1. Vikings (8-1; last week No. 2): Team of Destiny, even if destiny means finding yet another spectacular way to lose in the postseason.
2. Chiefs (7-2; No. 3): The road to Arizona may end up going through Arrowhead, after all.
3. Eagles (8-1; No. 1): The ’72 Dolphins can properly celebrate the 50th anniversary of their achievement.
4. Giants (7-2; No. 6): Quietly, steadily, methodically, they just keep rolling.
5. Dolphins (7-3; No. 9): The offense is becoming more and more unstoppable. The question is whether it will travel in January. Maybe it won’t have to.
6. Ravens (6-3; No. 7): Out of sight for a week, but hardly out of mind when identifying the best teams in the conference.
7. Cowboys (6-3; No. 4): With many more games like Sunday, the Sean Payton chatter will resurface.
8. Jets (6-3; No. 10): Yes, they’re good enough to a step or two up even when on a bye.
9. Bills (6-3; No. 5): Blowing a 17-point second-half lead at home is not what prohibitive Super Bowl favorites do.
10. 49ers (5-4; No. 11): Great teams find a way to win when they’re not playing well.
11. Seahawks (6-4; No. 8): They got the Bucs at the worst possible time, in the worst possible place.
12. Patriots (5-4; No. 12): They can still be a major factor in the AFC playoff field, if they get there.
13. Titans (6-3; No. 14): A short-week visit to Green Bay will be a pretty good litmus test as to whether they’re a real contender.
14. Buccaneers (5-5; No. 16): Dorian Gray is becoming Benjamin Button.
15. Bengals (5-4; No. 15): Now’s the time to start making their move.
16. Commanders (5-5; No. 18): Carson Wentz once lost his job based on how he played in Philly. He’s losing it now based on how his backup played there.
17. Chargers (5-4; No. 13): The playoffs are far from certain for a team that certainly knows how to sabotage itself.
18. Packers (4-6; No. 22): The young receivers are finally getting comfortable. It would have happened sooner if their $50 million quarterback hadn’t ignored them in the offseason.
19. Falcons (4-6; No. 17): No team needs to be able to run the ball more than the Falcons.
20. Cardinals (4-6; No. 23): The Cardinals have their own version of Geno Smith on the roster. And the fans are starting to figure it out.
21. Browns (3-6; No. 19): Nineteen days until Deshaun.
22. Colts (4-5-1; No. 32): Can it continue? Yes, if they play the Raiders every week.
23. Rams (3-6; No. 20): Aaron Rodgers and Tom Brady have been asked whether they regret not retiring. It’s probably time for someone to ask Aaron Donald that same question.
24. Lions (3-6; No. 27): They’re doing enough to stave off another regime change.
25. Bears (3-7; No. 21): It’s a shame to have Justin Fields‘s brilliance go wasted so often.
26. Panthers (3-7; No. 28): Baker Mayfield gets another chance to show whether he can be a full-time starter.
27. Steelers (3-6; No. 29): With two games still to be played against the Ravens, they aren’t done yet.
28. Broncos (3-6; No. 25): Nathaniel Hackett continues to do himself no favors.
29. Saints (3-7; No. 24): Why isn’t Taysom Hill the starting quarterback?
30. Jaguars (3-7; No. 26): “They have a lot of potential” has been this team’s motto for years.
31. Texans (1-7-1; No. 31): They’re arguably the best 1-7-1 team in league history.
32. Raiders (2-7; No. 30): “Rome wasn’t built in a day.” It didn’t completely collapse in a day, either.