It’s sort of a depressing thought that we’re heading into Week 11. Here’s my top heading into this week.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)
Once again by default, the Eagles remain in my top spot for at least another week. Aside from Dallas Goedert, this Eagles squad should be healthier coming out of the bye week ahead of the Monday night showdown with the Chiefs. The secondary remains a problem and there are flaws with this team, but it’s becoming pretty clear there aren’t many elite teams in the league this year. The Eagles are in the middle of a gauntlet when it comes to the schedule, but as we know this team can beat anyone, but can also lose to anyone (Zach Wilson). Monday night’s game between the Eagles and the Chiefs has game-of-the-year potential.

2. Detroit Lions (7-2)
Coming out of the bye, the Lions’ offense looked as sharp as it has all season. The duo in the backfield of David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibbs is one of if not the best in the league, and Amon-Ra St. Brown is as steady of a receiver as you’ll find. The defense wasn’t at its best on Sunday, but I still believe the biggest difference in the Lions going from plucky to legit is the turnaround on that side of the ball. With the NFC North seemingly on lock and the top seed in the NFC in the headlights, the Lions are a real threat. They face Chicago at home on Sunday.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (7-2)
The Chiefs have been held together all season by its defense and the fact that Patrick Mahomes is playing quarterback, but this is the most flawed Kansas City squad in the Mahomes-Reid era. Nonetheless, they sit at 7-2 coming out of the bye week and have a Super Bowl rematch with the Eagles on the horizon. A win and this team could jump back into the top spot, a loss however could result in a demotion out of the top five.

4. San Francisco 49ers (6-3)
The 49ers are back in the win column and all seems to be right in the Bay Area once again, aside from the fact that Christian McCaffrey’s touchdown streak was snapped on Sunday. Brock Purdy regained his form in a three-touchdown effort, and Deebo Samuel looks healthy after missing the last two games with a shoulder injury. The midseason lull for SF is a thing of the past, and they’ll look to continue playing good football when Tampa Bay comes to town on Sunday. 

5. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
I had a tough time deciding between Miami and Cleveland here but gave Miami the nod since I frankly have more belief in Tua than I do Deshaun Watson. Miami went into the bye after a maddening loss against the Chiefs in Germany where Tua fumbled the game away late, but there’s still a lot to like here. The defense is improving and De’Von Achane could return this week to add firepower to the offense. It’s time for Miami to win a game against a formidable opponent, but that won’t come this week when they face Vegas at home.

6. Cleveland Browns (6-3)
I guess it’s time for me to start believing in the Cleveland Browns. Against all odds, they were able to pull off a stunning upset over the Ravens on the road to remain firmly in the hunt in the AFC North. Deshaun Watson’s lackluster play and injury concerns remain a massive issue, but Cleveland has been able to overcome it thus far with its potent run game and elite defense. Next up, another massive AFC North showdown when 6-3 Pittsburgh comes to town in a game with playoff implications despite it only being Week 11.

7. Baltimore Ravens (7-3)
Well, that was a disastrous loss on Sunday. Come to think of it, all three of Baltimore’s losses (Indy, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland) have all come in the final seconds after a mistake from the Ravens on offense. I’m not out on this team by any means, but that’s the kind of loss that makes you wonder what Baltimore really is. Are they a true contender or just a pretty good team? Lamar Jackson had a bad game and the defense crumbled late, something that needs to get cleaned up if the Ravens have true Super Bowl aspirations. They face the Bengals on Thursday night in what has become a pretty big game for both sides.

8. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
Seattle continues to be very under the radar, but that’s probably exactly how they like it. Geno Smith is not playing as well as he did last season but is certainly doing enough to keep Seattle firmly in the NFC West title mix. The acquisition of Leonard Williams was also under the radar and should pay dividends for a team that lacks a good pass rush. It’s hard to get the correct read on this team, but they’ve won twice as many games as they’ve lost through 10 weeks. They face the Rams on the road Sunday, whom they lost to Week 1 at home in convincing fashion.

9. Dallas Cowboys (6-3)
Dallas is still a team that I have trouble believing in, but it’s hard to keep them out of the Top 10 for now. Dak Prescott has been playing some excellent football and the defense remains very legit, but the lack of a run game is what will end Dallas’ season prematurely when the time comes. A dominant win over the Giants keeps the Mike McCarthy conversation at a minimum for now, but this will be a topic that resurfaces the next time the Cowboys lose. Another easy opponent is on tap for Dallas next week when they travel to Carolina.

10. Houston Texans (5-4)
Welcome to the Top 10 Houston! They take the place of the Bengals, whom they defeated in a thrilling upset last week on the road thanks to the magic of C.J. Stroud once again. Stroud is absolutely legit, and the ability to get the run game cooking only elevated this offense. Houston is a true contender in the AFC South, and Stroud is playing himself onto the MVP ballot with OROY already locked up. It’ll be interesting to see if Houston can keep this going with the young team they have, but they are certainly one of the best stories of the year in the NFL. They face Arizona at home on Sunday.