The latest round of NFL power rankings holds firm up top with the Kansas City Chiefs mostly sitting behind the L.A. Rams and New Orleans Saints.
Another week is in the books and there’s no reason for any NFL expert to shift the way things look atop the weekly NFL power rankings given the latest round of results.
The New Orleans Saints continue to dominate any and all lists based on the tremendous surge of Drew Brees and company, while the L.A. Rams and Kansas City Chiefs continue to sit immediately behind them as both teams come off of a late bye week.
Over at ESPN, the Saints, Rams, and Chiefs stayed right in order as the top three as they noted the toughest game remaining for each team. The Chiefs have an easier time of it than either of the first two teams, so it’s possible the Chiefs could climb back up to or nearer the top than they already are. The Rams face the Chicago Bears in a couple weeks, while the Saints have to defeat the Carolina Panthers and Pittsburgh Steelers before it’s all said and done. Here’s a ranking of the Chiefs’ remaining opponents.
Elliot Harrison of NFL.com also believes in the same order and follows them up with a few more AFC opponents in the Patriots, Chargers and Steelers from four to six respectively.
Over at Sports Illustrated/MMQB, there’s a bit more transparency to the process and the vote is done by panel. In this way, fans can see the Chiefs still rank the same (3rd) behind the Saints and Rams, but two voters believe the Chiefs are No. 1 overall while one voter put them in fourth.
Over at SB Nation, the top trio remain the same, but the Chicago Bears have leaped into the conversation among elite teams with a jump to fourth place overall, just ahead of the aforementioned AFC contenders.
The Chiefs are expected to walk all over this week’s competition as they face the Oakland Raiders for the first of two December meetings. If Jon Gruden’s team somehow plays this close, you might see the Chiefs begin to slip just a bit, even below a team that’s already defeated them like the Patriots. However, it’s hard to picture the Chiefs not dominating the Raiders given the difference in talent.