Top 5
1. Arizona Cardinals (6-0)
Previous Rank: #2
The Titans took care of the Bills Monday night in primetime barnburner, and thus the No.1 spot changes hands yet again. It’s finally the Cardinals turn.
Arizona made easy work of the Browns on Sunday despite the absence of head coach Kliff Kingsbury due to a positive COVID-19 test. Sure, the Browns are banged up. Running-back Nick Chubb was unavailable for the contest due to a calf strain, and his counterpart Kareem Hunt went down with the same injury on Sunday. In a side note, both Chubb and hunt are out for this Thursday night’s contest with the Broncos. Nonetheless, a 37-14 road win is impressive for the Cards.
Kyler Murray continues to spread the wealth through the air to DeAndre Hopkins, Christian Kirk, AJ Green and Rondale Moore. Pair that with the two-headed rushing attack of James Conner and Chase Edmonds, and the offense is averaging over 32-points per game. Let’s give some credit to the defense as well. That unit is allowing opponents to score a measly 18.2 points per game, which is good enough for second in the NFL.
The Cardinals will advance to 7-0 after they dismantle the pitiful Texans at home this Sunday. They’ll then get the Packers on Thursday night in week 8. Sign me up for that.
2. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
Previous Rank: #1
I’m only dropping the Bills down one spot, and you’ll find the same in many of the other NFL power rankings on the web.
Buffalo didn’t play their best game Monday night, but they actually still played good enough to win the game in front of a rowdy crowd in Nashville. Unfortunately for Buffalo, it didn’t end up that way. Trailing 34-31, the Bills had a 4th & 1 opportunity from Tennessee’s 3 yard line with around twenty-seconds to go in the fourth quarter. They were aggressive in their decision to go for the first-down and potentially the win, and Josh Allen slipped and failed to convert. The Titans deserve of ton of credit for their performance in a statement win, but the Bills are still supremely talented on both sides of the ball and should advance deep into the playoffs when the time comes.
This week, Buffalo catches a bye before embarking on an all-time easy three-game stretch. The Bills host the reeling Dolphins (1-5) in week-8, then hit the road for games against the Jaguars (1-5) and the Jets (1-4). The Bills will be 7-2 entering week-11. Put a mortgage payment on it.
3. Los Angeles Rams (5-1)
Previous Rank: #3
No change here in the No.3 spot after the Rams did exactly what everyone expected them to do, which was absolutely dismantle the Giants 38-11 at MetLife Stadium. A lot of teams are going to beat up on the Giants this season, so it’s hard to give the Rams a ton of credit. But I couldn’t move the Rams down after a 27-point road win.
The Rams will host the Lions and visit the Texans over the next two weeks. There’s two more wins before they welcome Derek Henry and the Titans to SoFi Stadium for Sunday Night Football on November 7th. Yes, please!
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)
Previous Rank: #4
The Bucs beat the Eagles 28-22 on Thursday night, so they didn’t play over the weekend.
Despite a 5-1 record and the ageless wonder Tom Brady at quarterback, this is the first spot in this week’s power rankings that really made me think. Plenty of other teams are making statements through their play on the field, and spots four and five are up for the taking. Every win in the NFL is a good win, but outside of downing the Cowboys 31-29 back in week-1, I’m not sure what the Bucs have accomplished. The Rams beat them by 10-points at home and their four other wins are over the Falcons (2-3), Patriots (2-4), Dolphins (1-5) and Eagles (2-4). Once again, all wins are good wins in this league, but that’s not necessarily murders row.
I’d like to see how the Bucs perform against better competition, but other than a home game against the Bills on December 12th, the schedule is very lite. A lot of that has to do with the blah-tastic NFC South and that’s not Tampa Bay’s fault. Maybe the Saints will step up and give the Bucs some competition in the division, but who knows.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-1)
Previous Rank: NR
A top-5 offense led by Lamar Jackson and an opportunistic defense allowing just 20.5 ppg. That’s a recipe for success, at least it has been through six-games for the boys from Baltimore.
One possession outcomes are one of the many reasons the NFL is so great, and the Ravens are 3-1 in such games this season. Call it luck or call it magic, the Ravens have it. This is a team that has suffered countless injuries on both sides of the ball, yet they have chosen to embrace the next-man-up mentality and it’s working.
In no particular order, I also considered the Cowboys and Packers for the fifth and final spot in this week’s top-five. The Chargers were No.5 last week and the Ravens absolutely throttled the bolts 34-6 over the weekend. That’s what ultimately led to my decision to go with Baltimore.
This Sunday, the Ravens host the 4-2 Bengals in a matchup of the AFC North’s best through six-weeks. Baltimore then gets a bye week before playing the Vikings (3-3), Dolphins (1-5), and Bears (3-3) in consecutive weeks. That’s a very manageable stretch if the Ravens can keep playing at a high level.
Bottom 5
28 – Jacksonville Jaguars: 23-20 (W) vs. Dolphins
Previous Rank: 32
29 – New York Giants: 38-11 (L) vs. Rams
Previous Rank: 28
30 – Houston Texans: 31-3 (L) at. Colts
Previous Rank: 31
31 – Miami Dolphins: 23-20 (L) at. Jaguars
Previous Rank: 29
32 – Detroit Lions: 34-11 (L) vs. Bengals
Previous Rank: NR
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