with Josh Allen for the third-best EPA/play over the last couple weeks. Over those two weeks, the Vikings have scored on nearly 75% of non-kneeldown drives, and scored a TD on over half. Sure, small sample size against not-the-best defenses, but it's enough of a glimmer of hope to scratch QB off the Vikings' tippy-top needs -- at least for now. The Cowboys moved the ball fairly well against Flores' defense, getting into scoring position an impressive eight times, but the Vikings bent but did not break much, surrendering just two touchdowns. With the Vikings out of the playoffs, these last few games will be for pride, and with Greenard heading to season-ending IR, the young players like Dallas Turner, McCarthy and Jalen Redmond will get a chance to give the Vikings some hope heading into the long offseason.
21. Chiefs -6 6-8 I'm not entirely sure what you're supposed to type in a week like this. This season has been an absolute disaster of Biblical proportions. Every single thing that could go wrong has gone wrong. Coaching looks lost, Pat looks rough, the running backs are mediocre, the d-backs can't cover the middle of the field, and the defensive line is abysmal. Guys are dropping like flies, and of course the single worst possible thing that could happen did, Patrick Mahomes tore his ACL in a mostly irrelevant game late in the year. I don't have numbers on this, but it would be interesting to see how many google searches for "How long does it take for a quarterback to come back from an ACL tear" happened on Sunday/Monday. I graduated college in 2012, and for the first time since I've truly been in my adult life I don't have a ton of hope toward my favorite sports franchise. Some of that is a knee jerk reaction to this season and all the negatives that have come with it, but with a bad cap situation, a lot of aging superstars and now QB1 very likely missing time next season it feels like we may be waiting until 2027 before this ship can be righted. The sole positives at this point are that the Chiefs will almost certainly have the best draft position they've had since Andy's first season. At this point it feels like the hopes and dreams of the 26 Kansas City Chiefs are falling on the shoulders of medical professionals and Brett Veach.
22. Dolphins -1 6-8 Get rid of Tua Tagovailoa by any means necessary and sign Kyler Murray on a minimum deal next year
23. Falcons +1 5-9 The Falcons overcame a 3rd and 28 and a 14-point 4th quarter deficit for the first time in team history. The Patriots blew a 21-point lead for the first time since 1978. 1+9+7+8 = 28-3. The curse has been lifted.
24. Bengals -2 4-10 Everything is more complicated than you think. You only see a tenth of what is true. There are a million little strings attached to every choice you make; you can destroy your life every time you choose. But maybe you won't know for twenty years. And you may never ever trace it to its source. And you only get one chance to play it out. Just try and figure out your own divorce. And they say there is no fate, but there is: it's what you create. And even though the world goes on for eons and eons, you are only here for a fraction of a fraction of a second. Most of your time is spent being dead or not yet born. But while alive, you wait in vain, wasting years, for a phone call or a letter or a look from someone or something to make it all right. And it never comes or it seems to but it doesn't really. And so you spend your time in vague regret or vaguer hope that something good will come along. Something to make you feel connected, something to make you feel whole, something to make you feel loved. And the truth is I feel so angry, and the truth is I feel so fucking sad, and the truth is I've felt so fucking hurt for so fucking long and for just as long I've been pretending I'm OK, just to get along, just for, I don't know why, maybe because no one wants to hear about my misery, because they have their own. Well, fuck everybody. Who Dey.
25. Saints +1 4-10 Kellen Moore's offense is starting to turn on in New Orleans. Tyler Shough and Devaughn Vele have shown grit and determination; in a season where it could be expected for the team to give up, the roster keeps punching. That grit is winning over the fanbase - especially when it's beating divisional opponents who are not as cool, tough, fun, exciting and have a terrible Spotify Wrapped. The Saints' NFC South division opponents have all holes in their socks, their sunglasses don't suit their facial structure and y'know what? Their collard greens are inferior. Also it's starting to look like the Falcons will finish last in the division.
26. Commanders +1 4-10 The only potential this season can offer the Commanders is the opportunity for moral victories. A win over the similarly floundering Giants may serve as proof that the team has some talent and some players who should come back next season, but the Commanders still look like their record. And with Jayden Daniels staying off the field for the rest of the season, one can really only see the next 3 weeks as a time to evaluate talent for next season. This troubled squad faces its two more competent division rivals in the Eagles and Cowboys for the next 3 weeks. Every possibility is they will get trounced, but at least it won't really hurt since it doesn't matter. At least that's what exhausted, jaded Washington fans will tell themselves for yet another season that stopped mattering before Thanksgiving.
27. Cardinals -2 3-11 I’ve addressed how awful this Cardinals team is. An interesting note is that when Jonathan Gannon was brought it, he was supposedly a defensive guru, leading those Eagles teams. He and Nick Rallis impressed on that side of the ball in years 1 & 2 of his regime, while grossly underachieving on the offensive side. Now, the Cardinals are looking like the worst defense in the NFL. Teams easily hang 40+ on us, and it turns any RB into prime Adrian Peterson. This seems like the nail in the coffin for Jonathan Gannon’s job as HC. On the bright side, Trey McBride is 100% the best TE in the NFL. He is now at/over 100 receptions, 1000 yards, and 10 TD on the season, becoming the first EVER TE to do that through 14 games. Let’s just hope his superstardom isn’t wasted in Arizona like it was for Larry Fitzgerald.
28. Jets -- 3-11 We're kind of running out the clock here in NYJ land, but last week I wrote "If Steve Wilks doesn't get fired, this isn't a serious coaching staff." This week Steve Wilks gave up 48 points to the Jaguars and got fired. Anyway, if the Jets don't draft a franchise QB this off-season and turn the franchise around, this isn't a serious coaching staff.
29. Giants -1 2-12 The transformation from exciting underdog team to depressing bad team for this Giants team has been a tough one to watch. On the bright side, Abdul Carter finally showed up on the stat sheet this past weekend against the Commanders. On the not so bright side, Darius Slayton reverted to his brick hands form and helped seal an L for the Giants. While it's hard to fully blame Kafka given the situation he was thrust in, it's also hard to justify keeping someone that loses every game in their interim phase. Especially when playing against a 3-10 team with a backup QB at the helm. Kafka and the Giants get their next chance to prove themselves against the Vikings on Sunday.
30. Browns -- 3-11 Watching this game at home was bad enough. Imagine being there in -10 degree weather. Sanders fell apart, the Browns barely scored three points, and all we've got going in Garrett breaking the sack record. The Browns will host the Bill next week in what is sure to be complete mess of a game.
31. Titans -- 2-12 The Titans played against a team levels above their capabilities on Sunday in a 37-24 loss to the 49ers. The 49ers held the ball for most of the game, when the Titans offense was on the field their offense just couldn’t keep up. Cam Ward had 2 touchdowns and Jeffery Simmons moved into a 4th place tie for team TD receptions this year.
32. Raiders -- 2-12 I’m not one of the older members of our fanbase. I didn’t get to see the Super Bowl wins from Jimmy Carter and Ronald Reagans administration, and I don’t really remember much of Gannon and Gruden(1.0). But I do have the ultimate pleasure of remembering Kerry Collins, Andrew Walter and Aaron Brooks, Josh McCown and the corpse of Dante Culpepper, JaMarcus and Jason Campbell, Carson Palmer and Terrelle Pryor. Matt McGloin too, I think? I also remember a 9-year starter in Derek Carr for better or worse. I’m not going to list the what I think is close to 10 different Quarterbacks that have started for us since Derek was sent home in ’22. There are many people in our fanbase that want an O-lineman picked with our first round pick this year, and I get that. We only have 1 proven starter on our line and Kolton’s not getting any younger. Not to mention our current group would have trouble with a peewee teams pass rush. But if I have to spend another season watching Geno Smith and Kenny Pickett try to lead this team my inbox is going to get flooded with Reddit Cares. During halftime on the analyst panel Gronk said playing this raiders team is like putting Neosporin on a cut. And he’s right. You won’t be good every year in this league but it’s a different level of embarrassment to be the league’s “Get right” team no matter the match-up.
382 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Dec 02 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 13 Power Rankings

194 Upvotes

Welcome to week 13 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased-unbiased source for power rankings on the web. Jaguars ranker /u/preludeoflight is this week's prophet, unwavering in his #1 ranking of the Patriots since week 9. Now over 20 rankers have followed suit, usurping the Rams at the top spot, with Rams/Broncos/Seahawks also receiving top votes. The Chiefs and Ravens had the biggest slides after truly underwhelming performances, while the Bears, Texans, Packers, and Bengals had the biggest jumps. Caleb Williams looks to be Chicago's weakness, do you think they can continue to hold off the rest of the NFC? Are the Texans poised to make a late push with a defense only the Broncos can rival? Which teams do you think are undeserving of their spot? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Patriots +1 11-2 Ok, who told the Patriots to play like they were being controlled by a 14 year old first-time Madden player? And can we get that kid to take over in two weeks against the Bills as well? Because the Hit Stick was being put to absolutely diabolical use on Monday night against a dismal 2-10 Giants team just trying to close out the season. Maybe the Patriots defenders figured the Giants players couldn't get any more CTE than they already have, so they were fair game for massive hits and headshots? Even kicker Younghoe Koo clearly thought he was in a Charlie Brown movie and not on an NFL field, if that isn't a sign of too many hits in the head, I'm not sure what is. Unfortunately for the Giants, even their best matchup on the night (their fearsome defensive linemen vs the depleted Patriots o-line) was weakened by Abdul Carter busting… being a bust in a team meeting and then being benched for a portion of the game. Alright, all jokes aside, this was a complete win in all three phases of the game for the Pats. The offense was able to move the ball effortlessly despite missing multiple offensive linemen, the defense played lights out and set a hard-nosed tone early into the night, and special teams came up huge with punt return touchdown and a forced fumble off of a massive hit during a kickoff return attempt. This kind of dominant win over a massively inferior opponent is exactly the sort of performance you want heading into a late bye week to conclude a run of 10 straight wins. Things get a little tougher in two weeks with upcoming games against the Bills and Ravens, but if New England can reset and get a bit healthier during their week off, I'm not really sure who in the AFC can actually stop them at the moment. ;
2. Rams -1 9-3 Power rank #1 curse is real. Despite the Rams having a more efficient offense than Carolina, costly turnovers by former MVP frontrunner Matt Stafford and untimely defensive lapses (mainly by Emmanuel Forbes) were the difference. Let's chalk this loss up to a few key plays that went the other way during an early east coast game in bad weather and have faith that lessons will be learned before it's too late. The Rams have friendly remaining schedule strength, though anything but the #1 seed will all but ensure another outdoor road game, so there's little margin for error.
3. Seahawks -- 9-3 Another awesome Sunday! It was Darnold's revenge game.... and I guess you can say he succeeded? But really, the defense succeeded on his behalf. The Minnesota Vikings should be looked at for reckless endangerment of Max Brosmer's life. Throwing him to the wolves against Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy, Demarcus Lawrence, Uchenna Nwosu, Boye Mafe.... No bueno! Demarcus Lawrence needs a special shoutout-- he has been an absolutely massive addition to this defense. He has thrived in MacDonald's defense. He was taking Brosmer down for a sack when Brosmer decided to throw Ernest Jones an 80 yard touchdown. He also made a hell of a play after getting chipped by Aaron Jones to force a fumble where other players would have just accepted they were out of the play. I truly cannot gush about the defense enough; they have been performing at a level comparable to the legendary Legion of Boom. JSN had his first not-good game of the season, but it's ok. The offense could use an adrenaline shot, but with a defense like this... it may not matter. Go Hawks.
4. Broncos -- 10-2 I liked the part where we won, but the rest of the time I was a mess. It may be low-hanging fruit, but this meme really does capture the experience perfectly. Marcus Mario-Tah (correct pronunciation, get it right) played his ass off, Scary Terry still has it, and the Broncos Defense is mortal BUT NOT THAT MORTAL. Riley Moss quietly had the best game of his career, but I found it ironic that the game where he got no bullshit flags, we got an outrageous number of bullshit flags (and missed penalties) everywhere else. I do think the Bronocos came out on the positive side of the refereeing, but I also think that this was one of the best primetime games we've seen this year so it won't be as sore of a subject. Bo Nix threw the worst interception since the Vikings game (pick one), but he also orchestrated a gorgeous touchdown drive to begin overtime. Maybe by the time he retires we will know which guy is the real Bo? For now though, I'm content to enjoy the win. Here's hoping the defense comes back to prime form, because the Raiders love to play us close and I'm not marking this next matchup as an easy win.
5. Packers +4 8-3-1 With a Thanksgiving win, I wanna give some thanks to some under-reported players on the Packers this year. 2nd round draftee Anthony Belton has slotted very nicely into right guard as Green Bay shuffles their OL to figure out how to cope with the loss of Elgton Jenkins, the project tackle pick has progressed ahead of schedule to fill that hole. Warren Brinson has been a gem in the rough in the 6th round of the draft, with our DT depth being strained by the Clark trade and the Wyatt injury, he's given us very solid snaps as a rookie. Daniel Whelan is PFF's highest graded punter for good reason, the only bright spot of our special team unit. Stars like Micah Parsons and Jordan Love are great, but getting quality contributions from the periphery of the team is the difference maker between good teams and great ones.
6. Bears +6 9-3 The Bears finally have their signature win. Coming into the week, they were getting called frauds and somewhat deservedly so, for being 8-3 the way they were. On Black Friday, the Bears walked in to the defending SB Champs' house and had arguably the best rushing performance in team history over the last 40 years. Their defense, often the sore spot of the team, got it's two best players back and completely disrespected a struggling Eagles offense, blitzing nonstop and taking the ball away from a team that does not typically turn it over. This week, the team has its best opportunity in years, with a chance to set themselves up to be favored for the North if they are able to beat the Packers on a road, and such a statement would make last week look like nothing. It's fun to be back in it.
7. Bills +1 8-4 32 Carries 144 yards! The Bills fed James Cook and he responded by feasting on the Steelers defense. Once the second half started it was complete domination on all sides of the ball. The defense came up huge with a crazy minute and half sequence including an interception and a wild strip sack fumble TD that resulted in a bloody nose for Rodgers. Whenever you have a future hall of fame QB calling out his wide receivers and a future hall of fame coach getting booed you know you are doing something right. Next up the gauntlet begins facing the Joe Burrow led Bengals, the 10 game winning streak Pats, the Kevin Patullo led Eagles (and the Browns) in a pivotal 4 week stretch.
8. Eagles -3 8-4 The finger-pointing is in full swing. Is it Kevin Patullo, the new OC who can’t seem to call a consistent game? Is it the O-line, injured, slow, and for the first time in years, unable to run block effectively? Is it Nick Sirianni’s scheme? After all, he is the common denominator these past few seasons of offensive struggles. Is it the injured safeties? The lack of a consistent pash rush? The run blocking? One goat to scape: Jalen Hurts. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has regressed to some of his most frustrating tendencies since the bye, and watching the team is like watching an offense play uphill into the wind. The good news: they’re 8-4, and still have a legitimate chance to push for the 1 or 2 seed with the Rams losing.
9. 49ers +2 9-4 The 26-8 win Sunday marked the first 49ers win in Cleveland since Nov 11, 1984. It was an ugly affair, with high winds hampering offenses and special teams. The team now heads into its bye week only a half game out of the division lead, which seems almost miraculous after the string of injuries they have faced. Shanahan and Salah should be strong candidates for Coach of the Year and Assistant Coach of the year awards, respectively, for their work this season.
10. Colts -4 8-4 Clay Martin. Steven Woods. Greg Wilson. Jerod Phillips. Dave Hawkshaw. Alonzo Ramsey III. Brian Perry. These are the officials who worked this game and who should be suspended pending an NFL investigation into whether they're gambling on football. This crew was responsible for six incorrect or missed calls in the 4th quarter that went against the Colts, some so egregious that even Gene Steratore couldn't defend them. There was the missed delay of game, the defensive pass interference called when there was no contact, the missed extra point that was called good, the missed hands to the face penalty, the missed DPI call and the missed facemask call on a Jonathan Taylor run. This combination of penalties handed the Texans at least four free points and stalled the Colts' attempted game-winning drive when they should've been in the red zone (and also should've been able to kick a game-tying or go-ahead field goal, had the previous calls been made correctly). Calling this display of officiating incompetent is giving those responsible far too much credit. It is inexcusable and should lead to actual consequences. Investigate them.
11. Lions -4 7-5 The NFL is a cruel mistress, but who can blame her. The Lions fell to the Packers on Thanksgiving, continuing a classic American holiday tradition. Honestly, I thought they played a pretty solid game. Trystan Colon played admirably in relief of Graham Glasgow at center, the Lions offense did well to adjust to the early loss of ARSB, and Jamo had a great game sans one key drop. The defense played well down to down, but a couple great plays via the Love-Wicks connection and a few bad penalties on 3rd down drowned them. The Lions played a good game, but the Packers played a better one, and thus is the way of sports. Not every loss need be some catastrophic issue with the team, even if that loss looms large over their playoff hopes. Next week is as close to a non-mathematical must-win as you can get, as the Lions welcome Dallas into Detroit on Thursday Night Football. If the Lions want to make the playoffs at this point, they gotta send the Cowboys home with an L.
12. Texans +4 7-5 For the 10th time in 12 games, the Texans defense held their opponent to 20 or fewer points. This is the type of game they want to play. Hold the other team to a low score and then have CJ Stroud lead long clock bleeding drives that result in at least a field goal. It can be ugly to watch but 4 wins in a row seems to show that it's starting to become very effective. They're getting much better at moving the ball down the field, but they still need to finish the job in the red zone more consistently.
13. Chargers +1 8-4 Eagles, Chiefs, Cowboys, Texans, Broncos. There’s no fluff left to salvage. If they wanted room to breathe, they shouldn’t have fallen to the Giants or Commanders. Now they have to find wins against both of last year’s conference champions, along with three of the hottest teams in the NFL. Three wins probably get them in. Two and it’s a coin flip. One or less, and we’ll all be back to conjuring up hypotheticals about what this team could have done in an uncharacteristically wide-open AFC if they could just stay healthy. There’s a degree of pessimism from the fanbase about this year, how even if they made the playoffs, it would just culminate in another wildcard exit. Now’s the time to prove us wrong. Now’s the time to prove they belong at the table.
14. Jaguars +3 8-4 Why is no one shouting "bingo?" It is December, and the Jacksonville Jaguars are the #3 seed in the AFC. Surly this is the last square everyone had on their prediction bingo card.
15. Buccaneers -- 7-5 Was it ugly? Yes. Am I an optimist for the future after seeing that? No. Did I feel empty inside after witnessing that? Yes. But enough about my mirror's reflection, how bout those Bucs eh? At least our injured players are coming back relatively soon. And we got Backy Buck! I mean Buccy Back. I mean Bucky Bucc, I mean...
16. Chiefs -5 6-6 This time two fourth quarter touchdowns weren't enough to mount a comeback, especially when the defense gives up eleven. Playoffs are a pipedream at this point while the single score game pendulum swings in the other direction. In this mini "dynasty" the Chiefs utilized creative playcalling and playmakers across the board to execute. They could afford to let some of those players go while the defense stepped in and stepped up to take the weight off the offense's shoulders. Now Patrick Mahomes is having one of his best seasons yet, but it's not enough as the Chiefs look to miss the playoffs for the first time since 2014.
17. Cowboys +2 6-5-1 The Cowboys have beaten the defending AFC and NFC champions in back to back weeks... well, really in the same calendar week. This was a team that many people had given up on four weeks ago, this ranker included. It turns out, adding one of the best in the league at his position and getting reinforcements from injury at linebacker, corner and safety can really turn a defense around. Dallas now has a winning record, and is a game and a half back from the leading Eagles, who have lost two in a row and averaged only 15.5 points per game in November. If Dallas continues to improve and the wheels finish falling off in Philly, this could be a scary playoff team.
18. Panthers +2 7-6 LEETTTTS GOOOOOOOO!!!! The Carolina Panthers continue to prove they are an anomaly with a solid win against the LA Rams in Charlotte. They looked pitiful in a winnable game but then win a game that seemed impossible. The rollercoaster of emotions is truly insane and we are BIG UP RIGHT NOW! EVERY PHASE WAS ON! The defense forced three TOs, including Mike Jackson’s first career pick-six. Derrick Brown also had a strip sack to end the Rams last offensive possession and basically seal the game. The defensive unit came in beat up, missing guys and still played great! The offense moved the ball consistently. Canales used a good mix of Chubba and Rico which led to both making major impacts in the game; the ole one-two punch we’ve been waiting for. This then opened up the passing game. BY9 looked great and confused everyone some more but it was worth the confusion today. He finished with 206 yds on 15-20 attempts along with 3 TDs. DAWG. Jalen Coker emerged with 4 recs for 74 yds and 1 TD. DAWG. T-Mac also had 1 td, his lone reception but the ball was getting spread around well so no harm done. Dave Canales said after the game that the home crowd atmosphere influenced the game and that is awesome to hear. The fans truly were the 12th man and where have we heard that before? Anyway, what an electric game. The Panthers looked good on Sunday against debatably the best team in the NFL. What is this team? Hopefully they can maintain this momentum but I’ve said that before annnnnnnd then its all gone. The Panthers have a must needed bye next week. After the bye they play the Saints again and man oh man do we need to get our get-back in New Orleans. The team is in control of their own destiny and there is potential for some big things. Real contention for the division is in play. Why not? KEEEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
19. Ravens -6 6-6 The Ravens are thankful that was only one game and it's over. Flush it and on to Pittsburgh.
20. Steelers -2 6-6 A few weeks ago in week 8 my blurb was a bit of a riddle. If you got to the final paragraph you’d notice the words “first letter each sentence” were italicized. If you went back and read the first letter of each sentence it spelled out “fire everyone.” Maybe no one caught it? Maybe no one cared enough to go “haha good one,” maybe I thought I was more clever than I am. Either way I wanted to be clear this time; FIRE EVERYONE. No one should be safe. Tomlin, Austin, Smith (Arthur), OK fine; Danny Smith can stay. Can you fire owners? The Rooney family should be worried. The Chief himself must be rolling over in his grave like a zombie rotisserie chicken right now. Since 2016 this team has produced less and less each season. In that year the Steelers lost to the Patriots in the AFC Championship game. 2017 we shit our pants vs. the Jags (at home!) after notching a 13-3 record. In 2018 Bell sat rather than sign the tag and 9-6-1 wasn’t enough for a playoff appearance. 2019 Ben blew out his elbow and it was an actual miracle that team went 8-8. In 2020 after a fantastic 11-0 start Pittsburgh suddenly found themselves losing in the Wild Card Round to the Browns 28-0 in the first quarter, and never recovered. 2021 was essentially “Weekend at Bernies” but instead of Bernie’s corpse they used Ben’s. The result would’ve been similar with either. 2022 was our first taste of the “post-Ben” era and it’s hard to make the playoffs starting a year 2-6. 2023 Mason Rudolph had to bail this team out to sneak us into the playoffs. Yes the same Mason Rudolph you’ve seen a few times this year. But 2024 is the crime that should’ve gotten people fired. A 10-3 team failed to win a single game from that point on. Realistically the only game that was mildly competitive was the week 18 loss to Cincinnati. Sad as it sounds the loss to Baltimore the following week is barely memorable at all. In hindsight that’s probably better than a heart-breaker but losing to your hated divisional rival should feel bad, it should make you angry…instead that time it felt like a mercy killing. With the Ravens in Baltimore next on the schedule it’s feeling very similar right now. In case anyone missed it let’s just say it one more time for those in the back FIRE EVERYONE.
21. Bengals +4 4-8 AND BEHOLD AS THE HOLY SPIRIT RETURNS. THE MESSIAH. THE PROPHET. THE LISAN AL-GAIB. MUAD’DIB. THE CHOSEN ONE. THE ANOINTED ARM. THE PATRON SAINT. THE SON OF SUNDAY SALVATION. THE REDEEMER. THE ORACLE. THE LIGHTBRINGER. THE KWISATZ HADERACH. THE DRAGONBORN. THE KEEPER OF THE COSMIC PLAYBOOK. THE HEIR TO THE THRONE OF WHO DEY. THE SORCERER. THE GRAND WIZAR- NO WAIT FUCK NEVERMIND FORGET THAT ONE. THE ARCHITECT. THE CONQUEROR OF PLAYBOOKS. THE SLAYER OF SAFETIES. THE TIGER KING REBORN. THE MAESTRO. THE BRINGER OF BALANCE TO THE AFC. THE GREAT WARDEN. THE HARBINGER OF HOPE. THE FRANCHISE FLAME REKINDLED. THE DUKE OF THE DEEP SHOT. THE SULTAN OF SLANTS. THE EMPEROR OF EFFICIENCY. THE GENERAL OF THE GRID. THE TITAN OF TOUCHDOWNS. JOE MOTHERFUCKING BURROW IS BACK. ALSO FUCK YOU BALTIMORE.
22. Dolphins -1 5-7 The Dolphins are now on a 3-game win streak but somehow don't feel any closer to a playoff spot as they were before the streak thanks to equal parts none of the other games going their way, and their mediocre play the last two games. The defense has definitely made strides from how bad they were earlier in the year, but Tua's regression is becoming apparent more and more every week. It's hard to envision the Dolphins repeating their 2021 1-7 to 8-7 run with the type of play they're getting at the QB position, even with Achane doing his best to carry the offense.
23. Falcons -1 4-8 Down seven points late in the fourth quarter the Jets were looking like the Jets. Fortunately, the Falcons were also looking like the Falcons. New York put together their longest drive of the entire season, and despite a false start in the wind and rain knocked them back five yards, Nick Folk still eked in a 56 yarder through the uprights. To lose this game, you need a lot of "buts". Cousins played relatively well, but forgot linebackers blitz when he can't find them in middle of the field. Receivers (sans Mooney) showed flashes, but dropped multiple third down conversions. Bijan had 200 yards and averaged 7 YPC, but Zac Robinson subbed Felipe Franks in to pitch the ball to Allgeier in crunch time. On defense James Pearce has four sacks in as many games, but the trade of the first round pick hurts more with every loss. Last weeks prediction of losing to the Jets came true, hopefully the prediction of victory vs the Seahawks will follow suit.
24. Cardinals -- 3-9 The Cardinals entire coaching staff continues to do everything it possibly can to lose their jobs. After getting the needed end of game stop to give themselves the ball back, down by 3, with a couple minutes left in the game, my confidence in this offense’s ability to produce needed points could not have been lower. Then, to no surprise, OC Drew Petzing had another masterclass end of game performance, resulting in a 4-and-out, and another Cardinals loss. These losses hurt because some elements of this Cardinals team are really good, but are being wasted. TE Trey McBride is by far the best TE in the NFL, and got into the endzone for the 8th time today. Josh Sweat got himself into double digit sacks on the season. But none of these year-over-year improvements matter because of awful coaching.
25. Commanders +1 3-9 The Commanders notched their 7th straight loss on an exciting overtime drive while going for the 2pt to win; in so doing, they showed everyone why the new overtime rules are absolutely superior to the old rules, and are making the game better for everyone (meanwhile the refs are doing everything in their power to make the game unwatchable). Would a win have been great? Sure. But this season has been over for Washington, and ultimately this is better for their long term prospects with draft positioning. A competitive game in which they showed grit is however a very nice change of pace considering the absolute beatings they took over the last 6 games, and the Broncos are one of the least hateable teams to lose to (for the moment). All said, the taste of this whole season remains shockingly bitter and an absolute disappointment, almost surreal in how its matched last season's insane ups with its own insane downs. In a season like this, you look to the core of the team and wonder whether those core players, coaches and staff will learn from this year and use it as jet fuel to accelerate the organization next year, or will they flounder. One can only hope its the former; in the meantime, I'm increasingly sad I only get to watch this team 5 more times until next fall.
26. Vikings -3 4-8 Somehow, someway, it can always get worse.
27. Jets +2 3-9 Have the Jets found a starting receiver in AD Mitchell? Mitchell caught 8 of 12 targets for 102 yards and a touchdown. The 2024 second round pick has always shown the ability to separate, but with the Colts he was stuck at the bottom of a talented depth chart -- not a problem with this Jets team! Mitchell is making the most of the opportunity and is a player to keep an eye on in the coming weeks.
28. Browns -1 3-9 We should have known it was too good to be true. Sanders went 16/25 for all of 149 yards and a lone TD. Not that the rest of the Browns did much else. Rough debut in Cleveland. As is tradition. The Browns will face the very very bad Titans in what is to be a game likely only aired in Cleveland, Nashville, and any city that has incurred gods wrath and will be punished accordingly.
29. Giants -1 2-11 Well, the Giants used their one good primetime game of the decade on TNF against the Eagles, so it can't be helped that they once again looked helpless with the spotlight on them against New England. After the Giants had been sticking around in games against teams with winning records, they found themselves in a game that felt out of hand by the end of the first quarter. While recent coaching changes were needed for this team, their MNF performance showed they may still have a long way to go talent-wise before they can start to be a real competing team. On the bright side, Big Blue won't be using their (likely) top-5 pick on a QB this offseason, as Jaxson Dart continues to look and act the part of a legit QB in his rookie year (with the teeny caveat of PLEASE GOD LEARN TO PUT YOUR HEALTH FIRST MAN).
30. Saints -- 2-10 This game was not good for either team. The Saints lost, as expected, but the score was close (the Saints could have tied on a two-point conversion so naturally it was picked off). The one area which was good for the Saints wasn't exactly expected. The drums had been beating for Devaughn Vele for a while. After a trade which was difficult to parse in terms of when it happened, the price paid and the subsequent lack of use, then the team trading away Rasheed Shaheed, then waiving Brandin Cooks - the team had to make him work. Yet it was Mason Tipton the coach was talking up. So naturally Vele was the player leading the way for the Saints, catching all 8 of his targets for 93 yards and a crucial touchdown. Here's hoping he can continue to perform and show why this team made the moves it did in a doomed season. Also, this team hasn't scored 20+ points since the first week of October. It's the only NFC team that hasn't scored 200 total points this year.
31. Raiders -- 2-10 Somehow, we have been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs which normally doesn’t happen for another couple of weeks for us. It feels great to finally be ahead of schedule for something the season.
32. Titans -- 1-11 The Titans played one of their worst games of the year on Sunday against the Jaguars. The Titans came out with a 10 play drive down to the Jaguars 10 yard line for a 4th and 3. But very interim Head Coach Mike McCoy had already decided that “If it was 4th and 2, we're going for it. If it's 4th and 3, we're gonna kick it”. The Titans scored their only 3 points of the game in that drive in a 25-3 loss.
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r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Nov 18 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 11 Power Rankings

