NFL Power Rankings: Why Saints Deserve Higher Ranking Than Ravens and Patriots

Right now, the New Orleans Saints are the second-best team in football.

We all know Green Bay is No. 1, but no team is playing better right now than Drew Brees and the Saints. That includes the Ravens and the Patriots.

Their 62-7 massacre over the Colts was historic, but that doesn’t give you the whole story of the offense.

The 239 points are No. 1 in the NFL, nine more than the Packers and 45 more than the third-place Lions.

Brees is playing out of his mind and is doing things that have rarely been seen in the history of the NFL. He already has amassed 2,477 yards, 18 TDs and an absurd 71 percent completion percentage.

Quietly, the defense continues to improve. Since the opening week loss to Green Bay, the Saints have given up 13 points or fewer three times. They are 16^th against the pass (233.6 YPG) and 15th against the rush (115 YPG).

Not outstanding, but when you lead the league in scoring it’s more than acceptable.

Conversely, the Patriots and Ravens are much more flawed teams.

Sure, the Pats offense is just as potent, ranking No. 1 overall in passing yards per game (350), but they also have the absolute worst secondary in the league, allowing over 322 YPG via the air.

This is with a schedule that has yet to see an elite QB. I can only imagine what happens if Brees were able to play this team.

That’s the difference, the Saints can go point-for-point with the Pats, but the defense is capable of some-what limiting Tom Brady and Co.

New England has absolutely no answers for Brees and his entourage of productive receivers and running backs.

A great matchup would be Brees against the vaunted Ravens defense. A top-four unit in the NFL, nobody enjoys playing Ray Lewis, Ed Reed and the rest of the crew. The chess matchup would be great theatrics.

Yet the Ravens offense is the problem here. With complete stink-bomb performances against the Titans, Jets and Jaguars this season, it almost seems as if third-year QB Joe Flacco is regressing.

They go through incredibly long periods of futility that puts all of the pressure on the defense.

This isn’t a recipe for any sort of long-term success in the playoffs.

The Saints have such incredible depth at receiver and running back, and a veteran defense that is extremely well coached, with a home-field advantage like no other in the league.

Add it up and I’m beginning to think that the opening night Saints vs. Packers game was a preview of the NFC Championship.  

In Week 8, the Saints are clearly the second-best team in the league. 

Eric Ball’s Week 8 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. New England Patriots

4. Baltimore Ravens 

5. San Francisco 49ers

6. San Diego Chargers

7. Pittsburgh Steelers

8. Detroit Lions

9. Buffalo Bills

10. New York Giants

11. Cincinnati Bengals

12. Chicago Bears

13. New York Jets

14. Atlanta Falcons

15. Houston Texans

16. Washington Redskins

17. Oakland Raiders

18. Dallas Cowboys

19. Tennessee Titans

20. Philadelphia Eagles

21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

22. Seattle Seahawks

23. Cleveland Browns

24. Kansas City Chiefs

25. Denver Broncos

26. Jacksonville Jaguars

27. Carolina Panthers

28. Minnesota Vikings

29. Arizona Cardinals

30. Indianapolis Colts

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Miami Dolphins