NFL Week 7: Power Rankings and Key Lessons from Each Team in 2025

Welcome to Week 7 of the 2025 NFL season! The Jets are still winless after falling to the Broncos in London, while the Chiefs bounced back with a win over the Lions. Surprisingly, the Buccaneers lead the NFC. How do these teams fit into our updated Power Rankings?We’ve restructured the NFL heading into Week 7, which includes bye weeks for Buffalo and Baltimore. In addition to the 1-to-32 rankings, our NFL Nation reporters selected a lesson learned from each team this season. Which teams and players are underperforming? What has worked surprisingly well for teams after six weeks? Let’s go!

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the 49ers 30-19. Week 6 Ranking: 4 Lesson learned: The Bucs are much better equipped to weather injuries. The Bucs lost three games last season without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin Jr., and yet, in the last two weeks, Baker Mayfield and this defense have managed back-to-back wins without both receivers. In fact, Mayfield secured last Sunday’s victory with only one healthy starting player at the end of the game, tight end Cade Otton. The Bucs ended up having the fifth, sixth, seventh, and eighth wide receivers, two of whom scored their first touchdowns in the NFL. And the defense may be short at cornerback again, but its depth and ability to get turnovers have catapulted Tampa Bay to the top of the NFC. – Jenna Laine

2. Detroit Lions (4-2)

Week 6 Result: Lost to the Chiefs 30-17. Week 6 Standings: 1 Lesson learned: Aidan Hutchinson is back in top form after a serious leg injury. A leg fracture ended Hutchinson’s 2024 season prematurely, but he picked up where he left off as one of the league’s top pass rushers. He set a team record in a single season by producing at least 1.0 sacks in five consecutive games, in addition to another franchise mark of four straight games with a forced fumble. His 24 pressures are also the most in the NFL, as he is moving fluidly after a tough rehabilitation process. – Eric Woodyard

3. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Week 6 Result: Lost to the Falcons 24-14. Week 6 Ranking: 2 Lesson learned: This Bills team still has a lot to learn about itself.

At the start of the season, expectations for the Bills were high, with reigning MVP Josh Allen poised for another big year. But if anything has become clear for this team in six games, it’s that there are still some important questions to be answered to truly have a chance to win a Super Bowl title. Is the defense talented enough to put together a complete game? Is there enough talent at wide receiver to give Allen targets downfield? The limitations of this team have been clear, even in wins, and there is work to be done. – Alaina Getzenberg

4. Indianapolis Colts (5-1)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Cardinals 31-27. Week 6 standings: 5 Lesson learned: They were right about quarterback Daniel Jones. The Colts have a long way to go after playing a relatively easy schedule, but it’s impossible to ignore what Jones has done since being given the starting job in his first season in Indianapolis. Jones, who beat out incumbent starter Anthony Richardson Sr. in a preseason battle, leads the NFL in QBR (79.9) and is third in completion percentage (71.7%). Jones has also shown his versatility and toughness, as only Jalen Hurts (five) of the Eagles has more than Jones’ four rushing touchdowns. – Stephen Holder

5. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

Result of Week 6: Lost to the Giants 34-17. Week 6 Standings: 3 Lesson learned: Repeating as Super Bowl champions is difficult. The offensive line is bruised and not performing up to its usual dominant standard. Running back Saquon Barkley has less running room, sending shockwaves through an offense that relied heavily on his production a year ago. The defense lost several key players and looks more vulnerable. The Eagles are playing a first-place schedule and have one of the toughest schedules in the NFL. Add all that up and add the fact that every team they play is extra motivated to beat the champions and you have a long road back to a possible repeat. – Tim McManus

1:36 Schefter: NFL trades will happen this week. Adam Schefter details to Pat McAfee the buyers and sellers in the NFL trade market.

