NFL Power Rankings, Week 7: After second straight win, Steelers get another bump in Power Rankings

The Pittsburgh Steelers were victorious for the second time at Heinz Field against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 6, and the win over Seattle has given the Steelers a boost, according to the latest Power Rankings.

These Power Rankings are something which should be taken with a grain of salt, but if nothing else they are good for some healthy debate.

Yes, Power Rankings can be an interesting exercise, and while we don’t put too much stock into these rankings it does give you a taste of how the experts at certain sites view the Steelers. Who do they have topping the rankings this week? The Super Bowl champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers? The Baltimore Ravens? How about the Green Bay Packers?

Time to take a look at the latest Power Rankings:

ESPN

1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Buffalo Bills
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Green Bay Packers
8. Los Angeles Chargers
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Tennessee Titans
...
15. Pittsburgh Steelers

“The Steelers started out sky-high with a win against the Bills — arguably the NFL’s best team after six weeks. But instead of that triumph setting a tone for the season, it appeared to be an aberration when the Steelers followed it up with three consecutive losses. Led by an inconsistent Ben Roethlisberger, the offense lacked rhythm. And the defense couldn’t overcome injuries to make up for the offensive shortcomings. But after back-to-back wins entering the bye, the Steelers are showing life. If the defense can look more like the one in the fourth quarter and overtime on Sunday night, the Steelers’ confidence rating will rise. Anything short of that, it’ll dip right back down.”

NFL.com

1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Buffalo Bills
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Dallas Cowboys
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Green Bay Packers
7. Los Angeles Rams
8. Los Angeles Chargers
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Tennessee Titans
...
16. Pittsburgh Steelers

“There are no words to properly describe how important T.J. Watt is to the Pittsburgh Steelers. He is the team’s best and most impactful player, and his ability to raise his game in the most crucial of moments makes him one of the greats. We saw that again on Sunday night, a 23-20 overtime win over the Seahawks that featured a dominant Watt performance capped by the Geno Smith strip-sack that set up the game-winning field goal by Chris Boswell. A closer study of the play reveals its brilliance: Watt was playing the run, reacted to Smith’s play-action, fought through several blockers and drilled Smith just as the quarterback thought he had escaped the pocket. Watt is what happens when elite talent meets max effort.”

The Sporting News

1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Los Angeles Rams
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
4. Buffalo Bills
5. Green Bay Packers
6. Dallas Cowboys
7. Baltimore Ravens
8. Los Angeles Chargers
9. Kansas City Chiefs
10. Cincinnati Bengals
...
14. Pittsburgh Steelers

“The Steelers aren’t pretty yet offensively but they’ve fought their way back to .500 on the strength of rookie running back Najee Harris and their defense, which was their season-long game plan, anyway.”

CBS Sports

1. Arizona Cardinals
2. Green Bay Packers
3. Los Angeles Rams
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
5. Dallas Cowboys
6. Baltimore Ravens
7. Buffalo Bills
8. Los Angeles Chargers
9. New Orleans Saints
10. Kansas City Chiefs
...
16. Pittsburgh Steelers

“They made it interesting against the Seahawks, but found a way to win it in overtime. At 3-3, they’ve won two straight and things are looking up.”

Washington Post

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. Los Angeles Rams
5. Baltimore Ravens
6. Dallas Cowboys
7. Tennessee Titans
8. Buffalo Bills
9. Cincinnati Bengals
10. New Orleans Saints
...
16. Pittsburgh Steelers

“Ben Roethlisberger and the Steelers aren’t quite done. Not yet, at least. It has been only a few weeks since Roethlisberger’s days as a productive quarterback seemed basically over. The Steelers’ season appeared to be coming undone. All of that still could end up being true. But Roethlisberger and the Steelers are keeping an alternate narrative in play. Their season still has possibilities after they evened their record at 3-3 by beating the Russell Wilson-less Seahawks.”

What do you think of these rankings? Think the Steelers are too high? Not high enough? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below, and be sure to check out one of our newest podcasts where we do some rankings of our own! Check out the “Steelers Power Half Hour” in the player below: