Sports

Week 8 NFL Power Rankings: Bucs, Rams on the rise; Chiefs can’t fall any further, right?

news7h 10/27/2021

3 6 minutes read

Week 8 NFL Power Rankings: Bucs, Rams on the rise; Chiefs can't fall any further, right?

Writer of the article:

Don Brennan

Publishing date:

Oct 27, 2021 • 18 minutes in the past • 5 minute learn • Be a part of the dialog

Arizona Cardinals large receiver DeAndre Hopkins. Picture by Mark J. Rebilas /USA TODAY Sports activities

WEEK 8 POWER RANKINGS

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Rating, Crew, Final Week, We Say

1. Arizona Cardinals (1): Held to fewer than 31 factors simply as soon as throughout 7-0 begin.

2. Tampa Bay Bucs (4): Newest win was by 5 TDs with out A.B. and Gronk.

3. Los Angeles Rams (5): High 5 in a number of stats classes and No. 1 at surviving trick performs.

4. Dallas Cowboys (3): Main the league with 37 extra yards per sport than the Brady Bunch.

5. Inexperienced Bay Packers (6): Six sport W-streak on line as DC amongst these lacking sport vs. high-flying Playing cards.

6. Cincinnati Bengals (8): Better of the beasts in AFC North? “Who dey” thunk that?

7. Buffalo Payments (7): Getting back from bye with house date vs. group they beat on the highway 35-0 5 weeks in the past.

8. Tennessee Titans (9): Derrick Henry has extra dashing yards than 24 groups.

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9. Baltimore Ravens (2): Can’t be taken severely as a SB contender when you may’t defend in opposition to the go.

10: Cleveland Browns (12): Simply took Case Keenum and D’Ernest Johnson for them to start out successful once more.

11. Las Vegas Raiders (14): Carr is again on observe with 664 passing yards in two video games post-Gruden.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (10): Did they actually lose 34-6 to Ravens earlier than their bye?

13. Indianapolis Colts (17): Beating Titans leads them to 5-game win streak with Jets, Jags subsequent.

14. New Orleans Saints (15): And picture if Jameis Winston defeats the Bucs this week?

15. New England Patriots (18): Don’t look now, however Invoice Belichick is having a fantastic season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (16): Huge Ben “feeling more healthy” after bye. Watch out for Steelers.

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17. Minnesota Vikings (13): At 3-3 might be outlined by subsequent 4 weeks (Cowboys, Ravens, Chargers, Packers).

18. Atlanta Falcons (21): Son of a billionaire doing a superb job as first-year coach.

19. New York Giants (28): Beating anyone 25-3 with their accidents is spectacular.

20. Kansas Metropolis Chiefs (11): Three factors vs. Titans? Can’t worsen. Proper?

21. Chicago Bears (19): League’s worst offence averaging 124.4 passing yards per sport.

22. San Francisco 49ers (22): Beginning to seem like 2016 (2-14) greater than 2019 (13-3).

23. Carolina Panthers (20): Rating 1st in “group velocity” adjustments matter from 4-game slide.

24. Seattle Seahawks (23): Defence coming round, however they miss Russ big-time.

25. Philadelphia Eagles (24): Coach Sirianni says they’re a “budding flower.” No fertilizer.

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26. Washington Soccer Crew (25): Off-field mess is distracting from inexplicable on-field miseries.

27. Denver Broncos (26): An excessive amount of expertise to be this unhealthy.

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (27): They haven’t misplaced in two weeks!

29. Miami Dolphins (31): Deshaun ought to set his sights greater.

30. New York Jets (29): Rookie QB led his group to 54 factors in opposition to them. ’Nuf stated.

31. Detroit Lions (30): Received’t be the sixth group to have an oh-fer season. In all probability.

32. Houston Texans (32): Offence averaging 7.8 PPG in final 5 solely as a result of it scored 22 in a single.

WEEK 8 LOOKS AND LOCKS

LAST MAN STANDING: If you will discover a wager on the Bengals, Payments and Rams beating the Jets, Dolphins and Texans by a mixed 50 factors, bounce on it. As somebody who continues to be alive in two Survivor Swimming pools however usually gained’t take the identical group in each, I’m throughout Cincy (sure, as a customer) and the Payments returning to Orchard Park after a bye week.

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LIMITING OPTIONS: Even with Packers star Davante Adams (COVID-reserve) anticipated to overlook the Thursday nighter (see beneath), you need to hold Robert Tonyan in your fantasy bench when you’ve got any respectable choice. The Cardinals have restricted tight ends to only 156 yards — the bottom whole within the league by nearly 30 — and are amongst solely 4 groups to refuse any of them to step foot of their finish zone. On the similar time, the stats probably gained’t deter Aaron Rodgers, who by no means has had a scarcity of confidence, and Tonyan, who was tied for fifth in receiving touchdowns final season, and is coming off his finest sport of 2021 with 4 grabs for 63 yards and a TD final week versus Washington.

MACK SACKED: By means of seven video games the Bears are tied for the league lead in sacks with the Vikings, who’ve performed solely six. One motive to keep away from Chicago in its sport in opposition to the 49ers is that Khalil Mack is reportedly headed to the IR with the foot harm he’s been taking part in via. Mack is on tempo for his finest season since been acquired by Chicago in 2018, with six sacks, six tackles for losses, and one fumble restoration.

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IT’S ELEMENTARY, D. WATSON: Why any group would fork over what it could take to accumulate Deshaun Watson from the Texans is a thriller, on condition that his off-field troubles make it unimaginable to know when the 26-year-old quarterback will play once more. Now comes phrase from the NFL Community’s Ian Rapoport that Watson has solely waived his no-trade clause for the Dolphins, which has taken the opposite group that was apparently fascinated about him, the Panthers, out of the dialog. It feels fallacious that Watson is able to be calling his photographs, regardless of what his contract says. With the NFL commerce deadline on Tuesday, one of the best wager is he’s not going wherever quickly — nor will he be taking part in this season.

PRIME TIME PICKS

GREEN BAY PACKERS (6-1) AT ARIZONA CARDINALS (7-0)

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LINE: Arizona by 6 1/2

CHEWABLE: That is the primary of simply three (in case you can consider it) primetime video games for the Cardinals, they usually’ll need to present the world what it has been lacking … If Inexperienced Bay can by some means pull off the upset, Aaron Rodgers ought to grow to be the mid-season favorite as MVP. Not solely is he anticipated to be minus his favorite goal — famous person Davante Adams — however WR Allen Lazard (COVID-reserve) can also be out and WR Marquez Valdes-Scantling (hamstring) is merely “hopeful” to return from IR. In that case, in three-wide units Rodgers might be taking a look at Randall Cobb, Equanimeous St. Brown and Amari Rodgers. That’s going to battle with a sling shot when the opposite group has tanks akin to DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Inexperienced and Christian Kirk … To make issues harder for Rodgers, the Playing cards defence is High 5 in sacks, factors per play and third-down conversion fee … Packers lead all-time collection 45-26-4 however Playing cards have gained final three conferences …

TAKING: ARIZONA by 6 1/2

SCORE: Cardinals 33, Packers 21

Solar betting columnist Don Brennan:

LAST WEEK: 8-5

SEASON: 58-48-1

BEST BETS LAST WEEK: 3-0

BEST BETS SEASON: 14-7

Fantasy Soccer guru Dan Bilicki:

LAST WEEK: 5-8

SEASON: 47-59-1

BEST BETS LAST WEEK: 0-1

BEST BETS SEASON: 4-3