NFL power rankings, Week 8: Did Ravens and Eagles put rest of NFL on notice?

Back-to-back victories over the Cardinals and Seahawks has Zac Taylor’s talented team at the .500 mark following a 1-3 start. However, the Bengals remain in last place in the AFC North. The division-leading Ravens, along with the Steelers and Browns, have at least four wins. Like Taylor’s club, those three are riding two-game winning streaks.

The team entered Week 7 with the NFL’s bottom-ranked offense and ground attack. Cincinnati’s defense has also struggled, ranking 27th vs. the run. So, can the reigning division champions build on their two consecutive wins?

From the disappointment of losing quarterback Aaron Rodgers four plays into the season, to last week’s upset of the previously undefeated Philadelphia Eagles. It has been some kind of ride for Robert Saleh’s resilient club. However, the Jets find themselves right in the middle of a muddled AFC East where no team has pulled away.

Zach Wilson has been awful at times but also came up big when it counted most in wins over the Broncos and Eagles. The team has struggled early in games and been outscored a combined 44-5 in the first quarter this year.

It was a short week for Brandon Staley’s team after a Monday night loss to Dallas. A 2-3 start saw the club play five games that were all decided by seven points or less. That would not be the case on Sunday at Arrowhead Stadium.

The Chargers’ disappointing defense simply had no answers for Chiefs’ quarterback Patrick Mahomes, who was sacked just once. Staley’s inconsistent team entered the game with the league’s worst pass defense and that was certainly evident as the reigning NFL MVP threw for 424 yards and four touchdowns, albeit one interception.