NFL Power Rankings: Week 8

Sitting atop the rankings with a 6-1 record, the 49ers pair one of the league's best offenses with a middling defense — and that offense has been enough to carry them. A home date with the Raiders in Week 9 offers a chance to stay there.

At 5-1, the Bills carry one of the league's best offenses into a home matchup with Baltimore, though a below-average defense has already surrendered 171 points and remains the one question mark on the roster.

At 5-1, the Chiefs carry a top-eight offense and an above-average defense into the thick of the season — a combination that drops them just a spot from last week's ranking but keeps them near the top of the league.

One of the league's best defenses carries a middling offense at 5-2, holding opponents to just 141 points while the team has scored only 144 — the gap between the two sides of the ball could hardly be tighter, yet the defense keeps Denver in the hunt.

A 3-4 record undersells what's on the field — both the offense and defense rank among the league's top eight, and the Rams just put up 35 points on the road against the Raiders.

At 4-3, the Seahawks sit a spot higher in these rankings than their record suggests they deserve — but one of the league's best defenses, which just held Kansas City to three points, backs up the placement. The offense remains middling, so the gap between record and rank is real, but the defense is the reason to take it seriously.

A loss to the Bears dropped them a spot to eighth, and at 4-3 the team sits right in the middle of the conversation — not dominant, not struggling. They carry a top-eight offense and a middling defense into a road date with the Dolphins in Week 8.

Up 7 spots to sit ninth, the Lions have leaned on a top-eight offense to post a 4-2 record — including a 20-17 home win over the Packers — despite carrying a below-average defense.

Up 7 spots to sit inside the top 10, Cincinnati is riding an above-average offense that put up 35 points in a road win over Baltimore. The defense remains a weak spot, but a 4-2 record is a sharp turnaround from a team that went 6-11 and missed the playoffs a year ago.

At 6-0, the Vikings sit two spots lower than that unbeaten record might suggest — and the underlying picture explains why. The offense ranks among the league's weakest, so the weight falls almost entirely on one of the league's best defenses.

A 30-24 home win over the Patriots keeps the Bears at 5-2 with an above-average offense doing enough to offset a middling defense. They head to Seattle in Week 8 for a road test that could shift things either way.

Up nine spots to sit at 14th, the Giants are riding a 4-2-1 record built on razor-thin margins — 163 points scored against 161 allowed — and a recent road win over the Texans. A middling offense and a below-average defense make the climb feel precarious, but the results are there.

A 5-2 record lands at 15th — two spots lower than last week — despite carrying a top-eight defense that has kept the team afloat while one of the league's weakest offenses has been outscored 133 to 146 overall.

A 13-35 home loss to the Bengals dropped them two spots to 16th, and the Ravens now head to Buffalo in Week 8 carrying an above-average offense but a below-average defense.

A 5-2 record puts them one spot higher than last week, yet both sides of the ball tell a humbler story — a below-average offense and a middling defense don't usually produce that kind of standing. The wins are real, but the underlying strengths suggest the ranking is doing them a favor.

Jumped 10 spots after dismantling the Panthers 43-13, a win powered by an above-average defense that has held opponents to 151 points on the season — though a below-average offense keeps the Buccaneers at 2-5 overall.

A top-eight offense paired with one of the league's weakest defenses sums up the Cowboys' 3-4 start — Dallas has scored 189 points but surrendered 180.

Dropped ten spots to 20th after a 21-27 home loss to the Giants pushed the record to 2-5 — a middling offense that has scored fewer points than it has allowed is undermining what was a top-eight defense.

A 29-20 home win over the 49ers keeps Atlanta's season alive at 3-4, though the offense remains below average and the defense only above average — nothing dominant on either side. They head to Tampa Bay in Week 8 needing another steady defensive performance to stay in contention.

A 10-16 road loss to the Vikings dropped them three spots to 23rd, and a 2-5 record leaves little margin heading into Week 8 at Jacksonville. Both sides of the ball are middling, and the scoreboard has reflected it all season.

A 21-35 home loss to the Rams dropped them two spots to 24th, and at 3-4 a below-average offense paired with a middling defense leaves little margin for error. They head to New York to face the Jets in Week 8.

A 16-30 home loss to the Broncos dropped Arizona a spot to 25th, and at 2-5 the Cardinals carry a middling offense and a below-average defense into a road trip to Dallas in Week 8.

A 10-16 home loss to the Steelers keeps the Saints at 2-5 and unmoved in the rankings. A below-average offense paired with a middling defense makes for a tough watch, and the Browns visit in Week 9.

One of the league's weakest offenses is dragging down an above-average defense, and the gap between the two sides of the ball defines this 2-5 team. A 21-38 home loss to Dallas dropped them two spots, and a road trip to Washington in Week 8 offers little comfort.

At 1-5, Miami sits near the bottom of the league, pairing a below-average offense with one of the league's weakest defenses — a combination that has produced 157 points allowed against just 98 scored. The Dolphins host the Patriots in Week 8 looking to build on a narrow win over the Jets.

Sitting at 30th overall, the Jets carry a below-average offense and one of the league's weakest defenses into a 2-5 record. They fell to the Dolphins 28-25 at home and have allowed 150 points on the season against just 137 scored.

At 0-6, the Chargers sit near the bottom of the league, held back by one of the league's weakest offenses despite carrying a top-eight defense.

Sitting at the bottom of the rankings at 1-6, the Titans carry one of the league's weakest offenses and one of the league's weakest defenses — a combination that has them allowing 156 points while scoring only 108.