FOX Sports 2024 NFL Power Rankings Week 8: Why the Bears fell a spot during a bye week

With so many major matchups in Week 7, there was bound to be a shakeup in the league pecking order. With plenty of risers and fallers to consider after such an action-packed weekend, let's assess the NFL hierarchy after two big Monday night games to cap things off.

Here are the latest power rankings for 2024 (with Super Bowl odds from FanDuel Sportsbook).

NFL Power Rankings

1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-0)
Super Bowl odds: +450

Spare me the hand-wringing about style points, I really don’t care. If you watched the Chiefs’ win against San Francisco, you know Patrick Mahomes was a difference-maker even if the box score didn’t look great. With Mahomes making plays in big moments and the Chiefs defense putting everyone in a sleeper hold, this is still the team to beat. 

2. Detroit Lions (5-1)
Super Bowl odds: +750

You’re not supposed to be able to put up video-game numbers in the NFL, but Jared Goff has now been doing it for a month. Aside from the quarterback playing like the NFL MVP, the Lions’ defense stepped up in their first game without Aidan Hutchinson in their win against Minnesota. Brian Branch is a monster.

3. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +550

We’re splitting hairs trying to find the difference between the Ravens and the Lions. Baltimore went on the road — same as Detroit — and smacked a division leader by racking up 41 points. Lamar Jackson and Derrick Henry are laying waste to every opponent they face. I’m not sure how many defenses in the league are equipped to stop these guys.

4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
Super Bowl odds: +1700

Even in defeat, the Vikings continue to prove they belong in the contender class. It took the Lions every bit of 60 minutes to knock them off, as Minnesota was within another play or two from scoring another statement win. Nothing for these guys to hang their heads about.

5. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +1100

Amari Cooper drove to Buffalo on Tuesday night, practiced with the Bills for the first time on Thursday and caught four balls for 66 yards and a touchdown on Sunday. If that’s what he can do the week he gets to town, then there’s plenty of reason for optimism with this offense.

6. Green Bay Packers (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +1700

Typically, the Packers have had the benefit of takeaways in their big wins. Not the case against Houston, as they actually dug themselves into a three-turnover hole. That’s what makes it so impressive that they were able to completely shut down C.J. Stroud despite unfavorable circumstances.

7. Washington Commanders (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +2800

Hopefully, Jayden Daniels’ rib injury doesn’t keep him out too long, but it did teach us something interesting about the Commanders. Obviously, Carolina is a bad team. But it still matters that Washington lost its star quarterback in the opening minutes and still managed to cruise to a 40-7 win. Even against a bad team, a lesser group might have struggled.

8. Houston Texans (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +1300

It didn’t matter against the overmatched Patriots, but the Texans looked like they missed Nico Collins in Green Bay. C.J. Stroud didn’t have a reliable option when under pressure, and the Texans’ 2-of-4 performance in the red zone was arguably their worst of the season. 

9. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)
Super Bowl odds: +1700

I have concerns about the Eagles, but at the end of the day, I’m just not sure how many teams are equipped to slow down Saquon Barkley while also covering A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith. The Giants certainly weren’t. 

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
Super Bowl odds: +4400

The Jets might not be great, but their defense was allowing just 17 points per game heading into Week 7, and the Steelers dropped 37 on them. That’s why Mike Tomlin made the switch to Russell Wilson — to see if he could find a higher ceiling for his offense. It’s just one game, but it’s a result that makes you wonder if these Steelers could be a bit better than what we’ve gotten used to seeing.

11. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
Super Bowl odds: +4400

We know what Geno Smith is capable of when things are clicking, so that part isn’t a surprise. It was a welcome change to see Seattle’s front seven play such an impactful game against a Falcons offense that had been rolling.

12. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
Super Bowl odds: +3000

This league will humble you. Just as you note that the Falcons are one of the best secondaries in the league at limiting explosive pass plays, they surrender six of them to Seattle on Sunday. This defense is probably not going to be great, but it needs to be better than that to give Atlanta a chance.

13. Chicago Bears (4-2)
Super Bowl odds: +4400

We’ve all seen the stat by now: All four of the Bears’ wins have come against teams that had just one win at the time. After the bye week comes a big test: a chance to get a win against five-win Washington.

14. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)
Super Bowl odds: +850

How many more setbacks can a team take? The Niners have been weathering a storm since training camp began, and it just won’t let up. On top of the loss, and on top of Brock Purdy playing a clunker, Brandon Aiyuk is done for the year. It’s a long season, and there’s still plenty of talent in San Francisco, but it’s fair to wonder when it all becomes too much to withstand.

15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)
Super Bowl odds: +5500

What a gut punch of a night. It’s not even the loss to an amazing Ravens team that concerns me, but the Buccaneers suffered injuries to their two best receivers on Monday. Hopefully, Mike Evans can return quickly, but it looks like they’ll be without Chris Godwin the rest of the way. Can they recover?

16. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4)
Super Bowl odds: +2800

Officially, all that matters is the Bengals have clawed back to within a game of .500 and their season is still alive. But you can’t call it encouraging that they’ve failed to pull away from the Giants and Browns in back-to-back weeks. It’s going to take more to beat Philly.

