NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Latest 2014 Standings and Reaction for All 32 Teams

It's almost hard to believe we're headed into Week 8 of the 2014 NFL season already. It's been a wild ride to this point, and things are only about to increase in intensity, as division and playoff races begin to heat up.

The league's elite teams are starting to emerge, churning out decisive victory after decisive victory. We also have a pretty good idea of which teams will be in the running for the No. 1 draft pick in 2015. Then there's the issue of many hopeful playoff contenders attempting to fight and scratch their way up the ranks.

Through seven weeks of action, every NFL fan is left with this burning question: Where does my team rank as the season's midway mark nears? That's where power rankings come in. Based slightly on current records but more so on the on-field product currently delivered by all 32 franchises, here's a look at the league's pecking order heading into Week 8.

32. Oakland Raiders

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Following a loss to the Arizona Cardinals in Week 7, the Raiders are now the NFL's only winless team. The team's sixth consecutive defeat even led to some ribbing by Cardinals defensive end Darnell Dockett, via Mashable:

Rookie quarterback Derek Carr continues to be a light at the end of the tunnel for this struggling franchise; although, this team has plenty of holes to fill before it can truly become a contender.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers were given a week of rest in Week 7, and it was needed after the team was blown out by the Baltimore Ravens in Week 6. Tampa Bay's offense continues to struggle without a reliable quarterback at the helm, and its defense is allowing an average of 34 points per game. That's not a winning recipe.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Jacksonville finally notched a win against the Cleveland Browns thanks to some solid defense. However, this team will need to string together several of those performances before that can be considered as anything but an outlier.

One big cause for concern going forward must be the declining efficiency of rookie quarterback Blake Bortles, who threw three picks and earned a quarterback rating of 40.3 against Cleveland.

29. New York Jets

The Jets nearly pulled off a huge win against the New England Patriots, but a missed field goal sent the team home with another loss. Acquiring wide receiver Percy Harvin during the week was huge for this team, but New York still needs to see a great deal of improvement from quarterback Geno Smith or else Rex Ryan may be looking for a new job in 2015.

28. Tennessee Titans

Tennessee couldn't manage to defeat Colt McCoy's Washington Redskins. Let that statement marinate for a minute. Jake Locker continues to deal with injuries, Bishop Sankey hasn't looked as advertised and the Titans defense is allowing 371.6 yards per game. This team really needs a makeover.

27. Minnesota Vikings

The good news is rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater threw his first touchdown pass Sunday. The bad news is his lack of protection that has led to five interceptions over the past two games. Chris Tomasson of the St. Paul Pioneer Press tweeted some poor grades from Pro Football Focus following the game:

Minnesota hung tough with the Buffalo Bills in Week 7 but has a long way to go before wins will begin to accumulate.

26. Washington Redskins

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The Redskins are down to their third-string quarterback. McCoy actually looked good against the Titans, but can we really expect that to continue? The combination of a rotation under center on offense and a defense that has more holes than a slice of Swiss cheese doesn't bode well for the remainder of the season.

25. Atlanta Falcons

If injuries to this team's offensive line continue to pile up, it may have to start holding open auditions in the Atlanta metropolitan area. Matt Ryan has some great weapons at his disposal, but he has been given very little time to get the ball out of his hands. Making matters worse, the team's defense is giving up more than 412 yards and 28 points per game.

24. New Orleans Saints

The Saints continued their disappointing season Sunday with a loss to the Detroit Lions. There's plenty of talent on this team, and its 2-4 record may be the most befuddling of any franchise this season. Greg A. Bedard of Sports Illustrated tweeted his take on the team's woes:

Luckily, the NFC South looks pitiful through seven weeks, giving this team a chance to rebound.

23. Houston Texans

Houston suffered its third consecutive loss Monday to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The Texans' lack of playmakers is wildly apparent on both sides of the ball. The team relies far too heavily on J.J. Watt on defense and Arian Foster on offense. Despite big games from both of those players in Week 7, the team still didn't have enough firepower to beat an average team.

22. St. Louis Rams

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It took some trickery, but the Rams successfully handed the Seattle Seahawks their third loss of the season. Austin Davis continues to play some great football, and he's complemented by a three-headed attack out of the backfield. If the Rams can get it together on defense, they could be scary down the road.

21. Chicago Bears

The Bears couldn't get anything going against the Miami Dolphins, falling to 3-4 on the season and moving further away from the top of the NFC North. A lack of efficiency from quarterback Jay Cutler led to wide receiver Brandon Marshall calling out the signal-caller after the game, via NFL on ESPN:

When a locker room begins to break down, so does the team's chances of contending.

20. New York Giants

The Giants continued their downward spiral, losing to the Dallas Cowboys 31-21 in Week 7. Eli Manning played a great game, but New York's defense couldn't come close to stopping Tony Romo and Co. Two straight losses to division rivals shows this team isn't ready to compete with better teams just yet.

19. Cleveland Browns

Speaking of huge disappointments, what on earth happened to Cleveland on Sunday? Brian Hoyer and Co. could only muster 266 yards of offense and zero touchdowns against a terrible Jaguars defense. Making matters worse, the Browns allowed Denard Robinson to run all over them.

18. Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers took a step in the right direction Monday night, defeating the Texans. However, this team continues to be very inconsistent this season. A brutal loss to the Browns and a slim win over the Jaguars still hold this team back from climbing up the NFL's pecking order.

17. Seattle Seahawks

Let's just get this out there: The Seahawks are an average football team. In fact, since the team's Week 1 victory, it has allowed more points than it recorded. Now, at 3-3, odds of earning a playoff berth are dwindling for Seattle, via ESPN's Trey Wingo:

Something needs to happen fast, or this team's Super Bowl hangover could end its season earlier than previously anticipated.

