NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Predicting Post-Monday Night Football Standings

The Monday Night Football matchup between the San Francisco 49ers and St. Louis Rams will conclude this week’s action, but many football fans without a horse in the race are already focused on the Week 7 power rankings and where their teams stand.

While several elite teams were able to pull out much-needed victories, there were other franchises that struggled in key moments and were forced to settle for a loss.

Here is where every team stands heading into Week 7 of the 2014 NFL regular season.

32. Oakland Raiders

Another loss for the Oakland Raiders was a devastating blow for the franchise, but rookie quarterback Derek Carr showed glimpses of being a viable long-term starter during his four-touchdown performance.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

Sunday was the Jacksonville Jaguars' best chance at finally earning the first win of the season, but the team was unable to pull out the win against the lackluster Titans. It’s going to be a long season for the Jaguars.

30. St. Louis Rams

A Monday-night matchup against San Francisco is trouble for the St. Louis Rams. With St. Louis dealing with injuries, another loss to a division rival is likely. The schedule gets even tougher in Week 7 against Seattle.

Ann Heisenfelt/Associated Press

29. Minnesota Vikings

The return of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater was supposed to help guide the team to a win, but a 17-3 loss to Detroit is not what the franchise wanted. As much as fans want to blame the QB, the lack of designed plays to the team’s biggest playmakers was alarming.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

When the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are defeated, the team loses in glorious fashion. Just as it was beat by Atlanta earlier this season, Tampa Bay was dominated by Baltimore, 48-17. Allowing five passing touchdowns in the first quarter is never a good sign.

27. New York Jets

In the first half, the New York Jets stood toe-to-toe with the Broncos and looked like their equal on both sides of the ball. Unfortunately, Geno Smith is still the starting QB and Peyton Manning took the game over. New York lost, 31-17.

26. Washington Redskins

Since taking over for the injured Robert Griffin III, Kirk Cousins has been inconsistent, and the Washington Redskins will be happy to get their starter back eventually. In the meantime, the team is getting beat by everyone. Someone must step up and stop the bleeding.

25. Tennessee Titans

A win is a win for a team struggling as much as the Tennessee Titans, but there are few positives to take away from a victory over Jacksonville. The matchup between the Titans and the Jaguars was the ugliest game of Week 6.

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24. New York Giants

Many football fans went all-in on the New York Giants after the team found success over the last several weeks, but the franchise came crashing down to Earth on Sunday night. A loss to Philadelphia is a devastating blow for the team’s postseason hopes.

23. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins deserve immense credit for giving the Green Bay Packers all they could handle in Week 6, but Aaron Rodgers was able to lead his team back and hand Miami the toughest loss of the season thus far. If the Dolphins’ confidence wasn’t shaken before, it certainly is now.

22. Houston Texans

Teams that lose on Thursday Night Football are typically blown out, but the Houston Texans pushed Indianapolis to its limit. It was all for naught, though, as the team continues to struggle offensively in the most important moments.

21. Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons are arguably the most inconsistent team in the NFL. One week the team is dominating its opponents, and the next week the Falcons are utterly dominated by the Chicago Bears. Atlanta needs to find an identity fast.

20. Pittsburgh Steelers

Everyone was talking about how the Pittsburgh Steelers' high-powered offense was going to make up for the defensive inefficiencies, but Sunday’s loss to Cleveland was embarrassing. No facet of the game plan is working well right now.

19. Cleveland Browns

One of the biggest surprises of 2014 has been the performance of the Cleveland Browns. The team may not be ready for the postseason, but there is a true tenacity on the roster. The Browns will play spoiler in the AFC this season.

18. Chicago Bears

Beating a lackluster Atlanta team is a good start, but Chicago must carry the momentum into more important matchups with divisional foes and playoff-caliber teams. The Bears must beat Miami in Week 7.

17. Kansas City Chiefs

Injuries to top stars like Jamaal Charles and Eric Berry made the Week 6 bye perfect for the Kansas City Chiefs. With some rest and time to recover, the Chiefs will be looking for a strong second half of the season.

16. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills have all the tools on the roster to be a viable playoff contender, but the inability to find a serviceable quarterback is the team’s biggest issue. A favorable matchup against Minnesota could be Buffalo’s chance to find a rhythm.

15. Carolina Panthers

The vaunted Carolina Panthers defense has not lived up to expectations this season, and the slow start from quarterback Cam Newton has been a reason for the team’s struggles as well. Even with all of Carolina’s issues, the team still managed to tie Cincinnati on Sunday. At least it’s not a loss.

14. Detroit Lions

No Calvin Johnson, no Reggie Bush, no problem. The Detroit Lions were able to beat the lowly Vikings on Sunday, but the Week 7 meeting against the rested New Orleans Saints will be a true test of the Lions’ mettle.

13. Baltimore Ravens

Quarterback Joe Flacco had a touchdown party against Tampa Bay, throwing five in the first quarter. The Baltimore Ravens have a favorable matchup in Week 7 against the Atlanta Falcons, and Flacco will be looking to keep the party rolling.

12. New Orleans Saints

The New Orleans Saints are an enigma. With arguably one of the most talented rosters in the league, New Orleans should be a top contender in the NFC. In reality, inconsistency has plagued the franchise. Playing Detroit will be a true test for both organizations.

11. San Francisco 49ers

A meeting with the St. Louis Rams on Monday will be an ideal way to end the week of football, but all eyes will be on San Francisco as the 49ers continue to develop chemistry and attempt to return to elite postseason form.

10. Cincinnati Bengals

The Cincinnati Bengals needed a win over the Carolina Panthers to build confidence. After missing a last-second field goal, the two teams finished Week 6 tied. Cincinnati must be utterly disappointed by the opportunity the franchise let slip away.

9. New England Patriots

After a huge win against Cincinnati to quiet the doubters, the New England Patriots and quarterback Tom Brady won again in Week 6 in definitive fashion over Buffalo. It’s safe to say the Patriots are once again viable championship contenders.

8. Dallas Cowboys

Week-by-week, the Dallas Cowboys continue to climb the power rankings. Beating the Seattle Seahawks on the road is an incredible feat, but it is the team’s dedication to the run that could be the biggest key to success this season.

7. Green Bay Packers

There are still questions about consistency and reliability for the Green Bay Packers, but a hard-fought win over Miami on Sunday can build composure in the team. Green Bay pulled out the win, but the lessons learned in the matchup could be the biggest victory for the Packers.

6. Arizona Cardinals

Even with injuries on both sides of the ball, the Arizona Cardinals are still one of the most dangerous teams in the NFL. If the franchise can find a quarterback who can stay healthy, Arizona will be a legitimate postseason contender.

5. San Diego Chargers

A Week 6 matchup with the Oakland Raiders should have been easy, but the San Diego Chargers were forced to come back late in the game and steal the victory. Sometimes, the hard-fought wins are better for the long-term success of a team.

4. Indianapolis Colts

The Indianapolis Colts aren’t the best team in the league in any facet of the game, but the franchise has a roster full of team players. Even when the Colts are not playing well, quarterback Andrew Luck has the ability to lead Indianapolis to a victory.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles have won ugly this season, but the team utterly dominated the New York Giants Sunday night. While many fans are talking about the Dallas Cowboys as the cream of the NFC East crop, Philadelphia heads into the bye with just as much momentum.

2. Seattle Seahawks

Few fans expected the Dallas Cowboys to travel to Seattle and beat the Seahawks, but that’s exactly what happened. The St. Louis Rams are next on the schedule for Seattle, and that game could get very ugly.

1. Denver Broncos

With Seattle taking a loss to Dallas on Sunday, the Denver Broncos have once again slid into the top spot. The Jets played Denver tough in Week 6, but the Broncos came alive in the second half and dominated the game.

*Stats via NFL.com.

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