BY JORDAN ROSAS
1. Arizona Cardinals (7-0)
Last Week: 1 (High: 1, Low: 6)
For weeks now, two things kept Arizona from separating from the likes of Buffalo, Baltimore, and Tampa. First, they don’t have any recent playoffs runs, at least not with the current core. Second, they lacked impressive victories. Sure, they beat the Rams, and they crushed the Titans, but the Rams barely made the playoffs last year, and until recently, Tennessee looked weak. Most of their other games were fairly competitive, even against weak opposition. Now, there’s no doubt. After a 31-5 demolition of the Houston Texans, anyone who tries to deny this team their place at the top is kidding themselves. The only chink in their armor was the amount of hits Kyler Murray took, but as long as the tiny terror is healthy enough to play, they’re the best there is, at least until someone can beat them.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1)
Last Week: 4 (High: 1, Low: 9)
I’ve been critical of this team, due to their multitude of unnecessarily tight wins, but not too critical, because this team stumbled plenty last year, but when the dust settled, they were holding the Lombardi. They seem to be getting their act together, and delivered a 38-3 smackdown against the Bears, in what is likely the most impressive performance by any team this week. They even did it without Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski. Tampa continues to find increased success running the football, and the defense is finding their rhythm. Whatever Super Bowl hangover the defending champs may have had appears to be clearing up as this team is in peak mid-season form.
3. Green Bay Packers (6-1)
Last Week: 8 (High: 3, Low: 20)
The Packers tacked on yet another win, putting week one’s embarrassing loss firmly in the rear view. There was nothing particularly special about this performance; in fact the run game was subpar. Aaron Rodgers went 27/35 for 275 yards and 3 TDs, which is par for the course for the reigning MVP. He spread the ball around and took care of his TEs, tossing a score on #NationalTightEndsDay to Robert Tonyan. The defense held Washington to 10 points as the Packers rattled off their 6th straight win.
4. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)
Last Week: 5 (High: 4, Low: 10)
Dallas entered their bye week on a 5 game winning streak. They’ve been red hot, and as long as their bye gave QB Dak Prescott enough time to recover from the ankle injury he sustained at the end of last week’s game, the Cowboys should pick up right where they left off.
5. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
Last Week: 12 (High: 5, Low: 27)
Admittedly, beating Kansas City is no longer the achievement it once was. Their defense is swiss cheese and plenty of teams have lit them up like a Christmas tree. However, their offense has always been potent. Until this week. Similarly, the Titans defense has been considered soft. Until this week. Not only did Derrick Henry throw a passing TD, he was the second highest scoring passer in the game, because the defense kept KC out of the endzone for the duration of a 27-3 butchering. This team suffered a lopsided loss against the Cardinals and an even more embarrassing loss to the Jets. Between last week’s primetime win over Buffalo and this week’s dismembering of the reigning AFC champs though, the Titans have evened out their record and worked their way back into the upper echelon.
6. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
Last Week: 6 (High: 1, Low: 11)
The first time the Bills lost, they took out their anger by beating Miami 35-0 the next week. Well, they lost their last game to Tennessee, and promptly had their bye. Now they’ve had an extra week to sit and stew with their anger, and up next is… Miami. Viewer discretion is advised.
7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
Last Week: 10 (High: 7, Low: 19)
Is there a new king in the AFC North? Their divisional matchup against the Ravens went about how I’d expect a real fight between a bird and a jungle cat to go. Cincinnati won 41-17 and Ja’Marr Chase put up the first 200 yard game of his young career. Some are already calling him the best WR in Bengals history. I think that’s a bit premature and disrespectful to guys like AJ Green and Chad Johnson, among others, but it’s worth noting that Chase’s 754 receiving yards are the most ever in any player’s first 7 NFL games.
8. Los Angeles Rams (6-1)
Last Week: 3 (High: 1, Low: 8)
It doesn’t seem right to drop a team 5 spots following a 28-19 win. I watched the game though. The Rams very nearly lost to the now 0-7 Detroit Lions. They trailed 10-3 at the end of the first quarter, which wouldn’t be a big deal, except IT WAS THE FIRST TIME ALL SEASON THAT DETROIT HELD A LEAD. Don’t get it twisted, this was an absolutely embarrassing performance by the Rams. Sean McVay is supposed to be leading this team to a Super Bowl, yet he was mostly out-coached by a winless rookie HC. The QB they spent 2 first round picks to acquire very nearly got out-played by the guy they paid up big to get rid of. The Rams have way more weapons than the Lions and are better on paper at pretty much every position. They’ve been trying to buy their way out of their problems, and as a result, they’re slated to go almost a decade without a first round pick. So far, they have no rings to show for it.
9. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)
Last Week: 11 (High: 5, Low: 20)
The Raiders seem to be getting on just fine without their disgraced former head coach. A 33-22 win over the 2-5 Eagles is nothing noteworthy at first glance, but Derek Carr‘s completion rate was phenomenal. The polarizing QB was 31/34 for 323 yards 2 TDs and 1 INT. It was his fifth 300 yard game of the season, which leads the NFL, and he had 16 straight completions in the first half. He even spread the ball to 9 different receivers, with his favorite target, Darren Waller, inactive. Carr’s single game completion percentage of 91.2 is the second highest in NFL history by any passer with at least 30 attempts. Only Drew Brees, who once posted a 96.7 as he went 29 of 30, holds a better single game completion percentage.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
Last Week: 2 (High: 2, Low: 14)
At 5-2, Baltimore is still a strong team. However, a 41-17 divisional loss is cause for concern, especially when it propels the other team into first place in the AFC North. In Baltimore’s defense, they were without RB Latavius Murray, along with the 3 RBs ahead of him on the depth chart, who have all suffered season ending injuries. Lamar Jackson led the team with as many carries and more rushing yards than everyone else combined, but he was ultimately benched late when the game was out of hand. The defense gave up a 400 yard passing game and a 200 yard receiving game.
11. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Last Week: 7 (High: 3, Low: 14)
I don’t like moving teams on their bye week, especially out of the top ten, but the Chargers got smoked by the Ravens last week, who then got smoked by the Bengals this week. I had to drop the Chargers below the Ravens, and now I have to drop the Ravens, so they take the Chargers down with them until the Bolts can get a rebound win.
12. New England Patriots (3-4)
Last Week: 21 (High: 12, Low: 26)
People can say what they want about Mac Jones being a game manager, but Tom Brady never hung 50 on the Jets. Neither did Drew Bledsoe, or any other Patriots QB except Steve Grogan, who did it twice, most recently in 1979, when the Patriots won 56-3. Jones checked down for 307 yards and 2 TDs with no turnovers. A pair of runners scored 2 TDs each including Damien Harris, who also had 106 yards on just 14 carries. New England celebrated #NationalTightEndsDay with a TD for Hunter Henry and 50+ receiving yards for Jonnu Smith.
*In 1979, with the Patriots leading 42-3, Grogan was replaced by Tom Owen, who threw the next TD. A 3rd QB, Matt Cavanaugh also played in the game for the Patriots, completing his only pass for 10 yards. This week, with the Patriots leading 47-13, Jones was replaced by Brian Hoyer, who led the final scoring drive.
13. Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
Last Week: 13 (High: 13, Low: 27)
The Colts were never really bad, they just fell short a few times. They look cleaner and crisper now. Carson Wentz is looking relaxed, thanks in part to a more mature relationship with HC Frank Reich, and Jonathan Taylor continues to amaze with shocking efficiency. For the second week in a row, the RB put up over 100 yards and a TD with less than 20 carries. They’re not the best team out there, but they’re doing enough to win games.
14. Cleveland Browns (4-3)
Last Week: 16 (High: 3, Low: 16)
I have to give the Browns credit here, because they won without pretty much half of their offensive starters. QB Baker Mayfield, RBs Nick Chubb and Kareem Hunt missed the game outright, while WR Odell Beckham Jr played as a game time decision, Jarvis Landry was in his first game off IR, and Donovan Peoples-Jones suffered an injury in warm-ups that kept him out of the game. Still, somehow, some way, between Case Keenum and D’Ernest Johnson, the Browns managed to squeeze enough out of their offense to beat Denver 17-11. As impressive as the victory was, it’s hard to justify putting them any higher with so many backups pressed into prominent starting roles.
15. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
Last Week: 15 (High: 13, Low: 23)
While the Vikings enjoyed their bye week, they saw the Bears and Lions lose, while the Packers won. Catching Green Bay has long been a challenge, but the Vikings should be feeling pretty good about at least sitting in second place.
16. New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Last Week: 14 (High: 2, Low: 23)
The Saints got the win, but the Seahawks are an average at best team when healthy. They weren’t healthy though. The Seahawks were missing their star QB and their starting RB. They ran with a backup RB who was dealing with multiple injuries. All that, and the Saints barely won. They only managed to put up 13 on a team that’s giving up an average of 23 points per game. On the bright side, their defense held up well and star WR Michael Thomas should hopefully be returning soon.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)
Last Week: 17 (High: 7, Low: 21)
Just because they’re at the bottom of the division, that doesn’t mean they’re a bad team. Every team in the AFC North is .500 or better, although Pittsburgh is the only squad with a negative point differential. They’ve dealt with some injuries, so hopefully their bye week gave them a chance to strategize how to win with pieces missing going forward.
