The Detroit Lions, who were the No. 1 team in Tom Brady’s power rankings after Week 7, were off in Week 8. So, surely there wouldn’t be a change at No. 1 in Brady’s power rankings for a fourth straight week then, right?
Wrong. TB12 welcomed a new team to the top spot in his most recent power rankings in a first half of an NFL season that feels almost as wacky as ever. And Brady admitted that the new No. 1 in his power rankings forced his hand, and he doesn’t like it.
Let’s take a closer look at Brady’s top 10.
Tom Brady’s Week 8 Power Rankings 🚨
Brady’s thoughts: “Not gonna lie, didn’t want to do it, but I can’t ignore 7-1. The Colts have arrived and are finally the No. 1 team in my power rankings. I know people have their doubts, but this offense hasn’t taken a single quarter off all season long. Their only loss was against another top-five team on the road in LA. They deserve to be on top of the pile. With a favorable schedule for the second half of the season, could the AFC run through Indy this year? I feel sick just saying that.”
“The Lions fall out of the top spot by no fault of their own coming off a bye. I’ll be in Detroit this week with KB (Kevin Burkhardt) and the crew when the Vikings come to town. It sounds like we might see J.J. McCarthy back under center. I know the Lions have a chip on their shoulder. I hope Dan Campbell has this No. 2 ranking pinned up on the bulletin board all week. Prove me wrong!”
“The Pack went on the road to get a big win in an emotional matchup against their old buddy, Aaron Rodgers. Pittsburgh’s one of the toughest places to play in the NFL, and Green Bay trailed for most of the game before a monster fourth quarter. That’s the kind of calm under pressure I like to see from a young quarterback, who might be starting to ascend this season. Keep an eye on Jordan Love as a dark horse in the MVP race.”
Jordan Love completed 20 straight passes in the Packers’ victory over the Steelers. (Photo by Joe Sargent/Getty Images)
“Tampa got back on track, blowing out a divisional opponent on the road in New Orleans. That’s not easy. Bouncing back after losses is such a huge part of what makes a championship team in this league. The Bucs did just that. The bye week comes at a great time for this team with a huge matchup against the Patriots on the horizon. Game of the year alert? I think so.”
“The Rams move down a couple of spots after their bye week and their week back from London. [Matthew] Stafford and company have faced a tough schedule, and some crazy travel. Still, they’ve set themselves up with a great 5-2 record. We know Sean McVay can coach in November and December, so I expect this team to be a contender into the playoffs.”
“Remember, past success might not predict the future, but nobody wants to see [the Chiefs and Bills] on their schedule as the season progresses.”
Patrick Mahomes led the Chiefs to a third straight win on Monday and is the betting favorite to win MVP. (Photo by Brooke Sutton/Getty Images)
Drake Maye has been one of the league’s most efficient passers and best deep ball quarterbacks so far this season, helping the Patriots win five straight games. (Photo by Kathryn Riley/Getty Images)
“Seahawks fans aren’t going to like it. But grab a win off the bye next week and I promise you, you’ll be right back in.”
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