JACKSONVILLE – Senior writer John Oehser's pre-Week 8 2021 NFL power rankings. And we all know how important these are …
Rank.Team (record) | Prev. | Comment
- Arizona Cardinals (7-0) | 1 | Balanced, consistent – and still unbeaten
- Los Angeles Rams (6-1) | 2 | Dominant against everyone – except Arizona
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-1) | 3 | Four consecutive victories since loss at Rams
- Green Bay Packers (6-1) | 5 | NFL's second-longest current winning streak
- Dallas Cowboys (5-1) | 6 | Bye
- Tennessee Titans (5-2) | 7 | Back-to-back victories over Bills and Chiefs
- Buffalo Bills (4-2) | 8 | Bye
- Cincinnati Bengals (5-2) | 11 | Your first-place – and very hot – Cincinnati Bengals
- Baltimore Ravens (5-2) | 4 | Oof
- Los Angeles Chargers (4-2) | 9 | Bye
- Las Vegas Raiders (5-2) | 10 | Got it right again after two-game losing streak
- New Orleans Saints (4-2) | 18 | Drew Who?
- Cleveland Browns (4-3) | 13 | Very much a factor in AFC's best division
- Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3) | 14 | Bye
- Minnesota Vikings (3-3) | 21 | Bye
- Atlanta Falcons (3-3) | 25 | A quiet 3-3 is still 3-3
- Kansas City Chiefs (3-4) | 12 | Suddenly might be in real trouble
- Chicago Bears (3-4) | 15 | Good enough to be around .500, not to beat the best
- New England Patriots (3-4) | 24 | Fifty Burger!
- Indianapolis Colts (3-4) | 26 | Have won three of four games
- Carolina Panthers (3-4) | 16 | Four consecutive losses after 3-0 start
- Denver Broncos (3-4) | 17 | Four consecutive losses after 3-0 start
- Seattle Seahawks (2-5) | 19 | Up next: Playing host to Duuuvall!
- San Francisco 49ers (2-4) | 20 | Slip, sliding away
- Washington Football Team (2-5) | 22 | Back-to-back-to-back double-digit losses
- Philadelphia Eagles (2-5) | 23 | Tough early schedule continues to take a toll
- New York Giants (2-5) | 27 | Have won two of four since 0-3 start
- New York Jets (1-5) | 28 | Oof
- Houston Texans (1-6) | 29 | Six consecutive losses after Week 1 victory over Duuuval
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5) | 30 | Bye
- Miami Dolphins (1-6) | 31 | Six consecutive losses after one-point Week 1 victory in Foxboro
- Detroit Lions (0-7) | 32| Eleven consecutive losses dating to last season
