NFL Power Rankings, Week 8: Steelers thrive with Russ, Lions assert supremacy

We were promised a loaded NFL Week 7 slate and the matchups we were all looking forward to didn't disappoint in the slightest. The Detroit Lions and Minnesota Vikings delivered a down-to-the-wire classic, Russell Wilson's debut for the Pittsburgh Steelers resulted in an ill-fated reunion between Aaron Rodgers and Davante Adams with the New York Jets, the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans also went down to the wire, and so much more. Suffice it to say, there's plenty of movement in this week's power rankings.

As we approach the NFL Trade Deadline and the midway point of the regular season, we're starting to learn more about the makeup of all 32 teams, both good and bad. Having said that, there is also still plenty to figure out, which myself and experts from the FanSided NFL Network all unpacked as we ran through these NFL Power Rankings going into Week 8.

Tier 5: Time to Start Scouting the Draft

32. New England Patriots (32)

The good news: Drake Maye has given the Patriots offense a shot in the arm since being given the reins. The bad news: New England is not a good enough football team for that to actually matter in the 2024 season. However, the early signs would appear to suggest that the Pats have their next quarterback of the future and we should all be watching with eager eyes for what he does the rest of the year — and also keep an eye on the draft for how to get him some help in Foxborough.

31. Cleveland Browns (31)

Deshaun Watson tore his Achilles on Sunday and the Browns season went from a disaster to something worse. Not to be callous but I do wonder whether or not a potential move to Jameis Winston could actually be what's best for Cleveland and if we could see a resurgence in the second half of the year from this team as a result. Having said that, the likelier outcome is a potential fire sale as more big names follow Amari Cooper out the door before the trade deadline.

30. Carolina Panthers (30)

The Carolina Panthers were no match for the Washington Commanders. They shipped 214 rushing yards and Marcus Mariota hung 40 points on their head after Jayden Daniels went out of the game after the first drive. It was another embarrassing display with nothing to legitimately cheer.

Dave Canales’ men are under-strength and lack sufficient depth to compensate for several established stars missing time. With the trade deadline looming, it’s time for general manager Dan Morgan to take stock and see which veteran pieces he can move for a more sustainable future. — Dean Jones, Panthers Expert, Site Expert at Cat Crave

29. Las Vegas Raiders (28)

In a season full of ugly and frustrating losses for the Las Vegas Raiders, there was none uglier than the Week 7 loss to the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams are not a great team as they’ve been ravaged by injuries. This was a game the Raiders should’ve won easily. However, four Gardner Minshew turnovers made that almost impossible. 

Even with all of those turnovers, the Raiders were still in the game until the end. Antonio Pierce has not been good managing games and made another questionable fourth-down decision late in the contest. It’s clear that the Raiders have a better chance at getting the No. 1 pick than they do to make the playoffs. — Austin Boyd, Raiders Expert, Site Expert at Just Blog Baby

28. Miami Dolphins (26)

Ranking 28th this week is higher than the Dolphins deserve. Miami is a comedy of errors that transcend the obvious issues like play calling, coaching, discipline, and even desire. The Dolphins are not showing any fight through seven games this year. Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return for week 8 but can he ignite a spark to lift a lifeless team? We will soon find out. — Brian Miller, Dolphins Expert, Senior Contributor at Phin Phanatic

27. Tennessee Titans (27)

The Tennessee Titans jumped out to a surprising 10-0 lead over the Buffalo Bills. Josh Allen and the Bills then rounded off 34 unanswered to claim a dominant 34-10 victory.

The Titans were without starting quarterback Will Levis. The offense did not look any better with Mason Rudolph at the helm, proving the Titans' issues extend beyond Levis. — Justin Melo, Titans Expert, Site Expert at Titan Sized

26. New York Giants (24)

The Giants continue to anger so many people. In a game where the G-Men could send a statement, nothing went right - again. The Giants lost 28-3 and Daniel Jones was even benched in the fourth quarter. Brian Daboll is on the hot seat, with plenty of fans calling for him to get fired. This team is now 2-5 on the year and nowhere near postseason contention. It’s going to be another long season for Daboll and Co. — Braulio Perez, Giants Expert, Site Editor at GMEN HQ

Tier 4: Not Mad, Just Disappointed

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (29)

The Jacksonville Jaguars found themselves in a must-win game. They delivered. It was far from perfect but they took care of business against an equally struggling New England Patriots. The defense tightened up, and their playmakers on offense came through.