18. New York Giants (2-5)
Last Week: 29 (High: 18, Low: 30)
Are the Giants good? They haven’t been for most of the year, but they sure were this week. There were plenty of lopsided games in week 7, and the Giants found themselves on the right side of one of them, beating Carolina 25-3. Daniel Jones was decent, which was very impressive considering how many teammates, particularly pass catchers, he was missing. The Giants were so shorthanded at receiver that Jones himself even caught a pass, and it was a heck of a catch, too. It’s not too late to salvage their season, especially as more players heal up.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (2-5)
Last Week: 18 (High: 13, Low: 23)
The Eagles aren’t an awful team, they’re just not very good. Losing RB Miles Sanders isn’t good, but then again, he hasn’t really done much this season anyway. They battled against a Raiders team that’s simply a better team. It’s tough to win when the defense is almost completely incapable of affecting the opposing QB, and while Carr completed over 90% of his passes, Jalen Hurts barely eclipsed 50%.
20. San Francisco 49ers (2-4)
Last Week: 22 (High: 13, Low: 25)
Yes, I know the 49ers lost the game, but they’re still in better shape than they were after their last game. They have a starting QB that’s healthy enough to play, and thus Deebo Samuel continues to be an elite threat. They also have an effective RB in Elijah Mitchell. This team is still hampered with injuries, but it’s a squad that can be much better if only they can get healthy. They may be 2-4, but their point differential is only -14.
BILL INGRAM /THE PALM BEACH POST
21. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
Last Week: 24 (High: 21, Low: 30)
I haven’t been all that impressed by the Falcons, but they are 3-3. There’s nothing impressive about beating the Dolphins. In fact, the game might have made them look worse, considering how close it was. Again though, they are 3-3. I had to move several teams up despite a loss, because so many teams had such bad weeks that they NEEDED to be dropped. So, the Falcons get a boost here. With Russell Gage and Calvin Ridley healing back up, they could go over .500 next week with a matchup against the increasingly worse Panthers.
22. Washington Football Team (2-5)
Last Week: 26 (High: 15, Low: 26)
If nothing else, the team is more exciting to watch than their name suggests. Taylor Heinicke is what Taysom Hill would be if the Saints made their offense run through him. The defense held Green Bay to 24 points, which isn’t particularly remarkable, but it’s at least a noticeable improvement over what they’ve usually been so far. Antonio Gibson is running on a broken shin and Ricky Seals-Jones is playing well in place of the injured Logan Thomas.
23. Chicago Bears (3-4)
Last Week: 19 (High: 16, Low: 25)
At this point, the Bears are nothing more than the next chapter in Allen Robinson‘s villain origin story. I’m not saying they have to completely give up on Justin Fields yet, but I am saying he’s a pretty clear downgrade from Mitch Trubisky so far. He threw as many interceptions as his team put up points. 3 is a bad number for both stats. Despite the abysmal passing attack, which was really more self-inflicted wounds than a true attack, backup RB Khalil Herbert ran for 100 yards on just 18 carries. HC Matt Nagy is now out due to COVID protocol. Obviously, we should hope he’s fine, but at this point, his absence could actually be beneficial.
24. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
Last Week: 25 (High: 8, Low: 25)
The Seahawks are struggling right now, but Russell Wilson should be back soon. If they didn’t have that glimmer of hope though, they’d be plummeting down the ranks, because they look awful with Geno Smith. DK Metcalf took his first target 84 yards to the house in the first quarter. He didn’t see another target until the second half. Alex Collins was consistently bottled up at the line of scrimmage, which was understandable, given the laundry list of injuries he was playing through. Their saving grace was their defense, which held the Saints to just 13 points, even despite some backbreaking penalties.
25. Denver Broncos (3-4)
Last Week: 23 (High: 11, Low: 25)
Oh, boy. Most people expected the Broncos wouldn’t maintain their hot start after 3 cupcake matchups to start the season, but this is their 4th straight loss. The Browns have some good players. The problem is, most of them weren’t playing. Case Keenum and an unknown RB named D’Ernest Johnson lit up this team in prime time. I know Von Miller exited the game early, but come on. This team’s season is aging like milk.
