NFL Power Rankings: Full Standings Heading into Monday Night Football

It was another wild Sunday for Week 7 of the NFL season, and now it's time to look at the updated power rankings heading into Monday Night Football.

The Minnesota Vikings will be taking on the New York Giants in a game that is a must-win for both teams.  The two teams are a combined 1-10 this year, with both of them looking for a win to turn things around.

There have already been a number of wild games this week, so below are the most up-to-date power rankings for the NFL season.

32. New York Giants

I want to put the Jacksonville Jaguars at the bottom, but I just can't.  At least they were expecting to struggle this season.

Meanwhile, the Giants are a trainwreck this year.  Not only are they 0-6, but Eli Manning also leads the NFL with 15 interceptions.  

Tom Coughlin is as good as done after this season, so now is officially time for the Giants to start rebuilding.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

While they still haven't won a game, at least the Jaguars are improving at this point.

It looked like the Jaguars were a legitimate football team last week against the Denver Broncos, but this week they looked like their old selves.  They put up just six points in the loss to the San Diego Chargers, but they also had just one interception.

Justin Blackmon makes this offense slightly better, although the unit isn't going to blow anyone away.  We will see several more losses with this team until it can find a good quarterback.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

They keep getting closer to winning, but the Tampa Bay Buccaneers still haven't won a game and are dealing with a dramatic change at quarterback with Mike Glennon now taking snaps under center.

Glennon actually had a very respectable performance in the 31-23 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.  He went 26-of-44 with 256 yards and two touchdowns, making it the best game of his very short career.

As long as Glennon keeps improving and motivating the rest of the team, the Buccaneers should be able to at least grab a couple of wins this season.

29. Oakland Raiders

The bye week should do the Oakland Raiders a lot of good.  However, there are still a lot of questions that this team has to answer. 

One of those questions isn't about the quarterback position.  Terrelle Pryor is showing that he has the tools to be a really good quarterback one day, although it didn't look like that against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Other than Pryor, there really isn't much talent on this team.  The Raiders are going to have to continue to rebuild before we see them make a push in the tough AFC West division.

28. Cleveland Browns

The team that started to turn things around after Trent Richardson was traded away has come back down to Earth and looked like their old selves.

The Cleveland Browns were beaten pretty badly against a hobbled Green Bay Packers team, losing 31-13.  Brandon Weeden has not been effective since getting his starting job back, posting a QBR of just 10.0 in the loss.

The defense has lost its edge as well, giving up 31 points in each of its last two games.  No one has seemed motivated since Brian Hoyer's injury, and the Browns are beginning to fall back to the bottom of the league.

27. Houston Texans

It would have seemed insane to put the Houston Texans this low at the beginning of the year, but now it makes sense with how truly bad they've been playing the past few weeks.  After winning their first two games, the Texans have now lost five straight.

Granted, the Texans should get some credit for keeping the game close against the Chiefs, but a loss is a loss.  It seems now that the Texans are going to be relying on Case Keenum, who threw for 271 yards and a touchdown in his first career start.

The defense is still playing very well, but the questions on offense have officially hurt the Texans' chances of making a postseason run.

26. Pittsburgh Steelers

On the other end of things, the Pittsburgh Steelers lost their first four games before winning back-to-back games over the New York Jets and Baltimore Ravens to turn things around for this team.

With Le'Veon Bell healthy and finally in the lineup, the Steelers are starting to establish some balance offensively.  He had a solid game against the Ravens, running for 93 yards on 19 carries in the win.

The defense hasn't been as tough and nasty as its been in previous seasons, which is hurting the Steelers' reputation.  However, things have gotten better the past two games as the Steelers have been holding their opponents to just 22 combined points.

25. Minnesota Vikings

Things were looking up for the Minnesota Vikings after the win over the Steelers in London, but that ugly loss against the Carolina Panthers doesn't bode well for this team.