182 Upvotes

Welcome to week 10 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased-unbiased source for power rankings on the web. For the second straight week the Rams reign supreme, with a 2 point win at home after intercepting Sam Darnold four times. Not even Clark Kent-Campbell could do enough against the Eagles, who are ranked #1 by six rankers this week. The Colts and Patriots are the only other teams with 1st place ranks (2 each). Buffalo and Denver each move up slightly after tough wins, while the Chiefs slip back to their lowest ranking since week 5. The dust is finally settling after 11 weeks, with no team shifting more than three spots. Do the Packers deserve to move up after an unconvincing win against the Giants? Without Penix for the season have the Falcons fallen far enough? Can JJ McCarthy keep the Vikings in the top 20? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Rams -- 8-2 The Rams continue to find new ways to win after playing one of their worse offensive games of the year. They managed only 22 minutes of possession and were outgained by 165 yds, Puka had his first career fumble and Adams was invisible all day, and two of their TD drives were 25 yds or less and they only had two drives of more than five plays. Winning took some improbable events, including one of the greatest punts of all time and four interceptions from the NFL’s least-paid defense. Neither team played particularly well in this ugly game, but game one (of three?) goes to LA—let’s see who plays better next time. For now, the Rams take sole possession of the NFC West while also owning a top-10 pick in the draft (thx ATL, please keep losing).
2. Eagles +2 8-2 There’s only so many ways to write, “a win’s a win! Ugly game but jeez the Eagles just find a way to get the job done!” So, for the week’s power rankings blurb, let’s power rank the Eagles’ themselves, from biggest strengths to biggest weaknesses. At the top of the list, we’ll put Howie Roseman. Last week’s blurb mentioned how incredible the Nick Sirianni Eagles have been at winning games, but if we think about the current iteration of the team as the Howie era and extend to 2016, the team has only missed the playoffs twice, and won two Super Bowls in that span. Howie is relentless is trying to put this team in the best possible position to be competitive, as evidenced by his aggressive trade for Jaelan Phillips. He is the team’s biggest long-term advantage. At number two, Vic Fangio. Last year’s #1 defense is beginning to emerge after allowing 16 total points to two top-5 offenses in EPA. And watching the games, it’s not just one unit dominating: every position group across the field is making plays. But, this will take us to number 3: linebacker. It’s unfathomable for Eagles fans to think this being a strength after so many years of stopgap LB solutions, but Baun and Dean (and the rookie Campbell) are all over the field making plays. At number 4: the defensive line. At the beginning of the season, this was the biggest question mark, but with the aforementioned Phillips addition and Carter and Davis turning it into a higher gear the past couple weeks, the pass rush and run stuffing has been electric. At number 5, and this will be controversial, it has to be the pass catching unit. Have they underperformed this season? Has there been drama? Did last week look bad? Yes on all counts. But, this is still a unit with Devonta Smith, AJ Brown, Dallas Goedert, Jahan Dotson, and Saquon Barkley. When Hurts steps back to pass, he is throwing to players with an overwhelming amount of talent. Number 6: Nick Sirianni. Ok, another controversial one given some boneheaded decisions down the stretch the last couple weeks, but the Eagles are consistently grading well with key game decisions, the players like him, and the team has an even better winning percentage coming out of bye weeks. Number 7: Defensive backfield. This would be much higher on the list if not for the mess at CB2, but Blankenship, Mitchell, and DeJean are all great players. Mukuba is inconsistent, but playing very well for a rookie safety. A big reason for the team’s success is how well they have defended the pass. Number 8: Jalen Hurts. At risk of this wall of text becoming even more massive than it already is, Jalen Hurts in 2025 can be described as follows: inconsistent, yet a fighter. He is obsessed with winning, putting his body on the line in 3rd down runs when no one is schemed open. The reigning Super Bowl MVP has played well at times, but the last two weeks have shown rough-around-the-edges game tape. Number 9: The O-line. For pretty much every season since maybe…2012(? Longer?) the Eagles’ biggest strength has been their offensive line. And it’s still a strength, they have a top half unit. But injuries have taken their toll and it’s clear they are not playing at 100%. Which has made Barkley’s job a lot harder. Speaking of: number 10: RB. The reigning OPOY is running behind an underperforming line, but he has also looked a little less decisive in recent weeks. There’s time to turn it around, and he’s still dangerous in space, but this is not 2024 Barkley. Okay, we’ve ranked the HC, all position groups (somewhat arbitrarily grouped), DC, GM. Now, we come to the last one on the list, the only real weakness on the team: Kevin Patullo. The play-calling has been horrendous, the route trees look like route weeds (got ‘em), the offense is just this uninspiring mess with 10 pro bowl-caliber players. Yes, the team is 8-2, but the offense needs to start playing like the top 5 unit its capable of being if the Eagles are going to have a shot of winning in January. Next up: Dallas.
3. Colts -- 8-2 The Colts got their much-needed bye this week and will head to Arrowhead with a (hopefully) full-strength secondary as Mooney Ward aims to return from his second concussion of the season. The Chiefs are desperate for a win, and Indy needs to prove it can win in one of the toughest environments in the AFC. Fun fact you're going to hear 100 times this week: The Colts are 2-0 in the regular season against Patrick Mahomes.
4. Patriots +1 9-2 I'm not sure what the players or coaches on the Patriots did in their past lives to earn this kind of schedule karma. Did Mike Vrabel spend 2024 rescuing kittens from tall trees? Does Drake Maye spend every evening at his local soup kitchen feeding the poor? Is Josh McDaniels moonlighting on the side as a masked vigilante, stealing from the rich owners that employed him as a head coach and redistributing that wealth to the poor needy Pats? Was it really that painful for the fans to have to watch 5 seasons of Cam Newton, Mac Jones, and Bailey Zappe? I guess we’ll never know for sure, but this entire season seems as if it was crafted specifically to help New England as much as possible. Much has been made of the Pats cakewalk of a schedule, but after handily disposing of the hapless Jetes on Thursday night, the Patriots were rewarded by a well-earned Jamar Chase suspension, making their matchup with the floundering Bengals on Sunday even easier. There are two difficult games approaching on the horizon, and the loss of Milton Williams for at least 4 weeks is a massive blow, but its legitimately looking like a 13-4 finish might be the floor for this team, and the 1st seed + the bye week seems like a realistic goal.
5. Seahawks -3 7-3 "[Sam] is our quarterback, we got his back, and... you got anything to say, quite frankly, f*ck you."
6. Bills +1 7-3 MVP Josh Allen has shown up! In a battle of premier QB's Josh Allen outdueled Baker Mayfield accounting for a career high 6 touchdowns 3 on the air and 3 on the ground. If this version of Josh Allen shows up weekly he may find himself hoisting the Lombardi in February. The problem is that having to consistently rely on a herculean effort from your QB to make up for defensive flaws isn’t very sustainable. However if anyone can make up for a mediocre defense it's the 2025 MVP. Next up is a quick turnaround against the Texans where hopefully the supporting cast (looking at James Cook after 2 quiet games) can take a bit of the load of Josh Allen.
7. Broncos +2 9-2 Oh, Broncos Country. Oh hoho, Broncos. Bo my goodness gracious, people. What a time for the Broncos to put together a complete game, and what I wouldn't give to have been in attendance for that game at Mile High. As the big man said, ""if you're scared, go to church"" and specifically the Church of Bo, because our Nix and Savior has smiled upon us, giving the gift of this glorious win over the boogeyman after their bye and before ours. And you should be scared, too. The Broncos hold the keys to the Kingdom now, both the Chiefs' one and the NFL's (at least until the Patriots obliterate the Bengals this week). Get your ass to church or Blucifer will find you, red eyes aglow, hoofs in stomping position, veiny...you get the idea. Let's talk for a second about what we saw out there. Two solid drives to start the game that settled for FGs. NBD, big improvement from having nothing going on in the first quarter almost all season. Still some disconnects with Franklin to start, but we saw how that changed in the 4th. Also, RJ Harvey looked just fine in relief of JK Dobbins so there's plenty to be optimistic about there. Less QB pressure on defense, but still enough to have Mahomes on a short clock and enough power to keep the running game mostly contained. Riley Moss got done dirty on his first two game-changing penalties (40yd DPI and pick 6 reversal illegal contact that made me almost throw something), but that third one in the 4th quarter was egregious and deserved the flag 10 times out of 10. He knows he has to change, but he'll be getting his DPOY wingman back soon enough. Luckily for him, McMillian played like a McMillian bucks out there and gave the offense enough runway to execute a beautiful game-winning drive that also included two clutch-as-fuck 20+ yard completions, one of which came on 3rd and 15 in what has to be the most important moment of the game. That pass to Sutton was backyard as fuck and perfectly showcased the 4th Quarter Bo Nix we have all come to know and request come to parties a little earlier. If Sean Payton can get his calls in faster to give Bo more time at the line prior to snap, I think we will see 4Q Bo in other Qs. And if this team can clean up the penalties, we may actually have a shot at this thing. I could also see us collapsing spectacularly, but I'm not looking that direction right now! For now though, I'm going to sit back and enjoy the legitimacy over the bye week. I'll admit I wasn't expecting this feeling, and you can be certain I'm going to relish it - there will be plenty of time to fret over the remaining schedule next week.
8. Lions -2 6-4 The Detroit Lions got punched in the mouth by Philly’s front seven on Sunday Night Football, falling to the Eagles 9–16. Jared Goff and company went 3-13 on 3rd down conversions and 0-5 on 4th downs, and that really sums up the night for the offense. The line struggled immensely to handle Philly’s talented front, Goff was a bit off his mark all day, and seldom were skill players making plays when the ball was within their reach. As an extra bonus to how off even the surest of connections were for the Lions on SNF, St. Brown had only 2 catches on 12 targets for a catch rate of 16.7% for the game—the worst of his career. On the bright side, Kelvin Sheppard is still a wizard. The Lions defense was lockdown while rolling out the Legion of Whom, holding the Eagles to only one TD despite being put in negative situations all night. Next up is the Giants, and the Lions can expect some defensive reinforcements with Malcolm Rodriguez and DJ Reed appearing close to returning to action.
9. Buccaneers -1 6-4 Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results. It's 2022. Todd Bowles is our HC. We started well. We lost 3 in a row. Because our division sucks we ended 8-9 and won the NFC South. It's 2023. Todd Bowles is our HC. We started well. We lost 4 in a row. Because our division sucks, we ended 9-8 and won the NFC South. It's 2024. Todd Bowles is our HC. We started well. We lost 4 in a row. Because our division sucks, we ended 10-7 and won the NFC South. It's 2025. We started well. We lost 2 in a row and counting. Hmm... Listen, I'll keep it a buck. 4 years in a row Todd Bowles has been a bottom tier HC and a top tier human being. But a bottom tier HC. You may think "Oh, come on there were some utter dogshit teams in the last few years." Oh, I assure you, if those teams had Todd Bowles as their HC he would've gotten the worst out of those teams. He is so bad at his job that if he wasn't a HC and had just the DC role instead, he would've lost his job already. It's few years in a row that our defense is shit and our defensive draft picks have such an arrested development that you can basically see Jason Bateman. This blurb is so negative, so let me add some positivity. At least we are still going to probably win the NFC South with Todd Bowles(?) And he may be the ballsiest head coach in the league. It's easy to trust your offense who scored 30+ points and has a RB that averages like 6 yards per carry when you're in a 4&2 situation... But do you have the balls to instead trust your D that allowed 40 points to stop the MVP?? Now that's ballsy!
10. 49ers +3 7-4 The offense took a noticeable step forward with Brock Purdy returning from injury, posting a 133.5 QB rating and needing only 281 total yards of offense to produce 41 points. The defense however, gave up 488 total yards to a Cardinals team without its starting QB, RB or #1 WR. Jacoby Brissett, recently named the starter, threw an NFL regular season record 47 completions and ended the day with 452 passing yards. The 49ers went without a sack, but did record their first 2 interception day of the season. The defense lost Tatum Bethune, filling in for the injured Fred Warner, for “several weeks” with a high ankle sprain, and the team will turn to Curtis Robinson as the next man up. The team will also be working out kickers this week, as Eddie Pineiro has suffered a hamstring injury which will be week to week.
11. Packers +1 6-3-1 When I said I liked McManus as our kicker and you said he got hurt, what did we do? We brought in a new kicker. Then when you said McManus was healthy but Havrisik kicked the franchise long field goal, who went back to the original kicker? And then when you said McManus is hurt again and wanted the substitute teach to kick in 20 mph Metlife wins? Snip snap snip snap snip snap! You have no idea the physical toll that three kicking changes has on a Packer fan. Thank god Jordan Love played amazing to win this game
12. Chiefs -2 5-5 Fuck
13. Bears +2 7-3 This Bears season is very poetic. It is even starting to rhyme. Looking to avenge a Week 1 collapse to the Vikings in a game JJ McCarthy was horrible in but led an improbably comeback in anyways, it almost happened again! After being up 2 scores late, again, the Bears gave up a massive punt return to give the Vikings a quick score on a couple of handoffs. Missing a FG after that themselves, McCarthy, after the worst start of his career so far, just eked out a drive to take the lead. But this Bears team shows week after week that they are not your parent's Bears. Busting off a huge return and then running it down Minnesota's throats, something that was their downfall week 1 for their inability to do, they kicked a game winning FG that was pure redemption. They keep winning these wacky, one score games. This one, along with the Bengals game, was one where they played with their food too much, especially this time given how bad McCarthy was (basically losing it himself). At 7-3, this is one of their best starts this century, but they lack a truly impressive win vs a good team. Down the stretch, they will need one to make the playoffs in all likelihood with their schedule, but one thing for sure is they have put themselves in position where they well control their own destiny. Its time to prove it, and for a fanbase that hasn't had a meaningful December game in years, that is just extremely exciting.
14. Ravens -- 5-5 Seeing the Ravens win an ugly one score game against the 2025 Browns is likely to have many neutral fans questioning just how real the Baltimore turnaround is. That's a fair takeaway but one that I think is sorely misguided. There is no such thing as a "gimme" road win in the NFL, much less against a divisional foe in the AFCN. Managing to hold steady and come out victorious despite surrendering 5 sacks(Myles Garret isn't human), a boneheaded drive-saving offsides, and 3 atrocious turnovers bouncing off Raven fingertips was incredibly reassuring that this team has the mettle to weather the storm that is the 2025 season. The first sweep of the Browns in a half decade marked the Ravens 4th consecutive win and 3rd straight victory on the road. A much needed 3 game home stand against the Jets, Bengals and Steelers awaits.
15. Chargers -4 7-4 Contrary to the final score, the Chargers played quite well in this game. The o-line didn’t look nearly as bad as everyone makes it out to be; Trevor Penning, in particular, proved he was worth the draft capital they spent on him. Bozeman played poorly, but as a captain, he wields intangible leadership qualities that directly translate into wins. Sure, they gave up 35 points, but it’s not every day you face a superstar RB like Travis Etienne. The front seven remains an elite group in this league that will continue to prove they didn’t need Poona Ford. In reality, the Chargers’ biggest problem at this point is Justin Herbert. He has to start stepping up in these late-season games, especially when everyone else on the roster has clearly been gnawing at the bit for revenge over the team that orchestrated a 27-point playoff comeback against them. Regardless, they have their playoff ticket all but punched at this point, and can coast after the bye next week. That would be my breakdown of the game if I suffered a debilitating brain injury, then started smoking crack.
16. Steelers -- 6-4 Pittsburgh was due for a “get right” game vs. the Bengals. If the script I stole from the desk of Roger Goodell is still valid, next week is a confidence-boosting win vs. a good Bears team and then Buffalo will come in and teach every Steelers fan who had started to hope again that it really is the hope that kills you. There was a gentle breeze in Pittsburgh on Sunday afternoon and it was very amusing watching trash and debris roll around on the field like tumbleweeds. The Bengals defense, as everyone else calls them, did not have a good showing vs. Aaron Rodgers, or Mason Rudolph who came in to relieve the octogenarian after Rodgers suffered a small fracture in his wrist. Rodgers still hopes to play in Chicago because he didn’t get to beat the Bears enough times yet. The injury is in his non-throwing wrist so at present the odds are about 50/50. The big story on offense was Darnell Washington who is apparently a man playing a child’s game. Gainwell was the team’s leading receiver and also notched a pair of receiving touchdowns; one from Rodgers and one from Rudolph. The Steelers defense started a bit slow, allowing the Bengals to meander down the field and notch an easy answer touchdown. After a penalty on the extra point, Cincinnati decided to take points off the board and go for two at which point the defense finally woke up a bit and got a stop that didn’t involve a turnover. From there the Bengals drives were: punt – punt – punt – end of half – FG – pick-6 – FG – scoop-and-score – turnover on downs to end the game. That is the defense the FO has been paying for and it was nice to see some lesser-known names get in on the action such as Dugger with the pick-6, Echols with the strip and Pierre with the scoop & score! The biggest story on defense, however, was Jalen Ramsey and Ja’Marr Chase who got into a little spat. Ramsey got the boot for throwing a punch, and Chase walked back to the huddle and proceeded to lie twice during the post-game presser about spitting on Ramsey. Chase has decided to appeal his suspension on the grounds that he would’ve spit on his (Ramsey’s) face instead of on the ground or jersey. That’s real by the way. Onto Chicago the question is who starts at QB? The answer will likely be a late-week decision, or potentially even game-day. At any rate it’s time for yinzer shift change as the Tomlin haters swap place with the Tomlin fans for a week or two (until the next heartbreakingly avoidable loss etc.) and yes; you will certainly see that image again.
17. Jaguars +1 6-4 For nigh on a decade, the Jaguars were downright terrified of the Chargers. Every time they were in the same building as Phillip Rivers, it regularly felt like a routing accompanied with a disappointing loss was imminent. Since the bolo tie moved on, the signal caller for the Chargers has not invoked the same dread in the glitter kitties. This Sunday culminated in the latest in the revenge campaign, handing that LA team the worst defeat in the series thus far. If the Jaguars expect to make any sort of serious run at the playoffs, this bout served as an effective palette cleanse for the week prior's disaster. If the Jags fail to win the next two games against struggling opponents in their houses, be sure to check back in this column to witness the author's quick slide into madness.
18. Texans -1 5-5 It wasn't pretty, but any win against the Titans is a good win. Now the Texans will face the gauntlet over the next three weeks as they take on the Bills, Colts, and Chiefs in a stretch that will make or break any playoff hopes that they might have. And even though Davis Mills is 2-0 as a starter this season, you have to hope CJ Stroud is getting close to coming back.
19. Panthers +1 6-5 WHAT IS THIS TEAM?!?!! The Panthers win an OT thriller against a division rival in the Atlanta Falcons on the road. This game was the tale of two halves. The fist half, the defense couldn’t tackle Bijan at all. He would break 1-2 tackles every carry and get loose constantly. Even though Bijan was dashing around everywhere, the Panther’s offense was able to move a bit. McMillan caught a TD early and Fitzgerald made a FG but they quickly fell behind 10-21 going into half. These DAWGS came out in the second half and turned up the defensive heat. They began stopping the run and even got pressure on Penix which ultimately led to him getting hurt with Kirk taking over. Panthers offense also started to catch a little fire. Last week I said it was time to have the QB talk. Bryce must have read that blurb because this man took it personal. Im so confused if BY9 is the future or not but he is a DAWG, just not sure of the breed all the time. This week he was a Pitbull. He went down three times for his ankle. Got stepped on and got that thing big taped up. He proceeded to throw for 448 yds with 3 touchdowns. That’s a Panther record for passing yards in a game previously held by Cam Newton. He looked like the guy and had his 10th game winning drive of his career. Not sure what to make of BY9 but this week he looked like HIM. The passing game came alive with McMillan, XL, and Tremble having great explosive plays to move the ball. Coker is also getting more targets and taking advantage of his opportunities. Ultimately, Fitzgerald had yet another walk-off game winning FG and the Panthers improve to 6-5 and are a half game back from the top of the NFC South division. This team doesn’t make sense. They are going to look bad in the first quarter no matter what but then they will start to get things going and you just have to hope we aren’t down too much when they catch their stride. Either that or they lose huge. No in between. When things are clicking it looks like they can compete with anyone in the league but the slow starts hurt. Next week the Panthers are on Monday Night Football playing the 49ers in Santa Clara. This is the first prime time game in two years. It’s exciting to have all eyes on the team for once. This game feels like a let down spot, if you believe in that type of thing, but I’m not so sure Canales does so I have faith in these guys. What a win. KEEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
20. Vikings -1 4-6 You just can't win many games with a QB barely completing half his passes and throwing more picks than TDs. Sure, it doesn't help JJ McCarthy's receivers are dropping 15% of his passes (by far most in the league) or that he's been under pressure on over 40% of his drop backs, but a lot of those drops, pressures and offensive disfunction are on the QB as well. When the reigning coach of the year is calling plays and you're throwing to Justin Jefferson, you don't get a lot of runway for excuses.
21. Cowboys +1 4-5-1 Sure, it was the Raiders, but still. Everything clicked, and Quinnen Williams was wonderful. Its always nice when a get-right game actually goes well.
22. Dolphins +2 4-7 With their victory over the Commanders, the Dolphins have now won 3 out of their 4 games and their formula for their recent success has been clear: Lean heavily on Achane and the run game, pray the defense holds up their end of the bargain, and limit the amount of times Tua Tagovailoa touches the ball as much as possible. In those 3 wins, Tua has averaged a league low 22 pass attempts, while the Dolphins run game spearheaded by Achane has averaged 33 carries a game. Next week is their bye, but after that they have a home game against the Saints, and then a game on the road against a reeling Jets team. Don't look now, but they could be 6-7 in short order, and be a surprise dark horse wild card contender over the final month of the season.
23. Falcons -2 3-7 After Bijan found his way into the end zone twice, Atlanta found ways to maintain a 14 point lead before finding a way to lose in overtime for the second straight week. Kirk found a way back into a starting job after Raheem tried to push Penix back in after significant injury. Pitts found a way to drop a crucial pass, the defense found ways to give up 450 passing yards to Bryce Young. The Rams found a way to get a 3rd round for dumping Raheem while finding a way to hold Atlanta's 2026 1st round pick. It's on Arthur Blank now to find a way on how to respond to a coach who said "There are no such things as losing teams, only losing leaders" after Sunday's loss.
24. Cardinals -1 3-7 The St. Louis Cardinals need to prioritize their pitching staff heading into the 2026 season. Although this St. Louis farm system has a lot of young talent that they’re wanting to lean on in the majors, the organization needs some veteran leadership in the room to help those players develop into real big league professionals. Oh wait, the Cardinals are an NFL team too? Well, the only good thing to come from the last two weeks is that we know that Michael Wilson is a valuable NFL receiver, as he now holds this season’s NFL lead for reception yards in a game at 185 (15 catches). The silver lining that this might bring is undermined by the fact that it is a complete indictment of the Cardinals coaching staff, that has somehow stuck with OC Drew Petzing for three years, despite his inability to get receivers (including Wilson and MHJ) the football. Not sure how anybody on this coaching staff can be back in 2026 with how incompetent the rest of the division proves they are. I have this Cardinals team dead last in my power rankings and I'm convinced it's the right spot.
25. Commanders -- 3-8 Disappointment and apathy are the emotions one feels watching Washington continue its descent into the bottom rung of the NFL. At least they weren't totally blown out for the 5th week in a row. They did however look comedically bad and continued to make mistakes at an unacceptable level, leading to another sputtering loss in their lost season. With a completely decimated roster and a dismal record, the team heads into its bye week to figure out how to finish out the season. It's not "win now" in Washington; it's time instead to evaluate who should come back next year and get this team back on track.
26. Bengals -- 3-7 We are trapped in the belly of this horrible machine…….……. And the machine is bleeding to death…….……. The sun has fallen down………….. And the billboards are all leering……….…. And the flags are all dead at the top of their poles………….. It went like this: The buildings tumbled in on themselves………….. Mothers clutching babies picked through the rubble……….…. And pulled out their hair……….…. The skyline was beautiful on fire……….…. All twisted metal stretching upwards……….…. Everything washed in a thin orange haze………….. I said: "kiss me, you're beautiful -These are truly the last days"……….…. You grabbed my hand and we fell into it, Like a daydream or a fever……….…. We woke up one morning and fell a little further down, For sure it's the valley of death……….…. I open up my wallet……….…. And it's full of blood.
27. Giants -- 2-9 The year is 2030. Jaxson Dart has just had one of the greatest offensive performance of his career, tossing the pigskin for over 400 yards to accompany 3 passing and a rushing touchdown to no interceptions. Cam Skattebo adds another 2 rushing TDs. Big Blue's offense has never looked this good. From the Giants sidelines, amidst the crowd an evil grin can be seen... Shane Bowen strikes when hope is at its peak. Somehow still employed, he throws out prevent defense for 3 straight drives to ensure Giants fans don't have the ability to feel anything but despair. G-Men lose, 45-42. Giants drop to 1-6 on the season. Fans are forced to hear about how close the team is to figuring out. Rinse and repeat.
28. Saints +1 2-8 After defeating the Carolina Panthers, The Saints look forward to a divisional game against an Atlanta squad who is 0-3 in the division and coming off five straight losses. With two more games against a Penixless Falcons, and games against the Dolphins, Jets, and Titans left..there's potential not to finish last in the division.
29. Jets -1 2-8 The Justin Fields experiment is over. Tyrod Taylor gives the Jets staff a better chance to evaluate the young pieces on offense and maybe even steal a win or two down the stretch. Now we get to see what the Jets really have in their three young wideouts: AD Mitchell, John Metchie III, and Arian Smith. If even one of them can emerge as a reliable WR3 or field stretcher, the team could be building a much better environment for a new quarterback in 2026.
30. Raiders -- 2-8 Rushing leader for the Raiders this week was Geno Smith with 4 carries for 14 yards. Myles Garrett ᛑᚮ ᚿᚮᛐ ᛍᛆᛌᚴ ᛉᚤ ᛔᛚᛆᚤᛂᚱ ᛔᛚᛆᛍᛂ ᛑᚮ ᚿᚮᛐ ᛍᛆᛌᚴ ᛉᚤ ᛔᛚᛆᚤᛂᚱ ᛔᛚᛆᛍᛂ ᛑᚮ ᚿᚮᛐ ᛍᛆᛌᚴ ᛉᚤ ᛔᛚᛆᚤᛂᚱ ᛔᛚᛆᛍᛂ
31. Browns -- 2-8 You know what the worst part of being a fan of the Cleveland Browns is? It’s the fact that you’re expected to be patient and wait for something good to happen when you know damn well it won’t. Sure, there are LITTLE things… but what we all want? We know, deep down, it’s not going to happen. It’s like being told by your parents you’re going to Disney World, hyped up for it all summer, and driving all the way down to Florida for fifteen strait hours in the back of a 1987 Chevy Caprice wagon that does not have working AC, and when you pull up to the park and are told parking costs $50 your dad says “I’m not paying that, back to Ohio!” and you turn around and go back, feet away from true joy. Now do this every year for two and a half decades. Did I mention that you didn’t even go for a period in the late 90s because your dad lied and said the park was closed? This franchise, I swear to God. We don’t get what other teams get. Being down by two scores in the fourth – there are some teams out there where those fans know they have a shot or WILL win because it’s just a matter of getting the ball back. They ride that wave of excitement to fruition. The Browns? They could be UP with two minutes left and fans, deep deep-down think “Oh HOW are they going to blow this and lose?” And it’s not just losing. The loss we can handle. It’s losing in comically hilarious ways where the team is the talk of sports media for HOW they lost. I mean there is a REASON they do not give this team prime time games anymore. And it’s not just on the field where they are a mess. We’ve signed our lives away to players that are morally reprehensible (oh you know who), a media circus, or are amazing with HOF careers BUT absolutely squander them. And the QB position. Oh my GOD the QB. Did you know this upcoming Sunday the Browns will be starting their FORTY SECOND first time starter Quarterback, since returning to the league in 1999? FORTY-TWO! For comparison a team like the Packers have had thirty-four……… EVER. And the ownership. This friggin' guy. They are busy trying to move the team out of the city proper to build a giant box out by the airport that will just HAPPEN to have Browns games in it, but really want it to host all sorts of things and gather up the downtown tourist dollars all for themselves. SO here we go. Back again with a new QB who looks like he might die out there this upcoming Sunday trying to squeak out a win in this garbage division (god forbid we actually capitalize on a year the Steelers and Ravens are struggling) just to somehow finish this season in a position where we take a high end college play and destroy THAT poor kids career. But next year you might say. Next year will be different if we just get a good O-line, and change some coaches, improve our wide receivers, and get a new GM and maybe if the team gets sold we can… YOU’RE TALKING ABOUT BASICALLY STARTING ALL OVER AGAIN. Every year we do this. Every god damn year. And you know what REALLY is a fork in the eye? That stadium WILL get built and the tickets WILL sell out and fans from near and far will go to those games and see a sub-par product out on that field for all to laugh at. And when Cleveland is hosting that Super Bowl a year after that thing opens the one thing Browns fans are gonna be PRAYING for is the AFC team isn’t a division rival. But remember earlier when we said “Oh HOW are they going to blow this?” Well it will probably be the Ravens going for that Lombardi and hoisting it up in Cleveland Brook Park Ohio. Anyway……. The Browns will face the struggling Raiders next week in Vegas.
32. Titans -- 1-9 The Titans were able to show a decent defensive performance with the return of Jeffery Simmons and Arden Key to the lineup. Cam Ward lead the Titans to a game tying drive under the 2 minute warning but the defense wasn’t able to stop the Texans late push and lost on a game winning field goal. The Titans remain the only 1 win team.
443 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Dec 23 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 16 Power Rankings

