Welcome to the summary of Week 7 of the 2023 NFL season – it was quite the wacky one. With plenty of upsets, underperforming teams and players, as well as far too many backups seeing playing time, the following NFL Power Rankings saw a lot of changes. While strong performances from Patrick Mahomes, Trevor Lawrence, and Lamar Jackson propelled their teams to victory, the shortcomings of Jordan Love, Josh Allen, and Sam Howell buried any shot of a win.
Take a look at our Week 8 NFL Power Rankings and see where your team fell.
Previous NFL Power Rankings: Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2| Week 1
32. Carolina Panthers (-1)
It’s been quite the tough beginning to the 2023 NFL season for the Carolina Panthers, going winless through their first six games. With their Week 7 bye, hopefully Frank Reich and the coaching staff can right the ship before their Week 8 matchup with the Texans.
31. Arizona Cardinals (-4)
They put up a fight in the first half, but a second-half scoring drought let the Seahawks pull away – the Arizona Cardinals fell to 1-6 on the year after their loss on Sunday. Joshua Dobbs was not good (146 yards, no TDs or INTs) but he did run for a score, and the team’s leading receiver, Marquise Brown, only had three receptions.
With the news of Kyler Murray’s impending return, the weeks of seeing Dobbs as Arizona’s starting QB are quickly dwindling. While this team certainly is destined for one of the worst records in the league, maybe Murray can at least make his return an audition for his potential new team next year.
30. Chicago Bears (+2)
It was the matchup of the century in Week 8, as Brian Hoyer led the Las Vegas Raiders to Chicago to face the Bears, who were led by rookie Tyson Bagent. With both teams starting QBs not suiting up, things were expected to be quite messy.
And while they were, it was Bagent who looked pretty comfortable, leading the Bears to their first home win of the season. A turnover-free outing from Bagent, combined with three TDs from D’Onta Foreman, propelled Chicago to the win.
29. Green Bay Packers (-3)
It is one thing to be known as a second-half team, but it is another thing to be known as a second-half team that can’t finish the job – and that’s where the Green Bay Packers fit after their loss to the Broncos.
Nothing about this team scares any other team, especially on offense. Jordan Love struggled again but did throw for 180 yards and two TDs, but a costly interception late in the game sealed the deal for Green Bay.
28. Denver Broncos (+1)
It wasn’t stellar, and it certainly won’t be remembered for anything positive, but the Denver Broncos actually put together their best four-quarter performance of the year in their win over the Packers. Russell Wilson fell six yards short of a 200-yard passing day, Javonte Williams was back to his bell-cow role in the backfield, and Courtland Sutton found the end zone on a day where the Green Bay secondary really didn’t stop anything Sutton did.
27. Tennessee Titans (-2)
The health of Ryan Tannehill is going to be a big-time factor in how the Tennessee Titans come out of their Week 7 bye. Tannehill’s injury, suffered in their loss to the Ravens in London, opened the door for Malik Willis to step in, and if Tannehill won’t return next week, then will we see Willis or rookie Will Levis?
26. Las Vegas Raiders (-4)
Veteran Brian Hoyer took the snaps at QB for the Raiders, as Jimmy Garoppolo was forced to miss the game due to a back injury suffered against the Patriots the previous week. But Hoyer was downright awful, throwing two interceptions and failing to lead the offense to really anything all game.
As a team, Las Vegas struggled mightily, showing why they are truly not a good team but have lucked into a few wins so far this year. Reports of Garoppolo being available for Week 8 would make this team better, but they still have a below-average roster, rendering them to the bottom five teams in our NFL Power Rankings.
25. Indianapolis Colts (-2)
Gardner Minshew did as much as he could to both win and lose Sunday’s game for the Indianapolis Colts, but his turnovers eventually were the reason that the Colts lost at the buzzer. Donning their ‘Indiana Nights’ uniforms, which earned mixed reactions, was not enough to earn a win, a tough task with Anthony Richardson now out for the season.
24. New England Patriots (+6)
Congratulations go out to Bill Belichick, who earned his 300th career victory in New England’s upset win over the Buffalo Bills. Mac Jones looked like an actual quarterback again, throwing for 272 yards and 2 TDs, and the defense forced Josh Allen into two turnovers in their surprising victory.
23. Washington Commanders (-3)
The offense was never able to get off the ground against the Giants, and a big reason why was the fact that Sam Howell was sacked six times. It was a struggle on the ground as well, and with an uneven offensive attack, it put too much on Howell.
Washington started the season strong, but have tailed off lately, showing their true colors of a middling team still stuck in mediocrity – and it’s safe to say players are fed up (NSFW).
22. New York Giants (+6)
It wasn’t an easy win, but the New York Giants relied on a strong game from Tyrod Taylor (279 yards, 2 TDs) to earn a divisional win over the Washington Commanders. The low-scoring 14-7 win was supported by Saquon Barkley (118 total yards, receiving TD) and Darren Waller (7/98/1).
