If the NFL isn’t careful, they may just wind up with a mass exodus to L.A., as the move has been going pretty darn well for the Rams and Chargers. The former remains the NFL’s lone undefeated team after a 39–10 beatdown of the hapless 49ers, and the latter is currently riding a four-game win streak.
The two teams are 12-2 combined, and, more importantly, both sit in the top six of our expert panel’s latest power rankings.
As always, the panel includes editor Geoff Lowe, as well as staff writers Donnovan Bennett, Mike Johnston and Emily Sadler.
1. Los Angeles Rams
2018 record: 7-0
Last week: 1
Try to find a flaw in the Rams, we’ll wait. The league’s only undefeated squad ran circles around the 49ers on Sunday thanks to a hat trick from running back Todd Gurley. (ES)
2. New England Patriots
2018 record: 5-2
Last week: 2
It came down to literal inches, but the Patriots got an unconventional, yet impressive win on the road and now sit by themselves atop the AFC East for the first time this season. (GL)
3. Kansas City Chiefs
2018 record: 6-1
Last week: 4
At this point, 300-yard passing games are just routine for Patrick Mahomes, who shone in the Sunday night spotlight yet again with four touchdown passes. Another reason for Chiefs fans to be excited: The normally porous defence gave up just 10 points, which is their best performance yet. (ES)
4. New Orleans Saints
2018 record: 5-1
Last week: 3
Drew Brees threw his 500th-career TD pass in a fourth-quarter come-from-behind victory over the Ravens. Did they directly benefit from Justin Tucker’s first career missed extra-point convert attempt? Sure, but any win over a top defence like Baltimore’s is impressive. New Orleans remains among the handful of true Super Bowl contenders. (MJ)
5. Minnesota Vikings
2018 record: 4-2-1
Last week: 5
With injuries to Tom Compton, Anthony Barr and Xavier Rhodes, don’t be surprised if Minnesota trades for Patrick Peterson to help bolster a surprisingly struggling defence. What has helped them is Adam Thielen has virtually the same stats through seven games (67 receptions, 822 yards, five TDs) as he did in his entire first year as a starter in 2016 (69 receptions 967 yards, five TDs). (DB)
6. Los Angeles Chargers
2018 record: 5-2
Last week: 7
After stumbling out of the gates, the Chargers have quietly won four straight games to keep pace with the Chiefs. A week of rest, plus the potential return of Joey Bosa, should have opponents keeping a close eye on L.A.’s other squad. (ES)
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
2018 record: 3-2-1; bye
Last week: 9
The Le’Veon Bell saga continues. He still has not reported to the team. The next potential return time for him is after the trade deadline. Despite all that they have jumped to first in the division by not playing during the bye week. (DB)
8. Baltimore Ravens
2018 record: 4-3
Last week: 6
The Saints scored 17 points in the fourth quarter against the Ravens on Sunday. Baltimore had allowed just 12 points in the second half (15 if you include overtime) in the six games before that combined. They are still giving up fewer than 300 yards and 17 points a game. (DB)
9. Carolina Panthers
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 14
Overcame a 17-point fourth-quarter deficit to score 21 unanswered against the defending Super Bowl champs. Luke Kuechly was his usual dominant self as the defence kept the game from getting out of reach before Cam Newton took over in the fourth. (MJ)
10. Chicago Bears
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 12
The Bears were just one yard short of beating the Patriots and their offence has played three straight great games. Despite an average record, Chicago has played stretches of dominant football. Only one time this season have the Bears not had at least a 10-point lead in a game. (DB)
11. Green Bay Packers
2018 record: 3-2-1; bye
Last week: 13
Green Bay gets rewarded coming off their bye with a date with the undefeated L.A. Rams. Despite his injury, Aaron Rodgers leads the NFL in pass plays over 50 yards and is planning to shed his knee brace after the bye. (DB)
12. Cincinnati Bengals
2018 record: 4-3
Last week: 10
We can stop debating if the Bengals are elite. The 35-point beatdown to the Chiefs exposed them. However, if the playoffs started today, they’d make it and have a road game against the Steelers. It’s destined to happen. (DB)
13. Houston Texans
2018 record: 4-3
Last week: 23
Jadeveon Clowney and Whitney Mercilus were forces off the edge as Houston stifled Jacksonville’s attack from all angles en route to a fourth consecutive win. The Texans will look to make it five in a row when they face Miami in the Thursday nighter. (MJ)
14. Washington
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 18
Based on his play this season, it’s shocking Adrian Peterson wasn’t signed until late August. The 33-year-old back has been the difference-maker on offence through six games, and is a big reason Washington leads the NFC East. (GL)
15. Philadelphia Eagles
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 8
The main difference between last year’s Eagles and this season’s version? Killer instinct. Philadelphia had no problem putting opponents away in 2017, but have let teams hang in games the Eagles have dominated. The result is a pair of blown double-digit fourth-quarter leads and a 3-4 record. (GL)