The Vikings are hoping that they can turn things around offensively, and they've decided to change quarterbacks again.  According to Ian Rapoport from NFL.com, Josh Freeman will be the starter on Monday Night Football.

Neither side of the ball is playing well right now.  The defense has given up at least 30 points in four of the team's five games, so changes are needed on that side of the ball as well.

24. Washington Redskins

The Washington Redskins are starting to turn things around, at least offensively.  

Robert Griffin III was huge in the win against the Bears, putting up 382 total yards with two scores and an interception.  Roy Helu was big as well, grabbing three touchdowns on the ground.

However, the Redskins still have one of the worst defenses in the league.  They're giving up more total yards than almost anyone, and that is what will likely keep them from taking the NFC East.

23. Tennessee Titans

Even Jake Locker's return couldn't keep the Tennessee Titans from getting beat down by the San Francisco 49ers on Sunday.

Locker looked good in his first game back from the hip injury.  He had two touchdowns and a pick while throwing for 326 yards through the air.

Chris Johnson, on the other hand, continues to be extremely disappointing this season.  He's ran for 366 yards, but he's also averaging well under four yards per carry and has zero rushing touchdowns.

Three straight losses for the Titans have them in bad shape heading into the bye week, but things should start to turn around after with games against the Jaguars and St. Louis Rams.

22. Buffalo Bills

This is probably the most confusing team in the NFL.  Even without E.J. Manuel, the Bills have found ways to stay competitive with Thaddeus Lewis under center.

The ground game with C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson has helped take the pressure off of the passing game, but the two running backs weren't used much in the win over the Miami Dolphins.  They ran for just 47 yards on 17 carries, making very little impact on the game.

The defense still isn't the best, yet it's making big plays when it counts.  Nickell Robey came up with a 19-yard interception for a touchdown to start the game, and Mario Williams gave the Bills the chance to win with a big strip-sack in the fourth quarter.

21. Philadelphia Eagles

It looked like Nick Foles was going to try and lead his team to a third straight win, with the third coming against the Dallas Cowboys.

That quickly changed on Sunday.

Foles got hurt in the game, forcing Matt Barkley to come in.  He did not play well at all, throwing three interceptions in the 17-3 loss.

Without an effective offense, there's no way that this team can win.  Its defense has struggled this season, allowing over 300 passing yards and 28 points per game.

20. Arizona Cardinals

Looking back at the Arizona Cardinals' losses this year, three of the four have come against very good opponents.  

Still, that offense hasn't been good at all.  Carson Palmer has thrown at least two interceptions in each of his last five games, and he's killing the momentum for this team.

19. St. Louis Rams

The St. Louis Rams lost the game, but they're more worried about their quarterback situation right now.

Adam Schefter reported that Sam Bradford tore his ACL and will miss the rest of the season.

With that news, the Rams are in trouble.  They're going to have to find someone to step up if they want to have any shot at having a decent season.

18. Carolina Panthers

Are the Carolina Panthers the real deal?

It certainly feels like it after the past two weeks.  They've dominated their last two opponents, winning by a combined score of 65-25.  Cam Newton was very efficient this week against the Rams, completing 15 of 17 passes.

The defense has improved a lot this year, which will help a lot down the road.  Ron Rivera is still on the hot seat, so he will have to hope that the Panthers can keep winning like they have been in order to save his job.

17. Atlanta Falcons

Matt Ryan keeps playing his heart out for the Atlanta Falcons.  Despite not having Julio Jones or Roddy White this week, he still came up with three touchdowns in the win over the Buccaneers.

The big issue right now with the Falcons is that their defense is struggling.  They have an incredibly inexperienced secondary and a banged-up front seven that is struggling to make plays and give the offense more opportunities.

Without their biggest playmaker, the Falcons will start sliding even farther down the rankings, but they were able to hold off on that for at least a week.

16. Baltimore Ravens

Two straight losses for the Baltimore Ravens have them starting to slide again, but we all know that this is a talented football team that's lost to some tough opponents.

