NFL Power Rankings: Reviewing Updated Standings, Super Bowl Odds for Week 7
NFL fans have to decide whether to be glass-half-full or half-empty folks with the way the 2015 season is going heading into Week 7.
On one hand, five teams sit at 5-0 or better after no team made it to 4-0 last season. On the other, an almost countless number of teams sit at .500 or worse, and several divisions look up for grabs despite woeful records across the board.
Maybe parity isn't the best buzzword right now. Regardless, it makes for an interesting betting environment when it comes to Super Bowl odds. Let's take a look at those while organizing traditional power rankings.
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Week 7 NFL Power Rankings and 2015-16 Super Bowl Odds
| 1 | New England Patriots (5-0) | 11-4 |
| 2 | Green Bay Packers (6-0) | 13-4 |
| 3 | Cincinnati Bengals (6-0) | 10-1 |
| 4 | Carolina Panthers (5-0) | 20-1 |
| 5 | New York Jets (4-1) | 25-1 |
| 6 | Arizona Cardinals (4-2) | 12-1 |
| 7 | Denver Broncos (6-0) | 10-1 |
| 8 | Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2) | 18-1 |
| 9 | Atlanta Falcons (5-1) | 20-1 |
| 10 | Dallas Cowboys (2-3) | 50-1 |
| 11 | San Diego Chargers (2-4) | 150-1 |
| 12 | Minnesota Vikings (3-2) | 50-1 |
| 13 | Indianapolis Colts (3-3) | 25-1 |
| 14 | Buffalo Bills (3-3) | 75-1 |
| 15 | Seattle Seahawks (2-4) | 20-1 |
| 16 | Miami Dolphins (2-3) | 100-1 |
| 17 | Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) | 18-1 |
| 18 | New York Giants (3-3) | 33-1 |
| 19 | St. Louis Rams (2-3) | 75-1 |
| 20 | Chicago Bears (2-4) | 500-1 |
| 21 | New Orleans Saints (2-4) | 100-1 |
| 22 | Houston Texans (2-4) | 150-1 |
| 23 | Cleveland Browns (2-4) | 500-1 |
| 24 | Kansas City Chiefs (1-5) | 300-1 |
| 25 | Oakland Raiders (2-3) | 250-1 |
| 26 | Baltimore Ravens (1-5) | 500-1 |
| 27 | San Francisco 49ers (2-4) | 300-1 |
| 28 | Tennessee Titans (1-4) | 250-1 |
| 29 | Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) | 300-1 |
| 30 | Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) | 1000-1 |
| 31 | Detroit Lions (1-5) | 300-1 |
| 32 | Washington (2-4) | 200-1 |
Odds courtesy of Odds Shark.
Notable Odds to Watch
Pittsburgh Steelers (18-1)
So it happenedโthe Pittsburgh Steelers rallied instead of falling off a cliff after Ben Roethlisberger's injury.
After a brief hiccup while adapting to Mike Vick under center, the Steelers posted two consecutive wins, one an impressive escape in San Diego and the other a major upset with the Arizona Cardinals in town.
Things got downright unfair in the last one, as third-string quarterback Landry Jones entered the game and threw for 168 yards and two scores. Not many teams could ever hope for such a performance from a guy three spots deep on the depth chart.
Before, it was a waiting game for the Steelers. Now it's become a scenario in which the team can almost feel comfortable with Big Ben taking another week off to hit 100 percent. He spoke with 93.7 The Fan (via CBS Pittsburgh) about his status:
"Itโs going to have to be a feel thing, a comfort level. Can I make moves in the pocket? Does it hurt when I drop back from under center? Does it hurt when I roll out to the left, to the right? Sliding up in the pocket after a deep-set off a play-action fake. Just things like that because obviously, I threw last week and it felt good throwing, so that part we can check that box off and weโll just continue, when I go out there kind of as practice progresses, see what I can and canโt do.
"
It makes for an interesting set of odds given how potent the Steelers looked with Big Ben in the lineup. There's no reason for bettors to avoid this solid payout.
New Orleans Saints (100-1)
Here's another set of odds surrounding a team that was able to somewhat survive without its starting quarterback.ย
Drew Brees is back with the New Orleans Saints, a team sitting at 2-4 and not as farย out of the playoff running as some would think.
The Carolina Panthers (5-0) and Atlanta Falcons (5-1) lead the NFC South, but the Saints already have a win over the latter and still get another shot at both, with the loss to the former in Week 3 by just five points with Luke McCown as the starting quarterback.
The facts are simple: The New Orleans defense continues to get healthier, and the offense seems to finally be getting over the losses of Jimmy Graham and Kenny Stills. Benjamin Watson caught 10 passes for 127 yards and a score last week, while Willie Snead added four for 55.
If the Saints can continue to build momentum and put up strong fights in divisional contests, this line will change in a hurry.
Philadelphia Eagles (18-1)
Say hello to one of the biggest recent movers of all.ย
After maybe the oddest start to the season of any team, the Philadelphia Eagles seem to have figured out how to win games on the offensive side of the ball: feed the ball to the biggest acquisition of the offseason.
This refers to running back DeMarco Murray, who received all of 29 carries over the course of his first three games. The Eagles then decided it was a good idea to get him the ball, and he's seen 42 carries in two games, totaling 192 yards and two scores in the process.
Rocket science, right? Scott Hanson of NFL Network provided a staggering stat:
There are other things at play. The defense seems to have tightened its approach. Sam Bradford continues to make better decisions with the football.
Most of all, though, Murray's ripple effect on both units, as the Eagles can control games and score often, is the biggest point here. Given the success of the past two games, it's impossible to think the Eagles will go away from the plan, which means bettors should flock to this line before it moves.
Stats courtesy ofย NFL.comย and are accurateย as of October 21. All advanced metrics courtesy ofย Pro Football Focus.ย ย
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