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NFL Power Rankings 2014: Broncos dominant, Cowboys Cinderella's in Week 8

Every week it seems I have two teams anointed as "leagues best", but no more. There can be only one.
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What a weekend of football! It started with an electric finish on Thursday Night Football and ended on Sunday Night Football with a dismantling of the runner-up to the NFC Title from 2013. Of course, that the dismantling was the Denver Broncos picking apart the San Francisco 49ers.

Oh and did I mention that the San Diego Chargers, Seattle Seahawks, Jay Cutler and the Oakland Raiders all lost? Yep, pure awesome sauce all around for Broncos fans. For the second consecutive week, the Broncos sit atop of our NFL Power Rankings and koolaid has nothing to do with it.

Check out last week's rankings and tell me how wrong or stupid I was. At the end of the day, the Broncos are best today! A special thanks to the Mile High Report community for helping me ensure only the best GIFs are used up in here.

RNK
TEAM
INSTANT ANALYSIS

1

Denver Broncos

Record 5-1. So yeah, Peyton Manning. Enough said.

2

Dallas Cowboys

Record 6-1. Tony Romo and the Dallas Cowboys are playing out of their minds right now. Since losing at home to the San Francisco 49ers, this team has been on fire. I shudder to think what might happen, though, if Demarco Murray were to go down. His ankle gave out in a very scary looking way this past Sunday and it hit me at how tenuous the Cowboys run could be if Murray were to miss time. I am sure that is true with any star player, but running backs take the most beatings of any offensive position.

3

Indianapolis Colts

Record 5-2. I think we are seeing the second best team in the AFC emerge in Andrew Luck, the Indianapolis Colts and their defense. Their play since losing in Week 1 to the Denver Broncos have shown that the game should have been a close hard-fought affair. The good news, Broncos fans, is that Peyton Manning will never lose to his old team again. It just won't happen.

4

Philadelphia Eagles

Record 5-1. The Philadelphia Eagles had a Bye, so who cares.

5

Green Bay Packers

Record 5-2. If I had to put money on a player to eventually break Peyton Manning's career touchdown mark, it would have to be Aaron Rodgers. And that would probably be a bad bet, since Rodgers sat on the bench behind the ageless Brett Favre for years before getting his shot at taking the NFL by storm. In any case, the Green Bay Packers are whooping ass and taking name right now.

6

Arizona Cardinals

Record 5-1. Carson Palmer exacted his revenge when his Arizona Cardinals took control of the game in thie third quarter to put the Oakland Raiders away for good. At 5-1, the Cardinals are 1.5 games ahead of the San Francisco and 2 full games ahead of the Seattle Seahawks. Not only that, they boast the best defense of the bunch and an undefeated record within the division. These guys are for real.

7

New England Patriots

Record 5-2. Tom Brady found himself in a dogfight against the New York Jets on Sunday and did just enough to help lift the New England Patriots to victory. Though they won, I would exactly call this an impressive outing, but in the NFL a win is a win. However, that doesn't mean I have to move them up in these power rankings.

8

Baltimore Ravens

Record 5-2. Two weeks makes for a world of difference in perception in the NFL. Two weeks ago the Cincinnati Bengals were mostly being ranked the best team in football and now they are not even the best team in their division. Joe Flacco and the Baltimore Ravens have steadily recovered from the opening day loss and are playing excellent offensive and defensive football right now. #darkhorse

9

San Diego Chargers

Record 5-2. With Philip Rivers and the San Diego Chargers barely surviving a road trip into the Oakland, then losing at home to Kansas City this week, the peak for the Chargers has certainly passed for now. They can get right back on the train this Thursday, or the Denver Broncos could send them into a midseason tail spin that could leave them on the outside of the playoffs looking in when its all said and done. Time to chop these tall-headed giraffe's down.

