BTSC Week 8 Power Rankings

RANK

BTSC COMMENT

RECORD

1. KC

Alright Chiefs fans, you asked for it -- several times -- here it is: Number One. And it's well deserved. The skepticism was well deserved too, but no one can argue with the last unbeaten team resting atop this list. Now you have a reason to be the loudest.

7-0

2. DEN

Everyone's going to be talking about the injures on Peyton's line, but maybe his helmet was just on a little too tight.

6-1

3. SEA

Russell Wilson was excellent against the Cardinals on Thursday (122.1 quarterback rating) and this team might be getting the one of football's most dynamic players back soon. Percy Harvin might just suit up for Seattle's Monday Night game against a reeling St. Louis.

6-1

4. NO

New Orleans bye couldn't have come at better time for Jimmy Graham. The tight end is questionable at this point, but after being shut out against the Pats (on 6 targets), Graham is probably ready to suit up. The Saints may feel a little cheated by the Pats after this look at Tom Brady's game-winning TD pass...about time they joined the club.

5-1

5. IND

An argument could be made for the Colts having the most impressive résumé in the NFL after beating the Broncos in addition to the NFC champion 49ers and the 6-1 Seahawks. Andrew Luck was worth a 2-14 season...in retrospect. And while it's far from a certainty that the team tanked last year, the supporting cast around Luck looks pretty good in 2013. Regardless, the Colts turnaround has been pretty amazing.

5-2

6. SF

2+2≠5, at least not in football. Pretty simple equation, right? Well, the 49ers are operating on a similar level of mathematical complexity. When they score 30 or more points, they win. But when they score less than 10...like I said, pretty simple. But apparently, at least in football, putting 2 & 2 together does = 5-2.

5-2

7. CIN

The Bengals were able to hold off the Lions' patented second-half outburst, but just barely. Mike Nugent hit a 54-yard FG as time expired and Cincy took a commanding lead in the AFC North. They can thank Pittsburgh for beating Baltimore and watering down the rest of the division, but they're pretty damn good without any help from other teams.

5-2

8. NE

Brady was held without a TD pass for what would've been the third straight week had the referee caught Nate Solder's game-winning hold on the Saints' Junior Gallette in Week 6. But to their credit, the Patriots have been within striking distance in all three of those games, despite Brady's struggles. His weapons are young and inexperienced, so getting Gronk back will certainly help Tawwwrrmmy avoid many more TD shutouts.

5-2

9. GB

Weren't they supposed to get worse when everyone got hurt? The Packers offense will be fine as long as Aaron Rodgers is behind center. And hell, maybe even if he isn't. I seem to recall something called a "Matt Flynn" stepping into that system quite nicely before it disappeared from the face of the Earth.

4-2

10. DAL

This team lost by a combined 4 points to the top two teams on this list. Their record may not be fantastic right now, but a 3-0 division record and a one-up on Philly may be enough for the Cowboys to start thinking about the playoffs.

4-3

11. SD

If, by some cruel act of God, three teams from the AFC West make the playoffs, the rest of the world will weep -- BUT YOU WILL WATCH IT. It's the NFL Playoffs, you have no choice.

4-3

12. CAR

The Panthers have the 5th best point differential in the league (+56, tied with Indianapolis). Carolina ground it out offensively with two long touchdown drives and an incredibly efficient game from Cam Newton. And their defense -- the real story of the Panthers 2013 season -- put the Rams on notice, forcing 3 turnovers and scoring a TD of their own.

3-3

13. DET

Detroit tried to storm back in the 4th quarter again -- this time against Cincy -- but they couldn't get the job done on their final two drives. This season has been kind of a roller coaster so far for the Lions, but Matthew Stafford is playing well (95.3 quarterback rating) and if his playmakers can stay on the field, the Lions will have a shot at climbing of the large number of average teams in the NFC.

4-3

14. NYJ

If Rex Ryan wasn't the Jets coach, this team might actually be likable. But he is. So they're not.

4-3

15. CHI

For me, four weeks of knowing Jay Cutler is at home, putting ice in the junk drawer is just the kind of thing I giggle about, because I have the sense of humor of publicly educated 10 year-old. But for the Bears, Cutler's groin injury might be a little more disheartening. Josh McCown played pretty well in Cutler's absence, but remember, they were playing Washington, so it doesn't really count.