The biggest problem right now for this team has been the running game.  The Ravens have two tremendously talented running backs with Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce, but neither could make an impact once again this week, combining for 58 yards and just 21 carries.

15. San Diego Chargers

A win is a win for the San Diego Chargers, but it was against the Jaguars.

The offense is doing some nice things right now thanks to Philip Rivers, who has thrown for 15 touchdowns and five interceptions this season.  Meanwhile, some real weapons have emerged, including Eddie Royal, Danny Woodhead and Keenan Allen.

Although they were flat-out terrible to start the year, the defense has looked better over the past two weeks, allowing just 15 total points.  The pass defense that was giving up so many big plays is starting to solidify.  But the Chargers are going to struggle to make a playoff push being in the AFC West.

14. Miami Dolphins

The same team that started the season with three straight wins has now lost three straight, and it's officially gut-check time for the Miami Dolphins heading into next week's game against the New England Patriots.

The last two losses have been tough, with the Dolphins losing by a combined five points.  Still, Ryan Tannehill is continuing to develop as a passer, and based off of what we've seen so far, he should be able to lead the Dolphins to a successful season and even more success down the road.

13. Detroit Lions

A last-second loss against another good team hurts, but it's not going to move the Detroit Lions too far down the latest power rankings.

Matthew Stafford is still making plays for the Lions, and so is Calvin Johnson.  Johnson had a monster outing this week, catching nine balls for 155 yards and two touchdowns.

We're still seeing lapses on defense, and that's really making the difference right now.  The Lions have a shot to take make a run in the NFC North; they just need to be more consistent on that side of the ball.

12. Dallas Cowboys

The NFC East is really weak right now, and so far it looks like the Cowboys are the team to beat in the division.

This was Tony Romo's worst game of the season in the 17-3 win, and the numbers weren't really terrible.  He had two interceptions, but he also had 317 yards and a touchdown.

The Cowboys needed a convincing win for their defense, and they got just that.  After being one of the worst defenses statistically entering Sunday, they held the Eagles to just 194 yards passing and only three points.

11. New York Jets

They're not in the top 10 yet, but I'm officially buying into the New York Jets right now.

The win over the Patriots certainly was controversial, but they deserved it with how well they played all game.  Geno Smith came to play, putting up 265 total yards and two total touchdowns in the win.

The offense has had its issues, but the Jets have one of the best defenses in the league.  They held New England to less than 300 total yards and kept Tom Brady from scoring a touchdown, something that few teams have been able to do throughout his career.

After being a laughing stock in 2012, the Jets have turned it around, and they're looking to give the Patriots a run for their money in the AFC East.

10. Chicago Bears

With their third loss in four games, the Bears are starting to slip.  They're not focused on that right now, however, as they're trying to determine the status of their starting quarterback.

Jay Cutler was forced to leave the game against the Redskins with an injury, and the Bears tweeted that he would be having an MRI on his groin on Monday.

The good news for the Bears is that they're going into a bye week so that they can try to get healthy.  The bad news is that their defense just gave up 45 points, and they need to make some major adjustments.

9. New England Patriots

The Patriots have historically struggled against the Jets, and this season was no different.  Still, they're one of the best teams in the NFL, and they'll be able to turn it around in the coming weeks.

Rob Gronkowski was finally able to make his season debut, leading the Patriots with 114 yards on eight catches.  With him back in the lineup, the offense should be able to get things going against weaker defenses.

Injuries are still haunting this team, so New England will need to depend on some backups to help them get through the regular season and into the playoffs.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

At 5-2 and winning their last three games, the Bengals are on top of the AFC North and looking like a legitimate contender.

Andy Dalton has been huge in the last two wins for Cincinnati.  In those games, he's thrown for over 700 yards and six touchdowns with just one interception.  A.J. Green has still been the top target for Dalton, grabbing 258 yards and two touchdowns in those wins.

As long as that intimidating defense can hold it together, the Bengals should be in good shape for the rest of the year.

