Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

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NFL Power Rankings (10/29/18)

1) Los Angeles Rams (8-0)
Last Week Ranking: 1
Last Game: beat Green Bay 29-27
Next Game: at New Orleans
Heads up plays by Todd Gurley and Aaron Donald's league leading 10th sack give Los Angeles a big win that maybe takes the sting of another Dodger World Series loss away. Maybe...

2) Kansas City Chiefs (7-1)
Last Week Ranking: 3
Last Game: beat Denver 30-23
Next Game: at Cleveland
The unstoppable Chiefs offense keeps rolling on and the defense also produced five sacks and two turnovers. Kansas City is 19-2 against division foes since 2015.

3) New Orleans Saints (6-1)
Last Week Ranking: 4
Last Game: beat Minnesota 30-20
Next Game: vs. L.A. Rams
With the Rams and Chiefs getting all of the headlines, the Saints may quietly be the most complete team in the NFL.

4) New England Patriots (6-2)
Last Week Ranking: 2
Last Game: beat Buffalo 25-6
Next Game: vs. Green Bay
It wasn't fun or even the least bit interesting to watch, but the Patriots found a way to win.

5) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2-1)
Last Week Ranking: 6
Last Game: beat Cleveland 33-18
Next Game: at Baltimore
The Steelers held a moment of silence before the game and coach Mike Tomlin began his post-game press conference acknowledging the tragic synagogue shooting in a Pittsburgh suburb close to his home.

6) Carolina Panthers (5-2)
Last Week Ranking: 9
Last Game: beat Baltimore 36-21
Next Game: vs. Tampa Bay
Carolina ran and passed all over the second ranked defense in football for 386 yards and didn't allow a sack.

7) Minnesota Vikings (4-3-1)
Last Week Ranking: 5
Last Game: lost to New Orleans 30-20
Next Game: vs. Detroit
Adam Thielen has his record eighth-straight 100 yard receiving game to start the season, but his costly fumble changed the game.

8) Los Angeles Chargers (5-2)
Last Week Ranking: 8
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: at Seattle
The Chargers second half schedule includes five division games and matchups against the Steelers, Ravens, and Bengals.

9) Washington Redskins (5-2)
Last Week Ranking: 10
Last Game: beat N.Y. Giants 20-13
Next Game: vs. Atlanta
It isn't pretty to watch, but Washington's old school formula of running the ball and playing solid defense can still work in today's high flying offenses.

10) Philadelphia Eagles (4-4)
Last Week Ranking: 12
Last Game: beat Jacksonville 24-18
Next Game: Bye Week
Carson Wentz didn't have a great game, but didn't one from him to be this week. The bye week couldn't come at a better time for the regrouping Eagles.

11) Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
Last Week Ranking: 13
Last Game: beat Detroit 28-14
Next Game: vs. L.A. Chargers
Quietly, Pete Carroll has done a nice job rebuilding the Seahawks on the fly.

12) Green Bay Packers (3-3-1)
Last Week Ranking: 7
Last Game: lost to L.A. Rams
Next Game: at New England
Ty Montgomery was told to take a knee just before the final kickoff. He took it out of the end zone and fumbled ultimately denying the best QB in football one last possession. Montgomery was already falling out of favor in Green Bay. I can't imagine this helped him any.

13) Chicago Bears (4-3)
Last Week Ranking: 14
Last Game: beat N.Y. Jets 24-10
Next Game: at Buffalo
No Khalil Mack, no problem. The Bears held the Jets to 207 total yards and just 3-14 on third downs.

14) Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
Last Week Ranking: 15
Last Game: beat Tampa Bay 37-34
Next Game: Bye Week
For once, I agree with Marvin Lewis. "I’m pleased that we won, not pleased how we played," he said. I don't know what this team really is at this moment, except 5-3.

15) Houston Texans (5-3)
Last Week Ranking: 16
Last Game: beat Miami 42-23
Next Game: at Denver
The surging Texans will have to continue without Deshaun Watson's favorite TD target Will Fuller V who is out for the season with a knee injury. In the eleven games the two have played together, they've scored eleven touchdowns.

16) Baltimore Ravens (4-4)
Last Week Ranking: 11
Last Game: lost to Carolina 36-21
Next Game: vs. Pittsburgh
The up and down Joe Flacco had another down performance that led to Lamar Jackson entering the game under center for more than just trick packages.

17) Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 20
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: vs. Tennessee (MNF)
A bye week means no silly quote from Jerry Jones, but former coach Jimmy Johnson thought that Jason Garrett's trip to the World Series, "sends the wrong message."

