NFL Power Rankings – Week 7, John Crowe
Sunday, October 25, 2020
Raise your hand if you thought all the really good teams going into the 2020 NFL season were coming out of the NFC. Guilty as charged my friends, I am raising my hand to the sky.
Yet, here we are after six weeks and there seems to be a push from the AFC to turn that case completely around. Sure, we all thought Kansas City would be there as favorites to repeat at Super Bowl champions. There’s no denying that. But who else? Baltimore. Houston. New England. Tennessee. A sleeper team?
It was the iron of San Francisco, Seattle, New Orleans, Green Bay, Tampa Bay and yes, even the Dallas Cowboys that were put in that “really good’ category from the senior conference. They were supposed to beat each other up as the AFC just rolls along trying to get someone, anyone, to stand up to the Chiefs.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTWell my friends, there’s plenty of bark in the bites of many AFC teams. Tennessee and Pittsburgh are leading the way, both 5-0 heading into their tussle in Nashville this Sunday. But not far behind are the Ravens, the Colts and the Bills who lay in wait trying to navigate their way back to the top.
The Titans, so far, are the real deal and getting those signature victories. Their latest example coming Sunday in an improbable overtime win over the Texans in which Tennessee tied the game in the final seconds of regulation.
"I give our guys credit for continuing to fight. Guys stepping up when they have to," said Vrabel after the game according to the Titans’ website.
So, let’s see if the Titans are good enough to make it all the way to the top of our list!
Best of Rest: Indianapolis Colts (4-2) / New Orleans Saints 3-2)
A pair of flawed domed teams top our best of teams this week. The Colts somehow found their way out of a 21-0 deficit to the Bengals last week after a loss to the Bears. They got out of their funk, but in order to keep getting better against a very tough AFC, they're going to have to get better play from Philip Rivers (7 TDs, 6 INTs).
10. Buffalo Bills (4-2, Last week: ranked 9th)
The Bills would like to forget about the past two weeks. Riding high with four wins to start the season, the Bills have lost to two of the top teams in the AFC with losses to the Titans and Chiefs. This week, it's a chance to get back on top with an easy one at the Jets, who may be the worst team in the league.
9. Arizona Cardinals (4-2, Last week: not ranked)
How impressive were the Cardinals Monday night in Dallas? Or was it how bad are the Cowboys defensively? Maybe a little of both. All I know is that quarterback Kyler Murray is a stud. 10 touchdown passes. 6 rushing touchdowns. And he's just getting started now that he's got DeAndre Hopkins and Cristian Kirk to go with All-Everything wide received Larry Fitzgerald.
8. Chicago Bears (5-1, Last week: ranked 8th)
The Bears may be the best 5-1 team that no one talks about. They'll get the Monday Night primetime spotlight in LA against the Rams this week, so there's a chance to change the narrative. Chicago’s 7th ranked defense is giving up just 19 points per game which is good enough to keep the Bears offense, a paltry 21 points per game (27th ranked) around just enough to win.
7. Baltimore Ravens (5-1, Last week: ranked 6th)
It's hard to believe that the Ravens have become an afterthought so quickly in the AFC. It's not because they're not good. They’re just not as flashy as last season. Example #1: last Sunday’s squeaker of a victory over the Eagles after nearly blowing a 17-0 lead. The road ahead gives them the chance to prove how good they really are. Don't believe me? After a week 7 bye, they'll face the Steelers twice, Colts, Patriots and Titans.
6. Green Bay Packers (4-1, Last week: ranked 1st)
Oof! That was one big hurt the Bucs put on the Packers last Sunday in Tampa. It all went South after Aaron Rodgers awful touchdown “dance” after a TD that was called back because Rodgers was called down short of the goal line. The question now is how do the Packers respond this week in Houston.
5. Seattle Seahawks (5-0, Last week: ranked 3rd)
Suddenly, everyone's sleeping on Seattle. Sure, they had a bye week in week 6, but it's been fashionable to bash the Seahawks. It's all Russell Wilson and his #1 ranked offense in points per game (33) and very little else they say. Well, Chris Carson is healthy again after the week off and that should help take the burden off Danger Russ. What the Seahawks do need is a lift from their defense. They're ranked dead last giving up nearly 377 yards a game.
4. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-0, Last week: ranked 5th)
Is this 2020 or the mid 2000's? The Steelers are once again putting up points each and every week. They're playing stout defense and leading the way in the AFC North. This week, it's a chance to take it up another notch against Tennessee in the COVID-19 make-up game from week 5.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2, Last week: ranked 10th)
How quickly things can change! Down 10-0 to the Green Bay Packers Sunday, all the Bucs did was score 38 straight points, all started with a pick-six by Jamel Dean off Mr. Rodgers and made Tampa's neighborhood a nightmare for Aaron and friends. Sure, Tom Brady, Rob Gronkowski and Mike Evans get all the hype on offense, but don't sleep on this Tampa defense. They get tremendous pressure with Ndamukong Suh, Jason Pierre-Paul & Lavonte David and a secondary that was suspect last season is now making plays every week to make a difference, led by Antoine Winfield, Dean and Jordan Whitehead. And how about this: the Bucs are now fully ALL IN for 2020 with the breaking news that Antonio Brown is back with old friends Bruce Arians and TB12 after signing a one-year deal Friday.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1, Last week: ranked 2nd)
Just when you think it was time to doubt the Chiefs after a pair of mediocre outings and a loss against the Patriots and Raiders respectively, KC shows you a new vision. In Buffalo Monday, the Chiefs grinded out nearly 250 yards and brought the Bills to a grinding halt for the second straight week. And now, Kansas City gets to add Le'Veon Bell to the mix this week in Denver. Scary indeed!
1. Tennessee Titans (5-0, Last week: ranked 4th)
More and more, week after week, Mike Vrabel's Titans remind me of the first wave of the Patriots Dynasty. No, we're not saying that they're going to win six Super Bowls. But what I am saying is that Vrabel has a tight-knit team that's buying in to everything he's selling and doing it with a chip on their collective shoulders. Vrabel is so slick, like Bill Belichick, that he’s using intentional penalties to help his team win. Plus, they're dealing with the biggest adversity out there right now, COVID-19 and still being able to be undefeated going into this Sunday's huge match-up with also undefeated Pittsburgh. Derrick Henry, after a slow start, turned out on the Texans to the tune of 212 yards. Having that kind of ground game re-emerge with Ryan Tannehill still throwing touchdown dimes that has the Titans ranked 2nd in points per game (32) is going to keep Tennessee in the race for AFC supremacy for a while.
Last week:
Best of Rest: Rams & Patriots
10. Buccaneers
9. Bills
8. Bears
7. Browns
6. Ravens
5. Steelers
4. Titans
3. Seahawks
2. Chiefs
1. Packers
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