NFL Power Rankings: Complete Standings After Thursday Night Football

The Minnesota Vikings were able to pull off the upset on Thursday Night Football, and the power rankings have been shaken up a bit after the surprising win.

After the Washington Redskins were able to go up 27-14 early in the second half, they allowed 20 unanswered points to the Vikings, losing after failing to convert on fourth down near the goal line.

With the crazy ending on Thursday night, let's take a look at the updated power rankings, breaking down all 32 teams.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

This is the easiest team to rank week in and week out.  The Jacksonville Jaguars are just plain bad.

The Jaguars have yet to score more than 20 points in any game, and now that James Blackmon is suspended once again, this offense is in even more trouble.  Chad Henne isn't going to lead this team anywhere, and it's already time for it to start looking toward the NFL draft.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

As the only other team without a win in the NFL, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers have to get the No. 31 spot in the latest rankings.  They were able to go up 21-0 over the Seattle Seahawks, but they still ended up losing in overtime.

Mike Glennon has actually been pretty good recently.  Over the past three games, he's thrown five touchdowns with zero interceptions, showing that he has the potential to be a solid quarterback in the NFL.

Still, the Buccaneers need to win games, or they will be looking at one of the worst records in the league this season.

30. Houston Texans

The losing streak for the Houston Texans has now reached six games, and they've already completely fallen out of the AFC playoff race.

Matt Schaub was a big reason for the team's struggles to start the year, but Case Keenum has filled in nicely, and the team still hasn't been able to win.  

J.J. Watt is still having a monster season, and the defense is playing very well.  However, things are starting to unravel a bit without Brian Cushing, and that could hurt them for the rest of the year.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers

Although they've been one of the most successful franchises over the past decade, the Pittsburgh Steelers are now last in the AFC North with a 2-6 record.

The entire team is showing signs of age, and it showed last week as the defense gave up 55 points to the New England Patriots.  Ben Roethlisberger is trying to carry the team, but the lack of a running game or an effective offensive line is keeping him from making as many plays as he has in previous seasons.

28. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings desperately needed that win after losing four straight games, and they got just that on Thursday night.

Adrian Peterson had yet another big game, running for 75 yards and two touchdowns.  It wasn't all good, however, as Christian Ponder was forced to leave the game with an apparent shoulder injury.  The team's official Twitter account confirmed the injury.

The loss of Ponder isn't huge, as the quarterback situation is still a mess for the Vikings.  Don't expect the Vikings to win many more games in 2013, but this was certainly one that the players needed.

27. Oakland Raiders

The Oakland Raiders certainly deserve some credit for exceeding expectations so far, but the team dropped back down a bit in this week's rankings after giving up seven passing touchdowns against the Philadelphia Eagles.

While Terrelle Pryor has provided a spark offensively, he's still struggling to hang onto the ball.  He's had just two total touchdowns and thrown seven interceptions over the past three games, and that has hurt this team.

Don't expect a huge season from the Raiders, although they certainly have a chance to pull out some nice wins for the rest of the year.

26. New York Giants

Eli Manning and the New York Giants finally got some momentum heading into their bye week, and they have a chance to win their third straight game this week against the Raiders.

The defense has certainly stepped up, allowing just 14 total points in the Giants' last two games.  After throwing 15 interceptions to start the year, Eli hasn't thrown an interception in the team's last two games.

Tom Coughlin always seems capable of pulling off big comebacks in the second half of the season, but this would be the biggest of them all if they could come back and win the NFC East.

25. Atlanta Falcons

At the beginning of the season, the Atlanta Falcons were a legitimate Super Bowl contender in the NFC.  Now, they're just 2-6 and have won one game in their last six.

Without Julio Jones and Roddy White, Matt Ryan has started to fall apart.  He's thrown seven interceptions over the past two games, and it's killed the team's chances of winning games.  Meanwhile, an inexperienced secondary and a banged up front seven have killed this team defensively, and the Falcons are now one of the worst teams in the league.

24. Washington Redskins

This was the perfect opportunity for the Redskins to grab their third win in their last four games, but they gave the game away.

Robert Griffin III had a terrific game for the Redskins, throwing for 281 yards and three touchdowns while adding another 44 rushing yards.  Alfred Morris was big again as well, running for 139 yards.

However, the Redskins can't win games if their defense keeps collapsing, and that's why they keep falling down the power rankings.

23. Buffalo Bills

It hasn't been a fun season for the Buffalo Bills, but things should finally start looking up this week.

Mike Rodak from ESPN.com reported that after missing the past few games, EJ Manuel should finally return to the starting lineup this Sunday against the Steelers.

With players like Manuel, Robert Woods, Kiko Alonso and Marquise Goodwin, this team has a lot of young pieces, but they need to start stringing together wins if they want to move back up the rankings.

22. Cleveland Browns

Brandon Weeden should officially be done after what we've seen from the other quarterbacks on the roster for the Cleveland Browns.

