Weekly NFL Power Rankings Week 7: How High Can Green Bay and Houston Climb?

Each week, it feels like the truly elite teams separate themselves more and more from the rest of the pack.

Oh well. Here it goes. Time to make some more fan bases mad. Here are the Week 7 power rankings.

NFL Power Rankings Week 7

1. San Francisco 49ers (6-0)

No change

You know, I’m really starting to worry about this wide receiver room. And once Mike Evans left last week, San Francisco’s offense really struggled in the second half. But the fact remains that Brock Purdy is a top MVP candidate, Kyle Shanahan is an elite playcaller, and the pass rush has been very, very good through six weeks.

Their win against Washington on Monday was a lot closer than it should have been, but the 49ers won’t apologize for winning.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)

No change

Andy Reid and company did what they usually do coming off a bye week—win. It wasn’t perfect, but Kenneth Walker continues to be the best offseason addition in the NFL by far, rushing for another 128 yards and two touchdowns.

3. Buffalo Bills (5-1)

Change: +1

We’ve seen much better stat lines from Josh Allen than his 255-yard, two-touchdown performance against Vegas in Week 6. But I came away thoroughly impressed with his performance. He didn’t play hero ball, taking the short/intermediate stuff and continuing to sustain drives. Of course, there’s always the “holy shit, Josh is an alien” play; this time, a shot-put touchdown pass to Keon Coleman.

They have the best quarterback on the planet and an elite run game led by a top-seven running back in James Cook. But this defense has to get it together.

4. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)

Change: +3

The Vikings move up a few spots with other teams falling after Week 6 losses. I still have some concerns with Minnesota, but the offense finally showed some signs this past Sunday, and given how elite this defense is, Kyler Murray and company just have to be competent to give this team a chance to win each and every week.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

No change

Jacksonville is coming off a loss in London, as penalties (especially in the red zone) continue to hurt this team. It was fun to see Travis Hunter, who is already having a great year at corner, see more playing time on offense. Hunter ran a season-high 16% of the routes, catching four passes for 59 yards and a touchdown. With Brian Thomas seemingly phased out of this offense, it’ll be interesting to see if Hunter continues to see more looks at wide receiver going forward.

6. New England Patriots (4-2)

Change: +3

The Patriots continue to rise in the rankings, now ripping off four consecutive wins. After a brutal start, Drake Maye is one of the hottest quarterbacks in the league, and despite a rusty return, A.J. Brown will only help with that. Offensive line injuries are a concern right now, as Morgan Moses, Alijah Vera-Tucker and Ben Brown all left Sunday’s game.

7. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)

Change: -4

Through six weeks, Seattle looks like an average team. And their record very clearly reflects that. We know the defense remains elite, but Sam Darnold, who has seven interceptions over the last four games, has a turnover problem at the moment. The run game should improve with the return of Zach Charbonnet and Jadarian Price, which is important considering how reliant this offense is on JSN.

8. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

Change: -2

A loss to Cleveland perhaps isn’t as brutal as it once was, but it was still a rough Sunday for the Ravens. Penalties often kept the Ravens in long distances on offense. I’m still giving Baltimore the benefit of the doubt since they haven’t had Lamar Jackson over the past two weeks.

9. Denver Broncos (4-2)

Change: +2

I know what you’re thinking. How can the Broncos be behind the Seahawks after beating them? It’s pretty simple.

I don’t trust Bo Nix.

He is playing with the training wheels on right now, and until he takes them off, this team’s upside is going to be capped. Perhaps he’s not 100% recovered from last year’s ankle injury, because he surely doesn’t look like it when he runs. He’s yet to eclipse 10 rushing yards in a game, while his 2% scramble rate ranks 33rd among qualified quarterbacks. The interesting thing, however, is that his designed rush share of 9% is identical to last year’s, and a top-five mark in the league. But he looks very hesitant and unsure when running with the football.

Give Denver credit for beating the defending champs, but I’m not bought in yet.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)

No change

The Bengals defense, though far from perfect, has been much better this season, which was one of the top storylines during the offseason. Joe Burrow and the passing attack are going to show up each and every week, but Chase Brown and the run game need to get going.