16. Carolina Panthers

The inconsistency continues for this Panthers team. In Week 6, Cam Newton looked ready to take the NFL by storm; his Week 7 performance put a quick halt to that notion. Carolina's offense has trouble delivering on a weekly basis, and the team's once-vaunted defense is giving up 388.3 yards and 27.9 points per game. That's not conducive to another NFC South title.

15. Cincinnati Bengals

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The Bengals may be the most perplexing team in the league right now. After looking like one of the NFL's elite through three games, the team's defense has crumbled, allowing at least 27 points in the ensuing three contests. Making matters worse, the offense was completely out of sync on Sunday, totaling just 135 yards in a shutout loss.

14. Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City continues to improve. This well-rounded team showed efficiency across the board against the San Diego Chargers. Quarterback Alex Smith notched a 103.4 passer rating, Jamaal Charles totaled 105 yards of offense and Philip Rivers and Co. were held to just 251 total yards by the Chiefs defense.

13. Buffalo Bills

The Bills notched their fourth win of the season in Week 7, but it wasn't pretty. The team barely escaped the hapless Vikings, as a last-second touchdown pass from Kyle Orton to Sammy Watkins earned the win. Although, the team's backfield is suddenly barren after losing C.J. Spiller for the season due to a broken collarbone and Fred Jackson for a month with a groin injury, via Mike Rodak of ESPN.com.

12. Miami Dolphins

Nam Y. Huh/Associated Press

Ever since his starting status was questioned, quarterback Ryan Tannehill has been on fire. He delivered another nice performance Sunday against Chicago, tallying a 123.6 quarterback rating. Miami's defense continues to play well, allowing just 224 yards to the Bears offense. This team is getting hot at the right time.

11. San Francisco 49ers

So much for that heralded 49ers defense. This team had zero answer for Peyton Manning on Sunday night, allowing the veteran signal-caller to pass for 318 yards and four touchdowns, as the Broncos tallied 419 yards of offense in a blowout loss. Manning shared his thoughts on the 49ers defense after the game, via Eric Branch of the San Francisco Chronicle:

San Francisco looks great on paper, but it hasn't been able to put a good enough product on the field.

10. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers offense stumbled against the Chiefs in Week 7, and the team's defense was exploited for the second consecutive week. Now, San Diego has a short week before facing Manning and the Broncos on Thursday Night Football. Plenty of adjustments must be made quickly.

9. Detroit Lions

The Lions survived the visiting Saints despite the absence of All-Pro wide receiver Calvin Johnson. Matthew Stafford was clutch late in the game, throwing two touchdown passes with less than four minutes remaining to clinch the win. The defense was exploited by Drew Brees and the New Orleans passing attack but fared well against the run.

8. Arizona Cardinals

Ben Margot/Associated Press

Carson Palmer's return has been a blessing for this team. The Cardinals offense is showing the ability to be nicely balanced, featuring Palmer's arm and the legs of Andre Ellington. Defensively, the team is sound against the run but needs to improve against the pass before facing some very good quarterbacks over its next few games.

7. New England Patriots

New England notched another win in Week 7, but it wasn't a pretty one. The team allowed the Jets to hang around throughout the game, giving New York a chance for a last-second win. Tom Brady looks back in form, but the offense showed no signs of a viable running game without Stevan Ridley in the fold. This will need to change as the weather gets colder.

6. Baltimore Ravens

Joe Flacco came away with another solid showing Sunday. He's playing some great football this season, and the emergence of Justin Forsett out of the backfield to complement the quarterback has been a revelation. The team's defense is improved as well, and suddenly the AFC North looks like it's Baltimore's to lose.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

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Philadelphia was afforded a bye in Week 7 after dismantling the Giants one week prior. While the Eagles have a very good record, the team has been involved in several sloppy games.

Nick Foles must regain his consistency, LeSean McCoy must keep up his recent momentum and the team's defensive line must continue to apply pressure. These aspects will be pivotal if the Eagles are to keep up with Dallas in the NFC East.

4. Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers may be the NFL's hottest quarterback right now. He's thrown 18 touchdown passes and just one interception this season. ESPN Stats & Info elaborated on the signal-caller's numbers:

With their quarterback's ongoing hot hand, expect Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb to continue to feast on opposing secondaries. Green Bay's defense is giving up 21 points per game, and that's just fine considering the offense is now averaging 28.4.

3. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts made the Bengals look like a Pop Warner squad on Sunday. The Indianapolis defense held Cincinnati's offense to just 135 yards and zero points, while quarterback Andrew Luck picked apart the opposing defense, throwing for 344 yards and two scores. If this team can keep up this kind of momentum, it will be playing well after the regular season ends.

2. Denver Broncos

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Manning torched the San Francisco defense through the air Sunday night, while backup running back Ronnie Hillman was surprisingly good on the ground. Meanwhile, Denver's defense didn't provide any kind of room to the 49ers' vaunted rushing offense. The 42-17 blowout victory was an all-around team effort, and that's what makes the Broncos so scary.

1. Dallas Cowboys

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For yet another week, the Cowboys remain on top. Dallas continues to play solid football in all aspects of the game. Quarterback Tony Romo put together another efficient performance, finishing the game with a 135.7 passer rating. Running back DeMarco Murray set a new NFL record with his seventh straight 100-yard rushing game, and the team's defense forced two fumbles and held the Giants to three scores.

The Cowboys hold the league's best record at 6-1, and they've proved their ability to win games by both coming from behind and maintaining a lead. NFL Network's Gil Brandt tweeted an interesting fact regarding the team's nice start to the season:

Dallas hasn't seen the postseason since 2009, but that appears likely to change.