Racing Post Sport NFL power rankings: Saints top after a week of upsets

Each week, we will list the 32 NFL teams in order of best to worst and see how far each one climbs up or falls down the list during the course of the regular season.

Last week's rankings

Here is this week's 1-32:

1 New Orleans Saints up one
Record: 11-2
Last week: Won 28-14 at Tampa Bay
This week: 6.5-point favourites at Carolina

It was a crazy week for the league and our rankings as seven of last week's top ten lost, including top dogs the Rams. With three teams now boasting 11-2 records, we're separating them on head-to-head form. The Saints beat the Rams and the Rams beat the Chiefs (just), so that's your top three. The Saints themselves looked in trouble against the lowly Buccaneers but they came through.

2 Los Angeles Rams down one
Record: 11-2
Last week: Lost 15-6 at Chicago
This week: Nine-point favourites at home to Philadelphia

The Rams looked a shadow of their usual selves as they struggled against the impressive Bears defence. They need to bounce back against the Eagles to show their confidence is not shaken too badly but that was a concerning performance for their Super Bowl backers.

3 Kansas City Chiefs unchanged
Record: 11-2
Last week: Won 27-24 v Baltimore (OT)
This week: 3.5-point favourites at home to LA Chargers

The Chiefs made hard work of it against the Ravens but they came through against a strong defence. Injuries are beginning to be a concern with top receiver Tyreek Hill and running back Spencer Ware (who replaced the released Kareem Hunt) both in the wars against the Ravens. A crucial Thursday game against divisional rivals the Chargers is pretty much the last fixture they would have wanted this week.

4 New England Patriots unchanged
Record: 9-4
Last week: Lost 34-33 at Miami
This week: Three-point favourites at Pittsburgh

The Patriots avoid a drop due to bigger disasters befalling the teams below them. They lost to AFC East rivals Miami thanks to a last-play miracle but it shouldn't prove too costly if they get back on track and a path to the second seed is still open for them.

5 Los Angeles Chargers unchanged
Record: 10-3
Last week: Won 26-21 v Cincinnati
This week: 3.5-point underdogs at Kansas City

The Chargers will be climbing next week if they knock off the Chiefs at Arrowhead. But they were not that convincing against the Bengals and could be missing both of their top two running backs – Melvin Gordon and Austin Ekeler – for that key game.

6 Chicago Bears up five
Record: 9-4
Last week: Won 15-6 v LA Rams
This week: 5.5-point favourites at home to Green Bay

Da Bears picked a good week to score an eye-catching victory and get a deserved lift in our list. Their defence claimed a massive scalp by taking down the Rams, but it remains a huge help that they don't need unconvincing QB Mitchell Trubisky to put big scores on the board. The NFC North crown looks to be heading to the Windy City and probably as soon as this Sunday.

7 Houston Texans down one
Record: 9-4
Last week: Lost 24-21 v Indianapolis
This week: Six-point favourites at New York Jets

The Texans' nine-game winning run came to an end in an important AFC South clash but they have a solid opportunity to get back on track this week.

8 Minnesota Vikings down one
Record: 6-6-1
Last week: Lost 21-7 at Seattle
This week: Seven-point favourites at home to Miami

The Vikings' defeat at Seattle on Monday was not quite as one-sided as it sounds – the attritional battle was 3-0 to the Seahawks at half-time – but their offensive struggles were bad enough that offensive coordinator John DeFilippo was fired on Tuesday. They can't afford a fourth defeat in five games.

9 Pittsburgh Steelers down one
Record: 7-5-1
Last week: Lost 24-21 at Oakland
This week: Three-point underdogs at home to New England

The Steelers have excuses for losing to the lowly Raiders – not least the injury to quarterback Ben Roethlisberger that saw him taken out of the game for a while. But it was their third defeat in a row and the Patriots are in town this week.

10 Baltimore Ravens down one
Record: 7-6
Last week: Lost 27-24 at Kansas City (OT)
This week: Eight-point favourites at home to Tampa Bay

The Ravens missed their chance to go ahead of the slipping Steelers but they put up a strong show against a top team in Kansas City before losing in overtime. The AFC North race looks set to go to the final day.

11 Philadelphia Eagles down one
Record: 6-7
Last week: Lost 29-23 at Dallas (OT)
This week: Nine-point underdogs at LA Rams

The champions put on a fair performance at Dallas but it was a costly defeat in the NFC East race. A long trip to face a wounded Rams team is not the ideal recovery mission.

12 Seattle Seahawks up one
Record: 8-5
Last week: Won 21-7 v Minnesota
This week: 5.5-point favourites at San Francisco

The Seahawks made it four wins in a row and went close to shutting out the Vikings but the poor performance of quarterback Russell Wilson was alarming – he made some critical mistakes and had just 72 passing yards.

13 Dallas Cowboys up two
Record: 8-5
Last week: Won 29-23 v Philadelphia (OT)
This week: Three-point underdogs at Indianapolis

Spirits are high in Texas after receiver Amari Cooper starred in the Cowboys' fifth successive victory. With their last two games against Tampa Bay and the NY Giants, they should find a way to keep the Eagles at bay and clinch the division.

14 Tennessee Titans up two
Record: 7-6
Last week: Won 30-9 v Jacksonville
This week: 2.5-point underdogs at New York Giants

It was a going week for the inconsistent Titans but they are never guaranteed to transfer their performance level from one week to the next.