18) Atlanta Falcons (2-4)
Last Week Ranking: 19
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: at Washington
The Falcons odds at making the playoffs are down to 23 percent. They face conference games against Washington, Dallas, Green Bay and division games on the road against Carolina, New Orleans, and Tampa Bay.

19) Detroit Lions (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 17
Last Game: lost to Seattle 28-14
Next Game: at Minnesota
The only constant year after year with the Lions is paradoxically is their inconstancy. They have talent up and down their roster, but they can never seem to keep any kind of momentum.

20) Miami Dolphins (4-4)
Last Week Ranking: 18
Last Game: lost to Houston 42-23
Next Game: vs. N.Y. Jets
Miami is stuck with Ryan Tannehill and don't have an easy way to make the changes that they sorely need.

21) Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
Last Week Ranking: 27
Last Game: beat Oakland 42-28
Next Game: Bye Week
Future Hall of Famer Adam Vinatieri became the all time points leader in NFL history in the win against Oakland. His best play might not be his kick in the Tuck Game, but this tackle against Herschel Walker.

22) Denver Broncos (3-5)
Last Week Ranking: 21
Last Game: lost to Kansas City 30-23
Next Game: vs. Houston
Are the Broncos ready to start the rebuilding process?

23) Tennessee Titans (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 23
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: at Dallas (MNF)
The Titans rank only ahead of the lowly Bills and punchless Cardinals in total offense.

24) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 22
Last Game: lost to Cincinnati 37-34
Next Game: at Carolina
I think Jameis Winston's time with Tampa Bay should be up. He's shown glimmers of hope but it's been marred with questionable decisions on and off the field. And after the game, he offered this quote about getting benched in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick. "It was very humbling, but it's not about me. It's my fault that we were in that position.''

I don't know what he's saying here. Those four interceptions he threw were his fault. The ten interceptions he's thrown in just three and half games this season are his fault. His belief that he can make any throw at any time is his fault. And I'll bet, though I can't confirm it, DeSean Jackson's trade request could be as a result of Winston's poor play.

The Bucs should turn the reigns back over to Fitzpatrick for the rest of the season and look at bringing in a young QB in the draft in April. They actually lead the NFL in total yards (yes, ahead of the Rams and Chiefs) and have an outside shot in a difficult division. Jameis Winston has had his chance.

25) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5)
Last Week Ranking: 24
Last Game: lost to Philadelphia 24-18
Next Game: Bye Week
Four members of the Jaguars' secondary were detained after not paying a 50,000 pound bill ($64,000) on Saturday night before their game against the Eagles. It's this kind of undisciplined behavior that has plagued a once talent-laden Jacksonville team.

26) New York Jets (3-5)
Last Week Ranking: 26
Last Game: lost to Chicago 24-10
Next Game: at Miami
The Jets committed seven pre-snap penalties and the defense added two neutral-zone infractions. I hope Todd Bowles rented and didn't buy.

27) Cleveland Browns (2-5-1)
Last Week Ranking: 25
Last Game: lost to Pittsburgh 33-18
Next Game: vs. Kansas City
The Browns have fired head coach Hue Jackson and OC Todd Haley. It's amazing that Jackson lasted this long, but the biggest rift was apparently between him and Haley. Haley was given full autonomy, but as the Browns ranked 29th in a slew of offensive categories, Jackson wanted control back. Now, they're both gone. And the Factory of Sadness cranks its conveyor belts up yet again.

28) Arizona Cardinals (2-6)
Last Week Ranking: 30
Last Game: beat San Francisco 18-15
Next Game: Bye Week
New Cardinal OC Byron Leftwich had Josh Rosen throw more screens and got the passing game going, but Arizona's running game has yet to see a back reach 100 yards in a game.

29) Buffalo Bills (2-6)
Last Week Ranking: 28
Last Game: lost to New England 25-6
Next Game: vs. Chicago
Buffalo hung tough against New England...until the Bills did Bills-like things.

30) New York Giants (1-7)
Last Week Ranking: 28
Last Game: lost to Washington 20-13
Next Game: Bye Week
Eli Manning has already said that he will not waive his no trade clause.

31) San Francisco 49ers (1-7)
Last Week Ranking: 31
Last Game: lost to Arizona 18-15
Next Game: vs. Oakland (TNF)
Ladies and gentlemen, the 49ers' season in a nutshell.

32) Oakland Raiders (1-7)
Last Week Ranking: 32
Last Game: lost to Indianapolis 42-28
Next Game: at San Francisco (TNF)
The Thursday Night game pits the 1-7 Raiders at the 1-7 49ers in Santa Clara. Any chance the Warriors playing that night, please?