NFL power rankings Week 11: Stars are bright for Texans, Cowboys

NFL power rankings entering Week 11 of the 2023 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Eagles (2): Hope you're rested, fellas – especially you, Jalen Hurts (knee). Philadelphia kicks off a five-game obstacle course against some of the league's elite teams Monday night with a Super Bowl 57 rematch at Kansas City. And with TE Dallas Goedert dealing with a broken forearm, a fifth-ranked offense is down one significant element. Seems like a lot of negativity here, but this is a team with 8-1 starts in consecutive seasons and one well-equipped to persevere now that its inevitable regular-season test has arrived.

2. Chiefs (3): Unlike Philly, five of the reigning champs' next six games are against teams that don't have winning records – though they're unlikely to have the Taylor Swift edge given she's touring in South America. Still, a good time to see if an eighth-ranked offense finally ticks up. And you can't accuse QB Patrick Mahomes of not trying all available options, establishing a new record during the Super Bowl era (since 1966) by completing passes to at least 10 different players in six games this season.

3. 49ers (4): Told you they'd be fine with All-Pro LT Trent Williams and WR Deebo Samuel back in the lineup. And let's give a little more love to Pro Bowler George Kittle, who's now surpassed 500 receiving yards in all seven of his professional seasons – the fourth tight end in NFL history to manage the feat.

4. Browns (13): You wonder what Cleveland could be if the team was ever mostly healthy, QB Deshaun Watson's ankle issue the latest concerning malady. But let's celebrate these Dawgs for what they are – a tough club on both sides of the ball, and one that can win in a place like Baltimore even when the league's No. 1 defense has an off day.

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5. Ravens (1): We reluctantly anointed them as the NFL's best team a week ago and got burned for it after losing sight of Baltimore's (probably) fatal flaw – a long-standing and uncanny inability to close out games in the fourth quarter, something they've failed to do in all three of their losses, including Sunday to the Browns. Unrectified, this will likely be what costs the Ravens a shot at Super Bowl 58 and maybe another MVP award for QB Lamar Jackson.

6. Lions (7): Funny to watch Dan Campbell beat the Bolts' Brandon Staley at the analytics game with his bold but successful decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 with 1:47 left Sunday prior to Detroit's game-winning FG. "(H)e’s got big (guts), and he showed it there," QB Jared Goff said of his coach. (Though, in retrospect, does Staley ever win the analytics battle?)

7. Cowboys (8): The last time Dallas had two receivers with 150+ yards in a game? How about 1985, with Doug Cosbie and Tony Hill. The last time WR CeeDee Lamb didn't have 150+ yards in a game? Try October 16 (when he had just 117).

8. Dolphins (10): The anti-Eagles, Miami's next five games occurring against teams no better than .500 – a golden opportunity for the Fins to put a chokehold on the eminently winnable AFC East.

9. Texans (15): Just, wow. QB C.J. Stroud has pretty much wrapped up the Offensive Rookie of the Year award – perhaps the first rookie ever to throw for 5,000 yards in a season − and is getting traction as potentially the first freshman to win league MVP honors in the Super Bowl era. Shouldn't hurt his cause to play the next three weeks in Houston and maybe get some help from the ground game after RB Devin Singletary exploded for a career-high 150 rushing yards Sunday.

10. Bengals (6): Tough way to lose your four-game winning streak … especially when you wonder if a healthy Tee Higgins catches the likely game-winning TD pass that Tyler Boyd dropped in the end zone. But Cincinnati better rebound fast for this Thursday night's trip to Baltimore – a contest which Higgins and DE Trey Hendrickson might have to sit out.

11. Jaguars (5): A resounding end to their five-game winning streak is also probably a reminder how reliant they are on turnovers. Jacksonville didn't generate even one takeaway for the first time since Week 3, the Jags' previous loss.

12. Steelers (11): In case you're counting, and you probably should be, that's nine consecutive wins in one-score games dating to last season. Let's see if they can sustain the mojo going into what could be a pair of season-defining roadies at Cleveland and Cincinnati.

