Phil Agius
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Weeks like Week 7 in the 2023 season are sent to test NFL rankings compilers. Weird stuff was happening around the league with highly ranked teams producing their worst performances of the season while the moribund teams at the bottom sprang into life a little early for Halloween.
As a result, you may notice some strange goings on in the rankings this week, highlighted by 3 of the 6 teams that had their bye week moving up and 2 going down as chaos reigned all around them — and that was the teams who didn’t even play!
Last week’s #1, #2, #5 and #7 teams all lost and #29, #30 and #31 all won, so do we have changes for you! Among the teams moving up the Pickswise NFL Power Rankings this week are the Chiefs, Eagles, Ravens, Vikings and Steelers, while the 49ers, Rams, Dolphins and Packers are among those heading in the opposite direction.
You can also check out our early pick for NFL Week 8 and look at the NFL odds any time you like. Now, let’s get to this week’s rankings.
Pickswise NFL Power Rankings for Week 8
1 (up 2) Kansas City Chiefs
They’re back! Our original #1 team returns to the top of the charts, rather like their most famous fan. The Chiefs may not be winning 42-35 every week these days, but they don’t need to now they have a better defense. All their rivals for this spot have a much more recent loss than KC’s opening night defeat by the Lions. Sportsbooks also have them at #1 with the Chiefs being Super Bowl favorites on all the major boards.
2 (up 2) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles claim the #2 spot previously owned by the Dolphins after tush-pushing them to claim a 31-17 win on Sunday. Jalen Hurts’ injury situation is one to watch as Marcus Mariota is not the most inspiring backup in the league. The Eagles are only 3rd in the Super Bowl betting, however, with sportsbooks preferring the chance of the 49ers.
3 (up 5) Baltimore Ravens
Credit where it’s due — the Ravens are stacking quality wins after adding the Lions to the Bengals and Browns on their list of victims in convincing fashion. They really shouldn’t have lost either of the games they did to the Colts and Steelers, either, so they could easily be sitting here at 7-0. Sportsbooks aren’t convinced yet, though, with DraftKings having the Ravens as joint-6th Super Bowl favorites at +1400 odds.
4 (down 3) San Francisco 49ers
We were nice and gave the 49ers a mulligan after their Week 6 loss to the Browns, but they didn’t make the most of it, so they have to pay the price after also losing to the Vikings to fall from 5-0 to 5-2 pretty quickly. They are still favorites to win the NFC, at +230 odds with FanDuel.
5 (up 1) Jacksonville Jaguars
The Jaguars have snuck up into the top 5 for the first time (they started at #6 but have been down as low as #12) after beating the Saints way back on Thursday Night Football. Their unbeaten road record gets a serious test when they head to Pittsburgh on Sunday.
6 (down 4) Miami Dolphins
There’s a growing suspicion that the Dolphins are one of those teams who can beat up on the weakest kids in the class but fall on their face when they meet even bigger bullies themselves. They have now lost to the Bills and Eagles in their only games this year against teams with winning records. They are still AFC East favorites at -160 odds with FanDuel.
7 (down 2) Detroit Lions
The wheels fell off the Lions juggernaut in spectacular style at Baltimore. It’s only one game, though, and they have a ridiculously soft schedule for pretty much the rest of the season, so this might actually be a good time to have a sprinkle on them for the Super Bowl at +1800 with FanDuel or Caesars as those odds should be getting lower over the next couple of months.
8 (up 2) Dallas Cowboys
The good ‘ol Boys get a jump of 2 places for doing absolutely nothing. Their vacation is definitely over now, though, with the Rams and Eagles coming up next.
9 (down 2) Buffalo Bills
Everybody still thinks the Bills are pretty good, but you can only say that so many times while they continue to throw in regular disappointing losses. Their third defeat of the year, and the second in 3 games, came against the Patriots as they threw it away again having rallied from 22-10 down to lead 25-22. Caesars has them out the 7th favorites for the Super Bowl at +1700.
10 (down 1) Cleveland Browns
Here’s one of those anomalies this week. The Browns are moving down this week even though they won. It’s power rankings, not power standings, as we say each week. Firstly, the 1-point squeaker over the Colts, while spirited, was not convincing – giving up 38 points to Gardner Minshew doesn’t look great a week after holding the 49ers to 17. And, more importantly, while they went into that game looking to have their starting QB back healthy again, we’re back to PJ Walker starting again this week. The odds you need to know here are that Myles Garrett is +220 with FanDuel to be Defensive Player of the Year after his amazing performance in Indianapolis.
11 (up 1) Cincinnati Bengals
It wasn’t ideal for the Bengals that they lose more ground in their division on their bye as the Ravens, Steelers and Browns all won — in fact all 4 AFC North teams are on 2-game winning streaks. It’s also not ideal that they return with games against the 49ers and Bills, although neither of those challenges look quite as tough as they did a few weeks ago.
12 (up 5) Minnesota Vikings
Our faith in the Vikings as at least a mid-pack team throughout their stumbling start to the year has been justified and there was no luck involved in their MNF upset of the 49ers. Jordan Addison showed he can be a genuine WR1 in this league and when Justin Jefferson is back and Addison is the WR2 again, good luck to their opponents.
13 (-) Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks got the job done without many dramas at home to the Cardinals and they’re favorites there again this week as the Browns may again be starting a backup QB.
14 (down 3) Los Angeles Rams
The Rams aren’t the first team this season to have looked on their way to a win over the Steelers only to succumb to a late Pittsburgh rally and they may not be the last. They are 3-4 now, though, and their schedule doesn’t get any easier with the Cowboys on the road up next.
