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What a beautiful mess.
The NFL has 13 teams with at least four wins through six weeks, including two in opposite conferences with league-best 5-1 records.
What? You didn’t project a Buccaneers-Colts matchup in the Super Bowl?
Don’t worry. There are plenty of teams nipping at their heels. There are 11 teams with 4-1 or 4-2 records, which boggles the mind.
The Lions, Eagles and Bills — the consensus three best teams in the NFL entering the weekend — all lost in Week 6 one week after the Chiefs, spiraling Ravens and Bills all lost on the same weekend for the first time since 2017.
How do you separate the NFL’s fourth-best team from its 14th-best team? You crunch the numbers, rely on the eye test and hope for more clarity soon.
Here are The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 7:
1. Buccaneers 5-1 (4)
No Mike Evans, Chris Godwin or Bucky Irving, no problem. Even when Emeka Egbuka joined them on the injury report. Tez Johnson’s first career touchdown catch was an outstretched, leaping gem that created fourth-quarter distance from the 49ers in a 30-19 victory. Jamel Dean’s fourth-down interception and Chase McLoughlin’s 45-yard field goal sealed the win.
2. Packers 3-1-1 (5)
Josh Jacobs rushed for two touchdowns, Tucker Kraft caught a 19-yard touchdown and fill-in kicker Lucas Havrisik put the finishing touch on a 27-18 victory against the Bengals with a 39-yard field goal with 1:52 remaining. Off a bye week, the Packers built a 10-0 lead by out-gaining newcomer Joe Flacco’s Bengals, 240-65, in the first half.
3. Colts 5-1 (6)
Jonathan Taylor scored the go-ahead touchdown with 4:32 remaining and gained a first down on the ensuing possession to run out the clock on a 31-27 win against the Cardinals. Daniel Jones threw for two touchdowns and ran for another to continue his renaissance. The Colts have won six straight home games dating to last season.
4. Lions 4-2 (1)
A game of gutsy decisions was decided on two that backfired on the Lions in a 30-17 loss to the Chiefs. A trick-play touchdown pass from David Montgomery to Jared Goff was wiped out by penalty, and a fourth-down drop by Amon-Ra St. Brown yielded field position. Jameson Williams led the way with six catches for 66 yards and a touchdown.
5. Bills 4-2 (3)
Gashed for 238 yards from scrimmage by Bijan Robinson, the Bills head into the bye week off a second straight loss after falling 24-14 to the Falcons. Josh Allen threw two interceptions, including one in the final minute. Josh Allen strangely underhanded an incompletion on a fourth-and-2 and Elijah Moore dropped a third-and-1 handoff to stall out two second-half drives.
6. Eagles 4-2 (2)
The panic meter is rising after the Eagles lost, 34-17, to the Giants for just their fifth defeat in the rivals’ last 21 meetings. Saquon Barkley rushed for 31 yards on his first two carries and then just 27 on his final 10. Jalen Hurts threw his first interception of the season — a back-breaker in the red zone.
7. Rams 4-2 (9)
The defense stopped four straight runs inside the 4-yard line to keep the score tied before halftime and then Matthew Stafford led two third-quarter touchdown drives in a 17-3 win against the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens. Tyler Higbee and Kyren Williams scored. The Rams overcame Joshua Karty’s fourth missed field goal in six games.
8. Seahawks 4-2 (12)
Jaxon Smith-Njigba caught eight passes for 162 yards and a touchdown and Cooper Kupp also hauled in a score from Sam Darnold in a 20-12 victory against the Jaguars. Darnold also connected with AJ Barner on a 61-yard completion to run out the clock. Byron Murphy II tallied two of the defense’s seven sacks.
9. Jaguars 4-2 (8)
Trevor Lawrence threw two touchdown passes but the Jaguars missed a PAT and a two-point conversion in the loss to the Seahawks. The Jaguars were penalized 10 times for 76 yards and Brian Thomas Jr. dropped a third-down pass with no one around him. The defense failed to add to its league-leading 14 takeaways.
10. Chiefs 3-3 (11)
A vintage Patrick Mahomes four-touchdown performance (three passing, one rushing) spurred the victory against the Lions. Hollywood Brown caught two touchdown passes and Xavier Worthy added another (No. 300 in Mahomes’ career) for a receiving corps that is about to get back Rashee Rice from suspension. The Chiefs didn’t commit a penalty or a turnover.
11. Steelers 4-1 (13)
12. 49ers 4-2 (7)
13. Broncos 4-2 (10)
14. Falcons 3-2 (16)
15. Chargers 4-2 (15)
16. Patriots 4-2 (19)
17. Bears 3-2 (22)
18. Commanders 3-3 (14)
19. Panthers 3-3 (25)
20. Vikings 3-2 (18)
21. Cowboys 2-3-1 (17)
22. Texans 2-3 (20)
23. Giants 2-4 (29)
Jaxson Dart directed a touchdown drive on the first possession for the third straight game — something the Giants hadn’t accomplished since 2009 — to set the tone for the win against the Eagles. Cam Skattebo carried 19 times for 98 yards and three touchdowns. Brian Burns (two sacks) and Cor’Dale Flott (interception) keyed a defensive gem.
24. Ravens 1-5 (21)
25. Bengals 2-4 (23)
26. Cardinals 2-4 (24)
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27. Raiders 2-4 (31)
28. Browns 1-5(26)
29. Saints 1-5 (27)
30. Titans 1-5 (28)
31. Dolphins 1-5 (30)
32. Jets 0-6 (32)
It doesn’t get much uglier than things were in a 13-11 loss to the Broncos. Justin Fields had more yardage lost on nine sacks (55) than gained on completions (45). The Jets, who scored on three field goals and a safety, opted against attempting a late 62-yard field goal despite running 57 offensive plays for 82 total yards.
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