With six weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season over, the pretenders and contenders are starting to take shape, and the Baltimore Ravens are back on track after having a rough start to the season.
We polled the Pro Football Network staff to generate the latest version of our consensus Week 7 NFL Power Rankings.
Where Do the Baltimore Ravens Rank in Our Week 7 NFL Power Rankings?
The 4-2 Ravens rank fourth in Pro Football Network’s Week 7 NFL Power Rankings, the same spot as Week 6.
4) Baltimore Ravens (4-2, Last Week: 4)
The Ravens stumbled out of the gate, but with four straight wins, they deserve to be on the short list of Super Bowl favorites. The pass funnel defense is a major concern, especially with the offensive-minded Buccaneers up next on Monday night.
This is a team positioned to repeat its regular-season success from last season, but its postseason fate won’t be any different from years past if it can’t iron out the secondary.
Teams Above and Below the Ravens in PFN’s Power Rankings
To view the complete list, head to our NFL Week 7 Power Rankings article, where we rank all 32 teams from best to worst.
1) Kansas City Chiefs (5-0; Last Week: 1)
There is no change at the top of the board with the two-time reigning NFL champions on bye. They are a perfect 5-0 for the first time since Patrick Mahomes’ first season as a full-time starter (2018) despite their second-worst point differential through five games over that stretch (+33).
They’ve outscored opponents 27-6 over the final 12 minutes of the regular season, a tightrope for most teams, but this team simply refuses to blink late in games. They come out of their bye with a pair of road games (San Francisco and Las Vegas) – we saw them win on the road last postseason, but that was in a year with a Week 10 bye.
This team will be playing each of the next 12 weeks and might be uniquely motivated to chase the AFC’s top seed despite what they accomplished a season ago.
2) Detroit Lions (4-1, Last Week: 2)
The Lions impressed with a run to the NFC title game last season, and their lone loss this year was to Tampa Bay. In that game, they had two drives get inside the Bucs’ 30-yard line, with an opportunity for the go-ahead score.
Detroit entered this season as the favorite in the NFC North and deserves to be considered as much, even with the Vikings’ undefeated start. We know this offense’s potential, especially with the continued breakout of Jameson Williams. With them ranking among the best on third down, the ceiling is the roof for this team.
That is, as long as Aidan Hutchinson is on the field. The NFL sack leader was injured during the win over the Cowboys, and a significant missed time could have altered the hierarchy of the NFC.
We are counting on the Lions to flex their muscles in Minnesota this weekend.
3) Minnesota Vikings (5-0, Last Week: 3)
The Vikings went into their Week 6 bye with four straight wins over teams that entered 2024 with playoff hopes, and while this team feels a lot like the 2022 version that dominated in close games (11-0 in one-score games), some underlying metrics suggest this team could be a real threat for the long haul.
Kevin O’Connell has unlocked a version of Sam Darnold that we’ve yet to see, and with this aggressive defense leading the league in EPA, the offensive production doesn’t need to be elite for this team to compete at a high level.
After the Lions this week, Minnesota plays four straight, and they will have a great chance to win (Rams-Colts-Jaguars-Titans). Thanks to the red-hot start, if this team can simply win the games they are “supposed” to, the NFC North could be looking at three playoff participants.
[su_highlight background=”#feff25″]4) Baltimore Ravens (4-2, Last Week: 4)[/su_highlight]
5) Houston Texans (5-1, Last Week: 5)
The Texans scored touchdowns on their first two drives in New England and never looked back. They’ve taken care of business throughout a light early season schedule, but the sledding gets a little more difficult in Lambeau this weekend.
The absence of Nico Collins was felt, even in a game in which the Texans scored 41 points (C.J. Stroud averaged just 6.2 yards per pass), but if this offensive line is going to open up the holes that they did against the Patriots, they should be able to produce at an above average rate while they wait for their alpha receiver to return.
If the defense can continue to be opportunistic, this is a team that can very much play late into January.
6) San Francisco 49ers (3-3, Last Week: 7)
Things got a little touch-and-go on Thursday night in Seattle, but the 49ers ultimately survived, helping support the confidence with which we’ve been ranking them.
The divisional win was a step in the right direction, but this team can’t smell the roses as they host the Chiefs and Cowboys over the next two weeks.
This remains a highly efficient team that excels at holding onto the ball, a style of play that we saw work for Aaron Rodgers’ Green Bay Packers of yesteryear. That style of play makes them a threat not only to trend up in the coming weeks but also to represent the NFC if they are healthy for the stretch run.
It sounds as if Week 10 is the target date for Christian McCaffrey, which gives this offense the potential to rank among the best in the game as we progress through December and into January (Weeks 15-18: Rams-Dolphins-Lions-Cardinals). We saw the 49ers use that formula last season (six straight wins following their Week 9 bye), and history could well repeat itself.
7) Buffalo Bills (4-2, Last Week: 6)
The Buffalo Bills overcame several obstacles on Monday night to escape with a 23-20 victory over the Jets in MetLife Stadium. Despite missing starting RB James Cook, Buffalo’s offense had their way with New York’s intimidating defense in Week 6.
While many questioned Buffalo’s strategy to move on from several talented offensive playmakers this offseason, Josh Allen continues to play at an elite level. Allen recorded three total touchdowns against the Jets as the Bills now have a two-game lead in the win column for first place in the AFC East.
8) Green Bay Packers (4-2, Last Week: 8)
The Packers rolled over the Cardinals in Week 6 (34-13) and have now won four of five games after losing the season opener in Brazil. Jordan Love has thrown multiple touchdown passes in 10 straight games, which puts him in pretty rare air.
The potential of this team will ultimately come down to how sticky their turnover rate on defense is. One season after struggling to create extra possessions, they are the best in the business. If they can turn over opponents at an average level, this team has as good a shot as any to be the last one standing in the NFC.
9) Washington Commanders (4-2, Last Week: 9)
There’s no shame in a seven-point loss in Baltimore. This Jayden Daniels-led machine continues to impress, and while their defense comes with plenty of question marks, that flaw shouldn’t limit them from finding success over the next month with the Panthers, Bears, Giants, and Steelers up next.
The competitive nature of the NFC East makes this an interesting team to evaluate, as it is possible that consecutive games within the division (Week 11 at Philadelphia and Week 12 vs. Dallas) could dictate their fate. If this offense is clicking (34.3 PPG over their past four), they have a legitimate chance to beat any team in this league.
10) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-2, Last Week: 11)
With 114 points over the past three weeks, the Bucs look a lot like the early-season Saints. Baker Mayfield is operating with the utmost confidence, and Chris Godwin has proven to be a stabilizing force since being moved back into a full-time slot role.
The pass defense is vastly improved from where they finished last season, though their run defense will be tested on Monday night with the Ravens coming to town. This division isn’t full of well-rounded teams – a consistently aggressive offense with even an average defense should be enough to get this team into the postseason.