10

Seattle Seahawks

Record 3-3. Welcome to what its like being the defending Super Bowl champion. The Seattle Seahawks are going to get everyone's A-game and suddenly those wins over Seattle by both the San Diego Chargers and Dallas Cowboys are not looking so impressive. Richard Sherman is getting abused almost every other play and that defense is turning into swiss cheese. I think the Legion of Boom may have been the shortest lived defensive nickname in NFL History. I wondered just now as to why in the world I have a 3-3 team in the Top 10? And where is the 12th man? Oh here they are...

11

Detroit Lions

Record 5-2. I trust these Detroit Lions about as much as I trust a politician of any brand (not you Ron Paul, you cool man!). The did do something they don't normally do. Win without Calvin Johnson. The Lions are tied for the NFC North lead, but if I had a truckload of cash, I would bet on Aaron Rodgers and the Pack to win this woeful division.

12

San Francisco 49ers

Record 4-3. Whoa! Colin Kaepernick and the San Francisco 49ers ran into a buzzsaw on Sunday Night Football. It wasn't just Peyton Manning doing the sawing, but rather it was the Orange Crush defense spearheaded by Von Miller, Chris Harris Jr. and DeMarcus Ware that terrorized the 49ers starting unit all night long. I have little doubt that the 49ers will bounce back strong this week, but man that was a beating they took the other night! I bet 49ers offensive tackle Joe Staley's head is still spinning.

13

Miami Dolphins

Record 3-3. The Miami Dolphins and the Chicago Bears are the same team. They win when they should lose and lose when they should win. The Dolphins are playing the Jacksonville Jaguars next week, which means I should probably take the Jaguars. I should, but I won't. I'd rather lose with 98% of the rest of the country in that pick'em matchup. In any case, the Dolphins are well on their way to a solid .500 record.

14

Cincinnati Bengals

Record 3-2-1. How quickly the Cincinnati Bengals have proven to be frauds. From 3-0 to 3-2-1. Ouch! Andy Dalton is trigger shy without A.J. Green to chuck it up to and that defense is now showing some major chinks in its armor. Seriously, they were shutout. SHUT. OUT.

15

Carolina Panthers

Record 3-3-1. Cam Newton led the Carolina Panthers to an impressive comeback tie on the road against the Cincinnati Bengals. That looked impressive, until we found out just how bad the Bengals are this week and just how good the Green Bay Packers are. The Panthers got manhandled and abused by the Pack and it seems no one really wants to win the NFC South this year.

16

Kansas City Chiefs

Record 3-3. The Chiefs win! The Chiefs win! Alex Smith led the Kansas City Chiefs to a game winning drive for the winning field goal to down their AFC West rival Chargers. We can thank them for making sure the Broncos enter their Thursday Night Football matchup against the Chargers in first place of the AFC West. So thank you Chiefs!

17

Buffalo Bills

Record 4-3. This victory hurts bad. Both Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller were injured in this game. Jackson is out for a month, Spiller much longer. Buffalo is so desperate they even tried to poach Kapri Bibbs from the Denver Broncos practice squad, prompting John Elway to move Bibbs onto the active roster. On the plus side, Kyle Orton did lead the Bills down the field for a game-winning touchdown to end the game.

18

New Orleans Saints

Record 2-4. Drew Brees should not be blamed entirely for the New Orleans Saints collapse against the Detroit Lions, but when all you need is a field goal and you are a first ballot Hall of Fame quarterback - you have got to produce. Getting beat by Matthew Stafford usually means you are a .500 or worse football team, so I'll be fading the Saints the rest of the way down the stretch.

19

Chicago Bears

Record 3-3. Oh man, I called it. Jay Cutler wilts on the football field as a favorite. The Chicago Bears are beginning to learn what Broncos fans already know. That Cutler lacks an ability to perform when he is expected to perform. Even his teammates are beginning to call it like they see it. Unacceptable. Fortunately, the Bears are going into New England to face the Patriots ... which means the Bears are probably going to win next week! So deal with it!

