Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL groups. The rankings will bear in mind not simply weekly efficiency, accidents and roster depth, however how nicely every workforce measures up as Super Bowl contenders.
Here are the rankings heading into Week 7:
Super Bowl favorites
1. Buffalo Bills (5-1, No. 1 final week)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (6-0, No. 2)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2, No. 3)
Round 1 within the AFC title struggle goes to Buffalo. The Bills acquired some measure of revenge after final season’s divisional-round extra time loss, beating Kansas City, 24-20, on Josh Allen’s 14-yard landing cross to tight finish Dawson Knox with 1:04 left. That appeared like loads of time for Patrick Mahomes to steer a game-winning drive, however cornerback Taron Johnson picked off a cross supposed for JuJu Smith-Schuster on the second play to seal the victory. Allen seems just like the early favourite for Most Valuable Player, throwing for 329 yards and three touchdowns and hurdling a defender to arrange the go-ahead rating. Even extra encouraging is the play of the Buffalo protection, which additionally intercepted Mahomes in the long run zone within the first quarter and sacked him thrice, together with two by star edge rusher Von Miller. If the Bills can safe the No. 1 seed and home-field benefit within the postseason, they is likely to be again within the Super Bowl for the primary time since 1993.
The final workforce Buffalo faces to win that elusive title is likely to be Philadelphia. In a battle for NFC supremacy, the Eagles held off the Cowboys, 26-17, to stay the one unbeaten workforce. Quarterback Jalen Hurts delivered towards one of many league’s finest defenses, throwing two landing passes and choosing up essential first downs together with his legs to halt Dallas’ comeback bid after the Eagles took a 20-0 lead. Philadelphia continued to impress on protection, choosing off backup quarterback Cooper Rush thrice to extend its league-leading turnover differential to plus-12. If there’s one trigger for concern, it’s the Eagles’ continued struggles within the second half, the place they’ve been outscored 57-35 this season. They’ll have to scrub that up earlier than making a deep postseason run, however there aren’t many NFC contenders standing of their manner.
The flawed contenders
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1, No. 7)
5. New York Giants (5-1, No. 12)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2, No. 10)
7. Baltimore Ravens (3-3, No. 4)
8. Dallas Cowboys (4-2, No. 6)
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3, No. 5)
The Eagles, Vikings and Giants are the category of the NFC, identical to everybody predicted, proper? Minnesota’s Kevin O’Connell and New York’s Brian Daboll are making sturdy Coach of the Year circumstances of their first seasons, and whereas few of their victories have been convincing, the data communicate for themselves. Both the Vikings’ and Giants’ offenses struggled for lengthy stretches Sunday, as each groups entered the fourth quarter with simply 10 factors, however they discovered a solution to win by forcing turnovers and ending drives. Minnesota recovered a fumble by Dolphins extensive receiver Jaylen Waddle and intercepted a cross by backup quarterback Teddy Bridgewater within the last 5 minutes in a 24-16 win, whereas New York picked off Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson on a damaged play with 3:04 to go and compelled the 2019 MVP to fumble on the potential go-ahead drive in a 24-20 victory. That turnover luck in all probability received’t proceed all season, however there’s sufficient expertise and rising confidence on each sidelines to maintain postseason aspirations.
What are we to make of the Ravens after yet one more blown second-half lead? They may simply be 6-0 with wins over a few of the finest groups within the league, but they sit 3-3. Jackson is little question among the best quarterbacks within the league and the primary cause the Ravens are thought of Super Bowl contenders, however his pricey turnovers within the last minutes Sunday present why there’s such a fierce debate about his subsequent contract. Each recreation shouldn’t be a referendum on Jackson’s value — there’s an excessive amount of variance in such a small pattern dimension — however you’ll be able to perceive the hesitancy to make him the highest-paid participant within the league, if that’s what he needs. He’s nonetheless a tier beneath Allen and Mahomes, and the numbers say so. This season, Jackson ranks fifth in Total QBR, twenty fourth in completion proportion over expectation and seventh in anticipated factors added per play. He’s a high dashing offense by himself, rating fifth within the league in dashing yards (451), however that hasn’t been sufficient to complete shut video games of late. There’s loads of blame to go round, from the shortage of playmakers outdoors of tight finish Mark Andrews and extensive receiver Rashod Bateman to the irritating play-calling of offensive coordinator Greg Roman to a banged-up protection that hasn’t been in a position to make essential cease, however Jackson no less than deserves a few of the blame for the Ravens’ failures this 12 months.
