There’s a new top dog on my 2017 NFL Power Rankings. I couldn’t wait any longer to make the New Orleans Saints the best team in the NFL. Why? The Saints are the most complete team I’ve seen play this season.
New England is second on my NFL Power Rankings for Week 11 while the Eagles have dropped to third. Keep reading for more info on each team in the NFL!
2017 NFL Week 11 Power Rankings
1. New Orleans Saints (7-2)
The 47 to 10 win over the Buffalo Bills was close to awe-inspiring. When the Saints can win based on their defense and rushing attack, like they’ve been doing this season, they’re unbeatable.
2. New England Patriots (7-2)
The Patriots’ defense has been playing classic bend but don’t break. While New England allows 408.3 total yards per, the D only allows 21.7 total points per. Tom Brady makes the Patriots a great team.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
Philadelphia has played only 2 teams over .500, Kansas City and Carolina, so far this season. If they can blow out Dallas at AT&T Stadium in Arlington on Sunday, I’ll become a true believer. I don’t believe that’s what happens, though.
4. Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
The Rams looked great in Week 10 when dominating the DeShaun Watson-less Houston Texans 33 to 7. I’m not sure if the Rams’ defense can hold every opponent to only 7 points. I also wonder how well QB Jared Goff and Co. will fair versus the Minnesota Vikings on Sunday.
5. Minnesota Vikings (7-2)
The Vikings are seriously considering benching Case Keenum for Teddy Bridgewater in Minnesota’s key battle versus the L.A. Rams on Sunday. I wouldn’t. Keenum threw 4 TD passes against Washington’s silly defense in Week 10. Now’s not the time to switch things up.
6. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2)
I’m not sold on Pitt’s offense. That’s why I moved them down to 6 from 3 even though the Steelers beat Indianapolis 20 to 17 in Week 10. QB Ben Roethlisberger’s QB rating is 83.8. If Ben keeps up the mediocre play, his rating will be the worst it’s been since the 2006-2007 NFL Season.
7. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3)
I fully expect KC to get back to their blistering offensive ways starting in Week 11 versus the New York Giants. The Chiefs needed the bye in Week 10. I believe KC was just a tired team by the time their bye week came around.
8. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
Losing cornerback Richard Sherman is a big deal. It’s not as big of a deal as an offensive line that has yet gelled. Seattle’s offense is suddenly having trouble. There’s no reason QB Russell Wilson and the offense shouldn’t have scored at least 30 points versus the Arizona Cardinals in Week 10.
9. Carolina Panthers (7-3)
That was some fantastic beat down the Panthers put onto the Miami Dolphins in Week 10’s Monday night football game. QB Cam Newton threw 4 TD passes. He also rushed for 95 yards. I don’t believe Carolina is as good as New Orleans. They might be the only team that can contain the Saints’ rushing offense, though.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-3)
Man, the Jags got lucky in Week 10! Jacksonville’s defense is fantastic. Jacksonville’s offense still has a lot of the proverbial paper tiger to it. The Jags rushed for 135 yards. 56 of the 135 yards came from a fake punt TD run by Corey Grant. Leonard Fournette only rushed for 33 yards on 17 carries. That’s a bad sign for Jacksonville.
11. Tennessee Titans (6-3)
The Titans are 6 and 3 straight up. They’re only 3 and 5 against the spread. In my experience, straight up records and against the spread records eventually even out for teams like Tennessee.
12. Atlanta Falcons (5-4)
Atlanta ranks ahead of Green Bay because the Falcons beat a good team, the Dallas Cowboys, in Week 10. That doesn’t mean as much as people realize. Dallas’ went south after their best LB, Sean Lee, left the game. Let’s see how Atlanta fairs against Seattle this Monday night before jumping to conclusions.
13. Green Bay Packers (5-4)
Green Bay’s win over the Chicago Bears in Week 10 was significant for 2 reasons. First, QB Brett Hundley showed way more poise versus a good Bears’ defense than he had in his first 2 starts. Second, RB Jamaal Williams showed that Green Bay can win football games with a bruising back.
14. Dallas Cowboys (5-4)
Losing Sean Lee could be huge for the Cowboys. That’s a bigger deal than losing RB Ezekiel Elliott. If Dallas can adjust without Lee, they’ll win enough games to make the playoffs.
