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USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Cory Kinnan

NFL Power Rankings: Is a win over the 49ers enough to vault Browns into top-10?

Welcome to this Week 7 edition of NFL Power Rankings! For the most part, Week 6 action played out in a pretty predictable manner outside of the game in Northeast Ohio where the P.J. Walker-led Cleveland Browns handed the San Francisco 49ers their first loss of the season. Was this enough to vault the Browns into the top-10?

We are now six weeks into the season, and we have a pretty great idea of who are the contenders and who are the pretenders by now. The Browns are a bit of the exception as we finally saw their offense click with Deshaun Watson, but he has not played since that Week 3 dominance. After falling a missed kick short of 22 with a practice squad quarterback, perhaps the Browns are close to hitting their stride. Regardless, they should be able to ride their defense far.

For now, we get to see where they fall among the rest of the league. Feel free to argue, yell at clouds, or punch your pillow as you read through this week’s power rankings.

32
Carolina Panthers (0-6)

Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-USA TODAY Sports

We knew it would be ugly in year-one. We didn’t know it would be this ugly.

31
Denver Broncos (1-5)

Mandatory Credit: William Purnell-USA TODAY Sports

Don’t let Russ cook.

30
Chicago Bears (1-5)

Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

They might be starting an undrafted rookie. It’s not going to get prettier before it gets much worse.

29
New England Patriots (1-5)

Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-USA TODAY Sports

The Patriots got cooked by Brian Hoyer.

28
Arizona Cardinals (1-5)

Mandatory Credit: Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Former Browns quarterback Joshua Dobbs is at least getting valuable playing time!

27
New York Giants (1-5)

This week was just the weekend of former Browns quarterbacks, apparently, as Tyrod Taylor also saw the field for the Giants.

26
Las Vegas Raiders (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Candice Ward-USA TODAY Sports

We will always have those first 10 games of the 2014 season.

25
Green Bay Packers (2-3)

Still time to figure it out, but the Packers look like frauds through five games.

24
Tennessee Titans (2-4)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Titans could quickly find themselves in Caleb Williams/Drake Maye territory if Ryan Tannehill is forced to miss significant time.

23
Minnesota Vikings (2-4)

Mandatory Credit: Jamie Sabau-USA TODAY Sports

The Vikings are the best bad team in the NFL.

22
Atlanta Falcons (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports

Shave the mustache, Arthur.

21
Indianapolis Colts (3-3)

[Bob Self/Florida Times-Union]
The Colts could be on their way to plummeting hard if Gardner Minshew continues to play like he did.

20
Washington Commanders (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Brett Davis-USA TODAY Sports

This team is not good, but they also aren’t bad. Just another season in Washington.

19
Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Finding wins in the nastiest ways, the Steelers can’t keep getting away with this.

18
New York Jets (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-USA TODAY Sports

It would be a major win for the Jets if Zach Wilson can be at minimum a game manager.

17
New Orleans Saints (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Saints have yet to beat an actual good football team.

16
Houston Texans (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports

The Texans’ rebuild is way ahead of schedule thanks to the brilliance of C.J. Stroud.

15
Los Angeles Rams (3-3)

Mandatory Credit: Alex Gallardo-USA TODAY Sports

As long as Matthew Stafford stays healthy, the Rams scream an eight or nine win team.

14
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)

(Photo by Mike Ehrmann/Getty Images)

The Buccaneers have played exactly two good football teams and lost both of those games.

13
Los Angeles Chargers (2-3)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Even with a beard, Brandon Staley continues to find ways to lose close games.

12
Dallas Cowboys (3-2)

Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

The Cowboys rebound this week after getting dismantled against the 49ers a week ago.

11
Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

The Browns will see them next week.

10
Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)

The Bengals are still legitimate contenders out of the AFC North as they start to find their footing.

9
Cleveland Browns (3-2)

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

The best defense in the NFL can carry this team far with adequate offensive play. A missed field goal away from mustering 22 points with a backup quarterback, are the Browns starting to find their stride offensively?

8
Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

[Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union]
I am still waiting for the Jaguars to get to the offensive heights they can reach. But they are still toughing out games in the meantime.

7
Philadelphia Eagles (5-1)

Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-USA TODAY Sports

Jalen Hurts’ struggles go deeper than just this game against the Jets.

6
Detroit Lions (5-1)

Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-USA TODAY Sports

The Lions are not pretenders.

5
Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

Mandatory Credit: Peter van den Berg-USA TODAY Sports

The AFC North will be hotly contested until the end, but the Ravens are the leaders in the clubhouse.

4
Miami Dolphins (5-1)

The Dolphins look more and more beatable every week, but they also continue to win games with explosive plays every week as well.

3
Buffalo Bills (4-2)

It was ugly against the Giants a week ago as the Bills continue to be the most unpredictable team in football. But one thing is for certain: they are near the cream of the crop in the NFL.

2
San Francisco 49ers (5-1)

Mandatory Credit: Ken Blaze-USA TODAY Sports

It will take more than one loss to drop the 49ers too far. Especially against a Browns team that has risen back into the top ten here.

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