As we enter Week 11, the NFL Power Rankings continue to take shape. There was a lot of activity this week.
NFL Power Ranking Week 11: The Vikings raise their tiers, the Buccaneers begin to roll, and the Giants continue to win
Also read: The Los Angeles Rams’ Sean McVay offers a bleak outlook on Cooper Kupp’s injury
SUMMARY
32. Houston Texans
31. Las Vegas Raiders
30. Carolina Panthers
29. Chicago Bears
28. Detroit Lions
27. New Orleans Saints
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
24. Denver Broncos
23. Cleveland Browns
22. Indianapolis Colts
21. Los Angeles Rams
20. Arizona Cardinals
19. Atlanta Falcons
18. Washington Commanders
17. Green Bay Packers
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
15. New England Patriots
14. Los Angeles Chargers
13. New York Jets
12. Seattle Seahawks
11. Tennessee Titans
10. San Francisco 49ers
9. New York Giants
8. Cincinnati Bengals
7. Dallas Cowboys
6. Miami Dolphins
5. Baltimore Ravens
4. Buffalo Bills
3. Minnesota Vikings
2. Kansas City Chiefs
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Let’s get to it.
32. Houston Texans
Houston could have won the game against New York if Davis Mills had played better. Their defense played well, but a few missed tackles cost them the game, as the Giants picked up a few crucial third downs.
31. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders are a broken team. Their offense has been disappointing, and according to Football Outsiders’ DVOA, they have the league’s worst defense; for the time being, Las Vegas must do everything in their power to improve that defense.
30. Carolina Panthers
The Panthers aren’t a particularly good football team, but they’ve improved in recent weeks. Could a strong second-half performance by the team secure Steve Wilks a second coaching job after being set up for failure in Arizona?
29. Chicago Bears
The game against Detroit was decided by a missed extra point. An ugly pick-six ruined what was shaping up to be another fantastic performance from Justin Fields.
Chicago’s defense is abysmal. The Bears would not be able to compete in 2022. They had to figure out how to thrive with Fields, and they’re doing so as the season progresses.
28. Detroit Lions
The Detroit Lions competed fiercely against their division rival, and a few timely plays proved decisive. Nobody can stop the Bears’ rushing attack right now, so Lions fans shouldn’t be too concerned about allowing 258 yards on the ground.
27. New Orleans Saints
The decision to keep Andy Dalton as the starter over a healthy Jameis Winston was a risky one for the present and future. Dalton finished 17 of 27 for 174 yards, one touchdown, and two interceptions against Pittsburgh. Their defense performed admirably against the Steelers’ offense.
26. Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers were far superior to the Saints on Sunday. Pittsburgh’s defense was outstanding, and the return of T.J. Watt had a significant impact on the Steelers’ pass rush.
The Steelers’ passing attack continues to struggle. They still need more from Kenny Pickett to be confident in him moving forward, but the entire offense needs to improve to get a good sense of his ceiling.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars
Jacksonville simply lacked the firepower to compete against Kansas City and fell behind 20-0. In the second half, the Chiefs slowed things down, and Jacksonville didn’t get enough possessions to mount a legitimate comeback.
24. Denver Broncos
The Broncos’ offense is broken. What’s most frustrating is how lost the passing attack appeared. Wilson seemed to be frozen in time every time he dropped back. Given how frequently it occurred, it’s safe to assume Wilson was uneasy with the looks he received.
23. Cleveland Browns
The Browns’ defense has been a source of concern all season, and if they are to make a legitimate playoff push in 2023, they must improve their defensive line. They can’t stop the run, but their secondary has struggled at times this season as well.
22. Indianapolis Colts
The Colts had one of the most unpredictable weeks I can recall. For the first time this season, Jonathan Taylor got going, and Matt Ryan had an efficient day at the helm. It will be fascinating to see how things progress in Indianapolis.
21. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams are a hopeless case. Before Cooper Kupp’s injury, their offense was already broken. They now lack depth at far too many positions, and their offensive line disintegrated during the offseason, leaving their running game in worse shape than it was the previous two seasons.
