Are the Hawks super bowl ready? Are the Panthers a wildcard contender? What’s up with the Packers? Let’s find out.
F Tier: Is The Season Over Yet?
32. Tennessee Titans (1-8)
31. New York Jets (1-7)
30. New Orleans Saints (1-8)
29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6) -1
28. Miami Dolphins (2-7) -2
27. Cleveland Browns (2-6)
26. New York Giants (2-7) +2
D Tier: Next Year’s Our Year
25. Dallas Cowboys (3-5-1) -3
24. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6)
23. Arizona Cardinals (3-5) +2
22. Washington Commanders (3-6) -6
C Tier: Wild Card Watch
21. Atlanta Falcons (3-5) -2
20. Houston Texans (3-6) -6
19. Carolina Panthers (5-4) +2
18. Baltimore Ravens (3-5) +2
17. Minnesota Vikings (4-4) +6
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3) +1
B Tier: Dark Horse Contenders
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) +3
14. Chicago Bears (5-3) +1
13. San Francisco 49ers (6-3) -1
12. Los Angeles Chargers (6-3) -1
11. New England Patriots (7-2) +2
A Tier: The Real Deal
Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)
The Kansas City Chiefs sit at ten for the third week in a row. This is because the Chiefs are clearly a top ten team and there’s no doubt about it, but they’re just not the best of the best.
The Chiefs dropped a tough one on the road against Buffalo 28-21, which isn’t uncommon in the regular season. Yet despite what the scoreboard shows, the Chiefs were truly outplayed by Buffalo in every way possible. The pass attack was abysmal in comparison to its production so far this season. Patrick Mahomes went 15 for 34 with 250 yards and an interception, while the best receiver for Kansas City was star wide receiver Rashee Rice, who the Bills held to a minimal four receptions and 80 yards. The Bills secondary was on lock despite letting up 250 passing yards. The unit only allowed 15 completions and zero touchdowns on the ground.
The run game was able to get some juice flowing for this offense however, as Kareem Hunt rushed for 49 yards on 11 attempts and a touchdown. Rashee Rice was also able to get in the endzone, with a rushing touchdown of his own. Not only was this lackluster offense hindering the Chiefs, but the defense was struggling as well. The Chiefs allowed Buffalo to have a silent but successful day. Josh Allen went 23 for 26 for 273 yards and a touchdown in the air and was also able to get two rushing touchdowns on 19 yards and six carries. James Cook had a decent day as well, with 27 carries for 114 yards against Kansas City’s defense, which is ranked No. 13 in rushing yards allowed per game, with 104.6.
The Chiefs made this a close one on the road yet came up short. Although I will never doubt the Chiefs, they just seem to drop games they need to win this season, and that’s why they land at ten on the power rankings for three weeks straight.
Green Bay Packers (5-2-1) -5
Green Bay dropped the ball in what seems to be the continuing narrative of their 2025 season. Win the hard ones and lose the easy ones. The Packers dropped an easy one against the now 5-4 Carolina Panthers 16-13 in Lambeau.
Although the Panthers are not a bad team by any means, and they deserve more credit. Panthers running back Rico Dowdle continues to make his case as an offensive player of the year candidate, rushing for 130 yards and two touchdowns on 25 carries against easily the best front seven in football. Jordan Love showed just how low his floor truly is, throwing 26 completions on 37 attempts for 237 yards and an interception. Love truly struggled as there were many other throws that should have been interceptions if the Panthers secondary was any bit better than it is.
Josh Jacobs had an efficient day, rushing for 87 yards and a touchdown on 17 carries, which was somehow the highlight for Green Bay on Sunday. The receiving game was ugly as well. No receivers were able to get into the endzone as the best pass catcher was Romeo Doubs, who had seven receptions for 91 yards and zero touchdowns. Green Bay’s defense was what was truly exposed in this embarrassing loss to Carolina. The secondary stuffed the pass game well, as Bryce Young went 11 for 20 and only 102 yards and an interception. What truly struggled was the run defense. The Packers’ run defense is top ten in every defensive rushing stat yet allowed Dowdle to dominate them in upset fashion. You would think that after career games from Dowdle earlier this season, this would be run stuffing core to bring him back to earth, but they failed to get the job done and were embarrassed at home.
There’s no doubt this team is good, but if Jordan Love can’t consistently play to his ceiling, and this defense can’t stop any solid running back, they are going to have a serious problem come playoff time. Green Bay’s minor issues and consistent inability to finish very winnable games is why they fall outside of the top five and barely crack the top ten this week on my rankings.