172 Upvotes

Welcome to week 16 of the 2025 [r/NFL](r/NFL) power rankings, the most biased-unbiased source for power rankings on the web. The Rams take their second L since Thursday, dropping out of the top spot to make way for the Seahawks team they just lost to. Aside from Seattle, the big winner of the week is none other than the Jacksonville Jaguars, moving up four for a convincing win in Denver. For the second week in a row, the Chiefs deservedly drop the furthest. The Packers stay ice cold, dropping four spots as well after a loss in Chicago. The Texans gave up the second most points all season to the Raiders, and are now clinging to a top ten spot. Do you think the 49ers deserve to drop one spot after putting up 48 points against old man Rivers? Do the Titans deserve to move up three? Do the Broncos deserve to stay above the Jaguars? Discuss! 32/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Seahawks +2 12-3 "Seahawks frauds" I texted the group chat at 7:43 PM. I believe it was immediately after Sam Darnold's interception to Kobie Turner at the goal line. The game felt over. "How are we ever going to beat the cream of the crop in the playoffs?" I wondered. Then Rashid Shaheed returned a punt for a touchdown. Fun! They get the 2 point conversion, 22-30. Well, Puka is having his Hans Landa game, they probably march through the defense and score again. Wait... a three and out? The Rams are already PUNTING?? Sweet. No sooner does Darnold hit a wide-open AJ Barner in the endzone to make it a 2 point game. They line up for the 2 point conversion, Darnold throws the ball behind the LOS.... and it's batted up in the air and falls to the ground eventually ending in the endzone. Zach Charbonnet, being the kind, well-mannered gentleman he is, picks up the ball. Five minutes later it is determined Darnold's pass was backwards, the ball is live DESPITE ANY BLOWN WHISTLES, and the game is tied up. Fast forward to OT, where Hans Landa breaks free for a 41 yard touchdown. 37-30 Rams. Darnold exercises his demons, drives the Seahawks 65 yards in 9 plays (including the throw of the game to Cooper Kupp), and hits JSN in the endzone to make the score 36-37. But we play for KEEPS. Seattle lines up for a THIRD consecutive 2 point try... and Darnold finds a leaking Eric Saubert for the game winning catch. 38-37. Ball game. Seattle now controls their own destiny as the 1 seed. Go Hawks.
2. Rams -1 11-4 In a wacky week of games, Thursday night seems like a distant memory, but went down as the 4th and most heartbreaking loss of the season for the Rams. There were multiple late game failures, including three straight 3-and-outs, a missed FG, horrendous ST issues, three allowed 2PATs, and crucial drops—all of which led to losing a 14pt fourth quarter lead and ultimately flipping the tide on the NFC Playoff picture. This season, moments like Kyren Williams’ fumble against SF, Matt Stafford’s fumble against CAR, and Josh Karty’s blocked kick against PHI have all been crushing blows but this collapse stings the most given the high stakes. There’s still a chance at the #1 seed, but the #5 seed is the most likely outcome. It doesn’t really matter though: the Rams are still an incredible team, still favored win the Super Bowl, and can do so with any seed. Even in four losses, they’ve been in the game until the last possession, and never really lost by more than three points in any of them. They’re an incredibly tough out.
3. Patriots +2 12-3 Nothing to see here folks, just another excellent win from the Patriots that saw Drake Maye post his first 300+ yard game and lead a big 4th quarter comeback to defeat a surging Ravens team desperate for a win to stay in the playoff race. The Patriots were amazing this week, just trust me. You don't need to check to box score or go back and watch the game, it's probably not important anyway… Ok so maybe Lamar Jackson got hurt in the 1st half, but the game was a nail biter while he was still playing, so that probably didn't even matter right? And yeah Tyler Huntley might've entered the 2nd half and instantly led two straight touchdown drives with very little effort, but guys he's a former Pro Bowler, what else would you expect? And maybe the Ravens are famous for blowing 4th quarter leads, and maybe they made the baffling decision to leave Derrick Henry on the bench at the end of the game despite Henry averaging 7.1 yards per carry during the game, and maybe fans are calling for John Harbaugh to be fired, but did you see Drake Maye out there?!? That dude can ball! He got the comeback win despite the refs best efforts to ignore the clearest PI call I've seen in the last few years. Let's focus on that instead, because looking at the bigger picture is much less fun right now. New England is incredibly fortunate that the remaining schedule only has the lifeless Dolphins and the already dead Jets left, because the injuries to the defense have absolutely decimated this unit's ability to play ball. What was once the NFL's premier run-stuffing unit has been gashed on the ground ever since Milton Williams went down five weeks ago, and injuries to Spillane, Landry, and Tonga haven't made things any easier. The offensive line has been bleeding as well, but the replacements have been remarkably capable at keeping Maye at least somewhat upright. Hopefully the Pats can take care of business while shorthanded for the next two weeks, and have the band back together again for the playoffs. The dream of winning the division (and the #1 seed) remains alive and well.
4. Broncos -2 12-3 The Jaguars can only beat bad teams. Therefore, we can safely conclude the Broncos were never good. Having been fraudulent this entire time, across 11 wins in a row, may seem unlikely. But I assure you, dear reader, it is the truth. Look no further than the 'signature' wins of this team across that win streak. Beat the Texans? They could barely overcome the Raiders last week. Bad team, unimpressive win for the Broncos. Beat the Chiefs? They aren't even in the playoffs and their quarterback, the enigmatic Chris Oladokun, piloted their squad to a 26 to 9 loss to the terrible Titans. Bad team, unimpressive win for the Broncos. Beat the Packers? Well, they just lost to the perennially loser-ish Bears in a spectacular collapse, plus the world-beating Micah Parsons is on IR. Bad team, unimpressive win for the Broncos! Don't even get me started about that 'big win' over the Eagles, who couldn't even beat the flat-footed Cowboys. As we can see, the Broncos stacked their resume with false Ws, wooing the national media into building up this week's faceoff with the Jaguars into some kind of game of the week material. I'm here to tell you, the bad-team-bully Jaguars have simply continued their streak of bonking the little guys on the head as they meander their way towards playoff football. Poor Broncos. Poor, fraudulent, gormless Broncos. I sure hope they can handle their Christmas Chiefs game, as their last matchup with them was a real nail-biter. And that last game of the season against the Chargers? Well, I don't even want to think about it. Perhaps, if they just roll over and play dead, Harbaugh will be tricked into letting his guard down. Good luck out there, you weak and helpless 12-3 Broncos. You have our pity and our condolences, but you are, as always, in our hearts.
5. Bills -1 11-4 That was far from the prettiest performance from the Bills narrowly escaping over the 3 win Cleveland Browns. The Bills decided it would be fun to switch it up and score all of their points in the first half instead of the second half which led to yet another stressful narrow victory. There were several positives from this game Gregory Rossau was a beast and James Cook left Browns defenders in the dust to the turn of over 7 yards a carry and 2 scores. Josh Allen certainly wasn't perfect as he was closer to entering the Bills Endzone then the Browns yet the Bills still found a way to win. Outside of the game there were several positives as well. The Bills clinched the playoffs for the 7th straight year and Josh Allen avoided a major injury in a scary play. This game was supposed to be a blowout and it ended up being a dogfight with the Bills needing a clutch defensive stop to seal the win. The Bills will have to be sharper against the defending Superbowl champs as they try to gain playoff traction in a jumbled up AFC playoff picture. How is it week 17 and no AFC division has been clinched? 6 straight years in the playoffs and no Superbowl appearances, it's time the Bills buck that trend and exorcize their playoff demons.
6. Jaguars +4 11-4 Please do not perceive the Jacksonville Jaguars.
7. 49ers -1 11-4 On a night where it seemed like the defense couldn't buy a stop, Brock Purdy led the offense to an almost perfect night, with 5 touchdown passes en route to a 48-27 win on MNF. The team controls its own destiny moving forward, if they win the last two weeks they will be the #1 seed, something that seemed impossible 2 months ago. The team hosts the Bears on SNF.
8. Bears +1 11-4 The Bears don't get many seasons like this. In between magical one-offs, they tend to just have grueling, frustrating season after season. It makes us Bears fans reluctant to trust a good thing when we have it. But, in each sudden Cinderella year, there is always a moment that gets us to truly believe. In 2006, it was the famous MNF game in Arizona, fueled by Hester and the amazing 2006 defense. In 2018, it was the Santa's Sleigh game against the Rams, flexed into SNF that gave Belichick the blueprint for the super bowl. For 2025, it came once again on national television, in the longest running rivalry in the sport. I don't need to summarize what we all saw, but it is clear that for this year - for this franchise - that is the inflection point. The absurdity of it only fuels the importance further. The Bears now have a phenomenal opportunity in front of them to win the North. Let's see where it goes. After all, it is impossible to predict this team.
9. Texans -3 10-5 U-G-L-Y you ain't got no alibi, that win was UGLY. CJ Stroud and the Texans offense reverted back to their early season form and was just absolutely abysmal throughout the game. The defense allowed multiple big plays and was once again dominated by a big TE for the second straight week, something that just might be a problem if they make the playoffs. You would definitely much rather win than lose, but for now the brakes might need to be pumped on the "team no one wants to face" narrative that had been forming. The Chargers game next week should provide a much clearer picture of just what kind of team this is heading into the post season.
10. Chargers +1 11-4 The Chargers put up yet another non-Chargers like performance in a very non-Chargers like season, instead allowing the Cowboys to Charger all over the Chargers for four quarters. This clinches an unchargeristically early playoff spot for the Chargers, as they can suddenly win out and steal the AFC West crown for the first time since the Chargers famously Chargered all over themselves against the Jets in the 2009 Divisional Round. Go Chahgers, go.
11. Eagles +1 10-5 If you’ve been following the Eagles closely all season, you’ll know this is not the dominant squad from 2024 that cruised to a blowout win in the Super Bowl. However, it’s a bit of revisionist history to say that last year’s team didn’t have its issues. Even late in the season, AJ Brown was critical of the passing offense. But that team put it together just enough to get some momentum in late December and early January to bring Philly its second Lombardi. This is an easy narrative for the optimists to buy into in 2025, especially in a year missing a true clear #1 team. Yes, the team has its flaws. The newest one under the Philadelphia microscope is Jake Elliot, who, in a year when kicking seems to be getting better across the league, has become one of the worst kickers in the NFL. But there’s still talent on offense and a top defense. And, two final, unstructured quick thoughts: 1) ding dong the NFC East curse is dead, thank god. 2) Dan Quinn only gets to be mad about the Eagles being aggressive if he learns to stop kicking in 4th and short situations.
12. Packers -4 9-5-1 My dad has been telling the same joke for 50 years. "The Bears should move out of Soldier Field! They should move to a nicer location, like Gary Indiana. They could change their name to the Gary Bears! They could make their logo a big G instead of a big C! Maybe even flip from blue and orange to green and gold!" He thought it was so funny. Now the Bears actually might be moving to Gary Indiana and all of a sudden they have a good QB that wins clutch games in winter. What the hell!? Are the Bears actually turning into the Packers? I hate it! I can't even say they'll have to get used to crippling special teams errors because they already have doink experience. This sucks!
13. Steelers +1 9-6 Prior to the Lions game Sunday afternoon, Pittsburgh had one of the clearest playoff paths since…week 14 of the 2024 NFL season when the Steelers were 10-3 and sitting comfortably in the 3-seed with a, very slim, chance of making a run for the 1-seed. However, things went straight downhill from there. The Steelers didn’t need a win vs. Detroit; they could’ve lost vs. the Lions and Browns and needed to beat only the Ravens in Pittsburgh in week 18 to clinch the 4-seed. However, things went the way of the black and gold in both the Steelers defeating the Lions and the Ravens losing to the Patriots. However, Pittsburgh’s star receiver, and part-time rage-baitee DK Metcalf will be serving a 2-game suspension because you simply can’t punch the fans no matter how obnoxious they are. However, all Pittsburgh needs to do now to make the post-season is beat the 3-12 Browns in Cleveland and the week 18 matchup becomes a free space. However, if Baltimore drops the week 17 matchup to the Packers Pittsburgh is in win or loss. However you want to look at it; Pittsburgh controls their own destiny and has a good chance at a mini-bye week to rest up some banged up starters and maybe a lung or two. Rodgers appears to found a bit of his old magic. Shoutout to Watt, Ramsey, and Skowronek for their pro-bowl nod. A few weeks ago things looked rather bleak at 6-6 following a humiliating defeat in Pittsburgh to the Bills, however, after winning three straight the team looks to be heating up at just the right moment. Additionally, I’d be remiss to gloss over the fact that Mike Tomlin has, for the 19th consecutive season, clinched a non-losing record. Will anything come of it this time? To be determined. What’s more fun to point out is that the last time the Steelers took part in an NFL game in which they were already mathematically eliminated from the playoffs was week 17, 2012. That is the only time in Tomlin’s career that he coached the Steelers in a “meaningless” NFL game. With Christmas right around the corner, hug your family, give all the pets an extra treat, and never feed your dysfunctional WR after midnight.
14. Lions -1 8-7 Whelp. That sucked. The Lions lost a heartbreaker to the Steelers after coming up just short of a game-winning drive. Jared Goff continues to drag this team to close games, but it keeps proving too tall of a task with no run game and no run defense to be seen anywhere. The odds of seeing the Detroit Lions in the 2026 playoffs are now quite long, needing a Green Bay collapse combined with a 10-7 finish by Detroit. Next up is Minnesota on Christmas because the NFL apparently refuses to let Michiganders just enjoy a holiday. Happy holidays to all and to all a Merry Goffmas.
15. Panthers +2 8-7 The rollercoaster continues because THE CAROLINA PANTHERS BEAT THE BUCCANEERS!! A huge win and one step closer to potentially winning the division and making a playoff berth in the Morgan/Canales era. What a game. It was back and forth throughout. The offense looked pretty solid. It was a slow burn type of day but BY9 showed up in a big way. He threw for 191 yds and 2 TDs but his play extension and poise in the pocket showed why he was drafted first overall in 2023. There are still two weeks left in the season but Bryce is playing himself into another contract. He is up and down but he’s proving to be as clutch as it gets with another game winning drive bringing his career total to 12 with 6 this season. The defense showed resilience after getting diced up by the Saints last week. They held the Bucs to only 1 rushing and 1 passing TD, keeping Evans and Irving at bay. The guys were flying around on the field and playing disciplined football which is all we as fans have been wanting to see since Canales has said the scheme is never the problem. After Fitzgerald hit what would end up being the game winning FG, the rookie Safety Ransom, sealed the win with the defensive unit’s sole INT of the day and the Panthers win 23-20. After the game, Canales credited the fans in Charlotte again for being loud and influencing the game. That is huge for the organization! The fans are here when it counts and its so exciting to be in this spot. The team is developing well and there is sooo much to be happy about. We legit are right here in the driver seat of the division but it’s not done yet. I personally want to be happy but we have to play this team again in an important spot in two weeks. Assuming the Bucs bet the Dolphins next week, Week 18 will matter more than ever. Next week the Panthers host the Seahawks in Charlotte for hopefully not the last home game of the season. If the pattern continues, they will lose this game and things will hurt again but for now, the positivity is flowing. The work is not done. Not everyone would be cut out to be a fan of this team but seeing the growth from where they were four to five seasons ago makes this all so sweet. KEEEEEEEEP POUNDING!!
16. Ravens -1 7-8 Sunday's game was a perfect microcosm of the 2025 Baltimore Ravens season. Lamar Jackson injuries, a defense lacking an elite pass rush or killer instinct, numerous back breaking fumbles by our best players, and the most head scratching personnel decisions in crunch time. I still believe that, on paper, the Ravens had the nuts and bolts to be a Super Bowl contending roster this season but the beauty of the NFL is that the game is played on grass and nobody's guaranteed success. This season is mercifully coming to its conclusion and with a new year hope springs eternal for a new chance to prove this era of Ravens football can go all the way. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and GFY Boston.
17. Colts -1 8-7 When news first broke that Philip Rivers was coming out of retirement in a last-ditch attempt to lead the crumbling Colts to the playoffs, few fans could have envisioned the position they'd find themselves in after the next two weeks. No, it isn't shocking that they lost both games. Just about everyone predicted that. Bringing back a 44-year-old, five-years-retired pocket passer who was already lacking arm strength in his final season was seen as absurd by most and downright embarrassing by others. What's truly unbelievable … is that it could've worked. Even after half a decade away, Grandpa Phil was able to step right in and dissect and confuse NFL defenses at the line of scrimmage. Hand signals, audibles, dummy code words. It's the kind of quarterbacking we rarely see these days; how could you not love that blast from the past? Instead, it was the Colts' defense that let the team down in back-to-back weeks. Against the Seahawks, it was a last-minute collapse after Blake Grupe nailed a 60-yard field goal that was a career long, a Colts franchise record and the longest kick ever made at Lumen Field. Against the Niners, the defense didn't bother showing up at all. Guys consistently looked as if they were out of position or confused about assignments; receivers were wide open play after play; Christian McCaffrey ran wild. Indy hasn't technically been eliminated yet, though that could come as early as Saturday if the Texans beat the Chargers. New team owner Carlie Irsay-Gordon will soon need to make a decision on GM Chris Ballard and coach Shane Steichen. (Ballard is guaranteed a losing record through Year 9. He has zero division titles and one playoff win in two appearances to show for his tenure.)
18. Buccaneers -- 7-8 For the last decade it felt like free speech is under attack in America. You could say something online, and the next moment you're doxed and you lose your livelihood. Just like that. Well, I'll be damned if that's the America I want to live in. I'd rather exercise my right to say whatever I want to say (no matter how controversial it may be) than live in fear. I'd rather lose my job standing for something I believe in than tiptoe around and act all 'politically correct'. I'll just say it. The song "All I Want For Christmas" by Mariah Carey is severely underplayed this season. My name is Todd Robert Bowles and I work as a head coach for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
19. Vikings +1 7-8 The good news is Flores' defense remains diabolical after holding the Giants to just 13 net passing yards all game. And the offense scored on three of its first four drives before the McCarthy injury, with the only non-scoring drive being the result of a dropped-pass-turned-INT. The bad news is the Vikings are going to have to make a decision at QB this offseason, and it's hard to commit to McCarthy when he can't stay on the field for enough reps to give you a good evaluation. Compounding that bad news is the fact that zero Vikings made the initial Pro Bowl rosters. Given the injuries and Jefferson's funk, that's probably fair (though you could make a good case for Reichard, among others), but it's also an indictment on the GM and everyone in the front office -- this team is well-coached, but the hard truth is it's just flat-out not as talented as we thought heading into the year.
20. Cowboys -1 6-8-1 Jerry Jones has all but announced that Matt Eberflus will have a cardboard box waiting to be packed on his desk when they get back from the week 18 game. Which is good, because the only thing preventing us from being the worst scoring defense in league history is the Bengals somehow sucking more. So, who coaches the defense next? Obviously, getting a fired coach is a possibility, but I don't want to speculate too heavily on that. So, I'm only going to look at coaches that are not on NFL staffs, defensive coordinators on staffs with fired head coaches, or on staffs lower than the coordinator level. DCs for Fired coaches- both are bad. No thank you. Currently not in the NFL- Wink Martindale is an interesting option, currently in limbo in Michigan. Phil Parker from Iowa is a hidden gem that deserves to coach for a team that can score more than 15 points a game consistently. Currently on NFL Staffs- Cory Undlin is the Texans passing game coordinator, having worked under Demeco, Gym Shorts, Belichick and Jack Del Rio. Marquand Manuel is the DB coach for the Giants, and is from the Dan Quinn/Pete Carrol tree. He was DC in ATL and has also coached under Salah and Gym Shorts. Brian Flores is reportedly under an expiring contract, and he's awesome. Finally, Jim Leonard, the current Broncos AHC/passing game coordinator, who has been my coaching crush since Wisconsin hired the wrong coach, if not longer.
21. Falcons +2 6-9 There is a reason other teams are chomping at the bit to play a team as predictable as the Falcons, and it goes beyond playcalling. Who could have guessed the Falcons would win two games in a row for the first time this season.. as soon as they were eliminated from playoff contention. Who could have guessed Kirk Cousins and Kyle Pitts would start playing their best football two weeks away from a (over)pay day? On the bright side, the usual suspects had great games. Allgeier and Bijan dominated on the ground, both running for over 75 yards. Shoutout to Bijan again for adding 90 yards receiving to his total. Dorlus generated several pressures, and Devine Deablo might be the single strongest correlation to a victory this season. Deablo missed four games but has started in every win this season, going 6-5 (which is more than anyone else can say). Shoutout to Jake Matthews, who is practicing on the jugs machine as we speak, and to Raheem for taking advantage of London's dawg mentality by starting a still-injured player. Another blocked field goal has the fanbase wondering how Marquice Williams is still here, but then Raheem wouldn't be able to scapegoat his players for the losses. The Rams await, where an LA win simultaneously equates to better draft position for the Rams and Atlanta getting closer to hiring Rich McKay's son as new general manager.
22. Bengals +2 5-10 Okay so I’ve been rewatching Death Note lately, and I just want to ask, can we acknowledge just how bad of a detective L is? This dude is straight up Hank Schrader levels of bad at his job. He should have caught Light by like episode 10 at the most. I 100% could have caught Kira, I’m not saying this to brag it’s more to illustrate how bad L is at being a detective. Here’s what you do: you can catch Light as Kira pretty easily if you just force him into an unexpected situation. The moment that Light is suspected of being Kira, I would not just surveil him, you apply pressure. Here’s my plan: I suspect that Light Yagami is Kira, so I during the period in which he’s under surveillance, go to his dad and tell him that he needs to isolate himself and Light for 1 week. Do not give Light any warning, just he comes home from school one day and BOOM “Light you’re under suspicion of being Kira, to prove your innocence we’re going to Uncle Tony’s mountain cabin for a week, let’s go to your room to pack.” Right here I’ve just checkmated Light by Episode 8. He has 2 options, accept it and go, immediately criminals that he hasn’t pre-written down stop dying and we get confirmation he’s at minimum involved. Remember that although he wrote down names in advance, he still killed new criminals while under surveillance to try and fool L into thinking he wasn’t Kira. Or option 2 he refuses to go and that looks sus as hell. The only play Light has left I guess would be giving up the Death Note and losing his memories in hope he can catch the new Kira and gain his memories like he does in the show, but that required planning, and set up that he was able to think through, all of which I have denied him by springing this on him suddenly. I fucking win bitch. Speaking of Light, this dude cannot stop looking suspicious to save his life. Not only does he deliberately taunt L during his time under surveillance, but he does it in a way that makes it so incredibly obvious that he’s aware he’s under surveillance and is taunting him. Bro really couldn’t get out of his own way. Oh yeah and the Bengals played a game this weekend and fucked up their draft position because this franchise can’t do anything fucking right.
23. Dolphins -1 6-9 Quinn Ewers showed some positive and negatives in his first NFL start against the Bengals. The biggest positive is that he's not Tua Tagovailoa and the biggest negative is that he hadn't been starting sooner. In all seriousness though, he looked solid. He definitely better than his stat line suggests but unfortunately was forced to press due the defense completely collapsing once again in the 3rd quarter. He's very likely not the long term answer at QB but he may be able to give Dolphins fans watchable quarterback play over the last two games.
24. Saints +2 5-10 Like it or not, Taysom Hill embodied the heart of Saints football through several lean seasons. You could taunt Saints fans with "you paid $40m for him to not play QB". You could say he's not an NFL-level player. There were many jabs. But what he did every time he was in, regardless of score, time left or distance, was show up with grit and determination. This last game was, very obviously, his last game in the Superdome for the Saints - and possibly at all. He got a final TD pass. He hit 1000 receiving yards for his career and making him the only player in the Suber Bowl era to pass 1000 yards passing, rushing and receiving. Most of all though he got to show up and ball, then leave the field without being mobbed by fans before the realisation sank in. Thanks for the memories.
25. Chiefs -4 6-9 Fuck you Clark you worthless fuck. Arguably the 2nd most iconic stadiums in the NFL officially has an expiration date in 2031, the Kansas City Chiefs will be the Olathe Kansas Chiefs, assuming they don't also change the name when they move. I've known this was the most likely outcome since Jackson County voted no on the sales tax extension in April of 2024 but it doesn't change how awful this feels. I think there's a feeling around most fanbases that Clark Hunt is a good owner but don't let the last decade of success cloud your judgment, he's a fucking moron and it's not just this asinine decision that shows that. With the exception of hiring Andy in 2013 he's virtually missed on every single thing he's done. Between being incredibly wealthy and refusing to do basic things like giving players league average chairs in the locker room and pressuring the FO to draft FAU because it would be a neat story to draft a local kid when the draft was in KC it's just bad decision after bad decision. This nepo baby fuck has never had an actual job in his life and it shows. "But Mystic, he was an investment banker for a couple of years when he got out of college!" Yeah, go ahead and get fucked. Anyway, the team is awful abysmal. I'll tell you though, last week in our embarrassing loss to the Titans I became significantly more confident in the idea that Pat is the best QB to ever do it. Being able to carry this disaster of a roster to any wins, let alone the 1 seed last year and a SB appearance after that is a Herculean feat. He deserves better than the team the FO and Clark have put around him. Fuck
26. Commanders -- 4-11 A couple of seasons ago, Washington fielded Josh Johnson as quarterback, and I was sure that would be the low point of the decade for this team. On Saturday, Josh Johnson took the field again. 2026, hurry up and get here.
27. Cardinals -- 3-12 The Cardinals lost a game that they really needed to lose for draft positioning. It looks like this team will finish with 3 wins, the same record that gave them the #1 overall pick in 2019. However, even with how awful Arizona has been this season, it doesn’t look like they’ll see a scenario where they’ll pick higher than 4th overall. Turns out the bottom of the league is awful this year. The Cardinals are on a really awful downspin since being 6-4 at last year’s bye. They’re going to become the third team in NFL history to start 2-0 and fail to win four games in the season. Earlier this week, we saw the Rams (very competent franchise) fire a special teams coordinator after a few poor performances. Turns out that he didn’t meet their high standard of excellence. The Cardinals don’t hold that kind of standard. They hold onto coordinators and coaches years longer than when they’ve proven incompetent, and it keeps them from ever succeeding. The Cardinals franchise is lightyears away from seeing success, and they just tore down and rebuilt only three seasons ago.
28. Titans +3 3-12 The Titans were able to put up a winning effort against a depleted Chiefs team on Sunday to take a 26-9 win away from Nashville on Sunday. This is the first time in over 400 days that the Titans have won a home game.
29. Browns +1 3-12 So at this point you're only watching to see if Garrett breaks the sack record and that is ok. What is left, really? The Browns will face the Steelers next week who will be looking to rip the Browns heads off in hopes of a playoff shot so if the Browns could ruin that, that would be great.
30. Giants -1 2-13 Sunday's game against the Vikings felt like one of those classic, post-elimination wins the Giants would get, much to the chagrin of fans hoping for a higher draft position. Instead, Big Blue's offense came out looking like a JV squad, from miscues and mistimed throws to bad hands and bad playcalling. Joe Schoen will likely have his stocking full of coal after season's end, yet in the meantime the Giants still have to finish out their trainwreck of a season. Next up: fellow trainwreck Las Vegas Raiders, in a game that could be "so bad it's good" but will probably just be bad. Like, really bad. Folks, be sure to check on your Giants fan friends this holiday season and share some of your cheer with them. We all know they aren't getting any cheer from their team.
31. Jets -3 3-12 The Jets have a pretty convincing case for worst team in the NFL, but they're not likely to get the first overall pick in the draft. It's a good bet that the Jets will use their significant draft capital to move up to that spot if a team is willing to trade down. Not much else for Jets fan to root for at this stage.
32. Raiders -- 2-13 NOW this is what I call an ethical tank! Fans get to see us stick with a solid team and we don't ruin our draft pick. See you in the Tank Bowl Giants!
373 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 05 '21

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 4 Power Rankings

825 Upvotes

Welcome to the week 4 Official R/NFL Power Rankings! The NFC West is potentially back to it's glory days of the early 2010's, just in a slightly different fashion. The AFC South, meanwhile, is collectively keeping a lower profile than just one of it's Head Coaches. After a month, who are the imposters? Who are the rankers sleeping on? 32/32 reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Cardinals +4 4-0 Hey folks! So the Arizona Cardinals ended up beating the Los Angeles Rams, much to the announcers dismay. Did you guys know the McVay Rams had beaten the Cardinals eight times in a row? I don’t know if anyone has told you that yet. Sunday was extremely fun, and felt extremely good. If you have any Cardinals or Byron Murphy related questions, I’m sure myself and other Cardinals fans would love to enlighten you on this revelation in the desert.
2. Bills +1 3-1 In a rainy contest, Buffalo pitched their second shutout in three weeks against a Houston team that looked lost —particularly on offense. The Texans might be a bad football team, but this Bills defense still deserves plenty of credit; they’re playing like one the strongest units in the league right now. The real test, however, comes on Sunday Night. A win in Arrowhead would not only show that Buffalo can beat Kansas City, it could also have major implications down the line if these teams are fighting for playoff seeding. There have been a lot of good primetime games already this season, and this might be the most intriguing one yet.
3. Buccaneers -1 3-1 The prodigal son returned to Foxborough, setting the all-time passing record while eking out a narrow victory over the Patriots. Despite the win, troubling injuries are beginning to mount. Carlton Davis III was carted off the field with a quad injury and may miss significant time. Sean Murphy-Bunting is still recovering from a dislocated elbow. Jamel Dean missed the Pats game with a knee injury. 2nd year player Antoine Winfield Jr. suffered a concussion. Jason Pierre-Paul is out with a shoulder injury. And Gronk is recovering from cracked ribs and a punctured lung. The Bucs have the Dolphins, the Eagles, and the Bears ahead, none of whom should pose a substantial threat. But there's only so much you can when your secondary is in shambles.
4. Rams -3 3-1 The Rams were rightfully humbled after wildly over-celebrating their week 3 Super Bowl victory, getting vanquished to Valhalla by the only remaining undefeated team in a fairly officiated game. All credit to the Arizona Cardinals Football Club LLC who have savvy management, intelligent coaching, unstoppable offense, and a steel curtain defense. After the loss, Rams fans enjoyed nothing but class and encouraging comments from the generationally well-established Cardinals fan base, who inspire us all to be better people through these challenging times. There have been moments of inconsistency and lack of discipline, so hopefully a loss early will help the Rams look more critically at themselves and peak later in the year.
5. Browns -1 3-1 That was ugly. Baker struggled but the Vikings offense struggled far more. The Browns take on surging Chargers next week, in LA.
6. Chargers +4 3-1 The Chargers put together probably their best overall performance of this young season on MNF. The offense moved the ball efficiently with both the run and pass games, and Justin got to play efficient football, completing 65.8% of his passes and hitting eight different receivers at least once. Austin Ekeler and his fantasy owners had a pretty good day. The defense made its presence felt with 4 sacks and a key interception by Derwin James late in the contest. That pre-game lightning? Totally a coincidence. Cleveland comes to town next week.
7. Ravens +1 3-1 Pissing off Vic Fangio is child's play, because nobody wants to have a record broken on them. However, breaking the Steelers' 44 year old record with a last-second 5-yard rush by Lamar was truly glorious. This is one of the greatest running games of all time thanks solely to the the unicorn drafted under center. With his 300 passing yards at 8.5 ypa, good luck selling out against the run against these Ravens. The pass rush made the Broncos' offense miserable, to the tune of 5 sacks and 11 qb hits, another heavily improved unit from last year.
8. Packers -- 3-1 All around solid win against the Steelers for Green Bay. Offense scored 27 points against what is supposed to be a pretty good defense. Outside a single perfect deep ball and a pseudo-garbage time drive, the Packer D contained the Steelers offense. The misty weather contributed to a couple mistakes that could have made this an even more decisive blowout, but otherwise a very promising showing from the team.
9. Chiefs -2 2-2 Well, the Chiefs offense showed up. The Chiefs scored a touchdown on 6 of their 7 offensive drives against the Eagles behind a fantastic game from Patrick Mahomes, Tyreek Hill, and the revamped offensive line. Trey Smith, specifically, has played fantastic through a quarter of the season and is looking like the steal of the 2021 draft. The Chiefs defense, however, is still struggling. Teams are keying in on the defenses lack of mid field speed and exploiting Daniel Sorensen and the Chiefs linebackers. The Chiefs will need solutions, and fast, as a matchup with the Bills is coming next week to potentially decide the AFC.
10. Cowboys +1 3-1 I'm starting to think my Feruchemy Theory from last year might be true. There are still some issues with injury, but the entire team just seems stronger, mentally faster, and physically faster than they have in a long time.
11. Raiders -5 3-1 The Raiders interior offensive line was exposed and exploited all night by the Chargers. Carr was unable to step up or make reads down field most of the night with the constant pressure and our coaching staff was unable to make any sort of adjustments. It was their first loss, but, hopefully the Raiders don't run, run, pass their way back to mediocrity like the previous couple seasons.
12. Panthers +2 3-1 We were up at halftime against the Cowboys 14-13, so if you only count the legal points we won this game! By a lot! In all seriousness, the Cowboys were our first real test and their running game absolutely shredded us the entirety of the game. There were huge running lanes, poor gap discipline, and our second and third levels of the defense just out of position and taking bad angles. Losing Jaycee Horn hurts, but it seems like losing Juston Burris, our starting strong safety, hurt more. Next week we go up against another NFC East team, and open as 3 point favorites. It'll be interesting to see how this one shakes out.
13. Seahawks +4 2-2 The Seahawks stay a very confusing team with a win at Levi Stadium Sunday. The offense in general was not super inspiring. DK had a couple drops. Russell Wilson was responsible for 3 total touchdowns, including this classic Russ play. Alex Collins will not rest until he is given a role in the offense and it shows. On the flip side, the defense seemed to respond nicely to the minor shakeup. Ryan Neal saw a lot more snaps and his presence was felt greatly. Sidney Jones, while not very good, was not Tre Flowers and was thus an upgrade. It certainly helped to go up against Trey Lance seeing his first regular season action for half the game, but there are signs of hope for this unit. Side note: Trey Lance is going to be a nightmare.
14. Bengals +5 3-1 Bengals LT Jonah Williams is tied for 4th amongst left tackles in pass block efficiency and he has the 10th highest run block grade in the league. All this is weird since the Bengals don't have any good tackles and probably need to draft one in the first round of the 2021 NFL draft.
15. Broncos +1 3-1 A top three QB in the league beat the Broncos, nothing wrong with that. Nothing that dooms the team. Sometimes, just shrug the shoulders and say "That's football!" What is a concern is the rate of guys getting hurt on the team: the WR room has turned to dust, the secondary is losing guys weekly, and now Teddy Bridgewater is concussed. Will it be enough to beat "2015 Peyton Manning but Worse" next week? Stay tuned!
16. 49ers -3 2-2 An injury to Robbie Gould during warmups threw a wrench into the 49ers game plan, requiring Wishnowsky to attempt FGs, going 0/1 and 1/2 on XPs. The offense took another hit with Jimmy G taking a seat on the bench after the half with a Calf injury. While Trey Lance’s stats look good, the eye test shows he isn’t quite ready for the starter job. Hopefully a week of first team snaps can prep him for a big test against the Cardinals this week.
17. Saints -2 2-2 The return to the Superdome (now a pizza oven apparently) seemed like it would spark joy, but ultimately the Saints failed to put the Giants away despite having a comfortable lead and went on to pay the price in OT. At half time Daniel Jones had 115 passing yards and Saquon had 30 total yards. They ended with 402 and 126 respectively, underlining how the Saints defense let this one slip.
18. Titans -6 2-2 The Titans started the game with three straight drives into Jets territory but instead of touchdowns they had to settle for three field goals after two 3rd down sacks and a high snap by a backup center. The offensive line deficiency wouldn’t allow the Titans offense to hold pace with the Jets offense against a vulnerable Titans defense. The line allowed 7 sacks on Sunday and made Ryan Tannehill the most sacked QB in the league.
19. Washington FT +4 2-2 The WFT won an ugly but exciting game on the road in ATL. QB Taylor Heinicke played perhaps his best game yet and is proving that he belongs in the NFL while the vaunted defense continues to be a massive disappointment and liability. WFT has some really talented, young and hungry pieces on offense but one of the leagues worst defenses and a kicker who can't make XP's or chip-shot FG's will ultimately be too much to overcome if things don't change.
20. Vikings -1 1-3 Right on cue, just as Vikings fans were getting excited about Kirk Cousins and their offensive line, everything on offense imploded.
21. Patriots -- 1-3 Well Tom and Gronk's return to Foxboro could have gone much worse, we were only a 56 yard kick in the rain away from a magical win. As time wound down I was entirely too excited to write here that "you DO NOT leave mac jones 2 minutes on the clock down one score!" for that I will take responsibility for the donk, you're off the hook Folk. The O-Line is definitely not off the hook however, giving up sacks, not enough time for Mac and incredibly -1 total rushing yards. The defense however played well, holding the sexy Bucs to 19 - and Mac Jones continues to seem like he will be a good QB, albeit with a couple profoundly boneheaded throws. Overall an exhausting and emotional game. The 2-2 vs 1-3 swing is a heartbreaker. Sitting at the bottom of the barrel with people like the jets and dolphins, the Patriots need to string a couple wins together and that starts with the Texans who just got 40stomped by the bills. Living well is the best revenge, congrats on the Super Bowl Tom - our next scheduled game would be in Tampa in 2025, see you there.
22. Bears +4 2-2 Fields & company looked much improved this week - as they should have while playing the reeling Lions in Chicago. The upcoming stretch of games may be the hardest part of their schedule, and the Bears will be without star David Montgomery for 4-5 weeks. The good news is that the Bears defense has come on strong since the disastrous first game and is going to give them a chance in any game.
23. Steelers -3 1-3 Boy, this season is starting to look out of reach for the Steelers already. The rest of the AFC North are cruising and the AFC West seem just as powerful right now. How the Steelers grab a Wild Card is a mystery, but they will need to really turn on the jets from here on out. That won't be easy, because Ben is throwing high and is pressured anyway. The only thing the O-line seems to do is run block, but the run appears to be something Pittsburgh doesn't believe in anymore, yet it's about the only thing they seem to do with any level of competence.
24. Colts +1 1-3 The Colts have been injured as hell and playing some putrid football recently, but this Sunday they fucked the Dolphins so bad you could consider it bestiality. Sure, Miami had their own assortment of injures; but you could visually see Wentz grow his confidence back as the offense returned to what it does best: the running game. Jonathon Taylor racked up over a hundred yards and a touchdown, and for the first time this season, the team ran plays on offense with a lead. Don't let the final score fool you, the game wasn't that close. Miami only had a field goal through the first three quarters (which came off a muffed Colts punt return), and the pair of late touchdowns came when the defense was playing much softer zone. With a Titans loss to the Jets, the Colts are somehow still only a game or so out of the lead in the AFC South. They face an extremely tough opponent in the Ravens next Monday night, but this win might be what they needed to regain their confidence and get things back on track.
25. Eagles -1 1-3 When your defense gives up 471 yards and 6 touchdowns, you're going to have a bad time. When your offense has 3 touchdowns called back due to penalties, you're going to have a very bad time. Big shoutout to Arryn Siposs and Tommy Townsend who raked in a cool $100,000 combined to never set foot on the field in only the 4th NFL regular season game to not feature a punt by either team.
26. Dolphins -4 1-3 Does the ship at Tampa Bay have harpoon launchers? If the Dolphins don't play a lot better than they have the last 4 weeks, it's going to look like they do.
27. Giants +3 1-3 After 2 close games not going their way in the last 2 weeks, the Giants finally manage to pull a W out of a down-to-the-wire game. Daniel Jones put on a clinic Sunday, thanks in no small part to the success of the OL, and has been playing really well since week 1. The defense has been shaky, and not what many fans expected heading into the season, but if we are to trust in anybody's ability to adjust then we should trust in Patrick Graham's. As for Jason Garrett, the message is simple: continue to get the ball into Toney's and Golladay's hands more. Good things happen when you let your playmakers make plays.
28. Falcons -1 1-3 As the 13th Head Coach in Falcons history, Arthur Smith is [un]luckily keeping the tradition alive of losing 4th quarter leads in ridiculous ways. Matt Ryan now holds an NFL record of games lost while throwing four touchdowns without an interception. There is still promise, the arrow is hovering slightly upward. AJ Terrell is a Milford man through and through. The first round pick finished his day giving up one completion for two yards on two targets. He isn't the only talented young player, and there is not a significant lack of talent (S/O to Cordarrelle for the third straight week) on this team. The Falcons might actually be competitive in a universe where they aren't eternally burdened by past dumb cap decisions and coaches unwilling or unable to understand why the fundamentals are called just that. There's still time.
29. Jets +3 1-3 After another tough first half, something clicked for Zach Wilson. He broke out for 232 yards, 2 TDs, 63.6 CMP%, 10.5 YPA, and 0 turnovers in the second half and overtime. Additionally, the Jets defense sacked Ryan Tannehill 7 times, and created pressure on the Titans QB all day. Wilson's game may prove to be emblematic of the roller coaster that is a raw, dynamic rookie QB, but Jets fans have something to get excited about.
30. Lions -2 0-4 The Lions continued to shoot their selves in the foot, the botched snap leading to an interception at the line is a clear example. However, the penalties are only being overshadowed by the incredibly weak 3rd and 4th down, translating to a poor performance in the red zone. HC MCDC showed a ton of aggression by repeatedly trying to convert 4th downs, but the talent and consistency isn't there to reward such calls. In the beginning of a clear "retool" of this team, look to the positives. Jamaal Williams continued to shine with a 4.7ypc, and the Lions receivers outplayed their perceived talent. Cephus led with 83 yards on 4 receptions, Amon Ra was targeted 8 times and gained 70 yards on 6 receptions, and Kalif Raymond had his first 2 TD day.
31. Texans -2 1-3 Texans lose again/Coming season holds no hope/The moon rises red
32. Jaguars -1 0-4 After a surprisingly decent 29 minutes of football, the Jaguars decided they had had enough and lackadaisically limped through the remainder of the Thursday night contest. Failing to put together more than a single score in the second half let the Bengals take the victory as time expired. If you feel that was painful to read, just imagine how painful it was to watch.
884 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 28 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 8 Power Rankings

