Three games ago the Patriots were 1-2 and facing questions about their offence. Now they’re cruising again — both on the field and up Sportsnet’s weekly power rankings.
This week, the voting panel includes editors Geoff Lowe and Craig Battle, as well as staff writers Donnovan Bennett and Mike Johnston.
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1. Los Angeles Rams
2018 record: 6-0
Last week: 1
Small picture: Todd Gurley outgained Jared Goff on Sunday 208 yards rushing to 201 yards passing on an equal number of attempts (28). Big picture: A one-two punch of road games in Seattle and Denver is no picnic, but the Rams escaped with two wins by a combined margin of victory of five points. They’ll take it. (CB)
2. New England Patriots
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 4
It’s crazy to think that a month ago we were concerned about the Patriots offence — Tom Brady and Friends are averaging more than 460 yards over their last three games and scoring nearly 40 points a contest. (GL)
3. New Orleans Saints
2018 record: 4-1
Last week: 3
Winners of four straight, the Saints are fresh off a bye week and set to test their elite offence against an imposing Ravens defence. New Orleans averages a league-best 36 points per game, while Baltimore is allowing the fewest at 12.8 points against per game. (MJ)
4. Kansas City Chiefs
2018 record: 5-1
Last week: 2
A 5-0 record masks a lot of things, like the fact that the Chiefs’ defence had been giving up 25.8 points per game even before surrendering 43 to the Patriots on Sunday. That said, they’re 5-1 and get four of their next five at home. This is still the easy favourite to win the AFC West. (CB)
5. Minnesota Vikings
2018 record: 3-2-1
Last week: 8
The Vikings were a favourite pick to represent the NFC in the Super Bowl, but after an up-and-down start they now have some ground to make up. The constant throughout has been Adam Thielen, who leads the league in catches and yards. (DB)
6. Baltimore Ravens
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 13
The Ravens set a franchise record with 11 sacks in their shut-out win over the Titans. That’s more sacks than San Francisco, Tampa, Miami, Atlanta, Oakland, Washington and the New York Giants have had all season. (DB)
7. Los Angeles Chargers
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 12
Their two losses have come against the Rams and Chiefs, but they’ve also yet to beat a good team. Still, the Browns have stuck within three against every other team on their schedule, and the Chargers drubbed them by 24 on Sunday. (CB)
8. Philadelphia Eagles
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 9
A last-second Week 3 win over the Giants kickstarted the Eagles’ nine-game win streak last season. Could a dominant Thursday night victory over Big Blue do the same in 2018? Philadelphia looked much better in many of the areas that had plagued them during their mini two-game skid. (GL)
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 record: 2-2-1
Last week: 10
James Conner is the fifth-leading rusher in the NFL. His seven touchdowns are only two fewer than Le’Veon Bell had all last year. If and when Bell returns the Steelers’ rushing attack could carry them. (DB)
10. Cincinnati Bengals
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 6
Another late loss in a big game gives legitimate reason to wonder if these are the same old Bengals. One thing that certainly hasn’t changed about them is the play of Vontaze Burfict, who — upon his return from suspension — is having three of his plays reviewed by the NFL league office. (DB)
11. Jacksonville Jaguars
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 5
Allowing 40 points to the Cowboys was unexpected and deflating. It’s also rather worrisome considering how much the offence has struggled over the past two weeks. This team is nothing if its defence doesn’t perform like a top-10 unit. (MJ)
12. Chicago Bears
2018 record: 3-2
Last week: 7
Bears fans have to be worried as Khalil Mack is having his ankle evaluated this week. He’ll be needed against the Patriots this weekend, especially after a crushing loss to the Miami Dolphins. (DB)
13. Green Bay Packers
2018 record: 3-2-1
Last week: 15
After missing five kicks in a loss to Detroit, Mason Crosby was the hero with a game-winning kick to beat the 49ers on Monday Night Football. The bye couldn’t come soon enough as the Packers hope to get Randall Cobb and Geronimo Allison back on the field and Aaron Rodgers out of the knee brace he’s been wearing since spraining his knee. (DB)
14. Carolina Panthers
2018 record: 3-2
Last week: 11
Carolina didn’t seem too refreshed after their Week 4 bye. Their powerful run game was ineffective in a loss to Washington as former Panthers star Josh Norman was a disruptive force. (MJ)
15. Miami Dolphins
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 16
An impressive comeback win for the Brock Osweiler-led Dolphins after trailing by as many as 11 in the second half. Albert Wilson has been a revelation in Miami, while Frank Gore continues to be a workhorse at age 35. (GL)
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16. Seattle Seahawks