20

St. Louis Rams

Record 2-4. The St. Louis Rams finally found a way to keep a lead after jumping out to a 21-3 lead over the Seattle Seahawks. Of course, it took a late fourth quarter touchdown to seal victory over the defending champions. Austin Davis may just be playing his way into a long term starting quarterback position in the NFL.

21

Cleveland Browns

Record 3-3. Whelp, there is the Cleveland Browns we all know and love. So much for that Cinderella Season, it's the Dallas Cowboys for now. I will give the Browns one thing, this is the second straight year an 0-6 team got a win in Week 7. The New York Giants did it in 2013, now the Jacksonville Jaguars. Are the Oakland Raiders next? Nah...

22

Pittsburgh Steelers

Record 4-3. The Pittsburgh Steelers are not dead yet, but they will be. I saw this coming, so it snot all that amazing that they won on Monday Night Football one week after getting embarrassed by the Cleveland Browns. They are still just a .500 football team.

23

Houston Texans

Record 3-4. With Arian Foster getting to 100 yards rushing before half time, why the f**k is Ryan Fitzpatrick throwing the ball deep in his own territory with less than a minute to go in the half? Seriously, this is why you asshats who run the Houston Texans fired Gary Kubiak for? Bite me. ~Signed, a bitter Arian Foster Fantasy Football Owner who lost by 3 points in his FF League. (Note: Thank you for the late touchdown. Angry FF owner rant rescinded. :D)

24

New York Giants

Record 3-4. I knew Eli Manning would bounce back after a really rough game against the Philadelphia Eagles, but I had doubts that the New York Giants would be able to take down the high flying Dallas Cowboys on the road. Somehow, the Giants will find a way to 7-8 wins and it will mostly be due to the creative genius that is Tom Coughlin.

25

Washington Redskins

Record 2-5. So now Colt McCoy will be the starter. This Washington Redskins franchise is just a horrible, horrible franchise. Not because their name may or may not be racist, but because its run by idiots. McCoy is doomed and Kirk Cousins will likely find success somewhere else. They threw him in thinking he would play like a stud. The guy is essentially a first year starter. Derp! I looked back at his stats and its basically good game, bad game, good game, bad game, etc. I think another team will find a steal in this guy next offseason.

26

Atlanta Falcons

Record 2-5. Mike Smith has got to go. Under his guidance, the Atlanta Falcons have amassed a ton of offensive talent that has proven to have zero heart. Matt Ryan is regressing and the Falcons defense is a mess. As I said last week, this team has too much athletic talent to suck this bad.

27

New York Jets

Record 1-6. The New York Jets kicked like a hundred field goals against the New England Patriots, but at the end of the day they just needed to convert one of those field goals into a touchdown and they would have had a huge upset win over a hated rival. Percy Harvin should fit right in with this bunch.

28

Minnesota Vikings

Record 2-5. The Minnesota Vikings woke up from their Adrian Peterson-induced stupor to nearly pull out a victory on the road against the Buffalo Bills. It's good that they put Teddy Bridgewater back in there. A rookie has to learn at some point and it just doesn't make sense to sit a first round pick on the bench when your alternatives are no better.

29

Tennessee Titans

Record 2-5. Why couldn't the Tennessee Titans have blown a lead last week? Fortunately, I got this one right anyway - though so did everyone else. Just like last season, the Titans simply can't find a way to win football games without Jake Locker taking snaps under center.

30

Jacksonville Jaguars

Record 1-6. Blake Bortles finally put together the kind of game you would expect to see from a rookie quarterback. I thought last week would be the week they get their first win and it almost happened, but even I wasn't brave enough to take them against the formerly red-hot Cleveland Browns.

31

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Record 1-5. The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are terrible and they had a Bye. So what.

32

Oakland Raiders

Record 0-6. Worst record in football, baby! Commitment to Excrement. All joking aside, Derek Carr has looked good at times and who knows, maybe the Oakland Raiders will be the second straight 0-6 team to take down the Cleveland Browns. Now wouldn't that be a hoot? The Raiders have to win a game or two at some point. Why not next week?