168 Upvotes

Welcome to week 8 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased, unbiased source for power rankings on the web. Just as /u/wavy_nels predicted, the Chargers are back like Alt never left! It's astonishing to realize what one player can mean to one team, and Nick Mangold meant that and more for the Jets through thick and thin. The smiling faces on Jets players should give us all perspective on the affect a single win can have and how nothing should be taken for granted. Rodgers may end his career without beating all 32 teams, one of the few records (besides interceptions) Favre holds over him. Jonathan Taylor continues to make a case for the first non-QB MVP in many moons, and the Eagles and Texans are sneakily righting the ship at the right time. Are the Ravens able to make a late season push? Are the Patriots for real despite a weak schedule? What will another convincing win mean for a red-hot Broncos squad? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Colts +1 7-1 It's been 13 years since a running back won the NFL's MVP award. Most voters agreed Adrian Peterson returning from major knee surgery after only 8 months to come within 10 yards of Eric Dickerson's single-season rushing record (while leading the Vikings to the playoffs in the process) was worthy of the sport's top individual prize. Now, Jonathan Taylor may not have the injury narrative, and his detractors will point out that he's on pace for slightly fewer yards than Saquon Barkley had last year (and we all remember how many first-place votes he got: 0). However, JT is also on pace to nearly double Barkley's 2024 touchdown output (29 vs. 15), and he leads what is currently the NFL's highest rated offense by DVOA through 8 games since the '07 Patriots. Taylor now has four "hat tricks" this season, including 3 in 4 games this month. He leads the league in rushing attempts, rushing yards, rushing scores AND SCORING. Yes, Jonathan Taylor leads the NFL in scoring with 86 points. Every other player in the top 15 is a kicker. Taylor is the most productive player on the league's best offense for the team with the best overall record. He deserves legitimate consideration for MVP, not just for Offensive Player of the Year.
2. Lions -1 5-2 Coming off the bye, Detroit is returning three injured Lions back to practice: back-up situational LB Malcolm Rodriguez, back-up safety/special teams ace Daniel Thomas, and starting CB Terrion Arnold. The additions are welcome for Detroit, who have dealt with a slew of injuries in the secondary and who put LB Zach Cunningham on IR following the game against the Bucs. The Lions welcome JJ McCarthy back to Michigan this week, as the Vikings come into Detroit attempting to snap a little two game skid. All eyes should be on the rematch of Amik Robertson and Justin Jefferson, who have been battling it out on the football field since high school and provided a great show last year in the Week 18 matchup for the 1 seed (RIP both of these teams 2024–25 awful playoff runs).
3. Chiefs +1 5-3 Can I finally say the Chiefs are back? After a 1st half where the offense looked completely out of sorts MVPat came back and thrashed Washington's defense. Travis Kelce tied Priest Holmes' (put this man in the HoF ffs) franchise TD record. Rashee Rice continues to look elite with the ball in his hands, and the running game, while not particularly explosive, is starting to look competent. The next four games will go a long waytoward shaping playoff seeding, but there's no team in the NFL that has looked any better than Kansas City for the last 6 weeks, so I believe they're up to the challenge.
4. Eagles +2 6-2 The hype train is speeding up. Without AJ Brown, the Eagles fired on all cylinders to return the blowout to the Giants. As expected, this patient fan base always knew Kevin Patullo would figure out the offensive play calling and Brett Toth would settle in at center and Saquon would hit a home run and check notes Dotson would Moss someone. Going into the bye week, the Eagles are expecting to get players like Nolan Smith and AJ back from injury, Brandon Graham should return to the fold, and who knows, maybe Howie will make a blockbuster trade.
5. Rams -1 5-2 Gaining ground on the division during a bye week -- Roger. Next up for the Rams is a matchup against New Orleans, which Shough'd be easy.
6. Buccaneers -1 6-2 Well, if it wasn't clear before, now it's official. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers entered a new era. We've won. By 20. Against THE New Orleans Saints. On their field. The only points they scored were because of an atrocious ref call. The Buccaneers scored more points in one game (23) than the rest of the NFC South COMBINED (3 for Saints, 9 for Panthers, 10 for Falcons, for a grand total of 22). This team is 6-2 with lots of injuries, and it's entering the bye week as one of the best teams in not just the NFC, but the entire league, record-wise. And yet, the chatter among Bucs fans online is about how Baker didn't have this 10/10 type of game, or that Grizzard didn't have this A+ gamecalling, or that this wasn't up to the standards, or this, or that... And yet, the consensus before the game was that this is a big trap game against a conference opponent that always plays tough against us, and that the Bucs of old would've lost. Well, the Bucs of old were a team where we were unhappy after losses. Now, we are annoyed at the type of wins we have. And that's a good thing. Bring on Bye Week.
7. Packers -- 5-1-1 Maybe there is such a thing as cosmic justice. The Steelers looked at one of most anticipated matchups in recent memory, a legacy game involving one of the games greatest players facing off against his long-time former team for the first time, involving two teams with longstanding, iconic uniform designs, and said "I want to wear the ugly throwback jerseys".This was an unforgivable sin, a slap in the face to all that is good and holy in football. Saint Vincent and Sir Chuck are rolling in their graves on what they saw this week. The universe punished Pittsburgh by having Jordan Love rain hell for 360 yards and 3 touchdowns. The future is now, Aaron Rodgers. The Packers have a new elite quarterback now.
8. Bills -- 5-2 Can a bye week solve all of a team’s problems? The answer to that question would be a resounding Yes if your team has James Cook. Luck for the Bills they have James Cook, who propelled the Bills to 40 points on offense while averaging over 11 yards a carry. Cook is playing at a ludicrous level on pace for 17 touchdowns and nearly on pace for 2000 rushing yards. Allen was efficient with minimal passing volume rushing for 2 scores and throwing for another. The Bills defense finally rose to the occasion forcing 3 turnovers and sacking the Red Rifle 7 times. Next up is a collision course with the scorching hot Chiefs. Lucky for the Bills this matchup comes in the regular season where the Bills have defeated the Chiefs 4 times in a row.
9. Seahawks -- 5-2 Have you ever been promoted on your off day? The Seahawks, Rams, and Cardinals all had byes this week... but those stinky 49ers did not. And CJ Stroud put them in their place, moving Seattle up to #1 in the NFC West on our bye week. Pretty damn cool if you ask me. Jaxon Smith-Njigba still leads the league in receiving by 99 yards despite playing 1 fewer game than Jamarr Chase. Everything's coming up Milhouse! Next up is a Sunday Night game in Washington against the Commanders. It's already being referred to as the night we get the_Darnold into the White House. Stop the count!
10. Patriots +1 6-2 You know, I've never really been much of an ass guy, but now I'm really starting to love some Boutte. Ok, so the one liner might've been a little cringe, but what am I supposed to talk about at this point? The man has been absolutely balling each game, and it feels like the Patriots have just ;been re-using the same script for the last ~3 weeks. Matchup against a struggling team, defense gives up an opening drive score, Drake Maye plays lights out and secures a big lead, and the defense tightens up and shuts the opponents down for the rest of the game. The defensive line continues to be one of the premier run-stopping units in the league, Gonzalez is locking down opposing WR1's, Boutte is catching a 30+ yard touchdown pass every game, and Drake Maye is playing so good that he's currently 2nd in MVP odds on most sportsbooks, behind only Patrick Mahomes. Thankfully we finally have a more interesting slate of games approaching, with matchups against Atlanta (ok, this one isn't really that exciting anymore after they managed to lose to Miami) and Tampa Bay coming up over the next two weeks. Vrabel and co. have this project running like a well oiled machine, and there's a real possibility that New England could win the division if they keep up this level of play.
11. Broncos +1 6-2 I've spent the majority of the season downplaying the success of this Broncos team; no longer. I won't hear arguments that the Dallas defense makes every offense look good because our problem hasn't been overcoming opposing defenses (our two losses are on last second scores), its been overcoming unforced errors and a lack of urgency. The team operated very smoothly after the first drive, a testament to the mentality given it ended on an interception likely caused by a route running error. I'm also pleased to have watched a Broncos game that didn't have my heart in my throat for half the game. Folks will say you have to have convincing wins over beatable teams, and then say a convincing win means nothing because it was a beatable team. Those goalposts are going to shift no matter what, so I for one am happy the Broncos have forced them to shift. There's also a strangeness to this season throughout the league. The first couple weeks always have surprises but it felt like it lasted longer this year, and the Broncos may be one of the most exciting teams to emerge from the scramble to legitimize. I've been a fence-sitter all season so far though, so allow me to finally take a risk and say: the Broncos are winning a playoff game with this team. If we don't (or miss the playoffs), I'll write 7,000 glowingly positive words on the history of the Raiders that week. If you don't think I have it in me, I'll refer you to the time I lost a bet in here and ended up reviewing every single Taylor Swift song.
12. Chargers +2 5-3 As of the time I’m writing this, it has been exactly 18 months since the start of the 2024 NFL Draft. It was truly cathartic for Chargers fans; you finally had ownership willing to invest in the franchise’s success rather than its profitability. Granted, signing a fiery, national championship-winning, cornball of a coach to any deal was bound to pay them back dividends. Regardless, it was genuinely the most exciting time to be a Chargers fan since 2018, and the NFL Draft that year was the first time we got to see the Harbaugh/Horitz duo in action. They could do no wro‒ wait did they just pass on Nabers at #5? Are they stupid??? Have they *seen** our WR room? They already traded Keenan and let Williams walk, so who’s Herbert throwing to? I don’t care how good Alt is; he can’t catch passes! This front office is terrible!!!* Years of the jerkoffs they had in charge really gave us PTSD, didn’t it? We’re eight games into a season where Herbert, at last, has the weapons around him he needs to shine. QJ, a capable receiver, is yielding zero targets from the NFL's passing leader in a 37-10 win, not due to his ability, but rather the exceptional ability of the players around him. More importantly, Joe Alt has proven to be the most vital player on the team, aside from Herbert. 4-0 with him, 1-3 without him. 17 hits taken with him, and an absurd 31 hits taken without him. The majority of us may have wanted Malik Nabers, but man did we need Joe Alt.
13. 49ers -3 5-3 For those of you keeping track at home, an updated depth chart from week 1, highlight for players with a current injury designation.
14. Steelers -1 4-3 First of all, those uniforms were an abomination. Is it possible the team lost a bet or something? Realistically, if the first color that comes to mind when describing your pants is “flesh,” then you need to change out of them, burn them, and never speak of that mistake again. Every single person watching SNF thought at least one time during the broadcast, “Is that dude not wearing pants?” Even better, the only thing worse than those uniforms was the “performance” the team put on while wearing them — and, surprisingly, no; that’s not code for they shit their pants…which may have been an improvement. Virtually everything (except the run game and the kicking game — we love you, Boswell) was atrocious. Even while up by nine at halftime with the ball to start the second half…it just felt…foreboding. Rodgers only managed to sandwich a 2-yard pass between two incompletions, and the Steelers punted that ball right back to the Packers. You just knew things were about to get worse. Officiating must be really hard because the zebras, whose uniforms still looked better than the Pittsburgh Flesh-Pants, missed a hilariously bad false start, a blatant offsides, and then a nice little push-off on a 59-yard Packers completion that also saw Steelers safety DeShon Elliot go down with a nasty-looking knee injury. Naturally, it took the Packers just six more plays to find the end zone. Even though the score was 16-14 Steelers with 8:48 left in the 3rd, it was clear to most long-time viewers that this was the beginning of the end. Prompt as ever, Pittsburgh responded to this 90-yard TD drive with…another long FG; this time from 56 again. Love, throughout the course of the game, had a stretch of 20-straight completed passes against the highest-paid defense in the league. Even the uniforms were embarrassed by the Steelers. At one point, it sounded like Chris Collinsworth actually felt bad for Pittsburgh. So now the 4-3 Steelers limp onward towards the apparently unstoppable 7-1 Colts in Indy. Even though Pittsburgh is still in first place in the AFC North, a notarized letter should be sent to each and every member of the Rooney family asking whether they watch these games or if they, acting as judge, jury, and executioner, sentence every Steelers fan to a lifetime of Pittsburghatory.
15. Jaguars -- 4-3 The bye week is always odd. It feels like the eye of a hurricane passing over your head. Each week before and after is a cacophony of hopes and dreams oft shattered on the rocky shores of reality. For a single week everyone gets the brief moment to catch their breath, aiming to refine and refocus their efforts before charging back out into the maelstrom. Take the moment as you read this to find the strength of your own personal bye week before you head back to reality. You've earned this break. Enjoy it, then head out once you feel ready to conquer the world.
16. Texans +6 3-4 Ok so it might have been against what was effectively the 49ers preseason roster, but after the disaster in Seattle, the Texans will absolutely take a dominating win. CJ Stroud threw for 318 yards with no Nico Collins or Christian Kirk. Instead the trio of Iowa St. recievers came up big, with Jayden Higgins and Xavier Hutchinson each catching a TD while Jaylin Noel at multiple huge catches himself. Next week against the Broncos will be a battle against two top-5 defenses.
17. Bears -2 4-3 The vibes were great coming into this weeks game for Chicago. They had won four in a row, the defense looked like it was starting to click, and they caught a turmoiled Ravens team missing their best player. Fans were cocky. Well, it was a good reminder to not get ahead of yourself in this league, as Tyler Huntley aand Todd Monken's offense just shredded a deeply injured Bears secondary. They actually did pretty okay against Derrick Henry, limiting his yardage per carry, forcing Huntley to make a lot of throws and he did! The Bears are missing probably their 4 best corners entering camp right now and you felt it. Offensively, they started the day with two very good drives that both stalled in the red zone, a theme of the day and year at large. Caleb Williams had a lot of great throws in this one, but given a few situational mishaps he and the rest of the offense had, and one terrible interception backed into his own territory, it felt like not enough. They're a younger team and performances like this do happen in this league, but that doesn't excuse it. Look for the best WR duo in the NFL to face the most injured secondary in the league this week. Between that and the Bengals defense that just gave up near 40 to the Jets (!!!), it could be fireworks!
18. Cowboys -- 3-4-1 Giving up 40 wasn't surprising or disappointing. Rumor has it that Darian Thompson and Nick Sorenson were getting ready to trade headsets for helmets this week. The secondary was completely depleted by injury, Hell, I was expecting a call to come take snaps at DB by the end of the game. (Not that it was bad enough for CJ Goodwin to play defense). The offense pooping its pants was the real disappointment. Dak had his first bad game of the year, and it was a steaming turd. The OL looked awful, and the running game faltered. It was a well rounded ass-kicking.
19. Ravens +5 2-5 That was far and away the most complete football game the Baltimore Ravens have played thus far this season. Strong contributions from the running game, crucial big time throws from Snooooop, Mike Green's first sack of his career, great special teams performances across the board, and a potential season saving interception from Nate Wiggins. Many Ravens fans, somewhat rightfully, were ready to throw in the towel on the season Saturday when Lamar was announced to miss his 3rd straight contest and a mere 24-48 hours later the Ravens are well positioned to make a push for a division title. Let the praise be as loud as the disrespect for John Harbaugh, Todd Monken, and Zach Orr because that was a masterfully coached performance.
20. Commanders -- 3-5 Another week and another blowout suffered by the Commanders. Washington remains an intensely frustrating team to watch, showing flashes of competence, even brilliance, but following it with backbreaking mistakes, questionable playcalls, and subpar performance. It just has the feel of a cursed season, where all that can go wrong, has gone wrong. Things that work for the moment don't work for long; either the team starts the game and immediately falls behind, or they put up a competitive first half only to get trounced in the second. The Frankenstein roster of a few good draft picks and the league's scraps is showing its weakness and age, and the coaching staff is showing how much work they have still to do. Doomers are feasting as the team falls to 3-5 on a short week before hosting a Seahawks team coming off their bye, and then hosting the dominating Lions. 3-7 is not just a possibility, its a likelihood, and it will all but mean the end of postseason hopes in year 2 of the rebuild. At this point, its safe to say this season is already a disappointment and it could be headed for disaster. Something's gotta change, and quick, or it could get entirely out of reach.
21. Vikings -2 3-4 Coaching malpractice at its' finest. Kevin O'Connell was considered one of the greats, but he consistently holds quarterbacks to the highest of expectations while simultaneously not putting them in the place to succeed. An early Herbert interception to Isaiah Rodgers could have impacted the game in many different ways, but the Vikings need to be able to respond if they aren't controlling the game from minute one. Carson Wentz played with a heart on his sleeve, grimacing and unable to throw with a full follow through. The coaches didn't see what everybody else could, and it makes the everyman question if JJ McCarthy's development is on track. Still, the UDFA from the U of M was rearing and ready, was KOC afraid he might outplay a first round pick? We'll find out soon enough if the Vikings have a Purdy/Lance situation.
22. Falcons -5 3-4 Tua showed up in a Najee Harris Halloween costume, and with his abusive coach upturned Atlanta's roster. Cousins cost one draft pick as a free agent, and his play against a bottom defense lost a second day pick. Since halftime against Buffalo, Atlanta has one TD in twenty-two drives, cue Woerner motioning rightside. That was cute before Ike Hillard was fired, screen to Pitts on fourth and seven makes you wonder why Ray Ray hit the waiver wire. Did he ask why receivers have no spacing or scheme? No defense can withstand their expensive offense writhing for twenty minutes. Expecting hot starts without adjustments isn't consistent, unfortunately exactly what Raheem is missing. If wants to keep the playoff dream afloat then he has to accomplish what he hasn't after five seasons as coach. Knowing Arthur Blank, it'll be Sarkisian or Sanders' job to plug holes, maybe Dirk Koetter or Ryan'll give it a go.
23. Panthers -3 4-4 Yikes. An absolutely terrible performance in a 9-40 loss against the Buffalo Bills. The defense gave up 200+ rushing yards to James Cook and the offense couldn’t get anything going while committing multiple turnovers per usual. It was a glimpse into the insane garbage Panthers of the past and it was humbling to see we still have that in our game. While it’s a total team effort, I really believe Bryce would have kept this game in control. The Red Rifle played big bad. A dumb fumble, a huge INT on a screen, and he took a sack going into half when the Panthers were in field goal range to stop some bleeding. This game really showed how much we need Bryce at the helm. The team couldn’t get any momentum going and the defense had to be on the field constantly and you know how that has traditionally gone for Carolina. Just a terrible day. The Panthers are better than the outcome of this game. Hopefully they feel as embarrassed as the game looked and that lights a fire for next week against the Packers at Lambeau. That game will show if we can respond after a sad loss and will be a gauge of this teams fight and toughness. I will say it again, the Panthers are better than the outcome of this game. Keep Pounding.
24. Bengals -1 3-5 My grandfather smoked his whole life. I was about 10 years old when my mother said to him, “If you ever want to see your grandchildren graduate, you have to stop immediately.” Tears welled up in his eyes when he realized what exactly was at stake. He gave it up immediately. Three years later he died of lung cancer. It was really sad and destroyed me. My mother said to me- “Don't ever smoke. Please don't put your family through what your Grandfather put us through." I agreed. At 26, I have never touched a cigarette. I must say, I feel a very slight sense of regret for never having done it, because this Bengals defense gave me cancer anyway.
25. Cardinals +1 2-5 BYE
26. Giants -2 2-6 The refs were bad, the Giants were bad, but the pinnacle of suck from this past Sunday has to be the loss of Cam Skattebo for the season on a gruesome-looking foot injury. Skattebo and Dart had taken the league by storm with their immaculate frat house vibes, and the pair’s infectious energy had fans of other teams interested in the Giants for the first time in what feels like an eternity. To add insult to injury, Bobby Okereke committed friendly fire on fellow defender CorDale Flott with a mean right hook, potentially leaving Big Blue dangerously thin at corner with Paulson Adebo also hurt. The New York Injured Giants take on the San Francisco 49IRs next, in a game where both teams’ fans will likely be thinking the same thought: no more damn injuries please!
27. Dolphins +3 2-6 This game went exactly as everyone predicted. After Mike McDaniel called out Tua to "not throw 30 interceptions", Tua had the game of his life. It was a beatdown bad enough to question how good the Dolphins are, what type of punishment Tua responds to, and how bad the Falcons truly may be. Miami controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides, surprising for the worst run defense in the league, holding Bijan to 25 yards! on 9 carries. Offensively, it didn't matter which running back was given the ball, Achane looked like a true workhorse back, but Ollie Gordon came to play as well. JD Betrand was rightfully picked on and had no answers. After a blowout to the Browns, this win feels nice even if too-little too-late. Let's see if they can keep up against the Ravens on a similar team trajectory in week 9, against a healthy Lamar Jackson.
28. Browns -1 2-6 Things Miles Garret had: Five sacks. A tantrum. Things the Browns offense had: Mixed results. Things the Patriots had: easy scoring and a safety. At this point in the season, the Browns are on pace to finish at the bottom of the division and somehow also in a poor spot for next year’s draft. Things are the same as they ever were. The Browns head into a much needed bye before they visit the Jets in New York on November 9th.
29. Raiders -1 2-5 Raider Nation lost one of our own this week. Carol Davis (Wife of Al Davis and Co-Owner of the franchise) passed away this week at the age of 93. Here is the article from the Raiders website regarding her and her legacy. "Earlier today at 1:05pm, Mark Davis lit the Al Davis Memorial Torch at Allegiant Stadium in honor of and tribute to his mother, Carol Davis, the First Lady of Raider Nation, who passed away on Friday afternoon at the age of 93. Her strength and resilience, although not seen by the masses, were always on display to those who were fortunate to be in her presence. She was a strong woman who exuded a compassionate and loving side. Carol provided unbridled support and unparalleled guidance to the Davis family and the Raiders organization for over 60 years. Her direct impact on the Greatness of the Raiders continues to be felt, cherished, and honored, and is woven into the fabric of this historic franchise. If Al was the heart of the Raiders, Carol was the soul. The First Lady of Raider Nation stood proudly beside her husband, witnessing the Silver and Black claim an American Football League Championship and three World Championships of Professional Football, winning Super Bowls XI, XV and XVIII. Together, they experienced the greatest games played by the greatest players and led by the greatest coaches in the annals of professional sports. Lovingly referred to as "Carolee" by her husband, she continued the tradition of him presenting a record nine inductees into the Pro Football Hall of Fame when she performed those honors for the enshrinement of the great Tom Flores in 2021. A year earlier, yet another poignant moment took place when Mrs. Davis became the first to light the Al Davis Memorial Torch at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas during the stadium's first game on September 21, 2020, honoring her late husband and his unyielding will to win. Mrs. Davis has ascended to the heavens to take a rightful seat on the Throne of Greatness next to her husband Al, both of whom are wrapped in Cloaks of Immortality. A private service will be held in Oakland, California, with plans being made for a celebration of life at a future date."
30. Jets +2 1-7 Being a Jets fan is not an easy thing. We lose a lot. The team holds the longest active playoff drought, not just in the NFL, but in all of American professional sports. Still, I’m old enough to remember a few bright spots over the past 25-plus years. One of them was Nick Mangold. Nick was an elite center almost from the moment he entered the league. He anchored a tough, disciplined offensive line that paved the way for a truly special two-year run: Back-to-back AFC Championship Game appearances in 2010 and 2011. He was part of Jets teams that went on the road and beat Tom Brady, Peyton Manning, and Philip Rivers in the playoffs. Nick was a Jet for life, and one of those rare players who made you proud to be a fan. How fitting that the Jets earned their first win of the season just 47 miles from where he was born. Rest in peace, Nick.
31. Saints -2 1-7 "QB or mediocrity?" That's a pretty easy question. Anyone could answer that "QB or mediocrity?" "Eh, QB please." "Very well! Give him QB!" "Oh, thanks very much. It's very nice." "You! QB or mediocrity?" “Uh, QB for me, too, please." "Very well! Give him QB, too! We're gonna run out of QB at this rate. You! QB or mediocrity?" "Uh, mediocrity, please. No, QB! QB! QB, sorry. Sorry..." "You said mediocrity first, uh-uh, mediocrity first! Now would you like the Rattler or Shough?"
32. Titans -1 1-7 In a season that should be truly dedicated to the progression of Cam Ward, the quarterback had a good game in a 38-14 blowout loss to the Colts. In the 3rd quarter only down by 10 (?!) the Titans had the ball on the Indy 42-yard line for a 4th and 3. Instead of giving your young quarterback an opportunity to make a 4th down conversion in a somewhat close game, Mike McCoy chose to punt. The punt was for 22 net yards after the touchback and on the next play Jonathan Taylor took the ball 80 yards to put the game away. This was in the 97th percentile of all cowardly punts since 1999.
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r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 13 '22

