NFL Power Rankings - Week 7: The biggest question facing every team

NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.

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1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)

Previous rank: 5

Will the offense ever be at full strength? The Bucs pulling out win after win despite major injury issues at both receiver and running back has been wildly impressive. You have to wonder just how good this offense could be if all these top playmakers get healthy at the same time.

2. Detroit Lions (4-2)

Previous rank: 2

Will the injury luck turn around on defense? The Lions have silenced any concerns about the departures of their two coordinators, but the injuries are piling up on defense again. A beat-up secondary had a tough time with the Chiefs' offense Sunday night.

3. Indianapolis Colts (5-1)

Previous rank: 8

Can Daniel Jones keep it up? Everything about the veteran quarterback's performance seems sustainable. If that's the case, the Colts are a real contender. Until we have a larger sample, though, it's only natural to wonder if we eventually start to see some of the issues he had in New York.

4. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)

Previous rank: 10

Will the defense peak down the stretch? Steve Spagnuolo has a track record of getting his defenses to round into form at the right time. The Chiefs are going to need it, as their group ranks 21st in EPA/play, according to TruMedia.

5. Los Angeles Rams (4-2)

Previous rank: 7

Can special teams issues be solved on the fly? The Rams are dangerous on both offense and defense. However, their third phase tells a different story, with blocked kicks, missed field goals, and penalties producing a 31st-ranked standing in special teams EPA.

6. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)

Previous rank: 4

Do the Packers have enough at corner? The last few weeks have exposed the weak link of an otherwise stellar Green Bay defense. An aggressive deadline trade may be necessary for this team to capitalize on its potential.

7. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Previous rank: 3

Are the Bills worse than their record? Monday night's game in Atlanta was the toughest test this team has faced to this point, and Buffalo was completely outmatched. The Bills still have problems at receiver, and the run defense ranks dead last by EPA/rush.

8. Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

Previous rank: 13

Will the run game get on track? Sam Darnold is playing out of his mind and has the Seahawks operating as a top-10 offense by EPA/play. That production becomes even more impressive considering Seattle ranks 32nd in rush success rate.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

Previous rank: 1

Is this the beginning of a tailspin? A Week 5 loss to the Broncos was excusable. Getting embarrassed by the Giants on Thursday night? Not so much. The Eagles have major concerns on both sides of the ball, and it feels like this season could soon go off the rails.

10. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

Previous rank: 9

Will Travis Hunter break out this year? Brian Thomas is beginning to heat up after a slow start. The Jaguars' offense could be a nightmare to defend if it can get any production out of Hunter. At this point, it's fair to question whether learning two positions is getting in the way of the unicorn first-round rookie making an impact anywhere.

11. San Francisco 49ers (4-2)

Previous rank: 6

Can the defense overcome injuries? Kyle Shanahan's offense has managed to weather the storm of shorter-term absences across the board. The defense might have a tougher time doing so with Nick Bosa and Fred Warner now done for the season.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)

Previous rank: 15

Will the front office stay aggressive? Aaron Rodgers has been quietly solid, and DK Metcalf is living up to the hype with touchdowns in four straight contests. But the Steelers' passing game will remain limited until they add another capable receiver to the mix. A deadline trade feels like a must.

13. New England Patriots (4-2)

Previous rank: 16

Where's the run game? Drake Maye is on a fast track to superstar status despite having to do it all himself. The Patriots finding any kind of success on the ground after ranking 32nd in EPA/rush over the season's first six weeks would greatly help their sophomore breakout quarterback.

14. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)

Previous rank: 21

Can Michael Penix Jr. take the next step? The Falcons have the best running back in football, a true No. 1 receiver, and a defense that's better than anyone could have expected. This is a sneaky playoff team if the second-year quarterback can find some consistency and take care of the ball. Penix's last two games have been promising.

15. Chicago Bears (3-2)

Previous rank: 17

Are the turnovers sustainable? The Bears have given up a ton of yards, but they've also been taking the ball away better than anyone en route to a three-game win streak. Chicago's 11 turnovers over that span are more than all but one team has recorded this season overall. That's one way to complement an offense slowly rounding into form.

16. Washington Commanders (3-3)

Previous rank: 11

Does Jayden Daniels need another weapon? Terry McLaurin's absence is putting a spotlight on Washington's shortcomings at receiver. This passing game likely can't be expected to match last year's production with depth players like Chris Moore and Luke McCaffrey forced into primary roles alongside Deebo Samuel.

17. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)

Previous rank: 14

Is the offensive line salvageable? Joe Alt should be back at some point, but he alone won't be enough with Rashawn Slater out for the year. The Chargers might have to make a trade (or two) if the offense is going to have a chance at recapturing the magic of the first few weeks.