Tank Bigsby looks like a RB1 while Brian Thomas Jr. is a strong candidate for OROY honors. It’s also worth noting that Trevor Lawrence has bounced back nicely from a rough start to the season. — Carlos Sanchez, Jaguars Expert, Site Expert at Black and Teal

24. New York Jets (22)

The thing about the New York Jets trading for Davante Adams is that they're still the New York Jets. Despite the wholesale changes we've seen with the Adams trade and Robert Saleh's firing, it's wild to see how poorly things went on Sunday Night Football against the Steelers. Aaron Rodgers looks completely cooked at this point and you have to wonder if the Jets aspirations of a Super Bowl might've been so overblown because this team might not even be in the playoffs.

23. Arizona Cardinals (23 - Still to Play on MNF)

Make no mistake, the wins haven't been there for the Arizona Cardinals and, to be sure, the performances week-to-week have been uneven at best. Even still, the variance that this team displays also means that they can be unequivocally dangerous in any given game. Kyler Murray needs to be more consistent and the defense needs work but this team is likely not touching the playoffs but could cost other teams positioning in the process.

22. New Orleans Saints (18)

Though it could be said "what else did you expect", the wheels definitely look like they might be falling off for the New Orleans Saints right now. Derek Carr is projected to return around Week 9 but the season might be too far gone by that point with how things are trending. The defense has lost any and all momentum and the offense is wildly banged up at this point. The decision now may actually be whether or not to start selling at the trade deadline.

21. Los Angeles Rams (25)

The LA Rams needed a win, by hook or crook and they got it - by crook. The Rams' defense, frequently the topic of fans' ire and vitriol, was almost exclusively responsible for the win. Four turnovers, including one fumble recovery for a touchdown, sealed the victory against a formidable if not depleted Las Vegas Raiders team.

The Rams rise slightly, as a 2-4 record in the NFC West Division is still possible to win the division, currently led by the Seattle Seahawks (4-3). But the tell of whether this team is truly ready for the NFL Playoffs will happen on Thursday Night Football, as the team hosts the Minnesota Vikings (5-1).

The Rams offense did not score a single unaided point in Week 7. Hopefully, the expected return of WR Cooper Kupp can give the offense the boost necessary to finally start putting up some scoring. The team teeters between bad and good. Hopefully, the team will embrace the good, and start stringing some victories to prove it. — Bret Stuter, Rams Expert, Site Expert at Ramblin' Fan

20. Indianapolis Colts (20)

The Colts won on Sunday, but it wasn’t a great showing for a team that should have wiped the floor easily with a struggling Dolphins team. Instead, the Dolphins dominated in the first half, with the Colts incapable of doing anything productive at all.

Thankfully, in the second half, the Colts were able to turn it around and eke out a win. And while the win is what matters, it’s largely due to a great showing from the defense, which just a few weeks ago was the team’s biggest problem — so much so, fans were calling for Gus Bradley to be fired.

Now, the Colts are dealing with Anthony Richardson’s growing pains, as well as the loss of Jonathan Taylor, instead. The Colts will likely have a much harder time in upcoming weeks; if they struggled this much against the Dolphins, how can they possibly expect to be competitive against the Texans, Bills, and Lions? — Casandra Chesser, Colts Expert, Site Expert at Horseshoe Heroes

19. Cincinnati Bengals (19)

The Bengals got their second straight win in Week 7 with a 21-14 victory over the Cleveland Browns. It was Cincinnati’s first win in Cleveland since 2017, and Joe Burrow’s first career win there, so at least he got that monkey off of his back. It was a pretty pedestrian performance from an offensive perspective, as they scored just 14 points on offense, but for the second week the defense played pretty well for the Bengals. As a unit, they’ve allowed just 21 total points over the last two weeks. 

The Bengals are still alive in the AFC playoff picture thanks to the win, and the next step for them is getting both sides of the ball to play well at the same time. If they can do that they’ll have a chance to make a real run. — Michael Kaskey-Blomain, Bengals Expert, Site Expert at Stripe Hype

18. Dallas Cowboys (16)

The Dallas Cowboys direly needed a bye week after getting pantsed at JerryWorld by the Lions. While that says a lot about Detriot, sure, it also says quite a bit about Mike McCarthy's team. The defense has taken a leap back moving from Dan Quinn to Mike Zimmer and injuries have only made that worse. Throw in an offense that's one-dimensional aligning with Dak Prescott not playing well either, this team needs a stark turnaround after a 3-3 start.

