Did we all get the NFC West wrong? Like, will the San Francisco 49ers run away with the division and the Cardinals be plucky enough to go .500 in the division — will it really be chaos out West? Through the first third of the season there are now more questions than answers about the Seahawks and Rams. Yeah, injuries are a part of the story, for sure. And the schedule has been tough.
But to watch those two battle to be the best team in the NFL for the better part of 18 weeks and the playoffs a year ago, and for the Rams and Seahawks now to be finding ways to lose and experiencing issues that appear to be somewhat deep, it still has my head spinning some.
There is plenty of time for them to get it together, but neither offense looks particularly close to what it was down the stretch a year ago, neither team seems particularly clutch all of a sudden and for the first time in a long time, the NFC West isn’t going to be heavily represented in the top 10 of these rankings.
1. Kansas City Chiefs
- Last Rank: 1
- Week 6 Result: beat Chargers, 22-6
They did what they had to do — end a divisional rivals season before their Weel 7 bye, suffocate their struggling offense and come out of a bye with a victory, which is an Andy Reid specialty. Still feels to me like they are flying under the radar for all they have accomplished and the way they just keeping winning with Patrick Mahomes back from season-ending surgery.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Still to play on MNF)
- Last Rank: 2
- Week 6 Result: TBD
A quasi-bye certainly feels like a win when the teams you are battling for the division both lose and both lose games they were expected to win and do so despite having a great chance to win. If they can handle business against the Commanders, they will be in position to potentially really distance themselves by Thanksgiving.
3. Minnesota Vikings
- Last Rank: 6
- Week 6 Result: Bye
This is the best defense in the NFL and that doesn’t seem like it’s really up for debate. Usually an early bye like this is less than ideal, but given all they have gone through at the QB spot this might not be the worst time to see what else Kyler Murray can do. Need to get his legs activated more.
4. Buffalo Bills
- Last Rank: 6
- Week 6 Result: beat Raiders, 33-30
These were not the most well-played wins in the world spending two weeks out West, but they found a way to be a few points better than the Rams and the Raiders. Need to try to acquire a cornerback in a bad way. This defense is going to be a problem unless the pass rush is otherworldly but the offense can cover up quite a bit.
5. Denver Broncos
- Last Rank: 8
- Week 6 Result: beat Seahawks, 17-14
Bo Nix is still not in a good place, but they ran the ball a little better than I thought they might on Seattle. Sean Payton taking over the play calling should be a good thing and the defense is starting to get its snarl back. I was very bullish on this group entering the season, and that win Thursday could propel them.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars
- Last Rank: 4
- Week 6 Result: lost to Texans, 34-31
Spending two weeks in London is odd, for sure, and they caught the Texans in a desperate spot and it’s a game they could have won, quite honestly. Surprised this became a high-scoring game. But not surprised they lost it when it became a track meet. Trevor Lawrence has not taken the leap many thought was possible. But a very solid operation.
7. Chicago Bears
- Last Rank: 13
- Week 6 Result: beat Falcons, 31-23
Caleb Williams coming back from injury and having like a perfect first half to build a huge lead is exactly what coach Ben Johnson needed. The offense has the potential to be as special as any in the NFL. The owners need to add significant payroll to the defense before the deadline. Got out to such a big lead they effectively took the ball out of Bijan Robinson’s hands.
8. Houston Texans
- Last Rank: 15
- Week 6 Result: beat Jaguars, 34-31
DeMeco Ryans still doesn’t have this defense close to where it was a year ago. But I believe that will come and they desperately needed that game at Wembley. CJ Stroud threw a late pick but overcame it. They are getting healthier on offense and they have a chance to be the team that pushes the Jags in that division because it won’t be the Titans or Colts.
9. New England Patriots
- Last Rank: 11
- Week 6 Result: beat Jets, 26-19
I continue to be very impressed with this defense. They have led the way. Drake Maye continues to take great care of the football and return to his efficient ways. A little odd that AJ Brown got 10 targets in a low-volume game and only caught three of them, but New England certainly needs the WR back. They have rebounded from a very slow start and are starting to look like a willful Mike Vrabel operation again.
