2020 NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Patriots plummet after blowout loss to 49ers
There was no shortage of exciting games in Week 7 of the 2020 NFL season, though "exciting" probably isn't the word New England Patriots fans would use.The Patriots fell to 2-4 on the campaign after a horrific 33-6 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Cam Newton and the rest of New England's offense looked lifeless, and the defense did nothing to limit the 49ers rushing attack.To make matters even worse, Tom Brady shined for the Tampa Bay Buccaneers while the Patriots scuffled. The ex-Pats QB tossed four touchdown passes in a 45-20 rout of the Las Vegas Raiders to propel the Bucs to 5-2.On that note, it's time to update our 2020 NFL Power Rankings as we enter Week 8. Here's where the Patriots and the other 31 teams stand.
With Sam Darnold back under center, the Jets actually kept it close vs. the Buffalo Bills on Sunday. It still wasn't enough as they ultimately fell 18-10 and remain winless on the year.
The "Tank For Trevor Lawrence" campaign continues.
(Last three rankings: 32, 32, 32)
Curran: Newton's nosedive putting Pats in a major bind
The Jaguars kept it close vs. the Chargers in Week 7, but they remain firmly in the "Tank For Trevor Lawrence" sweepstakes after their 39-29 loss.
(Last three rankings: 25, 23, 30)
What a disaster.
The Cowboys were absolutely embarrassed by the Washington Football Team on Sunday. This team has played with zero urgency since Dak Prescott went down with a catastrophic leg injury. The entire division is horrendous, but the Cowboys are the worst of them all right now.
(Last three rankings: 18, 13, 22)
Washington made a mockery out of the Andy Dalton-led Cowboys in Week 7, cruising to a 25-3 victory. While it was a solid win for Kyle Allen and Co., it was more of an indictment of Dallas. I still wouldn't expect this team to go on any kind of hot streak.
(Last three rankings: 27, 24, 31)
Daniel Jones faceplanting on his 80-yard run turned out to be a metaphor for the Giants' Week 7 game vs. the Eagles. Philly drove down the field and scored in the final minute to hand New York a 22-21 loss. Jones' turnovers continue to be a major issue.
(Last three rankings: 31, 31, 29)
The Vikings are coming off a much-needed bye week after a tough loss to the lowly Falcons. They'll hope that rest pays dividends when they take on Aaron Rodgers and the Packers in Week 8.
(Last three rankings: 23, 27, 26)
It's just getting sad for Atlanta. The Falcons found another way to lose on Sunday as Todd Gurley ACCIDENTALLY scored a late touchdown to give the Lions a chance to win the game on their final drive. That's exactly what Detroit did, and now the Falcons are a putrid 1-6 on the year.
(Last three rankings: 28, 26, 28)
The Texans defense had no answer for Aaron Rodgers on Sunday. They never really had a chance, as Rodgers was a man on a mission following his blowout loss to Tom Brady and the Buccaneers the week prior. Houston very much remains a problem, even without Bill O'Brien on the sideline.
(Last three rankings: 29, 28, 27)
Rookie QB Joe Burrow continues to sling it, but the Cincinnati defense couldn't keep Baker Mayfield in check as the Browns signal-caller torched it for five touchdowns a 37-34 Cleveland win.
Burrow should make Bengals fans optimistic, but there's a long way to go before this Bengals team is a contender.
(Last three rankings: 22, 21, 24)
The Lions are the latest team to take advantage of the Falcons' incompetence. Todd Gurley's blunder late in the Week 7 matchup allowed Matthew Stafford to lead Detroit down the field and steal the victory. It isn't great that it took a miracle to beat Atlanta, but a win is a win.
(Last three rankings: 25, 30, 25)
The Eagles looked like the laughingstock of the NFL for much of Thursday night's game vs. the Giants, but then they sparked a late comeback with a last-minute touchdown to win it. Carson Wentz hasn't been great, but he deserves credit for making something out of nothing with his supporting cast.
(Last three rankings: 23, 24, 23)
After beating the Patriots -- which actually may not be as impressive of a feat as we thought -- the Broncos came crashing back down to earth this week vs. the Chiefs. That was to be expected, of course, but it's a reminder that this Denver team doesn't have a whole lot of weapons to work with.
(Last three rankings: 26, 30, 21)
The Dolphins had a bye in Week 7 and will face the Rams in Week 8 with No. 5 overall pick Tua Tagovailoa taking over for Ryan Fitzpatrick under center.
Fitzpatrick was playing well enough to put the Dolphins in second place in the AFC East, so it'll be interesting to see how switching to Tua affects Miami's momentum.
(Last three rankings: 20, 19, 19)
Rookie Justin Herbert was outstanding in Week 7, throwing for 347 yards and three touchdowns vs. the Jaguars to earn his first NFL victory as a starter. This depleted Chargers defense remains problematic, but Herbert should be able to help L.A. climb these rankings if he keeps up his stellar play.
(Last three rankings: 21, 20, 20)
The Raiders defense was torched by Tom Brady in Week 7 as the ex-Patriots QB threw for four touchdowns in Tampa Bay's 45-20 win. While Las Vegas was shorthanded, it was clearly outclassed and it's another example of this being nothing more than a middling team in 2020.
(Last three rankings: 16, 16, 14)
Man, where do we begin?
The Patriots' Week 7 loss to the 49ers was disastrous. Cam Newton tossed three interceptions, Jarrett Stidham took over and threw one more, and New England's defense couldn't stop a nosebleed. All of that equaled a 33-6 loss and a lot of question marks heading into the Pats' Week 8 matchup vs. the AFC East-leading Bills.
