Eight weeks of the 2019 season and the NFL trade deadline are in the books. There are two remaining undefeated teams - the New England Patriots and San Francisco 49ers. At this juncture, those two teams have to be the favorites to meet in the Super Bowl.
That reality - and a whole lot else - is reflected in this week's RADIO.COM NFL Power Rankings:
1. New England Patriots (Last Week: No. 1)
Sony Michel and Tom Brady have helped the Patriots to an 8-0 start.(Paul Rutherford/USA Today)Though they still face an uphill battle to going 16-0, the Patriots are 8-0 for just the third time in the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick era. Even if they don't go undefeated, they'll likely go 15-1 or 14-2, and have home-field advantage throughout the AFC playoffs.
2. San Francisco 49ers (Last Week: No. 4)
Nick Bosa has had a monster rookie season.(Kyle Terada/USA Today)For as much talk as there (rightfully) is about the historical dominance of the New England Patriots defense, the 49ers actually have the No. 1 ranked defense in the NFL after eight weeks. They have had their bye week - which the Patriots haven't - but they've limited opponents to just 23 total points over their last four games, and rookie defensive end Nick Bosa already looks like one of the best players in the sport.
3. New Orleans Saints (Last Week: No. 2)
Drew Brees returned for the Saints Sunday.(Chuck Cook/USA Today)There's perhaps no greater testament to the historical greatness of Drew Brees than the fact that his performance in his return from a thumb injury that cost him nearly six games felt like another day at the office. The 40-year-old tossed 373 yards and threw for three touchdowns as the Saints improved to 7-1 before going on the bye in Week 9.
4. Green Bay Packers (Last Week: No. 3)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers are among the NFC's elite.(Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today)Aaron Rodgers, who will turn 36 in December, is having one of the finest seasons of his illustrious career. Through eight games, Rodgers has thrown for 2,324 yards and 16 touchdowns. Not only is he in the NFL MVP discussion, but the 7-1 Packers have already won more games than they did in the entirety of the 2018 season.
5. Los Angeles Rams (Last Week: No. 6)
Cooper Kupp had one of the best games of his career in Week 8.(Kirby Lee/USA Today)It feels like Cooper Kupp may be the most under-appreciated player in the NFL. The third-year receiver had seven catches for 220 yards and a touchdown in the Rams 24-10 win over the lowly Cincinnati Bengals in Week 8. Kupp is on pace for nearly 1,600 receiving yards in 2019. Don't forget, when the Rams offense stalled in the Super Bowl in February, Kupp was out of the picture, as he tore his ACL in Week 10.
6. Minnesota Vikings (Last Week: No. 7)
Dalvin Cook has been one of the league's elite running backs in 2019.(Brace Hemmelgarn/USA Today)Over the last month, Kirk Cousins has thrown 10 touchdowns, been intercepted just once and the Vikings are 4-0. Despite what felt like a tumultuous start to the 2019 season, the Vikings are 6-2. In addition to Cousins' recent success, the Vikings have a top-five defense and Dalvin Cook has arguably been the best running back in the NFL this season, as he leads the league with 823 rushing yards and nine rushing touchdowns.
7. Seattle Seahawks (Last Week: No. 8)
The Seahawks are in a tight NFC West race.(Dale Zanine/USA Today)At 6-2, Russell Wilson and the Seahawks find themselves in second place in the NFC West, which is probably the most competitive division in the NFL. While they'll get their first crack at the undefeated San Francisco 49ers on Monday Night Football in Week 10, they first have a date with Jameis Winston and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers at CenturyLink Field this week.
8. Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: No. 5)
Patrick Mahomes missed the Chiefs Week 8 loss.(Jay Biggerstaff/USA Today)Though Matt Moore played well in Patrick Mahomes' absence in Week 8, the Chiefs still fell to the Green Bay Packers on Sunday Night Football, their third lost in four games. While, rather remarkably, it appears that Mahomes is likely to return from a dislocated kneecap in Week 10, the Chiefs have another difficult matchup this week as they host the Minnesota Vikings. A loss this week would make it difficult for the Chiefs to have a realistic chance at securing a first-round bye in the AFC playoffs.
