NFL Power Rankings, Week 11: Eagles stay at No. 1 despite first loss; Vikings vault into top three

Previous rank: No. 1

The Eagles were overdue for a bad game, which is a fair classification of Monday night's 32-21 stumble to the Commanders at the Linc. Philly's first loss of the season included four turnovers and a crushing late-hit penalty against Brandon Graham, however unsatisfying the call might have been. The Eagles lost because they couldn't keep the Commanders' offense off the field: Washington ran 34 more plays than Philly and possessed the ball for more than 40 minutes of game time. The defense held its own despite all those extra snaps, but the offense wasn't sharp enough when its opportunities arrived. A frustrating loss, for sure, but the Eagles remain the top team in the NFC with an inside track to the No. 1 seed.

Previous rank: No. 3

It wasn't the prettiest performance, but the Chiefs had plenty of margin for error against the Jaguars at Arrowhead. Patrick Mahomes threw four touchdown passes, and the running game came to life with 155 yards, including a game-high 82 from Isiah Pacheco. Clyde Edwards-Helaire continued his disappearing act from the offense, playing just four snaps without a touch, while new acquisition Kadarius Toney scored his first NFL touchdown in a promising performance. Kansas City can put a vise grip on another AFC West title with a win over the second-place Chargers on Sunday Night Football in Los Angeles.

Previous rank: No. 7

No matter how this season turns out, the Vikings and their fans will always cherish what happened on Sunday in Buffalo. Down 17 points late in the third quarter, Minnesota mounted a furious comeback behind standout performances from their most important players: money throws from Kirk Cousins, mind-exploding catches from Justin Jefferson, a game-changing run from Dalvin Cook, and glorious ball-hawking from Patrick Peterson in a 33-30 overtime win over the powerhouse Bills. It was the type of signature win against a Super Bowl favorite that gives the Vikings legitimacy beyond their stellar win-loss record. Said Peterson to the doubters: "Look at us now. Look at us now. That's all I could say."

Previous rank: No. 12

You have to go back to the salad days of Dan Marino to find a Dolphins offense that felt this dangerous. Tua Tagovailoa threw for 285 yards and three more touchdowns, and Jeff Wilson Jr. had 119 of the team's 195 rushing yards as Miami steamrolled a Cleveland defense that shut down Joe Burrow and the Bengals in Week 9. The Dolphins reach their bye in first place in the AFC East having averaged 35 points and nearly 450 yards per game in their last three weeks. Meanwhile, the "M-V-P!" chants for Tua at Hard Rock Stadium don't seem so far-fetched: eight starts, seven wins, 18 touchdown passes, three interceptions, 71 percent completion rate at a staggering 9.1 yards per attempt. Peak Steve Young stuff.

Previous rank: No. 2

Another stomach-punch loss, this one made worse because of how avoidable it felt. The Bills blew a three-score lead in the second half by making the type of head-scratching, self-inflicted errors that have suddenly become commonplace. Josh Allen is the rightful focus of scrutiny after three more turnovers, which included the shocking goal-line fumble that produced Minnesota's go-ahead touchdown in the final minute in regulation, followed by the end-zone interception in overtime that sent the fans in Orchard Park home in a daze. "Losing sucks. It sucks this way even more. Horrendous second half," Allen said. "It comes down to my shoulders and my shoulders only. Making the right decisions, making the right throws. This one's going to suck, watching it."

Previous rank: No. 5

The Ravens have hit their stride by locking into a familiar identity: running the ball down your throat. Lamar Jackson -- as always -- remains the centerpiece of everything Baltimore does on offense, with a league-leading average of 7.4 yards per attempt on a team-leading 86 carries. Gus Edwards, Kenyan Drake and Justice Hill have all stepped up when called upon. Much of the ground-game success can be traced back to a thriving offensive line that keeps getting better. Rookie center Tyler Linderbaum was yet another draft hit by the organization, while Ronnie Stanley's return to health has brought stability to the blind side. This will not be a fun team to play as the weather turns cold.

