8. Philadelphia Eagles
Two-straight losses has us seeing the true issues with the Philadelphia Eagles, and the two primary people responsible are Kevin Patullo, the offensive coordinator, and starting QB Jalen Hurts, who has noticeable limitations as a passer and is simply not the type of QB who can carry the offense on his back when needed.
Previous offensive coordinators for the Eagles have been able to mask Hurts' limitations, but Patullo is clearly struggling with that. Philly's defense is also just average at this point, and the pass rush has been non-existent this year as well. At this point, I'd be shocked if they won the NFC East in 2025.
7. Pittsburgh Steelers
Another team in this power rankings exercise with a lower ceiling is the Pittsburgh Steelers. Now 4-1 on the season, the rest of the AFC North is in horrific dysfunction, so as long as the Steelers stay healthy and don't mess this up, they should be able to finish with 12 or even 13 wins and capture the division title. The team isn't going to go very far with Aaron Rodgers at QB, but the entire operation in Pittsburgh is again rock-solid.
6. Buffalo Bills
It might be time to have a conversation about the Buffalo Bills, as they have only beaten up on bad teams this year and have now lost two games in a row to the New England Patriots and Atlanta Falcons. Josh Allen has been fine this year, but the defense has largely been bad, so Buffalo just does not have that juggernaut feeling to them right now.
5. Denver Broncos
Sporting the best defense in the NFL, the Denver Broncos are no. 5 in our power rankings, but this team's issue is the inconsistent offense, and it's really the only thing holding this team back from emerging as a contender. Denver has won three games in a row, though.