9. Dallas Cowboys (Last Week: No. 9)
Dak Prescott and the Cowboys are returning from their bye week.(Matthew Emmons/USA Today)The Cowboys blew out the division-rival Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football in Week 7, before a Week 8 bye week. At 4-3 and on top of the NFC East, the Cowboys should be able to ease back into things this week as they travel to New York to face the Giants on Monday Night Football. Their next four games after that - vs. Minnesota Vikings; at Detroit Lions; at New England Patriots and vs. Buffalo Bills - will likely decide whether the Cowboys are legitimate contenders in 2019.
10. Baltimore Ravens (Last Week: No. 12)
Lamar Jackson and the Ravens face a tough test in Week 9.(Joe Nicholson/USA Today)Lamar Jackson and the Ravens' No. 1 ranked rushing offense will face their toughest test yet in Week 9, as they host the undefeated New England Patriots and their No. 2 ranked defense on Sunday Night Football. If you remember, when the Patriots went 16-0 in 2007, one of their closest regular season games was a 27-24 win in Baltimore on Monday Night Football...
11. Indianapolis Colts (Last Week: No. 10)
Marlon Mack and the Colts narrowly won in Week 8.(Brian Spurlock/USA Today)The Colts are 5-2 and have a legitimate shot at winning the AFC South. While they underwhelmed in Week 8, they still managed to pull out a 15-13 victory over the Denver Broncos. The Colts already have a win in hand over their biggest competition for the division title - the Houston Texans - and their next two games are against the Pittsburgh Steelers and Miami Dolphins.
12. Houston Texans (Last Week: No. 13)
The Texans narrowly edged out the Raiders in Week 8.(Kevin Jairaj/USA Today)The Texans escaped Week 8 with a win over the pesky Oakland Raiders, but lost future Hall of Famer J.J. Watt for the season with a torn pectoral. This week, they'll find themselves in London for a 9:30 a.m. ET start time against the division-rival Jacksonville Jaguars. The Texans held on to defeat the Jaguars 13-12 in Week 2.
13. Philadelphia Eagles (Last Week: No. 16)
Miles Sanders and the Eagles bounced back in Week 8.(Timothy T Ludwig/Getty Images)Following blowout losses in Minnesota and Dallas, Doug Pederson's Eagles rebounded nicely in Week 8, handing the Buffalo Bills just their second loss of 2019 in what turned into a 31-13 rout. While Carson Wentz is one of the more talented quarterbacks in the league, the Eagles seem to be at their best offensively when they lean on the one-two rushing tandem of Jordan Howard and Miles Sanders.
14. Buffalo Bills (Last Week: No. 11)
Josh Allen and the Bills are looking to bounce-back in Week 9.(Rich Barnes/USA Today )The problem with the Sean McDermott brand of football - play elite defense and don't have the offense lose the game for you - is that your team has a relatively low ceiling. Even with a stout defensive unit, sometimes your defense won't be able to hold the opposing offense under 20 points. And when the opposing offense scores three or more touchdowns, the Bills don't seem to have the offensive firepower to compete.
15. Detroit Lions (Last Week: No. 15)
The Lions have been competitive in 2019.(Raj Mehta/USA Today)Quietly, Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford, in his 11th season, is performing at an elite level. In the first year in Darrell Bevell's system, Stafford has thrown for 16 touchdowns and 2,093 yards through the team's first seven games. The Lions have been surprisingly competitive, even in close losses to the Kansas City Chiefs and Green Bay Packers. It may prove to be too tall of a task to make the playoffs out of the NFC North, but at 3-3-1, the Lions have been much better than many expected.
