Arizona Sports Week 7 NFL Power Rankings: Vikings still on top; Cardinals rise
Oct 18, 2016, 5:15 PM | Updated: Oct 19, 2016, 11:34 am
Arizona Cardinals defensive end Calais Campbell (93) prior to an NFL football game against the New York Jets, Monday, Oct. 17, 2016, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
(AP Photo/Rick Scuteri)
Another week in the books in the NFL, and for the second straight time, the Minnesota Vikings top the Arizona Sports Power Rankings.
The Vikings had the week off and now travel to Philadelphia to take on an Eagles team that looks rather average after jumping out to a 3-0 start. Minnesota quarterback and early MVP candidate Sam Bradford makes his return to Lincoln Financial Field — a place where he wasn’t treated well by Philly’s normally patient fan base (sarcasm alert).
New England, Seattle, Dallas and Pittsburgh round out our top five this week.
On the local front, the Arizona Cardinals jumped a spot after crushing the New York Jets 28-3 on Monday Night Football.
Here’s our complete Week 7 Power Rankings…
1. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
High: 1 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Green)
Low: 2 (Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Movement: —
Comment: D allowed as many points on the bye week as they do on a game week. — Lapinski
Next: at Philadelphia
2. New England Patriots (5-1)
High: 1 (Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Low: 2 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Green)
Movement: —
Comment: Gronk smash Bengals. With Big Ben injury, can anyone in AFC challenge them? — Burns
Next: at Pittsburgh
3. Seattle Seahawks (4-1)
High: 3 (Marotta, Grialou, Burns, Lapinski)
Low: 4 (Morgan, Green, Dimakos)
Movement: ▲ 1
Comment: It’s only pass interference if it’s called. — Grialou
Next: at Arizona
4. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)
High: 3 (Morgan, Green, Dimakos)
Low: 4 (Marotta, Grialou, Burns, Lapinski)
Movement: ▲ 4
Comment: Rookie QB heads to Lambeau, gets road win…no big deal. — Marotta
Next: Bye week
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2)
High: 5 (Grialou, Morgan)
Low: 8 (Dimakos, Burns)
Movement: ▼ 2
Comment: Big Ben’s torn meniscus is a big blow. The Steelers will drop from this spot. — Morgan
Next: vs. New England
6. Atlanta Falcons (4-2)
High: 5 (Marotta, Green, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Low: 11 (Grialou)
Movement: ▲ 1
Comment: Tough to buy into, but they should have won in Seattle, and that counts for something. — Green
Next: vs. San Diego
7. Green Bay Packers (3-2)
High: 6 (Grialou)
Low: 11 (Lapinski)
Movement: ▼ 2
Comment: Rodgers hasn’t been the same since he tried to kill that fly with a golf club. — Marotta
Next: vs. Chicago
T-8. Denver Broncos (4-2)
High: 6 (Burns)
Low: 11 (Marotta)
Movement: ▼ 2
Comment: I think they are finally going back to where we thought they’d be. A little above average. — Dimakos
Next: vs. Houston
T-8. Buffalo Bills (4-2)
High: 6 (Marotta, Morgan)
Low: 13 (Lapinski)
Movement: ▲ 3
Comment: Shady running wild…three 100-yard games vs. NFC West teams. — Marotta
Next: at Miami
10. Arizona Cardinals (3-3)
High: 6 (Dimakos)
Low: 15 (Morgan)
Movement: ▲ 1
Comment: Climbing back up. Real clarity comes in the next two weeks. — Burns
Next: vs. Seattle
11. Washington Redskins (4-2)
High: 7 (Grialou, Green)
Low: 12 (Marotta, Morgan, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Movement: ▲ 5
Comment: Win streak hasn’t come against NFL’s best, but four in-a-row is four in-a-row. — Green
Next: at Detroit
12. Oakland Raiders (4-2)
High: 9 (Morgan)
Low: 14 (Burns)
Movement: ▼ 3
Comment: 30th-ranked rush defense — and it showed vs. KC. — Lapinski
Next: at Jacksonville
13. Kansas City Chiefs (3-2)
High: 9 (Marotta, Lapinski)
