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Here we’ll look at five major NFL news outlets and their weekly Power Rankings to see where the New Orleans Saints stack up week-to-week. Here’s where ESPN, CBS, Yahoo, Bleacher Report and NFL.com rank the Saints after their Week 7 win against the Green Bay Packers.
ESPN - #14 (+/-)
After Week 2, the Saints were 0-2 and the only winless team in the NFC South. Since then, their chances of winning the division have jumped from 1.3 percent to 63.7 percent. An improved defense has helped New Orleans greatly. The Saints have allowed the second-fewest points per drive over their four-game win streak, trailing only the Jaguars.
CBS - #7 (+4)
They've ripped off four consecutive victories to take over first place in the division. The defense has taken major steps forward.
Yahoo - #8 (+5)
OK, it’s time to take the Saints seriously. Even if it was Brett Hundley, holding a Packers team with some legitimate weapons to less than 100 yards passing says their defensive resurgence is for real. This is the best team in the NFC South, right?
Bleacher Report - #5 (+2)
N/A
NFL - #8 (+2)
The Saints keep on winning. Sunday's triumph in Green Bay didn't go off without a hitch, though, as Drew Brees threw two bad balls to ensure the Packers would stay in the game. While some folks might point to the opposing QB -- Brett Hundley, who was making his first career start in place of Aaron Rodgers -- to temper enthusiasm for this New Orleans group, keep in mind how well coordinator Dennis Allen's defense has been playing for weeks now. New Orleans' four-game win streak has been fueled by defensive play, not necessarily Brees airing it out (although he's had a fine campaign).
In case you were wondering, the Saints have only beaten the Packers in Wisconsin two other times -- and only once at Lambeau, in 2006, when Brees, in his first year under center for New Orleans, bested Brett Favre. The other road win? It came back in 1971, at Milwaukee County Stadium. A rookie named Archie Manning and Bart Starr played in that sucker. That was Starr's last year.
Average Power Ranking Composite: #8 (+3)