Week 8

1. L.A. Rams (7-0)

Clearly No. 1, but even Aaron Donald doesn’t look as good making four sacks in those God-awful yellow and blue atrocities they call throwbacks.
Last week 1: Next: Green Bay

2. Kansas City (6-1)

If the Chiefs have begun to come around defensively, as it appeared in runaway win over Cincinnati, then watch out.

Last week: 3 Next: Denver

3. New England (5-2)

They’ll win their division, of course, but after getting a pair of special teams touchdowns, Patriots shouldn’t be hanging on for dear life against the Bears with Mack ailing and Mitchell Trubisky at quarterback.

Last week: 2 Next: at Buffalo

4. New Orleans (5-1)

Saints may as well try their luck with some California lottery tickets after Justin Tucker missed a PAT to avoid overtime against Baltimore.

Last week: 4 Next: at Minnesota

5. Carolina (4-2)

Old-school middle linebacker performance by Luke Keichly in win over Eagles. Had 14 tackles, including four negative yardage. Best inside linebacker since Ray Lewis — and Ravens are up next.

Last week: 14 Next: Baltimore

6. L.A. Chargers (5-2)

The AFC West has turned in to a two-horse race. Chargers are a game back and QB Philip Rivers is worthy of MVP conversation.

Last week: 5 Next: Bye

7. Minnesota (4-2-1)

Seven straight 100-yard receiving games for wide receiver Adam Theilen. One more and he ties Calvin Johnson’s all-time record of eight. Even Randy Moss didn’t do that in Minnesota.

Last week: 9 Next: at New Orleans

8. Houston (4-3)

A thoroughly unimpressive four straight wins, but going from 0-3 to 0-4 is impressive. If that makes any sense. Texans have spent most of their history winning ugly (when they win).

Last week: 20 Next: Miami

9. Washington (4-2)

Remember when Marshawn Lynch and Adrian Peterson were both looking for a job? Looks like A.P. will be the last one standing — for the NFC East leaders, no less.

Last week: 12 Next: at N.Y. Giants

10. Green Bay (3-2-1)

Bye week was so slow Aaron Rodgers took the time to confirm his relationship with Danica Patrick. He’ll need to get in the fast lane to keep up with the Rams.

Last week: 8 Next: at L.A. Rams

11. Baltimore (4-3)

Justin Tucker’s inexplicable missed PAT obscures the fact that quarterback Joe Flacco is playing his best football since leading Ravens past the 49ers in the Super Bowl.

Last week: 6 Next: at Carolina

12. Miami (4-3)

Dolphins coach Adam Gase seems pretty annoyed that Ryan Tannehill’s shoulder is not healed enough to play yet. That’s a problem for both coach and quarterback in the longterm.

Last week: 7 Next: at Houston

13. Pittsburgh (3-2-1)

Averaging 28.5 points per game and 417.7 yards, don’t think Mike Tomlin is losing a lot of sleep over the reporting time of running back Le’Veon Bell. Impossible not to respect Bell’s stance, though.

Last week: 10 Next: Cleveland

14. Seattle (3-3)

Lots of changeover with the Seahawks on defense, but defensive end Frank Clark looks as if he’d have fit right in even when Seattle was the “Legion of Boom.” Just ask Derek Carr.

Last week: 15 Next: at Detroit

15. Cincinnati (4-3)

Just like the Bengals to get to the cusp of something in a prime time game and then pummeled from pillar to post against the Chiefs. Could be playoffs, then one and out. Sound familiar?

Last week: 11 Next: Tampa Bay

16. Chicago (3-3)

On an 8-yard touchdown run against New England, NFL Next Gen Stats calculated that Mitchell Trubisky ran 71.9 yards. A Tarkenton-like scramble. Not that Bears’ coach Matt Nagy drew it up that way.

Last week: 13 Next: N.Y. Jets

17. Detroit (3-3)

Keep it a secret, but the Lions may have their first running game since Barry Sanders retired. Kerryon Johnson got 158 yards in win over Miami. The 248 team yards rushing was most since Sanders was on the team in 1997.

Last week: 24 Next: Seattle

18. Philadelphia (3-4)

Up 17-0 almost immediately, the Eagles continued to struggle with their Super Bowl hangover and gave it all up in a loss to Carolina.

Last week: 16 Next: at Jacksonville (London)

19..Tampa Bay (3-3)

Buccaneers give up just 305 yards in win over Browns in first game under new D-coordinator Mark Duffner. Under Mike Smith’s watch, it was 400-plus every game.

Last week: 23 Next: at Cincinnati

20. Dallas (3-4)

Alex Smith runs out of bounds to give Cowboys a chance, but Jason Garrett, just to the right of Sean Hannity in terms of conservatism, can’t get Dallas a win.
Last week: 17 Next: Bye

21. Jacksonville (3-4)

Good news, Jags fans. Blake Bortles may be 21-43 on American soil, but he’s 3-1 in the United Kingdom. You wonder when Jaguars will just move there.

Last week: 18 Next: Philadelphia (in London)

22. Atlanta (3-4)

Don’t look now, but Matt Ryan has Falcons back in the race with three straight wins. A week off for Steve Sarkisian to tighten up his red zone offense.

Last week: 26 Next: Bye

23. N.Y. Jets (3-4)

Remember last season when Jets were 3-2 . . . and then won two of their last 11 games? One-sided loss to Vikings revives fears it could happen again.

Last week: 19 Next: at Chicago

24. Denver (3-4)

Yeah, it’s kind of cute that Von Miller guaranteed a win over Arizona. Sort of like the Dream Team promising to take down Trinidad and Tobago. Guaranteeing a win in Arrowhead?

Last week: 25 Next: at Kansas City

25. Cleveland (2-4-1)

Hue Jackson promises to address play-calling . . . then backs off. Good idea. The whole “takeover” thing didn’t go over well in Oakland.

Last week: 21 Next: at Pittsburgh

26. Tennessee (3-4)

Seriously, Mike Vrabel? Empty backfield from the 1-yard for a game-winning two-point conversion then throw incomplete? That’s what you learned from Belichick?

Last week: 22 Next: Bye

27. Indianapolis (2-5)

Rejuvenated @Capt.Andrew Luck looks forward to battle with the “painted ruffians” in the “Land of Oak.”

Last week: 29 Next: at Raiders

28. Buffalo (2-5)

So bad they had the 2-5 Colts looking like a bonafide playoff team. Could be headed for a fullscale teardown — players, coaches, everything must go.

Last week: 27 Next: New England

29. N.Y. Giants (1-6)

Giants can move the ball, it’s just that pesky red zone-touchdown thing. The NFC East version of the Raiders.

Last week: 31 Next: Washington

30. Arizona (1-6)

Cornerback Patrick Peterson wants out. Hard to blame him. OK to take a stand, but if his effort level slips, every team in the league will take notice.

Last week: 30 Next: 49ers

31. 49ers (1-6)

If the Lynch-Shanahans get swept by Arizona, even a subsequent Thursday night win over the Raiders won’t do much to rally the fan base.

Last week: 28 Next: at Arizona

32. Raiders (1-5)

Considering how Khalil Mack started and that Giorgio Tavecchio hit field goals of 50 and 56 yards (both in prime time) for Atlanta, one shudders to think what Amari Cooper will do for Dallas on Nov. 5 coming off a bye.

Last week: 32 Next: Indianapolis