1. Arizona Cardinals (7-0) Last Week: 1
The Cardinals did what was expected of them and took care of business against a bad Texans team on Sunday. Kyler Murray had three touchdown passes, DeAndre Hopkins had 7 catches, and the two back system for Arizona is getting better and better as Chase Edmonds rand for 81 yards and James Conner went for 64 yards and a touchdown in the 31-5 victory over Houston.
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1)
Last Week: 2
Without Rob Gronkowski and Antonio Brown, many expected the Bucs homestand against the Bears to be a little tougher than it was. But Chris Godwin had 111 receiving yards and Mike Evans found the endzone twice. Tampa Bay has the best receiving corps in the league being thrown to by the goat, who threw his 600th career touchdown on Sunday.
3. Los Angeles Rams (6-1)
Last Week: 3
Matt Stafford’s first game against Detroit wasn’t the blowout that it was set up to be, but the Rams still found a way to win. Stafford threw three touchdowns and Cooper Kupp went crazy again: catching the ball ten times for 156 yards and finding the endzone twice.
4. Buffalo Bills (4-2) Last Week: 5
Josh Allen’s slip-and-fall at the end of the game on fourth down against a Titans team that they’re better than has time to marinate over the bye week for Buffalo. But brighter days are ahead as they take on a struggling Dolphins team at home next week where they’re 14 point favorites.
5. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)
Last Week: 6
Dallas should be feeling pretty good during their bye after going 5-1 in their first six games. The only worry for the Cowboys is Dak Prescott's calf injury as they get set to take on the Vikings on Sunday Night Football.
6. Green Bay Packers (6-1) Last Week: 7
The Packers have been exceptional since losing their opener against the Saints, going 6-0. But their matchup against the Football Team wasn’t exactly impressive as they allowed Washington to gain over 100 more yards. That being said, they found a way to win and that’s what good teams do.
7. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
Last Week: 11
The Cincinnati Bengals shoot up to first in the AFC, a conference with a lot of pardity right now. Cincinnati was looking for a statement win and they got just that, crushing the Ravens 41-17 in Baltimore. Joe Burrow threw for 416 yards and three touchdowns while Ja’Marr Chase continues to prove why he is OROY with 201 yards and a trip to the endzone.
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) Last Week: 4
After picking up a big blowout win against the Chargers last week, the Ravens feel what it’s like to be on the other side. Lamar Jackson was contained pretty well by the Bengals, but still threw for 257 yards and picked up 88 on the ground. Baltimore is in trouble if nobody can step up to give this man some help.
9. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
Last Week: 8
The Chargers have had some time to sit on their huge loss against the Ravens with a bye week this week. We’ll see how well they can bounce back when they host the Patriots on Sunday.
10. Cleveland Browns (4-3)
Last Week: 10
It wasn’t pretty, but the Browns found a way to win at home without Nick Chubb, Kareem Hunt, and Baker Mayfield. Case Keenum played a fine game but the win really was thanks to D’Ernest Johnson, who had three career carries before Thursday night. Johnson ran for 146 yards and a touchdown.
11. Tennessee Titans (5-2) Last Week: 12
Derrick Henry couldn’t find paydirt on the ground so instead he found it through the air, throwing a touchdown in the first five minutes of the game. The Titans showed they could win without Henry having to run for 100 yards and 3 touchdowns. They also proved that they could beat any team in the league, blowing out the Chiefs a week after beating the Bills.
12. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)
Last Week: 3
After almost blowing a game against the Panthers, the Vikings have a week to gameplan with a bye before taking on the redhot Dallas Cowboys. Despite their record, the Vikings are not a 3-3 level team.
13. Kansas City Chiefs (3-4) Last Week: 9
It’s time to hit the panic button. The Chiefs are under .500 after getting demolished in Tennessee. Patrick Mahomes is now tied with Zach WIlson for the most interceptions thrown this season with 9 and the Kansas City defense is still looking historically bad. Looking at the strength of schedule for the rest of the season, the Chiefs have to pick it up or there is a real chance they miss the playoffs.
14. Indianapolis Colts (3-4)
Last Week: 18
The Colts have quietly won three of their last four after a rocky start to the season. Jonathan Taylor-who’s been on fire- put up 107 yards and a touchdown and Carson Wentz threw for 2 touchdowns of his own in an impressive win in Santa Clara.
15. San Francisco 49ers (2-4) Last Week: 14
I still have hope in Kyle Shanahan’s 49ers, but they have to start playing better if they want to make the playoffs. The team had four turnovers in the rain on Monday. Jimmy Garoppolo had a lousy 181 yards for a touchdown and two picks that show that for the rest of the season he might be playing for his job.
