NFL Power Rankings Week 7
I’ve been doing these NFL power rankings for over 20 years.
I don’t know if I have ever seen a more parity-driven league.
Normally, by this point in the season it is pretty clear who the three or four best and the three or four worst teams in the NFL are. Opinions on the proper ranking of those teams may vary, but it is at least clear who the primary contenders are.
Not this season.
Through six weeks the field is wide open. Buffalo is currently the team with the shortest odds to win the Super Bowl and they are at a hefty +650. Green Bay (+700) and Kansas City (+700) are right behind them and there are only five teams (Detroit and Philadelphia are the others) that have odds of +1500 or better to win Super Bowl LX.
The next 16 teams all have odds between +1500 and +5500 to hoist the Lombardi Trophy and only 11 teams, or roughly one-third of the league, are really out of it at this point of the year.
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Here is Doc’s Sports NFL Power Rankings:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) – I don’t think I’ve ever had a .500 team at No. 1 in my Power Rankings after six games. Yet, who has played better than the Chiefs over the last four weeks? Kansas City has gotten better each week and is a couple fluke plays away from being on a four-game straight up and against the spread winning streak. They are getting additional help on offense (Rashee Rice) and they are facing a Raiders team they have beaten eight of the last nine times.
2. Detroit Lions (4-2) – Is the pendulum starting to swing the other way against the Lions at the window? Detroit is an exceptional 39-15 ATS in its last 54 games overall and Dan Campbell has been an ATM machine since taking the reins is in Motown. Sunday night’s loss at Kansas City snapped a four-game ATS winning streak and now we will see if the oddsmakers have finally gotten out ahead of the Lions.
3. Buffalo Bills (4-2) – Buffalo’s four wins this season have come against the Ravens, Jets, Dolphins and Saints, four teams that are a combined 3-21 straight up this season. The Bills have now lost the turnover battle in back-to-back games after winning it in an NFL-record 26 games in a row. This team enters its bye week with plenty of anxiety.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1) – Naturally, the minute I make a major wager on Emeka Egbuka to win the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award he gets injured the next game. The Gambling Gods are a fickle bunch. Tampa Bay went on the road and beat the Lions just last season, winning 20-16 as a 7.5-point underdog in Week 2. The Bucs are 15-6 ATS in their last 21 games as an underdog and 16-5 ATS in their last 21 games on the road.
5. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2) – Please don’t assume that just because I have the Eagles ranked this high that I am oblivious to their obvious problems. Where am I supposed to put them? For all the issues that this team has, one of the least talked about is their shaky secondary. If Quinyon Mitchell can’t go this week then the Eagles back end is suspect. Adoree Jackson and Kelee Ringo have both been awful this season. If Mitchell is out then those become Philly’s two top corners.
6. Los Angeles Rams (4-2) – The Rams shouldn’t feel good about that win over the Ravens. That game was a loser-off, with both teams competing to see which could be bigger loser for 60 minutes. L.A.’s 98.7 defensive yards per point is wholly unsustainable and I wouldn’t be surprised to see the Jaguars put some points on the board this week.
7. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1) – The Packers are 12-2 SU and 13-1 ATS in their last 14 games against NFC West opponents. They are 23-6 ATS in their last 29 games against NFC West foes. The look ahead line on this Arizona game was 1.5. But after Sunday’s results, and with Kyler Murray expected to miss this one, Green Bay has ballooned to a 6.5-point favorite.
8. Indianapolis Colts (5-1) – Anthony Richardson breaking his face in pregame warm-ups might be the most Anthony Richardson thing ever. Keep an eye on the Colts secondary this week. They couldn’t stop the Cardinals passing game and if Charvarius Ward, Kenny Moore and Jaylon Jones are all out again this week then that could mean big numbers for Justin Herbert and Co. The Colts are 5-16 ATS in their last 21 games against the Chargers.
9. Denver Broncos (3-3) – One hidden play completely changed that game Sunday morning. With 6:30 to go in the first half and Denver up 10-6, they were in New York territory on a 1st-and-10. Bo Nix scrambled, and instead of checking where the sticks were or diving forward – there was no defender within two yards of him – he went into a slide, short of the first down marker at the Jets 39. Denver got stuffed on second down, took back-to-back penalties to turn 3rd-and-1 into 3rd-and-15, and they eventually had to punt. A score there would’ve opened the floodgates in that game. Instead, they let the Jets hang around, all because Nix’s poor situational awareness.
10. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) – This offense is almost unwatchable because of their feeble offensive line. The Chargers went 2-for-7 in the red zone last week, scoring two touchdowns, kicking four field goals of 35 yards or shorter, and losing a fumble. The Chargers are not going to beat good teams and defenses with the offensive line as presently constituted. With games against the Vikings, Steelers and Jaguars coming over the next month this team desperately needs Joe Alt back healthy.
11. Seattle Seahawks (4-2) – Seattle has been a wreck at home, losing twice outright this year and going 3-10 ATS in their last 13 home games. They have been great as hosts on Monday Night Football, though, going 12-2 SU in their last 14 MNF home games.
12. San Francisco 49ers (4-2) – The 49ers are now just 8-19 ATS in their last 27 games and 4-11 ATS in their last 15. The 49ers are catching Atlanta in a letdown spot off the Falcons’ home upset win of Buffalo on Monday Night Football. San Francisco has lost three of its last four games against Atlanta, but the 49ers are 10-4 ATS in its last 14 home games against the Falcons.
13. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2) – The Jaguars are 7-6 SU in London, including one blowout loss (35-16) and one blowout win (32-16) last year. Jacksonville is 4-16 SU and 2-18 ATS in their last 20 games against teams from the NFC West.
14. Washington Commanders (3-2) – Jayden Daniels either throws the ball between 1-7 yards down the field or he sends all his receivers deep and then takes off running. His deep ball attempts (10) are No. 29 in football and his expected points added are No. 33. Also, Dan Quinn’s challenge and timeout usage on Monday were beyond questionable. He shouldn’t have been taking his timeouts on Chicago’s final drive. All he did was help the Bears get into field goal range.
15. Houston Texans (2-3) – I’m curious to see how this team looks coming out of the bye. They outscored their last two opponents by a combined 70-10 and appear to have settled on an offensive line. The Texans are 2-6 ATS in their last eight Monday Night Football games, including a home loss earlier this year against Tampa Bay.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1) – That was Aaron Rodgers’ best game of the season. His accuracy and timing were impeccable and he had a couple cheeky pitch and flip throws. This team isn’t as good as its record suggests and they have benefitted from a favorable schedule. However, they also haven’t played their best football yet either. Pittsburgh is just 4-10 SU in its last 14 Thursday night games. Mike Tomlin has not cracked the code for getting his teams prepared for these short-week affairs.
17. New England Patriots (4-2) – Mike Vrabel is definitely going to carry a chip on his shoulder into this week’s return to Tennessee. This will be their third straight week on the road, though, and over the last 20 years NFL teams have covered the number around 48 percent of the time in the third of three straight road games.
18. Atlanta Falcons (2-2) – Bijan Robinson's 170 set an Atlanta record for rushing yards in a primetime game (170) and became just the second player in NFL history to have at least 170 rushing yards and 60 receiving yards in a primetime game. Robinson's 822 scrimmages yards this season are the fourth-most by any player through five games in the Super Bowl era. Christian McCaffrey (2019), Barber (2004) and O.J. (1975) were the others to crack the 800 mark in five games.
19. Minnesota Vikings (3-2) – Guard Donovan Jackson, center Michael Jurgens, and right tackle Brian O’Neill are all practicing and could be in line to start on Sunday against Philadelphia. They also appear to be getting Andrew Van Ginkel back this week and fellow linebacker Blake Cashman may be activated this week as well. The Vikings desperately needed reinforcements and their bye week came at a great time.
20. Baltimore Ravens (1-5) – Baltimore’s offensive line was moving the pile in the running game last week, paving the way for 179 rushing yards and a dominating 37-23 time of possession advantage. They committed several back-breaking and drive-killing penalties, though, and it was an extremely sloppy game on that side of the ball.
21. Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1) – Last week, former Jets general managers and Dolphins EVP Mike Tannenbaum floated the idea of Dallas or Tampa Bay landing Maxx Crosby for 2nd and 4th round picks. The idea that Crosby would be available for just a 2 and a 4 is laughably absurd and that’s the reason that Tannenbaum is a media bobblehead talking about football rather than still being employed by an NFL team.
