Week 7 of the regular season saw its fair share of blowouts, thrilling finishes and standout performances from some of the NFL’s top stars.
The Minnesota Vikings suffered their first loss of the season at the hands of the Detroit Lions, leaving the two-time defending champion Kansas City Chiefs as the league’s lone undefeated team. Meanwhile, Pennsylvania earned bragging rights over New York, with the Philadelphia Eagles and Pittsburgh Steelers coasting to wins over the struggling Giants and Jets.
There’s been plenty of rearranging done in this week’s power rankings. Here’s a look at where each team stands entering Week 8.
(Week 8 matchups are on Sunday unless noted.)
Week 7: W 28-18 (at San Francisco) | Last week: 1
Kansas City is 6-0 for the first time with Patrick Mahomes as its starting quarterback, but the team should be worried about the three-time Super Bowl MVP’s underwhelming performance this season. Mahomes has completed 67.9% of his passes for 1,389 yards, six touchdowns and an uncharacteristic eight interceptions, and it’s unclear whether he’ll return to form since the Chiefs continue to lose playmakers to injuries.
Week 8: at Las Vegas (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 31-29 (at Minnesota) | Last week: 3
The Lions are back atop the NFC North standings following a thrilling win in a divisional showdown against Minnesota, thanks to Jake Bates’ last-minute field goal. Detroit’s offense has been historically efficient over the last month, becoming the only team with more offensive touchdowns (18) than incompletions (16) in a four-game stretch since the merger, per CBS.
Week 8: vs. Tennessee (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: W 41-31 (at Tampa Bay) | Last week: 4
Baltimore didn’t rely on its league-best rushing attack as heavily as it has in recent games in its drubbing of Tampa Bay, with QB Lamar Jackson dissecting the Buccaneers secondary for 281 passing yards and five touchdowns. On the other hand, the defense remains a concern, having allowed the most passing yards (308.43) and the seventh-most points per game (25.7).
Week 8: at Cleveland (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
Week 7: L 31-29 (vs. Detroit) | Last week: 2
While the Vikings couldn’t defeat their division rival Lions at home, they proved their 5-0 start wasn’t a fluke by any means. This past Sunday’s matchup was as closely contested as possible, with Detroit totaling 391 yards of offense compared to Minnesota’s 383, while each team had eight penalties and committed one turnover.
Week 8: at Rams (Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET | Amazon Prime Video)
Week 7: W 34-10 (vs. Tennessee) | Last week: 6
Oct 20, 2024; Orchard Park, New York, USA; Buffalo Bills wide receiver Amari Cooper (18) runs with the ball after making a catch against the Tennessee Titans during the second half at Highmark Stadium.
Gregory Fisher-Imagn Images
Buffalo is already reaping the rewards of last week’s blockbuster trade for former Browns wideout Amari Cooper, who caught four passes for 66 yards and a touchdown in his debut with the team. Cooper’s presence on the field appears to have unlocked a new element to the Bills offense, given that QB Josh Allen enjoyed a season-best passing performance (323 yards).
Week 8: at Seattle (4:05 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: W 24-22 (vs. Houston) | Last week: 7
The Packers overcame three turnovers to earn a come-from-behind home win over Houston, capped off by kicker Brandon McManus’ walk-off field goal. Jordan Love’s interception issue (his eight are tied for the most among QBs) could prove to be problematic, but one cannot criticize him too harshly since he ranks second in passing touchdowns (15) despite missing two games.
Week 8: at Jacksonville (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 24-22 (at Green Bay) | Last week: 5
The Texans came up just short of knocking off a formidable Packers team at Lambeau Field in a game where star QB C.J. Stroud threw for a career-low 86 yards. Houston should be concerned by the disappointing play from its offensive line, in light of the unit ranking 25th in pass block win rate (54%) and 30th in run block win rate (67%).
Week 8: vs. Indianapolis (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 40-7 (vs. Carolina) | Last week: 10
The NFC East-leading Commanders cruised to another victory behind its high-scoring offense but notably lost rookie QB Jayden Daniels to a rib injury. Backup Marcus Mariota fared well in relief, finishing 18-of-23 passing for 205 yards and two touchdowns, proving that the offense can still make some noise if Daniels misses extended time.
Week 8: vs. Chicago (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 28-3 (at Giants) | Last week: 11
RB Saquon Barkley couldn’t have produced a more impressive revenge game against the Giants, totaling 187 yards from scrimmage and a touchdown to give Philadelphia its second straight win. Nonetheless, this week’s road matchup against the Bengals should give us a better picture of what we should expect from the Eagles going forward.
Week 8: at Cincinnati (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 37-15 (vs. Jets) | Last week: 12
Oct 20, 2024; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, USA; Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin (right) congratulates quarterback Russell Wilson (3) on his touchdown pass against the New York Jets during the second quarter at Acrisure Stadium.
Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images
Steelers HC Mike Tomlin knew exactly what was best for his team after all, as his widely criticized move to start QB Russell Wilson over Justin Fields paid off. The nine-time Pro Bowler Wilson led the Steelers offense to a season-high 37 points against the Jets, throwing for 264 yards and two touchdowns while adding another score on the ground.
