NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Latest Outlook and 2014-15 Super Bowl Odds
The presence of parity, the "any given Sunday" adage that made its way to the silver screen and the microwaved age we live in tends to produce overreactions on a weekly basis in the NFL. That's what makes power rankings such a point of heated, constant debate.
Week 7 saw a number of surprise results, which may not have altered the actual standings as much as individual perceptions of all 32 teams.
With just one Monday night game remaining on the Week 7 schedule, it's now kosher to dive in and get a bead on where every pro football franchise stands at the approximate midpoint of the 2014 season.
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Here is the latest look from the bottom to the top of the current NFL hierarchy before Week 8 gets underway, in addition to the latest Super Bowl odds.
| Denver Broncos | 4-1 |
| Seattle Seahawks | 6-1 |
| New England Patriots | 9-1 |
| San Diego Chargers | 9-1 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 9-1 |
| Green Bay Packers | 11-1 |
| Dallas Cowboys | 12-1 |
| Indianapolis Colts | 16-1 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 16-1 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 20-1 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 25-1 |
| Baltimore Ravens | 25-1 |
| New Orleans Saints | 28-1 |
| Detroit Lions | 33-1 |
| Chicago Bears | 33-1 |
| Carolina Panthers | 40-1 |
| New York Giants | 50-1 |
| Cleveland Browns | 66-1 |
| Pittsburgh Steelers | 66-1 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 75-1 |
| Miami Dolphins | 100-1 |
| Houston Texans | 100-1 |
| Buffalo Bills | 100-1 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 100-1 |
| St. Louis Rams | 100-1 |
| Minnesota Vikings | 250-1 |
| Tennessee Titans | 500-1 |
| Washington Redskins | 500-1 |
| New York Jets | 1000-1 |
| Tampa Bay Buccanneers | 1000-1 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 3000-1 |
| Oakland Raiders | 3000-1 |
32. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)
This team doesn't do anything well. The good news is that the Minnesota Vikings come to Tampa in Week 8 and feature a porous offensive line and a rookie quarterback in Teddy Bridgewater.
It will be interesting to see how Bucs coach Lovie Smith prepares his team coming off a bye. Unless the rushing attack improves, though, Mike Glennon will be hard-pressed to carry Tampa Bay with his arm.
31. Oakland Raiders (0-6)
A near-upset of the Chargers in Week 6 and a contested battle with Arizona in Week 7 prevents Oakland from falling to the bottom of these power rankings. Derek Carr is showing signs of being a franchise QB, and a road excursion to Cleveland may result in the Raiders' first win next week.
30. Tennessee Titans (2-5)
A bad loss to Washington, which was led on a game-winning drive by third-string QB Colt McCoy, gives an indication as to where the Titans are at the moment. Signal-caller Jake Locker was out, but even with a capable, young supporting cast on offense, he hasn't been good when healthy.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)
The Cleveland Browns had competed in every game this season until Sunday, when Jacksonville engineered a 24-6 blowout. Jags rookie Blake Bortles continued his error-prone play with three interceptions, but the win will loom large with the defense and Bortles showing signs of progress.
28. Minnesota Vikings (2-5)
One bright spot is rookie Jerick McKinnon in the backfield, who racked up more than 100 yards on the ground in Week 7. McKinnon should be the foundation of the offense in the coming weeks, because Bridgewater has scant time to throw, and Minnesota must try to control the ball to have hopes of winning.
27. New York Jets (1-6)
A close call on Thursday Night Football saw Geno Smith give the Jets a shot to win on the road at New England. But until Smith shows he can cut out the turnovers, New York will continue losing on a regular basis.
The presence of newly acquired offensive playmaker Percy Harvin through a trade should help, though it remains to be seen how soon he can pick up the playbook and be integrated into the game plan.
26. Atlanta Falcons (2-5)
With a defense that ranks 30th in yards and points allowed and a lackluster running game, it doesn't much matter what Matt Ryan does under center. A regime change could be on the horizon if the Falcons perform as they have the past two games, where they have been outscored 56-20.
25. Washington Redskins (2-5)
Winning in Week 7 was huge for Washington, because it has to match up with Dallas on Monday Night Football next. The health of QB Robert Griffin III will determine how Washington fares, and it appears his outlook is improving, according to head coach Jay Gruden:
If Griffin can come back and engineer an upset over the NFC East-rival Cowboys, Washington's season may not be completely lost. The defense has played rather well under the circumstances of losing its franchise signal-caller.
