NFL Power Rankings Week 7: 2018 Standings, Reaction for All Teams Post-MNF
October 16, 2018
The Los Angeles Rams are the best team in the National Football League, but the gap between Sean McVay's team and the rest of the league is shrinking a bit.
If the Rams resided in the AFC, they'd be far from a lock to advance to the Super Bowl, as New England and Kansas City have emerged as the top teams in that conference.
The NFC standings beneath the Rams are still a bit murky, but Green Bay and New Orleans lead a handful of teams that could pose a threat in the postseason.
Outside of the Rams in the NFC West, each of the division leaders holds a slim advantage entering Week 7, which is all we could ask for as football fans.
NFL Standings
AFC East
New England (4-2)
Miami (4-2)
New York Jets (3-3)
Buffalo (2-4)
AFC North
Cincinnati (4-2)
Baltimore (4-2)
Pittsburgh (3-2-1)
Cleveland (2-3-1)
AFC South
Tennessee (3-3)
Houston (3-3)
Jacksonville (3-3)
Indianapolis (1-5)
AFC West
Kansas City (5-1)
Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Denver (2-4)
Oakland (1-5)
NFC East
Washington (3-2)
Dallas (3-3)
Philadelphia (3-3)
New York Giants (1-5)
NFC North
Chicago (3-2)
Minnesota (3-2-1)
Green Bay (3-2-1)
Detroit (2-3)
NFC South
New Orleans (4-1)
Carolina (3-2)
Tampa Bay (2-3)
Atlanta (2-4)
NFC West
Los Angeles Rams (6-0)
Seattle (3-3)
San Francisco (1-5)
Arizona (1-5)
Power Rankings
1. Los Angeles Rams
2. New England
3. Kansas City
4. New Orleans
5. Los Angeles Chargers
6. Minnesota
7. Baltimore
8. Pittsburgh
9. Washington
10. Green Bay
11. Philadelphia
12. Carolina
13. Cincinnati
14. Miami
15. Seattle
16. Chicago
17. Dallas
18. Atlanta
19. Jacksonville
20. New York Jets
21. Detroit
22. Tennessee
23. Denver
24. San Francisco
25. Houston
26. Tampa Bay
27. Cleveland
28. Buffalo
29. Indianapolis
30. New York Giants
31. Arizona
32. Oakland
Rams Continue to Roll
The Rams once again benefited from a strong game out of Todd Gurley in their 23-20 win over the Denver Broncos.
Gurley recorded 208 rushing yards, which was seven more yards than Jared Goff threw for at altitude against the Rams' AFC West foe.
The Rams let the Broncos hang around late into the fourth quarter, but the final result wasn't at risk, as their defense silenced the Denver rushing attack by conceding 60 yards on the ground.
Goff, Gurley and Co. aren't blowing out opponents as they did in the first three weeks, but they're finding a way to win, no matter how slim the advantage.
The next five weeks present all sorts of hurdles for the Rams, as they visit San Francisco and New Orleans, host Green Bay and Seattle and take on Kansas City in Mexico City.
It would be a stunning accomplishment for the Rams to run the table in those five games to head into the bye week at 11-0.
The first objective during the upcoming five-game stretch is to secure the NFC West crown with wins over the 49ers and Seahawks.
The clashes with the Packers and Saints are playoff tests, and they'll give the Rams secondary two major tests dealing with Aaron Rodgers and Drew Brees.
Realistically, the Rams could head into Mexico City with a 9-1 mark, but it wouldn't be a surprise to see them as worse as 7-3.
And while beating the Chiefs would be a nice accomplishment, the two games that matter most to the Rams come against Green Bay and New Orleans since they serve as tests for the NFC playoffs.
Washington Rebounds with Impressive Home Win
Washington quietly pulled off one of Week 6's most impressive wins, as it got out to a fast start and fended off a late surge from Carolina.
The Redskins are the team in the NFC East no one is talking about, and they'll have an opportunity to make a statement against Dallas in Week 7.
The 23-17 home victory was important on a few fronts for Washington, as it retained a slight edge over Philadelphia in the NFC East standings and proved it could bounce back from a tough defeat on short rest.
Alex Smith was far from perfect in the pocket, but he threw for a pair of touchdowns and didn't turn the ball over, while the Washington defense intercepted Cam Newton once and forced two fumbles.
The victory handed Jay Gruden's team a confidence boost ahead of two straight NFC East clashes with the Cowboys and New York Giants.
Wins in both divisional contests will keep the Redskins in front of the surging Eagles and it will reinforce their status as one of the top 10 teams in the NFL.
Washington can put together a legitimate case for the division title because of its weak remaining schedule, but we'll learn a lot about it during the divisional games and a stretch of four road contests in five weeks that begins on Thanksgiving in Dallas.
Follow Joe on Twitter, @JTansey90.
Statistics obtained from ESPN.com.