NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Updated Standings, Predictions Before MNF

Sunday was an opportunity for several of the NFL's top teams to show why they are the best in the league this season.

The New Orleans Saints won their fifth straight game with Teddy Bridgewater at quarterback, beating the Chicago Bears on the road. The Green Bay Packers stayed hot, too, earning a home victory over the Oakland Raiders.

And don't forget the San Francisco 49ers, who continued their undefeated start with a 9-0 road win over the Washington Redskins that improved them to 6-0.

However, there's still one more Week 7 game to be played. The New England Patriots travel to take on the New York Jets in the second meeting between the AFC East rivals this season.

Predicting that the Patriots remain unbeaten with a win over the Jets (more on that below), here's a look at how the NFL power rankings would shape up heading into Week 8.

NFL Power Rankings Predictions

1. New England Patriots (7-0)

2. New Orleans Saints (6-1)

3. Green Bay Packers (6-1)

4. San Francisco 49ers (6-0)

5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)

6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

7. Buffalo Bills (5-1)

8. Seattle Seahawks (5-2)

9. Minnesota Vikings (5-2)

10. Carolina Panthers (4-2)

11. Dallas Cowboys (4-3)

12. Indianapolis Colts (4-2)

13. Los Angeles Rams (4-3)

14. Houston Texans (4-3)

15. Chicago Bears (3-3)

16. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)

17. Arizona Cardinals (3-3-1)

18. Detroit Lions (2-3-1)

19. Oakland Raiders (3-3)

20. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-4)

21. Tennessee Titans (3-4)

22. Cleveland Browns (2-4)

23. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4)

24. Denver Broncos (2-5)

25. Los Angeles Chargers (2-5)

26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4)

27. New York Giants (2-5)

28. New York Jets (1-5)

29. Atlanta Falcons (1-6)

30. Washington Redskins (1-6)

31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-7)

32. Miami Dolphins (0-6)

Monday Night Football Preview, Predictions

Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

The Patriots already beat the Jets once this season. Now, they'll try to do it again to improve to 7-0.

In Week 3, the Pats defeated the Jets 30-14 in Foxborough, Massachusetts. Although New York lost, it is one of only two teams to score 14 points against New England so far this year. The Giants also scored 14 against the Patriots last week.

The Jets are also a bit better than the last time they took on the Pats. New York is coming off its first win of the season, a 24-22 victory over Dallas last week, and Sam Darnold is back at quarterback after missing the Jets' first matchup against the Patriots due to a case of mono.

And because of that, New England isn't overlooking this matchup against its AFC East rival.

"Well, the quarterback makes a big difference," Patriots coach Bill Belichick said, according to the Associated Press (h/t ESPN.com). "They've gotten other players back on both sides of the ball. Coach [Adam] Gase had the bye week and probably had an opportunity to get some things reworked. That was obvious in the Dallas game that their execution and some of the things they were doing they were just more efficient at and looked better doing them."

However, don't expect the Patriots to suffer their first loss of the season this week.

New England is allowing only eight points per game, and its defense should have no trouble shutting down Darnold and New York. The Patriots will likely take an early lead, as they have done in most games this season, and never relinquish it.

Will the Pats go a perfect 16-0? It will be a challenge, as they have some difficult games ahead on their schedule, such as matchups against the Ravens, Cowboys, Texans and Chiefs. But for now, they'll continue this unbeaten start during a stretch of games against the Jets and Browns, a pair of teams that have been struggling this season.