NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles alone at the top

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The Eagles were at home last Sunday afternoon for a matchup against a reeling Denver Broncos team that had lost three straight games coming into the week. The Birds used another four-touchdown performance from MVP frontrunner Carson Wentz to defeat the Broncos, 51-23.

The victory against the Broncos puts the Birds at 8-1 as they head into their Week 10 bye. They still hold the best record in the NFL and a 2.5-game lead in the NFC East over the Cowboys, who sit at 5-3.

Here’s a roundup of where the Eagles landed in this week's national power rankings:

ProFootballTalk's Mike Florio: Stayed at No. 1
Florio wrote, “Scoring 51 against the defense that won Super Bowl 50 may be the clearest sign yet that this team is headed for Super Bowl LII.”

The Eagles continue to show the NFL that no defense scares them in the slightest. Wentz completed 15 of 27 passes for 199 yards and four touchdowns — another solid performance from the sophomore quarterback. The addition of former Dolphins running back Jay Ajayi also gave the Eagles a great burst. Ajayi broke free on a 46-yard run for a touchdown behind great blocking. This team seems unstoppable right now.

NFL.com's Elliot Harrison: Stayed at No. 1
Harrison wrote, “The first quarter of Sunday's blowout of the Broncos told you all you needed to know about these Eagles. Carson Wentz led them on three scoring drives in three possessions.”

The Eagles imposed their will from the beginning on the Broncos and didn’t look back. This team is fearless and there is no team in the NFL better than the Eagles right now. For Philadelphia sports fans, it is a feeling they have been chasing for awhile.

USA TODAY: Stayed at No. 1
USA TODAY wrote, “Today's first history lesson — the previous four times Philly started a season 8-1, they advanced to the NFL title game/Super Bowl?”

The last time the Eagles made the Super Bowl was in 2005 and it ended in a heartbreaking 24-21 loss to Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. This team might even be better than that 2004-05 team and is playing like it. Sunday, Feb. 4, 2018, is some time from now, and the Eagles need to continue to keep the petal to the metal.

Yahoo! Sports' Frank Schwab: Stayed at No. 1
Schwab wrote, “They put up 51 points without Zach Ertz, who has been their most reliable receiver. Against a Broncos defense that is still among the best in the NFL.”

Ertz didn’t play in the game against Denver because of a hamstring injury, but he still leads all tight ends in the NFL with six touchdowns. He is third in the NFL in tight end receptions with 43 and is second to Travis Kelce with 528 receiving yards. The Eagles scored the most points in a game this season without Wentz’s favorite red zone target. This shows why Wentz’s ability to spread the football around is so valuable.

CBS Sports' Pete Prisco: Stayed at No. 1
Prisco wrote, “The schedule is about to get a lot tougher the next month. We will know a lot more about them come December.”

Four of the Eagles’ next five games are on the road. They are at Dallas, home against an improved Chicago defense, at Seattle, at the Rams and at the Giants in Week 14. That is probably the toughest stretch of the season so far for the Eagles. The Cowboys, Seahawks and Rams are the closest contenders to the Eagles in the NFC and it will be interesting to see how they handle these teams on the road.

The Washington Post's Mark Maske: Up one spot to No. 1
Maske wrote, “There is no reason to doubt any longer that this is the NFL’s best team. It’s not an early-season illusion. It’s past the halfway point of their season, and the Eagles are the league’s most complete team.”

Maske finally came to his senses and placed the Eagles at No. 1. He continued to back the Patriots as the top team, when in reality the Eagles have shown more. I think it was all based on how the Eagles haven’t sealed the deal and the Patriots have done it five times in the Brady and Bill Belichick era. He has finally realized which team has been the best all season and his rankings now support it.

ESPN: Stayed at No. 1
ESPN wrote, “Carson Wentz leads the NFL in touchdown passes (23) and is the primary reason the Eagles jumped from 15th heading into the season to first in our midseason edition.”

The next closest quarterback is the Texans’ Deshaun Watson with 19 passing touchdowns. Watson is now out for the remainder of the season after sustaining a torn ACL. Wentz has been nothing short of spectacular, the reason why he is the MVP frontrunner at this point in the season.

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