NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Who Are the League's Best Road Warriors?

Three teams in the NFL are undefeated on the road, though one is just undefeated no matter where they play. Consistently winning while having the unfortunate position of being the away team is a strength few teams can boast—in fact, no team in the AFC is undefeated on the road.

But the three NFC teams that are—the Green Bay Packers, Detroit Lions and San Francisco 49ers—are also the three of the strongest in the league. The Packers have the singular distinction of being the only undefeated team in the league at 7-0, proving that they're just as dominant away from Lambeau as in it.

The San Francisco 49ers, one of the most surprisingly impressive teams of the 2011 season, are 3-0 on the road and 2-1 at home. Considering that their three road wins saw them travel to the Eastern Time Zone, a disorienting and difficult undertaking, it proves that the 'Niners aren't just road warriors, but legitimate contenders capable of beating practically any team.

The Detroit Lions at one time appeared capable of defeating all comers, especially with their impressively loud Ford Field hometown crowd behind them. However, they've lost two straight at home, but remain 3-0 on the road.

Detroit opened their season on the road, defeating the Tampa Bay Buccaneers in a close contest, and moved on to wins at Minnesota and Dallas. While that vaunted home-field advantage—a new-found vaunted advantage, at that—seems to have faded for the Lions as of late, their ability to pull out the road win certainly is an advantage in its own right.

The Lions travel to Denver to take on the Broncos in Week 8; while that's a difficult place for a visiting team, Detroit shouldn't have much trouble dispatching the Tim Tebow-led squad this Sunday.

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

*Subject to change, pending outcome of tonight's Ravens-Jaguars contest