11. Chicago Bears (4-2)

Change: +2

It was great to see Caleb Williams under center again this weekend. And while he didn't run very much, he solved a lot of the problems this offense was having with Tyson Bagent and Case Keenum. Even without Kyle Monangai, Chicago’s run game has remained strong, as Roschon Johnson has filled in admirably as the Bears’ 1B.

12. Green Bay Packers (4-2)

Change: +3

The Packers continue to rise, now sitting as a top-12 team in the power rankings. Jordan Love and the downfield passing attack have been red hot over the last two weeks, handling the Bears and Cowboys with ease. And even while missing key players, the defense continues to make plays.

The obvious weakness of this team has been the run game and run-blocking, but help is on the way with Josh Jacobs set to make his season debut in Week 7.

13. Detroit Lions (3-2)

Change: -1

The Lions move down one spot while on their bye, but only because Green Bay jumped ahead of them. When we last saw them, the Lions defense finally showed up, playing sticky man coverage against Trey McBride and Michael Wilson, thus helping the pass rush. And with Brian Branch nearing a return, the defense can only improve. The offense, meanwhile, remains elite, ranking top-three in the NFL in success rate, EPA/play and points per drive.

14. Carolina Panthers (3-2)

No change

Carolina took care of business against a depleted Eagles team in Week 7. Bryce Young continues to play at a high level, leading the NFL in passing yards per game (309), while ranking fifth in touchdowns per game (2.2). Meanwhile, the run game with Chuba Hubbard has improved, and the duo of Tetairoa McMillan and Jalen Coker creates mismatches all over the field. This team is fun.

15. Houston Texans (2-4)

Change: +7

Even amidst their struggles, I always thought this Houston team was much, much better than what they’ve shown, so I was pleased, but not surprised, to see them beat the Jaguars in a thriller in London. The story of this team, and one of the stories of the year, has been the bounce back from CJ Stroud, ranking top-12 in EPA/dropback. He had three or four true “wow” throws against Jacksonville and looks the most comfortable and in command as he’s looked since his rookie year.

Look out, Jacksonville.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)

No change

Every week the Steelers fall in the 16-18 range in these rankings. And every week I still have no idea how good this team is.

Hell, I barely know who this team is.

In Sunday’s overtime win against the Bucs, Aaron Rodgers went back to an extremely quick-hitting, low aDOT, screen-centric passing attack. Rookie Germie Bernard stepped in a huge way with Michael Pittman and Roman Wilson sidelined, but it’s tough to project this offense on a week-to-week basis.

17. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

Change: -9

The only reason I’m not moving the Rams down further is that they still have Matthew Stafford and Sean McVay. Missing players or not, a home loss to the Cardinals is unacceptable, dropping the preseason Super Bowl favorites to a shocking 2-4 record.

And this team has a ton of issues right now. The special teams unit is a mess. The team keeps beating itself, and now they’ll be without Davante Adams for the next 6-10 weeks. It’s getting late early for the Rams.

18. Cleveland Browns (4-2)

Change: +6

I’m still hesitant to buy into Cleveland as a legitimate playoff contender, but they need to move up the rankings. Todd Monken has done a great job in his first season, but it does feel like they are due for a rough stretch of games based on how they keep winning. Their offense has been awful through three quarters, but the defense holds its ground long enough for the offense to make a few plays down the stretch.

19. Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)

No change

There are no moral victories in the NFL, but two of Las Vegas’ three losses have been high-scoring, close games against AFC powerhouses Kansas City and Buffalo. What would really go a long way is an improved rushing attack. And for whatever reason, this run game looks a lot better when Mike Washington is carrying the ball as opposed to Ashton Jeanty.

20. New York Giants (3-2-1)

No change

The Giants played a wild game against the Saints last weekend, nearly overcoming a 24-point deficit in the fourth quarter. And it was JJ McCarthy, not Jameis Winston, who nearly completed the comeback, throwing for 243 yards in the final frame. Following his performance, the Giants have named McCarthy the team’s starting quarterback for Week 7.

