NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Heading into Week 7?

Week 6 of the NFL season opened without any undefeated teams, but the Jacksonville Jaguars and Oakland Raiders were looking for their first win of the year. Everyone else in between is essentially fighting for a playoff spot.

Tough divisional games in the AFC North and West and NFC West and East helped determine more of a pecking order through six weeks. And as the season moves along, it's becoming more and more clear that the top tier of teams is head and shoulders above the next group.

This was a good week for the elite playoff contenders in Dallas, Denver, Indianapolis and Green Bay. If you believe in the Lions, Patriots, 49ers, Ravens or a wild-card Cinderella-story team, this was also a good week.

Who is the best team in the NFL right now? That one is easy. Filling in the rest of the spots? Not so much.

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)

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Last Week: 29 

This Week: 32

Change: -3

Lovie Smith may wish he had taken two years away from football.

His Tampa Bay Buccaneers were on the receiving end of a beatdown on Sunday, with the Baltimore Ravens jumping out to a 35-0 lead early in the second quarter (read that again, the second quarter) before making it a nail-biter at 48-17 when the game ended.

The 48-17 defeat isn't even the worst loss for the Buccaneers this year, either. They were manhandled by the Atlanta Falcons in Week 3, losing 56-14.

Sure, the Jacksonville Jaguars are winless, but no team has lost as ugly as Tampa this year.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-6)

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Last Week: 30

This Week: 31

Change: -1

The Jacksonville Jaguars are not the second-worst team in the NFL. At least not in my opinion. That said, they are struggling to win football games (hence the 0-6 record). It's with a heavy heart that I move the Jaguars down one spot this week to No. 31 overall.

Until this team gets a win—and I really thought it would come this week—it cannot move up in the rankings. Even with moral victories, if you believe in them, this is still a franchise in search of wins and development from so many young players. But let's remember, in Week 6 they started a rookie at quarterback, running back, guard, center and three of them at wide receiver.

Wins may be in short supply now, but the experience the youngsters are gaining is invaluable.

30. Oakland Raiders (0-5)

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Last Week: 32

This Week: 30

Change: +2

The Oakland Raiders were one deep pass away from beating the San Diego Chargers and getting their first win of the season. But close doesn't count in the NFL, and interim head coach Tony Sparano likely doesn't care about moral victories.

The positives from Week 6 are notable, though. Rookie quarterback Derek Carr continues to show that he's deserving of confidence as the team's future at the position. Yes, he threw the late interception but was otherwise sharp against one of the NFL's best defenses. 

This is a team with a good, young nucleus. But there could be—and should be—a ton of turnover on both sides of the ball this offseason. It's that potential—and the close call against San Diego—that has the winless Raiders moving up this week.

29. Tennessee Titans (2-4)

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Last Week: 31

This Week: 29

Change: +2

In a game that will likely have more impact on draft order than playoff seeding, the Tennessee Titans came out on top against the winless Jacksonville Jaguars. It took a blocked field goal to seal the win, however, after the Jaguars made it a two-point game and then recovered an onside kick to get the ball back. 

With quarterback Charlie Whitehurst running the offense, noted offensive genius Ken Whisenhunt's crew struggles to put points on the board. Young playmakers Bishop Sankey and Justin Hunter looked good, but the team has to learn to finish drives. 

It's a move up the rankings this week for Tennessee before traveling to Washington for another winnable game next week.

28. St. Louis Rams (1-4)

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Last Week: 28

This Week: 28

Change: None

The St. Louis Rams are not a good football team right now.

It doesn't matter how many times Jon Gruden compares Austin Davis to Drew Brees; he's not him, and this team is not talented enough to play in a shootout. With Janoris Jenkins doing his best to let the 49ers score deep touchdowns and the Rams' pass rush invisible, the 49ers were able to run right at them while Colin Kaepernick made circus throws behind the secondary.