22. Chicago Bears (2-2) – “Win on Monday, lose on Sunday.” Chicago has been pretty good in the role of favorite, going 17-4 SU in their last 21 in that role and 5-1 ATS in their last six games laying points. I am skeptical of a team that has won three straight games outright as an underdog suddenly laying points. That said, Chicago is 11-3 ATS in its last 14 home games.
23. Arizona Cardinals (2-4) – I was at a wedding Saturday night for one of the member of Strike Point Sports. They had their Game of the Year on the Colts on Sunday. The football handicapper for SPS, Nolan Patrick, came up to me in the middle of the reception with a look of death on his face. “Kyler Murray is out tomorrow,” he said. “The Cardinals might win outright.” We both knew the minute that Murray – who is a loser – was declared out that Arizona was absolutely going to cover that spread last week. Brutal.
24. Cleveland Browns (1-5) – It doesn’t make any sense that as outstanding as this Browns defense has been – No. 2 total, No. 3 rush, No. 7 pass – they have been the worst red zone unit in the league. Cleveland is allowing touchdowns on 80 percent of opponents’ red zone trips. That’s a big part of the reason that they are No. 22 in points allowed this season. Cleveland’s wide receivers dropped way too many simple throws last week. Dillon Gabriel has been doing fine. He just needs a little help.
25. Carolina Panthers (3-3) – Do not buy into this team or Young. They played two of the worst defenses in football the last two weeks and could’ve lost both games. Carolina’s defense is still horrible, and they have allowed their opponents 9.1 yards per point over their last three games.
26. New Orleans Saints (1-5) – The red zone is killing the Saints. They are No. 26 in the league in red zone defense, allowing opponents to score on two-thirds of their attempts, and they are No. 29 in red zone offense, scoring on just 42 percent of their own opportunities. The Saints are 1-10 SU in their last 11 games but they have won eight straight against the Bears and are 4-1 SU and ATS in their last five games in Chicago.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4) – The Raiders should consider working Tre Tucker into the running game a bit as well as continuing to work him into the passing game. He is one of the only explosive players that this team has on offense and he looks to be peaking in his third year in the pros. The Raiders are 4-1 ATS in their last five games in Arrowhead but are just 2-10 SU in their last 12 road games versus the Chiefs.
28. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4) – No, the Bengals offense didn’t look any better with Joe Flacco at the helm. I don’t understand why Flacco is getting praise for his barely competent showing in his first start. Cincinnati’s first four drives ended with a trio of three-and-outs and a missed 67-yard field goal.
29. New York Giants (2-4) – My son came home on Monday and said the joke going around about the Giants is that, “You can’t spell ‘Cam Skattebo’ without CTE”. The guy is a hammer. Why was he in there logging meaningless carries in a 34-17 game with five minutes to play, though? Running backs only have so many carries in them. Why waste them and/or risk injury on your prized back? That’s what you have second- and third-string guys for.
30. Miami Dolphins (1-5) – The Dolphins have allowed an average of 6.8 yards per rush over their last three games, allowing Rico Dowdle and Kimani Vidal – not exactly Walter Payton and Barry Sanders – to combine for 330 yards on 41 carries (8.0 yards per rush) over the last two weeks. No amount of team meetings, even if guys did show up on time, are going to fix that.
31. Tennessee Titans (1-5) – Jeffrey Simmons and Maxx Crosby both deserve so much better. Simmons is amazing. And he is surrounded by absolute dreck. The Titans are now 4-19 ATS in their last 23 games and are 5-18 ATS in their last 23 home games.
32. New York Jets (0-6) – They had -10 total passing yards (after sack yardage is deducted from pass yards) and nearly won. Aaron Glenn looks so far out of his depth it isn’t funny. It has nothing to do with Justin Fields; Glenn does not look like he has a clue when it comes to in-game management. I’m sure his players love him. He’s a rah-rah guy. But there is no way he is ever going to succeed as a head coach and it is obvious after less than two months.
Robert Ferringo has posted seven of 10 winning football seasons, including last year thanks to an astounding +10,660 football run last season. Robert banked nearly +40,000 in profit between 2010-2019 for a 10-year average profit of nearly +4,000. He has earned 11 of 16 overall winning years and 69 of 114 winning months while also going 23-9 with his football futures rated 5.0+ and earning 16 of 19 winning Super Bowls. He is a member of the Football Writers Association of America and he is set for another amazing football season.
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