NFL power rankings entering Week 8 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Patrick Mahomes joined Peyton Manning (2015) as the only quarterbacks in the past 30 years to guide their teams to 6-0 starts despite throwing more INTs than TDs. Manning’s Broncos won the title that season. Sunday, the Chiefs return to Las Vegas’ Allegiant Stadium, where they’re 5-0 (including their overtime triumph in Super Bowl 58). Good bet K.C., which hasn’t lost on the road to the Silver and Black in seven years, progresses to 7-0.
3. Detroit Lions (4): The very early leaders for home-field advantage in the NFC, they might actually be even more dangerous on the road – where they’re undefeated with an average margin of victory of 15.7 points. However the looming suspension to WR Jameson Williams certainly doesn’t help the greater cause.
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7. Buffalo Bills (9): They trade for WR Amari Cooper … and, naturally, rookie Keon Coleman has Buffalo’s first 100-yard receiving day of the season in Sunday’s victory.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6): Monday night started out nicely for the wideouts, Mike Evans catching his 100th TD and actually remembering to keep the ball. It ended with Evans in agony with an exacerbated hamstring issue that’s going to keep him out for the next month, and Chris Godwin apparently suffering a season-ending leg injury (very) late in the game himself.
10. Washington Commanders (10): Though it was certainly boosted by Sunday’s rout of Carolina, you might be surprised to learn that Washington’s +66 point differential paces the league. But that obviously won’t be easy to maintain if rookie QB Jayden Daniels misses starts due to his rib injury.
13. Dallas Cowboys (15): No place like the road. The ‘Boys will play their next two away from their AT&T Stadium house of horrors – which is a plus. This team is 3-0 outside of Texas and hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in any of those games.
17. San Francisco 49ers (12): With WR Brandon Aiyuk lost to a season-ending ACL injury, it’s now apparent this crew will never be whole in what is something of a ‘The Last Dance’ situation. Depending on which wideouts can answer the bell in Week 8 against Dallas, the Niners might be relying on the likes of rookies Ricky Pearsall and Jacob Cowing.
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21. Indianapolis Colts (13): They’re 4-3 and have moved into wild-card position in the AFC. But Indy simply isn’t passing the eyeball test with sophomore Anthony Richardson, the league’s least-accurate (48.5%) and efficient (60.0 rating) quarterback among those with at least 100 passes. (Though apparently the NFL likes what it sees, flexing the Colts into a Sunday night date at Minnesota in Week 9.)
22. New York Jets (18): Looking for a scintilla of good news, NYJ fans, if LB Haason Reddick’s return just ain’t doing it for ya? Then how about this: In five of the six previous seasons, a team that started 2-5 nevertheless found its way into the playoff field.
24. Miami Dolphins (29): How bad has this offense been? Try a league-worst 1.04 points per drive. It should certainly help to get QB Tua Tagovailoa back, but – don’t forget – the Fins weren’t playing very well when he was in the lineup, either.
31. Tennessee Titans (28): Good thing you’ve got all those veteran wideouts when you can’t pass for even 150 yards per week. Two words: Trade and deadline.
32. Cleveland Browns (31): Whatever his football future is at this point, injured QB Deshaun Watson will at least remain financially tethered to this franchise for two more seasons. But if he’s played his last down with the Browns, Watson will almost doubtless be remembered for settling 24 lawsuits during his stint, juxtaposed to the 22 TDs he generated.
(This story has been updated to include new information.)
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Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.