On the cusp of competition
10. Cincinnati Bengals (3-3, No. 13)
11. New York Jets (4-2, No. 17)
12. Los Angeles Rams (3-3, No. 14)
13. Green Bay Packers (3-3, No. 9)
14. San Francisco 49ers (3-3, No. 8)
The Jets — the Jets! — is likely to be the most popular workforce within the NFL outdoors of Philadelphia. An thrilling rookie class led by cornerback Sauce Gardner and working again Breece Hall has breathed new life right into a franchise that hasn’t been to the playoffs in additional than a decade. In a 27-10 win over the Packers, Gardner performed lockdown protection and Hall rushed for 116 yards and a landing, propelling New York to its first three-game successful streak since 2019. Second-year quarterback Zach Wilson hasn’t thrown a landing cross since Week 4, nevertheless it’s hardly mattered. Coach Robert Saleh’s protection has been dominant, sacking Aaron Rodgers 4 instances Sunday and holding Green Bay to 4 yards per play, and the particular groups got here up huge with a blocked field-goal try and a blocked punt for a landing. The Jets are for actual, and it’s time to take them significantly.
The wild playing cards
15. New England Patriots (3-3, No. 23)
16. Tennessee Titans (3-2, No. 15)
17. Miami Dolphins (3-3, No. 11)
18. Atlanta Falcons (3-3, No. 22)
19. Seattle Seahawks (3-3, No. 26)
20. Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1, No. 24)
Two weeks in the past, the Patriots have been 1-3 and turning to fourth-round rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe in what seemed to be a misplaced season. Two dominant wins later, it’s time to reevaluate coach Bill Belichick’s workforce. Zappe threw for 309 yards and two touchdowns, Rhamondre Stevenson rushed for 2 scores and the protection compelled 4 turnovers in a 38-15 win over Cleveland per week after New England shut out Detroit’s high-scoring offense. Between Stevenson, receivers DeVante Parker, Jakobi Meyers and Tyquan Thornton and tight ends Jonnu Smith and Hunter Henry, the Patriots have a well-rounded group of talent gamers. Quarterback Mac Jones is likely to be near getting back from his ankle harm, which ought to solely assist if he can take one other step ahead after a strong rookie season. While the vaunted AFC East is now not the mediocre division it was, depend out Belichick and the Patriots at your individual peril.
Not completed but
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4, No. 18)
22. Denver Broncos (2-4, No. 20)
23. Arizona Cardinals (2-4, No. 16)
24. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4, No. 21)
25. Cleveland Browns (2-4, No. 25)
The Jaguars blew an opportunity to take management of the AFC South with back-to-back losses to Houston and Indianapolis, however there have been encouraging indicators of progress for the workforce that ended final 12 months because the league’s laughingstock. Trevor Lawrence already seems like one of many league’s finest quarterbacks in simply his second season, and working again Travis Etienne Jr. has emerged because the dynamic playmaker he was anticipated to be when Jacksonville drafted him within the first spherical in 2021, dashing for 157 yards on 20 carries and catching 5 passes for 63 yards within the final two video games. In phrases of anticipated factors added on offense and protection, the Jaguars are in the third tier of competitors alongside the Bengals, Patriots and Buccaneers. They want to start out turning that potential into wins, however this 2-4 begin shouldn’t be as discouraging because it may appear.
The basement
26. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4, No. 30)
27. New Orleans Saints (2-4, No. 19)
28. Detroit Lions (1-4, No. 27)
29. Washington Commanders (2-4, No. 29)
30. Chicago Bears (2-4, No. 28)
31. Houston Texans (1-3-1, No. 31)
32. Carolina Panthers (1-5, No. 32)
Maybe the Steelers aren’t that unhealthy? A patchwork protection with out star security Minkah Fitzpatrick and outdoors linebacker T.J. Watt held Tom Brady and the Buccaneers to 4.5 yards per play and 4-for-14 on third down in a 20-18 win, saving a season that was teetering on the sting of catastrophe. Rookie quarterback Kenny Pickett’s concussion thrusts Mitch Trubisky again within the beginning lineup for now, however Pittsburgh is clearly not taking place and not using a struggle. A reinvigorated Chase Claypool, who had seven catches for 96 yards and a landing after being held to simply eight whole receptions within the earlier three video games, is likely to be what the offense must shake out of its funk. The subsequent two video games towards the Dolphins and Eagles ought to present if the Steelers are ok to show this season round.
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Source: www.bostonherald.com