Previous rank: No. 6

On paper, the 49ers should have a dominant offense if Jimmy Garoppolo can effectively distribute the ball to his cabal of talented teammates. We didn’t quite get that in Sunday night’s narrow win over the injury-ravaged Chargers. George Kittle was targeted just twice (one catch) and Deebo Samuel had just two receptions on six looks. Christian McCaffrey had four catches on six targets in the passing game, but was out-touched in the running game by Elijah Mitchell, who had 18 carries for 89 yards in his first action since Week 1. Brandon Aiyuk got his (six for 84 on seven targets), but overall this had the feel of Kyle Shanahan trying to figure out how to best roll out this attack when everyone is on the field at the same time. Rich-people problems, of course.

Previous rank: No. 4

The Cowboys had a two-touchdown lead in the fourth quarter and the opportunity to step on the throat of the Packers in their own building. Instead, the Dallas offense went cold, the defense couldn't get the big stop, and Green Bay walked off the visitors in a 31-28 overtime stunner. After the game, Mike McCarthy -- his Lambeau homecoming effectively ruined -- stood by his decision to bypass a long field-goal attempt and go for it on fourth-and-3 in overtime. With a defender wrapped around his legs on the play, Dak Prescott couldn't hit his target, leading McCarthy to chuck his headset into the turf -- a fitting display of frustration in this missed opportunity for Big D. "I mean, I think it's disgusting," linebacker Micah Parsons said of the loss. "It's something that just can't happen. Like, it's bad. We've got to be able to finish games in this league, especially when it's guys like (Aaron) Rodgers."

Previous rank: No. 8

At long last, a Titans wide receiver has stepped up. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine provided a massive lift to Todd Downing’s scuffling passing attack, hauling in five receptions for 119 yards and two touchdowns in a 17-10 win over the Broncos. Both scoring tosses came from Ryan Tannehill, who was far from 100 percent after missing a week with a high ankle sprain, but still able to lead the offense on a pair of touchdown drives with Derrick Henry throttled by a stubborn Denver defense. The schedule does Tannehill and his bum ankle no favors: The Titans are back on the field again on Thursday for a road matchup against the Packers.

Previous rank: No. 9

The rise of the Jets can be traced back to a defense that has grown up fast. The heart of the unit is Quinnen Williams, who has anchored the team's relentless front four with All-Pro level play. Williams reached New York's bye tied with Tennessee's Jeffery Simmons for the most pressures (35) among defensive tackles while pacing all DTs with seven sacks. He's added nine QB hits, per Pro Football Focus, and grades out as third at his position, according to PFF. Williams was a steady contributor who flashed star potential in his first three seasons. In 2022, he made the leap to bona fide Defensive Player of the Year candidate.

Previous rank: No. 11

The Bengals had a bye week to further savor the long-awaited breakout performance from Joe Mixon, who set a franchise record with five touchdowns (to go along with 211 yards from scrimmage) in a blowout win over the Panthers in Week 9. Mixon entered the big day as one of the league’s least efficient runners: According to Next Gen Stats, Mixon rushed for 54 yards below expectation through the first eight weeks of the season – the third-worst figure of any running back with at least 50 carries. Against Carolina, Mixon rushed for 74 yards above expectation. With Ja’Marr Chase sidelined indefinitely by a hip injury, the Bengals need the dynamic version of Mixon to stick around.

Previous rank: No. 16

Tom Brady called Sunday’s 21-16 win over the Seahawks -- the first NFL game ever played in Germany -- one of the best experiences of his 23-year career. The atmosphere was indeed excellent in Munich, but we’re guessing the continued improvement of the Bucs offense played a role in the G.O.A.T.’s overall enjoyment of his journey to Deutschland. Tampa Bay converted 10 of 15 third downs against the Seahawks and scored touchdowns on both of their trips to the red zone. These can be considered baby steps for an offense that remains more pedestrian than expected, but you get the feeling that Brady and the Bucs are starting to find their way as they hit their bye week. It will be shocking if any other team emerges from the NFC South come playoff time.

