Week 7 NFL power rankings: Are New York Jets and Giants worthy of joining Buffalo Bills in Top 10?
NFL power rankings entering Week 7 of 2022 season (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Bills (2): You picking anyone to beat them on a neutral field? Sunday’s win at Arrowhead Stadium mapped a path to the AFC’s No. 1 seed. QB Josh Allen is arguably the league MVP through six weeks, and there are already rumblings Buffalo could get better – Odell Beckham? Christian McCaffrey? Throw in a sense of accountability and brotherhood that led S Jordan Poyer – he wasn’t medically cleared to fly – to endure a 15-hour drive to and from Kansas City, where he played all 67 snaps, and it’s tough to not consider the Bills prohibitive Super Bowl favorites.
2. Eagles (1): Slotting the league’s only undefeated team as 1A would be a copout, but Philadelphia is well beyond legit. Another second-quarter blitzkrieg neutralized Dallas’ vaunted defense Sunday night, and the Eagles – they’re on bye in Week 7 – appear to have at least a fairly smooth runway to 9-0. Beautifully balanced in every phase, the Allen factor is the biggest consideration differentiating Philly from Buffalo, as great as QB Jalen Hurts has been.
But the pending return of QB Dak Prescott – assuming he can augment the team’s recent winning formula – could vault the Cowboys into the top stratum. Playing their next four games against the NFC North may also help.
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5. Vikings (7): They’re one of only four teams with five wins, flimsy as their record might feel. Winners of four straight, none by more than one score, Minnesota players best avoid getting big heads heading into their bye.
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21. Saints (19): Despite all the injuries and turnovers (league-high 13, though none Sunday), New Orleans is only a game off the NFC South pace.
22. Cardinals (18): Should be quite a few days of intensive study for QB Kyler Murray and Co. as Arizona prepares for a Thursday night game – which will mark WR DeAndre Hopkins’ 2022 debut and newly acquired WR Robbie Anderson’s Cards premiere.
23. Jaguars (22): No. 1 pick Travon Walker hasn’t had a sack since Week 1 … but has had killer roughing penalties each of the past two games, both defeats.
24. Browns (23): QB2 Jacoby Brissett wasn’t supposed to kill this team during Deshaun Watson’s suspension, but is pretty much doing just that – committing five turnovers during Cleveland’s three-game spiral.
25. Steelers (30): Where’s RB Najee Harris? He averaged better than 98 yards a game as a rookie, a figure that’s fallen to 55.8 this season.
took Watson jerseys off the streets and swept controversial VP Jack Easterby out of the front office.
32. Panthers (32): Their first game post-Rhule produced a season-low in points (10) and yards (203) and led to Anderson’s unceremonious ouster. Up next? A salty Brady and his Bucs.
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on Twitter @ByNateDavis.