13. Seahawks (12): Never heard of LB Boye Mafe? He's the first Seattle player to notch sacks in seven consecutive games. And you've surely heard of DE Leonard Williams, who got his first sack as a Seahawk on Sunday.

14. Bills (9): They haven't failed to have a winning record through 10 games since QB Josh Allen, suddenly a turnover machine, was a rookie. Monday night's gut-punch loss to Denver feels indicative of a season slipping away amid so many self-inflicted wounds.

15. Chargers (14): In QB Justin Herbert's three-plus seasons, the Bolts have lost 13 games by three or fewer points – the most in the NFL since 2020. Sorry, but not blaming him for this.

16. Vikings (16): Can the Josh Dobbs story actually get better? He threw for a career-best 268 yards Sunday and already leads Minnesota with two rushing TDs (in just two games). But this fairy tale could go next level amid the pending return of All-Pro WR Justin Jefferson.

17. Colts (17): Maybe they should relocate to Germany so DL Dayo Odeyingbo (career-high three sacks Sunday) and Austrian LT Bernhard Raimann can continue turning in huge performances in front of their family members.

18. Raiders (24): They play blocks away from New York-New York Hotel & Casino, so not a huge surprise they were able to take out the Giants and Jets just off the Strip. But the next three opponents for interim HC Antonio Pierce and Co. are projected to reach the playoffs, so maybe no longer wise to bet on (Silver and) Black.

19. Rams (23): Considering the short-order career rehab Baker Mayfield received in LA last year, gotta admit we're curious to see what HC Sean McVay could do with Carson Wentz as his quarterback.

20. Jets (18): They finally scored on their opening drive Sunday night … yet they also ran their touchdown drought to 36 consecutive drives. Per OptaSTATS, Zach Wilson is the first quarterback in league history to throw for at least 250 yards in successive weeks while failing to get his offense into the end zone even one time.

21. Buccaneers (21): Amazingly, a win Sunday will put Tampa Bay back in first place. All the Bucs, losers of four of their past five, have to do is win at San Francisco.

22. Saints (22): It's been a tough season physically for QB Derek Carr, and at least he gets the bye week to recover from the beating he took Sunday in Minnesota. Yet it sounds like New Orleans might not get WR Michael Thomas (knee) back.

23. Broncos (25): Three wins in a row, two over perennial playoff teams, and headed back to Denver for the next two? Might be time to restore "Broncos Country, let's ride" privileges to QB Russell Wilson.

24. Titans (19): When K Nick Folk starts missing field goals – misfiring on his first of 2023 on Sunday – you pretty much know this season is officially a lost cause.

25. Falcons (20): Their three-game losing streak comes courtesy of a total deficit of 10 points. Close, but no cigars – a commodity apparently monopolized by the Raiders.

26. Packers (26): After totaling 62 points in the season's first two weeks, Green Bay hasn't exceeded 20 in a game since.

27. Cardinals (32): How quickly things can change with QB Kyler Murray and RB James Conner back in the lineup. But let's not discount the contributions of Trey McBride, the first Arizona tight end to top 100 receiving yards in 34 years.

28. Bears (27): Pretty cool when you can improve your draft position by beating the hapless team whose first-round pick you already own.

29. Commanders (28): No team is averaging fewer rushing attempts per game than Washington's 20.2. They've topped 100 yards on the ground once in the past six weeks – perhaps not coincidentally the Week 9 win at New England.

30. Patriots (29): They haven't beaten a non-divisional team in 11 months, that last victory coming in the game when Murray tore his ACL in December.

31. Panthers (30): From rookie QB Bryce Young's stunted development to game management, does it feel like it's getting late early for first-year HC Frank Reich?

32. Giants (31): The league's worst offense. HC Brian Daboll getting awfully salty in the bench area. Rookie QB Tommy DeVito looking like he belongs in the USFL. Otherwise, little to worry about.

Follow USA TODAY Sports' Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter @ByNateDavis.