Previous rank: No. 13

The Giants continue to drive through their best player -- the NFL’s leading rusher and Comeback Player of the Year favorite -- Saquon Barkley. The veteran was the definition of a "bell-cow back" on Sunday against the Texans and their league-worst rush defense, piling up 152 yards and a touchdown on a career-high 35 carries in a 24-16 win. It’s fair to question whether Giants coach Brian Daboll should consider curbing Barkley’s usage -- he’s up to 198 carries in nine games after 181 rushes in 2021 and 2020 combined -- but you also understand it. The G-Men operate on a thin margin for error, and Barkley is their queen on the chess board.

Previous rank: No. 10

The fourth-quarter charge led by Geno Smith was spirited, but the trip to Munich was ultimately an empty one for the previously soaring Seahawks. Smith and the offense struggled to find rhythm before two late scoring drives, and the defense came down to Earth with a thud after a month of excellent play. Tampa Bay ran the ball well -- a rarity for the Bucs this season -- and Tom Brady was hit just once by the Seahawks pass rush. Add in Seattle’s struggles to get off the field (Tampa Bay converted 10 of 15 third downs) and you had the recipe for defeat. The Seahawks take a narrow division lead into the bye before a Week 12 matchup against the moribund Raiders.

Previous rank: No. 14

The Pats are about to enter the teeth of their schedule. New England comes out of the bye with a rematch against the 6-3 Jets, followed by measuring-stick games against the 8-1 Vikings and 6-3 Bills. Three challenging opponents, in showdowns that will take place across the span of just 12 days. Expect plenty of scrutiny on Mac Jones during this gauntlet: The second-year passer struggled against a stout Jets defense in Week 8, and it’s not hard to imagine more cries for underdog backup Bailey Zappe if Jones is unable to get it going in Foxborough on Sunday. Jones has yet to throw for more than one touchdown in a game this year and has been unable to eclipse a 90 passer rating in six tries (89.7 is the league-average rate through Week 10).

Previous rank: No. 22

Aaron Rodgers went on The Pat McAfee Show last week to remind the football world -- and perhaps, himself -- he is indeed the reigning back-to-back NFL MVP. It was a warning not to write off the Packers, words backed up by actions in a 31-28 overtime win over the Cowboys at Lambeau Field. Rodgers threw three touchdown passes (all to previously scuffling rookie Christian Watson) and got much-needed help from running back Aaron Jones (138 yards) and backup safety Rudy Ford, who made the most of his opportunity with two crucial Dak Prescott interceptions in the first half. We’re not ready to say the Packers are "back," but the defibrillator pads have effectively returned a pulse to the reigning NFC North champs.

Previous rank: No. 25

There won't be many moments this season as unintentionally funny as Taylor Heinicke celebrating Brandon Graham's late-hit penalty in the final minutes like he'd just successfully executed the helicopter dive in Super Bowl XXXII. Still, one controversial penalty shouldn't obscure an incredible prime-time performance by the Commanders, who knocked off the previously undefeated Eagles and put themselves right in the thick of the NFC playoff race. Washington's ball-control offense was remarkable, possessing the football for over 40 minutes of game time despite averaging just 4.1 yards per play. Huge turnovers made the difference, none bigger than Darrick Forrest's fumble recovery after a 50-yard gain by receiver Quez Watkins midway through the fourth quarter. The Commanders had a marvelous time ruining everything.

Previous rank: No. 15

Justin Herbert had two chances to lead the Chargers on a game-winning drive in the final two minutes against the 49ers on Sunday night, but those possessions ended with a four-and-out and first-play interception. Underwhelming, to say the least, but Herbert is on an island right now. Mike Williams and Keenan Allen were both again sidelined by injuries, and Los Angeles also played without either of its starting tackles on the offensive line. Add in a defensive front ravaged by injuries, and it’s a familiar refrain for the Chargers: Imagine if this team were healthy? Problem is, the Bolts never are.

