The Cardinals, Buccaneers, and Rams shared the top three spots in the power rankings week 8.
The NFL Power Rankings Week 8 leaderboard has several order changes
32. Detroit Lions (0-7)
- Leo’s first year schedule is extremely difficult, and they are rebuilding, so they have had to accept poor results.
31. Houston Texans (1-6)
- Houston hasn’t scored on the road since the fourth quarter of Week 2 and has been outscored 102-8 in its last three games.
30. New York Jets (1-5)
- The Jets are proving that schemes aren’t as important as players. The offensive line is struggling in the outside-zone scheme after losing LT Mekhi Becton. As a result, no running back has broken a 17-yard run.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)
28. Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Miami expected to be a playoff team in 2021 after winning 10 games in 2020, and with an improved offense and largely the same defense, that didn’t seem too far-fetched. However, the Dolphins’ wheels have come off during a difficult stretch, as they have lost six games in a row after winning the season opener.
27. New York Giants (2-5)
By definition, the Giants had to improve and become more explosive, right? They added Kenny Golladay, Kadarius Toney, Kyle Rudolph, and John Ross while recovering from a torn ACL. However, what they are displaying is disappointing.
26. Washington Football Team (2-5)
The problems haven’t just come from facing better quarterbacks; a lack of attention to detail, which has resulted in poor rushes or blown coverage, has also harmed the team.
25. Philadelphia Eagles (2-5)
Offenses are pounding the Eagles, and it’s partly because things aren’t clicking up front.
24. Carolina Panthers (3-4)
23. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
True, the pass rush started slowly last season as well, but that was partly due to Adams missing four games and Dunlap not yet being acquired. They’ve both played in every game this season, so there’s no obvious explanation for the Seahawks’ poor pass rush performance.
22. Chicago Bears (3-4)
Quinn, 31, battled back injuries in the offseason program and over the summer after a disappointing 2020 season. Quinn’s chances of having a good year seemed slim. However, through seven games, the veteran has been the Bears’ best defender, with 5.5 sacks and a couple of tackles for loss. Quinn (reserve/COVID-19 list) was sorely missed by the Bears in their Week 7 loss to the Buccaneers.
21. Denver Broncos (3-4)
The phrase “on paper” describes the Broncos’ defense this season, but the preseason plans of a consistently impactful pass rush backed by one of the league’s best secondary have not been seen nearly enough to save the offense.
20. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
19. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
18. New England Patriots (3-4)
The defense and special teams have been inconsistent, especially in crunch time. The secondary appears to be undermanned right now, especially after the Panthers acquired recovering CB Stephon Gilmore.
17. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
Vikings right tackle Brian O’Neill said quarterback Kirk Cousins didn’t even notice Darrisaw in the game, indicating that the rookie tackle held his own protecting the QB’s blindside. While the sample size is small (Darrisaw has only played 117 snaps in two games), his presence has made the Vikings’ pass protection noticeably better, which should be a sign of good things to come.
16. Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)
The Steelers’ offense would be transformed by Matt Canada’s offense. However, the flashes of signature Canada plays – jet sweeps, a strong vertical game, and a flurry of pre-snap motion on the goal line – have not been frequent.
14. Kansas City Chiefs (3-4)
The Chiefs were 28th in ESPN’s pass rush win rate entering Sunday’s game against the Titans, getting pressure within 2.5 seconds on only 34% of snaps. Jones, who is playing more snaps from the edge this season, appeared poised to break his career-high single-season sack mark (15.5), but that is not going to happen.
13. New Orleans Saints (4-2)
This offseason, the Saints made no secret of their concerns about the team’s cornerback depth behind Pro Bowler Marshon Lattimore. To fill the spot, they even attempted to trade up nearly 20 spots in Round 1 of the draft (to no avail). However, Adebo has stepped up for a defense that has performed admirably this season despite missing five starters from 2020.
12. Cleveland Browns (4-3)
Injuries have played a significant role in Mayfield and Beckham’s inability to find a rhythm together this season. Mayfield is currently out with a left shoulder injury, while Beckham missed the first two games after suffering a season-ending knee injury last year. Still, the two aren’t clicking, from Mayfield’s wide-open miss in Minnesota to OBJ’s fourth-down drop in Los Angeles. The two’s time to figure it out is running out.
11. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)
10. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
With new players, the offensive line would struggle.
Read also: Mike Williams of the Chargers has suffered a serious ankle injury
9. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
After finishing last season with 33 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, Tannehill appeared to have cemented himself as one of the top ten quarterbacks in the NFL. The addition of Julio Jones was supposed to help the Titans’ passing attack.
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
The Ravens’ defense is ranked 24th, and they are on pace to allow the most yards in franchise history.
Read also: Fantasy injury Week 7 report: JK Dobbins, Keenan Allen, Deon Jackson
7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
6. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)
Schultz’s numbers last year — 63 catches, 615 yards, four touchdowns — seemed to me to be the result of a lost season rather than an ascending player. He is on pace for 88 catches, 1,017 yards, and nine touchdowns this season.
5. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
It’s no surprise that the Bills are having a good season and are among the Super Bowl contenders coming off their bye week. Instead, it’s the manner in which this team has won games and dominated the majority of its opponents.
4. Green Bay Packers (6-1)
3. Los Angeles Rams (6-1)
Following a poor special teams performance in 2020, the Rams demoted special teams coordinator John Bonamego and hired Joe DeCamillis, who arrived with a strong reputation coaching special teams and 33 years of NFL coaching experience. However, the unit has not fared any better after seven weeks. The Rams have struggled to find a reliable kick and punt returner. Detroit recovered an early onside kick and later faked two punts that went for first-down conversions in a Week 7 win over the Lions.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1)
The Bucs are 6-1 despite a slew of injuries on the defensive side of the ball. Going into the season, the secondary was not regarded as a position of strength or depth. However, the additions of Richard Sherman, Pierre Desir, Dee Delaney, and Rashard Robinson have proven critical.
1. Arizona Cardinals (7-0)
In comparison to the rest of the tournament, the Cardinals are unrivaled.
