1. Patriots (7-1)
The Pats walloped the Bills on the road to improve to 4-0 since QB Tom Brady returned from suspension. He’s 26-3 against the Bills.
2. Cowboys (6-1)
They rallied to beat the Eagles in OT once rookie QB Dak Prescott recovered from a shaky start. Now that WR Dez Bryant is back from injury Cowboys clearly are the class of the NFC.
3. Broncos (6-2)
The defense carried Broncos to a home W against the Chargers. The question is whether that unit is good enough to carry them back to the Super Bowl.
4. Raiders (6-2)
Oakland is 5-0 on the road after OT win at Tampa Bay. Derek Carr (513 yards, 4 TD, 0 INT) is looking like the second-best QB in the AFC.
5. Chiefs (5-2)
QB Nick Foles replaced injured Alex Smith twice during game at Indy and Chiefs kept rolling. That’s three Ws in a row.
6. Packers (5-3)
QB Aaron Rodgers was so good in the Dome that the Packers nearly won with a makeshift lineup. But they need their horses back to make a run.
7. Falcons (5-3)
Don't look now but the Falcons are starting to develop an effective pass rush. It had to be frustrating for their pass rushers to chase Aaron Rodgers all day but give them credit for sticking with it and slowing him down just enough.
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8. Vikings (5-2)
Losing at the Eagles was one thing. Getting dominated at Chicago raises questions about whether their offense will ever be competent enough for them to be true contenders.
9. Steelers (4-3)
QB Ben Roethlisberger returned to practice following the bye, just two weeks after knee surgery, and actually might play on Sunday against the Ravens.
10. Seahawks (4-2-1)
There’s no question their offensive struggles are real after that unit scored just 13 points against awful Saints D. QB Russell Wilson’s injuries have made them less dynamic.
11. Eagles (4-3)
The defense gave up a 75-yard TD drive in OT. That’s twice in three weeks Philly’s D looked pedestrian.
12. Bills (4-4)
The Bills didn’t have LB LeSean McCoy against Pats but inefficient game from QB Tyrod Taylor was a bigger issue than the running game.
13. Giants (4-3)
They come out of the bye in position for a wild card berth after the Eagles lost to the Cowboys.
14. Texans (5-3)
QB Brock Osweiler looked a bit better but is there any doubt they will win a bad division and then get pasted in the playoffs?
15. Lions (4-4)
After three straight weeks with late scores for Ws the Lions couldn’t rally at Houston.
16. Washington (4-3-1)
Washington came out of the tie with the Bengals feeling worse about it. Said QB Kirk Cousins: "It definitely feels more like a loss than a win, because we moved the ball so well and had so many opportunities to win.”
17. Cardinals (3-4-1)
The Cardinals were looking like pretenders even before they got routed at Carolina.
18. Buccaneers (3-4)
The run of strong games by Ex-Falcons RB Jacquizz Rodgers (above) ended with a foot injury against the Raiders. The Bucs already were down two RBs.
19. Dolphins (3-4)
Their post-bye schedule includes seven opponents with losing records.
20. Titans (4-4)
They beat down the Jags at home but that’s nothing new. Since 2014 Tennessee is 3-0 at home vs. Jags, 1-17 vs. everybody else.
21. Chargers (3-5)
Remember how Philip Rivers looked pretty good against the Falcons? He threw three interceptions at Denver, including a pick-six.
22. Saints (3-4)
They somehow still are kind of in the NFC South race.
23. Ravens (3-4)
They’ve won five of their last six against the Steelers so maybe they can beat them on Sunday and get their season back on track.
24. Bengals (3-4-1)
TE Tyler Eiefert looked good vs. Washington in his first extended action since surgery but QB Andy Dalton had a key INT.
25. Jets (3-5)
They summoned up enough pride to beat the Browns.
26. Panthers (2-5)
Could the dominant win over the Cards get things turned around?
27. Colts (3-5)
QB Andrew Luck was bad again in home loss to Chiefs.
28. Rams (3-4)
They gained ground in the NFC West during the bye with Seahawks and Cardinals losing.
29. Bears (2-6)
QB Jay Cutler played well in his return from injury.
30. Jaguars (2-5)
Coach Gus Bradley fired his OC, the first step towards his own inevitable departure.
31. 49ers (1-6)
GM Trent Baalke still had his job after the bye week.
32. Browns (0-8)
In a move that certainly will put them over the top, Browns acquired LB Jamie Collins in a trade with the Pats.
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