NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Who is Eagles’ biggest challenge in NFC?

New-Orleans-Saints-quarterback-Drew-Brees

New Orleans Saints' Drew Brees looks to pass against the Carolina Panthers. (Bob Leverone/AP)

The Philadelphia Eagles have the best record in the league and are coming off a dominant win over the Denver Broncos.

But according to our expert panel, the battle for the “best team in the NFC” title is closer than you might think.

The New Orleans Saints are in the midst of a six-game winning streak (second in the NFL to the Eagles), and the Los Angeles Rams — yes, the Rams — have the best point differential in the league at plus-108.

Read on to find out how the trio fare in our latest NFL power rankings.

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As always, the panel includes editor Geoff Lowe, as well as staff writers Donnovan Bennett, Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.

1. Philadelphia Eagles

2017 record: 8-1
Previous: 1

The league’s No. 1 defence (yards allowed per game) put up little fight against Carson Wentz and the Eagles’ multi-faceted offence. Philadelphia gets a week off before a crucial Sunday night matchup on Nov. 19 against divisional rivals Dallas. (GL)

2. New England Patriots

2017 record: 6-2
Previous: 2

The Patriots padded their lead in the AFC East despite not taking the field, as the Bills fell to the Jets on Thursday night. New England kicks off their second half at home against the struggling Broncos. (GL)

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

2017 record: 6-2
Previous: 3

Martavis Bryant returns from the bye week as a starter for Pittsburgh. Already running away with the AFC North, the Steelers are the only team that can challenge New England for top spot in the conference. (DB)

4. Los Angeles Rams

2017 record: 6-2
Previous: 5

Jared Goff and the Rams picked apart the Giants, putting up 51 points on the struggling squad through the air and on the ground, thanks to Jared Goff’s four (!) touchdown passes and Todd Gurley’s pair of rushing TDs.

Strength of schedule is a factor here, but there’s no question this team is worth the hype. (ES)

5. New Orleans Saints

2017 record: 6-2
Previous: 9

This Saints team, winners of six straight, can do a bit of everything. With Drew Brees utilizing all his weapons he has once again worked his way into the MVP discussion. (MJ)

6. Minnesota Vikings

2017 record: 6-2
Previous: 6

In the final eight games of their season, the Vikings face only one team with a winning record. The NFC North is their division to lose. (DB)

7. Kansas City Chiefs

2017 record: 6-3
Previous: 4

Andy Reid’s offence is something special — we see you, Tyreek Hill — but the Cowboys kept Chiefs (mostly) contained Sunday and delivered Kansas City their third loss in four games.

If the division-leading Chiefs can tighten up their 26th-ranked defence, they’ll be a scary opponent down the stretch. (ES)

8. Carolina Panthers

2017 record: 6-3
Previous: 10

In their first game post-Kelvin Benjamin trade, the Panthers showed some creative looks and put up 201 yards on the ground against the Falcons. (MJ)

9. Dallas Cowboys

2017 record: 5-3
Previous: 11

Maybe the most impressive part of the Cowboys’ three-game winning streak has been the improvement on defence. In the first five games of the season, Dallas was giving nearly 340 yards per game and more than 26 points. The last three contests? Fewer than 300 yards and just 15 points per game. (GL)

10. Seattle Seahawks

2017 record: 5-3
Previous: 7

Expectations were heightened following the Seahawks’ thrilling win over the Texans in Week 8, but the late-game magic belonged to the Redskins this time around as they stole one in Seattle. Kicker Blair Walsh’s three missed field goals in the first half didn’t exactly help things, either. (ES)

11. Jacksonville Jaguars

2017 record: 5-3
Previous: 13

Even a last-minute decision not to dress star rookie Leonard Fournette due to a team policy violation wasn’t enough to derail the streaking Jags. Blake Bortles has done well limiting his mistakes and he should get another weapon, Dede Westbrook, added into the fold next week. (MJ)

12. Buffalo Bills

2017 record: 5-3
Previous: 8

Was Thursday night’s embarrassing loss just a blip on the Bills’ radar, or the beginning of an all-too-predictable second-half slip? Buffalo hosts a tough Saints squad Sunday with a chance to prove it was the latter. (GL)

13. Washington Redskins

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 14

Getting a victory in Seattle is never easy, let alone coming from behind to win in the final minute of the game thanks to a pair of dimes from Kirk Cousins. The win could turn out to be vital should Washington be fighting the Seahawks for a wild-card spot come December. (GL)

14. Detroit Lions

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 15

The Lions won in Lambeau for just the second time in 25 years. Their offence is taking form. Against Green Bay they were the first team this year to go a full game without a punt. (DB)

15. Tennessee Titans

2017 record: 5-3
Previous: 17

With five interceptions in the past two games, Kevin Byard now leads the league in that category and has been vital to the team’s current three-game winning streak. (MJ)

16. Oakland Raiders

2017 record: 4-5
Previous: 21

Just when we were ready to label them a disappointment, the Raiders came through with a big offensive game against the Dolphins on the Sunday Night stage. Derek Carr completed 21 of 30 passes for 300 yards and a touchdown, and Marshawn Lynch registered two touchdowns for his finest game as Raider.