With Brian Daboll taking a page out of his Buffalo days as their offensive coordinator, maybe the Giants will show some signs of life moving forward. But the offense as a whole has looked better with Taylor under center with Daniel Jones still injured, so is it possible there is a QB controversy upcoming?
21. Los Angeles Chargers (-8)
The fact that Austin Ekeler was held in check really set the tone for the Los Angeles Chargers, as their Week 7 loss to the Chiefs made it their second consecutive defeat. Justin Herbert threw two costly interceptions, Joshua Kelley outrushed Austin Ekeler, and Joshua Palmer came close to tripling Keenan Allen’s receiving yardage in the loss.
This team has so many pieces in the right places, on both sides of the ball, that should make them better, but it is obvious that there are still some things missing, which is why they fell so far in our NFL Power Rankings. Will they be able to turn it around against the Bears and Jets next?
20. Minnesota Vikings (+5)
It's only fitting for the Minnesota Vikings to have ended a crazy week of NFL games with an upset win over the 49ers – and rookie receiver Jordan Addison was a huge reason why.
His 2-TD performance, combined with a defense that forced Brock Purdy into throwing back-to-back interceptions on the final two drives of the game, helped give the Vikings their third win of the season.
19. New Orleans Saints (-1)
Thursday’s loss to the Jaguars was a struggle, as Derek Carr never seemed to be on the same page as his receivers. Chris Olave and Michael Thomas were regularly being gestured to and yelled at by Carr, showing that there are a lot of things not this roster needs to work on.
Having Carr throw the ball 50+ times per game is far from the ideal structure of their offense, but with the type of elite volume that Alvin Kamara is receiving, hopefully the Saints will be able to figure something out to even out offensive responsibilities.
18. Los Angeles Rams (-1)
Even without Kyren Williams at running back, the Los Angeles Rams were able to muster a solid showing on the ground (135 rushing yards) against the Steelers – but that isn’t why they lost.
They lost because they only managed to put up points in the second and third quarters, while allowing the Steelers to score three touchdowns in the second half, including two in the fourth quarter. The offense had more total yards, more yards per play, and led in most major offensive categories, and yet, they couldn’t pull it out.
Was just a weird game overall for the Rams, who will be looking to bounce back in Week 8 against the Jaguars.
17. Houston Texans (-1)
CJ Stroud has had quite the start to his professional career, only throwing his first interception last week against the Saints. It looks like the trio of Stroud, Nico Collins, and fellow rookie Tank Dell is the future of this offense, and they are already looking better than most expected.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (-1)
After their Week 6 win over the Seahawks and then their Week 7 bye, the Cincinnati Bengals will get welcomed back with a matchup with the San Francisco 49ers. Joe Burrow still doesn’t look fully like himself but has shown some signs of life. If he, Ja’Marr Chase, Tee Higgins, and Joe Mixon can all get on the same page, then this team has enough firepower to re-introduce themselves in the AFC playoff picture.
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-1)
The offense struggled to string together enough scoring drives, Baker Mayfield threw a costly fourth-quarter red zone interception, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers only put up 13 points in their loss to Atlanta.
While a field goal with 36 seconds left in the game tied the score at 13, the defense allowed Ridder and the offense to make their way into field goal range, with Younghoe Koo kicking the game-winner as time expired.
14. New York Jets (-2)
A bye week for the New York Jets came at a good time, allowing them to rest up after a key win over the Philadelphia Eagles. While Zach Wilson has looked serviceable, it has been the defense that has done the work this season, and unless the Jets go out and add a QB, that trend likely will continue.
13. Cleveland Browns (-2)
After losing Deshaun Watson early in the first quarter, the Cleveland Browns were thought to be dead in the water – but PJ Walker had other plans. It was an incredibly gross game that got super interesting in the second half, and it took a last-second TD run from Kareem Hunt to get Cleveland the win over the Colts.
12. Pittsburgh Steelers (+7)
It took a team effort for the Pittsburgh Steelers to hang on against the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday, and that will need to be the approach this team uses if they want to make the playoffs.
Kenny Pickett played game manager well, both Najee Harris and Jaylen Warren found the end zone, and Diontae Johnson’s return was very solid (five receptions for 79 yards). Combine their offensive performance with an interception of Matthew Stafford and holding Cooper Kupp to only 29 yards, and that is the perfect recipe for a win.
11. Atlanta Falcons (+10)
In a key NFC South battle, it was the Atlanta Falcons that went on the road and took down the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, putting themselves in the driver’s seat in the division. Desmond Ridder was efficient, even with Bijan Robinson failing to make much noise at all.
It’s never pretty with the Falcons, who rely on a slower offensive attack focused on the run. But Ridder’s inconsistent play makes this team tough to forecast, but still a threat in the race for the NFC South. The Falcons have created a one-game lead in the NFC South, and they are the biggest climber in this week's NFL Power Rankings.