Jason Campbell has played very well in his two starts, throwing for 561 yards and five touchdowns with no interceptions.  He played in a close game against the Kansas City Chiefs, then came back and won a game against the Baltimore Ravens.

Still, the Browns are just 1-3 in their last four games, and they need to fix some things coming out of the bye week in order to pull out some more wins.

21. St. Louis Rams

Things just keep going from bad to worse for the St. Louis Rams.  Over the past three weeks, they've lost their starting quarterback for the season and lost all three games.

While the secondary has struggled defensively, the Rams still have two great pass-rushers in Robert Quinn and Chris Long, who have combined for 15.5 sacks this season.

Kellen Clemens isn't going to lead this team anywhere, and the rest of the season isn't looking too good.

20. Baltimore Ravens

Most people expected the Baltimore Ravens to struggle on defense this year after losing so many players on that side of the ball.  Instead, the offense hasn't been able to get anything going, and the team has now lost three straight games.

The Ravens are running for only 71.6 yards per game despite having Ray Rice and Bernard Pierce in the backfield.  To make matters worse, the team ranks last in the NFL with only 2.8 rushing yards per carry, and the offense isn't able to keep up with opposing teams.

19. Philadelphia Eagles

Nick Foles had a monster game against the Raiders, tying the NFL record with seven passing touchdowns in one game.  When Foles has started, the Eagles are 3-1, with the one loss coming after Foles left the game with a concussion.

For as explosive as the offense has been at times, the defense has seriously struggled, especially against the pass, where they rank last in the league, allowing 307.6 passing yards per game.  This team has struggled to be consistent, but it has the pieces to be successful.

18. San Diego Chargers

Much like the Eagles, the San Diego Chargers have struggled to stay consistent this season.

One player that has been consistent has been Philip Rivers, who is having a terrific season.  So far, he's completed 72.2 percent of his passes with 17 touchdowns and seven interceptions, posting a 106.5 passer rating.

Other playmakers like Eddie Royal and Danny Woodhead have made this an entertaining offense, but like so many teams in the NFL, the Chargers need to get better defensively in order to keep winning games.

17. Tennessee Titans

When Jake Locker is in the starting lineup, the Tennessee Titans are a legitimate football team in the AFC.

Locker is having the best season of his short career, and the Titans also have some of the best defensive backs in the league.  Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has Alterraun Verner and Jason McCourty as the second- and third-best cornerbacks in the league behind Darrelle Revis, showing just how well they've been playing.

They may be only 4-4, but looking at the remaining schedule, the Titans have a shot to win eight or nine games and make a run at a wild-card spot.

16. Arizona Cardinals

If the Arizona Cardinals weren't in the NFC West, they might have a shot to make a playoff run.  But with two playoff teams already in the division, it isn't likely that the Cardinals will be able to squeeze in.

Larry Fitzgerald is on his way to having a much better year than he did in 2012, with Carson Palmer throwing him the ball.  So far, Fitzgerald has 36 receptions for 470 yards and five touchdowns, showing that he's still got it.

Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu continue to give opposing quarterbacks nightmares, and this team has a pretty good shot at finishing with a winning record.

15. New York Jets

If the Eagles and Chargers have been inconsistent, then the New York Jets are the masters of inconsistency.

The Jets have yet to win or lose two consecutive games, looking great at times and terrible at others.  Geno Smith has been critical to the team's success, with a passer rating of 89.4 in wins and 51.7 in losses.

It's been a very confusing season, so we will have to see if the Jets can finally string together two wins after their bye week.

14. Miami Dolphins

While there is a ton of controversy surrounding the Miami Dolphins right now, they haven't played a game, so we can't drop them in this week's rankings.

The defense has been very solid this season, with Brent Grimes and Cameron Wake leading the way.  Ryan Tannehill has looked good at times, but we will have to see what he can do with the current state of his offensive line.

13. Dallas Cowboys

After posting two consecutive 8-8 seasons, the Dallas Cowboys are 5-4 and looking to do whatever it takes to finally have a winning season.

Tony Romo led a big game-winning drive against the Vikings last week, and he's had a solid season overall.  He's been helped a ton by Dez Bryant and Jason Witten, who have combined for 96 receptions, 1,210 yards and 12 touchdowns.

This team will have a big test on Sunday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints, and we should be able to get a good idea of just how good this team is.

12. Green Bay Packers

The Green Bay Packers may be 5-3, but things are not looking good, as Seneca Wallace will be the starting quarterback for the team for the near future.

Aaron Rodgers suffered a broken collarbone in the loss to the Chicago Bears, and according to Ian Rapoport from NFL.com, he could miss around four to six weeks.

Eddie Lacy and the ground game are going to have to take over, but they've been quite effective this season.  They run for 148.6 yards per game, and Lacy already has 596 yards and four touchdowns.

For now, the Packers stay at No. 12, but they could slide down the rankings quickly if they can't keep winning without Rodgers.

