Week 11 of the NFL season is a reminder that there are only two months left before the playoffs. The results of Week 10 tightened things up near the top of the league and also caused some separation for some improving teams away from the bottom.
A few Super Bowl contenders continued to make big statements. There also was more clarity among the several wild-card upstarts in both conferences. On the flip side, some teams kept fading or digging bigger holes.
Here's how all the teams in the league now stack up against each other from No. 1 to No. 32 according to Sporting News' latest power rankings:
MORE: Updated NFL playoff picture after Week 10
NFL power rankings
1. Kansas City Chiefs 8-1 (last week: 1)
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs needed that midseason bye to make things better around Mahomes. He's been on fire passing, but they need to restore their strengths of running game and defense for the stretch run of defending their Super Bowl championship.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers 9-0 (2)
The Steelers were challenged to put together a complete game defensively and came through against the Bengals. They have to be disappointed by their running game issues, but can't complain about their dangerous wide receivers compensating for them.
MORE: Drew Brees roughing the passer call triggers 49ers memories
3. New Orleans Saints 7-2 (3)
The Saints marched right through the 49ers and didn't really change their style of winning much without Drew Brees, just like last season, only with Jameis Winston and Taysom Hill filling in this time. Keep in mind they went 5-0 without Brees in 2019. Their defense and running game always give them a high floor.
4. Green Bay Packers 7-2 (6)
The Packers don't get many style points for winning in windy conditions at Lambeau Field, but they showed their fortitude in outlasting the feisty Jaguars with needed closing defensive punch to complement Aaron Rodgers.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 7-3 (8)
Tom Brady wasn't about to let the Bucs' talented, loaded offense have two clunker games. The defense also used the struggling Panthers to get well. There's still time to catch the Saints and the Bucs did also own the Packers.
MORE: Tom Brady's growing rapport with Antonio Brown helps Bucs offense click
6. Buffalo Bills 7-3 (5)
The Bills thought they were about to escape Arizona with another big win against a tough NFC West foe, only to see their second-half failure capped by a devastating Hail Mary. Defense is still a much bigger concern for Buffalo than anything related to Josh Allen and the offense.
7. Miami Dolphins 6-3 (10)
The Dolphins improved to 3-0 with Tua Tagovailoa but it's really about what they keep doing to improve defensively and with the running game at the same time their inspired rookie quarterback is out there leading. Put Brian Flores on the coach of the year short list.
8. Arizona Cardinals 6-3 (11)
Kliff Kingsbury also belongs on that list with Flores. Kyler Murray belongs on his own list with DeAndre Hopkins after his latest fantastic finish fueled by his diminutive dashing and fiery playmaking for the new first-place team in the NFC West.
IYER: Kyler Murray has flipped Cardinals into real NFC title contenders
9. Los Angeles Rams 6-3 (12)
The Rams' defense has been the story of their 2020 season and got a lot more attention for shutting down the Seahawks. They can still throw for plenty of big plays and run well by committee, too, for Sean McVay's offense.
10. Baltimore Ravens 6-3 (4)
Lamar Jackson and the offense isn't functioning the way it should. The defense has some injuries and has proved to have some lapses. The Ravens have gone from the best regular-season team in the AFC to one trying to cling to a wild card with hopes of a repeat division title slipping away.
11. Seattle Seahawks 6-3 (7)
What was that? The Seahawks' offense had been saving them but once Russell Wilson has a rough outing like that in Los Angeles, there's nothing saving their defense against a balanced, explosive opponent such as the Rams. They need to get back to effective ball control to get well and that means getting Chris Carson back.
12. Las Vegas Raiders 6-3 (13)
The Raiders came out rolling offensively and defensively against the Broncos, playing their style of physical football with a dominant running game with some revamped, tough defense behind it. Now they get another shot at beating the Chiefs next Sunday night to really make the rest of the AFC take notice.
13. Indianapolis Colts 6-3 (15)
The Colts are the new leaders in the AFC South as their defense continues to assert itself and the running back by committee becoming a stronger backbone. There's also finally some wide receiver help for Philip Rivers.
14. Tennessee Titans 6-3 (9)
The Titans are the Seahawks of the AFC with their defensive issues catching up to them and their offensive strength of running the ball starting to not be as dependable. Mike Vrabel's team is at a crossroads, suddenly out of playoff position after a 5-0 start.
15. Cleveland Browns 6-3 (14)
The Browns were able to hold off the upset-minded Texans in an ugly wind-hampered slugfest to show that they are capable of winning games with running and defense when the weather requires it. They'll need a better Baker Mayfield in the second half, however, to make the AFC tournament.