16. Carolina Panthers (Last Week: No. 14)
The Panthers lost to the 49ers in Week 8.(Stan Szeto/USA Today)After a three-interception performance against the San Francisco 49ers, Week 9 seemed like an ideal time for Kyle Allen to be replaced by Cam Newton. Alas, the former NFL MVP still isn't ready to return from a mid-foot sprain that's sidelined him since Week 2.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last Week: No. 17)
Gardner Minshew has become a fan-favorite in Jacksonville.(Douglas DeFelice/USA Today)When Nick Foles broke his collarbone in the Jaguars Week 1 loss to the Kansas City Chiefs, initial estimates were that the former Super Bowl MVP would be back in Week 11. The Jaguars are in London this week to face the Houston Texans before their bye week in Week 10. You get the sense that almost regardless of how Gardner Minshew performs in London, the organization will struggle with how to proceed at quarterback - both for the rest of 2019 and beyond.
18. Arizona Cardinals (Last Week: No. 18)
Kyler Murray has had a strong rookie season.(Chuck Cook/USA Today)After having their three-game losing streak snapped in New Orleans, Kyler Murray and the Cardinals will have a quick turnaround, as they'll host the undefeated San Francisco 49ers on Thursday Night Football. Murray and Kliff Kingsbury have been baptized by fire trying to navigate through their first NFL seasons in the NFC West.
19. Oakland Raiders (Last Week: No. 22)
Josh Jacobs has had an impressive rookie year for the Raiders.(Tim Warner/Getty Images)The Raiders have been surprisingly competitive in 2019. Not only is their 3-4 record good enough for second place in the AFC West, but they lost by just three points in Houston in Week 8. Jon Gruden and company will return to Oakland for the first time since Week 2 to host the Detroit Lions this week.
20. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last Week: No. 21)
James Conner had a big Week 8 performance.(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)2019 has largely turned into a lost season for the Steelers, but they have managed to win three of their last four games. It's unclear if reigning AFC Offensive Player of the Week James Conner will play this week after suffering an AC sprain, but they'll likely face an uphill battle regardless against the 5-2 Indianapolis Colts.
21. Chicago Bears (Last Week: No. 19)
Mitchell Trubisky has struggled in his third NFL season.(Mike Dinovo/USA Today)The Bears still have the seventh-ranked defensive unit in the NFL in 2019, but they've been a legitimately bad offensive team. Mitchell Trubisky and the Bears' passing offense are ranked 29th in the league. They haven't been much better on the ground, as they're the 26th ranked rushing offense in the NFL.
22. Cleveland Browns (Last Week: No. 20)
Baker Mayfield leads the NFL in interceptions.(Greg M. Cooper/USA Today)The Browns have had a ridiculously difficult schedule, but there are more concerning trends. Freddie Kitchens has looked in over his head in his first season as the Browns head coach. Baker Mayfield leads the NFL with 12 interceptions. Odell Beckham Jr. is averaging just 69.7 receiving yards per game. At 2-5, the second-half of the Browns season is less about competing for the playoffs, and more about how they proceed forward after 2019.
23. Tennessee Titans (Last Week: No. 23)
The Titans have won back-to-back games with Ryan Tannehill under center.(Christopher Hanewinc/USA Today)The Titans have won consecutive games with Ryan Tannehill starting at quarterback, though that almost feels counterproductive. At 4-4, the Titans are still in the playoff hunt, but so is every team in the AFC South. Unless the Titans are seriously considering proceeding with Tannehill as their starting quarterback beyond 2019, they seem to be hurting their chances of getting into position to select a top quarterback prospect in the first round of the 2020 NFL Draft.
24. Los Angeles Chargers (Last Week: No. 24)
Philip Rivers and the Chargers seem to play in close games every week.(Mike Dinovo/USA Today)The only game that the Chargers have played in 2019 that didn't finish with a final within seven points was their 30-10 win over the winless Miami Dolphins in Week 4. All seven of their other games have been decided by a touchdown or less, including three games decided by a field goal or less. That's not a sustainable way to win in the NFL. And things don't get easier this week, with the Chargers welcoming Aaron Rodgers and the 7-1 Green Bay Packers to Los Angeles.
