NFL Power Rankings: Evaluating Every Team in the League After Week 8

The good, bad and ugly of the NFL have started to be determined through eight weeks of the NFL. Hard to think we're already at the halfway point of the season, but let's take a look at the power rankings of all 32 teams heading into Week 9.

All stats from ESPN.com

1. Denver Broncos (7-1)

Sure, they're not even in first place in their own division, but there's no more dominant team in the NFL than the Broncos, who are still on pace to challenge many all-time NFL offensive records.

Peyton Manning and his teammates showed how dangerous they can be on Sunday, putting up 38 unanswered, second-half points in a 45-21 rout of the Redskins. As Washington found out, you can have a 14-point lead on the Broncos in the third quarter, but you can still get blown out.

Critics could easily point to the defense, which ranks 26th in points allowed (27.3 per game) and 29th in passing (299.1 passing yards allowed per game), but those numbers are going to happen when your offense is putting together touchdown drives at a quick rate and building early leads.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (8-0)

Make no mistake, the Chiefs deserve all the credit in the world for their monumental turnaround, going from 2-14 to 8-0 behind new coach Andy Reid and quarterback Alex Smith. But if the Chiefs and Broncos faced each other 10 times on neutral sites, I'd say the Broncos would win the majority of the matchups.

We don't have to wait long to see the Chiefs and Broncos face off, with their Week 11 tilt looming in Denver. To this point, the Chiefs have a top-ranked scoring defense (12.3 points allowed per game), with the team sharing some more historical perspective via Instagram:

Meanwhile, Smith, running back Jamaal Charles and the offense have done just enough to earn victories. It's a formula that worked for Smith during his final two seasons in San Francisco, and it's working again.

But the gap between Smith, an efficient signal-caller in his own right, and Manning, who's playing at arguably the top level of his Hall of Fame career, keeps the Chiefs behind the Broncos in the power rankings for now.

3. Seattle Seahawks (7-1)

Watch out, NFL. The Seahawks could be getting a whole lot more dangerous in Week 9 with the expected return of receiver Percy Harvin, per Jason La Canfora of CBS Sports. Adding him to the mix with quarterback Russell Wilson, running back Marshawn Lynch and a playmaking defense strengthens the team's look as a Super Bowl contender.

4. New Orleans Saints (6-1)

Sean Payton's impact on the Saints has been undeniable, as the head coach has restored the explosive qualities to New Orleans that were missing from last year's 7-9 squad that didn't reach the playoffs. The team has returned to the top five in most passing and scoring categories, which isn't surprising, but it is a change to see New Orleans ranking fourth in scoring defense (17.1 points allowed per game).

5. San Francisco 49ers (6-2)

Jim Harbaugh's crew currently owns the second-longest winning streak in the NFL at five games, trailing only the 8-0 Chiefs. Colin Kaepernick recorded his first two-touchdown game on the ground last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, which bodes well for the offense, while the defense ranks seventh in scoring (18.1 points allowed per game).

With receivers Mario Manningham and Michael Crabtree poised to return soon, the 49ers are set up for a season-long fight with Seattle for the NFC West crown.

6. Green Bay Packers (5-2)

Aaron Rodgers doesn't have to do it all by himself anymore now that rookie Eddie Lacy has emerged as a powerful No. 1 NFL running back. Over the past four contests, Lacy has averaged nearly 25 carries and 100 yards per game, giving the Packers a new dimension to an already-explosive offense. Injuries to receivers Randall Cobb and James Jones didn't slow down Rodgers last week, as the Pack posted a season-high 44 points in a victory over Minnesota.

7. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)

The Bengals flexed their muscles with a dominating 49-9 win over the New York Jets and have now won four straight games. Receiver Marvin Jones burst onto the scene with this four-touchdown performance, giving opposing defenses another weapon to think about besides A.J. Green.

Get used to seeing the Bengals on top of the Steelers and Ravens in the AFC Central.

8. New England Patriots (6-2)

The prolific offense isn't there for Tom Brady and New England, but the wins are. With Danny Amendola and Rob Gronkowski both back healthy, look for the Patriots offense to put up some big numbers in the coming weeks.