The Rams have to start winning, or it's easy to see Jeff Fisher wearing out his welcome in St. Louis.

27. Washington (1-5)

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Last Week: 27

This Week: 27

Change: None

Kirk Cousins picked a bad week to have an awful game—or is this just who Cousins is now? 

The collective NFL media was ready to crown him "The Franchise" after his play against the Jacksonville Jaguars. It's worth noting that in the four games since, Cousins has thrown eight touchdowns and eight interceptions. Maybe they're ready for Robert Griffin III to return much sooner than many fans would have realized four weeks ago?

This much is known—head coach Jay Gruden is in for a long season if this is what he's working with. DeSean Jackson and the skill players are talented, but the offensive line and damn near all of the defense are struggling to produce. And that's why they're sitting at 1-5.

26. Minnesota Vikings (2-4)

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Last Week: 25

This Week: 26

Change: -1

There's a line in the movie Dumb and Dumber that perfectly sums up Week 6 for the Minnesota Vikings. After losing their jobs and coming home to a decapitated parrot, Lloyd Christmas turns to his friend Harry Dunne and says, "We got no food, we got no jobs...our PETS' HEADS ARE FALLING OFF!"

That was Week 6 in Minnesota. No Adrian Peterson. No Kyle Rudolph. And their offensive linemen are playing like their heads have fallen off.

The Vikings can hope to find the same good luck Lloyd and Harry did when they discovered a briefcase full of money. Maybe Teddy Bridgewater can be that briefcase full of cash for them, but on Sunday he looked like a Samsonite that offensive coordinator Norv Turner didn't know the combination to.

For the Vikings to compete, they need Bridgewater to be good—not great—and limit turnovers. Three interceptions (two of which you can attribute to rushed decisions with bad protection) won't get the job done.

25. New York Jets (1-5)

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Last Week: 24

This Week: 25

Change: -1

I believe it was the great district attorney Harvey Dent who once said, "The night is darkest just before the dawn." If that's true, it's looking like 4 a.m. for the 2014 New York Jets.

Quarterback Geno Smith was actually solid on Sunday afternoon, showing that he can be the hero the New York Jets need, but when the game called for him to lead a pass-heavy comeback, Smith was intercepted by Aqib Talib. With Smith and the Jets backed up to their own 1-yard line, the lack of offensive talent was on display again.

Michael Vick will not fix this team. He is not your Batman, Gotham City. He's not even a good Robin to Smith as a developing young quarterback. What this team needs is an overhaul and for high draft picks to start producing up to their predraft potential.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

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Last Week: 22

This Week: 24

Change: -2

If you're wondering how the Pittsburgh Steelers beat the Carolina Panthers by 18 points in Week 3, you are not alone. 

The 31-10 score in Week 6 against the Cleveland Browns doesn't even tell the whole story, as seven of those points came late in the game during garbage time. The three points the Steelers managed during the first three quarters is a much more accurate depiction if you're looking at stats to tell the story of the game.

Years of ignoring key needs have added up in Pittsburgh, and the team is left with an old, slow secondary that's too often left chasing players down the field. And against Cleveland, a team with a very good offensive line, the Steelers' front seven played like they were on roller skates all afternoon.

Mike Tomlin is a wonderful person, but he's also firmly on the hot seat thanks to the team's sad start. With wins over the Browns, Panthers and Jacksonville Jaguars, the Steelers haven't been all that impressive.

23. Miami Dolphins (2-3)

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Last Week: 23

This Week: 23

Change: None

If you want to believe the Miami Dolphins are close to competing in the AFC East, you'll look at Sunday's near miss against the Green Bay Packers and find the bright spots. If you're on the other side, and see the Dolphins as pretenders when compared to the New England Patriots, you'll look at Sunday's loss as further evidence that Joe Philbin's team isn't ready for the AFC's big boys.