Previous rank: No. 23

Colt McCoy proves his value at some point in every season. The veteran backup QB is as consistent as Christmas, and we saw it again in Sunday’s 27-17 win over the Rams in Los Angeles. McCoy wasn’t spectacular, but he was steady -- running an efficient offensive attack that produced five scoring drives but fewer than 300 total yards. The Cardinals didn’t commit a turnover and generally looked like a more functional operation despite the perfunctory penalty avalanche (10 more infractions worth 67 yards). McCoy is a nice fallback option, but Kyler Murray (hamstring) will need to be back on the field for the Cards to have a chance in a key divisional matchup against the 49ers on Monday night in Mexico City.

Previous rank: No. 21

The outcome of the game against the Lions was disappointing -- make a PAT, Cairo Santos! -- but there continues to be reason for optimism around the Bears in what should be remembered as an important transition season for the franchise. Justin Fields was again electric, throwing for two scores and running for two others -- it was his second straight week with four total touchdowns. Fields now leads all QBs with 749 rushing yards and has 25 carries of at least 10 yards, the third-most of any player in the league. His fourth-quarter pick-six was a reminder that the second-year QB remains a work in progress as a passer, but we've seen significant gains in that department, as well. This is a 23-year-old who has put the league on notice.

Previous rank: No. 29

Are the Lions putting it together? Detroit did something unprecedented in the Dan Campbell era on Sunday -- it won a game outside of Ford Field. The 31-30 victory over the Bears -- the Lions’ second straight after a five-game skid -- was especially encouraging because it was the struggling defense that really stepped up: Jeff Okudah pulled Detroit even with a dramatic pick-six in the fourth quarter, and a host of defenders swarmed a red-hot Justin Fields for the decisive sack on fourth down in the final minutes. "You want to learn to win in close games, you win in close games," Campbell said. "That's two now.”

Previous rank: No. 17

How much more patience can Arthur Smith have in Marcus Mariota? The veteran quarterback delivered another dud on Thursday Night Football, showing poor accuracy and suspect decision-making in a 25-15 loss to the Panthers. Mariota wasn’t the only no-show for Atlanta, which was outplayed on offense, defense and special teams by a Carolina team that had trailed its opponent 42-0 in the third quarter just four days earlier. With first place in the NFC South still conceivably within reach, Smith is hesitant to turn the season over to third-round rookie Desmond Ridder. Still, Mariota can’t have too much rope after his recent struggles.

Previous rank: No. 20

The Saints are not a very good team right now. We were reminded of that again on Sunday in Pittsburgh, where New Orleans struggled to run the football, make dynamic plays in the passing game or avoid self-inflicted errors in a 20-10 loss to the Steelers. The drumbeat will begin to grow louder for the return of Jameis Winston, though it's hard to say how much of a difference the quarterback can make behind a beat-up offensive line. Said Dennis Allen: "There's just a lot of different areas that we've got to improve on." It's fair to wonder if Allen's job could be in danger if New Orleans doesn't get better down the stretch. 

Previous rank: No. 19

The Browns were unable to carry any momentum from their Halloween beatdown of the Bengals to Miami. The Dolphins went up and down the field on the defense all afternoon, giving their punter the day off in a 39-17 blowout at Hard Rock Stadium. The goal has always been -- whether anyone connected to the Browns has said so or not (they haven't) -- to get to Deshaun Watson's Week 13 return in playoff contention. With Cleveland at 3-6 with matchups against Josh Allen and Tom Brady on tap between now and then, it feels more probable that the Browns' postseason hopes will be kaput before Watson takes his first snap.

Previous rank: No. 28

The return of T.J. Watt means the Steelers won’t be getting pushed around anymore. The reigning Defensive Player of the Year didn’t fill up the box score on Sunday against the Saints, but he drew plenty of attention and created opportunities for teammates in a 20-10 win. While Watt was getting up to speed, Najee Harris looked like a player who was finally getting on track. The second-year running back had 99 of Pittsburgh’s 217 rushing yards, ground production that took the pressure off Kenny Pickett, who threw for 199 yards without a turnover. This isn’t the most exciting football in the league, but the Steelers are just happy to get back to winning.

