NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Patriots storm into top 10 after impressive win; Packers, Steelers slip

Copied!

Week 11 promises to be another big one for the Power Rankings.

The marquee game for us is our No. 1 Seahawks at our No. 2 Rams (two teams that haven’t even trailed in a game since Week 6), which certainly could have a significant effect on the future pecking order. Sam Darnold and Matthew Stafford might sling a few passes in that one.

But it’s hardly the only impactful matchup of the week. There are three more meetings of top-10 teams to look forward to: Lions at Eagles, Chiefs at Broncos and Buccaneers at Bills.

Furthermore, Chargers at Jaguars is a matchup of teams that’d both be in the playoffs if they started today, even if those two are seemingly headed in opposite directions. And Bears at Vikings could provide some clarity in the bunched-up NFC North.

It’s a lot to look forward to, but where do things stand right now ? Here’s the updated league hierarchy.

NOTE: Up/down arrows below reflect movement from the Week 10 Power Rankings.

I went on Seattle radio last week after debuting the Seahawks at No. 1. Those folks were more than happy to have me on to glaze the local team for 12-to-15 minutes, of course, but they also told me that my rankings were met with mild surprise by listeners. Hey, I get it! It’s not as if the script has been very, um, linear this season. But following the Seahawks’ thrashing of the Cardinals, even with some ugly stretches, I feel OK about elevating them into this perch. In a season where I’ve spotlighted multiple teams atop the list, this feels like stability. Sunday felt similar to the Week 7 win over the Texans in that it was far from a clean performance for four quarters, but it’s hard to get too antsy over a 22-point victory where Seattle essentially spotted Arizona 14 makeup points with turnovers. All in all, a relatively strong defense of the top billing.

Matthew Stafford is building a legitimate case for MVP, and the Rams have helped boost his campaign with a new wrinkle: more tight ends! Their 13-personnel package, something Sean McVay barely used for most of his career, is all the rage now in L.A. The Rams have been rolling teams with this personnel grouping, stressing defenses to match their size and flexibility. It sounds like Davante Adams‘ late injury against the 49ers isn’t too concerning, so that was another win within a win. Yes, the 49ers are beat to heck, but they’d already beaten the Rams in early October, so this was one McVay wanted badly. His team played about as clean a game as he could have hoped for: zero penalties, zero turnovers and zero missed kicks.

Read More