Who are the risers and fallers in this week’s rankings?
Written by: Greg Lehr | @greglehr3
Power Rankings by: The Blitz Team | @Blitzalytics
With seven weeks officially in the books, it's becoming a little bit easier to recognize the good, the bad, and the ugly teams throughout the NFL. The good teams are easier to spot because they show up week in and week out with at least some level of consistency, no matter the opponent. The Patriots are clearly in a class of their own, which is exactly why they have been at the top of our power rankings every single week (not that anyone should be surprised by that). Just below the Patriots are other teams that have modeled consistency this season. The undefeated San Francisco 49ers fall into this category, of course, while New Orleans and Green Bay also deserve the honors. These teams have shown they can win in different ways, relying on both their offense and defense to pull out victories at different times throughout the first seven weeks. On the opposite end of the spectrum are the basement dwellers of 2019. The winless Dolphins are Bengals certainly take the cake, but other disappointing teams including the Redskins, Jets, and Falcons are not far behind.
The real questions begin with all the other teams somewhere in the middle of those two extremes. This past week's Sunday Night Football matchup between the Cowboys and Eagles was a perfect example. Both came into the season with sky-high expectations, but they find themselves at 4-3 and 3-4, respectively, after the Cowboys blowout win. However, can anyone say (with any level of confidence) that they know who these teams are based on their other performances this season? The answer is probably no, just like it is for all the other teams somewhere along the middle of the spectrum. Right now, most of them represent what 'average' looks like in the NFL. Sure, teams like the Ravens and Vikings appear to be a bit above average after a couple of impressive wins, while teams such as the Bears and Chargers look slightly below, but would anyone be too surprised if these four teams switched places four weeks from now? Probably not. If you're worried about your favorite team after the first seven weeks, try to keep that long-term perspective. As we approach the halfway point of the season, check out Blitzalytics' Week 8 Power Rankings.
Week 8 Risers:
Baltimore Ravens (+3)
Current Ranking: 7
Last Week: 10
After getting drubbed by the Browns at home in week four, all the Ravens have done since then is win three straight games and take a 2.5 game lead in the division. Sunday's 30-16 road win over the Seahawks was easily their most impressive victory of the season. The four other wins coming against the two remaining winless teams (Dolphins and Bengals), the Cardinals (in Kyler Murray's second career game), and a Steelers team playing without Ben Roethlisberger. This statement win in Seattle was highlighted by Lamar Jackson's 116 yards and a touchdown on the ground and newcomer Marcus Peters' pick-6 of Russell Wilson.
Indianapolis Colts (+4)
Current Ranking: 8
Last Week: 12
The Colts' last two games include a win over the Chiefs on the road, in which the defense held Mahomes and Co. to only 13 points, and a home win against the division-rival Houston Texans. Jacoby Brissett was outstanding on Sunday, throwing for 326 yards and four touchdowns, en route to a win that launched the Colts to first place in the AFC South. Darius Leonard made his mark in his return to action with a game-sealing interception on Houston's final drive. The Colts have a real chance to get on a roll before they play in Houston a month from now, with games against the Broncos, Steelers, Dolphins, and Jaguars in between. Frank Reich has put his team in a great position at this point of the season and has simultaneously put himself in the running for Coach of the Year.
Week 8 Fallers:
Houston Texans (-7)
Current Ranking: 12
Last Week: 5
The Texans failed to follow up their huge road win against the Chiefs last week, falling to the Colts 30-23 in the game and also the division, as Houston drops to second in the AFC South. The Texans have dropped three straight games to the Colts and are 1-5 against their rival since 2017. Will Fuller's hamstring injury forced him to leave early in the game and it appears he could miss upwards of a few weeks. Kenny Stills and Keke Coutee will need to step up to make plays for DeShaun Watson opposite of DeAndre Hopkins.
Chicago Bears (-7)
Current Ranking: 20
Last Week: 13
Mitch Trubisky and the Bears offense struggled once again on Sunday against a tough Saints defense. However, Bears fans expected more from this team in a home game and coming out of a bye week after a loss to the Raiders in London. Chicago's offense currently ranks 30th in total yardage, 28th in rushing, 29th in passing, and 27th in touchdowns. Their inability to put points on the board and sustain drives has put overwhelming pressure on the defense. Their next two games will come against two other talented, yet underperforming, teams in the Chargers and Eagles.
Full NFL Power Rankings: Week 8
Rankings by: The Blitz Team
New England Patriots
San Francisco 49ers
New Orleans Saints
Green Bay Packers
Buffalo Bills
Minnesota Vikings
Baltimore Ravens
Indianapolis Colts
Seattle Seahawks
Kansas City Chiefs
Carolina Panthers
Houston Texans
Dallas Cowboys
Los Angeles Rams
Detroit Lions
Oakland Raiders
Jacksonville Jaguars
Philadelphia Eagles
Arizona Cardinals
Chicago Bears
Cleveland Browns
Tennessee Titans
Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Pittsburgh Steelers
New York Giants
Los Angeles Chargers
Denver Broncos
New York Jets
Washington Redskins
Atlanta Falcons
Cincinnati Bengals
Miami Dolphins