6. Green Bay Packers (3-1-1)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Bengals 27-18. Week 6 Standings: 8 Lesson learned: Green Bay is playing with fire. The Packers are the only NFL team that has held a double-digit lead in every game this season. But in the last three games, those leads weren’t safe. They squandered a 10-0 lead in a 13-10 loss to the Browns. They were up 13-0 against the Cowboys but walked away with a 40-40 tie. And in the last game, they saw a 14-point lead in the second half cut to six points against the Bengals. They’ve established a dangerous way to live. – Rob Demovsky

7. Los Angeles Rams (4-2)

Week 6 Result: They defeated the Ravens 17-3. Week 6 Ranking: 9 Lesson learned: The Rams must solve their kicking problems if they want to be Super Bowl contenders. The Rams’ special teams protection issues have led to four blocked kicks, and they again dealt with kicking woes in Week 6 when Joshua Karty missed a 26-yard field goal in the first quarter. “I thought the protection was good,” said head coach Sean McVay. “We’ve got to make the kick. We ended up missing the kick. We ended up hitting the second one not very clean there. The pressure felt a little high.” The Rams have had two extra points blocked this season, which is as many as the rest of the league combined, according to ESPN Research. – Sarah Barshop

8. Seattle Seahawks (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Jaguars 20-12. Week 6 Ranking: 11 Lesson learned: Don’t rule out a first-round pick after a disappointing season. Defensive tackle Byron Murphy II is showing why. The No. 16 pick in 2024 was disruptive enough as a rookie, but not productive, finishing with a half-sack and two tackles for loss in 14 games. But he’s making a big jump in his second year. Along with seven pressures, Murphy had two sacks on Sunday to give him a team-high 4.5 through six games. Defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence also said Murphy is “without a doubt” the team’s best run defender. – Brady Henderson

9. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Lions 30-17. Week 6 Standings: 7 Lesson learned: The offensive line is no longer a problem. Much of the Chiefs’ offseason centered on general manager Brett Veach and coach Andy Reid fixing the offensive line, especially at left tackle. The Chiefs signed left tackle Jaylon Moore in free agency and drafted rookie left tackle Josh Simmons. They also moved Kingsley Suamataia to left guard to replace Joe Thuney, who was traded to the Bears. Each player in the trio has performed well, turning the offensive line into a strength once again for quarterback Patrick Mahomes. – Nate Taylor

10. Denver Broncos (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Jets 13-11. Week 6 Ranking: 10 Lesson learned: Don’t look now, but coach Sean Payton has a defense-driven team. Payton’s offensive curriculum was a big part of why he was hired in 2023, but the Broncos are 4-2 due to a defense that leads the league in sacks (30), expected defensive points added (31.43), and opposing QBR (43.5). Cornerback Pat Surtain II continues to bother the league’s top receivers, and outside linebacker Nik Bonitto is tied for the NFL lead in sacks (seven). Denver pressures across the defensive line and has the secondary depth to play any nickel or dime variation. The Broncos’ aggression has given up one or two big plays, see Weeks 2 and 3, but they have overcome their mistakes on offense and special teams with a playoff-worthy defense. – Jeff Legwold

11. San Francisco 49ers (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They lost to the Buccaneers 30-19. Week 6 Standings: 6 Lesson learned: The 49ers are tough, but that might not be enough to compensate for their injuries. The Niners seemed destined to lose at some point in the six games, but they found a way to win four of them. That’s a credit to coach Kyle Shanahan and his staff, as well as the veteran leaders tasked with setting a standard. But the 49ers have again been ravaged by injuries, losing defensive star Nick Bosa (knee) and linebacker Fred Warner (ankle) for the season, in addition to other injuries to key players. Resilience is an important trait for any NFL team, but eventually talent triumphs over intangibles. That means things are only going to get more difficult for San Francisco. – Nick Wagoner

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-1)

Week 6 Result: They defeated the Browns 23-9. Week 6 Ranking: 13 Lesson learned: Aaron Rodgers doesn’t have to do it all alone. The Steelers lead the league in average yards after reception per reception (7.3) but are last in air yards per target (5.3). That means they don’t trust their 41-year-old quarterback to throw the ball downfield for spectacular plays. Instead, the recipe of getting the ball out of his hands quickly and into the hands of his playmakers is working for a Steelers offense that averages a respectable 23.8 points. Aaron Rodgers’ total QBR of 49.0 ranks 22nd in the league, but he’s completing 68.8% of his attempts (12th best). – Brooke Pryor

1:09 McAfee: This is the best Aaron Rodgers has looked in years. Pat McAfee is very impressed by what he has seen from Aaron Rodgers and the Steelers offense this season.

