NFL Power Rankings Poll: Raiders and Jets in Race to the Bottom, Saints Still the Unanimous No. 1
You will never guess who the No. 1 team in this latest edition of The MMQB NFL Power Rankings Poll is. A couple hints: They were the unanimous No. 1 last week. They won by 37 points on the road on Sunday. They neither lost one of their most valuable position players nor got de-pantsed as a touchdown favorite. Give up? The Saints! The answer is the Saints.
New Orleans is the NFL’s best team at the moment, and it’s not all that close. So let’s move on to a more interesting discussion: Who is the worst team in the NFL right now? You might reflexively say the Raiders based on the practice squad-caliber roster they’re rolling out on a weekly basis. But don’t forget about the Jets, who just got out-classed by the Matt Barkley-led Bills. The good news? This week’s voters were in full agreement about who’s No. 32. The unanimous answer? You’ll have to do the work to find out—and by “work,” I mean scroll on your computer or swipe on your phone until you reach the bottom of this column.
This week's voters:
Andy Benoit, Staff Writer
Andrew Brandt, Business of Football Columnist
Gary Gramling, Senior Editor
Jonathan Jones, Staff Writer
Robert Klemko, Staff Writer
Bette Marston, Associate Editor
Mark Mravic, Executive Editor
Jenny Vrentas, Senior Writer
1. NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (8-1)
Last Week’s rank: 1
Points in poll: 256
Highest-place vote: First (everybody!)
Last week: Win at Cincinnati, 51-14
Next week: vs. Philadelphia
(tie)2. KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (9-1)
Last Week’s rank: 4
Points in poll: 244
Highest-place vote: Second (4)
Lowest-place vote: Third (4)
Last week: Win vs. Arizona, 26-14
Next week: vs. Los Angeles Rams (in Mexico City)
(tie)2. LOS ANGELES RAMS (9-1)
Last Week’s rank: 3
Points in poll: 244
Highest-place vote: Second (4)
Lowest-place vote: Third (4)
Last week: Win vs. Seattle, 36-31
Next week: vs. Kansas City (in Mexico City)
4. PITTSBURGH STEELERS (6-2-1)
Last Week’s rank: 6
Points in poll: 225
Highest-place vote: Fourth (4)
Lowest-place vote: Sixth (3)
Last week: Win vs. Carolina, 52-21
Next week: at Jacksonville
5. NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (7-3)
Last Week’s rank: 2
Points in poll: 223
Highest-place vote: Fourth (2)
Lowest-place vote: Sixth (3)
Last week: Loss at Tennessee, 34-10
Next week: Bye
6. MINNESOTA VIKINGS (5-3-1)
Last Week’s rank: 8
Points in poll: 213
Highest-place vote: Fourth (2)
Lowest-place vote: Ninth (2)
Last week: Bye
Next week: at Chicago
7. LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (7-2)
Last Week’s rank: 7
Points in poll: 211
Highest-place vote: Fifth (2)
Lowest-place vote: 10th
Last week: Win at Oakland, 20-6
Next week: vs. Denver
8. GREEN BAY PACKERS (4-4-1)
Last Week’s rank: 11
Points in poll: 199
Highest-place vote: Seventh (2)
Lowest-place vote: 11th
Last week: Win vs. Miami, 31-12
Next week: at Seattle
9. CAROLINA PANTHERS (6-3)
Last Week’s rank: 5
Points in poll: 187
Highest-place vote: Seventh (2)
Lowest-place vote: 16th
Last week: Loss at Pittsburgh, 52-21
Next week: at Detroit
10. PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 9
Points in poll: 181
Highest-place vote: Ninth (4)
Lowest-place vote: 16th
Last week: Loss vs. Dallas, 27-20
Next week: at New Orleans
11. TENNESSEE TITANS (5-4)
Last Week’s rank: 19
Points in poll: 172
Highest-place vote: 10th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 15th
Last week: Win vs. New England, 34-10
Next week: at Indianapolis
12. HOUSTON TEXANS (6-3)
Last Week’s rank: 10
Points in poll: 164
Highest-place vote: 11th
Lowest-place vote: 14th
Last week: Bye
Next week: at Washington
13. CHICAGO BEARS (6-3)
Last Week’s rank: 13
Points in poll: 163
Highest-place vote: Eighth
Lowest-place vote: 16th (2)
Last week: Win vs. Detroit, 34-22
