For more info you can find the archive of previous Power Rankings posts, including the initial offseason rankings that detail much of the methodology of coming up with the Week 1 rankings, which only carry roughly 2% weight at this point in the season.
TEAM OFFENSIVE AND DEFENSIVE STRENGTH
*Downloadable power ratings/rankings available in the paid subscriber Google sheet.
I revamped this plot below to only factor in 2024 numbers. It’s a clearer delineation of how teams have performed so far this year, knowing that I also add in some 2023 priors and injury adjustments, primarily at quarterback.
It looks like we’re getting a little more clarity on who the top teams in the NFL really are, even if I wouldn’t have much confidence in the rank-ordering among them. The Detroit Lions have been the best team in the NFL this season, combining the second best offense with a top-10 defense. But they’re closely followed by the Buffalo Bills and Philadelphia Eagles, who both have a similar combination of good offense and defense. The outlier top team is the Baltimore Ravens, with a top-notch offense, but a defense struggling to stay out of the bottom-10, a very different picture from last season.