(Last three rankings: 7, 7, 13)
Will Patriots' ugly loss make them sellers at deadline?
Teddy Bridgewater and the Panthers did a nice job of bouncing back after a rough Week 6 outing vs. the Bears, but it still wasn't enough vs. the Saints in Week 7. DJ Moore's big day (93 receiving yards, two touchdowns) certainly is encouraging.
(Last three rankings: 19, 22, 17)
After a slow start, Baker Mayfield figured it out and looked phenomenal in the Browns' 37-34 win over the Bengals. That's the good news.
The bad news? Odell Beckham Jr. reportedly suffered a "major" knee injury during Sunday's game. It didn't affect Cleveland on Sunday, but it definitely will hurt going forward.
(Last three rankings: 13, 18, 15)
Absolutely nothing worked offensively for the Bears in their 24-10 loss to the Rams on Monday Night Football. Nick Foles tossed two costly interceptions and simply couldn't sustain a drive all game. Maybe that 5-1 start was a mirage after all.
Chicago will look to bounce back when they take on the Saints in Week 8.
(Last three rankings: 15, 12, 9)
The Colts had a bye in Week 7 and will visit the Lions in Week 8. They'll hope to pick up where they left off after a win over the Bengals in their last game.
After the Titans' loss to the Steelers, Indy is only one game behind in the AFC South.
(Last three rankings: 12, 17, 11)
After a tough loss last week to the 49ers, the Rams responded with a beatdown of the Bears. It marked their first win vs. a non-NFC East team so far this season. Sean McVay's group still has plenty to prove, but it's encouraging to see it at least earn an impressive victory over a team with a winning record.
Next up is a matchup vs. the Dolphins, which means they'll take on rookie quarterback Tua Tagovailoa in his first NFL start.
(Last three rankings: 11, 14, 18)
What did the 49ers' blowout win over the Patriots say about San Francisco? Was it a statement, or was it more of a glaring issue for New England?
Perhaps it's a combination of both. Either way, Jimmy G and the Niners are on the right track with two straight impressive victories.
(Last three rankings: 14, 11, 12)
The Saints did just enough to hold off the Panthers, squeaking out a 27-24 win. Drew Brees led the 52nd game-winning drive of his illustrious career to help New Orleans improve to 4-2 and maintain the No. 2 spot in the NFC South.
(Last three rankings: 10, 10, 10)
Kyler Murray and the Cardinals struggled out the gate, but they didn't relent vs. the previously undefeated Seahawks. Arizona beat Seattle 37-34 in an overtime thriller that was absolutely one of the best games of the season to this point.
Arizona has a bye in Week 8, then it will host the Dolphins in what will be an exciting Murray vs. Tua Tagovailoa showdown.
(Last three rankings: 17, 15, 16)
The Bills improved to 5-2 but don't be mistaken, it was not an encouraging victory on Sunday. They edged out the winless Jets, 18-10.
Buffalo will take on the Patriots in Week 8, so that game will be telling.
(Last three rankings: 7, 4, 8)
The Titans had a chance to complete a second-half comeback vs. the undefeated Steelers and force overtime, but Stephen Gostkowski missed the game-tying field goal. It's been that kind of season for the ex-Patriots kicker.
It was a discouraging ending, but Tennessee showed impressive resiliency in the loss. It remains in the top spot in the AFC South heading into Week 8.
(Last three rankings: 9, 8, 7)
Aaron Rodgers and the Packers bounced back from their blowout loss to Tom Brady's Buccaneers with a fairly easy victory over the Texans. Next up is a matchup vs. the 1-5 Vikings, so Green Bay will be heavily favored in that one as well.
(Last three rankings: 3, 3, 6)
The Ravens were on a bye this week, but that doesn't mean they were inactive. They added star outside linebacker Yannick Ngakoue to their already-fearsome defense via a trade with the Vikings. That'll be fun to watch in their Week 8 matchup vs. the Steelers and beyond.
(Last three rankings: 5, 5, 5)
Tom Brady enjoyed by far his best performance of the season in Week 7, exploding for four touchdowns vs. the Raiders. That's two straight big wins for the Bucs, and they have an easy Monday night matchup in Week 8 vs. the Giants.
(Last three rankings: 6, 9, 4)
How Brady, Gronk fared in Week 7 win over Raiders
Seattle is undefeated no more following a 37-34 loss to the Cardinals in a Sunday night overtime thriller. It's clear the Seahawks have some issues to work out defensively, and the offensive line certainly didn't do Russell Wilson any favors in Week 7 either.
Next up is an intriguing matchup vs. the 49ers, who are coming off a convincing win over the Patriots.
(Last three rankings: 2, 2, 1)
The Steelers certainly made it interesting in the second half, but they were able to hold on vs. the Titans to stay undefeated on the year. Pittsburgh's defense (with the exception of the second half on Sunday) has been outstanding, and so has Big Ben in his return from injury.
(Last three rankings: 8, 6, 3)
The Chiefs predictably rolled over the Broncos in Week 7, cruising to a 43-16 win. It'll only get easier in Week 8 as they'll take on the winless Jets.
One reason that will be an interesting matchup: Le'Veon Bell will get to take on his former team. Bell had only 39 yards in his Chiefs debut, but don't be surprised if he sees a sizable workload for this particular matchup.
(Last three rankings: 3, 1, 2)
