{"id":232163,"date":"2025-10-22T09:49:09","date_gmt":"2025-10-22T09:49:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/232163\/"},"modified":"2025-10-22T09:49:09","modified_gmt":"2025-10-22T09:49:09","slug":"nfl-week-8-power-rankings-colts-jump-commanders-tumble","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/232163\/","title":{"rendered":"NFL Week 8 Power Rankings: Colts jump, Commanders tumble"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Rams<\/a> score big in London: A comfortable 35-7 win against the Jaguars<\/a> sees the Rams move from strength to strength, even without Puka Nacua<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Changes ahead for Jets<\/a>, Dolphins<\/a>?: Both teams benched their quarterbacks in losses. What happens next for the AFC East<\/a> rivals?<\/p>\n

Estimated Reading Time: 24 minutes<\/p>\n

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The power rankings below provide clear tiers on each NFL team’s market assessment, offering a comprehensive view of team standings and future prospects. All of the information below and more can be found in PFF\u2019s power rankings tool<\/a>, which is available with a PFF+ subscription<\/a>.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s important to note that these rankings consider more than just win-loss records and playoff seeding. Factors like player and team-level grades, offensive and defensive efficiency, prior performance from past seasons, and strength of schedule all play a role. This is why teams with worse records and slimmer playoff hopes may rank higher than those with better records who have managed wins against weaker opponents or delivered inconsistent performances from key players.<\/p>\n

1. Kansas<\/a> City Chiefs<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 84%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 13%<\/p>\n

The Chiefs cruised to a 31-0 victory over the Raiders<\/a> in their first early Sunday game of the season, securing their first regular-season shutout of the Andy Reid era. The win marked the return of Rashee <\/a>Rice<\/a>, who caught seven passes for 42 yards and two touchdowns, to the lineup. Rice\u2019s availability is another positive sign for a Chiefs offense that continues to hark back to former iterations in previous weeks. The early-season rust is wearing off, and the Chiefs are third in EPA per play.<\/p>\n

2. Detroit Lions<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 81%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 9%<\/p>\n

The Lions comfortably handled one of their biggest foes in the NFC \u2014 the Tampa<\/a> Bay Buccaneers<\/a> \u2014 on Monday night, further emphasizing the point that they might be the top team in the NFL. A 24-9 win against the Buccaneers<\/a> pushed the Lions to 5-2 on the season, highlighting both the strength of their offense and defense, even against a banged up Bucs team. The Lions now have a 9% chance of winning the Super Bowl, and top 10 in EPA per play on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n

3. Los Angeles Rams<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 82%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 9%<\/p>\n

Even without Puka Nacua<\/a> in the lineup, the Rams swept aside the Jaguars 35-7 in London, further signaling their intent to be real Super Bowl contenders down the road. The passing game continues to be the strength of the offense, with Matthew Stafford<\/a> firing 21 completions to 10 different receivers while compiling an 80.7 grade. Stafford\u2019s 91.0 overall grade is third among quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 79%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 8%<\/p>\n

The Packers are 4-1-1 after defeating the Cardinals<\/a> on the road, once again playing down to an inferior opponent before picking up a 27-23 win. Ultimately, the victory is what matters, but the Packers continue to make life tough for themselves. The potential is there, and it’s clear to see, with a top-five offense and top-15 defense in EPA per play. However, every so often, the Packers struggle to get over the hump in games where they should walk away as comfortable winners.<\/p>\n

5. Buffalo<\/a> Bills<\/a> (Down 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 87%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 11%<\/p>\n

A much-needed bye week allows the Bills to retool after back-to-back losses, but a New England Patriots<\/a> win against the Titans<\/a> means the Bills are now half a game behind in the AFC East. The Bills are still the favorites for the division, but they\u2019ll need to find quick fixes for a defense that currently ranks 20th in EPA per play allowed. No one is asking for a top-10 unit, but the Bills need to find their way closer to league-average post-bye.<\/p>\n

6. Philadelphia Eagles<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 83%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 6%<\/p>\n

The Eagles snuck out of Minnesota<\/a> with a big 28-22 win, avoiding an upset in a potential Carson Wentz<\/a> revenge game. Though the Eagles scored 28 points, there\u2019s an element of disjointedness to their performances \u2014 even if the passing game looked as good as it has all season. The rushing and passing attacks have felt simpatico, but ultimately, good teams find ways to win when things aren\u2019t fully clicking \u2014 and at 5-2, the Eagles are a good team.<\/p>\n

7. Baltimore Ravens<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 42%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%<\/p>\n