15 (up 4) Pittsburgh Steelers
Looking nothing special in most games but then finding ways to win more than you lose is not the worst way to live in the NFL and Mike Tomlin is working more magic on the Steelers’ record this season. They have won 4 of their last 5, so deserve to be in the top half now, along with all their divisional rivals.
16 (down 2) Los Angeles Chargers
You wouldn’t want to be Brandon Staley if the Chargers can’t beat the Bears this week. The Chargers, along with the Raiders and Broncos, are losing sight of the Chiefs in the AFC West standings as their talent is not being converted into wins.
17 (down 2) New York Jets
The Jets lose 2 places through no real fault of their own as they didn’t play this week. Their upcoming schedule is not the worst (Giants, Chargers, Raiders next), so they have a good chance to return to the top half soon.
18 (down 2) Houston Texans
It’s the same story for the Texans, who also lost ground while vacationing last week. They’re in a run of playing the entire NFC South and after losing to the Falcons and beating the Saints, they return against the Panthers with the Buccaneers after that.
19 (up 3) Atlanta Falcons
The Falcons are slowly getting the idea that Drake London and Kyle Pitts are the kind of guys it might be worth throwing the ball to, and it was a positive sign that they could beat Tampa Bay while mysteriously leaving Bijan Robinson on the sidelines. Their communication skills could be better, but the team is showing promise.
20 (up 1) Indianapolis Colts
The Colts move up after losing while the Browns moved down for winning. The score is not everything in the rankings game. Indy showcased Gardner Minshew as a rushing threat, which is new, Josh Downs looks a real threat and Jonathan Taylor looks well on his way to returning to RB1 form, but there are issues with their offensive line.
21 (down 1) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs seems to fall short every time they play a strong team and the middle to bottom-third of the league still seems the right zone for them. They have lost 3 of their last 4 now and are 8.5-point underdogs at Buffalo on Thursday night.
22 (up 2) New Orleans Saints
The shutout win over the Patriots was an island surrounded by an ocean of 4 losses for the Saints but a reasonable result against a high-ranked team in the Jaguars gives them a little lift. They did only make it close late after the Jaguars appeared to ease off the gas, though. This week brings a rematch of Super Bowl XLIV against the Colts, but Drew Brees won’t be around for this one. Look out for an onside kick, Colts!
23 (up 3) Tennessee Titans
The Titans had a great bye week in rankings terms, moving up 3 places. The reality is not so great, though, with reports that they may use a 2-QB system featuring both Malik Willis and Will Levis if Ryan Tannehill can’t go, with rookie Levis set to start.
24 (down 6) Green Bay Packers
The reason the Titans moved up without doing anything is that teams like the Packers had to be moved down. Losing to the Broncos means it’s 4 losses in 5 games for Green Bay, and Jordan Love is starting to look like a busted flush. Defensive injuries are piling up too, with safety Darnell Savage the latest to head to IR.
25 (down 2) Las Vegas Raiders
A 2-place drop looks lenient for the Raiders after losing to an undrafted rookie QB making his first start — by 18 points. That followed back-to-back wins too! They went with Brian Hoyer, who had lost his previous 12 games as a starter and now has lost 13 straight, so now it’s the turn of rookie Aidan O’Connell if Jimmy G can’t play at Detroit on Monday.
26 (down 1) Washington Commanders
The Commanders had just found a way to stop their defense giving up 30+ points per game, but now their offense has entirely forgotten how to function. It’s 4 losses in 5 games for Washington and the Eagles up next, which doesn’t sound good, although the narrow loss in their first meeting with Philly was one of their best performances.
27 (up 2) Denver Broncos
We’re now into the section where weird and wild things are happening, starting with Denver winning. Playing the struggling Packers must have been nice for Denver after tackling the Chiefs in their previous game, but the bad news is it’s the Chiefs again this week!
28 (up 2) New England Patriots
Kudos to Bill Belichick for sparking his 1-5 team to produce a shocking win over the Bills for his 300th regular-season victory. As a reward, they get to face a humbled Dolphins team with a point to prove on the road. Ouch.
29 (down 2) New York Giants
This is slightly controversial as the Giants won this week, but they’ve been overhauled by both the Broncos and Patriots, who had more noteworthy wins. Still, a first win in 5 games is clearly a step in the right direction for the Giants. It doesn’t seem a lock that Daniel Jones will be back for this week’s MetLife Stadium derby matchup against the Jets.
30 (up 1) Chicago Bears
All hail Tyson Bagent, destroyer of the Raiders. I am mystified how the Bears coaching staff could pull off that feat with an undrafted rookie, having failed to make anything of the superior talent of Justin Fields over the past 3 seasons. It happened though, and the Bears have now won 2 of their last 3. They would have been even higher if not for the Broncos, Patriots and Giants all winning too.
31 (down 3) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals’ record now has a 28-16 win over the Cowboys and 6 defeats on it. Go figure. With everyone else at the bottom roaring back into life, it’s down 3 for the Cards in the reshuffle.
32 (-) Carolina Panthers
The good news for the Panthers is that they didn’t lose this week for the first time this season. The bad news is that they’re cemented into last place at 0-6 and, as promised, your weekly update on them to go 0-17 is that it’s +1700 with DraftKings. This week’s Texans game might have looked like a potential win at the start of the season, but they’re heading into it as 3-point underdogs at home.
