2024 NFL Week 8 Power Rankings: Detroit Lions are a cut above the rest of the league

Photo by Bailey Hillesheim/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

Our latest NFL power rankings are officially here.

We are starting to get to the serious time of year in the NFL, once we pass through Halloween and the time changes that will be made rather official. Only a single NFL week separates us until this is the case, and we are now able to fully and legitimately figure many different things out. The Detroit Lions remain the talk of the town while the New York Jets continue to flounder and float in the abyss.

While the Dallas Cowboys did not play a game last week during their bye, they certainly took different kinds of losses through the media and with comments made by people ranging from Jerry Jones to Troy Aikman. It has been that kind of season.

Comments aside, we are still able to rank all of the teams in the league as we think they stack up which is exactly what we have done with our latest power rankings. As always we have also collected where outlets around the internet have the Cowboys ranked.

You can view last week’s rankings right here.

---

1 - Detroit Lions (LW: 3)

A big rule of mine is that the reigning king maintains all privileges of royalty until someone snatches the crown. Obviously the Chiefs have yet to lose a game this season, but they have been so not-the-Chiefs on offense lately that I have to break my own rule.

The Lions appear to be the best team in the league as Halloween approaches. Beyond having so much talent on their roster they also have an insanely creative offensive play-caller as well as a head coach who manages and marries it all so well together.

2 - Baltimore Ravens (LW: 2)

I’m just going to go ahead and break my rule again since the Ravens look that good.

Baltimore has the most dynamic backfield in the entire game right now between Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry. Consider that even Troy Aikman is annoyed that the Cowboys didn’t pursue Henry.

They are one of one right now. I recognize this is not bold, but barring any significant changes to the status quo I do not see how they do not win the Super Bowl.

3 - Kansas City Chiefs (LW: 1)

No apologies should be given for being undefeated, but we are fooling ourselves if we call them the best team in the NFL at the moment.

History highly suggests that they will figure it out. But for now this is the case.

4 - Buffalo Bills (LW: 6)

Sunday was a bit of an ugly win for Buffalo, but once again nobody ever hated any one of those.

Amari Cooper flashed (sigh) and Josh Allen continues to take care of the football this season. Maybe this really is the year.

5 - Minnesota Vikings (LW: 4)

There is no shame in losing to one of the very best teams in the NFL (unless the loss is by a final score of 47-9) and the Vikings came within an inch or so of winning that game.

It feels like the football world has collectively underrated the work that the Vikings have done for the last few years (remember all the discourse around their 2022 season?). Perhaps the time has come to acknowledge that they are very good.

6 - Washington Commanders (LW: 7)

While Jayden Daniels’ injury status is worth monitoring it is very clear that this is quite the football team.

A reminder that the Washington franchise is the only one with a longer NFC Championship Game drought than the Cowboys’.

7 - Green Bay Packers (LW: 8)

The start of the season felt so fragile with how the Packers seemed to almost lose their quarterback for its entirety.

But Jordan Love is looking to be like a tried and true franchise quarterback in every single sense. He had turnovers and the team needed to rally, but it appears as if they are incredibly well-rounded.

8 - Houston Texans (LW: 5)

While the Texans are clearly a solid team they are starting to experience some serious offensive funk. Bobby Slowik was a hot name this time last year, but maybe he is the branch of the Kyle Shanahan tree with the least amount of fruit on it.

9 - Philadelphia Eagles (LW: 15)

Early on it looked like they would have classic “a win is a win” energy going on, but they found themselves and quickly buried the Giants in serious fashion.

It feels like many people believe that the Commanders are the team to beat in the NFC East (what a weird sentence), but the Eagles are hanging tough and making sure they will be around at season’s end. It is very annoying.

10 - San Francisco 49ers (LW: 9)

There is no question that this is the lowest any of us have thought of the 49ers in this nucleus’ time together and it is hard for that to not be the case.

Beyond missing key players they are also no longer (seemingly) as creative as they once were. They are spiraling at the moment and are either going to get right against the Cowboys or be fully broken by the little brother who they have tormented for so long.

11 - Chicago Bears (LW: 11)

Back from the bye just like the Cowboys. Let’s see what they look like.

12 - Seattle Seahawks (LW: 14)

This is one of the most underrated offenses in the entire NFL at the moment. Geno Smith, Kenneth Walker III, D.K. Metcalf and Jaxon Smith-Njigba make up quite the group to work with and around.

I would not count them out.

13 - Arizona Cardinals (LW: 13)

I’ve said before that I am fine buying all of the Cardinals stock that I can.

Monday night was not super pretty, but they are hanging around and the world continues to underrate Kyler Murray’s abilities. I’m in!

14 - Pittsburgh Steelers (LW: 18)

Sunday night sure was something.

I’m not certain if what we saw from Russell Wilson can legitimately continue to translate, but if it can then things can get very fun for a Steelers team that already has an elite defense.

15 - Tampa Bay Buccaneers (LW: 10)

The drop here isn’t so much about getting trounced by the Ravens. Teams run into buzzsaws, it happens.

But a future without Chris Godwin and Mike Evans (all of that remains to be confirmed) makes the scene for them rather tough.

16 - Cincinnati Bengals (LW: 16)

They are hanging around and making sure that they do not completely fall out of the race.

There is something notable in that, but it is a little boring.

17 - Atlanta Falcons (LW: 12)

Speaking of boring... my goodness this team just cannot find any kind of consistency.

We will see them soon enough.

18 - Dallas Cowboys (LW: 17)

Many jokes were made about how the allowed 0 yards over the weekend.