Previous rank: No. 18

How much worse can the Rams offense be without Matthew Stafford? The answer: A lot worse. The defending champions continued their descent into also-ran status with a 27-17 loss to the Kyler Murray-less Cardinals at home. John Wolford couldn’t get anything going in place of Stafford (concussion protocol), and the Los Angeles defense was unable to produce a game-swinging play to pick things up on the other side of the ball. The future doesn’t look any brighter after Cooper Kupp exited the loss in the fourth quarter with a nasty-looking ankle injury. The NFL hasn’t had a repeat Super Bowl champion in nearly 20 years -- this Rams team doesn’t appear capable of putting that streak in any jeopardy.

Previous rank: No. 30

The Colts are the most unpredictable show on television. Just six days after the dismissal of Frank Reich and stunning hire of Jeff Saturday, Indy threw another curveball with the surprise decision to bring Matt Ryan out of mothballs and send the overmatched Sam Ehlinger back to the bench. Ryan took the opportunity and made the most of it, running the offense like the decorated veteran he is in a 25-20 win over the Raiders. It certainly helped Ryan that the offensive line played its best game of the year and Jonathan Taylor suddenly looked like his 2021 superstar self again. This had to be a tremendously annoying game for Reich to be watching from his couch.

Previous rank: No. 27

You have to tip your cap to Doug Pederson: Opening a game at Arrowhead with a successful onside kick is the good stuff. Unfortunately, that felt like the highlight of the game for the underdog Jags, who showed they weren't ready to hang with one of the elite teams in football. To Jacksonville's credit, they kept the game from getting ugly after falling behind Kansas City 20-0 in the second quarter. Trevor Lawrence elicited praise from Tony Romo on the CBS broadcast and continues to look more comfortable running the offense as the season progresses. His connection with Christian Kirk -- 105 yards, two touchdowns -- is one of the positive subplots of a developmental season.

Previous rank: No. 24

"Rome was not built in a day." Those were the words of Raiders owner Mark Davis, per ESPN, when asked about the job security of first-year coach Josh McDaniels in the wake of an embarrassing loss to the chaos-drenched Colts at Allegiant Stadium. "People in today's world want instant gratification," Davis added. "The guy's coached nine games. We're 2-7, not the results we're looking for, but at the same time, we've lost six one-score games with the ball and a chance to win at the end." Derek Carr's emotional press conference on Sunday told the story of a season that's been brutally frustrating for everyone involved. Davis' public statement of patience is surely appreciated.

Previous rank: No. 26

The worst thing you can say about the state of the Broncos is how doomed the operation felt even with Denver in the red zone in the final minute on Sunday with a chance to tie the game. We’ve simply seen too much evidence of ineptitude to be surprised when Russell Wilson’s final pass sailed over the middle and was tipped into the hands of Titans cornerback Terrance Mitchell to clinch a 17-10 defeat. Wilson again struggled to recognize pressure and get the ball out, but the embattled QB was in a nearly impossible situation with third-stringers playing at center and right tackle. Throw in a first-quarter ankle injury to Jerry Jeudy that knocked him out of the game, and the recipe for another frustrating Sunday was in place.

Previous rank: No. 32

P.J. Walker got off the mat after the embarrassment of Week 9’s blowout loss to the Bengals, but he won’t be able to build off the gains we saw in last Thursday’s win over the Falcons. The Panthers announced Monday that Baker Mayfield will return to the starting lineup on Sunday after an MRI revealed Walker suffered a high ankle sprain against the Falcons. Sam Darnold, yet to play a snap this season after his own high ankle sprain led to a lengthy absence, will be the backup against the Ravens. Don’t be surprised if both former first-round picks take snaps in Week 11.

Previous rank: No. 31

While the passing game remains stuck in cement, Dameon Pierce continues to be the lone beacon of light in the Texans offense. The fourth-round pick -- a contender for Offensive Rookie of the Year honors -- did most of the heavy lifting in a 24-16 loss to the Giants, finishing with 122 scrimmage yards, including a game-high 44-yard run that set up Houston’s only points of the first half. Pierce is on pace to rush for nearly 1,500 yards and has added 22 catches and a touchdown in the passing game. It’s not a stretch to say Pierce is the offense. Get the guy some help.