Los Angeles Rams (6-2)
The Rams dominated the Saints on Sunday 34-10, completing the NFC West’ s sweep of the Saints so far this season. Although a game in which you outplayed a team that is easily bottom three in the league, this was far from a statement game.
Matthe Stafford showed up and showed out against New Orleans’ defense, passing for 281 yards and four touchdowns on 24 completions for 32 passing attempts. Puka Nacua had his “welcome back game” after coming off the injury report and dominated, catching seven passes for 95 yards and a touchdown. Davante Adams continued to dominate as a premier wide receiver two against the Saints this past Sunday. Adams had five receptions for 60 yards and two touchdowns. He has racked up eight touchdowns this year and is leading the league in touchdowns among all receivers, continuing to prove his dominance even in year 12.
Kyren Williams continued to do a serviceable job in the run game as he has all year. Williams rushed for 114 yards and a score on 25 carries against New Orleans. The defense had a rather slow game, yet they didn’t have to do much considering how much the Saints shoot themselves in the foot. Tyler Shough had plenty of comfort in the pocket as the Rams only combined for one sack coming from defensive tackle Braiden Fiske. Corner Emannuel Forbes was also able to get himself a pick, which is a rare sight considering how much he has struggled early on in his career. Yet despite a rather subpar stat sheet, this team only held the Saints to only scoring in one quarter, and got the job done for the Rams to improve to 6-2.
Despite what felt like a bye week for this Los Angeles team, one thing was confirmed through their play against the Saints, and that is that they are legit. With Puka back and Matthew Stafford playing at an MVP level, I won’t be surprised if this team reaches the top five in coming weeks.
Denver Broncos (7-2) +2
The Denver Broncos won a narrow one against the Houston Texans 18-15, in which the Texans lost star QB C.J. Stroud mid-game. Although this was a rather unimpressive win for Denver, this game improved their win streak to six games, and I think they deserve more recognition than they are receiving.
Despite certain struggles, Bo Nix has done more than enough to push this team to where they are at this season. Nix has thrown for 1,976 yards, six interceptions and 17 touchdowns, in which he’s tied for No. 3 in the league among all quarterbacks. The receiving room has been outstanding this season as well. Courtland Sutton has had a great season so far as expected, with 566 yards and four touchdowns on 38 receptions. Second year receiver Troy Franklin has really broken out as well, accumulating 385 yards and four touchdowns on 37 receptions.
The Broncos have also found a two headed monster in the backfield as free agent J.K. Dobbins and rookie RJ Harvey have been electric so far this season. Dobbins has proven to be a fantastic offseason signing as he has 695 yards and four touchdowns on 135 carries. Rookie RJ Harvey has broken out these past few weeks as well following a slow start. Harvey has combined for 205 rushing yards and touchdowns on 46 carries and yet is even more of a threat in the pass game with 166 yards and four touchdowns on 23 receptions in the air. Despite all this offensive talent, the real standout on Denver’s roster is its defense. The defensive unit starring star defenders Pat Surtain II and Nik Bonnito is first in the league in opponent’s yards per play with 4.5, opponents third down conversion with 28.23%, and opponents red zone scoring with 34.78%.
Although yes people love to harp on Bo Nix early season struggles and what this team is doing wrong, when you win six games in a row you’re clearly doing something right, and that’s why they move up to seven on my ranks this week.
Tampa Bay Bucanners (6-2) -1
The Bucs have come back down to reality the past few weeks after starting 5-1, but let’s not forget just how good this team is when they are clicking on all cylinders.
As we know, Baker Mayfield has been playing at an MVP caliber level this season. Mayfield has racked up 1,919 yards with 13 touchdowns and two interceptions on 172 completions over eight games. Although he’s struggled his last two games against the Lions and Saints, he’s no doubt been a top quarterback this season. The receiving game has been on fire this season, especially considering the young core has had to step up with injuries to Mike Evans and Chris Godwin. First round pick Emeka Egbuka has been proving his case as the rookie of the year this season with 562 yards and five touchdowns on 34 receptions this season. Tez Johnson has really lit up the secondary, especially filling in as a receiver two these past few weeks due to injuries. Johnson has 15 receptions for 213 yards and touch touchdowns, proving to be a scary deep threat for Baker and this offense.
