Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 11: Saints still on top
Nov 13, 2018, 7:30 AM
New Orleans Saints quarterback Drew Brees passes in the first half of an NFL football game against the Cincinnati Bengals, Sunday, Nov. 11, 2018, in Cincinnati. (AP Photo/Gary Landers)
(AP Photo/Gary Landers)
To steal a line from Ebby Calvin “Nuke” LaLoosh, the New Orleans Saints announced their presence with authority in Week 9 by beating the previously top-ranked Los Angeles Rams.
In Week 10, they marked their territory like an alpha dog.
Drew Brees threw for 265 yards and three touchdowns while Alvin Kamara and Michael Thomas each visited the end zone twice in a convincing 51-14 thrashing of Cincinnati at Paul Brown Stadium.
With that performance, the Saints stay atop the Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings for a second straight week, while the Kansas City Chiefs and Rams both inched up after surprisingly close victories over the Cardinals and Seahawks, respectively.
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Falling out of the top five were the New England Patriots, who laid an egg in a 34-10 loss to the Tennessee Titans.
Here’s a look at this week’s order:
Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings – Week 11
| Rank | Team | Record | Result | Movement | Comment | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. |  |
New Orleans Saints | 8-1 | beat Cincinnati 51-14 | (–) | Saints treated the Bengals like Sean Payton treats a noisy fire alarm in pregame. |
| 2. |  |
Kansas City Chiefs | 9-1 | beat Arizona 26-14 | (▲1) | They weren’t dominant, but Mahomes and KC got the job done. |
| 3. |  |
Los Angeles Rams | 9-1 | beat Seattle 36-31 | (▲1) | Reason to be concerned about the defense…and Kupp’s knee injury is huge. |
| 4. |  |
Pittsburgh Steelers | 6-2-1 | beat Carolina 52-21 | (▲2) | This offense is clicking. |
| 5. |  |
Los Angeles Chargers | 7-2 | beat Oakland 20-6 | (▲2) | |
| 6. |  |
New England Patriots | 7-3 | lost to Tennessee 34-10 | (▼4) | Pats suffer their fourth-worst loss in the Belichick-Brady era. |
| 7. |  |
Chicago Bears | 6-3 | beat Detroit 34-22 | (▲3) | Bears are averaging 40 points per game over their last six contests. |
| 8. |  |
Houston Texans | 6-3 | Bye week | (▲3) | Play at Washington before three straight at home against Titans, Browns and Colts. |
| 9. |  |
Washington Redskins | 6-3 | beat Tampa Bay 16-3 | (▲3) | Defense gave up a ton of yards, but only three points and forced four turnovers. |
| 10. |  |
Carolina Panthers | 6-3 | lost to Pittsburgh 52-21 | (▼5) | Cam Newton was right, the Panthers got whooped. |
| 11. |  |
Minnesota Vikings | 5-3-1 | Bye week | (▼3) | We’ll find out what the Vikings really are over the next four weeks. At Bears, vs. Packers, at Pats, at Seahawks. |
| 12. |  |
Green Bay Packers | 4-4-1 | beat Miami 31-12 | (▲4) | Aaron Jones had 145 yards and two TDs — the second-best day by a Packers running back in last five years. |
| 13. |  |
Tennessee Titans | 5-4 | beat New England 34-10 | (▲6) | Blanked Patriots over last 42:49 in a nice defensive performance. |
| 14. |  |
Indianapolis Colts | 4-5 | beat Jacksonville 29-26 | (▲6) | Eric Ebron with two more TDs…leads all NFL tight ends with nine touchdowns. |
| 15. |  |
Cincinnati Bengals | 5-4 | Lost to New Orleans 51-14 | (▼5) | Gave up 51 points, 509 yards, didn’t force a turnover or a punt — yeah, that’ll get your DC fired. |
| 16. |  |
Dallas Cowboys | 4-5 | beat Philadelphia 27-20 | (▲7) | Leighton Vander Esch looking like a steal with the 19th overall pick. |
| 17. |  |
Miami Dolphins | 5-5 | lost to Green Bay 31-12 | (▼3) | They’re mediocre, but Frank Gore is a modern marvel. |
| 18. |  |
Philadelphia Eagles | 4-5 | lost to Dallas 27-20 | (▼5) | The Eagles continue to get booed by home fans just nine months after winning their first Super Bowl. Tough town. |
| 19. |  |
Seattle Seahawks | 4-5 | lost to LA Rams 36-31 | (▼2) | Hung with the Rams, just couldn’t get over the hump. |
| 20. |  |
Baltimore Ravens | 4-5 | Bye week | (▼2) | Didn’t play in Week 10 but were the only team named after a bird not to lose. |
| 21. |  |
Atlanta Falcons | 4-5 | lost to Cleveland 28-16 | (▼6) | Undid all the good from a three-game winning streak in a real stinker at Cleveland. |
| 22. |  |
Cleveland Browns | 3-6-1 | beat Atlanta 28-16 | (▲5) | John Dorsey’s draft class continues to be stellar. |
| 23. |  |
Jacksonville Jaguars | 3-6 | lost to Indianapolis 29-26 | (▼6) | Raise your hand if you thought the Jags would be in last place in the AFC South at this point. Anyone? |
| 24. |  |
Detroit Lions | 3-6 | lost to Chicago 34-22 | (▼2) | Lions haven’t been particularly competitive during current three-game skid. |
| 25. |  |
Denver Broncos | 3-6 | Bye week | (–) | Two more tough games out of the break — at Chargers and home against Steelers. |
| 26. |  |
Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3-6 | lost to Washington 16-3 | (▼2) | Had 503 yards and three points, shattering record of 2011 Rams who had 424 yards and three points in a loss. |
| 27. |  |
Buffalo Bills | 3-7 | beat NY Jets 41-10 | (▲5) | Matt Barkley becomes fourth different starting QB for Bills — and second to win. Sorry, Peterman. |
| 28. |  |
Arizona Cardinals | 2-7 | lost to Kansas City 26-14 | (–) | A 12-point loss in KC might have been this team’s best game of the season. |
| 29. |  |
New York Giants | 2-7 | beat San Francisco 27-23 | (▲1) | The beleaguered Eli Manning throws three TDs in Monday night win. |
| 30. |  |
New York Jets | 3-7 | lost to Buffalo 41-10 | (▼4) | This game was a 60-minute butt fumble. |
| 31. |  |
San Francisco 49ers | 2-8 | lost to NY Giants 27-23 | (▼2) | Back to Earth for Mullens and Company. |
| 32. |  |
Oakland Raiders | 1-8 | lost to Chargers, 20-6 | (▼1) | Have scored six or less points in three out of their last four games. |