10. Seattle Seahawks
- Last Rank: 3
- Week 6 Result: lost to Broncos, 17-14
I am officially worried about the loss of Klink Kubiak. Sam Darnold looks one way with a top-flight QB guru/play caller and quite differently without it. Getting some running backs back healthy might not be enough. The OL doesn’t look nearly as good as a year ago. It’s really hard to repeat. Jaxon Smith-Njigba having an ankle situation ain’t great either.
11. Cincinnati Bengals
- Last Rank: 12
- Week 6 Result: Bye
This is usually where they find their footing and start to get cooking on offense and Joe Burrow starts to build his MVP candidacy. The first six weeks are always rough. They go to Baltimore coming off the bye with a chance to make a statement.
12. Carolina Panthers
- Last Rank: 14
- Week 6 Result: beat Eagles, 25-14
Not sure the run game will look like with any regularity, but Chuba Hubbard going for 120 yards against the Eagles feels like a big deal. Bryce Young continues to make big throws and grow and develop and I wouldn’t be surprised at all to see them back in the playoffs. They might win the NFC South by some margin.
13. Cleveland Browns
- Last Rank: 23
- Week 6 Result: beat Ravens, 13-10
I dinged them too much for the loss to the Jets. I have to show them more grace. They didn’t play close to their best game on offense Sunday and Deshaun Watson really is not it at QB, but the defense is the star and they shut down Derrick Henry utterly and completely without two of their best defensive tackles. If they get Mason Graham back soon and he picks up where he leaves off, it’s a playoff defense.
14. Baltimore Ravens
- Last Rank: 9
- Week 6 Result: lost to Browns, 13-10
It’s not that they lost to the Browns without Lamar Jackson and some other key injuries … it’s how they did it. Blowing another double-digit lead and losing for the 16th time up by 10 or more since 2019 and sporting one of the worst fourth quarter defenses in the NFL is a problem. This might be the most overrated secondary in the NFL. No corner or safety has an INT (Kyle Hamilton got his as a linebacker).
15. Green Bay Packers
- Last Rank: 18
- Week 6 Result: beat Cowboys, 23-13
Jordan Love is back and Josh Jacobs is coming back, I suppose. They are sorting out the offensive line. Injuries to the defensive line give me pause, but this team at least has rediscovered its identity with the quick-strike passing and Love making any target a star on any given drive.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers
- Last Rank: 16
- Week 6 Result: beat Buccaneers, 26-19
They cannot get anything going in the first half, and had they not pulled off this wild, overtime win over Tampa, their season might have really started going in a certain direction. Aaron Rodgers is going to be cooked by the playoffs should they manage to get back into the postseason.
17. Los Angeles Rams
- Last Rank: 7
- Week 6 Result: lost to Cardinals, 18-16
The special teams issues are almost a parody at this point. The offense cannot string anything together from quarter to quarter, let alone game to game. They might need this defense to be something that it’s just not in order to get where they want to go. Will Myles Garrett really have his legs under him when he comes back given all the time missed with injury? They seem like a very vulnerable team right now.
18. Detroit Lions
- Last Rank: 21
- Week 6 Result: Bye
I have not forgotten how horrible this defense is … I just didn’t have to watch them this week and that’s a good thing. They should be getting a little healthier. They should still be able to win some shootouts. We are dealing with some seriously flawed teams in this territory.
19. Las Vegas Raiders
- Last Rank: 22
- Week 6 Result: lost to Bills, 33-30
They are really close to being a one-loss team. They gave the Chiefs all they could take and they gave the Bills a heck of a game on Sunday and the schedule is certainly very rough right now. But they were so noncompetitive for so long that I feel the need to give them a little bump and keep them in the teens and not the 20s.
20. New Orleans Saints
- Last Rank: 26
- Week 6 Result: beat Giants, 34-27
Tyler Shough was 7-of-18 for 54 yards in the first half Sunday and this looked like GM-for-life Mickey Loomis might actually be on the hot seat with the way this game was going. And we may end up with another QB and GM in New Orleans in 2027, but three touchdown passes later, the Saints still had plenty to fight for. This defense has fallen off a cliff since Week 3, however.