15 Indianapolis Colts up two
Record: 7-6
Last week: Won 24-21 at Houston
This week: Three-point favourites at home to Dallas

Every game counts now for the Colts, who bounced back well from being shut out by the Jaguars the week before.

16 Miami Dolphins up four
Record: 7-6
Last week: Won 34-33 v New England
This week: Seven-point underdogs at Minnesota

The Dolphins produced the most memorable play of the season to beat New England with Kenyan Drake's incredible winning touchdown against the Patriots but they really need three more wins, however spectacularly they are secured.

17 Cleveland Browns up two
Record: 5-7-1
Last week: Won 26-20 v Carolina
This week: Three-point underdogs in Denver

Browns interim head coach Gregg Williams has registered three wins in five games – as many victories as his former boss Hue Jackson managed in 40 fixtures. Cleveland could be a team to watch next season with rookie quarterback Baker Mayfield continuing to impress.

18 Carolina Panthers down four
Record: 6-7
Last week: Lost 26-20 at Cleveland
This week: 6.5-point underdogs at home to New Orleans

The Panthers have lost five in a row after starting 6-2 but running back Christian McCaffrey continues to impress. They are heavy underdogs at home to the Saints this week but could be inspired by the occasion to snap out of their slump.

19 Green Bay Packers down one
Record: 5-7-1
Last week: Won 34-20 v Atlanta
This week: 5.5-point underdogs at Chicago

Home comforts helped the Pack win their first game after head coach Mike McCarthy was fired – Joe Philbin is in charge for the rest of the season. They are yet to win on the road, though, and an away record of 0-7 would be no surprise after this week's trip to Chicago.

20 Denver Broncos down eight
Record: 6-7
Last week: Lost 20-14 at San Francisco
This week: Three-point favourites at home to Cleveland

The Broncos get a big drop for losing to the lowly 49ers and they look to be struggling to cope with the loss to injury of their top cornerback Chris Harris. Rookie defensive end Bradley Chubb could be fired up to impress against the Browns, who passed on him with the first and fourth picks in the draft.

21 New York Giants up three
Record: 5-8
Last week: Won 40-16 at Washington
This week: 2.5-point favourites at home to Tennessee

The Giants didn't have Odell Beckham against Washington but they still made short work of their opponents and things are looking up for them after back-to-back wins. Bookmakers think they can make it three this week.

22 Detroit Lions up three
Record: 5-8
Last week: Won 17-3 at Arizona
This week: 2.5-point underdogs at Buffalo

The Lions won for only the second time in their last seven games but their defence appears in better shape again now.

23 Atlanta Falcons down two
Record: 4-9
Last week: Lost 34-20 at Green Bay
This week: 8.5-point favourites at home to Arizona

You'd have got a big price before the season about the Falcons being 4-9 at this stage – and an even bigger one when they were 4-4 before five straight defeats. There will be no excuses if they can't halt their slump at home to Arizona.

24 Tampa Bay Buccaneers up two
Record: 5-8
Last week: Lost 28-14 v New Orleans
This week: Eight-point underdogs at Baltimore

The Bucs move up despite their defeat as they made the highflying Saints work hard for their victory, having beaten them on the opening day of the season too. It doesn't get that much easier for them this week, though.

25 Jacksonville Jaguars down three
Record: 4-9
Last week: Lost 30-9 at Tennessee
This week: Seven-point favourites at home to Washington

It would take an unusual kind of person to choose to watch Jacksonville against Washington this week. Both teams have substandard quarterbacks starting and both were absolutely hammered last week.

26 Cincinnati Bengals up one
Record: 5-8
Last week: Lost 26-21 at LA Chargers
This week: Three-point favourites at home to Oakland

The Bengals were at least competitive against a playoff-calibre team this week despite their injury issues but their losing run now stretches to five games.

27 New York Jets up three
Record: 4-9
Last week: Won 27-23 at Buffalo
This week: Six-point underdogs at home to Houston

The Jets won what would have been a relegation six-pointer against Buffalo if it had been a Premier League match. That ended a six-game slump but they are struggling to find a fit running back for this week's tougher test.

28 Oakland Raiders up four
Record: 3-10
Last week: Won 24-21 v Pittsburgh
This week: Three-point underdogs at Cincinnati

The Raiders have rather ruined the theories that they had written off this season by winning two of their last four games but there were more changes at the club this week as general manager Reggie McKenzie was fired.

29 San Francisco 49ers up two
Record: 3-10
Last week: Won 20-14 v Denver
This week: 5.5-point underdogs at home to Seattle

Tight end George Kittle had 210 receiving yards in the 49ers' win over Denver. There's not much else for them to get excited about, though.

30 Buffalo Bills down two
Record: 4-9
Last week: Lost 27-23 v NY Jets
This week: 2.5-point favourites at home to Detroit

A disappointing defeat to the Jets at least ensures the basement battle between them will provide some interest as the season peters out.

31 Washington down eight
Record: 6-7
Last week: Lost 40-16 v NY Giants
This week: Seven-point underdogs at Jacksonville

Washington get a major drop as they prepare for their fourth starting quarterback of the season. Josh Johnson, out of the league two weeks ago, succeeds the injured Alex Smith and Colt McCoy, as well as Mark Sanchez, who flopped miserably last week.

32 Arizona Cardinals down three
Record: 3-10
Last week: Lost 17-3 at Detroit
This week: 8.5-point underdogs at Atlanta

The Cardinals might as well just pretend they're in the Super Bowl in Atlanta this week as they won't be going there for the real game in February.

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