Rams Surge to Set Up Heavyweight Matchup vs. Seahawks

Welcome to Week 10 of the Power Rankings. Like the globe at the end of Pangea, we’ve broken off into separate nations. In this case, two of them: a land of teams that are legitimately fun, interesting and competitive, and another featuring teams who will vanish in our consciousness until the Senior Bowl. That line feels as definitive as it has been in quite some time, ending with the 49ers at No. 15.

Luckily for us, the injection of the Colts, Seahawks and Broncos into the top 10 feels permanent to some degree, and we no longer have to worship the aura of the Lions, Bills, Chiefs and Eagles in perpetuity. We have the premier matchup of the year coming in a week … and it has nothing to do with Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen.

Not that I’m sick of watching those players—quite the opposite. But I am ready for a new land. A new Earth.

1. Seattle Seahawks

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: beat Cardinals, 44–22
This week: at Rams

Of the four largest first half point totals of the season so far, three of them belong to the Seahawks. This team is exploding in a different way every week—deep passing, gutting turnovers, take your pick. While I would like to see more efficiency from the run game, no one has gotten close enough to the Seahawks to pose a meaningful challenge and force them to play left handed. The Rams may be that team a week from now.

2. Los Angeles Rams

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: beat 49ers, 42–26
This week: vs. Seahawks

If you’re just getting into 12 personnel, I regret to inform you that you are lamer than a parent who has just started making 6–7 jokes. It’s all about 13 personnel now—that means one wide receiver and three tight end sets from the Rams, who gutted the 49ers’ notoriously light boxed defenses and soared to their most efficient outing of the season. Sean McVay took a complete mindbending offense and evolved it once more.

3. Indianapolis Colts

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: beat Falcons, 31–25 (OT)
This week: idle

While teams are getting at Daniel Jones and certainly flustering him more frequently, it won’t be until an opponent matches the Colts’ offensive efficiency and forces Jonathan Taylor into a full-time pass protecting role that this train will start to leave the tracks. Jones—aided by a beautiful fourth down catch from Tyler Warren—showed that the team has guts to back up special personnel and elite playcalling.

4. New England Patriots

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: beat Buccaneers, 28–23
This week: vs. Jets

Here’s a column on Robert Kraft and a decision he made on Mike Vrabel that I don’t think he’ll ever get the proper credit for.

5. Detroit Lions

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: beat Commanders, 44–22
This week: at Eagles

Here’s a column on Dan Campbell taking over play calling duties for the Lions, and why it’s quite possibly the most Dan Campbell thing ever.

6. Denver Broncos

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: beat Raiders, 10–7
This week: vs. Chiefs

I think we can all get cynical in this space from time to time before someone like Alex Singleton snaps us back into reality. His story, and the fact that he may play in a few weeks after recovering from testicular cancer surgery, is incredible.

7. Philadelphia Eagles

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: beat Packers, 10–7
This week: vs. Lions

The Eagles somehow jumped the snap on the road against the Packers to hammer Josh Jacobs and force a fumble at the game’s most critical juncture last night. Oh, and of course Jaelan Phillips was excellent on Monday—did you expect anything less?

Oh, and of course they also knew what play was coming. 

8. Buffalo Bills

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: lost to Dolphins, 30–13
This week: vs. Buccaneers

On Monday, Sean McDermott made quick work out of stomping out the idea that Brian Daboll could come back and help with the Buffalo Bills. Juxtapose that with the Lions, which have one of the best and most efficient offenses in the NFL, changing out playcallers because it isn’t perfect. I’m not saying either approach is right, but I am pointing out the differences in how two contending teams are handling this.

9. Los Angeles Chargers

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: beat Steelers, 25–10
This week: at Jaguars

Jim Harbaugh on Justin Herbert, who appeared to be limping after Sunday’s win over Pittsburgh: “I do have an update on his physical status. He’s still a beast.”

10. Baltimore Ravens

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: beat Vikings, 27–19
This week: at Browns

Over the last two weeks, with a more familiar roster, the Ravens are eighth in offensive efficiency and sixth in total defense. Despite the news that Joe Burrow may possibly make it back by Thanksgiving, my fear is that it will be far too late. This Baltimore team is a runaway train and didn’t really need to get into its offense in a win over Minnesota on Sunday.

11. Kansas City Chiefs

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Broncos

If the Chiefs lose to the Broncos this coming weekend, the team’s chances of winning the division for a literal decade straight will all but vanish. While I imagine Andy Reid would relish the opportunity to see how his team would respond to a wild-card berth, nothing screams divisional sea change like Patrick Mahomes getting boxed out of the division title before Thanksgiving.

12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: lost to Patriots, 28–23
This week: at Bills

Hey, this is interesting: Baker Mayfield has not attempted a single rush or scramble since the team’s gritty win over the 49ers back on Oct. 12. In that time, the Buccaneers have been 1–2, Mayfield’s sack percentage has risen significantly and he had one of his worst completion percentage games of the year.

13. Green Bay Packers

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: lost to Eagles, 10–7
This week: at Giants

I thought teammate Matt Verderame did a great job of pointing out what cannot be ignored: This team can’t operate without multiple tight end sets, and the Broncos’ nabbing Marcedes Lewis in free agency shortly before the trade deadline leaves Matt LaFleur without many options on that front. The Packers lost the thread of their offensive identity on Monday night and will be floating until LaFleur can cook something up.

14. Chicago Bears

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: beat Giants, 24–20
This week: at Vikings

You can’t tell me this wasn’t one of the great, satisfying moments of the week. I suppose this is more of a metaphorical representation of the promise and failure of the Giants’ pass rush, but Chicago will have this running on promotions.