Week 8: vs. Giants (Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN)
Week 7: Bye | Last week: 14
Chicago, the best last-place team in the NFL, rode a three-game winning streak into its Week 7 bye and looked particularly dominant across its last two contests, outscoring Carolina and Jacksonville 71-26. If Daniels suits up for Washington and gets outplayed by Bears QB Caleb Williams, we could have a new front-runner for the Offensive Rookie of the Year Award by next week.
Week 8: at Washington (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 34-14 (at Atlanta) | Last week: 16
Seattle finally stopped the bleeding last week, securing its first win in nearly a month against the Falcons. QB Geno Smith continues to show he’s a perfect fit for OC Ryan Grubb’s scheme and finds himself leading the league in passing yards through seven games (1,985).
Week 8: vs. Buffalo (4:05 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 34-14 (vs. Seattle) | Last week: 8
Just as it seemed like the Falcons were hitting their stride, they took a significant step back, getting trounced by Seattle at home. On the bright side for Atlanta, second-year RB Bijan Robinson is living up to the hype, racking up 143 yards from scrimmage with a touchdown against the Seahawks to match his rookie TD total (four).
Week 8: at Tampa Bay (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 28-18 (vs. Kansas City) | Last week: 13
Injuries continue to pile up for San Francisco, which lost star wideout Brandon Aiyuk to a season-ending knee injury in its Week 7 home loss to Kansas City. If Brock Purdy and Co. can turn things around quickly, RB Christian McCaffrey’s return might not even be enough to save the 49ers’ season.
Week 8: vs. Dallas (8:20 p.m. ET | NBC)
Week 7: W 21-14 (at Cleveland) | Last week: 18
Oct 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Bengals defensive tackle Justin Rogers (53) and linebacker Germaine Pratt (57) and cornerback DJ Turner II (20) tackle Cleveland Browns tight end Jordan Akins (88) during the first quarter at Huntington Bank Field.
Ken Blaze-Imagn Images
While it’s impossible to overlook that they’ve played dismal offenses over their last two games, the Bengals have seen their defense begin to turn a corner, allowing 21 points in that span. Cincinnati still has a long road ahead before it can start thinking about its chances of making an improbable postseason run, but this week’s matchup against Philadelphia will be a good litmus test.
Week 8: vs. Philadelphia (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 41-31 (vs. Baltimore) | Last week: 9
Monday’s final score doesn’t reflect how much the Ravens outclassed Tampa Bay, as the Bucs scored three touchdowns in garbage time. With Chris Godwin (ankle) out indefinitely and Mike Evans (hamstring) likely to miss some time, the Buccaneers are in panic mode.
Week 8: vs. Atlanta (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: W 16-10 (vs. Miami) | Last week: 17
Indianapolis squeezed out a home victory over the depleted Dolphins in QB Anthony Richardson’s first game action since Week 4. Richardson was ineffective, completing just 10 of his 24 passes for 129 yards while rushing for 56 yards, though he should be more productive once RB Jonathan Taylor returns from his high ankle sprain.
Week 8: at Houston (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 33-10 (at New Orleans) | Last week: 20
Don’t look now, but the Broncos have won four of their last five games after embarrassing the Saints in HC Sean Payton’s return to New Orleans. While the defense has been the backbone of the team, the offensive line has quietly been instrumental to Denver’s success by not allowing a sack in three of its last five contests.
Week 8: vs. Carolina (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: Bye | Last week: 19
Dallas enjoyed a much-needed bye week before a pivotal matchup against the 49ers, another struggling former NFC powerhouse. A trip to San Francisco could be what the Cowboys need to rebound from their Week 6 blowout home loss to Detroit since all three of their wins this season have come on the road.
Week 8: at San Francisco (8:20 p.m. ET | NBC)
Week 7: W 17-15 (vs. Chargers) | Last week: 22
Arizona Cardinals quarterback Kyler Murray (1) throws the ball as Los Angeles Chargers defensive lineman Morgan Fox (56) closes in at State Farm Stadium in Glendale on Oct. 21, 2024.
Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
You never know which version of the Cardinals you’ll get each week, and while the defense turned in arguably its best performance of the season on Monday, the offense struggled mightily. Nevertheless, if the passing attack can finally find its footing, it’s possible Arizona can contend for a playoff spot, seeing as though it has the third-easiest schedule remaining among teams, per Tankathon.
Week 8: at Miami (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 17-15 (at Arizona) | Last week: 15
QB Justin Herbert threw for a season-high 349 yards against Arizona, but the Chargers offense couldn’t score a touchdown against a defense that allowed the fourth-most points across its first six games (27.2). While Los Angeles’ struggles in the running game (59 rushing yards) primarily contributed to the team’s loss, it’s clear it needs to add a new wideout for Herbert to throw to, perhaps the ex-Charger Mike Williams.
