Seven surprise teams shake up midseason NFL power rankings

If the playoffs were to begin this week, half the field would be squads that weren't in the postseason last year.

By Mark Craig Star Tribune

November 8, 2022 — 5:37pm

The NFL has reached the (kinda) halfway point of the 2022 season with a whopping seven teams that weren't in the playoffs a year ago in position to make the 14-team postseason. In the AFC, the Ravens, Jets, Dolphins and Chargers hold the bottom four playoff seeds. In the NFC, the No. 2 Vikings, No. 3 Seahawks and No. 6 Giants would be playoff newbies if the season ended today.

1. Bills (6-2)

Won at Kansas City. Lost two games by a total of five points. No. 1 scoring defense. No. 3 scoring offense. Josh Allen still the MVP frontrunner if he's still healthy.

2. Chiefs (6-2)

No. 1 scoring offense has reached 40 points three times, including 44 in a 21-point win at San Francisco. And, oh yeah, they got Patrick Mahomes.

3. Eagles (8-0)

Six wins have come against teams with losing records. The other two have come against the Vikings and Cowboys by a combined 26 points. No. 1 in takeaways (18) and turnover margin (plus-15). No. 2 in scoring offense, No. 5 in scoring defense.

4. Cowboys (6-2)

Went 4-0 without their franchise quarterback. Who else could do that? Have held six opponents to fewer than 20 points. League's best pass rush, led by perhaps the NFL's best defender, Micah Parsons.

5. Vikings (7-1)

Apparently, the Vikings will just keep winning while the rest of us worry about how good they are or aren't. The division race is over, but that 24-7 loss at Philly is a constant reminder not to let up.

6. Ravens (6-3)

Had double-digit leads in all three losses before losing by a combined 10 points to the Bills, Giants and Dolphins.

7. 49ers (4-4)

Losing to the Bears and Broncos and getting uncharacteristically smoked at home by the Chiefs was pretty ugly. But if new addition Christian McCaffrey stays healthy, beware NFC.

8. Jets (6-3)

A hungry team playing angry. Two more wins than last season and Sunday's upset of the Bills are résumé boosters in Robert Saleh's battle with Brian Daboll, Pete Carroll and Kevin O'Connell for NFL Coach of the Year.

9. Seahawks (6-3)

Turns out Denver traded for the wrong quarterback. Geno Smith has doubled Russell Wilson's win total, beaten the Giants by two touchdowns and might be the most shocking story in a season filled with them.

10. Giants (6-2)

They're 6-1 in one-score games with Daniel Jones, a quarterback whose fifth-year option they said, "Nah, we're good" to.

11. Dolphins (6-3)

12. Patriots (5-4)

13. Buccaneers (4-5)

14. Chargers (5-3)

15. Bengals (5-4)

16. Falcons (4-5)

17. Titans (5-3)

18. Commanders (4-5)

19. Packers (3-6)

20. Bears (3-6)