I stopped writing NFL Power Rankings a couple of seasons ago ’cause nobody was reading ’em. You know – every sports media website in the world has some form of these power rankings up, so there’s a lot of competition, and the little guys like us lose out in those scenarios. It makes it somewhat pointless to do stuff like this, but whatever happened with Google’s core web vitals update back in May seems to have kicked our traffic into another gear. I guess they like us? Anyway, it made me think that maybe it was worth giving these bad boys another try. So, like I said before I stopped writing these, my NFL Power Rankings are based solely on what has happened on the field so far. I’m not taking preseason expectations or projections into consideration. These rankings are based strictly on what I’ve seen so far this season. Let’s get to it.
NFL POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 8, 2021
1. Green Bay Packers (7-1) – To be the man, you gotta beat the man, and the Packers went out there and beat the man in a classic nail-biter on Thursday night against the previously unbeaten Cardinals. Aaron Rodgers is playing like the guy who won the MVP award a season ago, and the Packers have rattled off seven straight wins because of it. I have no issue with putting ’em at #1 on this list. They travel to Kansas City on Sunday.
2. Arizona Cardinals (7-1) – It all came down to AJ Green not turning around to look for the ball, but this is still an incredibly balanced football team that should be in the mix come January. I have a hard time forgetting about that seven-game win streak to start the season. They’ll look to get right in San Francisco on Sunday for the second meeting between the two teams this season (the Cardinals won the first, but it was ugly).
3. Los Angeles Rams (7-1) – Well, folks that wagered money on the Rams to cover that 16.5-point spread certainly weren’t happy to see the Texans rattle off 22 unanswered in the 4th quarter, but there was never a doubt that the Rams would pull that one off. They dominated a bad team, but they can only play who’s on the schedule. They host the Titans in a big time match-up on Sunday Night Football.
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) – No Dak Prescott, no problem for the Cowboys, as they broke the Vikings’ hearts on Sunday night football with an Amari Cooper miracle touchdown from Cooper Rush. If you doubted whether or not this team was a Super Bowl contender before, look no further than that win in which the team rallied around their backup quarterback. They host the Broncos this Sunday.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) – The Bucs came out and got punched in the mouth by a physical and game Saints team, but I’m not ready to pull the plug on the Bucs Super Bowl hopes just yet with all the talent they have on that team. This team still has its sights set on a Super Bowl repeat. They get a week to rest this week.
6. Tennessee Titans (6-2) – I love the heart this Titans team has, and while their MVP candidate running back Derrick Henry is out indefinitely, I don’t think this team is cooked just yet. That defense is playing well, and they still have that Ryan Tannehill–AJ Brown combo to keep the offense going. And, don’t look now, but BAH GAWD THAT’S ADRIAN PETERSON‘S MUSIC! It’s a well-coached and passionate team – they will not go quietly into the night. They travel to Los Angeles for a massive test against the Rams on Sunday Night Football.
7. Buffalo Bills (5-2) – After beating up the Dolphins, the Bills still look like the most consistent and complete team in the AFC, and I expect they’ll probably be one of the last two teams standing in the AFC. They travel to Jacksonville on Sunday, and should absolutely stomp the Jags as the superior team in every facet of the game.
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2) – The AFC North looks like it’s going to be a tight race, but I like the Ravens because of Lamar Jackson and their defense. They’re coming off a bye to host the Vikings on Sunday.
9. New Orleans Saints (5-2) – Alright, I’m going to give the Saints their due. They’re legit – these guys have some quality victories over the Packers, the Patriots, and now the Buccaneers too. They’re in a hole after losing Jameis Winston for the season, but that run game and defense will keep them in the hunt. They host the Falcons on Sunday.
10. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) – Can’t lose your spot on a bye. The Raiders are currently the #2 seed in the AFC, and travel to New York to play the Giants on Sunday.
IF THE SEASON ENDED TODAY…
AFC
- (1) Tennessee Titans (BYE)
- (7) Los Angeles Chargers @ (2) Las Vegas Raiders
- (6) Pittsburgh Steelers @ (3) Baltimore Ravens
- (5) Cincinnati Bengals @ (4) Buffalo Bills
NFC
- (1) Green Bay Packers (BYE)
- (7) Carolina Panthers @ (2) Arizona Cardinals
- (6) New Orleans Saints @ (3) Dallas Cowboys
- (5) Los Angeles Rams @ (4) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
PREDICTIONS
- Top 5 NFL Draft order: 1. Lions, 2. Texans, 3. Dolphins, 4. Jaguars, 5. Football Team
- AFC Championship: Bills @ Titans
- NFC Championship: Rams @ Cowboys
- Super Bowl: Bills vs. Rams
Stoney Keeley is the Editor in Chief of The SoBros Network, and a Dogs Playing Poker on velvet connoisseur. He is a strong supporter of Team GSD, #BeBetter, and ‘Minds right, asses tight.’ “Big Natural” covers the Tennessee Titans, Nashville, Yankee Candle, and a whole wealth of nonsense. Follow on Twitter @StoneyKeeley
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