NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Eagles can prove they're for real by beating the Cardinals

Here is a weekly round-up of how various media outlets have ranked the Philadelphia Eagles in their NFL power rankings. The Eagles are coming off their second straight win. Let's start by revisiting my rankings.

Bleeding Green Nation

13) Don't look now, but the Eagles are somehow only a few spots away from being in the top 10. The Birds have won two games in a row. They can win the NFC East by getting two wins in their last two games. (LW: 17)

SB Nation

13) It's not typically all that pretty for Washington, but the team plays with toughness and violence on both sides of the ball and that gives it a good shot at winning the NFC East. They've got some competition in the Eagles, though, who won their second straight against an AFC East opponent. A week after knocking off the Patriots, they knocked off the Bills in Philly, spoiling LeSean McCoy's homecoming. Things are still a little up and down on defense for the Eagles, but the good news is that Sam Bradford looked more comfortable in the passing game this week against Buffalo's secondary. If he can parlay that into some confidence down the stretch, it may be enough to propel Philly to an NFC East title. (LW: 21)

Football Outsiders

18) N/A (LW: 20)

Pro Football Focus

13) Vinny Curry has a pass rushing productivity of 10.5, which is fourth-best among 3-4 defensive ends with at least 200 pass rushes. He has five sacks, eight hits, and 23 hurries on 268 pass rushes. (LW: 16)

numberFire

17) N/A (LW: 18)

The MMQB

12) Sam Bradford has thrown one pick in his past four games. Maybe the Chip Kelly ethos is correct. That ethos: Be patient; a good quarterback’s going to be good, except probably not overnight. (LW: 14)

ESPN

12) Sam Bradford has improved in the Eagles' offense this season. He has five touchdowns and one interception in his past four games after throwing nine touchdowns and 10 interceptions in his first seven games. (LW: 19)

NFL.com

15)  It's officially OK, Philly sports fans. Pull your Wilbert Montgomery poster out of the closet and put it back on the wall. Shoot, grab your Von Hayes Fleer cards, too. The Eagles are worth going to Chickie's and Pete's to watch the game again. One week after shocking the Patriots, Philadelphia stayed atop the NFC East with a clutch win over a just-as-desperate Bills team. Props to the bendable-but-stout-when-it-mattered defense. Elsewhere, LeSean McCoy didn't return Chip Kelly's phone call. Well, I bet Kelly isn't endorsing Shady on LinkedIn. So there. (LW: 22)

CBS (Prisco)

20) They stayed alive in the bad NFC East by beating the Bills. Now comes a tough one with the Arizona Cardinals. (LW: 23)

Yahoo!

17) This week's game against the Cardinals will be interesting. If they can win, do we wonder if the Eagles can win a playoff game too? It would give them a three-game winning streak with wins over the Patriots, Bills and Cardinals. (LW: 19)

FOX Sports

13) After giving up a total of 90 points combined in five days, the Eagles have won two in a row and might be the NFL’s hottest team with a losing record, for what that’s worth. (LW: 17)

Reddit

14) The Eagles continue to roll, spoiling LeSean McCoy's angst-torn return to Philadelphia. Sam Bradford has looked the part for consecutive weeks, and Nelson Agholor was informed that, yes, he was on the team and eligible to catch passes thrown at him. Tentatively perched atop the NFC East, the Eagles host an avian party with the Cardinals on Sunday Night Football™. (LW: 19)

PFT

13) Chip Kelly may not have called LeSean McCoy last week. Chip definitely should give him a call this week. (LW: 18)

USA Today

13) A team left for dead just two weeks ago suddenly controls its playoff fate. NFC East membership has its, ahem, privileges. (LW: 21)

Business Insider

12) The Eagles have surged to a tie in the NFC East. A game against the Cardinals next week will determine if this team is serious. (LW: 20)

Newsday

12) Sam Bradford is really starting to look comfortable in Chip Kelly’s offense, and just in time. The Eagles come up big in a 23-20 home win over the Bills and LeSean McCoy. (LW: 16)

Washington Post

12) Chip Kelly didn’t need to say anything, as it turned out. He could use the final score Sunday as the last word in the LeSean McCoy matter. The Eagles beat McCoy and the Bills and now have two straight wins on the heels of an ugly three-game losing streak. It doesn’t mean the Eagles are a good team. Far from that, in fact. But it won’t take being a good team to win the NFC East this season. (LW: 17)

Chicago Tribune

13) Chip Kelly gets the last laugh with LeSean McCoy. (LW: 17)

Houston Chronicle

11) Controversy seems to have pulled together the Eagles, who have consecutive victories over New England and Buffalo. (LW: 16)

Football Insiders

13) After a pair of horrific losses to the Lions and Buccaneers, the Eagles have found a way to win two in a row, and they are right back in the hunt in the NFC East.

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Analysis

The rankings range from as high as 11 to as low as 20. 13 was the most common ranking. 13.8 is the average ranking. That's nearly five spots up from last week's average ranking of 18.7.

The Eagles are in a good spot with three games remaining. As long as they take care of business in the final two weeks, it doesn't matter if they beat the Cardinals or not this week. A win over Arizona would certainly make people feel better about Philadelphia's chances as an actual threat to win a playoff game, however. It'll be a tough challenge. Arizona is really good.