2018 NFL Power Rankings - Week 11

2018 NFL Power Rankings - Week 11

1. New Orleans Saints (9-1) - The Saints don't appear to have any weaknesses. Even their punter, Thomas Morstead, is fifth in the NFL in net average, despite only attempting 21 punts. He sees more action as their holder on extra points and field goals. Next: -11.5 vs Atlanta Falcons - Thu, Nov. 22

2. Los Angeles Rams (10-1) - The Rams exciting win over the Chiefs on Monday Night will not be their last nationally televised night game. The Rams play the Bears in Chicago on December 9th on Sunday Night, in a game that could decide homefield advantage in the playoffs and a first round bye. Next: N/A at Detroit Lions, Sun, Dec. 2

3. Kansas City Chiefs (9-2) - Can the Chiefs go to the Super Bowl and win with their NFL worst pass defense? Probably, but Patrick Mahomes needs to cut down on the interceptions. He has thrown ten interceptions in the last seven games. Next: N/A at Oakland Raiders - Sun, Dec. 2

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2-1) - The Steelers stole a victory in Jacksonville over the fading Jaguars. Ben Roethlisberger scored on a one- yard plunge to seal or steal the win. The Steelers trailed by 16-6 with less than three minutes in this game. Next: -3 at Denver Broncos - Sun, Nov. 25

5. Chicago Bears (7-3) - The Bears have the #1 rushing defense in the NFL and are #3 defensively overall. This looks like the best defensive team in the NFL with Khalil Mack in the lineup. The question is, can they slow the Rams and the Saints down in the playoffs? Next: -3 at Detroit Lions - Thu, Nov. 22

6. New England Patriots (7-3) - The Patriots don't scare teams, not the way the Saints, Rams and Chiefs do. For the Pats to get close to where those teams are offensively, they need a healthy Rob Gronkowski and the Josh Gordon of 2013. Next: -13 at New York Jets - Sun, Nov. 25

7. Los Angeles Chargers (7-3) - The Chargers found a way to lose to a Bronco team that they outplayed on the field. The real bad news is the loss of starting linebacker Denzel Perryman and starting defensive tackle Cory Liuget for the season to injuries, which will hurt the run defense. Next: -14 vs Arizona Cardinals - Sun, Nov. 25

8. Houston Texans (7-3) The Texans have won seven straight games, but they are never easy. The last two games were won on last second field goal misses. For the season, they have played in eight games that have been decided by seven points or less. They are 5-3 in those games. Next: -3 vs Tennessee Titans - Mon, Nov. 26

9. Minnesota Vikings (5-4-1) - The Vikings need to put a winning streak together or they may find themselves on the outside looking in. With the Packers at home, and the Pats and Seahawks on the road, the next three weeks will not be easy. Next: -4 vs Green Bay Packers - Sun, Nov. 25

10. Washington Redskins (6-4) - The gruesome leg injury to Alex Smith has left the Redskins with Colt McCoy as their starting quarterback. To make matters worse, Maurice Harris leads all wide receivers in receiving yardage with 268. It is hard to see how this team is going to win football games with this lineup. Next: +7 at Dallas Cowboys - Thu, Nov. 22

11. Carolina Panthers (6-3) - With about a minute to go, the Panthers decided to go for two trailing 20-19. The conversion attempt failed, and the Lions won. Head Coach Ron Rivera said after the game, "I think you go for 2 on the road." That guideline might apply in New Orleans or Kansas City, but not in Detroit. Next: -3 vs Seattle Seahawks - Sun, Nov. 25

12. Dallas Cowboys (5-5) - The Cowboys have a good shot at winning a weak NFC East, with the injuries to the Redskins and the Eagle collapse. They entertain the Redskins on Thursday and the winner may win the NFC East. Next: -7 vs Washington Redskins - Thu, Nov. 22

13. Indianapolis Colts (5-5) - Andrew Luck has thrown 214 consecutive passes thrown without being sacked and has not been sacked in the current four game Colt winning streak. He also has seven consecutive games with at least three touchdown passes. Head coach Frank Reich has done a terrific job with Luck. Next: -9 vs Miami Dolphins - Sun, Nov. 25

14. Tennessee Titans (5-5) - Who are the Titans? They roll over the Pats one week 34-10, and then the next week they are trounced by the Colts 38-10. They have become the one of the most inconsistent teams in the NFL. Next: +3.5 at Houston Texans - Mon, Nov. 26

15. Seattle Seahawks (5-5) - The Seahawks win against the Packers kept them in the race for an NFC wild-card slot. The best rushing attack in the NFL and quarterback Russell Wilson would be a difficult match-up for any division winner in the first round of the playoffs. Next: +3 at Carolina Panthers - Sun, Nov. 25

16. Green Bay Packers (4-5-1) - Head Coach Mike McCarthy made two critical mistakes late in the game against the Seahawks. The first was failing to challenge a 34-yard completed pass that appeared to hit the ground. The second mistake was punting on a 4th and 2 with just over four minutes to go. The Packers never got the ball back. Next: +4 at Minnesota Vikings - Sun, Nov. 25