15. San Francisco 49ers

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: lost to Rams, 42–26
This week: at Cardinals

Lost in the Rams’ frenzy of offensive efficiency was the fact that Mac Jones had just six incompletions and a quarterback rating of almost 120 against the best defense in the NFL, on an afternoon when Brian Robinson was his leading rusher and Christian McCaffrey was averaging less than three yards per carry. You can’t bench this guy right now.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers 

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: lost to Chargers, 25–10
This week: vs. Bengals

Aaron Rodgers has been sacked nine times in his last three games. In his last two games, his net yards per attempt were both at a season low. His adjusted net yards per passing attempt on Sunday in a loss to the Chargers was 2.9. There are simply games in which he looks like he has abandoned the offense and drawn up plays on his sweaty palm before snapping the ball. It’s part of the experience.

17. Houston Texans

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: beat Jaguars, 36–29
This week: at Titans

Davis Mills was excellent on Sunday in a thrilling comeback win over the Jaguars. But what really sold me on Mills’s game-winning touchdown run was how incredibly good all of the complementary blocking was on a broken, improvised play. No flags. Total hustle.

18. Minnesota Vikings 

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: lost to Ravens, 27–19
This week: vs. Bears

Kevin O’Connell had an interesting defense of J.J. McCarthy on the day following Minnesota’s loss to Baltimore. On some of McCarthy’s tipped balls, he had the correct read and a receiver who was wide open. Check those out for yourself.

19. Carolina Panthers

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: lost to Saints, 17–7
This week: at Falcons

On this week’s Monday episode of The MMQB Podcast, Albert Breer and I played Hoarders™ with every NFL franchise, and we had to decide whether we would keep remaining NFL teams with the hope that they could have a significant impact on the latter parts of the season, or toss them out. Find out what we said about the Panthers here.

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: lost to Texans, 36–29
This week: vs. Chargers

Here’s an interesting question for James Gladstone: What would you do if either the Rams, Jets or Browns—three of the teams with multiple first-round picks in this or next year’s draft—offered you one or both of those picks for Trevor Lawrence? I know he’s not the central issue right now after a game in which Davis Mills mounted a comeback, but that might be food for thought sooner rather than later.

21. Miami Dolphins

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: beat Bills, 30–13
This week: vs. Commanders (in Madrid)

O.K., hear me out: The 3–7 Dolphins have the Commanders in Madrid this week after a huge win over Buffalo. After that? The Saints, Jets, Steelers and Bengals. So, yes, Miami has risen irresponsibly high in the power rankings this week, mostly because I believe they will go on a bit of a run here.

22. Atlanta Falcons

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: lost to Colts, 31–25 (OT)
This week: vs. Panthers

The news of Brian Daboll’s ouster in New York put some temporary blinders on the very real issues facing the Falcons. After four straight losses, could another against the easiest stretch of Atlanta’s schedule—Carolina, New Orleans and the Jets—force Arthur Blank into the conversation for an in-season change?

23. Dallas Cowboys

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Raiders

I can’t stop thinking about these words from Solomon Thomas after an unspeakably awful week in Dallas. Check on your loved ones. Know that you matter always. Seek help. 

24. Cincinnati Bengals

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Steelers

Joe Burrow told Jay Glazer that he is eyeing a Thanksgiving return to play. I wonder if this is Burrow being optimistic, realistic or just trying anything to jumpstart an uncooperative defense that has been ruining the Joe Flacco Ohio Glory sequel that we all signed up for. 

25. Washington Commanders 

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: lost to Lions, 44–22
This week: vs. Dolphins (in Madrid)

While we’re focusing on the Jayden Daniels piece of this, I think this is a fair—and stunning—representation of what can happen when injuries completely suck the life out of an NFL season. The Commanders are sending an XFL team to Madrid this weekend against a strangely hot Dolphins offense. Progress is never linear in this league. 

26. Arizona Cardinals

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: lost to Seahawks, 44–22
This week: vs. 49ers

I make a lot of terrible predictions, but I am feeling increasingly positive about Kyler Murray playing for … anyone but the Cardinals next season. Score one—and, really, truly, only one—for Conor. 

27. New York Giants

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: lost to Bears, 24–20
This week: vs. Packers

I made a few calls on Monday in the aftermath of Brian Daboll’s firing. Here are 15 potential suitors for the Giants’ head coaching vacancy. The TL;DR version? This hiring cycle is going to be weird. Buckle up.

28. New York Jets

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: beat Browns, 27–20
This week: at Patriots

Garrett Wilson may be the real winner in all of this with an ideally-timed knee sprain. He’ll get a month of rehab while the Jets figure out exactly what this team looks like after gutting the roster at the deadline. 

29. Cleveland Browns

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: lost to Jets, 27–20
This week: vs. Ravens

Now that he’s departed Cleveland, former Browns director of strategy Paul DePodesta was finally put on the record about the Deshaun Watson trade. I’m glad he thinks it will be forever a part of his legacy, because going back to baseball doesn’t change the reality of what ultimately sunk the Browns (this last time around, anyway). 

30. New Orleans Saints

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: beat Panthers, 17–7
This week: idle

Good for Tyler Shough—and for Kellen Moore. With a super beat up offensive line and one of the Saints’ best receivers having been shipped away at the trade deadline, Shough became the first Saints rookie quarterback to win a game since 1981, which feels incredibly made up but is, in fact, not.

31. Las Vegas Raiders

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: lost to Broncos, 10–7
This week: vs. Cowboys

A few weeks after reading, I still can’t stop thinking about this incredible Dan Pompei feature on Robert Gallery, a former high draft pick of the Raiders. Give it some time. 

32. Tennessee Titans

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Texans

I don’t have a ton to add on the state of the Titans right now, but I do encourage you to become as enraptured in these videos of daily life in the coldest city on Earth as I am.

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