The outlook is bleak for the Ravens, even if they do possess a 42% chance of making the playoffs at 1-5. Not many teams in that position are given that sort of grace, but the Ravens have Lamar<\/a> Jackson<\/a> returning, and a Week 7 bye has given the team a chance to regroup and hit the ground running against the Bears in Week 8. However, the road ahead is still long, even if the Ravens have the seventh-easiest remaining schedule. That\u2019s magnified when the defense is struggling and 30th in EPA per play allowed.<\/p>\n

8. Seattle<\/a> Seahawks<\/a> (Up 4)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 60%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%<\/p>\n

Back-to-back impressive wins against great defenses see the Seahawks move to 5-2 heading into their Week 8 bye. If there\u2019s one consistent takeaway, it\u2019s the performance of Jaxon Smith-Njigba<\/a>. The former first-round pick has vaulted himself into elite territory in 2025, catching 50 passes for 819 yards and four touchdowns, earning a 92.1 grade on the season \u2014 second among wide receivers. The Seahawks are now in a three-way tie at the top of the NFC West.<\/p>\n

9. Denver<\/a> Broncos<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 73%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 5%<\/p>\n

The Broncos bounced back against the Giants<\/a>, securing a 33-32 comeback win after scoring 33 points in the fourth quarter. The vibes around the Broncos haven\u2019t been comparable to those of a team with a winning record, but the manner of victory in Week 7 could change that. The defense is still elite, ranking fifth in EPA per play allowed. If the Denver offense can look more like the unit that showed up in the fourth quarter against the Giants, the team will be in better stead.<\/p>\n

10. Indianapolis<\/a> Colts<\/a> (Up 6)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 88%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 6%<\/p>\n

What a win for the Colts, who defeated the Chargers<\/a> 38-24 and moved to 6-1 on the season. The Colts’ offense is cooking and was buoyed, once again, by excellent performances from Jonathan <\/a>Taylor<\/a> and Daniel Jones<\/a>. Taylor has earned a 75.2 grade in 2025, and though we often talk about running backs not entering the MVP conversation, Taylor might be on the periphery in a year where there isn\u2019t a standout candidate. The playoffs are beckoning for the first time since 2020 for Indianapolis.<\/p>\n

11. Tampa<\/a> Bay Buccaneers<\/a> (Down 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 81%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%<\/p>\n

The health of the Buccaneers’ roster finally caught up with them in Week 7, struggling against a Lions team among the best in the NFL. The Buccaneers are still 5-2 after the loss, but are now only one game ahead of the Panthers<\/a> at the top of the NFC South. They\u2019ll also be without Mike Evans<\/a> for most of the rest of the way after the veteran receiver broke his clavicle against the Lions. That\u2019s a big blow for the Tampa Bay offense, which sits 13th in EPA per play.<\/p>\n

12. Houston<\/a> Texans<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 36%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%<\/p>\n

A really tough game on offense for the Texans on Monday night, losing 27-19 to the Seahawks and falling to 2-4 on the season. Things are looking a little desperate in Houston now. The Colts are pulling away at the top of the division, and the margin for error is extremely small if the Texans even want to make the playoffs \u2014 they currently have a 36% chance of reaching the postseason. The defense is giving all it can, and sits first in EPA per play allowed, but the offense is languishing in 23rd.<\/p>\n

13. Los Angeles Chargers<\/a> (Down 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 58%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%<\/p>\n

The Chargers are a team on the brink of being good, but just can\u2019t seem to get out of their own way. At 4-3, the defense has taken a huge step backward over the last few weeks; the offensive line is struggling; and Justin Herbert<\/a>, whose 84.5 grade is sixth among quarterbacks, is dealing with those conditions. A 38-24 loss to a Colts team that breezed past the Chargers highlighted just how far away this team might actually be.<\/p>\n

14. Minnesota<\/a> Vikings<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 22%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

The Vikings fought back against the Eagles, scoring 16 points in the second half, but the lack of consistent offense with Carson Wentz<\/a> under center was the undoing early on. At 3-3, the Vikings still have a 22% chance of making the playoffs, but their immediate future is murky. When will J.J. McCarthy<\/a> return to the lineup? Wentz\u2019s 55.8 overall PFF grade is 35th among quarterbacks.<\/p>\n

15. San Francisco<\/a> 49ers<\/a> (Down 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 76%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 3%<\/p>\n

The beat-up 49ers are now 5-2 after defeating the Falcons<\/a> 20-10 on Sunday Night Football. The passing game, even with the return of George Kittle<\/a> to the lineup, struggled. But Christian McCaffrey<\/a> carried the load, totaling 201 yards of offense and two touchdowns. And the defense, missing its two best players, held an occasionally impressive Falcons offense to very little production. The 49ers just keep playing hard, despite ranking 18th in EPA per play on both sides of the ball.<\/p>\n