25. New York Giants (Last Week: No. 29)
Daniel Jones has had an up-and-down rookie season.(Raj Mehta/USA Today)Since winning Daniel Jones' first two starts, the Giants have lost four consecutive games. Jones has gone through some growing pains, but he was impressive in the team's Week 8 loss in Detroit, as he threw for 322 yards and four touchdowns, while not throwing an interception for the first time since his first start in Week 3. The Giants will host the 4-3 Dallas Cowboys on Monday Night Football in Week 9.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last Week: No. 25)
Jameis Winston and the Bucs are 2-5.(Christopher Hanewinc/USA Today)While it was impressive that Jameis Winston tossed 10 touchdowns and was picked off just twice between Week 2 and Week 5, he's thrown 10 interceptions in the team's other three games this season. At 2-5, the Bucs are all-but-out of the race for the postseason in 2019, and left to ponder where they go at quarterback moving forward.
27. Atlanta Falcons (Last Week: No. 26)
Matt Schaub started for an injured Matt Ryan in Week 8.(Dale Zanine/USA Today)Since defeating the Philadelphia Eagles on Sunday Night Football in Week 2, the Falcons have lost six consecutive games. They're on their bye week in Week 9, and while it appears that head coach Dan Quinn will survive the rest of the regular season, it feels like he's a pretty safe bet to be relieved of his duties at the end of the season.
28. New York Jets (Last Week: No. 27)
2019 has turned into a lost year for Sam Darnold and the Jets.(Douglas DeFelice/USA Today)If you think things can't get any lower for the 1-6 Jets, imagine if they lose in Miami to the winless Dolphins this week. Given that they were able to defeat the Dallas Cowboys earlier this month, that doesn't feel likely. But 2019 has been an unmitigated disaster for the Jets.
29. Denver Broncos (Last Week: No. 28)
Courtland Sutton has been one of the few offensive bright spots for the Broncos in 2019.(Bobby Ellis/Getty Images)27-year-old Brandon Allen has never taken a snap in the NFL, but the plan is for the fourth-year pro to take all of the snaps this week with Joe Flacco sidelined with a neck injury. Second-year wide receiver Courtland Sutton has been one of the only positives to take away offensively for the Broncos in 2019, as he has 39 catches for 636 yards.
30. Washington Redskins (Last Week: No. 30)
Adrian Peterson may be in his final NFL season.(Hannah Foslien/Getty Images)While there's a very credible argument to be made that they should have traded him before the trade deadline, it appeared that the Redskins would be welcoming seven-time Pro Bowl left tackle Trent Williams back in Week 9. While the 31-year-old has apparently ended his holdout, JP Finlay of NBC Sports Washington says that Williams has "no intention of playing this season." If that's the case, he'll fit in with a 1-7 Redskins team.
31. Cincinatti Bengals (Last Week: No. 31)
Andy Dalton was benched this week.(Steve Flynn/USA Today)On Andy Dalton's 32nd birthday, the Bengals announced that Dalton would be replaced by rookie Ryan Finley after the Week 9 bye week. While much has been made about the Dolphins pursuit of the No. 1 overall pick, the Bengals are 0-8. If they can find a way to lose to the Dolphins in Week 16, they may find themselves in position to draft Alabama quarterback Tua Tagovailoa or Ohio State defensive end Chase Young.
32. Miami Dolphins (Last Week: No. 32)
Ryan Fitzpatrick and the Dolphins have yet to win in 2019.(Justin K. Aller/Getty Images)While the Cincinnati Bengals are also winless, their point differential (-86) looks impressive when compared to the -161 mark that the Dolphins have in 2019. At this point, it appears landing the No. 1 pick in the 2020 NFL Draft may require going 0-16. The Dolphins will face perhaps one of the biggest tests in going winless this week when they host the 1-6 New York Jets.
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