This run game has been in a major drought since the injury to Bucky Irving, however. Rachaad White has done a serviceable job filling in for Irving, rushing for 28 yards and four touchdowns on 77 carries. Sean Tucker has also got some action in this backfield, with 76 yards and two touchdowns on 23 carries. Although White and Tucker have done more than enough, there’s no doubt that this offense misses Irving’s impact. The defense has also been more than serviceable so far this season. The run defense has been lights out as the Vita Vea lead front seven is only allowing 3.9 yards a carry and 92.6 rush yards a game to opponents. The secondary had some standouts as well, as corner Jamel Dean is having a solid season with three interceptions, in which he’s tied for No. 4 among all corners in the league.
Yes, Baker has not looked the same over the past three weeks and this team is battling a long list of injures. Yet when this team is healthy and this offense gets clicking, there’s no doubt in my mind they can beat just about any team.
S Tier: Super Bowl Ready
Seattle Seahawks (6-2) +2
Seattle put on a show against the Jayden Daniel led Commanders in a 38-14 win on the road, showing everyone just how good this team truly is.
Sam Darnold everyone. The man who many, me included, doubted this offseason following a career altering stint with the Vikings last year. Darnold had a legacy game against the Commanders, going 21 for 24, throwing for 330 yards and four touchdowns with an interception. Darnold was perfect in the first half, going 16 for 16 and throwing four touchdowns. The receiving game continued to prove itself as possibly a top five unit in the league against the Commanders Sunday night. Jaxon Smith-Njigba still made a huge impact despite not scoring, catching eight passes for 129 yards. Tory Horton had another huge game, catching four passes for 48 yards and two touchdowns, cementing himself as the receiver two in Seattle.
The run game continued to be the one weak spot for this Seattle offense, as the team combined for 88 yards and the leading rusher was Kenneth Walker III, who rushed for 42 yards on 11 carries. Funny enough, tight end A.J. Barner was the only player able to get a rushing touchdown with a one-yard touchdown run. However, the offense is just the cherry on top to an outstanding defensive unit. The Hawks defense shut down one of the most dynamic quarterbacks in the league, holding Daniles to 16 completions on 22 attempts, with only 153 yards in the air and an interception from rookie Ty Okada, the first of his career. Although the Commanders had a decent night on the ground, rushing for 157 yards and two touchdowns, Seattle’s run defense is still No. 1 in yards allowed per rush with 3.5 and No. 2 rush yards allowed per game, with 85.9, proving to be an elite front seven.
Seattle made a statement against the Commanders, who had no excuses with Jayden Daniels back healthy. The Hawks dominated Washington and truly showed just how exceptional this team truly is and is why I have them break the top five of my rankings for the first time this season.
Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) -1
The Eagles spent week nine on a much-deserved bye week. Although this Eagles roster has lost some juice from its Super Bowl winning team last season, they are still elite, and it shows on the stat sheet.
Despite what haters say, Jalen Hurts has been on fire this season, and I’m surprised there has been zero MVP talk around his name. Hurts has thrown for 1,677 yards and 15 touchdowns with only one interception on 151 completions and 215 attempts. Hurts has also been a double-edged sword, rushing for 207 yards and five touchdowns, which is more than star running back Saquon Barkely. Despite a slow start, star pass catching duo DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown have really picked it up, combining for 983 receiving yards and five touchdowns on 73 receptions. Tight end Dallas Goedert has made a major impact so far this season as well, with 289 receiving yards and seven touchdowns on 24 receptions.
Barkley has not nearly reached his same peak since his 2024 offensive player of the year campaign, but he has also not been anything near a bad back. Barkley has rushed for 519 yards and four touchdowns on 127 carries, while also catching a touchdown in the pass game. The Eagles have also been struggling defensively as well, with lots of free agency losses and the benching of former star Kelly Ringo, they looked to be not achieving that same Super Bowl caliber success. Yet you can always count on Howie Roseman to fix any issue the Eagles have. Roseman recently traded for corner Micheal Carter from the Jets and Jaelen Phillips from the Dolphins. These moves were smart and will hopefully bolster the pass rush and secondary, which has been the Eagles biggest issues on defense this season.
Although the Eagles have failed to live up to their 2024 standards, they are still a true contender at the core. With the offense finally clicking and the defense adding some key pieces before the trade deadline, it’s hard not to see Philly as anything other than a true contender.
Indianapolis Colts (7-2) -1
The Colts dropped an uncharacteristic game this season against the Steelers 27-20, in which Daniel Jones threw three interceptions. Yet losing by only seven in a game where your offense has six turnovers, it could be worse.
