Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders, regardless of win-loss record.
Here are the rankings after Week 8:
The contenders
1. Green Bay Packers (7-1; No. 6 last week)
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2; No. 1)
3. Buffalo Bills (5-2; No. 3)
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-1; No. 4)
5. Los Angeles Rams (7-1; No. 5)
6. Arizona Cardinals (7-1; No. 2)
After Tom Brady and the Buccaneers fell, 36-27, to Trevor Siemian and the Saints on Sunday, there’s a new team at the top.
The Packers made a big statement Thursday night, handing the Cardinals their first loss despite missing top wide receiver Davante Adams. To make matters worse, tight end Robert Tonyan suffered a season-ending torn ACL, leaving quarterback Aaron Rodgers to make do with the likes of Juwann Winfree, Josiah Deguara, Randall Cobb and Equanimeous St. Brown. It wasn’t a virtuoso performance by Rodgers (22 for 37 for 184 yards and two touchdowns), but he did enough to keep the offense on schedule and put pressure on Arizona. MVP front-runner Kyler Murray had an uncharacteristically poor game, rushing for just 21 yards and throwing two interceptions, including the game-sealing pick to Rasul Douglas in the end zone on a miscommunication with receiver A.J. Green.
Green Bay already has a commanding lead in the NFC North and should get Adams, cornerback Jaire Alexander and edge rusher Za’Darius Smith back at some point this season. In most years, the Packers would have a clear path to the conference’s top seed. But there will be plenty of talented teams standing in their way.
The Cowboys were rewarded for their cautiousness with Dak Prescott’s calf strain, resting the injured star quarterback in favor of journeyman Cooper Rush and still finding a way to beat the Vikings, 20-16. Trevon Diggs’ interception streak ended, but the Dallas defense continues to impress thanks to a rebuilt defensive line and the emergence of pass rusher Randy Gregory.
The Rams, meanwhile, continued to show Monday that they’re all in on this season. Los Angeles traded a second- and third-round draft pick to the Broncos for seven-time All-Pro Von Miller, pairing the superstar pass rusher with Aaron Donald and Jalen Ramsey to form perhaps the league’s best defense. With quarterback Matthew Stafford putting up huge numbers, the Rams are starting to look like a juggernaut.
On the cusp of contention
7. Baltimore Ravens (5-2; No. 7)
8. Tennessee Titans (6-2, No. 9)
9. Las Vegas Raiders (5-2; No. 11)
10. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3; No. 8)
The bye week couldn’t have gone better for the Ravens and Raiders. The Bengals lost as big favorites against the Jets and first-time starting quarterback Mike White, putting Baltimore in pole position in the AFC North. Meanwhile, Titans running back Derrick Henry, a perennial thorn in the Ravens’ side, is having foot surgery and might be sidelined for the rest of the season.
Tennessee strengthened its lead in the AFC South on Sunday with a 34-31 overtime win over the Colts, but there’s no question the Titans’ offense is diminished without their star running back — even if Adrian Peterson finds a way to turn back the clock.
The wild cards
11. New Orleans Saints (5-2; No. 13)
12. Kansas City Chiefs (4-4; No. 14)
13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3; No. 10)
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3; No. 16)
15. New England Patriots (4-4; No. 18)
16. Cleveland Browns (4-4; No. 12)
With Jameis Winston lost for the season with a torn ACL, will the Saints bring in a new quarterback? Tyrod Taylor and Teddy Bridgewater are intriguing options but might be too difficult to pry away from the Texans and Broncos, respectively, or fit under the salary cap. Taysom Hill had success in a brief stint as the starter last season and Siemian looked fine Sunday, but it’s hard to imagine coach Sean Payton trusting either one the rest of the way.
The Browns are having their own issues with quarterback injuries. Baker Mayfield played with a hurt shoulder Sunday and struggled, taking four sacks while Cleveland went 3 for 10 on third-down conversions. Several drops from his receivers didn’t help, and it’s starting to look like Mayfield will never develop chemistry with Odell Beckham Jr. after that blockbuster trade. The Browns’ defense might be playoff-caliber, but until the offense turns it around, they might be stuck in limbo with Mayfield as the starter.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have to be feeling good about their decision to draft Mac Jones in the first round. The rookie quarterback did enough to help New England beat the Chargers, 27-24, on Sunday, keeping the Patriots in playoff contention. Led by former Ravens outside linebacker Matthew Judon, who tallied nine pressures Sunday, New England’s defense will be a pain for the rest of the AFC to deal with.
