NFL Power Rankings, Week 7: Biggest risers and fallers after Week 6

30. New England Patriots (1-5)

The New England Patriots were never going to win in Week 6, but there does seem to be some to like from Drake Maye in his first NFL start. The Patriots are clearly in a rebuilding move and may have the worst offensive personnel group in the entire NFL. Their one dominant offensive line is among the worst in the NFL and is dealing with injuries.

The playmakers are just not at an NFL level, and I am not sure they have the correct coaching staff in place if you ask me, but now that the Pats have gone to Maye, they can at least use the rest of the 2024 NFL Season to see what they have in the QB. He's going to get, at least, all of 2024 and perhaps the entire 2025 NFL Season to prove that he can be a starter in this league.

The franchise simply needs to bring some more talent on offense to get a fair reading on Drake Maye. It's so bad that some people in the NFL world were even questioning the Patriots throwing him out there. It's almost at a point where it just isn't safe for him to be starting.

29. Carolina Panthers (1-5)

The Carolina Panthers drop to 1-5 on the 2024 NFL Season after yet another loss, and this time it comes at the hands of the Atlanta Falcons, who are now 4-2 and feel like the best team in the NFC South.  The Falcons actually have already beaten the 4-2 Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so they will retake the first place slot in the NFC South with this latest win.

The Panthers are again likely headed toward a rebuild in 2025, and you have to wonder if we’ll end up seeing second-year QB Bryce Young at some point later on in the season.  The Panthers just do not have much going for them on either side of the ball and again need some major changes.