17. Baltimore Ravens (5-5) - Rookie quarterback Lamar Jackson Is a running quarterback and his 27 carries for 117 yards against the Bengals proved that. He won the game with his legs. The question is, can he win a game with his arm? Next: -13 vs Oakland Raiders - Sun, Nov. 25

18. Cincinnati Bengals (5-5) - The Bengals are tied with the Ravens, Colts and Dolphins at 5-5 for the second wild card slot. The game this weekend against the Browns is a must win if they are going to have any hope of making the playoffs. Next: +1 vs Cleveland Browns - Sun, Nov. 25

19. Miami Dolphins (5-5) - The Dolphins are coming off a bye, which helps explain why they did not lose this past week. Their first game coming off the bye is against the red-hot Colts on the road, not a good place to look for a win. Next: +9 at Indianapolis Colts - Sun, Nov. 25

20. Philadelphia Eagles (4-6) - There will be no Super Bowl parade in Philly in February after the Saints crushed whatever hope the Eagles had left, 48-7. The Eagles were outgained in yardage 546-196 in the game. Next: -4.5 vs New York Giants - Sun, Nov. 25

21. Cleveland Browns (3-6-1) - When the Browns face the Bengals this weekend, one of the coaches on the Bengals sideline will be their recently fired head coach, Hue Jackson, who was hired as a special assistant to Marvin Lewis. Knowing Jackson is on the opponent's sideline should be a relief to the Browns players. Next: -1 at Cincinnati Bengals - Sun, Nov. 25

22. Atlanta Falcons (4-6) - The Falcons need a win to keep their faint playoff hopes alive in the NFC. The only problem, they have a bottom five defense and they travel to New Orleans on Thursday Night to play a Saints team with a top five offense. Next: +11.5 at New Orleans Saints - Thu, Nov. 22

23. Denver Broncos (4-6) - The Broncos beating the Chargers was not only a shock to the Chargers, but it had to surprise the Broncos. They enjoyed it, but it did not go over well with the Chargers. As Charger wide receiver Keenan Allen succinctly put it, "We dominated the game. They suck." Next: +3 vs Pittsburgh Steelers - Sun, Nov. 25

24. Detroit Lions (4-6) - The Lions take a one game winning streak into Ford Field for their traditional Thanksgiving Day game, which this year is against their NFC North rival Chicago Bears. Khalil Mack is healthy again and that may not bode well for the health of Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford. Next: +3 vs Chicago Bears - Thu, Nov. 22

25. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-7) - The Jags have still not won a football game since September 30th. Proving that no lead is too safe for the Jags, they blew a 16-0 lead late in the 3rd quarter and lost in the last five seconds to the Steelers. Their offense ran only 11 plays in the fourth quarter for a minus-7 yards. Next: -3 at Buffalo Bills - Sun, Nov. 25

26. Buffalo Bills (3-7) - The Bills are coming off a bye and meet the Jags at home in the "Crummy Game of the Week." The betting line for this game favors the Jags by three points, but these are not two teams you want to place money on. Since the Bills average 13.7 points per game and the Jags 17.6, take the under at 37.5 Next: +3 vs Jacksonville Jaguars - Sun, Nov. 25

27. New York Giants (3-7) - The Giants and their fans actually think their current two game winning streak can continue to grow and maybe lead to a division title in the weak NFC East. As Eli Manning said, "We're not dead. We still have a chance. That's exciting.'' No Eli, it is not. Next: +4.5 at Philadelphia Eagles – Sun, Nov. 25

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-7) - The amazing Bucs are on a pace to throw for 6,000 yards passing this season. This offense is putting up some amazing numbers with a couple of quarterbacks that could not start on most teams in the NFL. Easily the most entertaining 3-7 team in the NFL. Next: -1 vs San Francisco 49ers - Sun, Nov. 25

29. Arizona Cardinals (2-8) - Cardinal rookie quarterback Josh Rosen threw for a career high three touchdowns, two to Larry Fitzgerald, and David Johnson rushed for a season-best 137 yards against the Raiders, yet somehow the Cardinals managed to lose to the Raiders on a last second field goal. Next: +14 at Los Angeles Chargers - Sun, Nov. 25

30. San Francisco 49ers (2-8) - 49ers general manager John Lynch continues to insist that he had a better deal on the table for Khalil Mack. That would indicate that he was offering at least two first round picks. Why would the Raiders walk away from that deal? Next: +5 at Tampa Bay Buccaneers - Sun, Nov. 25

31. New York Jets (3-7) - The Jets took the bye week to rest and attempt to forget about that their last dismal performance against the Bills. This team needs offensive talent and a priority free agent in the offseason should be running back Le'Veon Bell, who would help quarterback Sam Darold. Next: +13 vs New England Patriots - Sun, Nov. 25

32. Oakland Raiders (2-8) - Derek Carr started the season with Amari Cooper, Jordy Nelson and Martavis Bryant as his top three wide receivers. He now has Seth Roberts, Dwayne Harris and Keon Hatcher as his top three wide receivers. Maybe Aaron Rodgers could win with this group, but it is a lot to ask of any other NFL quarterback. Next: +13 at Baltimore Ravens - Sun, Nov. 25