Low: 15 (Morgan)
Movement: ▲ 1
Comment: Dominated a good team in the Raiders. — Burns
Next: vs. New Orleans
14. Philadelphia Eagles (3-2)
High: 11 (Morgan)
Low: 15 (Marotta, Burns)
Movement: ▼ 4
Comment: Some of the shine has come off Carson Wentz, perhaps. — Grialou
Next: vs. Minnesota
15. Houston Texans (4-2)
High: 14 (Marotta, Morgan)
Low: 18 (Burns)
Movement: ▲ 2
Comment: Osweiler overcame a -9 yard first quarter to rally past Indy. — Morgan
Next: at Denver
16. New York Giants (3-3)
High: 13 (Burns)
Low: 21 (Green)
Movement: ▲ 3
Comment: Odell Beckham is engaged to a kicking net. Still better than dating a Kardashian. — Marotta
Next: vs. Los Angeles (London)
T-17. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)
High: 13 (Grialou)
Low: 22 (Marotta, Dimakos)
Movement: ▼ 4
Comment: Four losses to really good teams. When schedule softens, watch them make a run. — Green
Next: vs. Cleveland
T-17. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
High: 16 (Green, Dimakos, Lapinski)
Low: 21 (Grialou)
Movement: ▼ 2
Comment: Meh — that’s how I feel about this team. — Dimakos
Next: at New York Jets
19. Detroit Lions (3-3)
High: 17 (Marotta)
Low: 21 (Burns)
Movement: ▲ 3
Comment: They’ve found the perfect mix of average and average. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Washington
20. Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
High: 16 (Grialou)
Low: 29 (Burns)
Movement: ▼ 2
Comment: Maybe Jeff Fisher is going 7-9 after all? — Burns
Next: vs. New York Giants (London)
21. New Orleans Saints (2-3)
High: 19 (Marotta, Burns)
Low: 25 (Morgan)
Movement: ▲ 4
Comment: Looks like Brees has the Saints on the way back. — Grialou
Next: at Kansas City
22. Tennessee Titans (3-3)
High: 21 (Morgan)
Low: 25 (Dimakos)
Movement: ▲ 2
Comment: It’s fun watching Marcus Mariota be good. — Green
Next: vs. Indianapolis
23. San Diego Chargers (2-4)
High: 17 (Burns)
Low: 26 (Grialou, Morgan)
Movement: ▲ 4
Comment: How exactly did this team win with all the injuries they’ve had? — Dimakos
Next: at Atlanta
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3)
High: 19 (Grialou)
Low: 27 (Morgan, Burns)
Movement: ▼ 3
Comment: Bucs have a shot to come out of the bye at 3-3 with a road game at San Francisco. — Morgan
Next: at San Francisco
25. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)
High: 23 (Dimakos)
Low: 26 (Burns, Lapinski)
Movement: ▲ 3
Comment: If wins over Chicago and Indy don’t scream “contender,” what does? – Lapinski
Next: vs. Oakland
26. Miami Dolphins (2-4)
High: 22 (Green)
Low: 29 (Dimakos)
Movement: ▲ 4
Comment: Ajayi running like he’s trying to get away from those Color Rush unis they wore in Week 4! — Lapinski
Next: vs. Buffalo
27. Indianapolis Colts (2-4)
High: 22 (Grialou, Morgan)
Low: 29 (Lapinski)
Movement: ▼ 4
Comment: The ship is sinking on Chuck Pagano. — Burns
Next: at Tennessee
28. Carolina Panthers (1-5)
High: 23 (Burns)
Low: 29 (Marotta)
Movement: ▼ 4
Comment: From 7-8-1 to 15-1 and now this. Panthers had a nice one-year run of actually being good. — Green
Next: Bye week
29. New York Jets (1-5)
High: 27 (Dimakos)
Low: 29 (Grialou, Morgan, Green)
Movement: ▼ 3
Comment: It’s not all on the QB — this team is a disorganized mess. — Marotta
Next: vs. Baltimore
30. Chicago Bears (1-5)
High: 30 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Low: 29 (Green)
Movement: ▼ 1
Comment: With games at Green Bay and Minnesota next, the Bears will be 1-7 at midway point. — Morgan
Next: at Green Bay
31. San Francisco 49ers (1-5)
High: 30 (Marotta, Grialou, Morgan, Dimakos, Burns, Lapinski)
Low: 29 (Green)
Movement: ▼ 1
Comment: Kaepernick made no difference. — Dimakos
Next: vs. Tampa Bay
32. Cleveland Browns (0-6)
High: 32 (Unanimous)
Low: 32 (Unanimous)
Movement: —
Comment: 0-16 beckons. — Burns
Next: at Cincinnati
