NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.
This week, we assess how each team stack up at the regular season's midway point.
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1. Buffalo Bills (7-1)
Previous rank: 1
The Bills have allowed 16 total points in the past two weeks. They did play two backup quarterbacks in those games, but any signs of improvement defensively could make a difference for a team led by a superstar QB. Josh Allen and Co. remain the favorites for the No. 1 seed in the AFC.
2. San Francisco 49ers (7-1)
Previous rank: 2
The 49ers just scored 38 points in a win despite not having their top wide receivers. Granted, it was against the Raiders, but Brock Purdy continues to play at an MVP level. Kyle Shanahan has done a tremendous job, guiding San Francisco to the NFC's best record despite missing several key players due to injuries.
3. Chicago Bears (7-2)
Previous rank: 3
Should Bears fans be worried about the turnovers? Chicago beat Tampa Bay on Sunday night but had five giveaways, its second five-turnover game in the last five weeks. However, Ben Johnson's outfit has shown it can win in many different ways, and Jeffery Simmons' defensive presence has been felt immediately in the two games since his arrival.
4. Denver Broncos (7-2)
Previous rank: 4
The Broncos keep winning, and their Week 9 victory over the Panthers was the team's 16th straight regular-season win in one-score games dating back to last year. That said, Denver's resume lacks convincing wins. A Week 10 bye followed by easy matchups in the season's second half could help Sean Payton and Co. find their best game.
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2)
Previous rank: 6
The Jaguars are going all-in. They already rank in the top five in scoring on offense and defense and hold a comfortable lead atop the AFC South, but they still made big trades this week. Jacksonville acquired safety Jessie Bates and defensive lineman Jordan Davis to address its roster needs with quality defenders.
6. Detroit Lions (6-2)
Previous rank: 7
The Lions grinded out a low-scoring win over the Dolphins that says a lot about how far this team has come. Detroit's defense couldn't stop a nosebleed in its first five games but has now held three straight opponents to 20 points or fewer. The Lions will take a 6-2 record overseas to face the Patriots in Germany in Week 10.
7. Seattle Seahawks (5-4)
Previous rank: 8
Injuries have been a huge factor for the Seahawks, whose Week 9 absences included quarterback Sam Darnold, left tackle Charles Cross, guard Quenton Nelson, and defensive lineman Leonard Williams. Backup Drew Lock is now banged up, too. Seattle is 2.5 games behind first-place San Francisco in the NFC West, and the conference is ultracompetitive. The reigning Super Bowl champions need to start building momentum; they haven't won consecutive games since Weeks 1 and 2.
8. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Previous rank: 9
The Chiefs beat the Broncos in Week 1, but their other wins came versus the Colts, Dolphins, Raiders, and Jets. Kansas City lost its toughest games to Denver and Seattle. Andy Reid's outfit next faces Atlanta and Arizona before a blockbuster three-week stretch against the Bills, Rams, and Bengals, which should give us a strong indication as to whether this team can actually compete for another Super Bowl.
9. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2)
Previous rank: 11
Don't look now, but the Bengals are surging. Granted, their schedule isn't very impressive (to put it nicely), but if Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase, and Tee Higgins continue to light up their opponents, Cincinnati will return to the playoffs as a team no one wants to face.
10. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)
Previous rank: 5
The Vikings are wasting an outstanding defense; their offense has scored fewer than 17 points in five games this season. Minnesota started Carson Wentz over an injured Kyler Murray on Monday and failed to score a single touchdown against Buffalo. Unless the Vikings elevate their ceiling at quarterback, it's hard to imagine them keeping up with other NFC contenders.
11. Green Bay Packers (6-3)
Previous rank: 16
All of a sudden, the Packers are one of the NFL's hottest teams. Since a head-scratching loss to Atlanta in Week 3, Green Bay has won five of six while building a top-10 offense despite having the NFC's least effective rushing attack. Jordan Love has leaped into the MVP conversation. Oh, and Micah Parsons is expected to return later in November.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
Previous rank: 10
Pittsburgh still doesn't look like a real AFC contender, largely because of its offensive inconsistencies, but the Steelers lead a very close AFC North. They've won four in a row and could sweep the season series against the second-place Bengals on Sunday in a game with huge implications for the division race.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-4)
Previous rank: 13
The Rams - winners of three in a row - seem to be slowly figuring things out after their 2-4 start. Wide receiver depth is a major concern, but Myles Garrett registered three sacks in his de facto Rams debut Sunday and will push the defense to another level.
14. New York Giants (5-2-1)
Previous rank: 14
John Harbaugh's team is chugging along with recent victories over the Texans and Eagles. The Giants are well-positioned to make the playoffs for only the third time since their Super Bowl win in 2012. Beating the Commanders on Thursday would give them two divisional wins in five days and leave the Cowboys as New York's only real threat in the NFC East.
15. New England Patriots (5-4)
Previous rank: 12
The Patriots allowed 45 points to the Packers on Sunday, the most they've conceded in a regular-season contest since 1993. The avalanche came two weeks after the Bears hung 30 on them. Meanwhile, Drake Maye's early-season turnover problems resurfaced, as he threw three picks to Green Bay after appearing to have his interceptions under control.