16. Seattle Seahawks
2018 record: 3-3; bye
Last week: 16
An easy win against the Raiders followed by a week off should have the Seahawks ready to set the tone early against the Lions this Sunday to see if they can break .500. (ES)
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17. Detroit Lions
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 26
The Lions have won two consecutive and three of the last four largely because of Matthew Stafford. Stafford has had a passer rating over 100 for five straight games — the longest streak in NFL history. He’s also passed Aaron Rodgers for seventh-most TD passes in his first 10 seasons with 228. (DB)
18. Miami Dolphins
2018 record: 4-2
Last week: 15
After a perfect 3-0 start, the Dolphins have come back down to earth with three loses in their last four games, and now travel to Houston on a short week for a Thursday Night Football clash. (GL)
19. Atlanta Falcons
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 19
Atlanta’s play-action offence was on fire Monday against an overmatched Giants team as Matt Ryan continued to be his efficient self, at one point completing 17 consecutive passes. The Falcons enter their bye week riding the momentum of a two-game winning streak. They’re not totally out of it yet. (MJ)
20. Tennessee Titans
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 17
A three-game losing streak is tough to digest, but full credit to head coach Mike Vrabel for testing his team’s mettle late against the Chargers in England. The Titans went for a two-point convert and the lead with 35 seconds remaining in the fourth instead of settling for an extra point to tie things up and play for overtime. Tennessee has scored more than 20 points in a game just once this season. (MJ)
21. Jacksonville Jaguars
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 11
The Jags haven’t looked anything like the team that advanced to the AFC Championship one season ago — especially not on their current three-game losing streak, during which they’ve been outscored 90–28. Blake Bortles remains the starter but he’s on a short leash with Cody Kessler getting some first-team reps. (MJ)
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
2018 record: 3-3
Last week: 21
The Bucs overcame four turnovers, three of which were courtesy of Jameis Winston, to beat the Browns in overtime to get back to .500. For all the flaws this team has, the passing attack is potent enough to keep them in most games. The defence suffered a big blow as linebacker Kwon Alexander sustained a torn ACL and is done for the year. (MJ)
23. Denver Broncos
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 25
The Broncos kept things close against the Chiefs the last time these two teams faced each other. Can the defence step up again this Sunday in the rematch? Their Week 8 performance will say a lot about where this club is headed the rest of the season. (ES)
24. New York Jets
2018 record: 3-4
Last week: 20
Sunday’s loss at home to Minnesota confirmed two suspicions we already had about the Jets: Sam Darnold has a lot of growing to do and New York has got a ways to go before it’ll be among the NFL’s contenders. (GL)
25. Cleveland Browns
2018 record: 2-4-1
Last week: 22
The Browns found a way to lose a late game once again. Part of the reason they struggle to win close games is their slow offensive starts. Cleveland has made just five red-zone trips in the first half of games all season. (DB)
26. Dallas Cowboys
2018 record: 3-4
Last week:
The acquisition of Amari Cooper fills a big hole for the Cowboys, but will it be enough to solve this team’s road woes? Dallas is 0-4 away from home, scoring less than 14 points per game on the road. (GL)
27. Indianapolis Colts
2018 record: 2-5
Last week:
A shellacking of Buffalo speaks more to how bad the Bills are than how good the Colts are. But a win’s a win. Andrew Luck needed to throw the ball only 23 times, an unusually low number for him this season, yet still managed four touchdowns. (MJ)
28. New York Giants
2018 record: 1-6
Last week:
The offensive line is this team’s biggest problem, yes, but the Giants got into the red zone with relative ease numerous times Monday night and did absolutely nothing inside the 20 until it was too late. That’s why they lost in Atlanta, and that’s a key factor in their 1-6 start. (GL)
29. Buffalo Bills
2018 record: 2-5
Last week:
The struggles on offence were expected to continue under Derek Anderson. The surprising thing about Sunday’s blowout loss in Indy was a defence that had been bullying opposing quarterbacks mustered just two hits on Andrew Luck and didn’t record a sack. (GL)
30. Oakland Raiders
2018 record: 1-5; bye
Last week:
Can we just get to the draft board, already? (ES)
31. San Francisco 49ers
2018 record: 1-6
Sunday’s scoreboard vs. the Rams was a scary sight for 49ers faithful — though not nearly as frightening as the club’s mile-long injury report. Fear not, though: They’ve got the Cardinals coming up on Sunday. (ES)
32. Arizona Cardinals
2018 record: 1-6
They’ve got just one win, and their best defensive player wants out. The race to the basement is on. (ES)
