NFL Power rankings entering Week 7 of the 2024 season (previous rankings in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Coming out of the bye, four of their next six are on the road — starting with Sunday’s Super Bowl rematch(s) against the Niners, who are 0-4 against Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes and Co. since Kyle Shanahan took over in 2017. The Chiefs have won 11 straight overall.
2. Baltimore Ravens (3): Lamar Jackson is now 449 yards away from eclipsing Michael Vick’s career record (6,109) for rushing yards by a quarterback, meaning he should break it around Week 13. More immediately, Jackson can improve its mark to 22-1 against NFC teams, an interconference winning percentage record of 0.956 since the conferences materialized in 1970, on Monday night at Tampa Bay.
3. Minnesota Vikings (2): Leaders of an NFC North with a historically hot start, the Vikes have for the moment the only intra-division victory of 2024 but will have a new chance to certify their legitimacy (undefeated) with the arrival of the Lions on Sunday in the Twin Cities.
4. Detroit Lions (4): The league’s most successful team recorded its first streak of 40 consecutive burgers in the Super Bowl era (since 1966). Unfortunately for the offense, it may not have the luxury of letting up at all given the defensive blow it suffered Sunday, when Defensive Player of the Year favorite Aidan Hutchinson lost to a fracture of the tibia.
5. Atlanta Falcons (5): After sweeping their division opponents in three games, they’re set to host a Seattle team that doesn’t appear ready to stop an ATL ground game that racked up a season-high 198 yards on Sunday.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6): After Sunday’s victory in New Orleans, they returned to their hurricane-ravaged home and into the teeth of a schedule that will serve Baltimore, Atlanta, Kansas City and San Francisco in successive weeks before the arrival of the bye. But it appears the Bucs have found something more to play on. “Our hearts go out to the city. It’s a tough town,” HC Todd Bowles said after the win. “We don’t know what we’ll come back to, but for our small part, we wanted to win one for the city.”
7. Green Bay Packers (10): With WR Romeo Doubs scoring two touchdowns Sunday following his one-game suspension for conduct detrimental to the team, the pack looks roughly complete for the first time since Week 1. That should help given that five of their next seven games will be against 2023 playoff teams.
8. Houston Texans (8): If there is a quiet 5-1, look no further. But after picking up RB Joe Mixon and scoring 41 points, Houston’s most in a regular season game in nearly three years, it could soon get loud.
9. Washington Commanders (7): A mediocre defense could ill afford to lose longtime captain Jonathan Allen to a season-ending pectoral injury. Particularly thin up front, the Commanders are about to see two of the league’s best rushers in Carolina’s Chuba Hubbard and Chicago’s D’Andre Swift.
10. Buffalo Bills (11): Monday night’s win charts a pretty clear path to a fifth straight AFC East crown — especially as the schedule appears to lighten up over the next month after three straight tough road games. And rookie RB Ray Davis’ breakout effort (152 yards from scrimmage) suggests there’s no need to rush James Cook after his toe injury. On a personal level, quarterback Josh Allen’s 233 combined touchdowns (passing and rushing) are the most of any player in his first seven seasons.
11. Philadelphia Eagles (9): It’s never a good sign when your head coach becomes a chronic distraction, especially at a time when you’re struggling to beat, arguably, the worst team in the league. It’s worth keeping an eye on, although Philly isn’t expected to face an opponent currently with a winning record until November 14.
12. San Francisco 49ers (13): They will not hit the road again until November 10. In the meantime ? It might be a good idea to continue feeding “fullback” Deebo Samuel, the first wideout in league history with 20 career touchdowns both rushing and receiving.
13. Indianapolis Colts (15): Despite his countless injuries, Indy shows grit and depth…and may soon be embroiled in a Joe Flacco-fueled quarterback controversy that Cleveland wanted no part of.
14. Chicago Bear (19): How hot are they for rookie QB Caleb Williams? Chicago’s offense has scored five touchdowns in consecutive games for the first time since the Super Bowl era.
