We're just about at the halfway point of the NFL regular season, and not surprisingly, there have been some surprises.
The Los Angeles Rams top our nERD power ratings, and while that may not have necessarily shocked people in August, it has hard to imagine many of them expected them to be head and shoulders above the rest of the league. Our models had them ranked sixth before the year, but now, the ratings suggest the Rams are way ahead of every other team.
That includes the Kansas City Chiefs, who are second and a bit more surprising. They started the year at 16th in nERD, but thanks to a brilliant start from quarterback Patrick Mahomes, the NFL's best offense by Colts lead this category by virtue of being average instead of terrible.
| Team | Rank | Change from Week 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Indianapolis Colts | 14 | +18 |
| Chicago Bears | 5 | +16 |
| Denver Broncos | 10 | +15 |
| Kansas City Chiefs | 2 | +14 |
| Cincinnati Bengals | 16 | +11 |
The Jaguars and Eagles are among the teams have who moved in the other direction since the start of the season.
| Team | Rank | Change from Week 1 |
|---|---|---|
| Minnesota Vikings | 12 | -10 |
| Atlanta Falcons | 22 | -10 |
| Arizona Cardinals | 31 | -11 |
| Philadelphia Eagles | 13 | -12 |
| San Francisco 49ers | 29 | -14 |
| Jacksonville Jaguars | 23 | -16 |