Week 7 NFL Power Rankings

​Square Up Sports 
NFL Power Rankings (10/23/18)

1) Los Angeles Rams (7-0)
Last Week Ranking: 1
Last Game: beat San Francisco 39-10
​Next Game: vs. Green Bay
It's not just the high flying offense that's making headlines. Aaron Donald had four sacks, LB Cory Littleton blocked his fourth punt of the season, and the Rams scored 24 points on four turnovers.

2) New England Patriots (5-2)
Last Week Ranking: 2
Last Game: beat Chicago 38-31
Next Game: at Buffalo
In the latest "next man up" move paying dividends, the Patriots used a scheme of blockers to minimize Khalil Mack's effectiveness.

3) Kansas City Chiefs (6-1)
Last Week Ranking: 4
Last Game: beat Cincinnati 45-10
Next Game: vs. Denver
Another stunning performance by the Chiefs offense overshadowed the performance of their much maligned defense. They held a good Bengals offense to just 239 yards.

4) New Orleans Saints (5-1)
Last Week Ranking: 3
Last Game: beat Baltimore 24-23
Next Game: at Minnesota
Perhaps something special is happening in Louisiana. The Saints were 2-121 when trailing by 10 or more points in the fourth quarter on the road before their win against the Ravens.

5) Minnesota Vikings (4-2-1)
Last Week Ranking: 5
Last Game: beat N.Y. Jets 37-17
Next Game: vs. New Orleans
After a slow start, the Purple People Eaters are back to form. In the last three games, they've held their opponents to 4-for-32 on third down.

6) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2-1)
Last Week Ranking: 6
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: vs. Cleveland
The Steelers have historically been a better second half team under Mike Tomlin. They'll start with a rematch with the Browns.

7) Green Bay Packers (3-2-1)
Last Week Ranking: 7
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: at L.A. Rams
Green Bay's next five games are against teams with a 23-10-1 record. (Rams, Patriots, Seahawks, Dolphins, Vikings.)

8) Los Angeles Chargers (5-2)
Last Week Ranking: 8
Last Game: beat Tennessee 20-19
Next Game: Bye Week
Chargers will get Joey Bosa (foot) back on their defensive line and hopefully a healthy Melvin Gordon (hamstring) running the ball.

9) Carolina Panthers (4-2)
Last Week Ranking: 12
Last Game: beat Philadelphia 21-17
Next Game: vs. Baltimore
Carolina trailed 17-0 going into the fourth quarter. And then Cam Newton went 16 of 22 for 201 yards and two touchdowns in an impressive comeback win.

10) Washington Redskins (4-2)
Last Week Ranking: 17
Last Game: beat Dallas 20-17
Next Game: at N.Y. Giants
Washington has a run game with Adrian Peterson and a pretty solid defense. It's easy to overlook this team, but with those two elements, they can still win in this league.

11) Baltimore Ravens (4-3)
Last Week Ranking: 11
Last Game: lost to New Orleans 24-23
Next Game: at Carolina
The unimaginable happened to Justin Tucker. He missed a game tying extra point for the first time in 245 career attempts. To his credit, he stepped to the podium and faced the music.

12) Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 9
Last Game: lost to Carolina 21-17
Next Game: at Jacksonville
Doug Pederson claims the "pressure" is off the Eagles. I don't know if this is some kind of Jedi mind trick, but everyone on Philadelphia knows that just isn't true. If anything, the pressure is building.

13) Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
Last Week Ranking: 13
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: at Detroit
Their meat grinder of a schedule after their bye includes games against Detroit, both L.A. teams, Green Bay, and Carolina.

14) Chicago Bears (3-3)
Last Week Ranking: 14
Last Game: lost to New England 38-31
Next Game: vs. N.Y. Jets
It may have been in a loss, but Mitchell Trubisky's legs ruled the day.

15) Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)
Last Week Ranking: 10
Last Game: lost to Kansas City 45-10
Next Game: vs. Tampa Bay
Talk about your not-ready-for-prime-time-players, Bengals are 8-25 under Marvin Lewis under the lights. I've asked it again and again, WHY is he still coaching this franchise?