24. St. Louis Rams (2-4)
Defeating Seattle on Sunday was a huge step for St. Louis. This Rams team is tougher than most realize, but Kansas City looms in Week 8 away from the Edward Jones Dome. A win at Arrowhead Stadium would inspire confidence to place the Rams higher in the next power rankings.
23. Cleveland Browns (3-3)
As huge as the win over Pittsburgh was, the letdown in Jacksonville was even more devastating. The Raiders come to FirstEnergy Stadium in Week 8, and if the Browns want any chance of shocking the world this year, they can't afford to drop two games in a row to 0-6 clubs.
22. Houston Texans (3-3)
As long as Arian Foster is carrying the rock and keeping J.J. Watt and the team's talented defenders fresh, Houston should be in the thick of most games. Monday night at Pittsburgh is a crossroads game that will set the tone for the second half of the Texans' 2014 campaign.
21. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)
Both Cleveland and Cincinnati lost this week, so the Steelers have to take care of business at home on Monday to gain crucial ground in the AFC North. With a Week 2 loss to Baltimore already hurting, Pittsburgh needs to beat the Texans before hosting Indianapolis and the Ravens in the next two contests.
20. Chicago Bears (3-4)
There is so much talent on this offense that it's hard to dismiss the Bears just yet. ESPN's RJ Bell hinted that fans should have seen Sunday's loss to Miami coming, as Jay Cutler turned in a frustrating performance:
Chicago will have to bear down in Week 8 to get back on track—on the road against New England, no less. Cutler can't afford a fifth multiple-turnover start of the season against the Pats, who are tied with Green Bay for the NFL lead with a plus-nine turnover margin.
19. Buffalo Bills (4-3)
The amount of weapons on offense and the league's No. 4 run defense gives Buffalo a shot to stay above .500. However, Jason La Canfora of CBSSports.com highlighted the damage in Sunday's Pyrrhic victory over Minnesota:
Taking on the Jets in Week 8 presents an excellent opportunity for Buffalo to stay in the thick of the AFC East chase, where the Patriots are, as is always the case until further notice, the front-runners.
18. New Orleans Saints (2-4)
Uncharacteristic, critical errors by Super Bowl MVP Drew Brees have contributed to the Saints' disappointing start. ESPN Stats & Info noted how perilous the road has been for the Saints:
"The worst feeling in professional sports is when you feel like you let your team down," said Brees afterwards, via NOLA.com's Katherine Terrell. "And that's the way I feel right now."
The Rob Ryan-directed defense is also underwhelming, but New Orleans gets Green Bay at home next, with a chance to secure a quality win and generate momentum in the friendly confines of the Superdome.
17. Carolina Panthers (3-3-1)
What's happened to Carolina's formerly elite defense? Luke Kuechly was ejected and Cam Newton was pulled amid Week 7's 38-10 loss at Green Bay. In the weak NFC South, the Panthers reign supreme, though it won't be for long if this form continues.
A showdown with the Seattle Seahawks awaits in Charlotte, against an opponent desperate for a victory off of two straight, surprising losses.
16. New York Giants (3-4)
The G-Men have either been tremendous or terrible in 2014. Sunday's battle on the road against the Cowboys didn't yield the desired result, yet it also showed New York can't be counted out. We'll find out more when the Giants take on a rolling Indianapolis team at home in Week 8.
15. Miami Dolphins (3-3)
So Ryan Tannehill might be a franchise quarterback after all. The third-year pro has elevated his play in the past three games, throwing for two scores in all of those contests. Director of AFC Football Communications Jon Zimmer highlighted Tannehill's stellar outing against Chicago at Soldier Field:
Traveling to Jacksonville in Week 8 should result in victory if the Dolphins are a true force to be reckoned with for the remainder of the year.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2-1)
It may be time to panic in Bengal country after a 27-0 loss at Indianapolis. The absence of A.J. Green was glaring, and Andy Dalton continued to struggle against quality opponents. That doesn't bode well for Cincinnati's playoff aspirations.
13. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)
Coach Andy Reid continued a tradition of post-bye excellence by defeating San Diego away from home. That at least gives K.C. the notion it can contend in the AFC West, but a wild-card berth is more likely. The key is avoiding a letdown in Week 8 when the Chiefs play host to St. Louis.