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 18
The Seahawks are quietly winners of three of four heading into their bye week, which will give Russell Wilson some desperately needed time to rest his hamstring. (CB)
17. Tennessee Titans
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 14
The Titans are painfully inconsistent and perhaps the most frustrating team to watch on a week-to-week basis. They allowed 11 sacks and were shut out against the Ravens. It was an embarrassment. They do have a functional defence, which is the only thing keeping them in games. (MJ)
18. Washington
2018 record: 3-2
Last week: 22
Washington jumped out to an early lead against Carolina and held on for a big win, but until this team can put together a pair of solid games in a row, it’s hard to trust it. (GL)
19. Atlanta Falcons
2018 record: 2-4
Last week: 21
Injury-plagued Atlanta is 2-4 after beating the Bucs and has a favourable schedule over the next four weeks. If they’re not back up to .500 by their Week 12 matchup with the Saints (meaning they have to go a combined 3-1 against the Giants, Redskins, Browns and Cowboys) you can kiss their playoff chances goodbye. (MJ)
20. New York Jets
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 23
The Jets have strung together back-to-back impressive wins at home, getting it done with all three phases of the game. New York hosts Minnesota on Sunday in what will be a true measurement of where this team stands. (GL)
21. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 record: 2-3
Last week: 17
The Bucs are allowing an NFL-worst 34.6 points per game and were chewed up by a powerful Falcons offence. One casualty from the loss was defensive coordinator Mike Smith, who was fired following the game. Tampa has held an opponent to fewer than 30 points just once this season. (MJ)
22. Cleveland Browns
2018 record: 2-3-1
Last week: 19
The bad news is the Browns lead the NFL in drops. The good news is their next five games are against the five worst passing defences in the league. Add Baker Mayfield to your fantasy team because the Browns could go on a run and get above .500. (DB)
23. Houston Texans
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 25
Houston is one of five teams currently riding a win streak of three games or more. Impressive considering they started 0-3. There are still plenty of kinks to work out, but the Texans are tied at the top of the NFC South. They’ve allowed a league-high 65 QB hits and are second to the Browns in sacks allowed with 25, meaning they must do a better job protecting Deshaun Watson. (MJ)
24. Dallas Cowboys
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 27
Dak Prescott and Zeke Elliott will get plenty of praise coming out of this blowout of the Jaguars, and deservedly so, but the Cowboys defence has been underrated so far this season and will be the key to success for this team. (GL)
25. Denver Broncos
2018 record: 2-4
Last week: 20
Four losses in a row and quickly falling out of the playoff picture. Denver fans are ready to revolt over Case Keenum’s play, which — to be fair to them — hasn’t been good. (CB)
26. Detroit Lions
2018 record: 2-3
Last week: 24
Everybody thought the Lions would be last in the NFC North, which they are. However, nobody thought that after six weeks the Lions would be only a game out of first place in the NFC North, which they are. (DB)
27. Buffalo Bills
2018 record: 2-4
Last week: 26
What a heartbreaking way to lose a game the Bills defence dominated from start to finish. Now Josh Allen is week-to-week and Buffalo’s quarterback situation is even uglier. (GL)
28. New York Giants
2018 record: 1-5
Last week: 28
A woeful showing on primetime. Eli Manning looked awful, Odell Beckham quickly became a sideshow, and the defence was exposed. Saquon Barkley, on the other hand, was dominant, but that won’t be enough for the Giants this season. (GL)
29. Indianapolis Colts
2018 record: 1-5
Last week: 29
They need to run the ball! Andrew Luck is throwing it far too often. He’s on pace to make 768 pass attempts, which would break the record of 727 set by Matthew Stafford in 2012. On the bright side, Indianapolis’s 49.4 per cent third-down conversion rate is the best in the league. It’s a shame they aren’t very good on first or second down. (MJ)
30. Oakland Raiders
2018 record: 1-5
Last week: 30
After hanging 45 on the Browns in Week 4, the Raiders have scored just 13 points in the past two weeks. Derek Carr is miserable. This situation feels like it’s only begun to get ugly. (CB)
31. San Francisco 49ers
2018 record: 1-5
Last week: 32
A three-point loss on the road in Green Bay in a vacuum: not bad. But it took on a heartbreaking tone considering they had a seven-point lead at the two-minute warning. (CB)
32. Arizona Cardinals
2018 record: 1-5
Last week: 31
Soapbox time: No team without 1) decent pass protection and 2) playoff aspirations should be starting a rookie quarterback. Josh Rosen was pressured all game and sacked four times against the Vikings, and now gets the Broncos on short rest Thursday night. This won’t end well. (CB)