With the win, Oakland hangs on to second in the AFC West going into the bye — but they’d better not lose that mojo, as Tom Brady and the Patriots await in Week 11. (ES)

17. Atlanta Falcons

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 18

The Falcons’ aversion to running the ball is beyond frustrating for anyone who follows this team. A wide open Julio Jones dropping what should’ve been an easy touchdown pass is symbolic of this team. They have everything needed to be successful but are dropping the ball literally and figuratively. (MJ)

18. Houston Texans

2017 record: 3-5
Previous: 12

Houston is simply not the same team without Deshaun Watson. The Colts allow close to 400 yards per game to their opponents but the Texans could only generate 288 yards of offence on Sunday. An upcoming matchup against the Rams will be a steep hill to climb. (MJ)

19. Denver Broncos

2017 record: 3-5
Previous: 16

Brock Osweiler got his first start with the Broncos since re-joining the club earlier this year. It didn’t go well.

The Broncos have become easy prey for opponents these past few weeks, and the Eagles feasted on Sunday to the tune of 51 points and two easy interceptions off Osweiler — though it probably should’ve been more — to hand Denver their fourth straight loss. With Osweiler getting the start again Sunday against the well-rested Patriots, odds are there will be a fifth. (ES)

20. Los Angeles Chargers

2017 record: 3-5
Previous: 19

The Patriots cooled off the Chargers’ hot streak in Week 8 and left them with plenty of homework on special teams over the bye week. On Sunday they’ll get a big test in Jacksonville against a defence that doesn’t deal many hall passes. (ES)

21. Baltimore Ravens

2017 record: 4-5
Previous: 20

Just nine weeks into the season and their playoff hopes are all but gone because of their putrid offence. The bye week comes at an opportune time for the banged-up Ravens. (DB)

22. Chicago Bears

2017 record: 3-5
Previous: 22

For the first time in a long time the Bears will go into their rivalry game with the Packers with the better quarterback. The key for this team, however, has been their running game. Jordan Howard is the fastest player in team history to record 10 100-yard rushing games. (DB)

23. Arizona Cardinals

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 25

It wasn’t pretty, but the Cardinals pulled out a win against the 49ers to stay afloat in the NFC West. Head coach Bruce Arians leaned on the run game, feeding Adrian Peterson a career-high 37 times and lightening the load on quarterback Drew Stanton. Suddenly, Thursday’s division matchup against Seattle has a whole lot of meaning. (ES)

24. New York Jets

2017 record: 4-5
Previous: 27

The Jets have surprised every football expert with their play so far this season, and Todd Bowles’ team only looks to be getting better. (GL)

25. Green Bay Packers

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 23

Brett Hundley has been underwhelming at best at quarterback. Green Bay has lost three straight since Aaron Rodgers was lost due to injury. (DB)

26. Miami Dolphins

2017 record: 4-4
Previous: 24

There were encouraging signs from the Dolphins on Monday
night, specifically on offence where Jay Cutler helped the unit to its best game of the season. Despite another tough loss, Miami is still very much in the wild-card picture. (GL)

27. Indianapolis Colts

2017 record: 3-6
Previous: 30

T.Y. Hilton broke loose against the Texans for his third game of the season with more than 150 receiving yards. The Colts held on for a key divisional win but don’t expect those same results against the Steelers in Week 10. (MJ)

28. Cincinnati Bengals

2017 record: 3-5
Previous: 27

The good news for the Bengals is that A.J. Green won’t be suspended for his fight with Jalen Ramsey. The bad news is they gave up 148 rushing yards and only scored seven points facing the Jaguars without Leonard Fournette. (DB)

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

2017 record: 2-6
Previous: 28

This team will be without Jameis Winston and his embarrassing pre-game pump-up speeches for at least the next several weeks. This team had so much promise but they are an immature and frustrated group as evidenced by that unnecessary melee on the sidelines. (MJ)

30. New York Giants

2017 record: 1-7
Previous: 29

The Giants were out of sync on offence and discombobulated on defence, especially in the secondary. The Rams scored often on New York Sunday, but this play summed the Giants’ 2017 season up nicely. (GL)

31. San Francisco 49ers

2017 record: 0-9
Previous: 31

This season is already a lost cause — the fans know it, and head coach Kyle Shanahan hinted at it, too, when he said he’s unsure he’ll play newly-acquired quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo at all this year. The 2018 season can’t come soon enough for San Francisco. (ES)

32. Cleveland Browns

2017 record: 0-8
Previous: 32

They couldn’t even trade for AJ McCarron properly without messing that up. Sashi Brown and his analytics staff are becoming the laughingstock of the league. (DB)

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