16. Pittsburgh<\/a> Steelers<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 62%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 4%<\/p>\n

An unexpected wobble for the Steelers on Thursday night, losing a fun, high-scoring game to the Joe Flacco<\/a> Bengals<\/a>. The loss leaves the Steelers at 4-2 and a game-and-a-half ahead of the Bengals at the top of the AFC North, still with a 49% chance of winning the division. Pittsburgh is still the overwhelming favorite, and the offense is currently 10th in EPA per play \u2014 clearing its preseason expectations.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

17. Atlanta Falcons<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 39%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

One week after an excellent win against the Bills, the Falcons were back to struggling to consistently move the ball against a banged-up 49ers team, losing 20-10. The Falcons fell to 3-3 on the season and just feel like a team that could do great things if it can put together a string of good performances \u2014 but it can\u2019t. The defense is still dominant and ranks seventh in EPA per play, but consistency evades this team.<\/p>\n

18. Chicago<\/a> Bears<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 32%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

The Bears are on a roll. After defeating the Saints 26-14, Chicago is now 4-2 and have won four straight games. The football hasn\u2019t always been pretty, but the Bears have been running the ball well over the last two weeks, totaling 367 rushing yards. This is the feature of a Ben Johnson offense, while the defense is 12th in EPA per play allowed. The Bears now have a 32% chance of making the playoffs.<\/p>\n

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19. New England Patriots<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 78%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%<\/p>\n

Drake<\/a> Maye<\/a> and the New England Patriots<\/a> are rolling. Sure, they\u2019ve had the easiest schedule to date and the second-easiest remaining slate, but the improvement from Maye has been stellar. His 87.3 grade is fourth among quarterbacks, and the Patriots’ offense is seventh in EPA per play \u2014 and that\u2019s with a rushing attack that hasn\u2019t always found it easy moving the ball. They\u2019re 5-2 and lead the AFC East. Who would have thought?<\/p>\n

20. Jacksonville<\/a> Jaguars<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 53%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 2%<\/p>\n

Since defeating the Chiefs in Week 5 and moving to 4-1, the Jaguars have lost their last two games and been outscored 55-19 in that span. The defense, which has been able to consistently generate turnovers, has struggled when not doing so, and the offense sits 22nd in EPA per play. In classic Jaguars fashion, this team feels on the brink of complete capitulation or a real breakout.<\/p>\n

21. Dallas Cowboys<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 20%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

No one in the NFL is playing better football than Dak Prescott<\/a> right now. In his last four games, Prescott has completed 71% of his pass attempts for 1,081 yards and 13 touchdowns, throwing zero interceptions. Prescott\u2019s 91.3 overall PFF grade is second among quarterbacks. A crucial Week 7 win against the Commanders<\/a> leaves the Cowboys at 3-3-1 and second in the NFC East. They\u2019ve got enough in the tank offensively to make a run, but the defense still needs work.\u00a0<\/p>\n

22. Arizona<\/a> Cardinals<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 4%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The Cardinals were unfortunate not to get something out of the 27-23 loss to the Packers, but it\u2019s also now five straight losses for the team heading into the bye. That\u2019s a big concern, even without Kyler Murray<\/a>, as the offense has performed adequately over the last two games. That, in itself, poses a question: What does the long-term future for the team look like, and does it involve Murray \u2014 who still has several years left on his contract?<\/p>\n

23. Washington<\/a> Commanders<\/a> (Down 15)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 13%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

The moment was already passing the Commanders by when franchise quarterback Jayden Daniels<\/a> left the game with a hamstring injury. Still, a 44-22 loss against a divisional rival leaves the Commanders at 3-4 and in a tough spot. If Daniels misses time, the road back to the playoffs for Washington becomes even harder, even if Marcus Mariota<\/a> holds an 83.0 grade in 2025. A year ago, the Commanders were a game away from the Super Bowl; now, they\u2019ve got a serious fight on their hands even to make the playoffs.<\/p>\n

24. Carolina Panthers<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 23%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The Panthers have a winning record for the first time since Week 3 of the 2021 NFL season after defeating the winless Jets, 13-6. It wasn\u2019t pretty, and the Panthers did lose Bryce Young<\/a> to an ankle injury, but the hope is that it\u2019s not a significant injury and Young and the Panthers can build some momentum to really challenge for a wild-card spot. Young\u2019s connection with rookie receiver Tetairoa McMillan<\/a> has been a huge boost, as McMillan\u2019s 74.6 overall PFF grade is 22nd among receivers.<\/p>\n