16. New Orleans Saints (4-2)
Last Week: 16
The Saints don’t move up or down after an unimpressive win in Seattle. The defense held the Geno Smith led Seahawks to only ten, but their offense looked atrocious. Alvin Kamara was the only bright spot for New Orleans on offense, catching the ball ten times for 128 yards and a touchdown to go along with his 51 yards on the ground.
17. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2)
Last Week: 22
You can’t ask for a much better game than the one Derek Carr gave you on Sunday. The signal caller threw 31 completions on 34 passes for 323 yards and two touchdowns against Philly. The Raiders move to 2-0 with Rich Bisaccia.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) Last Week: 19
Due to the poor performances of some of the teams below them, the Steelers move up a spot after a bye week. They take on the Browns in Cleveland for a real test next Sunday.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (2-5) Last Week: 17
Jalen Hurts will continue to be the scapegoat for many fans, but it’s not entirely his fault. In yet another loss, Jalen Hurts doesn’t play a terrible game, he is just expected to make miracles with no help.
20. New England Patriots (3-4)
Last Week: 23
The Patriots offense looked unstoppable on Sunday. Mac Jones threw for 307 yards and 2 touchdowns and Damien Harris ran for 106 yards and two touchdowns himself. The Jets are really bad, but it was an impressive outing for New England all the same, who put up 54 against New York.
21. Carolina Panthers (3-4) Last Week: 15
More of the same in Carolina. After kicking a field goal to take a 3-point lead against the Giants, scoring went dry for the Panthers. Sam Darnold was pulled, but P.J. Walker threw 3/14 after coming in. The Giants allowed an average of nearly 30 points a game coming into this one, and they were able to hold the Panthers to only three.
22. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
Last Week: 20
The Seahawks predictably continue to drop. Geno Smith’s first pass of the game was for 84 yards and a touchdown. He only had 83 passing yards the rest of the night.
23. Chicago Bears (3-4) Last Week: 21
It was a perfect set up for the Bears. After struggling at the start of the season, they had won three of their last five. Justin Fields started playing better. The defense was beginning to hold teams. They took a tough loss to Aaron Rodgers the week before but that’s okay they’re used to it. Going into Tampa to face an injured Buccaneers team looked like the perfect chance for a massive statement win. And they lost by 35. Fields had 5 turnovers and the Bucs took advantage everytime.
24. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
Last Week: 24
After a terrible start to the season, the Falcons are starting to look, dare I say it, mediocre. Matt Ryan threw for 336 yards and Kyle Pitts is once again meeting expectations with seven catches for 163 yards against Miami. In result, the Falcons move to .500.
25. New York Giants (2-5) Last Week: 29
Daniel Jones continues to find a way to be right in the middle of impressive and disappointing. After leading his team to a win against the Panthers, the Giants get a tougher test next week against the Chiefs.
26. Denver Broncos (3-4) Last Week: 25
Teddy Bridgewater has been a good quarterback for Denver this year. But looking at the rest of the offense, the Broncos need a lot more than good. It will be interesting to see which direction the Broncos go after the season: Do they try to improve the QB situation or the rest of the offense? Either way, losing to an injured Browns team is embarrassing.
27. Washington Football Team (2-5) Last Week: 26
Despite out-gaining the Packers on Sunday, the redzone struggles for Washington kept them from winning this game. The Football Team also dropped the ball on the ground four times in Green Bay.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) Last Week: 28
After an emotional first win against the Dolphins last week, the Jags were rewarded with a little more time to celebrate with a bye week. They take on Seattle next Sunday.
29. New York Jets (1-5) Last Week: 27
After going down with a PCL injury, Zach Wilson was not placed on IR, so he could be back within a couple weeks. It’s good to hear that he is okay, but on a winning standpoint it doesn’t really matter, the Jets are bad with or without Wilson.
30. Detroit Lions (0-7)
Last Week: 31
The Lions were able to hang with-and lead against-the Rams in LA for majority of this game, until inevitably running out of gas and losing to the better team in the fourth. Despite having the only winless record in the league, the Lions have a lot of fight.
31. Miami Dolphins (1-6) Last Week: 30
Talent wise, I don’t think this team is even close to being second worst in the league. But the team feels broken and confused. A defense that was supposed to be good this year dropped 30 points to the Falcons and no matter what Brian Flores says, the team refuses to commit to Tua. Despite Tagovailoa having four touchdown passes on Sunday, it’s hard to keep your confidence up when your name is being brought up in trade talks every other week.
32. Houston Texans (1-6) Last Week: 32
More of the same in Houston. The Texans couldn’t find the endzone once and were held scoreless in the 2nd half in Arizona, all while giving up 31 points. Not many bright spots for this team.