20. Arizona Cardinals
With Matthew Stafford healthy, the Rams offense was completely lost. With games against the 49ers and Chargers coming up, the Cardinals must continue to win to keep their NFC playoff hopes alive.
19. Atlanta Falcons
Atlanta’s offense must carry the team due to a lack of defensive firepower to consistently stop quality offensive teams. Atlanta must beat the Bears, Commanders, and Steelers before the bye week to keep their playoff hopes alive.
18. Washington Commanders
So far this season, Washington’s defense has consistently improved. They most likely lack the necessary QB play to be serious NFC contenders, but they could compete for the 7th playoff spot in a weak NFC.
17. Green Bay Packers
The Green Bay Packers were desperate after losing five games in a row.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Buccaneers needed to get back on track, and they appear to be on their way after defeating a strong Seattle team in Germany.
15. New England Patriots
The Patriots are one of the NFL’s most intriguing teams. Their offense has been average at best, but they have survived to compete for the playoffs thanks to their top-five defense.
14. Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers’ offense fell flat once more. Los Angeles lacked firepower without Mike Williams and Keenan Allen.
13. New York Jets
The Jets entered their bye week on a high note, having defeated the Buffalo Bills for the first time since 2019. New York now appears to be a legitimate AFC contender.
12. Seattle Seahawks
Seattle simply did not look like themselves against Tampa Bay in Munich. That possibility, however, remains. Seattle is likely to lead the NFC West heading into Week 15 against San Francisco.
11. Tennessee Titans
They’re different. Nobody plays the game like Tennessee, so determining how good or bad they are is difficult. Mike Vrabel and his team know how to win football games, no matter how bad things look on offense.
10. San Francisco 49ers
The San Francisco 49ers are 5-4 in the NFC West, trailing only the Seattle Seahawks. When San Francisco’s pass rush can pin its ears back, it’s difficult to beat. The secondary for the 49ers is well-coached, and the entire team flies to the football.
9. New York Giants
The Giants didn’t necessarily flee and hide against the Texans, but it was clear that they were the superior team. However, if New York’s defense hadn’t been so dominant in the red zone, this could have been a very different story.
The Bengals entered their bye week as the league’s most talented but inconsistent team. They’ve delivered some epic performances this season, but they’ve also delivered a few flops. Nonetheless, Cincinnati ranks in the top ten in both offensive and defensive DVOA.
7. Dallas Cowboys
The Cowboys’ run defense is currently a major issue. Fans had long suspected a problem, but Dallas had only truly struggled against running quarterbacks. They need to get back to winning or they’ll be looking at the seventh seed in the playoff picture.
6. Miami Dolphins
The Miami Dolphins’ secondary is woefully undermanned, making it extremely difficult to consistently get defensive stops. However, with a healthy Tua Tagovailoa, they have the most efficient offense in the NFL, and it’s difficult to see where their offensive firepower ends.
5. Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore is one-of-a-kind. However, their recipe is effective. They are first in DVOA for rushing and fourth in DVOA for passing. Their defense has improved so far this season, but Baltimore has had some strange fourth-quarter issues this season.
4. Buffalo Bills
The Bills let a 17-point lead go when it looked like they had everything going their way. Allen’s thrown four interceptions in two weeks and has seen his MVP hopes start to slip away.
3. Minnesota Vikings
The Minnesota Vikings staged a stunning comeback against the NFL’s presumptive best team. During their seven-game winning streak, the Vikings have won by a single score. They’ve consistently made things interesting against inferior opponents, but they’re still winning.
2. Kansas City Chiefs
The Kansas City Chiefs, as PFN’s Arif Hasan waxed this week, are unstoppable. On Sunday, they dominated the entire game. The game nearly got out of hand in the second half, but the Chiefs held Jacksonville to a field goal instead of a touchdown and then went down to score their own.
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Philadelphia is a better team than the Washington Commanders, but a few bizarre turnovers prevented the Eagles’ offense from scoring several times, and untimely penalties cost them the game. Clearly, they do have some legitimate issues defensively that need to solve. Especially, the They need Jordan Davis back from injury. Without him in the lineup, the Eagles’ run defense has some responsibility gaps.