The Dolphins are a bit schizophrenic from week to week, but the improved play along the offensive line and the constant pressure delivered by the defensive line are promising. If the Dolphins can find themselves on offense, the rest of the team is good enough to make some noise.

The problem on Sunday was that the secondary and linebackers couldn't stop Aaron Rodgers and Co. And that's OK; not many teams can. But with a late lead, the Dolphins should have won this game. And they didn't.

22. Buffalo Bills (3-3)

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Last Week: 21

This Week: 22

Change: -1

Hello, Buffalo. Welcome back to Earth.

Bills fans were on Cloud 9 after a fast start that included wins over the Chicago Bears, Miami Dolphins and Detroit Lions. But losses to the New England Patriots, San Diego Chargers and Houston Texans have shown that this team isn't quite ready to compete in the AFC.

The Bills do look better with Kyle Orton replacing EJ Manuel at quarterback, and that move will likely pay off more as the season progresses. The front seven is talented, but when they cannot get pressure the defense falls apart due to a lack of depth in the secondary. 

The Bills look destined for an 8-8 season—which is still much better than most expected. It's a step in the right direction for Doug Marrone's young team.

21. Houston Texans (3-3)

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Last Week: 26

This Week: 21

Change: +5

Good news, Houston, at least you didn't lose by 20-plus points like the rest of the losing teams on Thursday Night Football this year. 

That's two straight losses for the Texans after their 3-1 start, and in the past two weeks the lack of impact from the quarterback position has been noticeable. Even with Arian Foster healthy and playing well, the offense cannot generate the points, yards or time of possession to win games—not even with J.J. Watt scoring touchdowns on defense.

The silver lining is that even in a loss, the Texans have proved themselves capable of contending with the top teams in the league. They've earned a move up after being underrated in previous weeks.

20. New York Giants (3-3)

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Last Week: 20

This Week: 20

Change: None

In preparing for Week 6, I put in my notes to move the Giants up because I had been underrating them. And then Sunday night happened.

The Giants were thoroughly handled by the Philadelphia Eagles. A 27-0 score, the constant pressuring of Eli Manning and the dominance of the Eagles' pass rush told the story of this game. And with that in mind, the Giants couldn't really move up or be underrated.

Week 6 wasn't kind to the Giants, but they'll have a chance to prove if they've been underrated or not over the next five games. They play at Dallas, home against the Colts, at Seattle, then home against the 49ers and Cowboys. They could very easily be looking at a 3-8 record heading into the last weekend of November.

19. Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

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Last Week: 16

This Week: 19

Change: -3

The Atlanta Falcons have an offense good enough to keep up with any team in the NFL, but when that offense has an off day, they're embarrassingly bad as a team. That's what happened in Week 6 as the Chicago Bears frustrated Matt Ryan and bottled up the offense for four quarters.

The Falcons are cruising to a losing record, and it's easy to look at the front seven on defense and find the cause for their struggles. There's no pass rush here, and there aren't even young outside linebackers worth investing hope in for the future.

General manager Thomas Dimitroff has to reload the roster on defense one year after spending big money on free-agent defensive linemen Tyson Jackson and Paul Soliai and using a second-round pick on Ra'Shede Hageman. 

A second straight losing season won't be accepted in Atlanta, and you have to start thinking head coach Mike Smith may be on the hot seat.

18. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

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Last Week: 17

This Week: 18

Change: -1

A bye week for the Kansas City Chiefs would normally mean no movement in the rankings. But with the chaotic Week 6 wins and losses affecting the order so dramatically, even the Chiefs feel the effects of the movement around them.

Kansas City will be thrown right back into the fire in Week 7. A trip to San Diego to take on the hottest team in the AFC won't be easy, but it will prove whether the Chiefs are ready to compete for a playoff spot or if the 2014 season will be about reloading for 2015.

17. Cleveland Browns (3-2)

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Last Week: 19

This Week: 17

Change: +2

The Cleveland Browns are movin' on up the rankings after a definitive beating of the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6. A 31-10 thumping—and total game domination—from Mike Pettine's team has opened eyes leaguewide.

