This is what the pecking order of the league looks like, at the conclusion of the eleventh day of the 2022 regular season
Does anyone remember a defending champion falling so dramatically in the Power Rankings de la NFL para ESPN As has happened with the current monarchs Los Angeles Rams this year?
Us neither.
After conquering the Super Bowl LVI at home as recently as February, the Rams are sunk among the bottom of the league, and with no top draft picks to think of a rebuild with young talent anytime soon.
Speaking of drops, the Minnesota Vikings and New York Jets are among the teams that dropped the most on the day, and there are questions surrounding both clubs regarding their legitimacy as contenders.
On the other hand, the Dallas Cowboys walked in the opposite direction, after offering one of their best performances in a long time.
You can enjoy the 2022 NFL regular season through Star+; subscribe here!
After the week 11 of action in the regular season, this is how it looks the pecking order of the 32 NFL teams, according to the Power Rankings de ESPN.com:
Use: The number in parentheses indicates that team’s place in last week’s Power Rankings.
Patrick Mahomes proved once again that he needs less than a minute to win a game, despite not having his best wide receivers available. — EC
There are already two consecutive games in which Philadelphia suffers against rivals that –in theory– should overcome without major setbacks, but now, on Sunday night, they must return to the path that places them as favorites when they receive the Packers . — LMV
Tennessee took a huge leap in our weekly ranking thanks to a victory at Lambeau that marks the beginning of the change in football style with the arrival of the cold in the league, for open stadiums: whoever does not know how to run the ball is at risk . — RZ
The Cowboys turned in one of their best performances in years, not only steamrolling the Vikings’ solid defense, but keeping one of the best receivers in the league in Justin Jefferson in check. There’s still a long way to go, but this is the kind of game that shows the kind of team Dallas can be when it’s having a good day. — EC
Miami comes from its bye week under pressure from its divisional rivals as they all have a positive mark and are only one game ahead of them, who command the AL East. — LMV
Buffalo edged out Cleveland thanks primarily to a more talented roster, not the usual feats of its big names. At the end of the day, it’s better to always be able to recharge on the roster as a force than to always rely on the usual heroes. — RZ
The Vikings got their reality check against Dallas. Minnesota has one of the best records in the league, but only two of its wins have come against teams with winning records, the Dolphins without their starting quarterback and the Bills who did everything they could to lose. Maybe the Vikings aren’t the candidate we thought they were after all. — EC
Baltimore suffered to prevail over a rival that shouldn’t have been a major challenge. The defense was up to the task, but there is concern that the offense has looked that way against one of the worst teams in the NFL. — LMV
If the Giants want to count as real contenders, they can’t pass up presupposed victories like the one over the Lions over the weekend had to be. — RZ
The 49ers had a near-perfect performance in Mexico City, Jimmy Garoppolo seems more comfortable with the all-star offensive cast around him, and the defense is doing its job. — EC
A new victory for New England against the Jets, in addition to putting them in a good position with the tiebreaker, was so forceful that it generated a lot of internal noise in the Jets and distrust in Zach Wilson. — LMV
The Bengals ended up beating some Steelers who were losing resistance as the minutes passed. It’s not the most difficult synod, but Cincy avoided an embarrassing season sweep. — RZ
The Seahawks must already be recovered from the blow that was their visit to London. Now, without control of the NFC West and with the obligation to fight to reach the playoffs, we will see if Seattle is really made to fight, or if their season has just been a mirage. — EC
The visit to Houston was an unofficial break for Washington and they resolved that commitment with authority and, under the radar, they are becoming a tough nut to crack for any rival. — LMV
There are serious questions about Zach Wilson’s viability as a quarterback going forward, and perhaps most troubling is not just his lackluster performance on the field, but reports of a take-no-responsibility attitude. — RZ
The only mistake the Chargers made against Kansas City was leaving Patrick Mahomes with more than a minute on the clock. That mistake practically cost them their hope of fighting for the divisional title. — EC
Tampa Bay will reach the final stretch of the NFL -at the top of its division- with rest and with a clash against the Browns as a visitor. Of seven pending duels, three will be against teams from the South of the National. — LMV
Cordarrelle Patterson is no coincidence; even in an age where kickoff rules make it even more difficult to see touchdown returns, the greatest ever finds his way to the promised land. — RZ
The Lions are riding a three-game winning streak, and while they’re still far from being considered a contender, this is a positive sign of where this team is heading for the future. — EC
Indianapolis is definitely another since the arrival of Jeff Saturday. Even with the loss, they sold the loss against the Eagles dearly and, if they are able to maintain the level, they can aspire to a ticket via the Wild Card Round. — LMV
When there seemed to be a light at the end of the tunnel for Green Bay to save the season, comes a tough loss at home, where the Packers used to be nearly unbeatable in the cold weather. Matt LaFleur’s star is fading fast. — RZ
Andy Dalton clings to starting role with Saints; he threw three touchdown passes and drove in the win against the Rams that keeps New Orleans in the thick of the fight for the weak NFC South. — EC
Arizona was showcased in every way Monday night at Azteca Stadium, and though the regular season is several weeks away, Kliff Kingsbury’s job will certainly be a topic of conversation. — LMV
The main question here is, how come with those kinds of performances from Davante Adams, week after week, haven’t the Raiders found a way to win more consistently? — RZ
The Steelers have fighting spirit, but not much more so far. Kenny Pickett and George Pickens will bring a lot of joy to Pittsburgh, they just won’t be this year. — EC
Cleveland put up a brave fight in Detroit against the Bills, but the difference in timing between the two teams was very apparent. Now we just have to wait to see if Deshaun Watson is capable of changing their faces. — LMV
The most difficult part of the schedule begins for the Jags, and it would not be inconceivable that they only won one game in the rest of the season. — RZ
The season of the defending champions practically came to an end. Cooper Kupp is unlikely to play again this year and quarterback Matthew Stafford’s health is starting to become a concern, with such a slim chance of making the playoffs, perhaps the wisest thing to do is start planning for 2023. — EC
Chicago, once again, lost a game by three points or less and it is a subject to which they are beginning to “get used to” since it is the third consecutive duel that they experience something similar, but the fact that their defense does not stop anyone continues to worry. — LMV
He asked me who will be the one to pay the piper in Denver for one of the most notorious failures in recent league history, of course, besides head coach Nathaniel Hackett. — RZ
It would be grossly unfair to blame Baker Mayfield for the loss after throwing two interceptions. The Panthers’ biggest strength this season had been their running game, and in Baltimore they could barely rush for 36 yards, including 12 from Mayfield. If Carolina can’t move the ball on the ground, they’re unlikely to win a game, no matter who plays quarterback. — EC
Houston was easily outplayed by Washington at home, there is little to salvage and the only game that looks affordable for them to get another win is against Cleveland and Jacksonville at home. — LMV
participated in the preparation of these Power Rankings de la NFL para ESPN: Erick Cervantes (EC), Luis Miguel Vasavilbaso (LMV) and Rafa Zamorano (RZ)