16) Houston Texans (4-3)
Last Week Ranking: 18
Last Game: beat Jacksonville 20-7
Next Game: vs. Miami (TNF)
J.J. Watt and Jadaveon Clowney spearhead a defense that has allowed 36 points in three games, but the story is the return of safety Andre Hal.

17) Detroit Lions (3-3)
Last Week Ranking: 19
Last Game: beat Miami 32-21
Next Game: Bye Week
Kerryon Johnson could be a dark horse pick for Rookie of the Year. Johnson has 444 rushing yards to lead all rookies.

18) Miami Dolphins (4-3)
Last Week Ranking: 16
Last Game: lost to Detroit 32-21
Next Game: at Houston (TNF)
The Dolphins lost wide receivers Albert Wilson and Kenny Stills to injury against the Lions. Is Dez Bryant an option?

19) Atlanta Falcons (2-4)
Last Week Ranking: 21
Last Game: beat N.Y. Giants 23-20
Next Game: Bye Week
Matt Ryan completed 31 of 39 passes for 379 yards with a touchdown, but has yet to throw a TD pass to Julio Jones.

20) Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 15
Last Game: lost to Washington 20-17
Next Game: Bye Week
Cowboys get Amari Cooper from the Raiders to bolster their receiving corps for a first round pick. It's a move that reeks of desperation from owner/GM/head coach/backup QB Jerry Jones.

21) Denver Broncos (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 24
Last Game: beat Arizona 45-10
Next Game: at Kansas City
Denver's defense racks up six sacks, three interceptions, and two touchdowns saving Vance Joseph's job...for now.

22) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3)
Last Week Ranking: 26
Last Game: beat Cleveland 26-23 in OT
Next Game: at Cincinnati
Tampa defense loses linebackers Kwon Alexander and Jack Cichy to knee injuries.

23) Tennessee Titans (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 23
Last Game: lost to L.A. Chargers 20-19
Next Game: Bye Week
I liked the gutsy call Mike Vrabel made at the end of their game. The play...not so much.

24) Jacksonville Jaguars (3-3)
Last Week Ranking: 20
Last Game: lost to Houston 20-7
Next Game: vs. Philadelphia
After Blake Bortles' mid game benching, can the Jags ever go back to him?

25) Cleveland Browns (2-4-1)
Last Week Ranking: 25
Last Game: lost to Tampa Bay 26-23 in OT
Next Game: at Pittsburgh
Browns played in their fourth overtime game this season. It's the return of the Kardiac Kids, only not as good.

26) New York Jets (3-4)
Last Week Ranking: 22
Last Game: lost to Minnesota 37-17
Next Game: at Chicago
The Jets managed just 22 yards of offense in the second and third quarters against the Vikings.

27) Indianapolis Colts (2-5)
Last Week Ranking: 30
Last Game: beat Buffalo 37-5
Next Game: at Oakland
Andrew Luck threw for four touchdowns, but they actually gained more yards on the ground (220) than in the air (156.)

28) New York Giants (1-5)
Last Week Ranking: 31
Last Game: lost to Atlanta 23-20
Next Game: vs. Washington
I never knew that 399 passing yards could be considered to be empty, but Eli Manning and the Giants offense found a way to make it so.

29) Buffalo Bills (2-5)
Last Week Ranking: 28
Last Game: lost to Indianapolis 37-5
Next Game: vs. New England
Buffalo quarterbacks this season have 12 interceptions to just three touchdown and have been sacked 26 times.

30) Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
Last Week Ranking: 27
Last Game: lost to Denver 45-10
Next Game: vs. San Francisco
Say goodbye to former offensive coordinator Mike McCoy. The Cardinals are last in total yards, last in rushing, 31st in passing, and 31st in points.

31) San Francisco 49ers (1-6)
Last Week Ranking: 29
Last Game: lost to L.A. Rams 39-10
Next Game: at Arizona
Here's the 49ers summed up in a 3:10 span against the Rams: lost fumble, gave up rushing touchdown, fumble, sack, punt blocked for safety.

32) Oakland Raiders (1-5)
Last Week Ranking: 32
Last Game: Bye Week
Next Game: vs. Indianapolis
Over the next two years, the Raiders will have five first-round selections in the NFL Draft as a result of all those trades they've made. Getting the picks is one thing, but getting good players from those picks is something this franchise hasn't done in...well, ever...