NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Examining 2015 Season Before Thursday Night Football

It isn't easy to completely change a perception this deep into the season, but a number of teams accomplished this feat with big wins in Week 6.  

The Carolina Panthers might have had the most impressive performance with a road victory over the Seattle Seahawks. They went from a potentially lucky undefeated team to a real contender behind quarterback Cam Newton.

Still, with other undefeated teams also winning, the Panthers weren't even the top risers of the week. Here is a look at the full power rankings for Week 7 with a breakdown of the squads who changed their outlook the most in a good way.

Rank	Team	Record	Prev.
1	New England Patriots	5-0	1
2	Green Bay Packers	6-0	2
3	Cincinnati Bengals	6-0	3
4	Carolina Panthers	5-0	7
5	Denver Broncos	6-0	5
6	Atlanta Falcons	5-1	4
7	New York Jets	4-1	8
8	Pittsburgh Steelers	4-2	14
9	Arizona Cardinals	4-2	6
10	Philadelphia Eagles	3-3	16
11	St. Louis Rams	2-3	12
12	Buffalo Bills	3-3	11
13	Indianapolis Colts	3-3	9
14	Seattle Seahawks	2-4	10
15	Minnesota Vikings	3-2	18
16	San Diego Chargers	2-4	15
17	New York Giants	3-3	13
18	Dallas Cowboys	2-3	17
19	Oakland Raiders	2-3	19
20	Cleveland Browns	2-4	21
21	Miami Dolphins	2-3	28
22	New Orleans Saints	2-4	26
23	San Francisco 49ers	2-4	25
24	Chicago Bears	2-4	20
25	Washington Redskins	2-4	22
26	Baltimore Ravens	1-5	23
27	Detroit Lions	1-5	29
28	Tampa Bay Buccaneers	2-3	27
29	Houston Texans	2-4	31
30	Kansas City Chiefs	1-5	24
31	Tennessee Titans	1-4	30
32	Jacksonville Jaguars	1-5	32

Top Risers

Pittsburgh Steelers

Gregory Shamus/Getty Images

When Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger went down with a knee injury in Week 3, it seemed like the team's promising season was headed down the drain. It looked awful without its starting quarterback in Weeks 3 and 4 and was just 2-2 heading into a tough stretch.

However, the squad regrouped and found a way to get by with Michael Vick—and then Landry Jones—under center by relying on skill players like running back Le'Veon Bell. With the impressive return of wide receiver Martavis Bryant in Week 6, imagine how good the offense can be if Antonio Brown starts getting involved.

Most importantly, the defense has stepped up over the past few games, including a shutdown performance against the red-hot Arizona Cardinals offense. Linebacker James Harrison explained the team's mindset without Roethlisberger, per NFL Network's NFL HQ (via Kevin Patra of NFL.com):

"

To be honest with you, it really doesn't change anything that we do on defense. On defense we are supposed to go out there and pitch a shutout. I mean, that's what you are supposed to do on defense, prepare to go out there and stop offenses from scoring. So in the reality of things, if we go out there and do our jobs to perfection, there is no way we can lose a game.

"

The good news is Roethlisberger could be back soon, potentially as early as Week 7, per Ron Cook of the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. With the defense playing well and the offense capable of being a high-powered attack, the Steelers have a look of a legitimate contender.

Philadelphia Eagles

Rich Schultz/Getty Images

There are still obvious problems in Philadelphia, including relatively poor play from quarterback Sam Bradford. Despite that, the team has found a way to survive with two wins in a row to move into first place in the NFC East.

Reuben Frank of CSN Philly broke down how well the defense has played this year:

This includes just seven points allowed to the New York Giants in a dominant Monday night win. After allowing a touchdown on the opening drive, the Giants barely moved the ball the rest of the game.

Meanwhile, the run game is finally working like it was expected to with DeMarco Murray getting his first 100-yard rushing effort of the season. Ryan Mathews also had a strong day with 40 yards on nine carries.

If Bradford can simply avoid mistakes, not always an easy task for him, the Eagles can continue winning games. Considering it might only take eight or nine wins to take the NFC East, Philadelphia appears to be in good shape.

Miami Dolphins 

Mark Zaleski/Associated Press

Midseason coaching changes don't always lead to success, but Dan Campbell might be the difference for the Miami Dolphins this season.

The new coach took over for Joe Philbin and brought a new intensity and hard-nosed approach to the entire team. The difference can be explained in one sentence, as quoted by James Walker of ESPN.com:

Heading into the bye, the Dolphins looked as bad as anyone in the NFL. They lost three in a row, including two blowouts and the other to the struggling Jacksonville Jaguars. 

In Week 6, the squad came out and dominated the Tennessee Titans for a 38-10 victory. The defense was aggressive with six sacks while the offense once again utilized the run game, helping Lamar Miller finish with 113 yards on 19 carries. Fantasy owners certainly appreciated that one.

One win over a weak opponent won't necessarily turn around the season, but the Dolphins are definitely in much better shape than they were a week ago at this time.

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