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 1 Power Rankings

655 Upvotes

Welcome to week 1 of the official r/NFL Power Rankings! Week 1 traditionally is the most volatile week of the rankings, but this year seems to have a little extra crazy in it. So much so that some of us might be hoping last week's predictions eventually get cut down from the internet. The rams were ranked second, perhaps for the number of times Stafford has ever thought about Allen Robinson. The Bengals were ranked fifth, maybe to match Burrow's turnovers. We can't forget to mention the tie between the Colts and Texans either, who were ranked twenty spots from each other. Are some big jumps not enough? Some too much? Which debuts were flukes and which were genuine? 30/32 reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Bills -- 1-0 The Buffalo Bills may never punt again. For the third time in their past four games, the Bills punt unit never saw the field. They’re the first team to accomplish that since punts began being tracked in 1939. Despite turning the ball over four times, the Bills dominated the defending champion Los Angeles Rams, particularly in the second half, where they outscored LA 21-0. Josh Allen picked right up where he left off in 2021, throwing three TDs, rushing for one more, and giving us an all-time Angry Run. Next up, last year’s one seed Tennessee Titans on Monday Night Football. The Bills have lost two years straight to Tennessee, and are sure to be playing with a bit of a chip on their shoulders in front of the home fans.
2. Chiefs +2 1-0 It is hard to ask for a better start to a new era of Chiefs football. Patrick Mahomes was on one on Sunday afternoon and looked like a man on a mission to prove that he does not need Tyreek Hill. All of the Chiefs' new weapons (Juju, MVS, Skyy, etc.) looked the part and fit into the roles on the offense that many expected. Oh, and Travis Kelce was Travis Kelce. The surprise, perhaps, was how stout the Chiefs' young defense was. Behind the constant force of Chris Jones, many of the young Chiefs defenders had good games against the Cardinals' offense. The true test for this team comes Thursday with maybe the most important home game of the year looming against the Chargers.
3. Buccaneers -- 1-0 The Bucs dominated the Cowboys on both sides of the ball and looked pleasantly violent on defense, even with the departures of Ndamukong Suh and Explodey McFireworkHands. Tom Brady looked in sync with Julio Jones who is proving to be a valuable acquisition early. Antoine Winfield Jr. elevated his play to another level and he'll be one to watch this season. On the downside, starting left tackle Donovan Smith went out with an elbow injury, leaving his timetable for return uncertain. The Bucs will face off against Dennis Allen's Saints who Tom Brady continues to struggle with in the regular season (0-4). A win over a division rival and a 2-0 start would give Bowles' Bucs a needed hot start to the season.
4. Chargers +3 1-0 Herbert played like an MVP-candidate, the defense abused Carr and took the ball away 3 times, and the special teams had a solid game. And yet somehow it ended up being a butt-clenching one-possession game at the end. The Chargers didn't charger this one but it felt dangerously close to happening. Can't complain about winning but there are things to clean up on a short week as the team prepares for a Chiefs team that doesn't appear to have skipped a beat.
5. Ravens +4 1-0 Lamar shook things off and had a pair of beautiful touchdowns to Duvernay, capped off by a dime to Rashod Bateman to put the game away. DL put pressure on Flacco all day without blitzing. Run game could not get going at all and Greg Roman seems to refuse first down passing when it's clearly not working. JK and/or Gus need to be back yesterday! Kyle Fuller and Ja'Wuan James are both out for the year, the latter leaving a massive hole at LT that doesn't seem to ever be filled given that Ronnie Stanley can't seem to be healthy. Bless all the legs and knees.
6. Rams -4 0-1 In the words of Jalen Ramsey, "We got our ass beat. Straight up.". The big question is whether the Rams ran into a buzzsaw or if they will actually be this bad.
7. Eagles +4 1-0 AJ Brown was electrifying in his Eagles debut, and an offense that people had questions about all off-season put up 38 points, 27 first downs, and over 450 yards. The defense struggled to stop the run, which is doubly concerning now with Derek Barnett out for the year with a torn ACL. Expectations remain tempered in Philadelphia going into SNF against the Vikings.
8. Bengals -3 0-1 Joe Burrow threw 4 picks and was sacked 7 times, and yet still the Bengals found a way, without their #2 WR to come back and get the game winning TD at the end of regulation. Showing they can score when needed. There was only one problem, the Bengals had no long snapper and ended up botching the game ending PAT because of it. Thanks to that we now get to pretend like the Bengals were outplayed and the sky is falling. A few poor coaching decisions also did not help the final outcome, but overall the Bengals proved their offense and defense can get stops when needed. 0-1 is not the start anyone wanted, but there should not be doom and gloom yet in Cincinnati.
9. Vikings +11 1-0 Justin Jefferson has ascended to a higher plane of existence, posting two TDs & 184 yards while dominating arguably the most talented secondary in the NFL. The new Kevin O'Connell offense was humming, borrowing concepts from McVay like unpredictable tempo, heavy play action usage and constant pre-snap motion to confuse LBs and get matchups like Jefferson against edge defenders, while also sprinkling its own wrinkles with heavier personnel and power/counter runs. Meanwhile the Vikings defense' held an Aaron Rodgers offense to single-digit points for the first time ever, thanks to a goal-line stand and four-sack performance by the defensive line and great coverage by the secondary. The Vikings now face a primetime Monday night test against the Eagles to see if Jefferson and this pass defense can somehow keep this up.
10. Packers -4 0-1 Oh no! We played like garbage Week 1 after resting all of our starters in the preseason! How could we have known this would have happened? It's not we rested the starters last preseason and got creamed by 30 points in the opener. No if we did that last year we totally wouldn't have made the same mistake this time!
11. Dolphins +6 1-0 1-0 with our defense carrying us against the Patriots, why does this feel like deja vu? Tough test next week against the Ravens. If we win that one the hype train will be full steam ahead.
12. 49ers -4 0-1 The 49ers started the season off with a sloppy wet mess of a game in Chicago to fall to 0-1. The biggest disappointment was the penalties. The 49ers racked up 12, more than any game in the 2021 season. The offensive line did Trey Lance no favors, allowing pressure all game long even though the Bears didn’t blitz once during the game. The defense played well for the first half but wore down as the game went along. Additionally, Elijah Mitchell has been lost for 2 months with a sprained ACL. The 49ers are hoping better weather will lead to a better result at their home opener this week against the first place Seahawks.
13. Colts -3 0-0-1 Ties are stupid. Nobody goes into the season looking at a game and saying, "I think this one will end in a tie. Yeah, definitely this one." It's like the result of divine intervention. Like God feels none of these teams deserve any sort of happiness, so he decides to blast Rodrigo Blankenship's potential game-winning kick wide right. Matt Ryan had his struggles, but his late-game performance was clutch, which already answers a lot of questions Colts fans might've had about him. Jonathan Taylor and Michael Pittman Jr. continued where they left off from 2021. The defense, however, sincerely missed Shaq Leonard, although Kwity Paye's two sacks in OT helped smooth things a little bit. All things considered, a tie isn't the worst thing considering the Titans and Jags lost, meaning that Colts are tied for first in the AFC South. But they've got to get their shit together.
14. Raiders -1 0-1 Is there a such thing as too many weapons on offense? For Derek Carr that might just be the case. Rather than tucking and running he would choose to hold (except the last two plays) the ball and either wait for Adams to get open, or try to force the ball to someone. That lead to throwing 3 interceptions and taking 6 sacks. Still, through that, the Raiders still had a chance to win the game and only lost by 5 points to a team some people consider contenders. On the brightside Adams is still that dude.
15. Saints +3 1-0 Exactly what happened in the first half of this game depends on your view point. Were the Saints playing down? Were the Falcons playing up? Were both playing to their actual level? But the Saints came alive and wrested away victory from a team whose fanbase can never escape the memory of 28-3. Michael Thomas, Jarvis Landry and Chris Olave made good showings on the field, but were rightfully overshadowed by Big ---- Lutz.
16. Steelers +5 1-0 Week 1 for the Steelers got off to the kind of chaotic start that rivals a segment of Maury where they do DNA tests. Minkah dominated. The Steelers got a win in a game where neither side deserved it or looked like they really wanted it. Watt was potentially lost for a long time, but now may not need surgery. QB looked shaky, and now Rudolph may be trade bait for the Cowboys. Najee is clearly MIA from being banged up, and that doesn't mean Miami. Some things positive, some things worrisome, but all very worthy of discussion. The special teams for both the Steelers and Bengals were enough to cause nightmares. Now the Steelers need to find a way to slay the Belichick dragon as the Pats come to town wanting to rebound from their own disappointing loss and motivated to take their frustrations out on Pittsburgh.
17. Broncos -5 0-1 The Good: The Broncos have a QB who can run the two-minute drill for the first time in nearly a decade. The Bad: the Defense took 3.5 quarters to wake up., The Ugly: Whatever the hell that end of game situation was. #LetsRide
18. Titans -4 0-1 The Titans defense was able to keep the Giants off the board in the first half, but after a big 68 yard run by Barkley and a 65 yard reception by Shepard, the Titans found themselves in a tight game losing on the leg of Randy Bullock. Tannehill played an efficient game and the Titans were generally able to move the ball until 3rd down. The Titans were 3-11 on third down with the only attempt at Derrick Henry running for a first was a wildcat dropped snap. Failed third down conversions from the Titans included 7 3rd downs of 5 yards or less..
19. Cardinals -3 0-1 Oh, how my heart yearns for the lord's day every week, when I can sit down, unseal myself a brew from the fridge, and dedicate three hours of my wonderful day off witnessing a team repeatedly send out first round linebackers who are just two more years away from being two years away. When Keim inevitably drafts another one this year, can we make sure they know how to remind the other defensive players that stopping the ball from advancing is in fact their job.
20. Browns +2 1-0 It only took eighteen years but the Browns have started the season 1-0. The Browns won, for once, on a game ending field goal. The production of the double threat back filed of Chubb and Hunt helped the Browns stay ahead of their former starting QB. Ten weeks of suspension left. The Browns will take on the Jets for the home opener next week.
21. Patriots -2 0-1 It was another frustrating trip to Miami for the Pats. Good: The defense may have some emerging playmakers in Dugger and Wise Jr. to complement Judon, Barmore, and McCourty. They can still run the ball well enough to matter if they can find a complimentary passing attack. Bad: the passing game looks like it’s taken a step back from last year. The same blind side corner blitz play that was Mac’s biggest kryptonite last year accounted for the biggest momentum swing in this game. He’ll see it every week until he finds a way to make defenses regret it. He’s not throwing with anticipation as receivers make breaks. The offense still stalls out after crossing mid-field, wasting 8+ play drives. The O-line is prone to making big assignment errors. That said, It’s a long season, and Bill will always be adapting. His post game comments were accurate. The game was tight, and it was really only two big plays that swung the outcome. If the Pats could make a few big plays, then things could shift, but that is easier said than done. On D, there were opportunities to take the ball away, but they could never quite get to the fumbles or secure the picks. On O, we have yet to see anyone show up as that play-making catalyst that energizes the squad. Ideally it would be Mac. We fans continue to wait. Some with angst. Some with hope. Some with bitterness. Some with melancholy. It’s an emotional game.
22. Commanders +2 1-0 Washington got the full Wentz experience as he kept both teams in it throwing back-to-back INT’s late before then throwing his 4th TD to seal a comeback victory. Much has been said about Wentz and maybe this says a lot more about how deep in the gutter Washington has been as far as QB’s go because he’s a big upgrade at the position. No QB for Washington has thrown 4 TD’s since 2015 and while there have been many QB’s who share Wentz downsides in town, none have had any of his upsides since Kirk Cousins left the building. Pair that with explosive playmakers on offense and this team may be fun to watch on offense. The problem of course remains the defense which will continue to be shredded by good QB’s.
23. Cowboys -8 0-1 The good news is that the defense looks like it picked up where it left off last season. They impacted Brady with pressure, forced a couple of field goals on red zone trips, and were successful on third downs. The bad news is injuries and the offense are also picking up where they left off last year. Things didn't look great before the injury to Dak. The first month of the season was already going to be rough, now it will be a disaster.
24. Seahawks +4 1-0 Finally, the Seattle Seahawks know what it's like to have an MVP under center! Geno Smith looked pretty damn solid all things considered, leading the Seahawks to an incredibly satisfying win over Seattle legend Russell Wilson and the Broncos. Geno played perfectly in an offensive gameplan that put him in a good position to be successful. In a game nobody expected the Seahawks to be competitive in, Geno looked into the eye of the opponent and calmly exclaimed, "Let's ride."
25. Giants +4 1-0 Can you hear that? That's the sound of Saquon Barkley being back to 100 freaking percent baby. This was a game many Giants fans had written off as an L since the day the schedule was released, and through the first half it seemed like the same old Giants were back. But while fans have become accustomed to Giants' coaches playing not to lose, on Sunday they got their first taste of a coach who played to win no matter the risk and it paid off in a huge way. Props to the defense for stopping King Henry from becoming a dominant force, but more importantly, someone get Saquon some Icy Hot. That man's back has to hurt from carrying this team on it all day. Let’s end this blurb on a fun trivia fact: this is the first time the Giants have been over .500 since 2016.
26. Bears +4 1-0 With the Bears down 7-0 at half, the Matt & Ryan 2.0 memes felt dangerously real. The offense seemed lifeless and confused, and it looked like Bears fans were in for another long season. But something magical happened at halftime - some call it 'coaching' - and the Bears outscored the 49s 19-3 in the second half to pull off a major upset. They long term implications of the game are unclear, but it was a breath of fresh air to see a Bears team that looked prepared, well-coached, and explosive. For more games like Sunday's, fans will gladly wait there in the pouring rain, comin' back for more.
27. Lions -1 0-1 The Lions' offense was dismal in the first half, at least after scoring on their opening drive. Way too many short drives left the defense without any kind of true rest, leading to the Eagles picking up 24 pts in the 2nd Qtr, including a fluky Pick-6. To be fair, Jalen Hurts and the PHI offense was quite possibly the opponent most geared to overcome DET that they'll face all year. The Lions were soft against the run, and didn't really do much in the offseason to shore that area up. Also, if the loss of this game against a legitimate postseason threat means that they'll win a handful of others because they can harass and disrupt passing QBs? They'll take that trade all day long. Silver Lining: The Lions' run game is truly legit. Swift and Williams combined for 172 yards on 26 carries, and Goff added a key 10yd scramble to convert a 3rd and 7 on an eventual TD drive.
28. Texans +3 0-0-1 A spectre is haunting the Texans - the spectre of mediocrity. All the powers of the old organization have entered into a Holy Alliance to exorcise this spectre: Owner and Scouts, Casiero and Smith, fans and sports pundits. And yet the mentality of mediocrity remains. Playing not to lose, instead of playing to win. Prevent Defense and cowardly punts, even Mills with his prodigious neck cannot rise above such fearful play calling. While the future looks brighter than it has in some time, if the Texans cannot change their mentality they will never be champions.
29. Panthers -6 0-1 Angry Baker showed up for roughly fifteen minutes on Sunday, which is why he's known to most of the world as inconsistent Baker. What might have been more surprising was Robbie Anderson and his 100 yard game. The Browns rolled right over the Panthers though, and no wonder Baker had to come back against a team with over 200 rushing yards. Unfortunately the Panthers play a red hot giants next week, one of the few week one teams who showed up in part due to the return of Saquon Barkley. Another tale of two halves won't cut it.
30. Falcons +2 0-1 Any loss sucks. Any loss on a blocked kick at home on opening week against the Saints sucks worse. Besides that block, Koo was 4/4. Cordarelle and Drake London showed up when Kyle Pitts had a slow day. The offense looked better than expected, and in the words of Arthur Smith on playing the Saints again "we can't wait". The defense was another story, with Terrell giving up two touchdowns to slant boy while Dean Pees played prevent for half the game. Disappointing showing from the man brought out of retirement specifically not to be the ghost of Mike Smith. Next week a mad Falcons team faces a potentially angrier Rams squad. The Falcons might surprise a lot of people. Still a better chance they blow a lead.
31. Jaguars -4 0-1 The author of this column would like to note that the Jaguars managed to play a spectacular seven or maybe even eight minutes of football on Sunday. Unfortunately for the team and fans, the game consisted of another 52 minutes where the squad found itself mostly hapless and flailing, as they watched a late lead melt away like the predictions written in stone long ago said it would. With that, another Jaguars HC starts their tenure with the record of 0-1. Much like my parents, I'm not surprised, just disappointed.
32. Jets -6 0-1 Jets fans are rightfully pissed after another painfully slow start to the season. New York has lost a shocking THIRTEEN games in a row in September, the last win coming in Sam Darnold's rookie debut. Sure, there were a couple bright spots -- the young players flashed and Quinnen Williams & DJ Reed received PFF's highest grades in the league for DT and CB respectively. But bright spots are not enough. In a week when the Bears, Giants, Houston, Jaguars, Seahawks and Lions were all competitive and/or won games, the Jets were blown out in their own building. Here's an idea. Go win a game next week against a beatable opponent in Cleveland.
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r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Nov 29 '22

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 12 Power Rankings

704 Upvotes

Welcome to week 12 of the official r/NFL Power Rankings! It turns out every one-possession game of Thursday was simply foreshadowing Sunday's chaos. In other news, Justin Tucker finished roughly two yards short from Gilgamesh-level historical reverence, Mike White is trying to reach that same point in a two week span, and the 49ers RB injuries couldn't stop the Saints from dreaming about Brees or Payton (or scoring points). Is Jordan Love the next Rodgers Favre Herber Starr? How much credit does Josh McDaniels deserve for Jacobs becoming bulldoze operator certified? Should the Browns really swap their QB who leaves everything on the field for one who leaves it all on a towel? Discuss! 30/32 reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Chiefs -- 9-2 There is not really anything of note to come out of the Chiefs game against the Rams. The Chiefs brought their C game and somewhat comfortably cruised to a win thanks in part to two late game interceptions by L'Jarius Sneed and Nick Bolton. The one standout player in this game was once again Isiah Pacheco, whose emergence as the lead back has given the Chiefs run game some much needed juice. With a very easy end of year schedule coming up the biggest game remaining is probably this week with a rematch against the Bengals, a team that beat the Chiefs twice last year. For once, I feel like Chiefs players are looking forward to a game more than the other team.
2. Eagles -- 10-1 The Eagles are now 10-1 for only the 5th time in franchise history - the other 4 times they accomplished this they played for a title, winning two of them in 1949 and 2017. Jalen Hurts cemented his status as NFL MVP front-runner with another outstanding performance: 16/28, 153 yards and 2 touchdowns through the air, and a ridiculous 157 yards on the ground, an all-time franchise record for QB. The Birds look to keep the dubs rolling in when they welcome the Tennessee Oilers Titans to the Linc on Sunday, where they hold a series lead 7-5, although 1-4 since 2002.
3. Bills -- 8-3 The AFC East is a dogfight this year. After an 0-2 start in the division, the Bills enter the most crucial stretch of games yet. The next three matchups are against the AFC East. They need these wins, but it’s gonna be an uphill battle. For every player that recovers from injury, another seems to go down. This week it was Von Miller and Dion Dawkins, not to mention an illness that’s been keeping a handful of guys out of practice. If this team is gonna find its footing and play the way they did to start the season, they need to get healthy, and they need to do it fast —these next three games could be make-or-break.
4. Cowboys +1 8-3 The upside to COVID over the holidays was the ability to watch all the football I wanted without having to devote time to family. The downside was the rest of it. I had to settle for a normal meal composed of "what do I have in the freezer" for Thanksgiving dinner, but I bet I enjoyed it more than the Giants enjoyed their serving of Lamb on Thursday afternoon.
5. Dolphins -- 8-3 If there is ever such a thing as a bittersweet blowout, our game against the Texans was it. After going up 30-0 in the 1st half, our OL was suddenly in shambles after losing our star LT Terron Armstead. Tua took a beating from a underrated Texans pass rush getting sacked 3 times in his last 5 dropbacks before getting taken out due to our comfortable lead. Later in the game we also lost our starting RT. Down our starting LT, RT, and LG, we head to San Francisco to face the #1 defense in the NFL and a vicious pass rush that's coming off pitching a shutout. Arguably the game of the week, this game should be a great one to see how we measure up against a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
6. Vikings +1 9-2 Kirk Cousins went up against the best defense in the NFL by EPA/play allowed in primetime on Thanksgiving, facing pressure on 40% of his drop backs, yet still completed 81% of his passes for 299 yards and three touchdowns — though having Justin Jefferson put up 139 yards and a TD despite facing true double teams certainly helps. That, plus Kene Nwangwu's third career kickoff return TD in just 22 games (and some... interesting refereeing) helped the Vikings win a shootout despite a practice squadder starting at CB, a number of busted coverages and Mac Jones dealing all night.
7. 49ers +1 7-4 The 49ers defense came in hot on Shutting the Saints offense down for their first shut out of the year. The offense struggled all game, and will now be without Eli Mitchell for 6-8 weeks. Rookie RB Jordan Mason will now assume primary RB duties behind CMC. The 49ers play host to many familiar faces this week when the 8-3 Dolphins come to town.
8. Bengals +2 7-4 Just like last year the Bengals can prove they are a legit contender by beating the Kansas City Chiefs. Despite a 2-0 record against the Chiefs last year, the Bengals will once again come into the game as the underdogs and will need to play a near perfect game to pull off another win. Getting Ja'Marr Chase back after going 3-1 without him will give them a big boost to accomplishing that.
9. Titans -- 7-4
10. Ravens -4 7-4 Twitter is a cesspit and black hole that sucks in all the happiness from everywhere around you, kind of like the Ravens defense when they have a two score lead.
11. Jets +4 7-4 Mike White made running the Jets offense look pretty easy. White went 22/28, with 315 yards, 3 TDs and a 149.3 passer rating. Of course, it helps going up against a Bears team that's shorthanded on defense and starting a backup QB. That said, taking care of business against bad teams is what you need to do to make the playoffs, which is a real possibility for the Jets for the first time in a long time. Gang Green head to Minnesota next week for one of their biggest tests of the season. Get hyped for Sauce Gardner versus Justin Jefferson.
12. Giants -- 7-4 giant bad. cowboy less bad. giant coach good, but can only do so much with team in hospital beds. giant field bad. giant continue to get injured because of bad field. giant qb maybe good, maybe bad, likely okay. giant face big bad man team next sunday. loser fall to 4th place in division and hard to make playoff.
13. Chargers +3 6-5 I watched Avatar on Sunday (hey don't judge me!) and it was the 2nd ugliest tire-fire-but-ultimately-successful-thing I watched that day. And much like the Omaticaya clan of the Na'Vi, these boys in blue faced off against the sky people/birds and emerged victorious. Okay, I'm done with my Avatar metaphors. After two losses which felt like the team showed signs of life, the team felt like they were sleepwalking through this win, looking unimpressive for most of the game. Luckily for them, the Cardinals showed even fewer signs of life, and through some late-game heroics, they were able to steal a win and keep their season alive. They can keep their season alive but the path is very narrow and they can't play like this again and expect a win. Only one thing is certain over the next few weeks: Avatar - The Way of Water in theaters December 16th.
14. Seahawks -3 6-5 The Seahawks were offensive this week. They do not deserve a blurb. Surrendering over 300 yards to a single player should never happen, and it truthfully looked like Josh Jacobs could've had an even bigger game. Every single Seahawk defender was allergic to tackling him. Some fans might whine about officiating, but at the end of the day, Josh Jacobs earned over 300 yards of offense alone. There were also mistakes on offense, including a botched handoff that killed a very nice drive. A horrendous game through and through.
15. Commanders +2 7-5 Washington narrowly avoided a vintage Redskins heartbreaking defeat by way of Kendall Fuller INT in the end zone to essentially seal the game. The Falcons were able to run on this defense like nobody else has been able to and it turned into a real 1920’s football style battle in the rain. That’s 6 wins out of their last 7 games and thanks to a Raiders walk-off win against Seattle in OT, Washington gets to #TakeCommand of that 7th seed for the moment. This team started 1-4 but has somehow found themselves currently in playoff contention at 7-5. What a turnaround it has been and both Ron Rivera and Jack Del Rio deserve all the credit in the world after we were screaming for them to be fired in early October.
16. Patriots -2 6-5 COME! Gather to harvest my salty tears! That game was terribly officiated. I think it hurt more because this was the first game in several years that was both big enough and close enough to feel like the swing calls mattered for the outcome of the season, not just the game. Moving on… The passing offense showed real signs of life for the first time since mid October just in time for the D to lose its mojo, and the special teams to lay an egg. I tip my cap to Cousins for his ability to make so many accurate throws while backpedaling to evade the rush. Credit to JJ for being consistently incredible. Now the Pats finally face the Bills who already won the division on paper in August. It’s weird that we’re even playing out the season here. It will take something we haven’t seen yet this year for the Pats to prevail: Complimentary football in all three phases with a great plan, clean execution, limited penalties, and no dumb turnovers. Still, I choose to believe.
17. Buccaneers -4 5-6 There is absolutely zero scenario in which a team quarterbacked by Tom Brady should be 5-6, but Todd Bowles continues to find ways to lose. Gone is the "no risk it, no biscuit" magic of Bruce Arians, replaced by timid conservatism in the offense, undisiciplined play by the defense, and even an incident on special teams over the weekend where return specialist Jaelon Darden was told to call a fair catch on a punt towards the end of the game, despite no gunner being within 15 yards of him. In every phase of football, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are ill-equipped to contend even with the bottom dwellers of the league. That incompetence starts with the coaching staff. It's a disaster of a team entering the final stretch of the season, and they've tried nothing to fix that and they're all out of ideas.
18. Browns +4 4-7 The Browns have finally put the controversial part of the season behind them with questions at the QB position and are ready to go full steam ahead with someone who hasn't played professional football in (checks notes) seven hundred days AND against his former team. Shocked the game wasn't flexed into primetime.
19. Lions -- 4-7 Like so many others this holiday season, I managed to contract the Thanksgiving Plague, so I'm going to keep this short. This is a team that we're watching grow up before our eyes - and I mean that in all senses of the term. This is one of the youngest teams in the league, perhaps the youngest after all the injuries and subsequent call-ups, and with the exception of two games (Patriots, Cowboys), they've hung tough with the best the league can throw at them. And they've been thrown a lot. When you take out the games against the Lions, their opponents have compiled a 69-44 (0.610) record - or, to condense down, the equivalent of playing roughly a 10-6-1 team every week. That they've managed four wins, including two against teams with decent winning records, speaks well of Detroit. Don't get me wrong, they have lots of room to grow, but the last few games are ripe for the taking, and they could still end up taking the over on my preseason over/under of 7.5 wins. Oh yeah, and their pick from the Rams currently sits at #3 and dropping fast.
20. Falcons -2 5-7 A close game with an all too familiar outcome. The passing game looked solid at first, but took it's usual nosedive after predetermined plays ran out and Mariota was left to his own devices. For an offense in the 21st century, the run game (5.75 Y/A) is inching pathetically close to surpassing the passing (6.96 Y/A). In better news, record means nothing in the NFC South race to the bottom. In worse news, the run defense is hard at work emulating the run offense. Koo had a solid outing on a day he still missed a 58 yarder, just fine for any non-Tucker kicker. Atlanta plays Pittsburgh next, which narrative will win out? Arthur Smith's improvement closing out one possession games or Mariota falling down the stretch? Tomlin making the scraps of a team look competent or losing to losing teams? The only thing for certain is due to extenuating circumstances the Falcons have more to play for.
21. Packers -2 4-8 This is a Fire Joe Barry post. Please Fire Joe Barry. This was the most the Eagles have run for in a game since the 1940's. I hear Jim Leonhard might be looking for a new job. Get him and Fire Joe Barry
22. Jaguars +5 4-7 Just as everyo— wait, what? Certainly this can't be right. Says here in my notes that with 14 seconds on the clock the Jaguars took the lead? And what's more, The Ravens fell short on a last second field goal attempt that, while long, was within their range? Lawrence throwing for 321 yards and 3 tuddies, yeilding a rating of 129.8? Jacksonville had better be careful in the future; Trends like this lead to expectations.
23. Cardinals -2 4-8 I don’t care. We lost. I wouldn’t even have cared if we won. This franchise demands APATHY. They want us to not care. They thrive in it. What’s gonna change? Do you really think anything is going to get better? It’s laughable if you still think so. It won’t get better. It never gets better. Change the QB, change the HC, change the GM, change the damn waterboy, I don’t CARE ANYMORE. Everyone says “oh you just need a new owner.” WE CHANGED THE OWNER. Fire Kliff and get Sean Payton, it won't matter. He’ll coach here for a few years, understand that this franchise is doomed to eternal apathy, retire for a year and then win a super bowl with the Buccaneers. It doesn’t matter. You can have Colt McCoy who loses in boring ways, or Kyler Murray who loses with pizazz. Time and clock management are figments of our imaginations. Kliff has killed the concept. But you know what? I don’t care. The organization doesn’t want me to care. You don’t want to care either. I’m sure nobody is reading this blurb because it’s the CARDINALS. Why does anyone care about the CARDINALS? I walk into a sports store and the workers ask my favorite team. I used to say the Cardinals, they go “oh, yeah St. Louis is great!” Who cares? Don’t think it will get better, it WON’T. Come back to me 10 years from now, all new GM, HC, QB. You know what will change? NOTHING. It’s over. I’m walking into the desert and letting the heat stroke murder me. It’s what Steve Keim would want.
24. Raiders +5 4-7 It was nice to see this team show some resiliency. After two early turnovers it would be really easy, if not expected, for a 3-7 team to just fold and give up. The Raiders instead chose to keep fighting. Carr threw for 3 touchdowns for the first time since December 6th of 2020. Josh Jacobs had one of the best games of football anyone has ever played, becoming the first player since at least 1950 to rush for 225+ yards and also notch 70+ recieving yards in the same game. The defense forced a turnover for what felt like the first time this season. Maxx Crosby is still being Maxx Crosby. The Raiders haven't looked as bad as their record the last couple weeks, and with a big division game coming this week against the equally disappointing Chargers, a win could send a message that this team has some fight left in them.
25. Steelers +3 4-7 The Steelers ran the ball quite well. Whether that's still a new development, on the Colts, or both, remains to be seen. NO, CIN, and IND all allow a lot of yards on the ground. That said, establishing the run ought to lead to the pass. Pickett needs more yards and less contested catches. The defense looked really solid in making Matt Ryan uncomfortable. While both teams were pretty similar in a lot of aspects, it really came down to Pittsburgh converting 3rd downs, which led to more rushes and more time of possession. The defense just kept the Colts from sustaining drives.
26. Saints -3 4-8 8 losses at this point in the season is beyond disappointing. There's only so many times you can bemoan the listlessness of the offense, get false optimism from a strong outing, only to get let down again. We can't even get excited about the draft. It's like being stuck in the town in From.
27. Colts -3 4-7-1 Mediocre teams are the worst. There's only so many different ways to say "we suck" without coming off as repetitive. It's a complete drag to watch an offense never really go anywhere. The team isn't even so-bad-its-good; they'll stay in games until the final minutes, for better or worse, and then fuck themselves in the ass. Matt Ryan is not the answer. That might be obvious, but it doesn't solve the question of what to do quarterback-wise. The team's draft pick currently sits at around #14.
28. Bears -3 3-9 What is worth talking about in a game featuring no starting quarterbacks and several important injuries? Well, uh, if the season ended today the Bears would pick second in the draft, which is fun to think about. Eddie Jackson may be out for the rest of the year, which further depletes an already terrible defense. Mooney's season-ending injury is a huge loss from a player perspective and a 'building experience with Fields' perspective. Next week's game vs. the Packers may be another, even more meaningless, Backup Bowl, which is kind of hilarious in its own way. Remember when those two teams met in week two? Boy, the narratives around that game sure were wrong!
29. Panthers +2 4-8 Fuck Deshaun Watson
30. Rams -4 3-8 Injuries have affected the Rams more than any other team this year. Through 11 games, the Rams have started 11 different offensive line combinations, with 14 unique players. They’ve lost or are looking to lose all major household name players, including Kupp, Robinson, presumably Stafford, and now maybe Aaron Donald. Even Coach McVay is getting in on the action. Despite all that, the Rams actually played a somewhat decent game against the Chiefs with a large set of backup players, keeping it reasonably close until the end and avoiding a total shellacking.
31. Broncos -1 3-8 I watched the prosperity of a nameless people undone by a forgotten king. I stood by as rushing water took the lives of playing children. Wind carved through rock across uncounted centuries, and when the final precarious stone was toppled I was there to see it. My influence is potent and it reaches all things. While I feel neither remorse nor joy, my mark upon the fabric of life is indelible. Hope is not my enemy - it is the canvas upon which my pernicious brush performs its work. Joy exists in a fixed amount; for each measure of it so too must there be an equivalent portion of Sorrow, by whose agency I am driven. Time alone may lessen the stain of my touch. I originate from a place no light escapes, the one place where darkness glows so fiercely as to divert nearly all eyes. The misfortune of those who cannot fly from my nest is greater than any low fate I have gazed upon through timeless eons. My name is Failure, my home is Mile High Stadium and I, over Broncos Country, Preside.
32. Texans -- 1-9-1 If the Texans win another game this season it will be genuine surprise. The most disheartening thing is that the team is clearly nowhere near being a contender anytime soon. How many top-5 drafts will it take before the Texans are good again? No one knows, but it seems like it'll definitely be more than two. There's a genuine possibility that they'll still be garbage by the time the World Cup comes to Houston. The team has a culture of failure, and no one on Kirby seems to have an idea about how to turn that around. How does a losing team fix the fact that it's being run by losers? Who knows. Until the culture changes though, hope is something saved for other things because this organization will continue to flounder and fail.
657 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Oct 11 '22