10. Buffalo Bills (-4)
Another dreadful performance from the Buffalo Bills, this time against the Patriots. With Mac Jones actually looking like an NFL QB and the Bills once again playing down to the level of their opponent, Sean McDermott’s team is very good at getting in their own way.
Josh Allen threw an interception on his first pass attempt of the game, and his inconsistent season continues, especially with his bad tendency to force feed Stefon Diggs targets, even when he isn’t open.
9. Dallas Cowboys (no change)
Coming off their Week 6 win over the Los Angeles Chargers, the Dallas Cowboys currently hold the second spot in the NFC East division. With both the Commanders and Giants fighting for the cellar, it looks to be yet again a two-horse race.
Dak Prescott put together the best game of his 2023 season so far, and the defense was able to hold a high-powered offensive attack in check. With matchups against the Rams, Eagles, and Giants up next, it will become very evident what kind of team Dallas wants to be this season.
8. Seattle Seahawks (+2)
A classic NFC West battle ensued for the Seahawks and Cardinals, with Seattle coming out on top. With DK Metcalf forced to miss the game due to an injury, Jaxon Smith-Njiba hauled in his first career touchdown, helping lead Seattle to a win.
With the Rams falling to the Steelers and the Niners playing on MNF, Seattle positioned themselves well in a bounceback after their loss last week to Cincinnati.
7. Detroit Lions (-3)
It was quite shocking to see the Detroit Lions face a 28-point deficit heading into halftime, but they certainly did not show up against the Ravens in Baltimore. Jared Goff looked very unsure when attempting many of his passes, and the rushing attack, which was led by rookie Jahmyr Gibbs this week, certainly showed signs of missing David Montgomery.
While Goff did throw an interception and was held without a TD, he and his favorite target Amon-Ra St. Brown continued their strong working relationship. St. Brown hauled in double-digit passes again on Sunday, putting up another 100-yard performance, the lone bright spot for this team.
The hype train can be slowed down a bit for the Lions, which is why they fell out of the top five of our NFL Power Rankings.
6. Jacksonville Jaguars (+1)
An impressive Thursday Night Football win over the Saints was how the Jacksonville Jaguars kicked off Week 7 of the season. With question marks surrounding the health of Trevor Lawrence, the former Clemson star came out and ran the offense well, finding Christian Kirk for the game-winning score.
Calvin Ridley had a very quiet night, only hauling in one pass from Lawrence. On the flip side, Travis Etienne had another two-TD performance, and how well he has been playing is certainly a reason why this team should be the favorite to win the AFC South.
5. Baltimore Ravens (+3)
Baltimore’s Week 7 win over the Detroit Lions was so impressive, that Fox actually shifted their second-half coverage from showing that game to showing other noon games. Lamar Jackson looked like MVP-form Lamar, making his usual plays with his feet but also looking incredibly poised in the pocket.
Mark Andrews helped celebrate National Tight End’s Day with two TDs, and the defense harassed Jared Goff all game, holding him without a passing TD.
4. San Francisco 49ers (-2)
Remember that whole ‘easier' matchup mantra that was typed here before the MNF game? Seems to be a bit of opposite day foreshadowing for San Francisco.
While their first-half performance was much weaker than their second-half performance, the Niners were still unable to pull out their Monday Night Football matchup with the Vikings. Christian McCaffrey extended his streak of consecutive games with a TD to 16, but Brock Purdy was inefficient, costing San Francisco the game down the stretch.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (+2)
The Kansas City Chiefs remain on the top of the AFC West division and near the top of our NFL Power Rankings after handing the Chargers another loss. Patrick Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce for a short touchdown, the 50th career scoring connection between these two, and the defense kept Austin Ekeler and Keenan Allen mostly in check on Sunday.
And yes, Taylor Swift was in attendance yet again, which is something that some of you are curious about too.
2. Miami Dolphins (-1)
It wasn't that it was a bad showing by the Miami Dolphins, but they just didn't look like their dominant self in their Week 7 loss to the Eagles. The offense looked stagnant from the jump, which allowed Philadelphia to get out to an early lead, and Miami was forced to play from behind, not a place it is very familiar with.
Tyreek Hill ‘only' had 11 catches and was held under 100 yards for what feels like the first time in years, and a back injury suffered by Jaylen Waddle knocked him out of the first half, but thankfully he was able to return. A bright spot for the defense, however, was when Jerome Baker picked off Jalen Hurts off a deflection and took it back for a touchdown, giving Miami a brief feeling of being back in the game.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (+2)
We have a new team at the top of our NFL Power Rankings, as the Philadelphia Eagles have displaced the Dolphins. A rare Sunday Night Football matchup between two of the league's powerhouses went to the Eagles, who seemed to be comfortably in control all night.
Jalen Hurts was very efficient, A.J. Brown had another 125-plus yard game, and the defense forced Tua Tagovailoa into a red zone interception. Slight injury concern about Hurts' knee, as he was seen wearing a brace coming out of halftime, so all eyes will be on the health of one of the best NFC QBs moving forward.
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