Week 8: vs. New Orleans (4:05 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 37-15 (at Pittsburgh) | Last week: 21
The addition of WR Davante Adams didn’t change much for the Jets, who are officially out of excuses for their struggles. It’s fair to say that Father Time has caught up to QB Aaron Rodgers, considering the 40-year-old’s 3.9% touchdown percentage is the lowest of his career as a starter, while his 2.7% interception rate is the highest.
Week 8: at New England (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: W 20-15 (vs. Las Vegas) | Last week: 25
Los Angeles snapped a two-game losing streak by holding off the lowly Raiders this past Sunday, but it’s hard to imagine the team can make a miraculous turnaround. With a loss on Thursday, the Rams should consider building for the future and potentially trade WR Cooper Kupp, who is reportedly drawing interest from other teams.
Week 8: vs. Minnesota (Thursday at 8:15 p.m. ET | Amazon Prime Video)
Week 7: L 16-10 (at Indianapolis) | Last week: 28
Even though the Dolphins suffered another frustrating loss this past Sunday, it’s hard to rank them any lower since QB Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return from his concussion for this week’s home contest against Arizona. Miami will have to hope Tagovailoa’s return can ignite its once-explosive offense, or it may have to re-evaluate HC Mike McDaniel’s future with the team.
Week 8: vs. Arizona (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 33-10 (vs. Denver) | Last week: 23
Oct 13, 2024; New Orleans, Louisiana, USA; New Orleans Saints quarterback Derek Carr walks the sideline before a game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at Caesars Superdome.
Matthew Hinton-Imagn Images
The Saints desperately need QB Derek Carr (oblique) back in the starting lineup, but even that might not be enough to get the team on track. After all, New Orleans has allowed 84 points and 983 yards over its last two games, both of which are the most in the NFL.
Week 8: at Chargers (4:05 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 28-3 (vs. Philadelphia) | Last week: 24
Owner John Mara probably still hasn’t slept since Barkley humiliated the Giants, totaling his career-high in rushing yards at MetLife Stadium in his first game as a visitor (176). Although Giants HC Brian Daboll has committed to Daniel Jones, who was benched against Philadelphia, as his starter, a poor performance in this week’s road clash with Pittsburgh could be the final nail in the coffin for the Duke product.
Week 8: at Pittsburgh (Monday at 8:15 p.m. ET | ESPN)
Week 7: L 20-15 (at Rams) | Last week: 26
Aidan O’Connell’s return to being the starting quarterback was short-lived, as the 2023 fourth-round pick suffered a broken thumb in the first quarter of Las Vegas’ road loss to the Rams. With O’Connell sidelined for at least a month, the Raiders brought in QB Desmond Ridder to help with the tank job that HC Antonio Pierce insists isn’t happening.
Week 8: vs. Kansas City (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: L 34-10 (at Buffalo) | Last week: 27
No Will Levis, similar results for the struggling Titans offense, which mustered 10 points early in the team’s road loss to Buffalo before being outscored 34-0. At this point, GM Ran Carthon should get on the phone with the Chiefs regarding a DeAndre Hopkins trade to start collecting draft capital.
Week 8: at Detroit (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: W 32-16 (vs. New England, in London) | Last week: 31
HC Doug Pederson saved his job for now, with the Jaguars securing a commanding win over the Patriots in the second and final game of their trip to London. However, with difficult matchups against Green Bay, Philadelphia, Minnesota and Detroit slated for their next four games, don’t be surprised if the Jaguars still make a coaching change within a month.
Week 8: vs. Green Bay (1 p.m. ET | Fox)
Week 7: L 21-14 (vs. Cincinnati) | Last week: 29
Oct 20, 2024; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson (4) falls to the ground with a torn Achilles during the second quarter against the Cincinnati Bengals at Huntington Bank Field.
Scott Galvin-Imagn Images
Star RB Nick Chubb’s highly anticipated return to the lineup this past Sunday was overshadowed by QB Deshaun Watson suffering a season-ending Achilles tear. Even so, if the Browns turn to Jameis Winston as their starting quarterback, it’s possible the offense could improve after averaging just 15.6 points per game under Watson, the fourth-fewest in the NFL.
Week 8: vs. Baltimore (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: L 32-16 (at Jacksonville, in London) | Last week: 32
Despite their dreadful 1-6 record, the Patriots should feel more optimistic about their future than they were a few weeks ago, given the flashes rookie QB Drake Maye has shown. As pointed out by CBS on X, Maye joined Hall of Famer Dan Marino as the only two quarterbacks since the merger to throw for at least 500 yards and five touchdowns through their first two career starts.
Week 8: vs. Jets (1 p.m. ET | CBS)
Week 7: L 40-7 (at Washington) | Last week: 30
It seems like the Panthers reach new lows every game, but their latest loss may have been their most embarrassing yet, allowing 30 points to a Mariota-led offense. Considering Carolina’s 32nd-ranked defense is allowing nearly seven more points per game than the next-closest team, it should go all in on revamping the unit during the 2025 NFL Draft.
Week 8: at Denver (4:25 p.m. ET | CBS)