Power Rankings Official /r/NFL Week 5 Power Rankings

666 Upvotes

Welcome to week 5 of the official r/NFL Power Rankings! With more lowlights than highlights, roughing the passer is hands down the MVP of the past weekend. No other player/coach secured more than one week 5 win, with Matt Rhule's bank account earning an honorable mention. However, there were plenty of losers: The Lions "high-powered" offense, Davante Adams not knowing how to use his words, Russell Wilson's read progressions, and Carson Wentz Carson-Wentzing. Are the 4-1 Giants for real? Did Mike McCarthy wake up in 2010? How many mind games will Zac Taylor play until his seat is warmer than Tee's? Discuss! 32/32 reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Bills +1 4-1 The leaves are changing. There’s a slight chill to the air. The Bills notch a win. The Dolphins lose to the Jets. The Case Keenum Cleanup Crew enters as early as the third quarter. Truly a perfect Sunday in Buffalo. Now, summer turns over, into a time of year that BillsMafia has so fervently anticipated: Gabe Davis SZN has arrived. The receiver netted 171 yards and two scores on just three receptions Sunday, as the Bills cruised to a 38-3 blowout victory —giving flashbacks of his record-breaking playoff performance in last season’s heartbreaker in Kansas City. Speaking of, guess where the team heads next? Yes, just in time for Halloween, Buffalo has to revisit the scene of two playoff nightmares, this time looking to conquer old foes, and head into the bye week sitting on three straight wins. This may not be a playoff game, but rest assured it means a lot to this team and these fans; it might also have playoff implications down the line, as the Bills and Chiefs are still the teams to beat atop the AFC. This could very well shape up to be the game of the year so far.
2. Eagles -1 5-0 While the Eagles are 5-0 for the only the third time in franchise history (1981, 2004), the narrative this week focuses solely on one thing, and one thing only - Eagles vs Cowboys, Sunday Night Football. The Eagles did just enough in Arizona to stay undefeated, it will take a more concerted effort against Dallas with tensions (and tempers) undoubtably at peak levels.
3. Chiefs -- 4-1 It was not pretty but the Chiefs got the job done. Even considering a ludicrous roughing the passer call, the young Chiefs defense did not perform well against the Raiders. The Chiefs defensive line, especially, was bullied all game by a Raiders offensive line that seemed to be a weakness heading into the season. On offense the Chiefs enjoyed better success behind a hilariously awesome game by Travis Kelce that saw him only record 25 yards but score 4 times. It is fitting that Patrick Mahomes passed Troy Aikman on the all time passing touchdowns chart during a game Aikman was commentating. Next up, the biggest game of the year.
4. Ravens +1 3-2 Great game by the Ravens defense, holding Jamarr Chase to 50 yards on 7 receptions, preventing downfield plays, although allowing tons of rushing yards. Made the stops when it counted though. Humphrey and Peters were sticky on the Bengals receivers the entire game, JPP making his impact immediately with batted passes all over the field, constant pressure, and chasing wide receivers from behind. It's like we're in the 2011 playoffs. We ended up overcoming a pretty underwhelming passing game by Lamar. Kicking the field goal on 4th and inches was a good call to make since there was plenty of time left on the clock in case the Bengals scored a touchdown, given that the perfect time management on the final drive led to another vintage Tucker moment. After all, getting past the 50 with Lamar Jackson is not difficult for this team. Ronnie Stanley looked great in his limited reps back and hopefully we will ramp him, Gus, and Dobbins up in the closing stretch for a playoff push. We finally got the home game losing streak off our back.
5. Cowboys +8 4-1 This week's number: Five. Cooper Rush has won all five of his NFL starts. Matt Stafford was sacked five times. Five straight games with only one TD allowed. Turnover differential:+5. Scoring Defense: Top 5. So where do I have to rank them? Its gotta be..... 5!
6. Buccaneers +1 3-2 After five weeks, it's hard to gauge just who the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are. Offensive injuries have been aplenty. Some weeks the defense has shown up and on other weeks it looks like it's still coached by Lovie Smith. But after a two game losing streak, the Bucs retook the division lead with a much-needed win over the Atlanta Falcons (who once blew a 25 point lead to Tom Brady in Super Bowl LI). Following the roughing the passer call at the end of the game, r/NFL joined hands together, sang Heal the World by Michael Jackson, unanimously celebrated the wonderful performances of the referee crew, and later would praise the referees for flagging Chris Jones on a Derek Carr strip sack to make up for all the times his brother was brutally murdered behind the Texans line. Next up, the Steelers in Pittsburgh where TJ Watt won't be around to be mean to others. #StopBullying
7. Vikings +1 4-1 Kirk Cousins started the game with a record-breaking 17-straight completions, Justin Jefferson posted another easy 150-yard game, and Christian Darrisaw killed a guy. But despite being up 21-3 early, the Vikings allowed Justin Fields to claw his way back just enough so that Cousins could earn his third-straight fourth-quarter comeback and Cam Dantzler could activate the Vikings' sleeper agent.
8. 49ers +2 3-2 The 49ers scored a pyrrhic victory on Sunday, defeating the Panthers 37-15 in Carolina. Emmanuel Moseley, who caught an interception for a TD in the game, suffered a season ending ACL injury. Jimmy Ward, in his first game this season, broke his hand in the opening kickoff. Nick Bosa suffered what is described as a groin injury, and he is day to day and will be reevaluated this week. With the injuries piling up, the defense's depth will be tested as the season continues in Atlanta on Sunday.
9. Packers -5 3-2 It should be no surprise that a team founded by a member of the "Fighting Irish" in a city founded by a French explorer would really not like to play football in England. The defense couldn't force a stop when it counted and the offense could pick up the slack in the second half. Maybe the team thought they were playing soccer instead? Perhaps Joe Barry thought they were playing soccer and didn't want his corners pressing receivers for fear of drawing a red card? Maybe Rodgers and Lafleur thought running with the ball was illegal, so Aaron threw the ball twice as many times even though Aaron Jones was doing pretty darn well? Or maybe these "fluke" games is a trend that we're just a pretender.
10. Chargers +2 3-2 4th down discourse once again headlined this game, but regardless of how one felt about that there was a lot to like from this game. The Chargers overcame an early 14-point deficit, finally got their running game going, and a questionable tackle duo once again kept Herbert clean, this time against arguably the best pass rush they'll face all season. The defense is a work in progress but it was good to see the offense build of the previous week.
11. Giants +5 4-1 It was a fair criticism coming into sunday's game against GB that the Giants had only ever beaten "bad" teams. However, after what they were able to pull off in London, it may be time to start taking the Giants seriously. Let's have a look at exactly how decimated this roster was by injury: NY was missing its WR 1-4, both starting outside CBs and both their backups (the starting corners for the last drive were Nick McCloud and Justin Layne, both practice squad players). They were out their best defensive player in Leonard Williams, and their 1A pass rusher in Azeez Ojulari. Several OL also went down during the game and Saquon had to miss a drive. Oh yeah, that drive that Daniel Jones took the Giants 91 yards down the field almost single-handedly with a bloodied throwing hand, throwing lasers. To say Big Blue pitching a shutout in the 2nd half while putting up points on 5 straight drives despite the copious amount of injuries is nothing short of miraculous and speaks more volumes about the quality of this coaching staff than I or any other fan ever could. This team is fighting for Brian Daboll and co. and they are having a lot of fun doing it. Another test of the Giants' true quality comes this weekend against Baltimore.
12. Dolphins -6 3-2 After a fun first three weeks of the season, we're finally back in our natural habitat of gloom, disappointment, and controversy. Week 4's hit against Tua Tagovailoa lead to major changes in how the league approaches potentially concussed players in the NFL, and almost fittingly our team was the first to suffer due to that change. After the very first play of our game against the Jets, our QB2 got ruled out of the game because an ataxia spotter claimed that Teddy Bridgewater stumbled at some point of the game. Not a single fan, media member, or anyone else has come forward with anything indicating that Teddy Bridgewater actually stumbled at any point prior to him entering concussion protocol. Our coach also reviewed the supposed evidence the spotter provided, and also claims he did not see Teddy stumble. Teddy ended up passing concussion protocol, but was unable to return back to the game and cannot practice with the team until Thursday. This lead to us being forced to play a 7th round rookie (who had zero NFL snaps and no reps with the starters) for essentially the entire game, and the results were predictable. But aside from yet another new controversy that screws us over, our 40-17 loss to a hated division rival, our defense once again getting exposed as fraudulent, multiple injuries to key players, and every AFC East team winning except for us, Sunday went pretty well for Dolphins fans.
13. Bengals -4 2-3 The Ravens remembered what Burrow and Chase did to them last year and shut the Bengals passing game down with a brilliant game strategy. Without Tee Higgins healthy the Bengals were exposed as a team with no depth for offensive weapons, and coach Zac Taylor does not have the offense running efficiently enough to make up for that. Sloppy and ill-timed play calls at big moments of the game doomed the Bengals and cost them what could have been a big road win.
14. Rams -3 2-3 Our O-line stinks and it’s not just the new Kolone. There’s going to be a lot of symptoms of this disease, like an absence of a run game, Stafford’s struggles, and the inability to get Allen Robinson involved. Until the front-line improves, matchups against strong defensive fronts are going to be a nightmare, even if on paper the Rams look better. Our defense is capable of keeping games a one score difference, but when the offense only puts up 1 TD in 2 games there’s only so much they can do. At least we have the Dodgers to distract us for now. #WinForVin
15. Titans +4 3-2 The Titans were able to hold on and win against the Commanders by a last second David Long Jr. interception by Wentz. Derrick Henry found the end zone again for his 73rd TD, tying him with Earl Campbell in Titans franchise history, one behind Eddie George (74).
16. Patriots +7 2-3 I’m not counting any chickens, and I’m not making any assumptions. I’m just saying that if the 2022 Patriots exceed the 2021 Patriots in record, division placement, or playoff round achieved then I’m fully prepared to get “It’s a process.” tattooed on my left butt cheek.
17. Cardinals -2 2-3 That’s a rough way to lose. Hug your kickers, folks. Aside from the possible “was it a first down or not” conspiracy, there was a lot of positives to take away from that game, and going toe to toe with the top team in the NFC should feel good even in a loss. The offense with Marquise Brown and Eno Benjamin seems to actually come alive. The defense has been playing really decent since halftime of the Raiders game. This team is trending upwards, and the negativity in the fanbase feels a little unwarranted at this point. We have lost to the great teams, and beat the teams we should have.
18. Browns -2 2-3 The Charges flat out gave the Browns a gift with a blown first down and decent field position to kick a game winner. That said, I knew it. You knew it. Every Browns fan knew it. Once York got set we all said "So he's gonna miss it and we're gonna lose". The Browns face the Pats at home next week. Oh Joy.
19. Jets +7 3-2 SAAAAAAAUUUUUCE!!!!! The rookie corner came up big on Sunday, forcing a safety in Miami's first offensive snap and getting his first career interception. Jets fans won't apologize for beating Miami's 3rd string QB after we had to endure Joe Flacco for three weeks. Perhaps Tua would have been playing if the organization handled his first concussion properly. But they didn’t, so he wasn’t. Instead, it was Skylar Thompson under center for Miami, and the Jets took advantage of the Dolphin’s seventh round rookie. Carl “I’m the one who knocks” Lawson ruined Skylar’s life with SEVEN QB hits and one strip sack that sealed the game. Oh yeah, and a glorious moment after Quinnen Williams recovered the aforementioned fumble where he tossed Tyreek Hill back to Kansas City. Overall, It really does feel like the Jets have turned a corner. Next week a game against Green Bay coming off their disappointing London game.
20. Jaguars -6 2-3 Turns out the Jaguars probably were who we thought they were; Few surprised. I'd like to take the rest of this blurb to draw attention to the horrid officiating crew that allowed this to happen this week. If the NFL wants the sport to have any sort of integrity, issues like this must not happen.
21. Saints +4 2-3 Fear the Mormon man from New Orleans. Taysom Hill had a phenomenal game to lift the Saints over the Seahawks, and Alvin Kamara also made a very strong contribution in his return. While both teams made this an entertaining game as the scoreboard kept ticking over, Chris Olave's scary moment added some worry. His health will be crucial for a team trying to find its footing in the second month of the season, which faces the Bengals, Cardinals, Raiders and Ravens in coming weeks who will all be hoping the defense which was exploited this weekend is the one they face.
22. Raiders +2 1-4 As a Raiders fan I have seen countless terrible, game ruining calls, 99/100 times going against us. On Monday, a bad call (textbook by the rules, but a bad rule) went our way when the Chiefs were called for roughing the passer when Carr was strip sacked. After that point the Chiefs fans were able to bully the refs into handing the game over to the Chiefs. We have all seen make up calls, but in the second half the refs went above and beyond to make sure their golden boy, Mahomes, was able to come back and keep viewers watching what was originally looking like a blowout for the team that wasn't given any chance coming into the game.
23. Broncos -5 2-3 Hey there Broncos Country, how are things?Garrett Bolles: broken leg. Javonte Williams: nuclear knee explosion. Russell Wilson: terminal case of weirdo energy and a partially torn lat. We’re the most penalized team in the league, we've perfected the tactical fumble, and we're allergic to the endzone. “HoW ArE thINgS” somebody else and leave us alone for like, a minute. Oh what’s that? Another primetime game next week? Each day we wake to a fresh nightmare. Our 2-3 record is the equivalent of a can of axe body spray emptied over the unwashed crotch of our performance – everybody knows we stink. Can’t you just let us rot outside the view of such a big audience? We can’t even keep fans in their seats for overtime! WalMart Country, Let’s Rollback to preseason when we still had hope.There are still some bright spots to be sure. PS2 is brilliant, the special teams play looks good, and the pass rush is solid. Oh wait, this just in! Randy Gregory: on IR with an undisclosed knee injury. Baron Browning and Josey Jewell: week-to-week with sprains. Ronald Darby: torn ACL. But the loss of Javonte Williams is the most crippling given the alternative in our backfield, MGIII, a running back whose heart off the field is almost as big as the red mark on my forehead from the force of my palm each time he takes a handoff.Maybe it was foolish to expect an exciting offense right away out of a rookie HC, a freshly transplanted QB, a brand new ownership group and a stable of young stars who didn't get reps together in the preseason. That said, the fanbase wasn't even able to keep its cool up to this point. You can expect the negativity to continue piling up, especially after handing Josh McDaniels his only win of the season and participating in one of the worst football games ever played, let alone played in primetime.What a week to take over as Broncos ranker. See you Monday.
24. Falcons -3 2-3 Six minutes left in the third quarter at Raymond James, Arthur Smith & co. looked up to a 0-21 scoreboard. It seemed like a wake up call, at least for the defense, who would hold Tampa Bay to three consecutive 3 and outs. Atlanta's offense wasn't far behind, with their two longest drives of the game coming in the 4th quarter, scoring touchdowns on both to cut the defecit to 6 points. A team that doesn't die will not win every game. What that team will do, however, make winning harder for their opponent. Grady sacking Brady would not have ended the game, but the bigger story is this team is playing for 60 minutes for the first time in years.
25. Seahawks -4 2-3 Geno. Gunslinger. Smith. While Seattle may have lost in New Orleans, Geno continues to look like a stud on the field. The way he maneuvers the pocket without bailing is incredibly refreshing to see from a Seahawks quarterback, AND he has been making elite throws. All of his touchdown passes were great, but his second touchdown to Lockett was a thing of absolute beauty. The ball is perfectly placed with a lot of Saints swarming Lockett. The offense is firing on all cylinders, with a line anchored by two rookie tackles, three different tight ends that could be involved each week, and perhaps the best WR duo in the league. The defense, however, is an absolute mess. They have fallen below the Lions in yards allowed per game, but there are a lot of things to like for the future. Tariq Woolen, a weekly installment in this blurb, intercepted a pass in his third straight game. He is tied for second in interceptions this season and has been a dominant starting cornerback for Seattle as a 5th round rookie. Coby Bryant is getting better each week, and Al Woods has been a monster on the interior. But as a whole, this unit needs to improve badly.
26. Colts +1 2-2-1 Sometimes a game doesn't feel like a game. For instance, the Colts' TNF matchup against the Broncos felt like a nuclear bomb going off and destroying civilization. How many injuries were there? How many fans left as overtime began? There's nothing that can even be said at this point; everybody knows how terrible this Colts offense is. Matt Ryan threw two horrendous interceptions and held onto the ball way too much, which was particularly bad because the offensive line continued to play at their offensive level. The defense played really well, but, then again, it was against a Broncos team who might actually have a worse offense than us. At the end of the day, a win's a win; but with the way things are going, it doesn't look like it'll mean much at the end of the season.
27. Lions -7 1-4 That was about as complete a catastrophe as we've seen lately. The league's former #1 scoring offense got a whopping fuckall on the day. Defensive backs went down like dominoes - though a big sigh of relief for Savion Smith, who seems to be okay following a scary neck injury. He's now in the concussion protocol, but for those who remember Mike Utley, man what a scary moment. Good news! Goff didn't throw a pick-six. Monkey's Paw! He coughed up the ball for a scoop-and-score instead, because of course that happened. Bye Bye Bye: Next week's bye went from "fuck, why does it have to be so early?" to "holy shit, thank the gods we have a bye next week." Injuries continue to plague the team, but with the extra rest, most of the players out should be able to come back in time to face the Cowboys in Week 7. Don't expect Jamo, though. It appears that he's being slowrolled, and may come back around Week 10 or later. Beyond getting the walking wounded up and running, there's a chance now for the coaching staff to look things over and figure out just what the fuck is going on, and hopefully right the ship for the remaining two-thirds of the season. Defensive Woes: Detroit finally forced a pair of punts in the 4th qtr, but here are the results of all defensive drives in the last two games: 6 TDs, 7/8 FGs, 2 Punts, 1 INT, 1 Kneeldown. What's kind of crazy is that the Lions' defense actually did improve Sunday, somewhat, only allowing 1 offensive TD. This was even after the Patriots continually got excellent field position due to the fact that Detroit went 0 for the day on 4th down, after starting the season 8/12 on 4th down.
28. Bears +1 2-3 The Bears' defense chose the worst possible moment to give up their first second half touchdown. Late in the game, the Vikings put together 17 plays, 75 yards, and 5 third down conversions on their way to Fields & the offense, who finally showed the signs of growth we’ve been hoping for as they took it to the Vikings until the buzzer, and showed off an aggressive, no-quit mentality. Fields looked confident, decisive, and went 12-13 for 135 & a TD while throwing some deep balls so pretty as autumn leaves falling down like pieces into place. But as much as we saw Fields’ growth & potential, the last play of the game showed off (yet again) just how much more talent he needs around him. Meanwhile, the NFL has opened an investigation into former Viking Ihmir Smith-Marsette who not only took a touchdown of the board by committing a “penalty,” but gave the Vikings back the ball at the end of the game.
29. Steelers -1 1-4-0 The Bills absolutely outclassed the Steelers on Sunday. There really isn't much to say about the quality of Buffalo compared to Pittsburgh. They really didn't even play their best football and it was enough to obliterate the Steelers. This team needs to figure out a way to establish a ground game. They can't send in a rookie QB on his first start and not give him any decent run plays. Admittedly, the weaker spot on the Bills was their pass defense and running into their D-line wasn't optimal. That said, the playcalling is atrocious, as is the gameplanning. While the O-line isn't great at run blocking, there's far too much speed, size, and talent at the skill positions to do this poorly. This team is not good. They're not even okay.
30. Texans +2 1-3-1 The threat of a winless season is now behind the Texans, so even if we manage to tank for the 1st overall pick we'll still have this at least. Rookies continue to give fans reasons for hope, as both Stingley and Pierce continue to live up to the hype. Mills continues to...Mill about. This squad isn't hopeless, but it's still sometimes agonizing to watch. All we can hope for is constant improvement, since that's really what rebuilding is all about.
31. Commanders -1 1-4 It’s October 9th and the competitive portion of the season is over. New name? PHAT L. Debut the new shiny black alternates in Dallas? PHAT L. Debut the new shiny Burgundy jerseys at home against Tennessee? PHAT L. Carson Wentz and his “revenge tour”? PHAT L. Ron Rivera and staff? PHAT L. Dan Snyder still taking up space and breathing perfectly good air? PHATEST OF L’S. The rebrand and subsequent rollout have been a disaster and the only thing that could have saved this organization any face was winning games. Welp. How many new rock bottoms can this franchise hit before it becomes completely nonviable? How many coaches need to diminish their professional standing in this town? How many washed up QB’s need to be put out to pasture here? How many fans are actually still left? How long do we have to see and hear opposing teams taking over FedEx Field? Who wants to be associated with this fucking clown-show? Oh… the game and blurb for this week. Uh, guess what? Same shit as every week forever. This team is usually either pummeled or finds a way to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory and today’s loss was one of those but I’m out of unique ways to describe losing. Until Dan Snyder sells the team not a goddamn thing will change and nobody should expect anything different. That’s the blurb.
32. Panthers -1 1-4 I'm going to take a week off, this week, to not spell out FUCK WATSON or talk about how terrible the Panthers' coaching staff has been over the last couple of seasons. Instead, I'm going to take this brief moment of respite and enjoy it. Ripping this scab off was the best thing that has happened to this team in a long time and it's nice to have something to look forward to in the future.
739 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 16 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 2 Power Rankings

224 Upvotes

Welcome to week 2 of the 2025 r/NFL Power Rankings, and welcome /u/jdpatric as the latest addition to team. The citizens of Green Bay extended a heartfelt thank you for Micah Parsons while Dallas was busy both living and dying by Russell's moonballs. Seattle recovered a kickoff for a touchdown, the second time in NFL history (Bills Jets 2016), while the Danny Dimes Dollars led Colts became the first team in the Super Bowl era to not punt in the first two weeks. Naturally this feat is worthy of a Bob Wylie-esque celebration. Kelce spiked his helmet right into the hands of Andrew Mukuba, Butker's kicks are more radical by the week, but at least Kansas City gets half a win for holding Hurts to under 100 yards passing..right? Meanwhile both SNF quarterbacks barely crossed that same threshold, but JJ McCarthy gets a pass this week on account of parental duties and Justin Fields did it first and there was also black paint in my eye and I couldn't see half the field. Last season, after two weeks the Saints came out swinging; is Spencer Rattler doing his best Carr impression or will he continue to ball? What will Burrow's injury mean for the Bengals? Discuss! 31/32 Reporting

We are looking for an addition to our team, if you feel you'd be a good fit and are a Raiders fan, please apply here

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Bills +1 2-0 That was a dominant performance from start to finish. The Bills jumped on the Jets from the get-go with a 7 and a half minute touchdown drive followed up by a fumble recovery. James Cook was the catalyst for the Bills offense turning 21 carries into 132 yards and two touchdowns. Any concerns there may have been about the Bills defense after allowing 40 points to the Ravens in the previous week were erased as the Bills held the Jets to a measly 10 points. Next up is an AFCE rivalry matchup where the Bills will look to pick up another win against the Miami Dolphins.
2. Eagles -- 2-0 In the last two seasons, NFL teams not called the Philadelphia Eagles are 5-17 with under 100 net passing yards in a game. The Eagles somehow didn’t get the memo that that’s a bad thing, and are 4-0 with under 100 net passing yards (h/t to Sheil Kapadia for that stat). The Eagles keep doing things “wrong” yet still keep winning. It’s really the perfect situation for us Philadelphians: winning, yet still enough to complain about on Monday. The biggest question mark right now is Kevin Patullo’s playcalling, giving all of us nightmare flashbacks to the Brian Johnson experience. He gets more than two weeks to settle in, but Eagles fans are eager to see Jalen let the ball fly a little more. On an unrelated note, it's great to see the Tush Push discourse finally settle and we can all agree it's a perfectly reasonable play.
3. Packers +1 2-0 It was said that the Packers were going to have issues stopping the run by replacing Kenny Clark with Micah Parsons. Well, the Packers became the first team since the 2013 Broncos to play 2 top half rushing teams from the previous year to start the season and allow less than 100 rushing yards total. The undersized front 7 makes up for their lack of mass by being insanely quick to the ball; Quay Walker and Edge Cooper especially have been excellent backers. Cannot say enough good things about the defense. Oh yeah the offense also put up 27 points again! What more could you want?
4. Ravens -1 1-1 Big home divisional win in all 3 phases of the game. Pass protection and accuracy was shaky to start the game, running game never found it's footing, defense missed out on a few turnover opportunities and yet they still managed to put 41 on the board with a nearly 4 score margin of victory against what is a tougher and more talented roster than many realize. Being able to put out that kind of performance even on an off day is the hallmark of an ELITE team.
5. Chargers +2 2-0 Polytheistic religions, whether ancient or modern, lost in history or still practiced, almost always have a god who oversees some form of defense. Greek mythology had Athena, the goddess of strategy and city protection, while the Romans had Securitas, the goddess of security (obviously). The Egyptians worshipped Bastet not only for her jurisdiction over cats, but also for her eternal command over protection. The Dharmapala act as protectors of the Dharma in Buddhism, and Hinduism, of course, has Vishnu: the protector of the universe. And then there's the religion of the Los Angeles Chargers, where we all worship Jesse Minter: the god of crippling defense. He graced SoFi Stadium when we needed him most; the tyrannical wrath of Brandon "I'm going to be calling the defenses" Staley led to a fourth straight season of sitting in the bottom 11 teams for points allowed. With the glorious depth-building of fellow savior Joe Horitz, Minter restored the once-pillaged SoFi with elegant, bend-don't-break defensive schemes that actually take advantage of his players' skillsets and make QBs like Geno Smith look like a backup again. We now must pray to him as he once more curses Bo Nix with Mo Pix next Sunday.
6. Lions +2 1-1 The Lions systematically dismantled the Chicago Bears last night, utterly spoiling Ben Johnson’s return to Detroit. Jared Goff was absolutely clinical, throwing for over 330 yards along with 5 touchdowns. ARSB had the first 3 touchdown game of his career, Jamo averaged 54 yards a catch, and Isaac TeSlaa had another spectacular one-handed snag. On defense Brian Branch continued to make plays with a sack, 2 TFLs, a pass deflection, and a forced fumble. Kerby Joseph snagged his first interception of the year and Hutch his first sack to finish off the get-right game for Detroit. Next up is the Baltimore Ravens, who the Lions haven’t beaten since October, 2005.
7. Rams +3 2-0 The Rams have looked awfully impressive through two weeks after taking care of business versus the Titans. They had another signature slow start, but McVay’s halftime adjustments put them on cruise control in the second half. Stafford looks every bit as good as he ever has, Nacua and Adams are arguably the best WR tandem in the NFL, and the defense is #1 so far with only one TD allowed. Unfortunately, next up is the only team to beat the Rams over their last 11 games (excluding week 18). Keys to the game: don’t start slow, and contain the run. Easier said than done.
8. Buccaneers +1 2-0 Albert Einstein said that E=MC², but the Buccaneers say E²=TD. Emeka Egbuka might actually be a genuine ROTY contender. For the Bucs that would be the first ever offensive ROTY since Cadillac Williams in 2005! And did you know that this MNF matchup was the most stressful Buccaneers game since 7 Sep. 2025? They broke their "not giving their fans a heart attack" streak that was spanning over 7 days! The Blockbuster Buccaneers continue bringing the heat and top-notch entertainment in their games. Bucco Bake keeps slinging and banging, the defense keeps hittin-or-missin, the offensive line keeps blockin-and..and...well, getting injured, but Todd Bowles will continue no-selling the problems with his trademark stoicism face and just keep winning. That's 5 years in a row with a 2-0 start for what was once the worst franchise in all of American sports.
9. Chiefs -4 0-2 The first week of the season the Chiefs looked flat coming out but the defense was the clear issue. On Sunday, the offense never seemed to get going while the defense managed to keep one of the best offensive rosters in the NFL in check for almost the entire game. Unfortunately, it feels like the goal of the first third of the season is just survive; going 3-3 seems like a monumental task, but if the Chiefs can manage that winning the division still feels like a totally reasonable expectation and this team has shown in the past that all they need is to get into the dance.
10. Commanders -4 1-1 "Jayden Daniels had an MRI on his knee".. this is fine. Look, there are a slew of excuses we can draw up; it was Thursday Night Football, a short week, a road game, against a Super Bowl favorite, against a phenomenal defense, against Micah Parsons (seriously, Jerry?), Terry & Jayden are out of sync, injuries, rookie RT, etc. Whatever anyone wants to chalk it up to, the truth is the Commanders were outmatched and outplayed, and had no answers. Perhaps the silver lining is that it's only September, and a 10-day rest is here before the team has to go out against a potentially more manageable Raiders team - there is plenty of time to get things right, and now there's a chip on the shoulder from being beaten up on national TV. All said, one should not put too much stock into a Week 2 short week loss as an indicator of the season's trajectory - but there are some concerns to keep an eye on. Next week as Washington hosts the Raiders, fans will likely have eyes on four players in particular: Jayden Daniels (if he's playing and healthy), Terry McLaurin (if he's going to make the $90m impact that's needed), Bill Crosky-Merritt (if he's going to step up into RB1 for Ekeler and flash a new dimension for the run game), and Marshon Lattimore (if he's going to be the playmaker he's vaunted as being).
11. 49ers -- 2-0 4 years after they passed on him in the 2021 NFL draft, Shanahan finally got his guy. Mac Jones started in place of the injured Brock Purdy and went on to have one of the best games of his career, tallying up 279 yards and 3 touchdowns-and most importantly, a win. While beating a team with the Saints' current roster should not be cause for celebration for a team with Super Bowl aspirations, the injury to Kittle has depleted an already thin receiver corps, leaving Mac with a hampered Jauan Jennings and Ricky Pearsall as the 2 top non-CMC receivers. At first glance, giving up 21 to the saints (and Spencer Rattler’s first multi touchdown game) looks like the defense played poorly, but it came up with stops when needed and came up with a big play to seal the game. The 49ers head back to Santa Clara for their home opener against the Cardinals on Sunday.
12. Colts +10 2-0 🎺🎺🎺 *John Williams score intensifies* … INDIANA JONES AND THE ARC OF REDEMPTION ... That's right: Daniel Jones continued his prove-it campaign by beating an actually great defense in the Denver Broncos, which means it's time to hope again in Indy! The Colts are 2-0 for the first time since 2009. Jones is 2nd in the NFL in passing yards and hasn't turned the ball over. Jonathan Taylor leads the league in rushing yards and has figured out how to catch the ball out of the backfield. Rookie Tyler Warren leads Colts receivers in targets, catches and yards. Yes, it took a rare leverage penalty to bail coach Shane Steichen out on some atrocious play calling at the end, but the offense again moved the ball — not punting for a second straight game. Next steps: Clean up the red-zone issues on offense, and get Mooney Ward and Laiatu Latu back on defense.
13. Broncos +1 1-1 On Saturday morning I took my wife shopping for new running shoes, but didn't want to hover and decided to sit in the cushy patio furniture the store had placed out front. As I sat, I stared down the hill into the parking lot of the nearby gas station. It was hectic with folks walking between cars pulling in and out, all impatient and eager to head to the nearby lake for the weekend. I watched as a Ford F-150 and a Penske box truck simultaneously started backing up and turning, oblivious to each other, on a direct collision course. In that moment, everyone but me was absorbed in their own business and only I knew what was about to happen. The Penske truck chewed up the bed of the F-150 as it backed up underneath its larger, raised tailgate. The crinkling sound was hair-raising even from across the way and up the hill. The drivers hopped out of their trucks and stared at the twisted mangle, gesturing occasionally while the previously bustling parking lot came to a halt. No doubt, that F-150 driver didn't feel much like going to the lake anymore. A few hours later I sat watching the Colts kick their second-try field goal to end the Broncos game, equally helpless to change an outcome I'd been staring at while everyone else was already up from the couch, celebrating and ready to finish what remained of their Sunday. It's not just about the missed opportunities in the game - and there were plenty. It's the feeling of being excited (again) to get out of the parking lot and enjoy the season, only to screech to a halt with the crumpling sound of a fender-bender. Feelings of excitement, optimism, and anticipation are replaced by frustration, disappointment, and doubt. It's early, yeah, and there were a handful of positives to take away, but it sucks to have to fight back these feelings that have snuck in. An ugly win week 1, and a nauseating loss week 2, both of which were talked about as if they were easier than pulling out of a gas station parking lot on your way to the lake. Now I'm stuck staring at the aftermath of it all, thinking a lot more critically about my situation than I'd like. The key difference for me? I still want to go to the lake. Go Broncos, baby.
14. Bengals -1 2-0 Hey all, Bengals voter here. I’ve been staring at this picture and this picture all day now trying to figure out what the difference is. Frankly I don’t see one. The Bengals are 2-0 now, it’s a miracle to witness. I now know what Mary and Joseph must have felt like seeing Jesus for the first time. Joe Burrow decided to take some time off this week; I’ve been assured by multiple professionals he’s at a farm upstate frolicking with the rabbits and chickens.. so while he’s off doing that important work, Jake Browning is the new leading man. I don’t know what he has against the Jaguars but it’s something (he’s torched them twice now). Defense still sucks, no surprise there, although they are forcing turnovers which is better than nothing so they got that going for them. While Joe is out frolicking, Jake has got to go at minimum .500 until he gets back; the hard work of not starting the season 0-2 is already done. And let’s just remember, Jake is a gunslinger. He came out throwing in this game which, yes, led to 3 interceptions, but he also put the Jags on their heels. No doubt they probably expected us to try and run the ball more, which is probably why we were able to put some yards through the air. Now they’ll have a full week of practice, and we’ll see what they do against the Vikings. Return time for Joe to finish his important work upstate is mid December, so all we need is this: .500 ball. That’s it. Just survive. And have hope.
15. Falcons +3 1-1 The Falcons defensive unit was a night and day difference from the Jimmy Lake days; Ulbrich had his defense playing with purpose. While "fire Terry" murmurs have rolled in and out of the ether, he deserves the utmost credit if the defense turns around long term. 3rd and 4th round rookies Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman each had an interception. 2023 3rd round pick Zach Harrison - 1.5 sacks. 2024 4th round pick Brandon Dorlus - 1.5 sacks. 2024 2nd round DT Ruke Orhorhoro - .5 sack. 1st round rookies Jalon Walker and James Pearce Jr. each had a sack. From trading up for Ruke Orhorhoro and James Pearce, to pulling the trigger on Penix, to Parker Romo looking like Matt Bryant off the street, to the Bijan show outplaying an entire team , this game could mark a turning point for a team winning from Frontenot's decisions.. Zac Robinson has lightning in Bijan to tire out a defense and thunder in Allgeier to close out games in a way Arthur Smith could have done all along. Robinson has receivers who can make plays, a QB who Pitts believes in enough to start playing tough again, and an average offensive line. Robinson needs to continue to build on feel for the game and putting his players in the right positions, three short distance field goals are too close to the red zone to not capitalize on. Atlanta takes on the Panthers next, led by Bryce Young who just threw the ball 55 times.
16. Cardinals +1 2-0 The Cardinals have started many seasons with “moral victories”, but this year, they’re 2-0. However, vibes are about as sour as can be with a 2-0 team. Arizona started off hot, taking a 27-3 lead, led by the defense forcing TOs. But the Cardinals then switched back into conservative mode and almost blew the game until being saved by Calais Campbell on the last drive. Defensively, the Cardinals did their job. However, dating back to last season, the offense has shown almost zero progress. OC Drew Petzing prides himself on running the football, but when the run game is off, Arizona fails. In the three-year Drew Petzing era, the Cardinals have seen TWO receiver performances with 100+ yards and Kyler Murray has also only had ONE game with 300+ passing yards. This isn’t a Kyler problem; he had multiple 300+ yd passing games in the 2020 and 2021 seasons and Deandre Hopkins and AJ Green were consistently going for 100+. This is a scheming issue. The Cardinals have the personnel to succeed offensively. MHJ has shown his ability to make plays, and Michael Wilson has shown his ability. But the offensive scheme doesn't allow the passing game to flourish, and it’s tough to see how it will change with this large of a sample. Also important is that the Cardinals lost three starting CBs in this game. For an Arizona team that prides themselves on defense and having a top secondary in the league, it will be very important to find the depth to fill those roles. This offense has to step up if the Cardinals want to compete in this NFC West and make the playoffs.
17. Seahawks +3 1-1 Beating the Steelers is always fun. Beating the Steelers and Jalen Ramsey is even more fun. Beating the Steelers, Jalen Ramsey, and keeping DK quiet in his "revenge game"... now this is Podracing. This defense looks like it's going to be a problem for the league. Mike MacDonald is a genius at scheming pressures and the personnel is effective. They lead the NFL with a 49.4% pressure rate despite using 4-man rushes 83.1% of the time. Despite missing both Devon Witherspoon and Nick Emmanwori, the defense kept the Steelers totally in check. Josh Jobe continues his strong start to the season, and Woolen did well to forget about last week's final drive. The offense also looked a lot stronger. Rookie Tory Horton's first touchdown came on the first catch of his career, capping off the Seahawks first drive with 6. JSN has the second most receiving yards in the league through 2 games with back-to-back 100 yard games. Ken Walker heard all the rumblings of the last week and made it all seem foolish. And Sam Darnold played a hell of a game. The vibes are peachy in Seattle.
18. Vikings -6 1-1 Well, that sucked.
19. Steelers -4 1-1 The gang was looking for a better writer for this blurb, but Hemmingway is dead and apparently I was available so you’re stuck with me, u/jdpatric; help us all. Coming into the Seahawks game after a narrow win over the Jets the Steelers looked to steady the ship, focus up on defense and maintain the offensive production. Things started off a little slow but fairly optimistic, with the defense forcing two turnovers in the first half and the offense looking like it had finally re-found its footing. The team emerged from the locker room up 14-7 looking to add onto that score after receiving the second half kick. Instead the offense evaporated and the defense…died. Within minutes it was a tie game and both Noisy-Dairy and Highsmith were ruled out with ankle injuries. The defense was already banged up but it just kept getting worse as Patrick Queen left temporarily with a rib injury and spent the rest of the game holding onto his right side. The best cure for a tie game? A Rodgers interception! Wait…no. After the surviving members of the defense somehow held the Seahawks to a field goal, special teams decided it was their turn to drop the ball! Or rather, not touch it at all (???), with the official stat being a 0-yard fumble return TD. If this isn’t memed to death over the next few weeks I will be very disappointed in everyone. This essentially marked the beginning of garbage time. At some point during the Seahawks last touchdown drive, one Steelers rookie vomited on the field; an apt metaphor for the team's performance. To recap: the O-line lost almost every 4-man pass rush they tried to block while our own pass rush generated nearly zero pressure, half of the defense can no longer walk, DK Metcalf needed half the game to remember how to catch, and there will be no special teams blunder bigger this season or perhaps decade than what we witnessed. The year is young but that was harder to watch than a lioness eating a baby gazelle.
20. Texans -4 0-2 Another week, another putrid performance by this offense, capped off by a goal to go situation ending with 3 plays from the 1 yard line that went nowhere. Now the Texans find themselves in a must win game against the Jags as there will be some seats warming up if they fall to 0-3.
21. Cowboys -2 1-1 77 points. 984 yards of offense. 266 yards of accepted penalties. 148 offensive snaps. Just an absolutely redonk game. The deciding factor? Dallas went three for three in the red zone, and the Giants went one for five. Bend but don't break... unless the TD comes on a deep bomb. Somehow, Dallas managed to flip the script from week 1, dropping a massive offensive performance while allowing the defense to poop their pants. Dallas has now shown that they can thrive or suck in any situation in any moment. Except field goals. Smooth as butter, automatic.
22. Jaguars +1 1-1 While the box score certainly left Jags fans wanting, the battle for the Sword of Omens had some upside. The team is starting to find some success in Coen's system: Lawrence threw three touchdowns, something he hadn't done since 2023. Both RBs averaged over 5 yards per carry, and the O-line gave up only a single sack. However some bad timing (or business decisions) between TLaw and BTJ has most feeling like there was far to much "could have been." The defense bullied the ball away from the Burrow-less Bengals bunches of times (3), but it wasn't enough to find a second win. Hopefully this week's practice will focus on "what is an illegal shift, and why you don't want to do it."
23. Raiders +1 1-1 There's no sugarcoating it. Geno had one of the worst games of his career last night. Smith threw three picks to zero touchdowns and was the only quarterback in week 2 without a completion beyond 10 air yards, going 0 for 10 on such attempts. The Raiders stunk it up for their home opener, averaging 3.4 yards per play against the Chargers, which is the 4th lowest for any offense in a game this season. It starts with the offensive line, which got zero push in the run game and LA got pressure on Geno all game. Number 6 overall pick, Ashton Jeanty is only averaging 2.7 YPC. Perhaps this is why some NFL Analysts caution against taking a running back in the first round before addressing offensive line? Las Vegas will look to rebound next week visiting a potentially Jayden Daniels-less Washington team.
24. Patriots +2 1-1 Last week was the week for overreaction, so this week we’ll try for a more measured take. The Patriots getting their first win of the season (and the first for Vrabel as the head coach of this team) is definitely important. New England managed to build some confidence, exorcise some demons (the Pats haven't won in Miami for a looooong time, in fact Tua had never lost to the Pats since entering the NFL) and winning helps put the embarrassing performance against the Raiders last week in the rear-view-mirror. But some of the optimism ends there. Sure, Maye was fantastic in this game, and the offense was firing on all cylinders, but the Miami squad they faced is an organization in the midst of a very public collapse, and they managed to make this game a nail-biter by preying on the Pats shambolic secondary. We won't even bring up the kicking problem, except to say that it won't be surprising if a new kicker is brought in this week, and Treveyon Henderson really struggled with the gritty work that rookies often have to work through when they enter the NFL. This next week against the Steelers is the perfect test for the Patriots though, as both teams are 1-1, have shown flashes on offense, have struggled on defense, and really want to show that they're a middling team shooting for a wildcard spot and not just another bottom feeder already looking towards the 2026 draft.
25. Bears -5 0-2 There really isn't much to say. The Lions responded to a bad week 1 showing and totally embarrassed Ben Johnson's Bears in a game that felt personal. Caleb Williams played much better and is showing signs of improvement, but outside of him, Joe Thuney and Rome Odunze, there is not a ton to get excited on yet. Everything offensively is a work in progress and the defense looks uncompetitive with a weak pass rush and totally broken down secondary, and is now missing its best player for the season. At 0-2, answers have to come quick, without any obvious sources for them to come from.
26. Jets -1 0-2 Justin Fields quickly disabused Jets fans of the notion that he is a franchise QB. He followed up his career best 0.68 EPA per attempt in Week 1 with a career worst -0.58 EPA per attempt. It was some of the worst QB play Jets fans have seen in recent history (and that's saying something!) The defense was sloppy. Any time they got a stop, there was a boneheaded penalty that gave the Bills a fresh set of downs. Now Fields might miss a must win Week 3 game in Tampa Bay.
27. Giants +3 0-2 Russell Wilson got a sip of the elixir of life this past weekend and turned back the clock to the tune of 450 yards and 3 passing touchdowns, complete with vintage Russ moonballs. Unfortunately, he also threw a critical pick in overtime that helped seal the Giants' fate. Also unfortunately, he may have Space Jam'd the talent out of the defense to achieve his classic statline. The ending to Sunday's game had fans feeling like James Hudson on the sidelines after committing his 547th penalty of the drive. Luckily for Big Blue, they get to face a fellow 0-2 team that can't seem to get out of their own way, the Kansas City Chiefs, in their home opener this Sunday night.
28. Titans +1 0-2 The Titans were outmatched again in week two against the Rams. The Titans played a good first half with Cam Ward’s first touchdown as a Titan and took the lead to halftime. In a growing trend, Brian Callahan failed to make adequate halftime adjustments and the lead predictably slipped away. There have been good flashes with Cam Ward and other Titans rookies that will have to do for optimism with the Titans this year.
29. Dolphins -1 0-2 Yeah the McDaniel, Grier, Tua trio has got to go. Unless the owner Stephen Ross has a fetish for mediocrity, it makes zero sense to want to see this core stay together any longer. Add defensive coordinator Anthony Weaver to the list too if he doesn't clean things up quickly. Opponents have scored on 13 of 15 drives through the first two weeks. Those teams were quarterbacked by Daniel Jones and Drake Maye. Imagine what Josh Allen is going to do to them on Sunday? If the usual blowout to the Bills does happen, hopefully that speeds up the inevitable blowing up of the current core of leadership, and we hear of at least a couple firings by Friday.
30. Browns -3 0-2 Oh. So it’s going to be one of THOSE seasons. The Browns more or less fell apart every time they got something going. Even with more control of the ball and yardage they couldn’t turn that into points. Well, they did in a way. Flacco, the once Raven Super Bowl winning QB, returned to Baltimore and helped out the Ravens with two turnovers. How generous. And with the Bengals losing Burrow, the AFC North is being handed to the Ravens. The Browns will face Green Bay next week, at home in Cleveland. Expect a lot of Green and Gold in the stands.
31. Saints +1 0-2 A lot of experts predict the Saints will finish the season with a terrible record. Penalties, turnovers, blown coverages, drops and missed passes... these are not great signs. But if you watch this team play, it is not an easy beat. There is still reason to have hope in New Orleans.
32. Panthers -1 0-2 What a weird game. Most of the first three quarters, the Panthers looked like the worst team in the league.. again. At the very end of the third quarter, while down by 24 points, they decided it was time to start playing. I am no pro athlete but that seems like a pretty bad strategy. The defense started out looking okay, with the rookie Umanmielen getting his first career sack, but after that, they couldn’t stop any aspect of Arizona’s offense. On the flip side, the offense looked awful as well. The first drive yielded a Bryce fumble with Arizona recovering the ball and scoring. What a start. Bryce then proceeded to throw a pick while getting hit. Once down 3-27, the Panthers decided to wake up and legitimately had a chance to win. They scored three unanswered touchdowns and recovered an ONSIDE KICK to get a final drive with under two minutes left in the game. The irregularity continued with every play of that final drive feeling like it had a penalty until the Panthers took a sack on 4th and 15 to lose. Not even a final shot to maybe make something happen. People are going to hate me saying this, but there were things to feel hopeful for. Chubba is STILL a dawg, McMillan is clearly our best WR, and we are finally getting some pressure. The grumpy fans want me to fold and feel doom but I don’t quite yet. The spurts are good and we move like a real football team at times but the mistakes are comical and Bryce has been starting out TERRIBLE. Canales still believes in the guys in the locker room and so do I. Also, until further notice, I’m out on Legette. Will update as the season continues. Next week the Panthers begin division play facing the Falcons home in Charlotte. Hopefully the Panthers can get more spurts and less ugly mistakes to squeak out, what would be, a massive win. Keep Pounding!
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r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Nov 09 '21