9. Indianapolis Colts (5-2)

The Colts had a bye in Week 8 but have some impressive wins on their resume, including victories over the Broncos, Seahawks and 49ers. Andrew Luck is the real deal with 10 touchdowns and three interceptions so far this year, showing some great decision-making along the way.

10. Detroit Lions (5-3)

Calvin Johnson is on another planet. With his 329 yards receiving in last week's 31-30 win over the Dallas Cowboys, he showed he's still in a class by himself as far as NFL receivers go.

Coupled with the unprecedented poise Matthew Stafford showed during the game-winning drive and Reggie Bush's production, the Lions look as dangerous as ever.

11. San Diego Chargers (4-3)

It's going to be tough to compete in a division with the Broncos and Chiefs, but with the recent emergence of young receivers like Keenan Allen and Vincent Brown, the Chargers are looking like a different team.

12. Dallas Cowboys (4-4)

Cowboys fans are probably tired of the team's up-and-down fortunes so far in 2013 after years of mediocrity. There's no doubting the talent up and down the Dallas roster, but they're still capable of losing in epic fashion. 

13. Carolina Panthers (4-3)

Ron Rivera's team has taken on a defensive identity in 2013, ranking second in points allowed (13.7) and rushing (79.3) so far this season. Cam Newton is also being more efficient with the ball, scoring 15 touchdowns (12 passing, three rushing), while throwing five interceptions in seven contests.

14. New York Jets (4-4)

The Jets have alternated wins and losses so far this season, and it's been hard to know which team will show up on a given Sunday. On one hand, they've played the Patriots tough twice with one win to show for it. On the other, they've suffered big losses like last week's 49-9 defeat to the Bengals. But if there's one thing that's most impressive about the Jets, it's their run defense, which is tops in the league, allowing just 77.9 yards per game.

15. Chicago Bears (4-3)

The Bears looked loaded with Alshon Jeffery emerging alongside Brandon Marshall, Matt Forte and Martellus Bennett, but Jay Cutler's injury slows down the offense in a big way. Coupled with a injury-riddled defense, the Bears are going to be hard-pressed to keep up with the Packers in the NFC North.

16. Arizona Cardinals (4-4)

Rookie Andre Ellington's breakout, 15-carry, 154-yard performance bodes well for the future of the Cardinals. He had shown some nice potential as a change-of-pace back to start the year but might have taken the starting job away from Rashard Mendenhall with this 80-yard touchdown run:

Carson Palmer has still been largely inconsistent, but fans should be encouraged to hear that Larry Fitzgerald likely won't be traded before Tuesday's deadline, per Ryan Wilson of CBS Sports.

17. Oakland Raiders (3-4)

Terrelle Pryor has already made Matt Flynn a distant memory at quarterback for the Raiders in a span of a few weeks. He turned heads on the first play from scrimmage in the Week 8 win against the Steelers with this 93-yard touchdown run, the longest-ever for a quarterback:

With the 3-5 Eagles coming to town with their own dicey quarterback situation, a win and a 4-4 start to the season isn't out of the question for Oakland.

18. Baltimore Ravens (3-4)

Through eight weeks, it's clear the defense doesn't look the same as last year's Super Bowl squad without Ray Lewis and Ed Reed, but it still ranks 11th in scoring (21.1 points per game). Offensively, Ray Rice has essentially been missing in action all year, with his season high being 74 yards in Week 5 against the Miami Dolphins.

19. Cleveland Browns (3-5)

Cleveland raised some eyebrows by winning three straight games after trading away running back Trent Richardson but have fallen back to earth with three consecutive defeats against three teams with playoff aspirations—the Lions, Packers and Chiefs. But with upcoming games against the Ravens, Bengals and Steelers, the Browns and their middle-of-the-pack defense have a chance to make up some ground in the AFC North.

20 Tennessee Titans (3-4)

The Titans are also reeling off three straight losses to top notch teams—the Chiefs, Seahawks and 49ers. Jake Locker's return to the lineup in Week 7 is great for the offense, as he threw for a season-high 326 yards against San Francisco. Chris Johnson is still averaging 3.2 yards per carry and is on pace for just 837 yards this year, which would mark the first time in his six-year career when he wouldn't reach at least 1,000 yards.

