2014 Power Rankings: Week 8

1. Denver Broncos (5-1) Peyton Manning has the passing TD record and Demaryius Thomas is on fire (avg. 174 yards per game) while Von Miller leads the NFL with eight sacks.

2. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) DeMarco Murray has an NFL-record seven straight 100-yard rushing games to start the season.

3. Indianapolis Colts (5-2) Andrew Luck and the Colts D could win this team every game. 

4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-1) Seven of the Eagles’ 21 touchdowns have come on defense or special teams (33 percent). No other team has more than 20 percent of its touchdowns on defense and special teams.

5. Arizona Cardinals (5-1) The Cardinals start 5-1 or better for the first time since 1976. Now healthy QB Carson Palmer is 10-2 in his past 12 starts.

6. Green Bay Packers (5-2) QB Aaron Rodgers is up to four straight games with at least three TD passes and no INTs, tying the longest streak in NFL history with Tom Brady. 

7. San Diego Chargers (5-2) Philip Rivers (No. 2-ranked QBR) will face off against Peyton Manning (No. 1-ranked QBR)

8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)  The ravens have the highest win margin in the NFL with a -12.7 due to Joe Flacco, Justin Forsett, Steve Smith Sr. and Torrey Smith. 

9. New England Patriots (5-2) QB Tom Brady is 3-0 in his career against the Bears with a QBR of 90 in his past two starts against them.

10. Detroit Lions (5-2) The Lions’ defensive production is keeping an injured offense in every game.

11. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2-1) Bengals as of late have turned their promising start to a season into a 27-0 blowout against the AFC South rivaled Colts. 

12. San Francisco 49ers (4-3) A depleted defense and lack of weapons has been the crutch to the 49ers start to this season.

13. Seattle Seahawks (3-3) The Seahawks disappointing start to their season is due to their lack of pressure on opposing quarterbacks. They rank last at 17 percent. 

14. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3) The Chiefs host the Rams (2-4) and Jets (1-6) in the next two weeks with the hopes to jump back in the AFC race. 

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3): Two players have at least 100 yards from scrimmage in every game this season. Dallas’ DeMarco Murray is one; Pittsburgh’s Le’Veon Bell is the other.

16. Buffalo Bills (4-3) QB Kyle Orton has two game-winning drives in his three starts this season after replacing EJ Manuel, but running backs Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller will both miss unforeseeable time with injuries, which could negatively impact Orton’s performance.

17. Miami Dolphins (3-3) The two best QBR games of Ryan Tannehill’s career have come in his past three games. He faces a Jaguars team in Week 8 that has allowed the most passing yards this season.

18. Carolina Panthers (3-3-1) The Panthers have allowed an NFL-high 24 touchdowns in 2014, already three more than their NFL-low 21 in all of last season.

19. Chicago Bears (3-4) The Bears have been better on the road, but New England QB Tom Brady is 86-13 at home in his career as a starter.

20. Cleveland Browns (3-3) The Browns face Oakland on Sunday and will need to get back on track to avoid losing to consecutive 0-6 teams.

21. NY Giants (3-4) The Giants dropped their third straight game to the Cowboys but their young receivers are emerging. Rueben Randle and Odell Beckham Jr. have combined for 17 receptions, 194 yards and two TDs the past two games.

22. New Orleans Saints (2-4) The Saints are 10-0 at home and 3-9 on the road since the start of 2013. They will have their hands full at home against Aaron Rodgers and the Packers. 

23. STL Rams (2-4) QB Austin Davis posted a career game against the defending Super Bowl champions in a win over the Seahawks. 

24. Houston Texans (3-4) The Texans’ were up 13-3 with 1:46 left in the second quarter Monday night against the Steelers. Just 1:32 later, Houston trailed 24-13.

25. Atlanta Falcons (2-5) Matt Ryan was constantly under pressure against the Ravens Sunday and just lost his starting center for the year. It’s a bad time to host the NFL’s most efficient defense (Detroit) after getting sacked 6 times last week. 

26. Washington Redskins (2-5) Colt McCoy will get his first start with the Redskins. 

27. Minnesota Vikings (2-5) After posting a Total QBR of 86 in his first career start, Teddy Bridgewater has a Total QBR of 6 in his past two games. That’s the lowest QBR in the NFL. 

28. Tennessee Titans (2-5) The Titans made Colt McCoy look like a Pro Bowl passer in his first extended game action since Week 16 of 2012… Not a good sign for the defense.

29. NY Jets (1-6) The Jets held their own against the Patriots and traded for Percy Harvin to help improve their 4.8 yards per play average (31st in NFL).

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-5) The Buccaneers have the worst margin in the NFL.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6) The Jaguars won a game, unreal, with Blake Bortles’ having a Total QBR of 9, the lowest for a quarterback in a win since 2013. 

32. Oakland Raiders (0-6) The Raiders are 0-6 for the first time since 1962. Their 12-game losing streak is the second-longest in franchise history.