26. Kansas City Chiefs (3-4)
Last Week: 9 (High: 1, Low: 26)
Yikes. I said last week that “all they need is a somewhat competent defense to be competitive.” I should have clarified that that was meant to be in addition to the potent offense they’ve displayed. The Chiefs showed how unstable of a team they are. One bad game from Patrick Mahomes and they completely collapsed. The defense isn’t just bottom 5, they’re worst or second worst in most categories. The run game is dysfunctional, and the coup de gras is that Mahomes got hurt on a nasty collision. Sure, Mahomes has underperformed this year, but I highly doubt that literally knocking some sense into him is the answer. Even if he doesn’t miss time, don’t be surprised if this team earns a top 10 draft pick. If Mahomes does miss significant time, they’re not out of the running for a top 5 pick.
27. Carolina Panthers (3-4)
Last Week: 20 (High: 7, Low: 27)
Well, #SamDarnoldSZN was fun while it lasted. The former Jet was benched in favor of XFL darling PJ Walker, who wasn’t much better. This team needs Christian McCaffrey, but as plenty have begun to point out, he may be turning into the next Todd Gurley right before our eyes. The team looks more and more lost without him with each passing week. They didn’t just get blown out, and they didn’t just get beat by a bad team missing starters. They got blown out by a bad team missing most of its best players.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)
Last Week: 27 (High: 27, Low: 32)
Like the Jets last week, the Jags avoided the carnage of the #Byepocalypse by sitting this week out. They’ve been competitive much of this season, and they got their first win in 20 games last week in London. The fans back in Florida still haven’t seen them win on home soil in a long time, but they’ll look to change that next week against Seattle.
29. Detroit Lions (0-7)
Last Week: 32 (High: 24, Low: 32)
They say that the most dangerous are those with nothing left to lose. That certainly appeared to be the case for the Rams this week, who nearly lost to these winless Lions. At 0-7, they know they’re playing with house money at this point. I give them credit for embracing the liberation that comes with that. They ran fakes and trick plays galore. They basically played the entire game as if they were down late in the 4th. It was beautiful football to watch. For 3 brief quarters, they looked like the underdogs in an inspirational sports movie, until the 4th quarter, when reality inevitably set in and the better team won. But for those glorious first 3 quarters, the Rams front office had to be second guessing that offseason QB trade.
30. Miami Dolphins (1-6)
Last Week: 31 (High: 12, Low: 31)
At least they were competitive? It’s hard to find good things to say about a 6th straight loss, although the run game improved significantly. It’s still not good, but it’s at least existent. The good news here, is that many of their problems can be attributed to injuries. What was supposed to be a strong WR core has yet to materialize, as the Dolphins have not had a single game with all 3 of their top receivers. Even healthy though, this is a bad team. Their name keeps circling around in Deshaun Watson talks, although they keep denying it. However, where there’s smoke, there’s usually fire, which shows how desperate the Miami brass is becoming.
31. Houston Texans (1-6)
Last Week: 30 (High: 25, Low: 32)
Forget about the last time they won a game, when was the last time they didn’t get blown out? They got smoked by the Cardinals this week 31-5, they were cooked by the Colts 31-3 in week 6, and shut out by the Bills 40-0 in week 4. In the middle there they lost 25-22 to New England. Next week they get the Rams, so expect the pattern to continue. Of the teams that have played every week, Houston is the only one yet to score 100 points this year, and they have the worst point differential in the league, with an astonishing -106. Through 7 weeks, their average game score is a 29-14 loss. Tyrod Taylor is expected to be back soon, but he’s not going to save this franchise. They can really only hope to be a bit more competitive in games.
32. New York Jets (1-5)
Last Week: 28 (High: 28, Low: 32)
I tried to give Gang Green the benefit of the doubt and move them above the garbage teams that got dog walked last week. That was a mistake. The Jets are dead last in points scored this year, with a paltry 80, and their -95 point differential is second worst in the NFL, even though they’ve only played 6 games. Their average game score is a 29-13 loss, which is slightly worse than even the Texans. At this point, the biggest difference between these teams is that Houston is getting their starting QB back soon, while the Jets just lost theirs for the next few weeks. After Zach Wilson got hurt early, Mike White came in and was arguably better, which isn’t saying much. His 1-2 TD to INT rate was slightly better than Wilson’s 4-9 on the season. It didn’t matter much, as Mac Jones, one of several QBs the Jets passed on, led the Patriots to a 54 point flogging. The Jets just traded for a washed up Joe Flacco, but he can’t be any worse than what they’re dealing with.
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