15. Dallas Cowboys (14): They’re at home again this week, but the Cowboys won’t be blown away this time around… if only because it’s their goodbye, when at least – apparently – HC Mike McCarthy can relax. Momentarily. Subsequently, the next two games will not take place at “Jerry World”, although traveling to San Francisco and Atlanta hardly means cooking on the road.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (16): Another win, another injured offensive lineman (rookie C Zach Frazier). This is not a sustainable formula.
17. Los Angeles Chargers (18): After Sunday’s win in Denver, HC Jim Harbaugh triumphantly declared he was “2-0 with arrhythmias” after another irregular heartbeat forced him to miss the start of the game. Sorry, Coach, but not a sustainable formula either.
18. Cincinnati Bengals (20): An unwanted streak of a league-record 75 consecutive games allowing at least double-digit points ended with Sunday night’s 17-7 victory over the Giants. Imagine if Cincy finally put together a full 60 minutes…
19. Denver Broncos (17): RB Javonte Williams has the most touches in the league (79) without scoring a touchdown, and only four teams have fewer trips to the end zone than Denver’s 10.
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20. Arizona Cardinals (12): They entered Sunday with a league-low 19 penalties…then committed 13, along with three fumbles, in a 21-point loss at Lambeau.
21. New York Jets (21): I can’t blame Robert Saleh for this loss. Or, really, Aaron Rodgers, who had perhaps his best game as a Jet. Or even a running game that entered Week 6 ranked last in the league but passed for 121 yards. Aside from the whole operation being less than the sum of its parts for various reasons, perhaps it would help if Rodgers had someone other than struggling WR Mike Williams to turn to in decisive moments?
22. New York Giants (22): They don’t have many “key” players, but almost all of them have been injured and have been injured. A tribute to HC Brian Daboll – and, frankly, QB Daniel Jones – that the G-Men remained competitive.
23. Seattle Seahawks (23): On Monday, they traded for DT Roy Robertson-Harris…which is especially notable because you’d think they’d want a offensive lineman.
24. Los Angeles Rams (24): The Raiders could be a cure for their worst run defense in the league. But even with the bye now in their rear view, it’s unclear when WRs Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua will return to heal a passing attack with the fewest touchdowns (3) in the NFC.
25. New Orleans Saints (25): Sean Payton, the franchise’s all-time winningest coach, will be at the Superdome Thursday night. If he (and his Broncos) pull out another win in The Big Easy, the Saints, who are currently sporting the NFC’s worst four-game skid, could be cooked.
26. Carolina Panthers (26): Demoted quarterback Bryce Young is perhaps symbolic of this club’s struggles…yet it’s the defense that has already given up 25 more points than any other team.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (27): They have trailed by at least 10 points in their six games, the first time in franchise history that the Silver and Black have started a season that way.
28. Tennessee Titans (28): They’re scheduled to face a club, New England, with a losing record through Week 13 – so there should be plenty of opportunities to target WR Calvin Ridley.
29. Miami Dolphins (29): HC Mike McDaniel announced that quarterback Tua Tagovailoa would return to action this season, but did not know when. Tagovailoa is eligible to come off IR before the Oct. 27 date with Arizona. The season appears salvageable if Miami can stay in a .500 game until it’s ready.
30. New England Patriots (31): They have a guy they’re building something special around – Bryce Baringer with a league-best streak of 23 games with a punt of at least 50 yards. Oh, and rookie QB Drake Maye showed flashes of promise in his starting debut – uneven as one would expect.
31. Cleveland Browns (32): S Rodney McLeod Jr. is tied for the team lead with two touchdowns, both on returns. Sums up the situation for an offense that has yet to score 19 points in a game this season.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (30): They carry some momentum until Sunday, after winning their last game in London… when they were designated as the home team… in 2023. Oh, it’s a fucking waste.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
This article was originally published on USA TODAY: NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Jets and Bills heading in opposite directions
