NFL Power Rankings Week 7: Ravens continue top 10 contention

After toppling the Titans in Nashville, the Ravens officially bounced back from their ugly Week 5 loss to the Browns.

Here are the NFL Week 7 Power Rankings and where the Ravens land.

9. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) | Last Week’s Rank: 14 (Washington Post)

This Ravens defense is looking positively fearsome after sacking Marcus Mariota 11 times in Sunday’s shutout of the Titans. It won’t be so easy against Drew Brees and the Saints this weekend in Baltimore.

A top-10 placement sits well with me. Unfortunately, the Post ranks the Steelers above Baltimore in this ranking. I strongly disagree.

6. Baltimore Ravens | Last Week: 9 (SB Nation)

The Ravens might have had Sunday’s best win (though the Cowboys could have something to say about that) after shutting out the Titans in Tennessee. When you notch 11 sacks in a single game, you’re bound to win ... and climb up the power rankings.

Fourth in the AFC and first in the AFC North rankings. I’ll take it! The Bengals dropped to eight after their last-second loss to the Steelers and Pittsburgh climbed into the top 10. Unsurprisingly, the AFC North features three teams in the top 10. Only argument for a stronger division with these power rankings includes the Chargers and Chiefs in the top 5 for the AFC West.

10. Baltimore Ravens (4-2) | Last week: 13 (B/R)

Last week, the Baltimore Ravens traveled to Cleveland and laid an egg against the Browns.

This week, the Ravens traveled to Nashville and laid a piano upside the Titans’ heads.

The Ravens put forth a defensive effort Sunday that the 1985 Bears would be proud of. One hundred and six total yards allowed. Fifty-one passing yards allowed. Seven first downs allowed. Eleven sacks. A shutout in every sense of the word.

Ray Lewis needed oxygen watching this one from home

I feel a reference to the 2000 Ravens would have been better than 1985 Bears, but it’s still a compliment nonetheless.

7. Ravens (4-2) | Previous rank: No. 11 (NFL)

Think about all the devastating Ravens defenses over the years, from the 2000 group that set records to the 2008 unit that pushed the team and its rookie quarterback to the brink of the Super Bowl. Neither of those teams ever posted 11 sacks in the game -- nor has any other unit in Ravens franchise history. Baltimore dominated the Titans. The offense scored twice early, and the game was over. Numbers: Tennessee gained 106 yards. Total. The Titans’ running backs averaged 2.5 yards per carry. The passing game averaged less than 2 yards per dropback. Eight Ravens got a sack. Terrell Suggs now owns 4.5 on the season. He turned 36 last Thursday.

There we go! A reference to historic Ravens’ defenses. Seriously, it’s bewildering how good they played last week.

5. Baltimore Ravens (ESPN)
Record: 4-2
Week 6 ranking: 10^

Playoff chances: 80.5 percent. The Ravens’ next four games are all against teams above .500 (Saints, at Panthers, Steelers, Bengals). The Ravens are 2-1 against teams that entered the game with a winning record this season and have gone .500 or better against such teams since 2014 (their last playoff appearance). -- Clawson

I did not realize their playoff odds were so high. Doesn’t matter though, they aren’t in it yet. In fact, I asked Harbaugh a year or so ago when the team started 3-1 if the statistical odds meant anything and he said it doesn’t matter. It’s a week at a time.