4-3

16. BAL

Ozzie Newsome: Justin Tucker's on the phone for you...

John Harbaugh: Who?

Newsome: Kicker.

Harbuagh: Hahahaha. Good one, Oz.

3-4

17. MIA

They started well, but Miami has lost three in a row heading into their Week 8 matchup with New England. It doesn't get any easier after that, as the Dolphins will play the Bengals the following Thursday. Hmmm. Brightly colored Dolphins and Tigers on Halloween night....yep, NFL marketing just blew my mind again.

3-3

18. BUF

C.J. Spiller has pretty much single-handedly tanked my fantasy season. Thanks a lot, Clifford.

3-4

19. TEN

So how long until Mike Munchak mans up and grows what should be an obligatory Tennesseean mustache? And how long from then will it take for said nose-skirt to be referred to as the "Munstache"?

3-4

20. ARI

After losing back-to-back games against San Francisco and Seattle, the Cardinals have dug themselves a hole that will be hard to climb out of. But Pittsburgh just cut Isaac Redman, so help is on the way!

3-4

21. PHI

Chip Kelly: Hey guys, where's Portland State on this schedule?

Michael Vick: My body hurts.

Nick Foles: Mine does too.

Kelly: I don't think I'm reading this thing right.

3-4

22. CLE

Cleveland still has a pretty gnarly defense, despite giving up 31 points in each of their last two games. Detroit and Green Bay'll do that to you. The Browns next game is at Kansas City, so they'll need to bring that defense along, because their probably maxing out at about 10 points for that game.

3-4

23. ATL

"I hope you're not surprised by what Harry did today." - Tony Gonzalez on wide receiver Harry Douglas' monster game

Well actually, some of us were, Tony. Sure, he's a good player, but c'mon, he's no Julio Jones. Douglas and 5th pocket-back Jacquizz Rodgers combined for 3 TDs on 15 catches to aid Ryan in turning away a pesky Buccaneers team.

2-4

24. PIT

Maybe Docksta Huckstabull is our new good luck charm.

2-4

25. STL

How did Harvey Dahl not get tossed out of that game? Things got a little out of hand in the Rams' showdown with the Panthers on Sunday. And now Sam Bradford is done for the season -- maybe it's time for the Rams to consider making that a permanent arrangement...

3-4

26. HOU

Case Keenum wasn't that bad, but the Texans lost. Again. That's five in a row now. Houston has to be scouting college quarterbacks at this point and there are several potential first-round quarterbacks in the upcoming class. It seems like the only question left is: Will they be picking high enough to get the one they want?

2-5

27. WAS

We knew that Washington had RGIII and Alfred Morris, turns out Roy Helu is pretty good too. But their defense is a bona fide catastrophe. And now they'll be without starting safety -- and established brain injury enthusiast -- Brandon Meriweather.

2-4

28. OAK

Pittsburgh will look for their 3rd win in a row in Oakland next week. And since the Athletics didn't make it to the World Series, we'll have to presume the grounds crew took the time to prepare a football field for the game. The Raiders have the league's worst passing game, so it's safe to say they will probably try to run the ball, but at least we won't have to worry about anything like this happening:

2-4

29. NYG

You gotta love the hustle by punter Steve Weatherford on that punt return near the end of the first quarter. The Vikings still scored, and Weatherford horsecollared the hell out Marcus Sherels, but it was a fantastic effort. Maybe his hustle was enough to ignite this team enough to beat the Vikings, but they'll probably need more than that to avoid double digit losses this season.

1-6

30. MIN

This team beat the Steelers...

1-5

31.TB

A valiant effort for the soon to be Schiano-less Bucs. But it wasn't enough. That guy would be the king of all jackasses if a group of that nature were collectively cognizant enough to organize. Apparently a team that was also called "the Tampa Bay Buccaneers" won Super Bowl XXXVII and a person named Dexter Jackson was named the MVP of that Super Bowl. Greg Schiano hates this person.

0-6

32. JAX

Jags QBs have been sacked 28 times this year for a loss of 170 total yards. They also have a bumbling 3 to 12 TD-INT ratio. The QBs facing Jacksonville have been sacked just 11 times and have a 15-3 TD-INT ratio. That defense is also allowing 153.3 rushing yards a game. This team looks like they'll be lucky to avoid an 0-16 season.

0-7