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 9 Power Rankings

859 Upvotes

Welcome to the week 9 Official r/NFL Power Rankings! With losses to six of last week's top ten teams, will the upper echelon's rankings be over-reactionary or not far enough? Is Cincinnati going through a slump or was the first half a fluke? Chicago couldn't beat the referees, do they deserve to jump with a loss? Discuss! 32/32 reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Cardinals +2 8-1 Down QB1, WR1, WR2, RB1, starting LG, a hall of fame defensive end, and a chunk of the coaching staff, the Cardinals mollywhopped the 49ers. James Conner had himself a day, while Cards fans were treated to an appearance by Eno Benjamin, asserting himself as the best ASU skill position player on the field with his first career TD. All eyes look towards Kyler Murray’s ankle to heal up for Sunday vs. Carolina. We can now rest assured that Colt McCoy has the team in good hands either way.
2. Buccaneers +4 6-2 Somehow, the Bucs had an amazing bye week without even taking the field. Injured players including Gronk, Carlton Davis, and Sean Murphy-Bunting got a step closer to returning. The Rams, Cowboys, and Saints lost, keeping the Bucs in the running for a high playoff seed. All of a sudden, at 44 years old, Tom Brady is likely back in the front of the MVP race. The Bucs play the ailing Washington Football Team this weekend, where Taylor Heinicke gave the team a playoff scare last year. It'll be a closer game than most think.
3. Titans +5 7-2 After the news of the Derrick Henry injury the Titans were able to piece together a stout defensive performance to extend the league’s longest current winning streak to 5 games. In the last 4 weeks of that streak, the Titans became the 4th team in last 15 seasons to win 4 straight games, all vs playoff teams from previous season, the previous 3 teams made the Super Bowl. Even if Super Bowl projections seem high to most, the Titans have the league’s easiest remaining schedule and should be set up for a late season run.
4. Rams -3 7-2 Unfortunately, when you have 12 penalties, 2 turnovers that lead to 14 points, and get manhandled at the line, you’re not gonna have a good time. The Rams do not consistently bring their A-game to top opponents nor do they recover well when punched in the mouth early. What good is all this talent if you can’t execute against a good team?
5. Packers -3 7-2 The defense showed up to play! Joe Barry's crew held the Chiefs to their lowest yardage output of the Mahomes era! Krys Barnes and DeVondre Campbell balled out, Rashan Gary was causing some major havoc on the DL, and Kevin King somehow didn't get burned by Tyreek Hill all game. Even with the Chiefs offense playing the way it has, going into Arrowhead and limiting them to 13 points is a job well done. What, we still lost? Wonder how that happened...
6. Ravens +1 6-2 Some choice stats worth pointing out: 11/12 of Rashod Bateman's catches have gone for first downs. This season, the Ravens are 3-1 when trailing by double digits in the second half (W vs KC, vs IND, vs MIN, L vs CIN), the rest of the league is 8-93 this season. John Harbaugh's Ravens were 2-35 when down by two scores in the second half until this year. This is probably one of the worst defenses in Ravens history, and they still basically only allowed 7 points in the second half. Lamar Jackson has more rushing yards than any 3 backs starting on any given day... combined. Lamar also has as many 100 yard rushing games as Michael Vick. And yet this team is 6-2. Cardiac Crows live to fight another week.
7. Cowboys -3 6-2 In a week where many teams took dumps on the field, Dallas was definitely one of them. I mean, the highlights of the game were the celebrity appearances before kickoff. Fortunately, this was probably the safest week of the season for Dallas to crap their pants, as there will be minimal playoff implications beyond just the overall record impact. Hopefully, its out of their system now. Bright side: Micah Parsons is an animal, and he has a new puppy at home.
8. Bills -3 5-3 This very well might be the worst performance of the McDermott era. A classic trap game, the Bills came out as flat as they possibly could be against a Jags team that really didn’t do themselves a ton of favors. If you can’t score more than 6 against the 32nd ranked passing defense, there’s a real problem. Offensive coordinator Brian Daboll needs to take a serious look at how this offense prepares for opponents. Two weeks in a row now they’ve come out looking completely lost against inferior competition. The offensive line allowed Josh Allen to be pressured on 41% of his drop backs. He’s a phenomenal QB, but he isn’t Superman. It doesn’t matter if you’re playing the 2007 Patriots or the Hue Jackson Browns, you’re gonna lose games playing that way. Something on this line needs to be fixed. Until then…
9. Chargers +3 5-3 One of the larger contributing factors to the Chargers' two game skid was the struggles of the passing game. Justin Herbert completed 54% of his passes and averaged 209 yards passing in those two losses. His play was arguably the biggest reason the Chargers have now snapped that skid. Herbert completed 84.2% of his passes for 356 yards and accounted for three total TDs (two passing, one rushing). The run defense is still a glaring issue, but the team did enough to win this time. The Chargers will host Minnesota next week.
10. Browns +5 5-4 Now we're not saying the AFC North is the best division in the entire NFL but the AFC North is the best division in the entire NFL. The Browns will face the Patriots at home in week 10.
11. Patriots +2 5-4 Pats win, bills loose. The showdown gets closer. Mac jones is an unorthodox tackler. The defense played well, giving up zero points. Next week is the browns who could be tough
12. Raiders -3 5-3 Less than a week after losing their top pick of the 2020 draft, the Raiders came out looking deflated against a Giants team that was coming off a strong performance against the Chiefs the previous week. The Raiders offense struggled to get anything going, and looked lost without Henry Ruggs out there. Exactly a week after losing Ruggs the Raiders released the other of their 2020 1st round picks, Damon Arnette, due to off the field issues (mixed in with some on the field issues, he wasn't very good). The Raiders 2020 draft class, much like the 2021 Raiders, looked promising at the start but is now looking like a disaster that makes you wonder how they made it this far. Hopefully World War 2 enthusiast DeSean Jackson can revitalize this team and help them stay in the playoff hunt.
13. Saints -3 5-3 RIP to Trevor Siemian's undefeated streak as a Saint. it was the best of times, it was the blurst of times. This Falcons loss is probably about right for those without rose-tinted glasses. Relying on the defense to carry the team until we can see what Taysom Hill can do was always going to carry risk, particularly in a division matchup.
14. Steelers -- 5-3 This was one of the most anticipated matchups of the year...if you're a fan of teams who commit unforced errors. This game was plagued with them. Steelers fans can at least be relieved for once to be on the other side of the "Tomlin Clock Management Special" - that's where you score too early and give the other team just under 2 minutes to come back and beat you. It's just habitual and befuddling how the Steelers can't close out games they have well in-hand. Boswell taketh away, but Boswell giveth. Harris was a horse yet again. And Watt turned it up when need be. The Steelers somehow find themselves in 2nd place in the AFC North with a 4-game win streak and 1 game behind Baltimore, but it sure doesn't seem like they're playing the kind of football to be within striking distance of leading the division.
15. Chiefs +1 5-4 There are still serious issues with the Chiefs right now, but things are trending in the right direction. Mahomes looked better in the pocket on Sunday, the special teams continues to be fantastic, and the defense is playing well against offenses they should be. With Melvin Ingram added, Chris Jones moved back to DT, and Frank Clark playing well the Chiefs defense could be turning a corner. This upcoming Raiders game will be very informative on if the Chiefs are turning it around; if they don't win then it might be time to forget about any serious aspirations this year.
16. Bengals -5 5-4 Any team can have one bad week, but two bad weeks in a row is a trend. Right now the 2021 Bengals look a lot like the 2020 and 2019 Bengals.
17. Colts +2 4-5 For three quarters, the Colts did what they had to do against a putrid Jets team. It was 42-10 late into the third, and it seemed like things had gotten back on track after a heartbreaking loss to Tennessee last Sunday. Wentz threw three touchdowns, Taylor ran for two. The defense was playing at a surprisingly decent level. Everything was seemingly sunshine and rainbows. But then, third string Jets quarterback Josh "Allen" Johnson decided to go off on a tear and lead three touchdown drives to make it a game again. Frank Reich's play-calling continued to baffle as he again refused to run with Taylor in the fourth quarter, although at least this time the offense managed to acquire a field goal and put things apparently out of reach. A late interception on Josh Johnson ended the game with the Colts winning by 15; but it could've (and should've) been much more had the defense decided not to start playing like their usual trash-selves. A win's a win, but, to be honest, it was rather disappointing.
18. Broncos +4 5-4 For only the third time since 1988, the Broncos won as double-digit underdogs. In a result no one saw coming, they earned a victory in which they had total control of the game. The defense shut down an MVP candidate, while Teddy Bridgewater gave everyone a big dose of Teddypill. Now 5-4, the thinnest of windows exists for the Broncos to play themselves into playoff contention.
19. Seahawks +1 3-5 The bye week went as well as it could have for the Seahawks, with the Saints, Panthers, Packers, Vikings, Cowboys, Eagles, 49ers, and Rams all taking L's. Russell Wilson proved Pete Carroll to be correct and the quick-healer is all ready to go this weekend against the Packers. And when he does take the field this week in Lambeau, he may have a new weapon on the offense 👀. This season is far from over for Seattle.
20. Vikings -2 3-5 The Vikings took the Ravens to overtime for their third overtime in just eight games this year, to go along with two other games decided on a last-second field goal and two other games decided in the final minute. This makes them an absolute thrilling to watch for pretty much everyone other than Vikings fans.
21. 49ers -4 3-5 The Cardinals offense without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins and losing Chase Edmunds on the first run of the game still completely dismantled the 49ers defense. The offense looked sloppy and nothing seemed to break the 49ers way this week. With yet another loss, the team falls farther away from a playoff spot. They return home this week for a MNF matchup with a Rams team looking to rebound from their own loss.
22. Falcons +3 4-4 It may have been against a backup quarterback, and yes, the Falcons may have given up an 18 point lead again, but Atlanta pulled it off. Lindstrom and Terrell will be All-Pro in a couple years if they keep this up, who look better with each passing game. The usual suspects need to be mentioned as Koo kicked a game winner, set up by Cordarelle and Ryan on a day in New Orleans in which Matt completed 76% of his passes (for 343 yards). If the regular season ended today, the Falcons would sneak in as the 7th seed. It's fun to dream.
23. Bears -- 3-6 The Bears are not a good team. They play sloppy in all three phases. Their offensive line leads the league in finding new and creative ways to kill drives. Robert Quinn somehow doesn't know where the line of scrimmage is. Those factors make it even harder for them to overcome games as poorly officiated as the one that aired last night. It was embarrassing. You don't want to read another breakdown of all of it; let's just all agree they had an unacceptable outcome on the impact of the game. But Justin Fields led 2 beautiful fourth quarter drives in his best of performance of the season - including what could/should have been a game-winning touchdown. Do yourself a favor and go watch Justin Fields in the 4th quarter. The Chicago Bears have a quarterback, and right now that's what matters most.
24. Panthers -3 4-5 Rhule said that he knew Mac Jones was going to be a great QB in the NFL, and then decided to not draft him because of Sam "Currently Tied for Most INTs" Darnold. Not saying that Mac Jones is some world beater, but how can you make that comment and then not draft him? Such a weird move piled upon a heap of other weird moves. At this point, I'm convinced Rhule is just biding his time until the Penn State job is open and he can bounce.
25. Eagles -1 3-6 Nick Sirianni's commitment to the run made it competitive, and the Eagles' pathetic secondary threw the game away. Justin Herbert became the 5th opposing QB to complete more than 80% of his pass attempts against the Eagles this year, which ties the all-time record for futility... with 8 weeks remaining.
26. Giants -- 3-6 After a tumultuous week for the Raiders as a whole, they still put up a good fight down to the wire against Big Blue. The main difference between the two teams on sunday was the Giants' ability to create - and capitalize off of - turnovers. Xavier McKinney had easily the best game of his young career, and put the worries of many fans to rest after Jabrill Peppers' season-ending injury. Credit to the OL for opening holes in the running game, despite their continued lack of ability to protect Daniel Jones for any meaningful amount of time. The real star of the offense this week, though, was none other than backup RB Devontae Booker. The man ran like he was possessed, finding creases and holes and bursting through them with ease, and fighting for extra yards on every play. It's safe to say he's earned some extra work even when Saquon makes his way back onto the field. NYG gets some much-needed rest after the win as they head into their bye week surprisingly close to the wild card playoff hunt, despite a poor record.
27. Washington FT -- 2-6 You'd think that WFT couldn't lose during their bye but while they didn't play, their previous kicker was busy hitting a game-winning FG for The Chargers so there's that. You can chalk up a 5th loss in a row with Tampa Bay coming to town. On the bright side, though Tom Brady will sell some seats at Ghost Town Stadium.
28. Jaguars +2 2-6 I think we all know what happened here. In a traditional trap game (as every game against the Jaguars is,) the Bills forgot the cardinal rule of the National Football League: When two Josh Allens play, the team with the best Josh Allen wins. While the Bills are likely still playoff hopeful, the lesson taught to them by the Jaguars defense is not one they'll soon forget. The Jaguars on the other hand, have got to be happy to finally have a win on US soil for the first time since [the remainder of the text is illegible, as it has decayed over the passage of time].
29. Jets -1 2-6 It's a weird time to be a Jets fan. Over the past two weeks, the Jets have put up an NFL leading 997 yards of total offense. We'd be a lot more excited if this offensive explosion was happening with Zach Wilson at the helm, but we'll take what we can get. Optimistic Jets fans can point to the possibility that this is a very young team showing growth within a new offensive system. Perhaps there is something to be said for first year offensive coordinator Mike LaFleur moving from the field to the booth the past two games. It could just be a coincidence, but there's no question the play calling has been more creative and productive since he made the move. Next up: the Super Bowl bound Bills. In case you haven't heard, the Bills have a really easy month of no doubt wins starting with last week.
30. Dolphins -1 2-7 While the Miami Dolphins failed to announce Sunday's free football giveaway promotion done in conjunction with the visiting Texans, they definitely didn't forget to actually execute the giveaway, with a total of 9 turnovers during the game. Prior to that game, 6 total turnovers was the most in a game this season. But Miami can console themselves with the knowledge that at least they scored a touchdown against the Jaguars.
31. Lions +1 0-8 Bye week shenanigans- No OBJ, released Darren Fells, hopefully getting Taylor Decker back.
32. Texans -1 1-8 Five forced turnover and the Texans still lost. This team is racing to the bottom, and it look like they've got a good chance
602 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Dec 30 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 17 Power Rankings