Still hanging on
17. San Francisco 49ers (3-4; No. 24)
18. Denver Broncos (4-4; No. 22)
19. Minnesota Vikings (3-4; No. 17)
20. Carolina Panthers (4-4; No. 21)
21. Chicago Bears (3-5; No. 20)
Jimmy Garoppolo might have bought himself more time as the 49ers’ starting quarterback, throwing for 322 yards in a 33-22 win over the Bears. Deebo Samuel is healthy and is carrying the offense, recording a higher share of his team’s receiving yards than any other player in the league. Despite a tumultuous first eight weeks, San Francisco is right behind the Panthers for the seventh and final playoff spot in the NFC.
They might be a smarter bet than Carolina, which has seen quarterback Sam Darnold turn back into a pumpkin after his electric 3-0 start. The Panthers’ defense is good enough to keep them in most games, intercepting Matt Ryan twice in Sunday’s 19-13 win over the Falcons, but Darnold has been ineffective and might miss some time with a concussion. It doesn’t look like Carolina’s bet on the former first-round pick will pay off.
The Broncos, Vikings and Bears are also at a crossroads. Denver seemingly punted on this season by trading away Miller, but Bridgewater has been good enough to keep the team afloat. Minnesota continues to play down to its competition, losing to the Cowboys’ backup quarterback, but gets a chance to prove it can hang with the top contenders with a three-game stretch against the Ravens, Chargers and Packers. Justin Fields flashed his potential Sunday, but the rookie quarterback has been too inconsistent for Chicago to realistically compete for a playoff spot.
In no-man’s land
22. Indianapolis Colts (3-5; No. 15)
23. Seattle Seahawks (3-5; No. 23)
24. Atlanta Falcons (3-4; No. 19)
25. Philadelphia Eagles (3-5; No. 27)
The Colts lost a golden opportunity to climb back into the AFC South race Sunday, losing to the Titans in overtime. The Carson Wentz experience was on full display, with the quarterback throwing an inexplicable pick-six from his own end zone with 1:26 to go in regulation before directing a five-play, 75-yard drive for the game-tying touchdown. Another Wentz interception in overtime led to the Titans’ game-winning field goal, putting Indianapolis three games back in the division race. Coach Frank Reich is working wonders with the former first-round pick, but it’s clear by now that it’s impossible to coach the mistakes out of Wentz.
Seattle, Atlanta and Philadelphia are just as difficult to figure out. Geno Smith led the Seahawks to a win over the hapless Jaguars, but Seattle’s playoff aspirations are moot unless Russell Wilson comes back from his finger injury. The Falcons seemingly turned their season around before a head-scratching loss to the Panthers, and now will be without star receiver Calvin Ridley as he takes a mental health break from football. The Eagles were left for dead after back-to-back losses, but a 44-6 throttling of the Lions at least keeps them in the playoff discussion. These teams have won enough to stay relevant, but with long-term questions at quarterback and flawed rosters, it might be time to turn the calendar toward the draft and the 2022 season.
The basement
26. New York Giants (2-7; No. 26)
27. Washington Football Team (2-6; No. 25)
28. New York Jets (2-5; No. 31)
29. Houston Texans (1-7; No. 29)
30. Miami Dolphins (1-7; No. 30)
31. Detroit Lions (0-8; No. 28)
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6; No. 32)
The Giants fought hard, but it wasn’t enough in a 20-17 loss to the Chiefs on Monday night. The defense held quarterback Patrick Mahomes in check for most of the night and forced two turnovers, but couldn’t come up with a stop on Kansas City’s final two drives. Daniel Jones has played well enough to earn another chance as the starting quarterback in 2022, but will he be playing a new coach and offensive coordinator? This roster is far too talented to be 2-7, which means changes are likely on the horizon.
Washington should be just as disappointed with its record. The injury to starting quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick early in the season was a major blow, but much more was expected from a defense that was one of the league’s best in 2020. Coach Ron Rivera said he’s going to stick with Taylor Heinicke as the starting quarterback for now despite his ineffective play during this four-game losing streak, and there might not be a better alternative. Washington was 2-7 last year before finishing 7-9 and winning the division, but it’s hard to envision a similar turnaround this year considering the talent at the top of the NFC.
