NFL Power Rankings Week 8: You are what your record says at this point

The time for surprises in the NFL has come to an end. At least until the final few weeks when those fighting for a playoff spot try to get those last few placements. What has come to an end is the time for teams who came out of the blocks slow to turn things around. If they haven’t turned it around by now it isn’t coming in time to matter.

For the Denver Broncos, they fell flat on their faces at home against the Kansas City Chiefs. It might have meant something if they were competitive, but they weren’t. They were more like the 2020 New York Jets on Sunday. They looked like a team that will win six games this year. Maybe.

The rest of the league is shaping up. The AFC is going to be led by the Pittsburgh Steelers, Kansas City Chiefs, and Baltimore Ravens. The Buffalo Bills will take a division and the AFC South looks like it’ll come down to the Tennessee Titans and Indianapolis Colts. Some of these teams could fade down the stretch, but they are in prime position to march into the playoffs. The other team to watch now is the Cleveland Browns.

In the NFC, the West is the best division in football hands down. All four of those teams could end up in the playoff hunt late. Tom Brady and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are legit along with Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers. There’s also Drew Brees to worry about and whatever sub-.500 teams takes the NFC East.