12. San Francisco 49ers (4-3)
It wouldn't be wise to penalize the Niners too much for getting blown out in Denver. Beating Peyton Manning in prime time isn't easy, especially with so many key players out of the defensive lineup. The Week 8 bye couldn't come at a better time for this beat-up San Francisco squad.
11. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
Losses to two of the NFL's best in San Diego and Dallas aren't anything to be ashamed of. Losing on the road to the lowly Rams, though, is a different matter. Marshawn Lynch hasn't gotten going, and the "Legion of Boom" secondary isn't playing at as high of a level for the defending Super Bowl champions.
The road doesn't get any easier for Seattle when it heads to Charlotte to battle the NFC South-leading Panthers. Two of last year's playoff teams are desperate to recapture some magic, so that will be among Week 8's marquee games.
10. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
They can't apologize for how their schedule has unfolded, but it is worth noting that the Ravens haven't beaten a team with a current winning record. Baltimore has something to do with that, of course. A Week 8 battle for clear AFC North supremacy is on deck in Cincinnati.
9. Arizona Cardinals (5-1)
Carson Palmer is playing at a high level in Bruce Arians' offense, and Andre Ellington is emerging as one of the premier backs in the league. Then there's this statistic to consider from NFL Network's Daniel Jeremiah:
The Cardinals must get better pressure on the opposing QB, especially with the Eagles looming on the schedule in Week 8. That rush defense creates a rather favorable matchup, though.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)
Shutting out the Giants in Week 6 looks all the more impressive considering how well New York played in Dallas. That keeps the Eagles among the league's elite. A road trip to Arizona will serve as a massive test. With an extra week to prepare, Philly needs to set the tone early with LeSean McCoy spearheading the ground game to stop the streaking Cardinals.
7. Detroit Lions (5-2)
Without Calvin Johnson and averaging less than three yards per carry, Detroit still held the Saints to 23 points on Sunday. That shows how terrifying the front seven is, and Golden Tate deserves credit for a game-changing, fourth-quarter TD that gave the Lions life late in Week 7 to improve their record.
6. New England Patriots (5-2)
Rumors of Tom Brady's demise were egregiously exaggerated, evidently. Brady has the Pats offense humming as usual. Now New England will have had a few days in hand from Thursday's win to brace for a visit from the Bears.
5. Indianapolis Colts (5-2)
Andrew Luck is living up to the hype as Peyton Manning's successor in Indianapolis. Comparisons will always persist, and the two are tied for the NFL lead with 19 TD passes. Check this out from the Los Angeles Times' Sam Farmer, too:
The Colts defense also stepped up to keep the Bengals off the scoreboard. This is a combination that could see Indy run away with the AFC South and on the path to a first-round postseason bye.
4. San Diego Chargers (5-2)
The Chiefs played ball control in brilliant fashion to keep the Philip Rivers-led Chargers offense out of rhythm. Another huge game is in a few short days at Denver, so coach Mike McCoy will have to get his team up to speed on the short week, which threatens to thwart all the positivity San Diego sparked en route to a 5-1 beginning.
3. Green Bay Packers (5-2)
Quarterback Aaron Rodgers may be having a career year, and the defense is finally jelling together. The Lions are proving to be tough competition atop the NFC North, making Sunday night's showdown in New Orleans all the more important.
2. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)
A gritty offensive line, an historic start to the year for DeMarco Murray, a revitalized Tony Romo and a far better than expected defense have Dallas as the current team to beat in the NFC. The NFL on ESPN alluded to just how exceptional Murray has been behind a bevy of bruising blockers:
Hosting Washington in Week 8 at home on Monday night gives the Cowboys the inside track to go a game up in the loss column against Philadelphia.
1. Denver Broncos (5-1)
Peyton Manning set the all-time TD passing record on Sunday. Running back Ronnie Hillman has also burst onto the scene over the past two weeks. That balance, with Manning at the controls, pushes Denver past Dallas for the No. 1 power-ranking spot.
There is a little bit more star power on the Broncos defense, which has benefited from the addition of cornerback Aqib Talib and Von Miller's swift recovery from a major knee injury. It's hard to imagine a bigger potential Super Bowl matchup than Manning going for a second title against America's Team.
Plenty of football is still to be played, though, and a slip-up by any of the top teams could lead to a dynamic shift in the next power rankings. With almost half a season's sample size to draw from, the real, significant games are just getting underway, but the Broncos appear to be the clear Super Bowl favorites at the moment.
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