NFL Power Rankings: Chiefs Continue to Dominate

10. Seattle Seahawks

(Photo: seahawks.com)

The defense of the Seattle Seahawks pulled through for the victory in an important division matchup against the Rams. They forced the Rams to play sloppy on offense, creating five turnovers in the process. The offense was good enough to secure a victory, the highlight being a receiving touchdown by Jimmy Graham. Seattle is struggling in the run game though, compiling 62 rushing yards on Sunday. The defense is strong enough to bring the team to the playoffs, but if the offense continues its lackluster play, the Seahawks may not be able to fend off the Rams for much longer.

9. Carolina Panthers

(Photo: Sporting News)

Cam Newton is finally coming around and regaining his MVP form. He won a quarterback duel against Matthew Stafford, throwing for 355 yards and three touchdowns. This is a week removed from him besting Tom Brady in Foxborough. Newton was able to have the game he did Sunday due to a big performance from his tight end Ed Dickson, who had five receptions for 175 yards. The Panthers have made the NFC South race interesting, with both them and the Falcons sitting at one loss. They will only come out stronger, with Pro-Bowl center Ryan Kalil practicing this week, hoping to make his return soon.

8. Los Angeles Rams

(Photo: Yahoo Sports)

Jared Goff finally exposed the Rams on Sunday. He had been coasting all this season, and riding the success of running back Todd Gurley. With Gurley being restricted to 43 yards, more pressure was put on Goff to lead the team. His response was throwing 288 yards, and two interceptions. Goff also fumbled the ball, leading to three total turnovers from the young quarterback. He can't be blamed for the dropped touchdown by Cooper Kupp late in the game though. A positive to be taken from their division clash against the Seahawks was their defensive game. Mark Barron was a monster, coming away with 15 total tackles against the Seahawks.

7. Denver Broncos

(Photo: CBS Sports)

The Broncos had a bye week, but will look to come out strong against the 0-5 New York Giants. The Broncos should face no problems against the Giants, as it appears they are the easiest opponent for the Broncos to face. The teams are basically polar opposites on the running spectrum, with the Giants having the third-worst rushing game in the NFL, and the Broncos having the third-best. The Denver defense, which is the best rushing defense in the league, should eat up the rushing game of the Giants, and force Eli Manning to throw some interceptions.

6. Detroit Lions

(Photo: Bleacher Report)

Matthew Stafford simply couldn't pull this game out for the Lions. The fourth quarter maestro was bested by Cam Newton in a quarterback duel. Stafford threw for two touchdowns and 229 yards, but was hurt by the lack of rushing offense his team provided. It isn't time to worry about the Lions just yet though. Their only two losses have come against the Panthers and the Falcons, who are two high class opponents. They also have bolstered their defense, with the addition of former Green Bay Packer Datone Jones. The Lions have proven thus far that they will make a formidable opponent against the Packers, who currently lead the NFC North Division.

5. Philadelphia Eagles

(Photo: Philadelphia Eagles)

Carson Wentz should be considered as a front-runner for the NFL's Most Improved Player award. So far this season, Wentz has been a true leader for the Eagles. His play at quarterback has elevated the Eagles to first place in the NFC East. Wentz torched the Cardinals for 304 yards and four touchdowns. The most impressive part about his four touchdowns was that they were to four different receivers. The emergence of Nelson Agholor has been huge for the Eagles, as he leads the team in touchdown receptions. If Wentz could connect with Alshon Jeffery, the Eagles would have one of the most dangerous wide receiver corps in the NFL.

4. Atlanta Falcons

(Photo: Sporting News)

Coming off of a bye week, Matt Ryan and his Falcons offense should be prepared to tear apart the Miami Dolphins come Sunday. Ryan was horrendous against the Bills, and the Falcons suffered several key injuries including Julio Jones, Mohammed Sanu, and Vic Beasley Jr. To say the bye week was vital to the Falcons would be an understatement. The extra week has given time for the injured stars to heal and participate in practice, with the exception of Sanu. The Falcons remain a top offensive team, being present in the top ten for both rushing yards per game and passing yards per game. The Falcons will rely on Ryan more in the game against the Dolphins, due to the fact that Miami has a top rushing defense, but a weaker pass defense.

3. New England Patriots

(Photo: Bucs Nation)

The Patriots had their best defensive showing against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. The defense limited the Buccaneers to only two touchdowns, which is impressive considering the arsenal that they possess. It has to be seen as an improvement for their defense, which is the worst in the NFL for pass defense. They have allowed an average of 323 passing yards per game. The biggest factor for the Patriots was safety Devin McCourty, who recorded 11 tackles. The offense was not totally reliant on Tom Brady, which helped them achieve a more balanced attack. Led by Dion Lewis and Mike Gillislee, the Patriots ran for a combined for 113 yards on the ground.

2. Green Bay Packers

(Photo: USA Today)

Aaron Rodgers has this team on his back, and as of this week, it is working out quite nicely for the Packers. Rodgers won another game in the last second, this time finding Devante Adams with 20 seconds left. It was the third touchdown on the day for Rodgers. The biggest play was an interception by Damarious Randall, who picked Dak Prescott off, and returned it for a touchdown. Blake Martinez had 15 combined tackles, playing very strongly at the linebacker position. The Packers need to control the ball more if they plan on winning against tougher opponents though, as they only possessed the ball for 24 minutes on Sunday.

1. Kansas City Chiefs

(Photo: Sporting News)

The Chiefs walked into Houston and put on yet another dominant showing. It seems as if Alex Smith, Kareem Hunt, and the Chiefs offense simply can't be stopped. The offense compiled 450 yards, and possessed the ball for a commanding 38 minutes. Hunt racked up another 100 yard game, and Smith threw another three touchdowns. The defense started to bend around the end of the game though, and they did allow Deshaun Watson to throw five touchdowns. If this game proved anything though, it's that the Chiefs can win shootouts as well as low-scoring affairs. This Chiefs team is the real deal.

 

Dalton Allison can be reached at dalton.allison@student.shu.edu.