Tier 3: The Turning Point Teams

17. Denver Broncos (21)

The Denver Broncos have finally started to get into a little bit of a groove with the running game. They’ve got five straight games with over 100 rushing yards as a team and against the Saints, they racked up over 225 rushing yards as a team. The Broncos are 4-0 in games where Bo Nix doesn’t throw an interception this season and they have one of the top defenses in the league. They might just have something cooking with a home game against Carolina on deck. — Sayre Bedinger, Broncos Expert, Site Expert at Predominantly Orange

16. San Francisco 49ers (10)

2024 is shaping up a lot like 2020, the last time the Niners were coming off a Super Bowl loss and had to endure an injury-plagued, disappointing season. The latest, of course, is losing star wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to what’ll likely be a season-ending knee injury in the debacle of a loss to the Chiefs.

Meanwhile, Brock Purdy arguably played one of the worst games of his career, tossing three ill-advised interceptions, and San Francisco’s special teams continue to be a disaster. It’s more than clear the 49ers are no longer in the same class as other Super Bowl-contending teams, such as KC, the Lions, Vikings and Bills. — Peter Panacy, 49ers Expert, Site Editor at Niner Noise

15. Philadelphia Eagles (15)

Beating the Giants in their current state is nothing to write home about if you're the Eagles, even if it was an impressive return game (not revenge) for Saquon Barkley against his former team. The most impressive part for me, however, was the defense just totally stonewalling New York. Again, that's not an Atlas-level task by any stretch, but for a unit that has looked quite lesser than for much of the year, it was an effort that we definitely needed to see.

14. Los Angeles Chargers (14 - Still to Play on MNF)

The Chargers get an advantageous matchup against the Cardinals on Monday Night Football and continue looking like the best team that possibly no one is talking about. While it might not be the Justin Herbert-slinging-the-rock that many people want to see, the Jim Harbaugh effect with this team has been immediately and immensely positive.

13. Atlanta Falcons (7)

Just when myself and many others were ready to believe in the Atlanta Falcons, this team went out and laid a complete dud at home against the Seahawks. Seattle finding a big performance offensively isn't all that surprising but it was more concerning to see Kirk Cousins and the offense regress quite a bit after seeming to break out of their shell in recent weeks. This team still has a high ceiling but they might be far less surer of a bet than we previously expected.

12. Seattle Seahawks (17) 

The Seahawks got the kind of victory against the Atlanta Falcons that can turn their season back around. Seattle had lost three straight games entering Week 7, and the Falcons were playing well. Plus, Seattle was without many starters in the secondary and starting a fourth-string right tackle. 

Somehow, that all worked. Seattle got two interceptions, their first (and second) since Week 1, and right tackle Michael Jerrell played well enough to show he could become a full-time starter. Instead of losing their fourth straight, Seattle blew out Atlanta. The team needed the win and so did coach Mike Macdonald. Next week gets no easier, however, when Seattle has to play the Buffalo Bills. — Lee Vowell, Seahawks Expert, Site Expert at 12th Man Rising

Tier 2: Maybe Not Super Bowl, But Definitely Playoffs

11. Chicago Bears (12)

The Bears were on a much-needed bye in Week 7 and things continue to look up for this group. Caleb Williams has looked more in control of the offense and more comfortable with each passing week while the defense remains a reliable unit. While the NFC North is absolutely loaded with playoff contenders, the Bears are not at all removed from that conversation with how they've looked of late.

10. Washington Commanders (13)

Normal service was resumed for the Washington Commanders, but it came with concerns attached. Jayden Daniels left the game with a rib issue after their opening drive. He was swiftly followed by rookie left tackle Brandon Coleman, who suffered a concussion during the opening exchanges. 

That didn’t matter much against the moribund Carolina Panthers, but there are bigger tests upcoming for the Commanders. Not having Daniels and Coleman would be a blow, but the way they’re disposing of basement dwellers with such ruthless efficiency is immensely encouraging. — Dean Jones, Commanders Expert, Site Expert at Riggo's Rag

9. Houston Texans (5)

Sunday was a rough one for the Houston Texans. Their offensive line had no answers for the Packers’ pass rush which led to the worst game we’ve seen from C.J. Stroud this season. They fought hard but still lost on a last-second field goal.