16. Cleveland Browns (5-4)
Previous rank: 15
Shedeur Sanders nearly led the Browns to an overtime victory over the Saints, but Cleveland walked away with a devastating loss Sunday when its two-point try in the extra session failed. Although Sanders' late-game execution was fun to watch, it felt like the Browns let one slip away. They're 2-3 over their last five, which includes losses to the struggling Jets and Saints.
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
Previous rank: 17
Tampa Bay boasts a solid running game and a dangerous defense that leads the NFL in takeaways. However, the Buccaneers' passing game has held them back significantly. Like every other NFC South team, the Bucs still have a chance to win the division, but their margin for error shrinks each week.
18. Houston Texans (3-5)
Previous rank: 22
C.J. Stroud is coming off a five-touchdown performance (although recording five TDs against the Chargers doesn't mean what it used to). Stroud's quietly put together a strong season while Houston's running game and defense have been slacking. Winners of three of four, the Texans have a juicy opportunity to continue climbing the standings with the Browns and Colts coming up over the next two weeks.
19. Atlanta Falcons (3-6)
Previous rank: 18
On paper, Atlanta boasts the NFC South's most talented group of offensive playmakers. However, the team's been too inconsistent. With one win in the last five games and a tough remaining schedule, the Falcons' 2026 campaign doesn't look promising - and they seemed to acknowledge that by trading starting safety Jessie Bates to the Jaguars.
20. New Orleans Saints (3-5)
Previous rank: 25
The Saints' running game erupted in recent weeks to help the team win two of three. New Orleans has five divisional matchups in November and December, beginning Sunday against Carolina, and the results of those games will determine the Saints' playoff chances in another lousy NFC South race.
21. Dallas Cowboys (4-5)
Previous rank: 24
If you're not a Cowboys fan, it's been a joy to watch Dallas' unpredictable and entertaining games this season. Although the Cowboys are still below .500, they remain firmly in the mix for the listless NFC East after beating Indianapolis. The Dak Prescott-led offense is once again top 10 in the league in EPA/play.
22. Carolina Panthers (3-5)
Previous rank: 19
Carolina is by far the NFL's worst division leader after nine weeks; the club tops the NFC South with three victories and a minus-20 point differential. Losers of three in a row, the Panthers' matchup against the Saints on Sunday is huge.
23. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5)
Previous rank: 20
Las Vegas got off to a surprising 3-0 start, but after nine weeks, its campaign has been about what you'd expect. The Raiders have beaten four not-so-great teams and lost to five contenders, most recently the 49ers. With Seattle, Denver, and Cleveland up next before a Week 13 bye, the Raiders might want to wait until December to start No. 1 pick Fernando Mendoza.
24. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
Previous rank: 21
Trading for quarterback Jacoby Brissett was a smart move for a desperate, injury-plagued Baltimore team. Can the Ravens save their season with Lamar Jackson out until at least mid-December? Their current four-game skid says no, but a manageable schedule in the season's second half might help. The Ravens visit the winless Chargers next.
25. Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
Previous rank: 23
The rebuilding Cardinals have remained surprisingly competitive and are 2-2 over their last four games. Now the real fun begins: With Jacoby Brissett traded and Gardner Minshew injured, rookie Carson Beck will have a chance to convince the brass that he's the quarterback of the future.
26. Washington Commanders (2-5-1)
Previous rank: 26
Jayden Daniels said Thursday's matchup against the Giants is a "must-win" for the Commanders - and he has a point. Washington is three games behind New York, and Dan Quinn's outfit has won just one of its last five contests. The NFC East rivals met earlier this season and tied after Washington infamously ran out the clock within field-goal range in overtime.
27. Miami Dolphins (1-7)
Previous rank: 28
The Dolphins held Jared Goff without a touchdown Sunday, gave the Patriots a run for their money a week earlier, and beat the Jets the week before that. Victories are hard to come by for this talent-starved Dolphins team, so you gotta celebrate the small stuff.
28. Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Previous rank: 29
Tennessee's only got one win this season, but as crazy as it may sound, the Titans' performance has been more encouraging than the showings by the teams ranked below them. Coming off a bye, the Titans will hope their offense can maintain its momentum after scoring 36 points two weeks ago. The problem is that Tennessee faces Jacksonville in two of its next three games.
29. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7)
Previous rank: 27
Losers of seven straight, the Eagles indicated they're mailing in the rest of the season by trading away defensive tackle Jordan Davis eight months after giving him a three-year, $78-million extension. Philadelphia can start mapping out its offseason because the 2026 team is going nowhere, even in the woeful NFC East.
30. New York Jets (2-7)
Previous rank: 30
The Jets can't find answers to their biggest problems on either side of the ball, and they're riding a four-game skid that includes the Dolphins' first and only win. Aaron Glenn is now 5-21 as a head coach. At least rookie David Bailey looks like a future star, and New York owns three 2027 first-round picks - two of which are currently projected to be top-six selections.
31. Indianapolis Colts (2-7)
Previous rank: 31
The wheels have completely fallen off in Indy, where the Colts have dropped five straight. They had a chance to snap the skid Sunday against the Cowboys, but in crunch time, Daniel Jones did what he so often does: panic under pressure and throw the ball to the wrong team. A new regime is coming in 2027; next year's Colts should look a lot different.
32. Los Angeles Chargers (0-8)
Previous rank: 32
The Chargers suffered their most lopsided loss of the year, falling 44-22 to the Texans. Halfway through the season, there's no doubt about who's the worst team in the league: Los Angeles is the only winless club and has the worst point differential (minus-98).