17. Los Angeles Chargers (3-3)
Super Bowl odds: +5000

That’s why the Chargers’ lack of firepower is concerning. Justin Herbert was mostly fantastic against Arizona, but the Chargers were plagued by drops on a night they couldn’t run the ball. For all the improvements they’ve made, this is still a bottom-10 scoring offense.

18. Denver Broncos (4-3)
Super Bowl odds: +13000

I’m honestly not sure how much we learned about the Broncos in New Orleans. The Saints looked like a shell of an NFL team, and Bo Nix also had a rough outing. Still, Denver is going to reach November either at or above .500, and that’s a win.

19. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)
Super Bowl odds: +3600

The Cowboys have now had a week off to rest and recover, and their old nemesis, the 49ers, are reeling. It’d go a long way toward improving the vibes in Dallas if the Cowboys can finally knock off San Francisco. But are they up to that challenge?

20. Indianapolis Colts (4-3)
Super Bowl odds: +8000

The Colts won an NFL football game on Sunday to improve their record to 4-3. That feels like the only thing worth saying about Miami-Indianapolis. But however forgettable the Colts have looked to this point, they’re giving themselves a chance to improve by simply staying alive.

21. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)
Super Bowl odds: +9000

Kyler Murray called it ugly, and I’m not going to argue with him. But the last-second win against the Chargers lifts the Cardinals into the thick of the NFC West race, with a 2-0 division record in their back pocket. Even the biggest Arizona optimists probably didn’t expect that in August.

22. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)
Super Bowl odds: +13000

You could feel the Rams’ season flashing before their eyes as the Raiders mounted a late comeback. They survived, though, and now have a chance to get healthier. Will that be enough on a short week against Minnesota?

23. New York Jets (2-5)
Super Bowl odds: +5500

At some point, the Jets have to deliver on the potential. Every week we see flashes, and every week it doesn’t translate to results. Considering the head coach has already been fired, it feels like it’s firmly on Aaron Rodgers to figure this mess out before the season completely spirals.

24. New Orleans Saints (2-5)
Super Bowl odds: +18000

Easy to feel bad for the Saints, considering all they’ve lost. Only two of 11 Week 1 starters on offense were healthy for last Thursday's debacle against Denver. Having said that, it’s tougher to come up with excuses for a New Orleans defense that’s allowed 503 rushing yards over the past two games.

25. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Super Bowl odds: +55000

It’s worth noting that Brock Bowers is having an incredible rookie season. The guy is leading the league in receptions and is on pace for 1,100 yards. Unfortunately, I’m not sure how many casual fans are going to see it as this Raiders season slips further below .500.

26. New York Giants (2-5)
Super Bowl odds: +45000

There are quarterbacks who can make it work with iffy protection, and there are quarterbacks who can’t. Daniel Jones falls pretty firmly into the latter category, as the Eagles’ pass rush never gave him much of a chance.

27. Cleveland Browns (1-6)
Super Bowl odds: +55000

There’ll be time to discuss the big-picture ramifications of Deshaun Watson’s injury in the months to come. Right now, Cleveland has a wreck of an offense and Baltimore comes to town this weekend. Is Jameis Winston the starter moving forward?

28. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5)
Super Bowl odds: +13000

At long last, they pulled out of the nosedive. We’re not handing out awards for beating New England, but the Jags did manage to play a clean, efficient game of football. It’s nice to know they’re at least capable of doing that.

29. Tennessee Titans (1-5)
Super Bowl odds: +45000

Even with an early 10-0 lead, it never felt like the Titans had a legitimate shot at upsetting the Bills. Tennessee hasn’t managed more than 300 yards of offense in a single game this season.

30. Miami Dolphins (2-4)
Super Bowl odds: +8500

Rarely has a team ranked so low in the power rankings been so interesting. Miami’s been a wreck since Tua Tagovailoa’s injury, averaging 10 points per game over the past month. But Tua might be making his return, and the Dolphins are just two games under .500. Is there still time to save the season?

31. New England Patriots (1-6)
Super Bowl odds: +55000

It’s probably a tough pill to swallow if you’re a fan of a team that won six Super Bowls between 2001-18, but this is a great spot for the Patriots to be in. Drake Maye is a fun watch, but the team is bad enough that New England is securing itself a great draft position. You’ve got to think about the big picture.

32. Carolina Panthers (1-6)
Super Bowl odds: +55000

Thank goodness for that one, fleeting moment of success in Week 3 against the Raiders, because otherwise we’d be having very real conversations about whether this is the first 0-17 team in NFL history. The Panthers’ average margin of defeat this season is 25 points, with a mind-bending point differential of -133.

David Helman covers the NFL for FOX Sports and hosts the NFL on FOX podcast. He previously spent nine seasons covering the Cowboys for the team's official website. In 2018, he won a regional Emmy for his role in producing "Dak Prescott: A Family Reunion" about the quarterback's time at Mississippi State. Follow him on Twitter at @davidhelman_.