There’s a tendency to overreact to any loss but this one wasn’t terrible for Houston. They were down five starters on defense and still nearly pulled out the victory on the road. They’re also still in control in the AFC South and can make a statement if they knock off the 4-3 Colts next week. — Randy Gurzi, Texans Expert, Site Expert at Toro Times

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (11)

It’s hard enough for Pittsburgh to manage one 30-point game, but putting up back-to-back 30-point games in two consecutive blowout wins is unheard of from the Steelers these days. After sticking it to the Raiders in Week 6, Mike Tomlin made the switch to quarterback Russell Wilson for Sunday Night Football in Week 7.

Wilson’s debut performance got off to a rocky start, but he strung together a brilliant second half and the team finished with 37 points in the primetime win. The arrow is pointed up from here.

With a strong defense that routinely takes the ball away and an offense that can finally put up points, the Steelers could be a threatening team in the AFC if they can get healthy late in the season. —Tommy Jaggi, Steelers Expert, Site Editor at Still Curtain 

7. Green Bay Packers (9)

It doesn't always have to be pretty and the Packers proved as much on Sunday. A win over a team the caliber of the Texans to stay in the thick of the playoff race in the NFC is a testament to this team. While Jordan Love and the offense continue to play well, I also continue to be impressed by Jeff Hafley's defense. They might not be perfect but the new defensive coordinator's proven ability to adjust on the fly and keep his team in a position to win is a massive boon for Green Bay.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6 - Still to Play on MNF)

If the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are for real, we might find that out quickly on Monday Night Football as a date with the Ravens is on their schedule. There have been times this season when Baker Mayfield and Co. have looked on the verge of running away with the NFC South but the consistency has been lacking at times as well. Maybe the answer lies somewhere in the middle for what the Bucs are but the DNA of this team is one that won't be going away quietly in any capacity.

Tier 1: Lombardi Dreams

5. Minnesota Vikings (3)

Well, it happened. The Vikings suffered their first loss of the season on Sunday, as they came up short in a classic NFC North battle against the Detroit Lions.

Despite the loss, Minnesota was still able to prove that they are still a legitimate contender in the NFC this year. The Vikings went toe-to-toe with a Lions team that many believe will make it all the way to the Super Bowl this season.

Unfortunately, Minnesota won’t get another shot at Detroit until Week 18. Until then, the Vikings will attempt to get things back on track by heading out on the road for four of their next five games. — Adam Patrick, Vikings Expert, Site Editor at The Viking Age

4. Baltimore Ravens (4 - Still to Play on MNF)

After some questions rightfully arose early in the year, the Baltimore Ravens look firmly entrenched as a contender. They might not have the best record in the AFC or even be atop the standings but the eye test tells you that Lamar Jackson is playing some of the best football of his career, which is a scary notion for the rest of the league when you're talking about a two-time MVP. A Monday night clash with the Bucs could deliver some fireworks.

3. Buffalo Bills (8)

It was a very slow start for the Bills, who went down 10-0 early on. Then Josh Allen locked in to help the Bills score 34 unanswered points to improve to 5-2. Buffalo made one of the league’s best defensive units look foolish in the second half. 

Buffalo has turned things around slowly but they will be battle-tested next week as they travel cross-country for a matchup against the Seattle Seahawks. — Brandon Ray, Bills Expert, Site Expert at BuffaLowDown

2. Kansas City Chiefs (2)

Ignore them at your own peril (even if it’s about keeping them a single spot lower than their deserved spot atop the power rankings). 

Here’s the truth. The Chiefs haven’t played a single game of football that anyone would describe as intimidating on both sides of the ball, yet they’ve won 12 consecutive games and are chasing a third Lombardi in a row. They’re flying without their WR1, WR2, WR3, and RB1 and just put up 28 points on San Francisco while looking pitiful at times. 

If these unbeaten Chiefs are knocking off contenders each week with this brand of football, just imagine how they’ll look when the games really matter. — Matt Conner, Chiefs Expert, Site Editor at Arrowhead Addict

1. Detroit Lions (1)

Falling behind 10-0 in a tough road environment is never ideal, but the Lions rebounded, held an 11-point lead twice, and rallied to beat the Vikings, 31-29.

After a slow start, the offense mostly had the answers for Brian Flores’ blitz-heavy defensive scheme. Jared Goff has entered the MVP conversation with an exemplary stretch of play over the last four games. 

The Lions are not unbeaten like the defending Super Bowl champions, but they look like the best team in the NFL right now. — Brad Berreman, Lions Expert, Site Expert at SideLion Report