The Top 5 doesn’t see much movement this week, but that is set to change soon with the red-hot undefeated Arizona Cardinals hosting Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night. The Cowboys have a big test this week versus Kirk Cousins and the Vikings, but will running back Dalvin Cook, who’s nursing an ankle injury, be available? Is there a Broadway “Joe” making an appearance on the top 10? Check out this week’s power rankings:
- Arizona Cardinals- The lone undefeated team in the NFL adding a top-10 all-around tight end in Zach Ertz (who happened to score in his first game in a Cardinals uniform) spells trouble for opposing defenses. Who can you double with the weapons Kyler Murray (MVP candidate) has at his disposal? Making matters better, the Cardinals get Aaron Rodgers on Thursday night football without his top 2 weapons on the outside due to Covid-19.
- Los Angeles Rams– Is it possible to play down to your competition, especially when you’re 10 point favorites? Yes. Jalen Ramsey, once again, proved why he’s the best overall shutdown defensive back in the game with a clutch interception late in Sunday’s win against the Lions. A single loss is what separates the 6-1 Rams and the undefeated Cardinals in the NFC West division.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers– Tom Brady passed for four more touchdowns, including throwing his record-setting 600th passing touchdown in the Bucs win over the Bears. Injuries are the only thing keeping the champs from being undefeated, with a big-time division matchup against the Saints on the horizon.
- Dallas Cowboys- The Cowboys were on a bye, which allowed star quarterback Dak Prescott to heal from his calf injury that was expected to keep him on the injury report week-to-week. Dallas has a primetime matchup looming Sunday night against a Minnesota Vikings receiving core that will test the front-runner for defensive player of the year, Trevon Diggs and his secondary counterparts.
- Green Bay Packers– The good. Green Bay has won 6 in a row. The bad. The Packers will possibly be without their top wide-out, Davante Adams due to Covid-19. Adams has to have back to back negative tests before being cleared from the covid-19 list. The Ugly. Green Bay heads to undefeated Arizona.
- Buffalo Bills- 26th in the league on red-zone TD conversions should be an issue fixed during the bye week. Buffalo is hosting the 1-6 Dolphins, who lost a heartbreaker to Tennessee in week 6. Never say Never, but give me the Bills’ top 3 defense at home by 12 versus the Dolphins.
- Tennessee Titans– When you knock off the Bills and Chiefs in back-to-back weeks you put the entire league on notice that when clicking on all cylinders, you’re a team to avoid come January. The Titans have all the pieces to contend: a solid running game featuring Derrick Henry (arguably and pound for pound the best back in all of football) and two great receivers in A.J. Brown and Julio Jones who are a nightmare for defensive coordinators. The magic question is when the game is on the line, can Ryan Tannehill make the right read under pressure?
- Cincinnati Bengals– Joe Burrow is showing flashes of Joe Montana and has not only made the Bengals relevant, but they look like the best team in the AFC North. Go ahead and give Ja’Marr Chase Rookie of the Year. Through 7 games he has the most receiving yards by any player in NFL history. Check mate.
- Baltimore Ravens– After suffering a 41-17 home thumping to division rivals Cincinnati, the Ravens biggest concern continues to be health and depth. We understand one game doesn’t make or break a team in late October, but the beating the Ravens took at the hands of the Bengals, at home, should be concerning.
- Las Vegas Raiders- A team that has endured a ton of off-the-field news within the last two weeks is 2-0 under interim head coach Rich Bisaccia. Derek Carr, not only has been consistent, but has quietly put up some MVP numbers – throwing for 2,269 yards, 12 touchdowns and just 5 interceptions. His season QBR average rating of 101.2 is impressive. Are the Raiders for real?
