NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

(Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

With seven weeks in the books, some teams have distanced themselves from others, some teams are still searching for their identities, and some teams are already looking towards next season.

Here's how the 32 clubs stack up going into week eight.

1. Indianapolis Colts (6-0)

Peyton Manning and company have made it look easy recently, with wins by 21, 17, 22, and 36 points in their last four games, respectively. 

2. New Orleans Saints (6-0)

Not every team has the ability to come back from a 24-3 deficit on the road and win.

3. Denver Broncos (6-0)

Coming off of their well-timed bye week, America's favorite Cinderella still has matchups with Baltimore, Pittsburgh, San Diego, the New York Giants, Indianapolis, and Philadelphia to look forward to. 

4. New England Patriots (5-2)

Back-to-back thrashings of winless teams has these Patriots looking like their old 2007 selves again.

5. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

After a rocky start, the Steelers have quietly won four straight, and second-year player Rashard Mendenhall now appears to have a stranglehold on the primary running back spot.

6. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

They can't drop too far after playing the Steelers fairly well on the road.

Next up: Brett Favre's not-so-triumphant return to Green Bay next Sunday night.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)

I'm not quite sure what to make of this team. After looking mediocre in a home loss against Houston, Cedric Benson, Carson Palmer, and the Bengals laid an all-time beat down on Chicago.

8. New York Giants (5-2)

The G-Men have lost two straight after a 5-0 start, and have an extremely difficult schedule the rest of the way.

Their next six games: at Philadelphia, home against San Diego, home against Atlanta, at Denver, home against Dallas, home against Philadelphia.

9. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)

The 'Boys rebounded nicely from their poor showing against the Chiefs, sacking Matt Ryan four times in a big 37-21 win over Atlanta.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

After a horrible loss at Oakland, the Eagles rebounded nicely by making it look easy against divisional foe Washington Monday night.

11. Arizona Cardinals (4-2)

Three straight wins have the defending NFC champs in control of the NFC West once again.

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)

A blowout loss at the hands of the Cowboys can't have the Falcons feeling too great about next week's Monday night game against the undefeated Saints.

13. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Aaron Rodgers and the Packers have feasted on the NFL's bottomfeeders thus far, having defeated Chicago, St. Louis, Detroit, and Cleveland.

14. New York Jets (4-3)

A dominating victory over the hapless Raiders was exactly what the doctor ordered for Mark "Joey Chestnut" Sanchez and his Jets after three consecutive losses.

15. Houston Texans (4-3)

Two consecutive victories and a matchup with Buffalo this weekend has Houston hoping for its first 5-3 start in their short franchise history.

16. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)

We'll find out who the Ravens really are in the next few weeks, when their opponents include the Broncos, Bengals, Colts, and Steelers.

17. San Diego Chargers (3-3)

The Chargers looked great in crushing the useless Chiefs yesterday, but they still have a steep hill to climb in order to catch Denver.

18. San Francisco 49ers (3-3)

The Niners have come back to earth since their unlikely 2-0 start, and they're hoping former first-overall pick Alex Smith can give them the jolt they need at QB.

19. Miami Dolphins (2-4)

The best 2-4 team in football blew what would've been a huge victory yesterday against still-unbeaten New Orleans at home. 

20. Buffalo Bills (3-4)

Two straight wins and a relatively-weak AFC have the Bills thinking their season isn't close to being lost.

21. Chicago Bears (3-3)

The Bears should be able to rebound from their terrible loss against the Bengals when they face the Browns next Sunday.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)

You're currently logged into Facebook

Do you want to share your Bleacher Report activity on Facebook?