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NFL Power Rankings: Eagles Soar to the Top Spot

Date: October 26, 2017

By: Dalton Allison

10. Miami Dolphins- Matt Moore played hero in the Dolphins second consecutive comeback victory. The victim this time was their division rival, the New York Jets. Moore was forced into the game when Jay Cutler suffered a broken rib, and the Dolphins trailing 21-14. Moore drove his team to score 17 points in the fourth quarter to defeat the Jets, 31-28. Moore, who will most likely have to start in the Dolphins next game, threw two touchdowns and an interception in his comeback effort. Kenny Stills played a large part for the offense, snagging two touchdowns and 85 yards in the victory. The play that changed the outcome of the game however came from Bobby McCain, who intercepted Josh McCown late in the fourth to set Cody Parkey for the game-winning field goal with 22 seconds left.

9. Buffalo Bills- Sean McDermott continues to field a team that is effective, yet does not field a star player. Sure, LeSean McCoy, who is probably the most notable name on the team, ran for 91 yards and two touchdowns in their win over the Buccaneers. But who would expect Deonte Thomas to receive 104 yards? This team is silently deadly, especially on defense. The defense of the Bills created three turnovers, including a crucial forced fumble and recovery by rookie Tre'Davious White to set up the game winning field goal. This defense has been a turnover monster all season, which explains why the Bills have the best turnover ratio in the NFL.

8. Seattle Seahawks- It seems that Russell Wilson may be turning this offense in a positive direction. Against the Giants, Wilson found success in spreading the ball around to all of his receivers. Wilson found 11 different receivers, and threw for a total of 334 yards and three touchdowns. His main target was Doug Baldwin, who had one receiving touchdown and 92 yards receiving on the night. The main focus of this team has always been the defense though, and that showed against a porous Giants offense. K.J. Wright led the team with 11 total tackles, and Jarran Reed had three tackles for a loss. It is highly important that the offense of the Seahawks play at the same level as their defense, especially if they want to compete with the L.A Rams.

7. Atlanta Falcons- The Falcons are currently in a downward spiral, and they can't find any plausible way to escape it. It is hard to find a place to put the blame, as the Falcons aren't vastly underperforming anywhere. Sure, Matt Ryan could throw more touchdowns. The defense was productive against the Patriots, allowing only 24 points to a Tom Brady defense. Atlanta has simply lost the ability to manage games. In their Super Bowl rematch, they showed just how scarred they were from the loss in February. Dan Quinn and Ryan need to figure out new ways to inspire their team, or else the Falcons could find themselves on the outside of a wide-open playoff race.

6. Minnesota Vikings- The Vikings are consistent at one thing, and that is winning games in unconventional ways. On Sunday, they were able to defeat the Baltimore Ravens despite only scoring one offensive touchdown. Kai Forbath was 6-6 on field goals, despite missing his one opportunity to make an extra point. Their best player on offense was Latavius Murray, who had 113 yards rushing to go along with a rushing touchdown. The defensive line played exceptionally and beat up on the offensive line of the Ravens. They sacked Joe Flacco a total of five times, which contributed to 42 lost yards for the Ravens offense. The Vikings are tied for sixth with 21 total sacks this season.

5. New England Patriots- In the highly anticipated Superbowl rematch, Tom Brady did not have to fight uphill to defeat the Atlanta Falcons. Brady came to play, and the Falcons handed the game to the Patriots. As a team, the Patriots had an effective rushing game, totaling 162 yards on the night. Brady put up large numbers as usual, throwing for two touchdowns and 249 yards. The defense is what really made the difference in the rematch though. Six players had over five tackles for the Patriots, as it appeared that Matt Patricia finally got his defense to play as one. However, can they rebound from the season-ending injury to Dont'a Hightower? If that is the case, watch out for the Patriots to be an incredibly strong second-half of the season team.

4. Pittsburgh Steelers- After becoming the first team to defeat the Kansas City Chiefs, the Steelers came out and took care of business against the Cincinnati Bengals. Le'Veon Bell answered the call time after time Sunday, bearing the load of 35 carries. Across those 35 carries he amassed 134 yards on the ground, including a touchdown. This was in addition to his 58 yards receiving. It seems that an offense run through Bell is the most effective route for the Steelers at this point. The defense was able to contain the Bengals and limited A.J Green to three receptions for 41 yards. T.J Watt had six tackles and a sack, and his fellow linebacker Ryan Shazier had eight tackles on the day.

3. L.A Rams- The Rams were able to prove to any of their doubters that they are a complete team in their 33-0 victory over the Arizona Cardinals. On the offensive side of the ball, Todd Gurley continued his strong campaign with 106 yards rushing and a touchdown. Cooper Kupp also continued to be a reliable target for Jared Goff, as he amassed 51 receiving yards and a touchdown. LaMarcus Joyner and Mark Barron each had an interception on the day, which is just a highlight of a day when the Rams defense simply dominated. The Rams limited the Cardinals to 10 first downs, and only 21 minutes of possession. The defense does not rely on one player to carry the load, which increases the effectiveness and success rate.

2. Kansas City Chiefs- A last second pass and defensive woes contributed to the Chiefs loosing against the Raiders. The Chiefs, allowed Derek Carr and Amari Cooper have their way with them, as the duo that had not produced together all season combined for 210 yards and two touchdowns. The Raiders put up 505 total yards on the Chiefs. Alex Smith played well, throwing for 342 yards and three touchdowns on the night, and Kareem Hunt had 87 rushing yards. The defense lapsed for a game, and suddenly the Chiefs find themselves in a rut. They should be able to defeat the Broncos, but must play at higher level on defense to do so.

1. Philadelphia Eagles- It had seemed that after the first quarter of their game, the Redskins had figured out how to stop the Eagles. Carson Wentz looked human, and he even threw an interception. Then, the offense of the Eagles took flight. Wentz threw for 268 yards and four touchdowns, while also showing off his mobility. Wentz proved that he is able to scramble when pressured, and ended up leading the Eagles in rushing yards with 63. Zach Ertz again was Wentz's favorite target, catching all five of his targeted passes for 89 yards and a touchdown. The Eagles have been the best team in the NFC, and after their win, the best team in the NFL.

 

Dalton Allison can be found on Twitter @DaltonAllison4 and can be reached by e-mail at Dalton.allison@student.shu.edu.

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