NFL Power Rankings Week 7: 49ers, Texans & Panthers on the Rise

Getty Texans Deshaun Watson outdueled the Chiefs Patrick Mahomes in Week 6.

Just a few weeks ago, the Cowboys and Chiefs were rising up our NFL power rankings, but both teams now find themselves dropping down the charts. Meanwhile, the Panthers, Texans and Niners are among the teams surging as we approach the halfway mark of the NFL season in just a few weeks.

Cowboys’ coordinator Kellen Moore was once praised for introducing an innovative offense, but Dallas’ unit now seems stagnant, especially as the team awaits word on the status of Amari Cooper. Patrick Mahomes has not missed any time as he deals with an ankle injury, but it appears to be hindering his full mobility during games.

After starting the season undefeated, Kansas City has now lost two games in a week timespan. The good news for Cowboys and Chiefs fans is that there is still a ways to go until the playoff push hits full force.

Top 5: Patriots & 49ers Remain Undefeated

As teams go up and down the rankings, the Patriots continue to set the standard for the league. It was not the prettiest outing, but the Patriots pulled away from the Giants when it mattered most. If there is one area of concern for New England, it is that Julian Edelman and Josh Gordon continue to battle injuries. When New England opted not to retain tight end Benjamin Watson, Tom Brady did not provide a ringing endorsement of the roster.

“I’m the quarterback, so I don’t make those decisions,” Brady told the Boston Globe. “Whoever’s out there, that’s who I’ve got to play with.”

The Niners join the Patriots as the only other NFL team without a blemish on their record. San Francisco responded to back-to-back tests from the Browns and Rams with victories. We have the 49ers ranked No. 2 but a strong argument can be made that San Francisco is the most underrated team in football.

Deshaun Watson and Russell Wilson both continued their NFL MVP campaigns on Sunday. Watson made a strong case by outdueling Mahomes at Arrowhead Stadium to lead his team to victory over the Chiefs. The Texans quarterback went 30-of-42 for 280 passing yards and a touchdown, but Watson was particularly lethal on the ground near the end zone with 42 rushing yards and two touchdowns on the day.

Wilson led the Seahawks to a road victory against the Browns with an early kickoff by Pacific Northwest standards. Equally as impressive has been the play of running back Chris Carson who has become the soul of the Seahawks offense. Seattle’s defense gave up their fair share of yards, but forced four turnovers including three interceptions by Baker Mayfield.

It was an uneventful week for the Saints who survived their matchup against the Jaguars. The New Orleans’ offense did not look quite as potent as it did last week, but the Saints are likely just a few more weeks away from Drew Brees returning. Remarkably, the Saints remain undefeated in the games Teddy Bridgewater has started in Brees’ absence.

Bottom 5: The Dolphins Lost to the Redskins, But Win the No. 32 Ranking

It is not often we get a head-to-head matchup with what we considered the two worst teams in our power rankings heading into Week 6. The Dolphins squared off with the Redskins, and Washington came up with a goal-line stand to notch their first victory.

Washington has their own problems with the firing of head coach Jay Gruden, but the Redskins get to celebrate their first win this season. Miami benched Josh Rosen in favor of Ryan Fitzpatrick who did little to help the Dolphins’ chances. It is now just the Bengals and Dolphins who sit at the bottom of the standings without a win.

Here is a look at our NFL power rankings heading into Week 7. We will continue to update the table as more games are completed.

NFL Power Rankings: After Week 6