18. Denver Broncos (4-2)

Previous rank: 12

What is this offense? A win is a win, but the Broncos can't be happy with the way the offense performed against a bad Jets defense in London. Denver's rushing is still below average, and Bo Nix is pushing the ball downfield even less than he did as a rookie.

19. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)

Previous rank: 18

Do the Vikings have the QB to compete? J.J. McCarthy should be back soon. That's good news for Minnesota, but the reality is that he wasn't good before going down with the injury. He needs to show signs of his first-round talent if Minnesota is going to survive the gauntlet schedule that lies ahead.

20. Houston Texans (2-3)

Previous rank: 19

Is momentum real? Beating up on the Titans and the decimated Ravens before the bye isn't quite enough to inspire confidence that the Texans have solved their early-season issues on offense. Still, it doesn't hurt to have a few results go your way heading into the week off.

21. Carolina Panthers (3-3)

Previous rank: 25

Was the rushing breakout real? Carolina is back in business after an outstanding stretch from Rico Dowdle, who led the way in back-to-back wins with 389 yards on the ground. If this production holds steady and isn't just a result of favorable matchups against the Dolphins and Cowboys, the Panthers' offense could continue to trend up.

22. Dallas Cowboys (2-3-1)

Previous rank: 20

Can the defense be a little less putrid? The Cowboys can score with anyone. The problem is that they make every opposing offense look equally potent. Dallas' defense ranks dead last with minus-0.18 EPA/play, tied with the 2008 winless Lions for the worst mark since at least 2000.

23. Baltimore Ravens (1-5)

Previous rank: 22

Is there still time? Lamar Jackson appears likely to return after next week's bye. The Ravens have an incredibly long road back after this disastrous start, but the schedule does ease up from here.

24. New York Giants (2-4)

Previous rank: 28

Should the Giants buy at deadline? Although a playoff run remains highly unlikely, that may not stop the front office from making moves to improve this roster. Getting Jaxson Dart a No. 1 receiver could help his development as a passer.

25. Arizona Cardinals (2-4)

Previous rank: 24

Is Kyler Murray's future in doubt? The Cardinals' offense has been a major disappointment to start the season. The passing game posted a season-high 320 yards in Jacoby Brissett's Week 6 spot start, which probably isn't a great sign for an inconsistent quarterback whose contract becomes somewhat movable in 2026.

26. Miami Dolphins (1-5)

Previous rank: 26

How long does Mike McDaniel last? The Dolphins have started to play a bit better lately, but every loss likely turns up the temperature on the head coach's hot seat. It may only be a matter of time before ownership concludes this isn't working anymore.

27. New Orleans Saints (1-5)

Previous rank: 27

Can Spencer Rattler get a long-term look? You may not hear much about it with the Saints seemingly destined for a top-five pick, but Rattler is playing good football. He ranks 21st in EPA/dropback, one spot ahead of Justin Herbert. At this rate, Tyler Shough may not get on the field at all as a rookie. And the Saints might also have reason to pass on quarterbacks at the top of the next draft.

28. Cleveland Browns (1-5)

Previous rank: 23

Will ownership stay patient? Wins will be few and far between for the Browns. It's easy to get frustrated as the losses pile up, but wasn't that the expectation for this season, anyway? Blowing things up after setting things on course with a great rookie class may be a little shortsighted.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-4)

Previous rank: 29

Is it over for Geno Smith? The Raiders' acquisition of Smith was supposed to be one of the most consequential quarterback upgrades of the entire offseason. Instead, he's become the first signal-caller since 2020 to throw 10 interceptions over a campaign's first six games. Las Vegas is in for a long year if Smith can't regain the form he enjoyed in Seattle.

30. Cincinnati Bengals (2-4)

Previous rank: 31

Does Joe Flacco make the Bengals watchable? Nobody should be expecting a 40-year-old quarterback to be the savior for a largely bad roster. However, Flacco could make the offense more functional. Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins combining for 15 catches and 156 yards against the Packers was a step in the right direction after a tough stretch with Jake Browning.

31. Tennessee Titans (1-5)

Previous rank: 30

Can the Titans help Cam Ward? Brian Callahan is out as the head coach after last week's loss to the Raiders. From here, the staff needs to focus on doing anything and everything to help the development of its rookie quarterback. Getting Ward away from his current 70-sack pace would be a good start.

32. New York Jets (0-6)

Previous rank: 32

Is this just the same old Jets? Nobody had any lofty expectations for New York heading into the season. That said, it would be nice to see at least a few signs that things are starting to head in the right direction under Aaron Glenn. We're still waiting for our first piece of evidence.

Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.

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