13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Dolphins 29-27. Week 6 Ranking: 14 Lesson learned: Offensive coordinator Greg Roman has evolved. Roman resigned as Baltimore’s offensive coordinator after the 2022 season amid criticism from players and fans about the team’s unimaginative passing offense. Three seasons later, he leads one of the league’s best passing offenses. The Chargers’ running game has fluctuated, with injuries on the offensive line and in the backfield. Their strongest position on offense is at receiver, so Roman has leaned on his receivers and quarterback Justin Herbert to make plays. Herbert is eighth in the NFL in passing yards (1,493) this season. – Kris Rhim

14. New England Patriots (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Saints 25-19. Week 6 Standings: 17 Lesson learned: Quarterback Drake Maye has made the jump from his second year. Maye threw for 261 yards and three touchdowns against the Saints, with a passer rating of 140.1. He became the fourth player in NFL history under the age of 24 to record at least 200 passing yards and a passer rating of 100 or more in five consecutive games, joining Patrick Mahomes (seven straight in 2018 and five in 2018-19), Dan Marino (six in 1984), and Dak Prescott (five in 2016). – Mike Reiss

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-2)

Result of Week 6: They lost to the Seahawks 20-12. Week 6 Ranking: 15 Lesson learned: Pass rush is your biggest weakness. The Jaguars are 13th in the NFL in quarterback pressures (73) but have only managed eight sacks, the third-lowest total in the league. Josh Hines-Allen has only managed half a sack; Travon Walker has two; and Dawuane Smoot has one. That’s the production of the team’s top three pass rushers through six games of the season, which equals the season total of defensive tackle Arik Armstead by himself. – Mike DiRocco

16. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)

Result of Week 6: They defeated the Bills 24-14. Week 6 Ranking: 19 Lesson learned: Running back Bijan Robinson is the focal point of the offense. In his third season, Robinson has become one of the league’s elite offensive weapons. On Monday night, he could have become an MVP candidate with 238 yards from scrimmage, including an 81-yard touchdown against the Bills. Robinson leads the NFL with 164.4 yards from scrimmage per game. He is only the second player in history to have 450 rushing yards and 300 receiving yards through five games. The other was Thurman Thomas in 1991. – Marc Raimondi

17. Washington Commanders (3-3)

Result of Week 6: Lost to the Bears 25-24. Week 6 Ranking: 14 Lesson learned: Javon Kinlaw’s contract has been a bargain.

When Washington signed the veteran defensive tackle to a contract averaging $15 million per year, many scratched their heads. But Kinlaw ranks 13th among defensive tackles with a 40.2% run-stop win rate (his previous career best was 35%). He has been credited with seven run stops, already a career high. Washington wanted Kinlaw because they believed he was still on the rise after multiple injuries hampered his growth. He has now been healthy for two consecutive seasons and is really producing. Washington’s run defense still needs some work, as it ranks 20th after finishing 30th last season, even with Kinlaw doing his part. – John Keim

18. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)

Week 6 Result: Rest

Lesson learned: Quarterback decisions are subject to scrutiny. The team decided not to use the franchise tag on Sam Darnold, couldn’t re-sign Daniel Jones, didn’t go for Aaron Rodgers, and then traded for Sam Howell. Those moves were all in service of elevating J.J. McCarthy, the number 10 pick in 2024. It was a defensible position, considering the value of McCarthy’s rookie contract, but McCarthy produced the second-worst QBR in the NFL in the first two weeks and has since been sidelined by a high right ankle sprain. Meanwhile, Jones and Darnold rank first and third,