16. Chicago Bears 5-5 (16)
The Bears have traded 5-1 for a four-game losing streak and Nick Foles, now dealing with a scary injury, hasn't really provided the true upgrade at QB from now a shelved Mitchell Trubisky. The offense became more one-dimensional and less complementary to the defense without David Montgomery.
17. New England Patriots 4-5 (22)
Cam Newton and the running game have been revived to carry the offense with finally a healthy wide receiver stepping up in Jakobi Meyers. The defense is hurting in several areas and ineffective in others, but credit Bill and Steve Belichick for overcoming with improved scheming to keep the team alive in the wild-card race.
18. Minnesota Vikings 4-5 (19)
The Vikings can't do much about the results ahead of them in the NFC and the fact they don't get to play in the East to overcome a slow start. They just need to keep grinding and winning, focusing everything they do around Dalvin Cook.
19. Detroit Lions 4-5 (20)
The Lions are doing just enough to help Matt Patricia and Bob Quinn have a chance to stick around beyond 2020, but it might be a frustrating end as they might end up just outside of the playoff chase. At least their offense looks complete with Matthew Stafford and D'Andre Swift now.
20. Philadelphia Eagles 3-5-1 (18)
What was that? Doug Pederson's team once again came out flat until it was too late after the Week 9 bye, despite expecting to explode offensively with better health and tightening many of the screws behind their strong defensive front. Carson Wentz has no more excuses — he must lift his team with consistent top play.
21. San Francisco 49ers 4-6 (17)
Nick Mullens had the offense playing hard and the defense scrapped as much as it could, both against Brees and other Saints QBs. The injuries just have depleted the key talent on both sides a little too much.
22. Atlanta Falcons 3-6 (26)
The Falcons will try to finish strong for Raheem Morris after the bye. That will be difficult as they still need to play the Saints and Buccaneers twice and the Chiefs and Raiders also loom on the schedule.
23. Denver Broncos 3-6 (21)
Drew Lock seemed to have turned a corner with the Chargers and Falcons games, but his breakdown against a shaky Raiders defense isn't all that inspiring, especially for John Elway. Now other parts of Vic Fangio's defense are starting to fall apart, too.
24. New York Giants 3-7 (30)
The Giants can think about what have been in several close losses before they finished of late, twice against Washington and now against the Eagles. The defense is overachieving with key linchpin talent for Joe Judge and the offense is finding its balanced beat far removed from losing Saquon Barkley.
25. Cincinnati Bengals 2-6-1 (24)
The Bengals' pass-protection and run-blocking issues did them no favors against the Steelers' front to assist Joe Burrow. While the run defense looks OK, now the pass defense has become putrid.
26. Carolina Panthers 3-7 (23)
The Panthers' run defense is bad and got worse against the Buccaneers. Their once capable pass defense also has lost it in recent weeks. Now the offense needs to deal with Teddy Bridgewater beng on the shelf after Christian McCaffrey already has missed significant time.
27. Los Angeles Chargers 2-7 (25)
The Chargers lost another one-possession game they could have won against the Dolphins. What else is new? They keep having trouble putting everything together for Anthony Lynn, but keep in mind the defense has become a shell of the strong unit they thought it could be.
28. Houston Texans 2-7 (27)
The Texans seem to have some success moving the ball on the Browns, but didn't play good situational or complementary footbal for Romeo Crennel. This team can't hire a new, forward-thinking leader for Deshaun Watson soon enough.
29. Washington Football Team 2-7 (28)
Ron Rivera and Alex Smith are two of the easiest people for which to root while leading WFT. The defense does its best to go after it for Rivera and Jack Del Rio, and the offensive doesn't quit with Smith's inspired veteran guidance. Unfortunately, there are still too many talent gaps on a rebuilding roster.
30. Dallas Cowboys 2-7 (29)
The Cowboys had a bye and made up ground on both the Eagles and Washington while losing a little on the Giants, whom they already beat. Who knows, maybe some rest and extra film work will help Andy Dalton lead the offense better and the defense can build on that Steelers game to save some face in the second half.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars 1-8 (31)
The Jaguars have plenty of fight thanks to rookies Jake Luton and James Robinson. Unfortunately, they are set up to wilt on every level of their defense with talent limitations caused by youth and injury.
32. New York Jets 0-9 (32)
The Jets' reward for blowing the game against the Patriots in Week 9 was a bye, the only week of the season in which Adam Gase wasn't all but guaranteed to lose a game as their head coach. They are seven more flops away from securing Trevor Lawrence.