15. Detroit Lions (5-4)
Detroit remains arguably the most one-dimensional offense in the NFL. Unless QB Matthew Stafford wins the game for Detroit, the Lions won’t win. Although 81% of football handicappers are willing to give up the 3 on Detroit versus Chicago this Sunday, the Lions can lose that game straight up.
16. Buffalo Bills (5-4)
Buffalo’s D has now played 2 horrible performances in a row. Although that’s true, the Bills can still make it to the postseason. Buffalo must find a way to get the W in Week 11 versus the L.A. Chargers.
17. Miami Dolphins (4-5)
The Dolphins’ defense flat out imploded against the Carolina Panthers on Sunday. Can anyone explain to me why the Fins pay Ndamukong Suh so much money? Carolina rushed for 294 yards versus Miami’s front 7 in Week 10.
18. Washington Redskins (4-5)
Washington’s missing a few things before becoming a true Super Bowl contender. The defense gave up 4 TD passes to Case Keenum, Minnesota’s back-up QB. That’s ridiculous.
19. Oakland Raiders (4-5)
Oakland had Week 10 off. That’s a good thing because the Raiders face the Patriots in Mexico City on Sunday. If Oakland is to make a run to the AFC Playoffs, they must beat the Patriots.
20. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
Baltimore had their bye in Week 10. We’ll see how the Ravens perform as a favorite on the road at Lambeau against the Packers this Sunday.
21. Arizona Cardinals (4-5)
The Cardinals are playing competitive football. The biggest issue for Arizona right now is at the RB position. Adrian Peterson isn’t as good of a pass-catcher as David Johnson. Very few running backs are. So, AZ must change their offense to just be competitive with AP as their lead back. Again, it makes for competitive football. It doesn’t make for winning football.
22. Los Angeles Chargers (3-6)
I’m tempted to make the Chargers 30th on my power rankings after they absolutely bungled a sure-fire win versus the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 10. The Bolts picked off Jags’ QB Blake Bortles not once, but twice with less than 2 minutes left in the game. The Bolts still lost 17 to 20 in overtime.
23. Cincinnati Bengals (3-6)
I saw no urgency from the Bengals in their 20 to 24 loss to the Tennessee Titans in NFL Week 10. Cincy is a team going through the motions. That’s all they are.
24. Chicago Bears (3-6)
Bears’ QB Mitch Trubisky threw for 297 yards and a TD in the loss to the Green Bay Packers this last Sunday. That’s a sign that Trubisky was a great pick. Chicago won’t make the playoffs this season. They could be one of the tougher teams to deal with in the NFL next season, though.
25. Houston Texans (3-6)
Houston’s defense forced the Texans to play catch up in the ridiculous 7 to 33 loss to the Rams in Week 10. The Texans’ defense is why Houston was only winning games when QB DeShaun Watson threw 3 to 4 TD passes. QB Tom Savage has no shot unless the Texans’ D plays better.
26. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6)
The Bucs tried to lose their game versus the New York Jets on Sunday. Tampa ended up beating the Jets 15 to 10.
27. New York Jets (4-6)
The reason Tampa Bay beat the Jets 15 to 10 is because the Jets’ had no answer on offense for the 30th ranked defense in the NFL against the pass. Jets’ QB Josh McCown was horrifyingly bad in Week 10. It was an inexplicable performance by the often steady McCown.
28. Indianapolis Colts (3-7)
The Colts should be ashamed of themselves for sending QB Jacoby Brissett back onto the football field after he went through the concussion protocol in the third quarter. It was also a stupid move. After all the drama with Andrew Luck, are the Colts seriously considering moving Brissett in the off-season? Why not try and keep Brissett healthy because your $20 million quarterback can’t even make it onto the field?
29. Denver Broncos (3-6)
The Broncos’ defense has allowed 29 points, 51 points, and 41 points in Denver’s last 3 games. In the words of the great Stan Lee, “‘Nuff said.”
30. San Francisco 49’ers (1-9)
The 49’ers beat the New York Giants. That means San Francisco won’t go 0 and 16 this season. Good for them.
31. Cleveland Browns (0-9)
The Cleveland Browns don’t play the New York Giants this season. They could still go 0 and 16. I don’t believe they will, though. I think Cleveland can upset the Jags on the moneyline this Sunday. RB Isaiah Crowell has finally started to get it together.
32. New York Giants (1-9)
The Giants are the worst team in the NFL. Argue if you want because the Giants did beat the Denver Broncos. But, your argument will fall on deaf ears. The Giants are putridly bad.