21. Miami Dolphins (3-4)

Miami has lost four straight contests since getting off to a surprising 3-0 start. The offense still hasn't scored more than 27 points in any game this year with Ryan Tannehill under center, while the defense has been responsible for some second-half miscues that led to defeats in recent weeks.

22. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5)

The Eagles offense is suddenly reeling and without its top two quarterbacks for the time being. Nick Foles is out with a concussion while word out of Philadelphia is Michael Vick is expected to miss Sunday's contest in Oakland, per CSNPhilly.com. Rookie Matt Barkley has finished each of the last two games and thrown four interceptions with no touchdowns, with the team scoring just 10 points combined in those games. It doesn't look good for the Eagles going forward.

23. Buffalo Bills (3-5)

Buffalo was nearly down to its third quarterback last week against the Saints when Thad Lewis was knocked down early into the game. Despite staying on the ground for about a minute, Lewis returned, saving the team from going to third-stringer Jeff Tuel. Rookie starting quarterback EJ Manuel went down with a knee injury in Week 5 but is close to returning to practice, per Chris Brown of BuffaloBills.com. Just don't expect Lewis or Tuel to carry the Bills far in the AFC East in the meantime.

24. New York Giants (2-6)

It was only a matter of time before the Giants figured out how to win again. Big Blue has defeated the Vikings and Eagles in succession after losing six straight contests to start the year. The pass rush picked up with four sacks last week against Philadelphia, which is a good sign after it's been struggling all year.

25. St. Louis Rams (3-5)

The Rams were already limited on offense, but without starting quarterback Sam Bradford, their prospects look even more grim. Most of the offensive problems lie with the 28th-ranked rushing attack, where unproven Zac Stacy has taken on a featured back role in recent weeks.

26. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-5) 

The Steelers are still trying to find the form that has made them one of football's best franchises over the past decade. But it's going to be hard to do when you fall into 21-3 holes like they did in Oakland in Week 8, with Terrelle Pryor's 93-yard run standing out as the biggest blemish of them all.

27. Washington Redskins (2-5)

It's clear Robert Griffin III isn't as explosive this year coming off knee surgery, which is necessary with a defense as bad as the one Washington has. The Redskins need a powerful offense that can keep up with their defensive unit, which gives up 32.7 points per game, second-worst only to Jacksonville.

28. Atlanta Falcons (2-5)

The Falcons have suffered a mighty fall from grace after last year's NFC title game run. The offense is struggling to get anything going without injured receiver Julio Jones, and Steven Jackson (11 attempts, six yards) didn't help in his return during last week's 27-13 loss to Arizona.

29. Houston Texans (2-5)

It's official: Matt Schaub has lost his starting job to Case Keenum. Texans coach Gary Kubiak announced the change on Monday, saying it was based on performance, via the Texans Twitter account:

Right now, anybody is probably an upgrade over Schaub, who's made too many headlines with his affinity for throwing interceptions returned for touchdowns. The Texans are hoping Keenum is a spark for an offense that ranks 30th in points per game this year (17.4).

30. Minnesota Vikings (1-6)

Despite having Adrian Peterson in the backfield, the ineptitude at quarterback has been too much for the Vikings to overcome. The rotating trio of Matt Cassel, Christian Ponder and more recently Josh Freeman has led the team to just one victory. But the offense isn't the only thing to blame, as the defense also ranks 30th in points allowed (32.1 per game).

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-8)

Professional football in Florida has been the pits lately. Most expected the Jaguars to struggle mightily this year, and they've matched expectations by going winless and ranking dead last in scoring offense (10.8 points per game) and scoring defense (33.0 points allowed per game).

32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-7)

The only thing that makes the Buccaneers worse than that Jaguars is the massive disconnect in the locker room between coach Greg Schiano and his players, as recently detailed by Mike Silver of NFL.com. The writing is on the wall (and the billboards) for Schiano, who could be canned before season's end.