The Browns are not a sexy team. They have Brian Hoyer at quarterback, wide receivers who haven't produced like this since high school and are carried by the offensive line. It's four-yard football, and it's working.

Pettine's specialty is defense, and after a bad outing in Week 5 from Joe Haden and the secondary, they rebounded well to contain Ben Roethlisberger and a cast of very good receivers. In keeping them out of the end zone for the first three quarters, the Browns were able to cruise to a big win in the division.

16. Chicago Bears (3-3)

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Last Week: 18

This Week: 16

Change: +2

The Chicago Bears got back to winning in Week 6, taking on an explosive Atlanta Falcons offense and containing Matt Ryan and Co. to the tune of just 13 points. That allowed Jay Cutler, Brandon Marshall, Alshon Jeffery and Matt Forte to shine in an offensive showing that was more in tune with what was expected from the team before the season.

The Bears continue to struggle with injuries on defense, but free-agent pickup Willie Young has become an electric force at defensive end and rookie cornerback Kyle Fuller is playing like the Defensive Rookie of the Year so far. If they can find a bright spot at linebacker, the young foundation on defense will be set.

The Bears are still one game back from the Lions and Packers in the NFC North, but this win helps keep them in contention.

15. New Orleans Saints (2-3)

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Last Week: 15

This Week: 15

Change: None

The bye week comes with the New Orleans Saints struggling in past weeks to prove they are the elite team many (myself included) thought they could be before the season. Now, in Week 7, they'll face the Detroit Lions on the road in a game that feels like a must-win.

The Saints haven't found a rhythm on offense, and on defense they're missing a pass rush and run defense, and they have struggled with health at safety. That puts more pressure on cornerbacks who aren't talented enough to win without help and a major strain on defensive coordinator Rob Ryan's defense.

A win over the Lions will take a total team effort, but it's the type of victory that could put the Saints back on track in the NFC South.

14. Carolina Panthers (3-2-1)

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Last Week: 14

This Week: 14

Change: None

If you're a fan of the Carolina Panthers, their comeback against the Cincinnati Bengals was probably pretty sweet. But was the tie at the end of overtime satisfying?

The Panthers continue to play way over their collective talent level. With so many question marks at wide receiver, along the offensive line and in the secondary before the year, the Panthers weren't expected to compete at this level. But here they are, going toe-to-toe with one of the AFC's best teams.

Credit Ron Rivera. Credit Cam Newton. Definitely credit assistant coaches Ricky Proehl (wide receivers) and Sean McDermott (defensive coordinator). If the Panthers pull off a Week 7 win over the Green Bay Packers, we could be talking about one of the NFC's best teams. If they can double that up with a win over Seattle in Week 8, the Panthers will be a top-five team.

13. San Francisco 49ers (4-2)

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Last Week: 13

This Week: 13

Change: None

The San Francisco 49ers are the only team in the NFL to beat both the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles, so why are they ranked so low?

The 49ers a great example of a team playing down to its competition. Beating Dallas and Philadelphia is impressive, but San Francisco lost to the Arizona Cardinals with Drew Stanton at quarterback and to the Chicago Bears with Brandon Marshall and Alshon Jeffery hobbled. 

The 49ers will have a chance to redeem themselves if they can beat the Denver Broncos in Week 7. Win there, and they're back in the top 10, maybe the top five. But with injuries continuing to pile up, it's very hard to bet on the 49ers as one of the NFL's best teams. 

12. Arizona Cardinals (4-1)

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Last Week: 12

This Week: 12

Change: None

The return of Carson Palmer came right on time for the Arizona Cardinals. A Week 6 win over Washington has the team moving to 4-1 and giving it the best record in the NFC West. 