25. New York Giants<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 4%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

Scoring 32 points against one of the best defenses in the NFL is a hard thing to do, and the Giants deserve credit for that, but you just can\u2019t allow a team to battle back and compile 33 points in a single quarter. The Giants are young, though, and will hopefully get better at closing out games in the future. But, considering the state of the NFC East, this is a big opportunity missed. Worryingly, the Giants\u2019 defense is 28th in EPA per play allowed.<\/p>\n

26. Las Vegas Raiders<\/a> (Down 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 6%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

Big questions need to be asked within the Raiders\u2019 building during their Week 8 bye. With Pete Carroll and Geno Smith<\/a>, Las Vegas was expected to compete hard and challenge for a wild-card spot. Instead, the team is 2-5, and was just embarrassed 31-0 by the Chiefs in Week 7. We\u2019re looking at an offense that\u2019s currently 30th in EPA per play, easily one of the worst in the NFL. Things need to change.<\/p>\n

27. Cincinnati<\/a> Bengals<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 27%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: 1%<\/p>\n

The Bengals kept their slim playoff hopes alive with a primetime win against the Steelers on Thursday night in Joe Flacco<\/a>\u2019s second game with the team. Flacco delivered a strong performance, recording an 84.2 overall PFF grade and helping the Bengals erase a four-game losing streak to move their record to 3-4. With Joe Burrow<\/a> still out until the back end of the season, the Bengals will need Flacco to keep the team afloat until then. So far, so good.<\/p>\n

28. Cleveland <\/a>Brown<\/a>s<\/a> (Up 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 4%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The Browns<\/a> pulled off a big win on Sunday, leaning on the running game and defense to defeat the Dolphins 31-6 and move to 2-5 on the season. The offense struggled to move the ball through the air in high winds, but Quinshon Judkins<\/a> carried the ball 25 times for 84 yards and three touchdowns, generating a 74.6 overall PFF grade. Despite the team\u2019s losing record, the Browns’ defense is third in EPA per play allowed.<\/p>\n

29. Miami Dolphins<\/a> (Down 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: 1%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The wheels have fully come off the Dolphins\u2019 wagon after the 31-6 loss to the Cleveland <\/a>Brown<\/a>s<\/a> in Week 7. Tua Tagovailoa<\/a> and the offense turned the ball over four times in the loss, with the Dolphins\u2019 quarterback posting a 28.6 overall PFF grade in the loss. At 1-6, the external autopsy has already been done, and there\u2019s no doubt that changes will be made this offseason. We\u2019ll see who survives.<\/p>\n

30. Tennessee<\/a> Titans<\/a> (Up 1)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: <1%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The Titans started strong against the Patriots but fell away after the first quarter, eventually losing 31-13. At 1-6, the goal for the Titans at should be to do whatever it takes to put Cameron Ward<\/a> in a better position to succeed in the years ahead. In the next few days, they\u2019ll likely field calls for defensive lineman Jeffrey Simmons, whose 84.5 overall PFF grade is seventh among all defensive tackles. Tennessee will need to figure out if trading Simmons is something that helps this team long term.<\/p>\n

31. New York Jets<\/a> (Down 2)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: <1%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

In the last few weeks, the Jets have gone from a fun team with a losing record to a team that just doesn\u2019t look like it\u2019ll ever win a football game. Now 0-7, the Jets struggled to muster six points against a Panthers defense that has yet to fully find its feet over the last few seasons. Even a quarterback change, benching Justin Fields<\/a> for Tyrod <\/a>Taylor<\/a>, couldn\u2019t do the trick. The Jets are heading for the No. 1 overall pick.<\/p>\n

32. New Orleans Saints<\/a> (No change)<\/p>\n

Chance of making playoffs: <1%<\/p>\n

Chance of winning Super Bowl: <1%<\/p>\n

The Saints<\/a> stumbled in Week 7, losing 24-16 to the Bears<\/a>, with Spencer Rattler<\/a> turning the ball over four times and registering a 54.3 overall PFF grade \u2014 by far his lowest of the season. Even then, the Saints were never truly out of the game, fighting their way back with a strong performance from Chris Olave<\/a> \u2014 who caught five passes for 94 yards and two touchdowns on an 80.8 overall PFF grade. New Orleans remains a frisky team, but one that\u2019ll struggle to put wins together.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"The Rams score big in London: A comfortable 35-7 win against the Jaguars sees the Rams move from…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":232164,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[559],"tags":[64,63,593,85],"class_list":["post-232163","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-nfl","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-nfl","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232163","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=232163"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/232163\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/232164"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=232163"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=232163"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=232163"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}