7. Green Bay Packers

Even without Randall Cobb and James Jones, Aaron Rodgers keeps finding ways to win.

It certainly helped that Jarrett Boykin stepped up this week.  After looking lost last week against the Ravens, he turned it around in this one with eight receptions for 103 yards and a touchdown.

Eddie Lacy continues to make the offense more dominant and balanced.  He had another big game with 82 yards and a score, putting him in the running for the Offensive Rookie of the Year award.

It's starting to look like 2010 all over again for the Packers with all of the injuries, only this time they have an established running game, and that should scare the rest of the NFC.

6. San Francisco 49ers

After being so hesitant to tuck the ball and run this season, Colin Kaepernick finally made some plays on the ground against the Titans, and it paid off.  He had 68 yards and a touchdown on 11 carries in the 31-17 win.

Four straight wins have the 49ers on the right track again after looking so bad against the Seattle Seahawks and Indianapolis Colts.  Their offense is still missing Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree, but they're making due with a strong defense that's holding its opponents.

Upcoming games against the Jaguars and Panthers should provide another two wins, and then the 49ers will have their next big test in Week 11 against the New Orleans Saints.

5. Seattle Seahawks

Speaking of the Seahawks, they've continued to be great this year.  They came away with a nice 34-22 win over the Cardinals on Thursday Night Football and still look like one of the more complete teams in the league.

With 11 touchdowns and just four interceptions, Russell Wilson continues to mature as a passer.  He's not always going to put up huge numbers, but he does a great job managing the game and making sure that his team can come away with the win.

With an efficient offense and arguably the best defense in the league, the Seahawks are still in great shape.

4. New Orleans Saints

The Saints needed a bye week to refocus after losing a thriller to the Patriots, and you can bet that they will come out of this even hungrier than they were before.

Drew Brees is still picking apart opposing defenses, throwing for nearly 2,000 yards in just six games.  He's on pace for yet another 5,000-yard season, and he loves to carry the offense.

The defense continues to be the big story this year, with Rob Ryan quickly turning things around.  The loss to the Patriots was only the first time the unit had allowed over 20 points all year, and that's a good sign for things to come.

3. Indianapolis Colts

I officially have no reason to not put the Colts in the top three in this week's power rankings.  Sure, they have two losses to the Dolphins and Chargers, but they also have huge wins over the 49ers, Seahawks and Broncos.

Andrew Luck showed everyone on Sunday Night Football just how special he really is.  He had four total touchdowns in the win while not turning the ball over once.  The Colts love to establish a balanced offense, but Luck stole the show in this one.

It was really surprising how well the defense played as well.  The pass rush was able to get to Peyton Manning for four sacks on the day, with two coming from Robert Mathis, who currently leads the NFL with 11.5 sacks.

The Colts won't win all of them, but they've shown time and time again this year that they can beat any team in this league.

2. Denver Broncos

Yes, I still have the Broncos higher than the Colts.  Indianapolis played a great game, but it won an emotional game at home with a rowdy crowd on its side and the adrenaline pumping.  Overall, the Broncos are the more talented team.

Even with the loss, Peyton is still the front-runner for the MVP award.  He already has 25 touchdowns and over 2,500 passing yards through just seven games and is on his way to breaking some big records.

A 33-point performance was the worst the Broncos have been offensively all year, and with that kind of offense, this team should win plenty more games this year.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

With the Broncos losing this week, there is only one remaining undefeated team, and that's the Chiefs.

The offense isn't flashy for Kansas City, but it's efficient.  Alex Smith did have his fourth interception of the year against the Texans, but he also completed 67.6 percent of his passes and had a touchdown on a quarterback draw.

Above all else, the defense has been superb for the Chiefs.  Not a single opponent has scored more than 17 points this season, and their front seven continues to give opposing offenses nightmares.

The Chiefs have gone from worst to first, showing just how quickly a team can turn it around in the NFL.  With Andy Reid and Alex Smith, things look a lot different right now than they did a few months ago for this team.