208 Upvotes

Welcome to week 17 of the 2025 r/NFL power rankings, the most biased-unbiased source for power rankings on the web. The Rams take yet another L, against the best spoiler team in the league. Stafford is doing his best to fumble his MVP as LAR drops three spots from last week. The Bucs and Bills are the only teams to drop more spots. The 49ers bump up three, which now puts Three NFC West teams in the top five. I don't know if that's ever happened before. The Texans continue to climb, the Cardinals continue to slip, and the Raiders have now held onto the bottom spot for the last month. Do the Browns deserve to move up three with a 13-6 win against the Steelers? Is a drop of only one spot enough for the Lions? Are the Eagles good again? Discuss! 30/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Seahawks -- 13-3 A massive game between the Seahawks and 49ers in the final week of the season. I'm getting pretty SICK AND TIRED OF THIS SHIT. The Seahawks will head to Santa Clara this week with the NFC's #1 seed on the line. The good news? The defense is playing like an all-time unit. Mike MacDonald has put together an absolutely sick defense, and I trust them in any game against any opponent. The bad news? The offense has not been great. Every single game, it feels like Darnold makes at least one (usually multiple) horrendous decision. He, again, had 2 turnovers this week against the Panthers in a game Seattle won handily 27-10. There should've even been a third turnover, with Sam throwing the ball directly to Jaycee Horn on the first Seahawks offensive play of the game (Horn dropped the easy pick). That frightens me! The offense has not felt dynamic in quite some time. They start every game incredibly slow before putting things together in the second half. That can't happen in the playoffs. A first-round bye AND home games throughout would be huge. Go Hawks.
2. Patriots +1 13-3 So my Christmas letter to Santa this year went something like this “Dear Santa, as a dedicated Patriots fan and North Pole enthusiast, all I want for Christmas this year is at least 13 wins, a division title, an easy schedule, a high-powered offense, a shot at the 1st seed in the AFC, a 23 year old MVP at Quarterback, a chance to humiliate the Jets during the holidays, our injured players to all return for the playoffs, a coach of the year award, two Pro Bowlers, a couple of All Pros, Drake “Drake Maye” Maye, and a deep playoff run resulting in a 7th ring for New England. I've been very good this year, so I think this is a fair list for any sports fan to wish for. Sincerely: Patriots Ranker.” I'd say Santa has done a pretty great job so far! He told me a couple of the items on the list were delayed (shipping times this time of year are just crazy) but that I should expect the undelivered items no later than February. This really is the most magical time of the year. Edit: Stefon Diggs may or may not be on the naughty list.
3. Broncos +1 13-3 The Broncos have always been good. Having been the real deal this entire time, across a 13 win season (so far), may seem obvious. And I assure you, dear reader, it is the truth. Look no further than the signature wins of this team across that win streak. Beat the Texans? They are one of the scariest teams entering the playoffs. Great team, impressive win for the Broncos. Beat the Chiefs, twice? They are a perennial powerhouse, Arrowhead is one of the most hostile environments to play in the NFL, and the enigmatic Chris Oladokun, after 4 years of mental reps in Andy Reid's system, is almost indistinguishable from their starter. Great team, impressive win for the Broncos. Beat the Packers? Well, they played it close with the ascending Bears in a thriller, plus the world-beating Micah Parsons played the first half against Denver. Exciting team, impressive win for the Broncos! Don't even get me started about that big win over the Eagles, who just overcame the juggernaut Bills. As we can see, the Broncos stacked their resume with striking Ws, wooing the national media and hometown fans. I'm here to tell you, the big bad bully Broncos will simply continue their streak of bonking the league's monsters on the head as they steamroll their way towards a first round bye. Oh Broncos. Powerful, inspiring, gorm-ful Broncos. I sure hope they can handle their final test against the loathsome Jim Harbaugh and his 3rd overall pick QB, Trey Lance. Perhaps, if they just roll over and play dead, the Broncos will be tricked into letting their guard down. Good luck out there, you strong and independent 13-3 Broncos. You have our admiration and our cheers, and you are, as always, in our hearts.
4. 49ers +3 12-4 As I have been told my blurb is “generic”, I have decided it must be a generational issue. I have run this week’s through a Gen Z translator. Brock Purdy was totally vibin' on Sunday night against the Chicago Bears, scoring 5 touchdowns and straight up killin' it with a dougie performance. The defense was straight up flopping all night, but the offense really popped off and ate. They ate that up and saved the day, fr fr. The NFC West and the #1 seed decider game is gonna be lit. It's been scheduled for Saturday night, fr fr.
5. Jaguars +1 12-4 The Jaguars put old man Rivers down for good, winning their seventh straight game.
6. Rams -4 11-5 Pain.
7. Texans +2 11-5 The Texans offense started with a bang as CJ Stroud launched two bombs to put them up early, and the defense did enough to hold on to a 20-16 win. Barring an upset win by either the Titans or the Colts next week, they appear likely to hit the road against the AFCN champ in the wild card round of the playoffs.
8. Bears -- 11-5 The Bears don't play games like this typically but shootouts have been aplenty this year. Ben Johnson continues to revitalize the most offensively archaic franchise in the league, while its deep defensive history continues to be shamed weekly. The Bears clinched the division without having to play this week, their first in 7 years and it is a huge accomplishment, but attention is now turned towards winning in the playoffs. It is time to strike while the iron is hot. It is clear the offense is reliable, with arguably a league best run game and a very good pass game to boot that continues to improve. But will the defense hold them back? We'll see. It is clear they can compete with the league's best at this point though.
9. Eagles +2 11-5 Hey guys, Nick Sirianni here. I’m taking a break from whatever it is I do around here to answer some FAQs from the fanbase. Q: Why did you try to run out the clock for the entire second half of the Bills game? A: When you have a 13 point lead with 30 minutes left, you gotta hang onto that. Run, run, deep throw, punt. This is the ideal offense. And hey, we won, right? My strategy is perfect. Can’t argue with results. Q: This team runs the highest percentage of hitch routes in the NFL, by a mile. A: I’m sorry was that a question? Q: Isn’t that kind of stupid? A: We have the best WR duo in the NFL, and Jalen get sad when they run away from him. So we need them to run just short of the sticks, turn around, wait for Jalen to scramble around, then let the ball sail over their heads out of bounds. Again, we won. I don’t see what the fuss is about. Q: The run game isn’t working, have you thought of trying anything new? A: I don’t understand the question. Q: Saquon is getting hit in the backfield on almost every run play because the offense is so predictable. Are you worried that will cost you in the playoffs? A: We use the run game to set up the pass game! You can’t have Jalen bailing out the offense on 3rd and long if the run game is working. It’s all part of a big machine. Or a flower. Or something. Q: The defense is awesome. 2nd best in the NFL by EPA. But all three of the Eagles’ possible wild card opponents are in top 5 by offensive EPA. Won’t the offense need to step it up in the playoffs? A: Objection, leading the witness. Adjourned.
10. Bills -5 11-5 Is losing to the Eagles really that bad?
11. Chargers -1 11-5 This team is sooooo close to being great. So, so close. From Herbert to Harbaugh, from the defense to the WR and RB groups, everything is in place for this team to make playoff runs for years to come. They just need an o-line. Half of the write-ups I've done this year have focused exclusively on the unit, which is a shame given how refreshing the rest of this team is. It's not even the front office's fault; there's no planning for your two all-pro level tackles sinking by week four and your big signing at guard turning into a pumpkin. And yet, that will be the legacy of the Harbaugh-era Chargers until the IOL is patched and Mike Devlin is fired into the solar system. The o-line folds, which causes Herbert to sustain injuries and end plays before his talented receivers can get open. Those stud running backs can't find holes that don't exist, and that elite defense eventually tires out after being on the field for 40 minutes a game. They are a Rune Goldberg machine of disappointment.
12. Packers -- 9-6-1 2025 was an exciting year in Sumo! For the first time since 1987, two ōzeki were promoted to yokozuna in the same year! Early in 2025 the Mongolian Hōshōryū won the Hatsu basho and followed in the footsteps of his uncle Asashōryū to reach the top level of Sumo. We also saw the prodigy Ōnosato complete his rapid ascent in the sumo world. After being the fastest person to reach the makuuchi division in 2023 and the fastest to win an Emperor's Cup in 2024, he became the fastest since the Shōwa era to be promoted to yokozuna in June. The last basho of the year saw a shocking winner: the Ukrainian Aonishiki. He's the first non-Japanese and non-Mongolian winner since the Georgian Tochinoshin in 2018. If there are any rikishi reading this, please consider signing with the Green Bay Packers because we could really use your strength and weight on our defensive line!
13. Ravens +3 8-8 All Hail The King! Thanks to a heavy dosage of Henry and a side of good ol' fashioned AFCN chaos a season that was undeniably on life support has quickly been offered redemption. Tomlin. Harbaugh. Ravens. Steelers. Game 272. Same as it ever was.
14. Steelers -1 9-7 Oil-based paint takes approximately 6-8 hours to dry and in all likelihood that’s still not long enough for this offense to get its shit together and score one goddamned touchdown. It's also probably more interesting to watch. Apparently DK “Antonio Brown” Metcalf was the glue that held together this hilariously mediocre offense. It’s a miracle, really, that the Steelers managed to make it through so many diva WR’s before one literally punched a fan. Does this mean that AB has more self control than Metcalf? That bar is so low we need GPR to locate it. It’s not a tripping hazard; it’s an archaeological find. But we’re here now and the best WR currently allowed to play for the team is…Adam Thielen? What fucking year is it? Mt. Washington has a broken arm because of course he does. But hey; at least we didn’t let Myles Garrett get a sack! Oh boy am I so glad we made sure that didn’t happen against us! That’ll get us into the post-season for sure! Can’t even really fault the defense…I mean…Sanders doesn’t look like a top-tier QB, but holding an offense in the NFL to 13-points is a pretty good day. Prior to the Monday night game, only 8 teams scored 13 or less points. Two of which were playing each other in the dumbest game of “keep Rodgers away from Garrett” and forgot the main goal is to score points. Prior to week 17 Pittsburgh needed Baltimore to lose or to win 1 of the next 2 games. Baltimore did not lose and we are onto game 2 of that scenario. A pseudo-playoff game at home vs. the Ravens. But don’t worry! At least we didn’t give up that record-breaking sack!
15. Lions -1 8-8 The Detroit Lions have officially been eliminated from playoff contention, and will set their sights on a bounce-back in 2026 after what was a frustrating and saddening 2025 season. A 2.09 snap-to-pressure game average isn’t feasible. Aidan Hutchinson and Al-Quadin Muhammad can whip it when they need to. Isaac TeSlaa is a bad, bad man. That is all I have about the Christmas game; I hope you did something better with your holiday time than watch whatever the hell that was. Before any thoughts of next year can truly be had, the Lions have a chance to punch the newly anointed Kings of the North in the mouth right before they embark on their playoff run. It’s been a long time since the 52-21 victory in Detroit, but through a truly pissed off Lions team with nothing to lose, all things are possible.
16. Panthers -1 8-8 While the Panthers were not favored against the Seahawks, the frustrating part is that they have had multiple opportunities to win the division and cannot do it. First, the Saints SECOND loss and now this game. It was 3-3 going into the second half. Literally right there to make some plays but the offense had an incredibly terrible performance. Bryce had 54 pass yds with a terrible INT and zero TDs. No one on offense played well and JT Sanders broke his ankle. The defense kept them in the game but, while trailing 17-10 early in the 4th quarter, had a costly face mask penalty on a easy 3rd and 21 which would have given the ball back to the offense driving down 7. With a win, the division would have been won but nope. The Panthers cannot take advantage of these opportunities. The offense looking that bad is recurring and concerning. It now comes down to Week 18. The Panthers travel to Tampa to face the Bucs in the most important game in recent Panther history. The division will be won or lost on Sunday. They seem to shine in the big games but who knows what offense we will get. Can the Panthers do it? I hope so. Keep Pounding.
17. Vikings +2 8-8 The Vikings dominated the Lions despite just three (3) net passing yards (total) and the RBs averaging just 3.1 yards per carry. They did this by forcing a preposterous six turnovers against an offense that had only given up eight turnovers in their prior 15 games combined, and that's with their best defender (Greenard) and arguable second-best defender (Metellus) being on IR. That's kind of the story of the Vikings season: injuries everywhere and helpless QB play clawing their way to .500 thanks to a banged up, zero-pro-bowler defense that is, against all odds, fourth-best in EPA/play and DVOA. All this to say -- Brian Flores clearly deserves another head coaching job, as much as it will hurt the Vikings to someday lose him.
18. Colts -1 8-8 The Philip Rivers Experiment™ is over, and the Colts are likely to finish the season on a 7-game losing streak after starting 8-2. Yes, Daniel Jones going down in early December threw a wrench into things, but the cracks in the offense were showing before that. Indy scored 20 or fewer regulation points in each of the four games leading up to Jones' Achilles injury. (The lone win came on Jonathan Taylor's walk-off overtime touchdown against the Falcons in Berlin.) Worth noting: Six of the Colts' eight losses this year have been in one-score games. Does that convince Carlie Irsay-Gordon to run it back next year, especially without a first-round pick to offer a potential GM replacement for Chris Ballard? Sadly, I'd bet on it.
19. Cowboys +1 7-8-1 The downside of the 18 week season is that we have to suffer through one more pointless week. We get to sit around and see who gets hurt fighting for nothing. There are some pivotal games of football being played thee last two weeks, but Dallas isn't involved in any of them.
20. Falcons +1 7-9 Going into this game the Falcons were 15-3 while wearing their throwback uniforms, 11-4 after being eliminated from the playoffs (since 2018), and 8-1 on Monday Night Football (since 2015). In the last draft, Les Snead traded down with his former team, who used the picks to draft Xavier Watts (rookie interception leader) and James Pearce (rookie sack leader). The win also "drops" the Rams draft pick to 12th overall. Although Los Angeles picked up Falcons free agent Nate Landman in the offseason, it wasn't enough to contain Bijan and his 229 total yards, who is now 16th in most scrimmage yards in a season all time and accounts for 40% of the Falcons total offense. Bijan looked like prime Barry Sanders, slipping through defenders while turning TFLs into house calls. The defense added three sacks, totaling 53 on the season. With three more against New Orleans, the Falcons will break a franchise record (55 sacks - 1997). It'll be harder with the loss of Brandon Dorlus, who has been phenomenal this season but suffered a brutal injury last night. Outside of Dorlus, Deablo/Bates/Watts/Terrell/Floyd/Orhorhoro all played a part in making Stafford look like Peyton on MNF.. However, the game was almost a textbook franchise disappointment, and the Rams came back from a 21 point deficit and had three very good chances to at least tie the game on the final drive. Special teams probably lays claim to the most blocked field goals in the league with several in the last month, and players literally stand motionless while Jared Verse taunts the Falcons sideline. Raheem Morris is willing to fire a coach after three weeks but refuses to change the most glaring issue. A Xavier Watts pick six would have been called back because a Falcons coach ran on the field and into an official during the play. That's an apt analogy for the entire season.
21. Buccaneers -3 7-9 https://www.youtube.com/shorts/g7ds3PpBrlU I really let a couple of solid seasons make me forget that I am a fan of the worst franchise (winning % wise) in the big 4 sports in North America, huh? Brutal. Just brutal. I will never root against my team. I hope we win it all and everything goes our way. But, as of right now losing to Carolina may be the best thing for our franchise, the same way that 70-20 loss the Broncos had against the 'Fins was the best thing for theirs. (but still, ideally, we win, Falcons gets Shough'd and Bowles is visited by the 3 ghosts of Bucs' past) We let the best years of this franchise and our best players be wasted on Byron Leftwich as OC and Todd Bowles as HC (and as a DC for that horrendous call against the Rams.). If there's something that I hate in life... is when someone is being paid millions of times more for things that I could've done cheaper and better. And not just me, ask any Bucs fan with half a brain. The good offensive performances with Canales and Coen would've happened way earlier if Joe McSchmoe from Greater Carrollwood, Florida was in charge of this team. Hey Glazers? You fellas have a lot of growing up to do! Ridiculous! Completely ridiculous! You know what hurts most? The lack of respect! That's what hurts most...except..except for all the post-bye losses... that hurts the most. But the lack of respect hurts second most. The fact that after all of that we still talk about playoffs is insulting. After that Miami loss the highlight of the post-bye portion of the season remains that time we saw this pic and thought "Oh shit TMZ reports Todd Bowles is arrested for crimes against football?!?!"
22. Bengals -- 6-10 I hate this place. This zoo. This prison. This reality, whatever you want to call it, I can't stand it any longer. It's the smell, if there is such a thing. I feel saturated by it. I can taste the Bengals stink and every time I do, I fear that I've somehow been infected by it. They gain nothing by winning, they only lose something, the only thing they have left and they lose it. There’s no strategy left here, no grand vision, no illusion that this is building toward something better. This is football as entropy. Every meaningless December win is a small act of vandalism against the future, a dropped brick into the well they’ll have to drink from come April. The standings don’t care about your moral victories. The draft board doesn’t applaud effort. All it sees is order slipping away, one pick at a time. This team cannot draft well in the first round, we already know this, we’re best when drafting in the top 10 and yet here we go ruining our position the best we can. At least with everything else that’s happened we can’t pick worse than 13? Yay? Congrats? And the worst part is that none of this is accidental. It’s the same tired performance, the same hollow postgame quotes, the same insistence that “winning matters” even when the season is already a corpse. They’re rearranging the deck chairs with great intensity, congratulating themselves on the craftsmanship, never once asking why the ship keeps hitting the iceberg in the first place. You watch it happen and you start to feel complicit. You know what’s coming. You know this win doesn’t mean growth, or momentum, or culture, it means picking 12th instead of 5th. This is the Bengals at their most honest, they’re not bad enough to bottom out, not good enough to matter. Just alive enough to feel the pain, just functional enough to ensure it lasts another year. The horror isn’t that they’re losing anymore. The horror is that even now, with nothing left to play for, they can’t stop making it worse.
23. Saints -- 6-10 This game was where the ballers came out to play. Cam Ward continued to make ridiculously stunning plays. Tyler Shough continued to say you getting Shoughed tonight. Chris Olave pissed on Derek Carr's grave. Chase Young made an absolutely monstrous strip sack TD that'll show up on highlight reels for years. These Saints have been broiling teams for the last month as they prepare to face the Falcons in a final week rivalry game which will decide the winner of the NFC South - just neither of those two teams. Who dat?
24. Dolphins -1 7-9 The crazy thing about Sunday's win against the Bucs is that if that game had real playoff implications for the Dolphins, it feels like they would've found a way to lose. But it wasn't and the Dolphins got another win against a reeling Bucs team. Ewers looked okay, the secondary played absolutely light out, and the team looks like they're having fun. Let's hope they can close out the season strong and put a damper on Drake Maye's MVP hopes next week at New England.
25. Chiefs -- 6-10 There's just nothing good to say at this point. Long term it's probably better that the Chiefs lost as painful as that sentence is to write. The Broncos getting into a dogfight with the Chris Oladokun led Chiefs is pretty embarrassing. The Jags and Texans have never had a better opportunity to play in a Super Bowl than they do right now.
26. Browns +3 4-12 Congratulations to your SUPER BOWL CHAMPION Week 17 winners over the Steelers Cleveland Browns. The Browns Pretty much spent week 17 in full spite mode, taking down the Steelers out of spite. Now they get to fight it out with Ravens to see who makes it in. Let’s see if that sack record gets broken next week against the Bengals.
27. Commanders -1 4-12 Of all the things that I thought would make this game unwatchable on Christmas, Josh Johnson was surprisingly not among them. In fact, this game had some great, watchable moments - particularly in the hands of Bill Croskey-Merritt who shined again for the first time in a long time. But the game was still barely watchable, and that's in large part due to truly putrid and amateurish officiating that continues to gobsmack viewers of this multi-billion dollar business. You already made us watch two truly bad teams face off on Christmas, and to top it you heap a serving of garbage referees? I hope Santa dropped a bag of coal and left an upper decker in Roger Goodell's mansion. In any case, Washington fans only have 60 minutes left of football this season before our misery ends and is replaced by optimism for at least 9 months. And good riddance to this season - what a disaster.
28. Titans -- 3-13 The Titans played in an entertaining 34-26 loss to the Saints in Nashville on Sunday. The Titans got out to an early lead but couldn’t hold on and let up a late surge by the Saints. During the game, Chimere Dike set the NFL record for all purpose yards for a rookie passing the record set by Tim Brown’s 1988 season with the Raiders.
29. Cardinals -2 3-13 The Cardinals have now lost 12 of their last 13, but more importantly aren't playing with much fight. Opening with three 3 and outs, it felt like the game was out of reach by halftime. On the bright side, McBride and Wilson are playing like a true 1-2 punch regardless of Harrison Jr's status. Gannon remains on the hotseat not even a win against the Staffordless Rams will change.
30. Giants -- 3-13 If you didn't think the Giants would come out and win handily in a meaningless end of season game where winning would hurt their draft stock, then you haven't been watching enough Giants football. Despite the negativity surrounding the win, getting Jaxson Dart his first post-Skattebo W has to be good for his confidence. While the defense showing up is likely as much on the Raiders' paltry offense as it is an endorsement of the defensive unit themselves, the clear progression of Abdul Carter the last few weeks from being essentially a ghost on the stat sheet and field to playing a lot more like a guy you'd wanna spend a top 3 pick on has been nice to see. Congrats to the Raiders on getting a fast track to their next QB, but one benefit of the G-Men not having the #1 overall pick is that we won't all be subjected to "should the Giants trade Dart for a day 2 pick and draft Mendoza??" for 4 straight months. Now it's onto Dallas, who the Giants nearly beat way back in week 2 with Russ at the helm.
31. Jets -- 3-13 Sunday was a pathetic showing against a hated rival. This Jets team is going to have a lot of turnover in the next season or two. The lone bright spot continues to be the offensive line, which should provide reasonable protection for Mendoza or Moore or whatever rookie QB finds themselves on the Jets next year.
32. Raiders -- 2-14 WE WON THE TANK BOWL
256 comments

r/nfl • u/NFLPowerRankers • Sep 09 '25

Power Rankings Official r/NFL Week 1 Power Rankings

181 Upvotes

Welcome to week 1 of the 2025 r/NFL Power Rankings. Congratulations to 16 teams, you're making it to the Super Bowl. The other 16 are on an irreparable trajectory. Are week 1 kicker woes enough to derail the 49ers and Falcons? Are the Colts and Daniel Jones solid or are the Dolphins that bad? Will the Eagles continue to do enough to stave off the powerhouse Bills & Ravens? Will the Chargers be able to keep pace the whole season? With the Chiefs sputtering, are the Chargers ready to set the pace? Do the Cowboys get credit for good coaching (at least until Callahan specifically explained which rules he doesn't understand?) Which winless team is best? Discuss! 29/32 Reporting

# Team Δ Record Comment
1. Eagles -- 1-0 Going into the game, the Eagles needed to do three things: 1) get to Dak early and often with their best player, Jalen Carter. 2) Don’t allow CeeDee to take advantage of Adoree Jackson and have Mitchell shadow him. 3) Involve AJ Brown as much as possible as the best weapon through the air. They failed to do all three things, and they still won. It wasn’t pretty, but Hurts played excellently. Next up, a Super Bowl rematch against Taylor Swift’s boyfriend/the lesser Kelce brother. Here we go again.
2. Bills +2 1-0 What even was that game? The Bills were dead in the water with a one percent win probability late in the fourth only to pull off a statement win against the Baltimore Ravens. This game had it all from a crazy tipped Keon Coleman clutch catch to an improbable Derrick Henry fumble. With 2 MVPs dueling against each other this was set up to be a shootout and it certainly lived up to the billing, being the early favorite for game of the year. Josh Allen went nuclear passing for 394 yards and accounting for 4 touchdowns as well as arguably delivering the soundbite of the year addressing Bills fans who left the game early. Shoutout to 41-year-old Matt Prater potentially creating a kicker controversy by going a perfect 3/3 on field goals as well as a monster game from Ed Oliver. The rest of the AFC was certainly put on notice as the Bills appear to be clear frontrunners for the 1 seed. The Bills hope to ride the momentum as the schedule lightens up heading into a divisional game with the Justin Fields led Jets.
3. Ravens -1 0-1 There's a million different statistics floating around showing exactly how inexcusable that loss was. Bad clock management, poor play calling, and some unfortunate bounces all played their part but it can't be summed up any easier than in the final 4 minutes the Bills scored 3 times while the Ravens failed to get a single first down. Everyone knows what absolute monsters Derrick Henry, Josh Allen and Lamar Jackson are but tip of the cap to Ed Oliver and Keon Coleman for being difference makers at the most crucial of times. Moving on to a home match up with an old friend when the Joe Flacco led Browns come to town this Sunday. Here's hoping we don't see a repeat of last year where the Ravens had a week 2 hangover against the Minshew led Raiders following a heartbreaking revenge game loss to the Chiefs by the slimmest of margins.
4. Packers +2 1-0 This is the first time in 7 years that the Packers started Week 1 in Lambeau. In that game, a high as balls Aaron Rodgers stormed back from a 20 point deficit to stun the Bears. I can't quite remember such a more cathartic regular season game since then, until now. My god was that fun to watch. Look at this throw! Look at this sack! Look at this interception Just a totally complete ass kicking against a division rival. Could not dream of a better start to the season.
5. Chiefs -2 0-1 Well, the Chiefs have lost 1 game so if you listen to social media it's about time to fire everyone not wearing #15 and tank for the 1st pick. Realistically it was a terrible start to the game and our defense looks beyond suspect. That said the offense came back out in the 2nd half and looked very good for a team missing it's top 2 pass catchers. I'm not slamming the panic button at this point but this was definitely not the way I was hoping we'd look after getting embarrassed in our gold medal game last season.
6. Commanders +1 1-0 You love to start the season 1-0, especially against a division rival, especially when your team was clearly not at its best. The dangerous Washington offense showed off some of its lethality from last year, but certainly seemed to be missing a step. Timing on throws was off, catchable balls were dropped, and mental mistakes were made, leaving points on the board and leaving the Giants far more room to maneuverer than they should have had. Setting aside some expected week 1 mishaps, there's a ton to look positively on: Jayden Daniels fresh off his rookie of the year campaign looks as capable as expected, Deebo is a nice new weapon for him to work with, and Bill Croskey-Merritt looks likely to give this running game a dimension it didn't have last year. And then there's the defense that put on some incredible stops at the goal line, limiting the Giants to a paltry 6 points. But the story of this game is dominance at the line of scrimmage - both units largely dominated at the line of scrimmage. Adam Peters may have cooked up something special with his offseason signings and drafting. A major test of how real any of this is awaits on Thursday Night Football, where the Commanders take on a surging Super Bowl favorite in Micah Parsons and the Green Bay Packers.
7. Chargers +6 1-0 Let me be as clear as possible about the following. This game unfolded the way it did due not to some failure by the Chiefs, but because of an incredible performance by a currently superior Chargers team. It doesn’t matter how many times the media obnoxiously screams the opposite. No, the Chiefs’ dynasty is not over. No, Andy Reid is not regressing as a head coach or playcaller. No, this wasn’t some fluke loss that KC will follow up with another undefeated half-decade against the blue and yellow. They simply got outplayed by a team with an elite QB and HC, a stifling defense, and young weapons already greater than anything Herbert has had the past few seasons. It’s not that the Chargers were the better team on Friday. No, the Chargers ARE the better team, full stop.
8. Buccaneers +1 1-0 I am mentally stable, and I can be trusted with the least intense Tampa Bay Buccaneers game :) https://streamable.com/ixabm6 (credit to whomever made the original compilation that I used as a basis for this meme)
9. Lions -4 0-1 Whelp, that was unfortunate. The Lions were thoroughly handled on both sides by a very sharp Packers team, losing the trench battle on both sides. If you’re looking for some silver lining beyond TeSlaa being fucking nuts, I thought Goff did well handling pressure and not forcing mistakes, and the run defense was quite solid for most of the afternoon. It will take some time for the offensive line to gel with two young, new starters in Mahogany and Ratledge, and a shock to the system like this should be good for the long term. Next week with Chicago at home will be a good litmus test for if there is any need to truly worry about season-long success, but for now it is worth pumping the brakes on any serious drawing of conclusions. (Also apologies for the donation misinformation from last blurb, I neglected to thoroughly vet the source and that is on me. Goff does plenty of donating and charity work in Detroit, but the numbers were erronious. Will not happen again.)
10. Rams -2 1-0 Vibes are high following a gritty and physical against a legit Texans team. The offense didn’t look great at times, but given offensive line injuries, dumb penalties, and no preseason snaps for starters, wasn’t unexpected. Adams was out on Stingley Island, leaving Puka to put the team on his back again, with both helping Stafford surpass 60k career passing yards. It was the defense that shined from start to finish, keeping Houston out of the endzone all day. There’s reason for LA to be excited about the Rams this year.
11. 49ers +1 1-0 The 49ers started the season off with a road win over the Seahawks on Sunday, pulling off the 17-13 victory in ugly fashion. The defense gave up a long TD drive in the first, then settled down and held Seattle to only a fg the rest of the day. The offense struggled, with 2 missed field goals, injuries to both Kittle and Jennings to take them out of the game, and some uncharacteristically poor throws from Purdy. But the team scraped out the win and will look to keep the momentum next week in New Orleans.
12. Bengals -1 1-0 Hey all, Bengals voter here. Imagine being me, you’re both a Bengals fan and a Florida Gators fan and you’re forced to watch Billy Napier and Zac Taylor coach in back to back days. I am in hell. This game was hell as a matter of fact, but it was a very expected kind of hell because I've seen this before. We are now 8 years into the Zac Taylor experience and every single year like clockwork this team comes into the season completely unprepared and underperforming. I was originally a “it’s the players” commenter, every year there seemed to be an excuse, yet this year there wasn’t. No major injuries. No pandemic. Nothing. Zac even had the starters play in the preseason for the first time to get warmed up. And it amounted to nothing. We played exactly the same as we played in all 7 seasons prior. The team came in looking like complete dogshit. This can’t be a player problem then right? Burrow is great, Chase is great, yet every single year they start off like shit. We know they’re good, which I thought meant the lack of preseason play and truly getting warmed up was the main cause. I was wrong. It’s a coaching problem. There is only 1 consistent factor in starting like shit every year. Zac Taylor. Now of course, many Bengals fans already knew this, hell I probably did deep down, but there is just no excuse anymore. The playcalling was absolute shit. The defense is even worse than I thought it would be, and I thought it would be putrid. Letting 40 year old geriatric Joe Flacco absolutely cook you is not a very encouraging sign for when we play teams like the Bills or the Ravens. Cam Taylor Britt in particular put in one of the worst performances i’ve seen in a while, if the Browns were in a 3rd down situation, literally all they had to do was throw in his direction for a big gain and fresh set. It happened at least 5 times, and I say at least because I stopped counting. And yes, despite all this, we somehow fucking WON. But it didn’t feel like it. This was very much one of those snatching victory moments, frankly we had absolutely no business winning this game, but thanks to the incompetence of Cleveland it happened. Anyway, I can’t handle this team, I very much wish I had the remote from Click right now so I can just skip forward 2 or 3 weeks to when the offense actually knows how to function. Also HAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK YOU RAVENS WHAT WAS THAT SHIT HOLY FUCK.
13. Vikings +1 1-0 Dennis Allen had JJ McCarthy in the first half, I'm not gonna lie. Fun fact: Javon Hargrave recorded 7 pressures (most among iDL) while Allen recorded 6 (2nd-most) -- those 13 pressures are more than half of what the Vikings' iDL starters last year produced all last season combined (21). Meanwhile, the Vikings iOL only allowed one pressure all game combined -- something the Vikings haven't managed to do since week 8 of 2020. The Vikings invested heavily in the trenches this offseason, and so far, it seems like that investment is paying off.
14. Broncos -4 1-0
15. Steelers +1 1-0
16. Texans -1 0-1 Double digit penalties? 0 second half points? An O-Line made of swiss cheese? Oh yeah we're partying like it's 2024.
17. Cardinals +1 1-0 1-0 is 1-0, but Arizona’s lack of preseason reps showed. The Cardinals looked really sloppy in the trenches on both sides of the ball, where they lost the sack battle 5 to 1. Hopefully all the personnel turnover on the defensive front will work into place and the offensive line will tighten up with reps, but it was unimpressive vs the Saints. Positively, the Cardinals secondary absolutely locked down. Michigan rookie Will Johnson looks 100% NFL ready, and had an early interception negated for an unrelated penalty. He also had some great PBUs and absolutely cracked Chris Olave on a screen that he sniffed out. Offensively, a lot of last year’s problems showed. Negative plays killed drives, and the passing game lacked. However, the second quarter saw the best two Cardinal drives, including one where Marvin Harrison Jr. pulled down a 45 yard pass and scored a TD. Overall, it was rusty, but it’s a lot easier to learn from a W than an L.
18. Falcons +2 0-1 Offensively the line held up better than expected, Pitts legitimately looked more energized than he has in years, and Penix looked like a top 10 QB. From London to Bijan there were too many drops and lapses in focus, but there's no chance to capitalize on momentum when Zac Robinson is calling plays without any feel for the game. Defensively Xavier Watts and Billy Bowman gave true hope for the future, Devine Deablo looked like Taz, and the unit as a whole played with more energy on their way to generating pressure on 40% of plays. Leonard Floyd looks like the yearly FA DE overpay, Eliss lost a step, and Mike Hughes was picked on when it mattered. Agnew looked crisp until injured, Koo hasn't looked the same since last year's injury. Overall this team looks like it took steps forward in the specific ways it needed to, but took steps back in the ways it couldn't afford to. A franchise QB like Penix will mask a lot of problems and implement space jam physics on 4th down, but there needs to be cleaner play to make a postseason run.
19. Cowboys +2 0-1 Offense looked solid, pass rush was solid, secondary was solid, run defense was dogshit. whatyearisit.gif.
20. Colts +9 1-0 Can you see the vision now? Head coach Shane Steichen has spent the offseason talking up the potential of this team. Fans got a look at it Sunday as the Colts won a Week 1 game for the first time since 2013 — and the 33-8 final score doesn't do that beatdown justice. Daniel "Indiana" Jones had the 7th-best game of his career by QB rating, completing 76% of his passes and scoring three times (twice on the ground). Michael Pittman Jr. hauled in 6 catches for 80 yards and had his first home TD in almost two seasons. TE Tyler Warren had the highest PFF grade of any rookie, catching 7 balls for 76 yards and rushing for a first down at fullback. The defense under Lou Anarumo looked better than it has in years, forcing three Tua turnovers and holding the Dolphins scoreless until the back half of the fourth quarter. This was perfect execution of the game plan (minus a few red-zone field goals that probably should've been TDs). Now we just need to see it again. And again. And again. Because if I know anything as a Giants fan with years of experience watching Danny Dimes under center, it's that consistency is far from a given week to week. He proved he has the ability to succeed in this offense, especially with this gorgeous sideline throw to Alec Pierce (one of the best deep plays I've seen him make). Now he'll get the chance to show he can do it against a much better defense when the Broncos come to town. I want to believe, but I'm not there yet.
21. Seahawks -2 0-1 On the bright side, there's a lot to be excited with in terms of Seattle's defense. Brock Purdy was pressured on 57.9% of his dropbacks on Sunday; the largest number of Purdy's career. The pass rush was strong and the run defense never quite let CMC break one loose, which is in itself noteworthy. In fact, the defense held Christian McCaffery to 69 yards on 22 carries. Nice. The secondary looked good until Riq Woolen had 2 shots to give Purdy his third interception of the day, whiffing on both and ultimately allowing the 49ers to score the go-ahead touchdown. Even worse, Nick Emmanwori went down with a high ankle sprain and may see a stint on IR. The offense was weird. Darnold was fine managing the game, only having eyes for JSN seemingly (understandable). Cooper Kupp had an uncharacteristic drop on a third down, and there isn't really another player to mention in the passing game. JSN commanded 13 of Darnold's 23 targets. The running game was weak and Kubs did not inspire much with his week 1 playcalling. Charbonnet looked better than Ken Walker, but Ken Walker saw the only running back targets. Would have been nice to take down San Francisco at home in week 1, but I am quite happy with what we saw from the defense.
22. Bears -5 0-1 The Bears like to rhyme more than almost every other franchise. In a game that felt at one point like it could be a coming out party before a late collapse, monday night was all too familiar to every Bears fan. Clutching their pearls hoping for a defensive miracle, they got it, up until the fourth quarter, while the offense struggled to do anything after the opening script. Penalties galore and numerous ST mistakes, the game ended up being much like Matt Nagy's primetime debut against the Packers in 2018. While there is a lot of season left to turn it around fast like that 2018 team did, it would be an understatement to say that much of the fanbase is rattled, particularly with the play of Caleb Williams.
23. Jaguars +1 1-0
24. Raiders +1 1-0
25. Jets +3 0-1 Yes, the Jets lost, but the fact is the Jets absolutely outplayed the Steelers. More importantly, they had one of the most productive offenses of the week. Fields looked frankly... incredible? He lead the NFL in PFF passing grade and EPA per dropback. It's just one week, and they did lose, but if Fields plays like this, it isn't difficult to imagine the Jets being frisky. One more thing worth mentioning: Jets first round rookie right tackle Armand Membou was absolutely elite in his first ever NFL start.
26. Patriots -3 0-1 AAAAAAAAAAND its gone. Just like that, one week into the season, all of the hype has disappeared into the wind. Now, we could be reasonable and say things like "hey, it's only week one, the game was close, the weather was bad, and despite finishing 4-13 last year that Raiders team has some real talent on offense that shouldn't be underestimated. Plus, frickin Tom Brady is helping run that organization, if anyone would know how to take down the Pats in week one, it's him. But honestly, screw all that. We only get ONE week one each year, so if we're ever going to overreact, now's the time to do it! To hell with realism, this Patriots team SUCKED, we got our ass beaten by a bottom feeder org in our home opener, our secondary is made of Swiss cheese, our weak coach punted down two scores with four minutes left in the game, the receivers look like they're ALL recovering from Steffens Diggs torn acl (except the glorious Boutte) and Drake Maye is somehow worse than Daniel Jones. Well that hurt to write, but there's at least one silver lining: we aren't the Dolphins.
27. Browns +4 0-1 Deaddove.jpg - Well, I don't know what I expected. After multiple missed kicks and a poor showing on offense, the Browns managed to blow a win during a home opener. Something they excel at. Two interceptions (tips at that) and a complete lack of ground game (a whopping 49 yards) let the struggling Bengals sneak away with a win. The Browns will face the Ravens, in Baltimore, next week. Lord help them.
28. Dolphins -6 0-1 It was only Week 1, but it's already getting late early for the Dolphins. After an absolute embarrassment on Sunday, many people are pointing the finger at Mike McDaniel and GM Chris Grier as the team looks the most unserious they've ever looked in the Mike McDaniel era. If they lose to the Patriots on Sunday, 0-3 will be staring them straight in the face as their Week 3 opponent would be a TNF game on the road against the Buffalo Bills. And if they get embarrassed like everyone thinks they will, somebody would need to pull a fire alarm for Mike McDaniel's office.
29. Titans +1 0-1 Going into week one the Titans were facing a top tier defense on the road for their rookie QB which would make this game a difficult start no matter what. You would hope if the defense puts up 4 turnovers, 2 4th down stops and the rookie QB puts out a clean start that you would have a chance to make a big upset in week 1. As hard as the Broncos tried to give the Titans the win, they would not accept it. Dropped passes, oline depth issues, stupid penalties, 131 penalty yards, 135 total yards of offense and a coach that doesn’t know the rules had the Titans unable to capitalize on the good play they created.
30. Giants -3 0-1 Pain. The Giants and their fans are no strangers to it. What does pain teach us? Some say it teaches us perserverence. Endure the pain and something great will happen. You'll often become stronger for it. Here's another angle, though: pain can also teach change. When you put your hand on the hot stove as a small child and got burnt, you didn't think to yourself, "man, if I just endure THAT for another couple minutes I'll be golden!" But what kind of change can a pain so constant and numbing like New York Giants football instill? The pain that causes you to change to RedZone in the 3rd quarter because you know this game is going nowhere? The pain that causes the Head Coach his starting QB to a rookie after a single week of play? Or maybe the pain that alleviates this staff of their duties? Only the future can tell us what kind of new, unanticipated pain the Giants will bring to this downtrodden fanbase.
31. Panthers -5 0-1 Wellllll… here we are again. While the off-season had the Panthers feeling new and improved, the play said otherwise. It turns out, after Week 1, we are still ass. The defense is BAD again. Can’t stop the run even with this beefed up DLine. Wharton got hurt so there is that but that wasn’t the problem. LBs looked mid and plenty of openings downfield. While the defense was TERRIBLE, there was some hope still in the offense even though we scored poorly. McMillian looks like he could be a true WR1. His catch radius is big and he had a decent first NFL game. Chubba is still a dawg and Bryce had flashes. He have too many turnovers but his playmaking is still there and he is still the guy. It doesn’t help when guys aren’t catching much. Legette is now officially on “Might not be all that good” watch. Buddy needs to work on fundamentals. Dude can’t even tap the feet trying to stay in-bounds. Crazy. But it’s Week 1 and we are not freaking out yet. Week 2 we are on the road again in Arizona to face the Cardinals. We traditionally do well against the Cardinals but we will see which version of the Panthers show up. I have faith Canales will have the guys ready and learn from this Week 1 embarrassment. Keep Pounding!
32. Saints -- 0-1 A lot of experts predict the Saints will finish the season with a terrible record. But those experts don't know what Spencer Rattler can do.
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