The fact that Bruce Arians' team was able to stay competitive in the NFL's toughest division without Palmer—and even with backup Drew Stanton missing time—is remarkable. The team's play against Kirk Cousins and the Washington offense was the same in Week 6. Three interceptions were the difference in a game that could have been close, but the Cardinals defense stepped up again to seal the deal.

The Cardinals haven't slowed down since they finished hot to end the year at 10-6 a season ago. Despite injuries and a rough schedule, here they are atop the West as we near midseason. 

11. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

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Last Week: 11

This Week: 11

Change: None

So...the Green Bay Packers are back. Or at least it seems that way after the last two weeks. Aaron Rodgers has the offense relaxing, and that means a ton of crazy catches from Jordy Nelson, and Rodgers making throws that no other quarterback in the league can. It also means three straight wins.

The Miami Dolphins and former Green Bay assistant coach Joe Philbin gave the team a scare on Sunday, but the Packers were able to come from behind in the fourth quarter thanks to Rodgers and Nelson. And with rookie Davante Adams stepping up to make big plays, too, this offense is back to dominant status.

The Packers have a chance to make a statement if they can stop the Carolina Panthers in Green Bay this coming week, but the team's struggles with stopping a mobile quarterback are well-documented. This is a game to watch for both squads.

10. Detroit Lions (4-2)

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Last Week: 10

This Week: 10

Change: None

The Detroit Lions are quietly playing great football. That might get lost outside of the state of Michigan, but remember that the Lions beat the Packers in Week 3 and are playing the type of complete football fans of the team have long hoped possible.

With Calvin Johnson, Reggie Bush and seemingly every key offensive player hurt on Sunday, the Lions won a trap game against the Minnesota Vikings. They managed only 17 points, but the defense did a great job confusing rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater and exposing the Minnesota offensive line. 

Winning with your best player on the sidelines is a great way to establish yourself as a contender. And the Lions did that in Week 6.

9. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

Last Week: 9

This Week: 9

Change: None

The Baltimore Ravens get credit for the definitive win of Week 6. Are they a contender? Check out the video above to find out if we think the Ravens are the best team in the AFC.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1-1)

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Last Week: 5

This Week: 8

Change: -3

A tie ballgame in the NFL isn't exactly common, and it leaves an interesting dilemma for the power rankings. Do the Cincinnati Bengals move down, even though they didn't lose to the Carolina Panthers? They can't rightly move up, considering they didn't win, either. 

The end result is a small move down, but mostly because of the Dallas Cowboys moving up. The Bengals may not have won the game, but they did show that their early-season success isn't a fluke. That they took on a talented Carolina front seven on defense—and contained Cam Newton—is worth something in this book.

The Bengals don't have an easy schedule—not in the AFC North—but that means all the more chances to move up next week if they can beat the Indianapolis Colts.

7. New England Patriots (4-2)

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Last Week: 8

This Week: 7

Change: +1

The demise of the New England Patriots was greatly exaggerated. Folks who predicted just two weeks ago that the team was headed for the dumpster and quarterback Tom Brady was washed up look pretty foolish now that Brady and Co. have ripped off two straight wins over quality opponents.

The Patriots aren't winning pretty, but they are winning. Brady seems to have found new bulletin-board material after the road loss to the Kansas City Chiefs had everyone breaking their legs to jump off the team's bandwagon. And now, just two weeks later, there's a line to hop back on.

The moral of the story: Don't bet against Bill Belichick and Brady over the long haul.

6. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)

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Last Week: 6

This Week: 6

Change: None

The Philadelphia Eagles came out rolling in Week 6, showing the New York Giants that the reigning NFC East champions are for real.

The Eagles are able to win with offensive diversity, a very athletic offensive line and a punishing pass rush. That recipe worked to perfection against the Giants, and Chip Kelly's team was able to overwhelm Eli Manning and the New York offensive line consistently. If the Eagles can do that routinely, they'll maintain their status as one of the league's scariest teams.