Good for them!

19 - Denver Broncos (LW: 24)

Perhaps Thursday night was the beginning of them turning the corner.

But they have been wandering in the offensive darkness for so long that it is hard to know when it is real or when it is a mirage.

20 - Indianapolis Colts (LW: 21)

Would you believe me if I told you that they are 4-3?

I am not sure why that is so difficult to buy, but it is true.

21 - Los Angeles Rams (LW: 23)

Similarly... consider that the Rams pulled off a tough win on Sunday and have a 2-4 record to show for it.

Reinforcements are seemingly coming for them, but they just feel like another team floating in the wind.

22 - Los Angeles Chargers (LW: 19)

Everything about this whole operation is boring.

Who enjoys watching this team?

23 - Jacksonville Jaguars (LW: 26)

They are so bad that the league just flexed out of a Sunday night game they were involved in.

That’s when you know the NFL has moved on from you.

24 - New Orleans Saints (LW: 20)

Somebody has to move on from something or someone here.

Five losses in a row for New Orleans since they embarrassed the Cowboys.

25 - New York Jets (LW: 22)

You mean to tell me that Aaron Rodgers getting anything and everything he wants didn’t magically fix everything? Wow how shocking.

26 - Las Vegas Raiders (LW: 27)

Another team who has found the secret to being boring in the most entertaining league in America.

27 - Tennessee Titans (LW: 28)

Can you think of a more underwhelming first year for a head coach than what Brian Callahan is having in Tennessee?

28 - Carolina Panthers (LW: 29)

As bad as they were, just another week older.

29 - New York Giants (LW: 25)

Honestly it is amazing that they are this consistently horrible on offense.

It has transcended players and staffs. The force is strong at MetLife.

30 - Miami Dolphins (LW: 30)

Have you noticed how nobody has anything to say about the offense not thriving or Mike McDaniel. needing to find a way?

It is strange how the national media is overlooking his offense accomplishing absolutely nothing when he is regarded to be among the creative bunch that get constant praise.

31 - New England Patriots (LW: 31)

It is so tough to watch.

32 - Cleveland Browns (LW: 32)

At least they are not 33rd.

---

NFL.com: 19 (LW: 19)

No movement.

As the Cowboys prepare to travel west to face the desperate 49ers — a team that thoroughly demolished Dallas with both teams close to full strength a year ago — it’s fair to ask what they can hang their hats on right now. The run game has been atrocious. The defense underachieved even before a rash of injuries gutted the depth chart, and the unit remains a lesser group until proven otherwise. A once-strong offensive line has been scuttling amid some personnel shuffling. Even Dak Prescott and CeeDee Lamb, two of the surer things on the roster, haven’t reached anything close to peak performance, plagued by missed connections and a lack of cohesion. The Cowboys are catching the 49ers at a good time, with all of San Francisco’s injuries and back-to-back home losses. Not to mention, Dallas is somehow 3-0 on the road. But the ‘Boys must pick themselves up after their worst showing in a few years before the bye and find a way to give their best performance of this season.

ESPN: 16 (LW: 15)

Each team also had a “young riser” included.

Young riser: LB DeMarvion Overshown

He sat out his rookie season because of a torn anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, but he has shown the ability that made the Cowboys intrigued to make him a third-round pick in 2023. He opened the season just as a nickel package linebacker and has since become an every-down linebacker, playing all but 29 snaps in the past four games. The 24-year-old needs to be more consistent, but he has the speed to track down just about anybody and make up for a misstep. — Todd Archer

USA Today: 13 (LW: 15)

Up two spots!

No place like the road. The ‘Boys will play their next two away from their AT&T Stadium house of horrors – which is a plus. This team is 3-0 outside of Texas and hasn’t allowed more than 17 points in any of those games.

Yahoo: 18 (LW: 15)

Down a bit here.

Dallas’ next five games are at 49ers, at Falcons, vs. Eagles, vs. Texans and at Commanders. It’s possible we have a 3-8 Cowboys team hosting the Giants on Thanksgiving. The schedule makes it tough for the Cowboys to dig out of their hole.

CBS Sports: 16 (LW: 17)

It is always interesting to see how teams are moved after their bye.

They better hope the bye did them some good. The defense has to be better than it’s been as they ready to face the 49ers.

The Athletic: 16 (LW: 16)

But no movement here!

At least Dallas has that win over Pittsburgh to keep it warm at night because not much else is going right for “America’s Team.” This week brought Cowboy-on-Cowboy crime as coach Mike McCarthy fired back at ESPN analyst and former Dallas quarterback Troy Aikman, who made critical comments about the team’s wide receivers. “They don’t carry any weight with me,” McCarthy said. Aikman might have a point, though. Dallas is 21st in the league in touchdowns per pass attempt (3.4 percent), which is a bad sign for a team that has also rushed for the fewest yards in the league (463).

Sports Illustrated: 21 (LW: 19)

The lowest ranking for the Cowboys out of the group.

After getting shellacked by the Lions, the Cowboys owner threatened to fire radio station hosts who dared question his competency (as the longest-running non Super Bowl winning GM in the league). Then, one of Jones’s pals, former New Jersey governor Chris Christie, called Lions head coach Dan Campbell classless on the radio for running the score up on his buddy. Everything is going totally fine as Dallas heads into a prime-time Sunday night matchup against San Francisco.

---

Dallas Cowboys Movement Week To Week

Every week (per suggestions from you wonderful BTBers) we will update this graph to note how the Cowboys moved in power rankings according to each of the outlets that we curate.

---