2023 NFL Power Rankings: Week 11
The Eagles have a tough stretch ahead of them, which will either strengthen their position atop the rankings or bring them closer to the pack. For now though, they’re the clear top dog.
The Chiefs bye week treated them pretty well, as the other top teams in the AFC all lost. The Ravens were humbled a bit by the Browns, who are certainly deserving of being in this tier. The Bengals were brought down to earth a bit. This is the problem with starting slow, too. They can absolutely compete for the Super Bowl. They also may miss the playoffs entirely. And the Jaguars were embarrassed and exposed. Some say they’re frauds. I’m not there yet, but they fell a bunch this week.
The Lions proved they can hang and win in a shootout, which was nice to see, considering their offense hadn’t looked as explosive as it did last season. This has won in so many different ways now. They’re a tough out. The 49ers are back. It’s amazing how one stellar performance can wipe out three bad ones so quickly. The Cowboys continue to pound bad teams. If they can somehow avoid the Niners, this team can hang with the Eagles. I also think they’d struggle against the Lions who are built similarly to the the Niners. Things have to line up perfectly for them, but Dak is playing the best ball he’s ever played.
The Bills are officially a mess. I’ve never thought they were a true contender but felt pressured to put them in the higher tier. I’m done with that. They may miss the playoffs entirely. The Dolphins had a bye, so no real change to my thoughts there. They’re a classic “beat up on bad teams, get beat by good teams” team. Nice bounceback win for the Seahawks, but it was certainly closer than they would’ve liked. I love what I’m seeing from the Texans and the Vikings, who have soared up these rankings in recent weeks. Both are legit playoff contenders. The Chargers, and specifically Justin Herbert, looked awesome on offense, but awful on defense. They need to win some games, and in a hurry. The Steelers actually showed some life on offense early in the game this week. If that offense continues, this team may actually be legit. Bad loss for the Saints, but fortunately their division is atrocious, so they’re still in the driver’s seat for now.
The Jets season ended on Sunday, but then was given some new life on Monday with the Bills losing. They play each other this week, and the Jets kind of own Josh Allen. So a win this week who knows. But wow, their offense is brutal to watch. Nice win by the Bucs to keep their season alive. They’re only a half game back in their division, which is crazy considering how bad they’ve been. The Colts just keep winning games somehow. I don’t get it. I don’t actually believe they’ll make the playoffs, but 5–5 is 5–5. And the Antonio Pierce-led Raiders handled the NJ teams to go a perfect 2–0, bringing their record also to 5–5 and keeping their season alive for a little longer.
Tough loss by the Commies, all but ending their season. The Rams come into this week off of their bye with their season essentially being over as they’re on a 3-game losing streak. On the flip side, a 3-game winning streak by the suddenly impressive Broncos has given their season the chance at being revived. I still don’t see it though. What a disappointment by the Falcons as they dropped their third straight. They stink. The Packers season ended with their loss this week as well. And the spark that Will Levis brought to the Titans was put out with their loss this week.
Kyler Murray was somewhat impresssive in his return for the Cardinals this week. They may stumble into a couple more wins. The Bears also beat the Panthers, which both helped and hurt them. The Patriots need a QB. And the Giants are more than 50 points worse in points differential than any other team in the league. Wow.
