NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Baltimore Ravens Top List of Second-Rate Contenders

It's not uncommon for NFL contenders to lay an egg every now and again, but what we saw from the Baltimore Ravens on Monday night was something else entirely.

The best phrase I can use to describe Baltimore's 12-7 loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars is "epic fail," but even that doesn't seem to do it justice. It was worse than an epic fail.

Regardless of how the loss can be described, it became clear on Monday night that the Ravens should not be counted among the league's elite contenders. Until they redeem themselves, the Ravens should be considered to be more of a second-rate contender.

Hey, at least there are other second-rate contenders out there that can keep the Ravens company. Let's go ahead and count them down.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers (No. 18 overall)

The Buccaneers might be the most frustrating team in the league. They're either losing in embarrassing fashion, or they're pulling out a win over a team like the New Orleans Saints.

Inconsistency is definitely the Bucs' biggest problem, and I think it will ultimately doom them in the NFC South. Their loss to the Bucs notwithstanding, the Saints seem like the team to beat in the division, and the Atlanta Falcons are looking pretty good all of a sudden.

My guess is that things are going to play out the same way they did last year. The Saints and Falcons will finish on top of the division, with the Bucs just barely missing out on a playoff spot. They're not a bad team, but they're not good enough to keep up.

Chicago Bears (No. 15 overall)

Speaking of the Bears, it's hard to see them challenging the Detroit Lions in the NFC North, let alone the Green Bay Packers. The Bears don't stack up well against either team, and they don't stack up well against too many teams outside the division either.

In the end, I think the Bears will finish on the good side of 8-8. That just won't be good enough to get them anywhere near the playoffs.

New York Jets (No. 14 overall)

The Jets deserve all sorts of credit for coming back to beat the San Diego Chargers on Sunday, but the win doesn't change the fact that the Jets still have much to prove.

First and foremost, the Jets need to show that they can actually win on the road. All four of their wins have come at home, and they looked pretty darn bad in losing three straight on the road in Weeks 3 through 5.

If the Jets can't win at least a couple road games this season, it's hard to see them keeping up with the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East. They're a better team than the Jets right now.

Cincinnati Bengals (No. 13 overall)

I want to believe that the Bengals are as good as their 4-2 record indicates, but I just can't. They've pulled out some nifty wins this season, but the Bengals just don't pass the eye test.

I don't have any complaints to make about their defense, but I worry about Cincinnati's offense. Andy Dalton has done a good job in his rookie season, but you worry how he'll play when the Bengals come up against the tough defenses of the Baltimore Ravens and the Pittsburgh Steelers, neither of whom have played the Bengals yet.

If Dalton and the Bengals can't get it done in those games, they're going to fall out of the AFC North race.

Baltimore Ravens (No. 9 overall)

And now we come full circle. Seriously, what the heck did we see from the Ravens on Monday night?

It wasn't good, whatever it was. The Ravens were just fine defensively, but the offense looked like it didn't bother to do its homework with a piece-of-cake matchup against the Jaguars looming. Joe Flacco and friends should be embarrassed.

Now, in all fairness, I do think the Ravens can bounce back from this defeat. But the reason I have both them and the Bengals down as second-rate contenders is because I don't think a wild card berth is guaranteed for whoever finishes second in the AFC North.

The Bills could nab a wild card spot in the AFC East, and I think there's a legitimate chance that the other AFC wild card team will come out of the West, where there are also three teams in the mix.

This may seem like a long shot, but it's definitely a more reasonable possibility now than it was before the Ravens got embarrassed on Monday Night Football. If they don't shake it off and bounce back, they could very well find themselves on the outside looking in.

Zachary D. Rymer's Week 8 Power Rankings

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