NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Vikings Take No. 1, Seahawks Stun Chiefs

Los Angeles was idle and remains the NFL's only winless team. A bye can help Justin Herbert's supporting cast regroup, but it does not erase an 0-6 start or an offense that scored only six points against Kansas City last time out. Until the Chargers actually win, they belong at No. 32.

The Jets were beaten 28-25 at home by a Miami team that entered winless. New York found enough offense to stay within reach but again failed to make the plays needed to finish. The defense no longer offers enough protection for the team's recurring offensive mistakes.

Tennessee kept Cleveland close but lost 27-24, one week after securing its first win. The competitive effort is encouraging, yet the Titans remain far too inconsistent to turn isolated good stretches into victories. There is still a substantial gap between progress and respectability.

Five straight losses have turned Philadelphia's season into a full-fledged crisis. The Eagles surrendered 204 rushing yards in Monday's 38-21 home defeat to Dallas, while Tanner McKee continues filling in for Jalen Hurts. The talent and prior expectations no longer justify keeping Philadelphia near the middle of the board.

Miami finally entered the win column with a 28-25 victory over the Jets. A road divisional win does not fix the first five losses, but it at least establishes evidence of life after the bye. The Dolphins still need to sustain offense and stop giving opponents a path back into games.

Washington entered its bye with a 1-4-1 record and little momentum after pushing San Francisco late the previous Monday. Jayden Daniels has shown signs of life, but the team still needs cleaner execution and better health around him. The break offered a chance to evaluate Terry McLaurin's knee injury and reset.

Arizona followed its ugly but useful win against the Rams with a 30-16 loss to Denver. The offense remains limited, and the Cardinals have not shown they can keep pace once opponents establish control. Their two wins offer occasional hope, but there is little week-to-week consistency.

The Colts played unbeaten Minnesota close before losing 16-10, but the result was another missed chance in a season full of them. Their defense deserves credit for keeping the Vikings uncomfortable; their offense again failed to deliver the decisive plays. At 2-5, competitive losses no longer move the needle.

New Orleans could not build on its win over the Giants, falling 16-10 to Pittsburgh in Paris. The Saints made the game competitive but did not generate enough offense to overcome a physical opponent. Injuries in the secondary and backfield only deepen the challenge of escaping the bottom third.

Las Vegas has now lost four straight since its 3-0 start after falling 35-21 to the Rams. The Raiders have gone from threatening Kansas City to struggling to stop almost anyone, and their defense keeps leaving the offense too much to repair. There is still talent on the roster, but the September goodwill has disappeared.

Without Lamar Jackson for a third straight game, Baltimore collapsed after building a 13-0 halftime lead against Cincinnati and lost 35-13. The Ravens have now gone scoreless after halftime in consecutive defeats, exposing problems that extend beyond the backup quarterback. Jackson is working back from a high ankle sprain, and his return cannot come soon enough.

Tampa Bay authored the week's most emphatic bottom-half response, hammering Carolina 43-13. The Buccaneers forced four turnovers and received strong rushing production from Bucky Irving, offering a welcome answer to several narrow defeats. A 2-5 record still keeps them down the board, but this was a genuine statement.

Carolina followed its encouraging win in Philadelphia by getting blown out 43-13 at home by Tampa Bay. Four turnovers ruined any chance of staying competitive, and tackle Taylor Moton's fractured fibula compounds the setback. The Panthers have real wins on the résumé but remain among the league's least predictable teams.

Houston's modest two-game resurgence ended with a 27-21 overtime loss to the Giants. C.J. Stroud and the offense never sustained the rhythm they found in London, finishing with just 237 total yards. At 2-5, a talented Texans roster has little room left for these wasted opportunities.

Dallas finally produced the balanced offense it has promised, beating Philadelphia 38-21 on Monday night. Javonte Williams rushed for more than 150 yards, Dak Prescott threw three touchdown passes, and the Cowboys did not commit a turnover. The Eagles are struggling badly, but the road win could still be the spark Dallas needed.

The Rams finally turned a productive offensive afternoon into a comfortable victory, beating Las Vegas 35-21. It was a welcome response after close losses to Buffalo and Arizona, and it showed why a 2-4 start felt worse than the talent level suggested. One victory is not a turnaround, but this looks more like the Rams' intended formula.