Danny Dimes came back to earth this past Sunday in which he looked like his old self. Jones went 31 for 50, throwing for 342 yards with a touchdown and three interceptions. Jones looked far from his normal self this season, and those with a love for Jones’ comeback story can only hope this is a fluke. Although it wasn’t just Jones that struggled Sunday, it seemed that the Steelers had an answer for this whole offense. Although Alec Pierce and Micheal Pittman Jr. both had 155 yards receiving on 15 receptions, Josh Downs was the only one able to get into the endzone. The Steelers also contained Tyler Warren all day, holding Warren to only five receptions and 26 yards, his quietest game yet.
What really came by surprise was the non-factor that Johnathon Taylor was this past Sunday. Taylor rushed for 45 yards on 14 carries, with an average of 3.2 yards per carry. Although one game doesn’t deplete his case for offensive player of the year, it shows just how important Taylor’s performance is to Indy’s offense. The defense struggled greatly as well. Although Pittsburgh’s run game was held to a total of 38 yards, the Colts secondary is what really struggled. The Colts secondary let up 203 rushing yards and a touchdown from Aaron Rogers. Although this secondary issue shouldn’t prove to be a problem too much longer, as the Colts trade for former Jets corner Sauce Gardner in exchange for two firsts prior to the trade deadline. This move will greatly bolster the secondary and put the Colts in win now mode, as they hope to make a Super Bowl push.
Even though the Steelers dropped the Colts off in a bad game for Indy, they still only lost by seven in a game where the best offense in the league had six turnovers. With the trade for Gardner improving the secondary and the offense still being as lethal as it is, it is hard to see the Colts as anything less than a top three team, even after one bad game.
Detroit Lions (5-3) -1
The Lions dropped a must win divisional matchup against the Vikings 27-24, falling to 5-3. Although this was a rough loss, this team is still elite no doubt.
Jared Goff has continued to lead this team at an elite level this season with 1,915 passing yards and 17 touchdowns with only three interceptions on a 73.8% completion rate. Amon-Ra St. Brown is having a top five year for the Lions as well. St. Brown is No. 4 in the league with 59 receptions, No. 6 in the league with 635 yards and is tied for No. 2 in the league with seven touchdowns. Wide receiver two Jameson Williams has had a slow start to the season, with only three touchdowns and 355 yards on 21 receptions, yet he has still been a problem for secondaries all season.
Sonic and Nuckles have still been a dynamic duo in the backfield for Detroit in 2025. Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have combined for 946 yards and seven touchdowns on 202 carries through eight games this season. The defense has had some standout play as well. Safety Kirby Joseph has been off to a hot start in the first half of the season, with three interceptions, four passes defended and 18 total tackles. Aidan Hutchinson has also been a force to be reckoned with on the line of scrimmage. Hutchinson is tied for No. 6 among all edge rushers with seven sacks and tied for No. 1 in force fumbles among all players with four this season.
Even with a close loss to the rejuvenated Minnesota Vikings, we can’t forget just how good the Detroit Lions are. Despite what the record shows, this roster and coaching staff is too good to be underestimated and it’s hard to not see them contending for a title come playoff time.
Buffalo Bills (7-2) +5
The Bills are back on top after a gritty 28-21 win against the Chiefs at home. Yes, it wasn’t their best performance, but this team still showed up and got the job done against arguably their biggest rival.
Josh Allen threw a nearly flawless game, going 23 for 26 and throwing for 273 yards and a touchdown. Allen also made a huge impact on the ground, rushing for two touchdowns and 19 yards on six carries. The Chiefs were also not able to contain tight end Dalton Kincaid who has been emerging as a top ten tight end and Josh Allen’s favorite target. Kincaid caught six balls for 101 yards and the only passing touchdown of the game. James Cook also had a solid game, rushing for 114 yards on 27 carries, although not his best he still balled out and ran all over the Chiefs’ defense.
Yet the defense is who really came to play for Buffalo. After weeks of pointing out the Bills’ weak secondary they finally came to play and shut down MVP frontrunner Patrick Mahomes. Mahomes only threw 15 completions on 34 attempts for 250 yards and an interception. Mahomes was unable to throw a passing touchdown even with his receiving room fully healthy and unsuspended, proving just how much this Buffalo secondary came to play.
Although yes Buffalo still has its weaknesses, the Bills came to play and won a must win game to take their name off the fraud watch and prove to the league why they are the best team in the National Football League.