Next week: at Minnesota
14. ATLANTA FALCONS (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 12
Points in poll: 143
Highest-place vote: 12th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 18th (2)
Last week: Loss at Cleveland, 28-16
Next week: vs. Dallas
(tie)15. DALLAS COWBOYS (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 21
Points in poll: 139
Highest-place vote: 14th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 18th (2)
Last week: Win at Philadelphia, 27-20
Next week: at Atlanta
(tie)15. WASHINGTON REDSKINS (6-3)
Last Week’s rank: 16
Points in poll: 139
Highest-place vote: 11th
Lowest-place vote: 19th (2)
Last week: Win at Tampa Bay, 16-3
Next week: vs. Houston
17. SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 15
Points in poll: 134
Highest-place vote: 12th
Lowest-place vote: 19th
Last week: Loss at Los Angeles Rams, 36-31
Next week: vs. Green Bay
18. BALTIMORE RAVENS (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 17
Points in poll: 133
Highest-place vote: 12th
Lowest-place vote: 19th
Last week: Bye
Next week: vs. Cincinnati
19. INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (4-5)
Last Week’s rank: 22
Points in poll: 111
Highest-place vote: 15th
Lowest-place vote: 21st (3)
Last week: Win vs. Jacksonville, 29-26
Next week: vs. Tennessee
20. JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-6)
Last Week’s rank: 18
Points in poll: 108
Highest-place vote: 15th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 25th
Last week: Loss at Indianapolis, 29-26
Next week: vs. Pittsburgh
21. CINCINNATI BENGALS (5-4)
Last Week’s rank: 14
Points in poll: 92
Highest-place vote: 20th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 23rd
Last week: Loss vs. New Orleans, 51-14
Next week: at Baltimore
22. DETROIT LIONS (3-6)
Last Week’s rank: 23
Points in poll: 90
Highest-place vote: 20th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 24th (2)
Last week: Loss at Chicago, 34-22
Next week: vs. Carolina
23. MIAMI DOLPHINS (5-5)
Last Week’s rank: 20
Points in poll: 87
Highest-place vote: 20th
Lowest-place vote: 23rd (4)
Last week: Loss at Green Bay, 31-12
Next week: Bye
24. DENVER BRONCOS (3-6)
Last Week’s rank: 24
Points in poll: 67
Highest-place vote: 23rd
Lowest-place vote: 26th
Last week: Bye
Next week: at Los Angeles Chargers
25. CLEVELAND BROWNS (3-6-1)
Last Week’s rank: 29
Points in poll: 63
Highest-place vote: 21st
Lowest-place vote: 27th (4)
Last week: Win vs. Atlanta, 28-16
Next week: Bye
26. TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-6)
Last Week’s rank: 25
Points in poll: 60
Highest-place vote: 24th (3)
Lowest-place vote: 30th
Last week: Loss vs. Washington, 16-3
Next week: at New York Giants
27. NEW YORK GIANTS (2-7)
Last Week’s rank: 30
Points in poll: 52
Highest-place vote: 26th (4)
Lowest-place vote: 27th (4)
Last week: Win at San Francisco, 27-23
Next week: vs. Tampa Bay
28. ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-7)
Last Week’s rank: 28
Points in poll: 36
Highest-place vote: 28th (5)
Lowest-place vote: 30th
Last week: Loss at Kansas City, 26-14
Next week: vs. Oakland
29. SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (2-8)
Last Week’s rank: 27
Points in poll: 33
Highest-place vote: 28th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 30th
Last week: Loss vs. New York Giants, 27-23
Next week: Bye
30. BUFFALO BILLS (3-7)
Last Week’s rank: 31
Points in poll: 31
Highest-place vote: 28th (2)
Lowest-place vote: 30th
Last week: Win at New York Jets, 41-10
Next week: Bye
31. NEW YORK JETS (3-7)
Last Week’s rank: 26
Points in poll: 16
Highest-place vote: 31st (everybody!)
Last week: Loss vs. Buffalo, 41-10
Next week: Bye
32. OAKLAND RAIDERS (1-8)
Last Week’s rank: 32
Points in poll: 8
Highest-place vote: 32nd (everybody!)
Last week: Loss vs. Los Angeles Chargers, 20-6
Next week: at Arizona
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