J.J. McCarthy helped the Giants grind out a 27-21 overtime win at Houston in his first start for the club. Cam Skattebo ran for 124 yards, while the defense prevented the Texans from developing much rhythm. New York is not a polished operation, but at 4-2-1 it keeps doing enough to stay atop the NFC East discussion.

The Falcons delivered one of the weekend's biggest surprises by beating previously unbeaten San Francisco 29-20. Michael Penix Jr. threw three touchdowns without an interception while Atlanta forced four turnovers. One win does not erase the uneven start, but this was a convincing sign that the Falcons' ceiling is considerably higher than their record.

Jacksonville had the week off following its painful loss to Houston in London. The Jaguars' earlier winning streak still gives them an impressive résumé, especially their victories against New England and Philadelphia. Their next game will tell us whether the London defeat was a stumble or the start of a slide.

Cleveland followed its upset of Baltimore with a 27-24 victory at Tennessee, improving to 5-2. The defense remains the Browns' calling card, although needing a tight finish against a one-win opponent shows why the offense still inspires caution. They have earned their place in the AFC North chase.

Joe Burrow and the Bengals staged one of Week 7's most remarkable turnarounds, scoring 35 unanswered points to beat Baltimore 35-13. Burrow threw four second-half touchdown passes, giving Cincinnati a major AFC North statement. Lamar Jackson's absence matters, but scoring 35 straight on the road matters too.

Green Bay came within a field goal of Detroit but lost 20-17 and struggled to run the ball. Jordan Love threw for 274 yards and two touchdowns, yet the Packers managed just 60 rushing yards as a team. Injuries at center make the next few days especially important, and a second divisional loss limits the reward for recent improvement.

New England's three-game winning streak ended with a 30-24 loss at Chicago. Drake Maye threw for 321 yards and two scores but also made a costly mistake, and the defense could not contain Caleb Williams. The Patriots have earned respect over the past month, although the road loss puts a temporary cap on their climb.

Pittsburgh won the NFL's Paris game 16-10 against New Orleans and remains near the top of the AFC North. The Steelers made enough plays to win without ever making the afternoon comfortable. At 5-2, the results are good; the offense still needs to stop turning winnable games into survival exercises.

The Lions emerged from their bye and beat Green Bay 20-17 in a pivotal NFC North matchup. Jared Goff threw for 303 yards, Jahmyr Gibbs rushed for 116, and Amon-Ra St. Brown topped 150 receiving yards. Detroit still has questions on defense, but its offense is capable of setting the terms against good opponents.

Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns as Chicago beat New England 30-24 on Thursday night. His second consecutive 300-yard game showed that the Bears' offense has a very different ceiling with its starter healthy. The late Patriots push was a reminder that closing games is still a work in progress.

Denver handled Arizona 30-16 for another win built on defensive control and patience. There is still room for the offense to become more consistent, especially in the tougher stretches ahead. Five victories and a win over Seattle make the Broncos difficult to leave outside the top six.

The defending champions are back in the conversation after dismantling previously unbeaten Kansas City 20-3. Jaxon Smith-Njigba produced 150 receiving yards while Seattle's defense held the Chiefs to 213 total yards. The record is still only 4-3, but this result changes how its three narrow losses should be viewed.

Kansas City scored only three points in a 20-3 defeat at Seattle, the kind of performance nobody expected from Patrick Mahomes. The Chiefs struggled to protect the passer or create explosive plays, and the receiving corps is thin. Five wins keep them in the elite group, but the automatic No. 1 argument is gone.

The unbeaten run ended emphatically in a 29-20 loss at Atlanta, where turnovers erased a yardage advantage. Brock Purdy threw two interceptions, and Christian McCaffrey suffered a mild hamstring strain that adds to the offense's injury concerns. San Francisco remains a contender, but its Week 8 bye suddenly arrives at a useful time.

Buffalo moves into the runner-up spot without playing, thanks to losses by both teams above it. Josh Allen has already shown he can rescue a difficult afternoon, and a 5-1 record with an overtime win against the Rams stands up well. The next test comes against Baltimore, where the Bills cannot assume Lamar Jackson's ankle will keep him sidelined.

The Vikings finally own the ranking their perfect record demands. Minnesota survived Indianapolis 16-10 and is now the NFL's only undefeated team after San Francisco and Kansas City lost. Aaron Jones aggravated his knee injury, however, so a run game already asked to carry considerable weight bears watching.