What's most amazing is that the Eagles are 5-1 and they're not getting top-level play from quarterback Nick Foles, the secondary struggles weekly and the offensive line is a MASH unit. Imagine what this team is capable of once healthy?

5. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

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Last Week: 4

This Week: 5

Change: -1

The Indianapolis Colts jumped out to a big lead over the Houston Texans on Thursday night only to find the "Fighting J.J. Watts" charge back to make the game interesting. A win in the division is great, though, no matter how it looks on paper. And the Colts move to 4-2 with four straight wins.

The offense in Indianapolis has been amazing the last four weeks, with Andrew Luck putting up insane numbers as the passing game carries the team. And on defense, Bjoern Werner is taking on a huge role with Robert Mathis out due to a season-ending injury. 

The Colts don't move down this week because the Texans made it a close game, but rather because of how the teams around them in the rankings played. They'll have their chance to move up in Week 7 with the Cincinnati Bengals on the schedule. 

4. Denver Broncos (4-1)

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Last Week: 2

This Week: 4

Change: -2

The move down in this week's rankings has nothing to do with the Broncos' win over the New York Jets or how they beat them—it's all about the teams ranked lower last week (San Diego, Dallas) moving up. That, in turn, pushes the Broncos down. 

It's almost become boring watching the Broncos play—if only because it's a proven recipe with few variations. Peyton Manning throws three to five touchdowns, someone in the secondary gets an interception and the game is comfortably out of hand by the end of the third quarter. It's not bad, but the Broncos are almost putting people to sleep with their dominant offense and opportunistic defense.

That will all change with the Broncos facing the San Francisco 49ers and San Diego Chargers in back-to-back home games before traveling to New England for the Manning vs. Brady Bowl. If they can survive that stretch of games, no one will be sleeping on them as the NFL's best team.

3. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

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Last Week: 1

This Week: 3

Change: -2

The Seattle Seahawks now have two losses on the season—but those losses are to the top-two-ranked teams this week. They also beat Denver, Green Bay and Washington, so there are some quality wins here to go with the losses.

The Seahawks met a red-hot team with the type of offensive line and ground game that can give their defense fits. This might be the blueprint for beating that vaunted Seattle defense, since this is what the Chargers also did in their win. It's something to monitor moving forward.

Power rankings are about the talent of the teams, not so much their ranking or record. Teams like Seattle are still feared, and you'd be crazy to think they're not one of the top four or five teams in the NFL right now.

2. San Diego Chargers (5-1)

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Last Week: 3

This Week: 2

Change: +1

How do the San Diego Chargers jump the Denver Broncos to become the No. 2-ranked team in this week's power rankings? It's complicated.

Dallas beat Seattle in Seattle. Seattle beat Denver. San Diego beat Seattle. Until San Diego and Denver face off in Week 8, the order in the rankings comes from common opponents and the impact of each week's win. The Chargers have faced better opponents and, like Denver, have one loss. That's why they move up the board this week over the Broncos.

The Chargers are playing as well—if not better—as any team in the AFC. And as I always say, great teams learn how to win tough games. The Chargers did that on Sunday by defeating the over-hyped Oakland Raiders. And they did it with injuries along the offensive line, at running back and with cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett both getting banged up during the game.

1. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

Last Week: 7

This Week: 1

Change: +6

It is supposed to be impossible to travel to Seattle and beat the Seahawks. At least that's what NFL mythology tells us. But the Dallas Cowboys did that on Sunday, running their win streak to five games and establishing themselves as the team to beat in the NFC. 

Strong offensive line play, a great run game (six straight 100-yard rushing days for DeMarco Murray) and wide receivers with size and speed make the Dallas offense one of the NFL's best. And with Rod Marinelli's no-name defense playing bigger than anyone thought possible, the Cowboys suddenly look unstoppable.

A move from No. 7 all the way to No. 1 requires a huge win, and the Cowboys got that in Week 6.