21. Dallas Cowboys
- Last Rank: 20
- Week 6 Result: lost to Packers, 23-13
Newly acquired corner Joey Porter Jr. showed up some at Lambeau and could make a difference. They badly need pass rush help. You have to start wondering about Brian Schottenheimer and that honeymoon is certainly over. They just are not very impressive and don’t play like they think they’re very good.
22. Atlanta Falcons
- Last Rank: 10
- Week 6 Result: lost to Bears, 31-23
So it probably was just like a two-week bump from getting Michael Penix back at quarterback and this really isn’t that good of a football team. The no-name defense was leading the NFL in yards per carry allowed and pressure rate a month into the season, but that was a fluke. They need high volume with Bijan from the start and getting that outside zone going early to have a chance.
23. New York Giants
- Last Rank: 17
- Week 6 Result: lost to Saints, 34-27
So we’re going to see JJ McCarthy get a start here pretty soon, eh? Benching Cam Skattebo had to happen, as that was going nowhere. Playing option football with McCarthy and having him run the ball like Jaxson Dart ran the ball is where this thing was always going.
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
- Last Rank: 25
- Week 6 Result: lost to Steelers, 26-19
This Jalon Daniels kid is a gamer. Baker Mayfield is itching to get back in there at QB and I guess he will soon, and this team has dug itself quite a big hole. Will Mayfield be able to stay healthy? After sinking big money in the QB and a defensive tackle right before the season, will they sell some payroll at the deadline?
25. Philadelphia Eagles
- Last Rank: 19
- Week 6 Result: lost to Panthers, 25-14
I would be getting Joe Milton ready to play next week. They have a big stretch of NFC East games; this kid can play some and some evaluators I am close to believe in him. Tanner McKee doesn’t need a long runway here and with the hole this team is in, they can’t afford to waste time.
26. Arizona Cardinals
- Last Rank: 29
- Week 6 Result: beat the Rams, 18-16
No one saw this coming. Looked like a great spot for the Rams. The Cardinals have pulled off two of the biggest shockers of the season, so give them that. In hindsight, them beating the Chargers was no big thing. But in Week 1 it was stunning.
27. New York Jets
- Last Rank: 27
- Week 6 Result: lost to Patriots, 26-19
This feels about right for them. Don’t think they will take a surge forward like some of the pother dregs of the NFL and the defense will be stout enough that they don’t drift into the 30s. So there’s that.
28. Tennessee Titans
- Last Rank: 32
- Week 6 Result: beat Colts, 26-20
Did not think they had that in them and by the end of the first quarter, I really didn’t think they had it in them. Of course, this being the Titans, it wasn’t without drama with them benching a corner they just splurged on. Now, they needed four field goals and a special teams TD to win, and the offense has major issues, and they’ll be back 30 or lower soon enough.
29. Indianapolis Colts
- Last Rank: 24
- Week 6 Result: lost to Titans, 26-20
The decision to pay Daniel Jones what they did, when they did, is the end of this regime. A transition tag on Alec Pierce and letting Jones hit the market off an Achilles tear and bringing him back on the cheap was all they had to do. They have real money sunk into Jones, but man, Anthony Richardson is more interesting than him right now. He just is.
30. Washington Commanders (Still to play on MNF)
- Last Rank: 30
- Week 6 Result: TBD
This team is an accident that will keep happening over and over. They will get some interesting phone calls ahead of the trade deadline. Probably far too proud to do the right thing and move older pieces. Lot of hubris in a front office that hasn’t accomplished anything.
31. Miami Dolphins
- Last Rank: 32
- Week 6 Result: Bye
Not much to see here. It’s all about 2027 for them. Bet they make two trades by the deadline. Wonder if they will try to make the Ravens an offer they can’t refuse for Lamar Jackson this winter?
32. Los Angeles Chargers
- Last Rank: 28
- Week 8 Result: lost to Chiefs, 22-6
Who will get fired at the bye? Who will get traded? The fact they couldn’t muster a touchdown against a division rival in this deep of a hole is pretty damning. Nothing going in the right direction with Justin Herbert at all. Bet they get calls on Herbert this week. It’s not an impossible contract to trade.
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