With six weeks of the 2024 NFL regular season over, the pretenders and contenders are starting to take shape, and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the driver’s seat for the NFC South Division Championship.
We polled the Pro Football Network staff to generate the latest version of our consensus Week 7 NFL Power Rankings. Scroll down for our take on the Buccaneers, along with where teams rank above and behind them.
To view the complete list, head to our NFL Week 7 Power Rankings article, where we rank all 32 teams from best to worst.
Where Do the Tampa Bay Buccaneers Rank in Our Week 7 NFL Power Rankings?
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.
Teams Above the Buccaneers in PFN’s Power Rankings
Looking for all 32 teams? Check out our full NFL Week 7 Power Rankings article, where you can get analysis on every team.
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.
Teams Below the Commanders in PFN’s Power Rankings
11) Philadelphia Eagles (3-2, Last Week: 10)
The Eagles weren’t exactly sharp in their return from the bye, but they did just enough to get past Cleveland in Week 6 (20-16 win). Jalen Hurts looked comfortable with his two primary weapons back, and that gives this offense elite potential, with Saquon Barkley looking as good as any back in the league.
This defense has picked up its blitz rate (25.7% from 21.6% last season), and if it can be selectively aggressive in supporting its offense, this team has the potential to live up to the promise that it has shown in spurts over the past two seasons. With the Giants, Bengals, and Jaguars on its upcoming schedule, this team could be considered one of the best in the conference by this time next month.
12) Chicago Bears (4-2, Last Week: 17)
The Bears opened the season with four straight one-score games, but they’ve out-scored the Panthers and Jaguars 71-26 over the past two weeks as Caleb Williams has shown plenty of development in a short window.
In those games, the top overall pick in April has racked up 530 passing yards and six touchdowns on just 58 attempts, not to mention 90 yards on the ground. This defense has been a top-five unit across the statistical buffet since the mid-way point of last season and is looking a lot like a team that could make noise in the loaded NFC North (three straight divisional games from Weeks 11-13).
13) Atlanta Falcons (3-2, Last Week: 14)
The development of this Falcons team is encouraging. We saw Kirk Cousins throw for 509 yards in Week 5, and in Week 6, they relied on the ground game. That level of offensive versatility was missing a season ago and fuels the optimism that this team can make the playoffs for the first time since 2017.
The defense has been good enough, and if that continues to be the case, it’s not hard to see this team put together a nice regular season. If they can sustain their current momentum and show well over the next month, a double-digit win season is a possibility due to an easier finishing kick (they play the Raiders, Giants, and Panthers as a part of their final four games).