Perhaps no team in the NFL feels less in first place than the Giants.

21. Atlanta Falcons (2-4)

Change: -3

Following two monster showings on offense, the Falcons have come back down to earth over the last two weeks. Give them credit for fighting back down 31-7 last week, but that’s the exact worst game script this team could ever encounter, as it completely took Bijan Robinson out of the game. Michael Penix is taking a lot of hits right now, and if he ever misses time, this offense is in huge trouble.

22. Dallas Cowboys (2-4)

Change: -5

I guess this is what I get for buying into the Cowboys during the offseason.

The improved defense was a mirage, as this is once again one of the worst units in football. But the more concerning development is the sudden issues on offense. Dallas has now scored 29 points against Tampa Bay and Green Bay over the past two weeks, while Dak Prescott is really struggling, especially when under pressure. The NFC East is wide open, but this team looks lost right now.

23. New Orleans Saints (2-4)

Change: +5

It looked like things were about to be really bad for the Saints, as their offense struggled early against the Giants. But Tyler Shough got going, making plays with both his arms and his legs. Of course, they nearly blew a 24-point fourth-quarter lead, but were able to hold on.

24. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)

Change: -3

It’s only Week 7, but this season has been a nightmare from hell for Philadelphia. Every single week this team has to fight through something, and now they’ll have to go the rest of the season without starting quarterback Jalen Hurts. Tanner McKee didn’t instill much confidence in his first start of the year last week, but when Saquon Barkley returns, this team has enough pieces on both sides of the ball to contend for an NFC East title, mainly due to how bad the division is.

25. New York Jets (2-4)

Change: -2

They’re 2-4, but this Jets team is way better (and more fun to watch) than last year’s squad. Braelon Allen has stepped in for Breece Hall and played extremely well, potentially giving the Jets a formidable 1-2 punch when Hall returns, while rookies Omar Cooper and Kenyon Sadiq have already shown flashes.

26. Arizona Cardinals (2-4)

Change: +5

Look, the Rams may not be the Rams we expected, but Arizona going into Los Angeles and getting a win is impressive nonetheless. And it warrants a bump in the rankings.

27. Washington Commanders (1-4-1)

No change

For the second consecutive week, inexcusable decision-making and awareness played a factor in a Washington loss. Early in the game, the Commanders apparently didn’t know it was fourth down when Jayden Daniels threw a pass away. And late in the game, needing a touchdown, Daniels had a brutal intentional grounding penalty. Now without Terry McLaurin for the rest of the season, rookie Antonio Williams will have to step up and play a huge role.

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5)

Change: -3

Tampa Bay probably should have beaten the Steelers last week, but they let the game get away from them. While unspectacular overall, I think Jalon Daniels has played perfectly fine in the absence of Baker Mayfield. But now at 1-5, it may be too late for this team.

29. Tennessee Titans (1-5)

Change: +3

Shoutout to the Titans for picking up their first win of the season. Despite playing in the worst passing attack in the league, Carnell Tate continues to shine.

30. Indianapolis Colts (2-4)

Change: -4

Look, when you lose to the Titans at home, your GM gets fired.

The Colts fired Chris Ballard, raising questions about what’s next for this team. Could they be sellers at the trade deadline, moving off DeForest Buckner, Quenton Nelson or even Jonathan Taylor?

It's possible.

Right now, Daniel Jones is playing poorly, while the Colts have arguably the slowest wide receiver room in all of football. Unless Taylor is breaking off explosive runs, this offense stinks, and the defense isn’t much better.

31. Miami Dolphins (0-5)

Change: -2

Miami is coming off a bye. They have yet to win a game, but they have been in every game outside of Week 2 against San Francisco. It is a bit frustrating to watch the Dolphins continue to pound the rock in the fourth quarter when trailing by two scores, but the players are playing hard each week, especially rookie linebacker Jacob Rodriguez, who might lead the league in tackles when it’s all said and done.