11. Chicago Bears

While the Packers lost their starting quarterback, it looks like the Bears are going to be getting theirs back.

According to Pro Football Talk, Jay Cutler has been cleared to play against the Detroit Lions.

The Bears were able to survive without Cutler, winning last week with Josh McCown under center.  Now, with Cutler back, they have a real shot at making a run in the NFC North while the Packers continue to deal with injuries.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals have looked good recently, winning four of their last five games.  However, the injuries on defense showed last week in the loss to the Dolphins, and this team could be in real trouble.

Both Leon Hall and Geno Atkins have season-ending injuries, and it's not going to be possible for the Bengals to replace either of them.  Meanwhile, Andy Dalton continues to be an incredibly inconsistent quarterback, throwing five touchdowns against the Jets, followed by three interceptions last week against Miami.

9. Carolina Panthers

The Carolina Panthers are the real deal in the NFC.  After starting the season with just a 1-3 record, they've now won four straight games by a combined score of 130-48.

Cam Newton keeps playing at a high level, scoring 10 total touchdowns and throwing just two interceptions during this win streak.  But the real reason the Panthers keep winning is their defense, which ranks second in the NFL, allowing just 13.3 points per game.

8. Detroit Lions

The fact that three of the last five teams on this list have been teams in the NFC North just shows you how tight this race is right now.

Currently, the Lions have got to be the most explosive team in their division, with Calvin Johnson and Matthew Stafford lighting it up through the air.  Meanwhile, they have two solid running backs in Reggie Bush and Joique Bell, who give the Lions a bit more balance than they had in 2012.

The defense may not be stellar, but as long as they can play decently well and Stafford keeps finding Johnson, the Lions won't have to worry much about defense.

7. New England Patriots

When Tom Brady has all of his weapons, the New England Patriots are a truly dangerous team.

We finally got to see what it was like with Brady having all of his weapons in sync last week, with the veteran quarterback throwing for 432 yards and four touchdowns.

With Rob Gronkowski and Danny Amendola back, this offense can do anything, and that makes the Patriots a real contender for a first-round bye in the AFC.

6. San Francisco 49ers

Five straight wins have the San Francisco 49ers back in business in the NFC West, scoring at least 31 points in each game.

The ground game has been terrific for the 49ers, leading the league with 153 rushing yards per game.  Frank Gore has put up 618 yards and seven touchdowns, while Colin Kaepernick has added another 294 yards and three scores of his own.

They're not the best team in the NFC West right now, but the 49ers are still a top-10 team.

5. New Orleans Saints

The offense for the New Orleans Saints looked quite vulnerable without Marques Colston and Darren Sproles, and while the team still has Drew Brees, he can't do everything by himself.

Jimmy Graham is playing through a foot injury yet still leads the NFL with 10 receiving touchdowns.  He keeps playing through the pain and continues to be the most reliable target for Brees.

Rob Ryan has helped turn things around with this defense, which was easily the worst in the NFL in 2012.  As long as it continues to make big stops, the offense should help it win games and keep the Saints in the Super Bowl race.

4. Seattle Seahawks

They may have nearly lost to the Buccaneers, but the Seattle Seahawks are still the best team in the NFC.

There are few teams that are as complete as the Seahawks.  They have an impressive defense that has the best secondary in the NFL, while the offense has two terrific skill players in Russell Wilson and Marshawn Lynch.

As if this team wasn't good enough, it should finally be getting Percy Harvin soon, and that will likely put it over the top.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Sure, the Indianapolis Colts lost to the Dolphins and Chargers, but with wins over the Seahawks, 49ers and Denver Broncos, this team is one of the best in the league.

With Reggie Wayne gone, we saw that T.Y. Hilton will likely be the player to step up, as he had 121 yards and three scores on seven receptions last week against the Texans.  Trent Richardson hasn't been able to have a good game yet, but Andrew Luck should have no problem leading the offense and pulling out some more wins as the season moves on.

2. Denver Broncos

Peyton Manning is leading what is easily the best offense in the NFL right now, putting up 42.9 points and 466.4 yards per game.  At his current pace, Manning is on pace to break the season records for passing touchdowns, passing yards and completion percentage.

Having Wes Welker, Eric Decker and Demaryius Thomas certainly doesn't hurt.

While the pass defense was struggling to start the season, it has started to turn things around now that Von Miller has returned, and that makes the Broncos even more dangerous.

However, the Broncos aren't the best team in the league, as that title belongs to another team in their own division.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

As the only undefeated team remaining in the NFL, the Kansas City Chiefs are without a doubt the best team in the league.

After winning just two games in 2012, the Chiefs have turned it completely around with the arrivals of Andy Reid and Alex Smith.  They also have the league's best defense, holding opponents to just 12.3 points per game.

From worst to first, the Chiefs are the real deal, but we will see if they can keep it going with some upcoming games against the Broncos.