NFL Power Rankings: October 23, 2014

Routing the 49ers, to a 42-17 score, the Broncos move back to top spot for the second time this season. When Manning is on top of his game, and 22-of-26 passing for 318 yards and four touchdowns against San Francisco is right there, the Broncos are really tough to catch.

Key Injuries: RB Montee Ball (groin), OLB Danny Trevathan (knee).

Held to 251 yards by the Chiefs in last week's 23-20 loss, the Chargers still have the look of a conteder. See how they look at Denver Thursday night for a real measuring stick.

Key Injuries: C Nick Hardwick (neck), RB Ryan Mathews (knee), RB Donald Brown (concussion), CB Shareece Wright (knee).

There's a chance that RB DeMarco Murray could fall apart from his heavy workload -- including a league-leading 29.9 touches per game -- but the Cowboys don't have a lot of choice. He might be the MVP to this point in the season and his production is driving this bus.

Key Injuries: ILB Sean Lee (knee), OLB Bruce Carter (thigh).

Not an easy matchup, going to Arizona, this week, but the Eagles are coming off a bye and won 27-0 over the Giants the week before. As this point, that makes them as good a challenger to the Cowboys as any for NFC supremacy.

Key Injuries: C Jason Kelce (hernia), OLB Mychal Kendricks (calf), RG Evan Mathis (knee).

Tough to have a more lopsided result between any teams, let alone two clubs with a winning record, than Indy's 27-0 win over Cincinnati -- a game in which the Colts outgained the Bengals 506 yards to 135.

Key Injuries: RG Donald Thomas (quadriceps), DE Fili Moala (knee), OLB Robert Mathis (suspension/Achilles), S Delano Howell (neck), DE Arthur Jones (ankle), ILB Jerrell Freeman (hamstring), CB Darius Butler (ankle).

Allowed the Jets to get much too close last Thursday, but the Patriots have won three in a row to gain control of the AFC East. It's familiar territory, but didn't seem such a sure thing three weeks ago.

Key Injuries: C Ryan Wendell (knee), RB Stevan Ridley (knee), ILB Jerod Mayo (knee).

Suffered their second straight loss after surprisingly trading WR Percy Harving to the Jets last week -- none of which is a disaster for a team that won the Super Bowl last year without much contribution along the way from Harvin, but the Seahawks don't look like the world-beaters that they appeared to be in the season opener either.

Key Injuries: TE Zach Miller (ankle), C Max Unger (foot), MLB Bobby Wagner (foot).

Getting taken to the woodshed by the Broncos doesn't do much to engender optimism in the 49ers' championship hopes, but a loss at Denver -- even a blowout -- isn't the end of the world if San Francisco rebounds in the coming weeks.

Key Injuries: DT Glenn Dorsey (bicep), RT Anthony Davis (hamstring), ILB Patrick Willis (toe), G Mike Iupati (concussion).

The Ravens are climbing fast, with their only loss in the past six weeks coming by a touchdown at Indianapolis. The past two weeks -- routs over Tampa Bay and Atlanta -- give the Ravens the league's best scoring differential.

Key Injuries: TE Dennis Pitta (hip), RT Eugene Monroe (knee).

The Packers have scored 145 points in the past four games, all wins, and they have been winning the turnover battle.

Key Injuries: C J.C. Tretter (knee), DT B.J. Raji (biceps), RT Bryan Bulaga (knee), OLB Brad Jones (quadriceps).

One of four teams with only one loss, the Cardinals still have some questions in terms of underlying stats, like ranking 28th in yards per game on offence, but they can prove they are for real over the next two weeks with games against Philadelphia and Dallas -- two of those one-loss teams. 

Key Injuries: OLB Daryl Washington (suspension), DT Darnell Dockett (knee), OLB John Abraham (concussion), DE Calais Campbell (knee), OLB Matt Shaughnessy (knee).

Escaped with a one-point win at home against New Orleans, which is an accomplishment in its own right considering that the Lions are rolling without WR Calvin Johnson. Credit WR Golden Tate for stepping up, with a career-best 10 catches for 154 yards against the Saints.

Key Injuries: OLB Kyle Van Noy (core), MLB Stephen Tulloch (knee), WR Calvin Johnson (ankle).

It was looking bleak early against Houston, but the Steelers scored 24 points in the last three-and-a-half minutes of the first half, completely altering the game. Between RB Le'Veon Bell (145 yards from scrimmage, 1 TD on 20 touches) and WR Antonio Brown, who leads the league with 719 receiving yards, the Steelers have some tools to move the ball.

Key Injuries: CB Ike Taylor (forearm), OLB Jarvin Jones (wrist), OLB Ryan Shazier (knee).

The Bengals have allowed 107 points during a winless three-game stretch, a stunning development for what appeared to be a top-tier defence. Just as troubling, injuries have decimated their receiving corps, leaving QB Andy Dalton few options in the passing game.

Key Injuries: WR Marvin Jones (ankle), TE Tyler Eifert (elbow), LG Kevin Zeitler (calf), WR A.J. Green (foot).

Three of the Saints' losses have come by a total of six points, the kind of close-scoring luck that ought to turn but, if it doesn't start soon, then it could be too late to matter this season. 

Key Injuries: FS Jairus Byrd (knee).

As QB Ryan Tannehill plays better, it's easier to picture the Dolphins challenging for a playoff spot, because their defence is holding its own. It's just difficult to put too many expectations on the team based on a short burst of quality quarterback play.

Key Injuries: C Mike Pouncey (hip), ILB Koa Misi (ankle), ILB Dannell Ellerbe (hip), RG Shelley Smith (knee), RB Knowshon Moreno (knee).

Getting handled easily in Jacksonville puts some brakes on the Browns' bandwagon, but home dates against Oakland and Tampa Bay over the next couple weeks present opportunities for the Browns to bounce back.

Key Injuries: WR Josh Gordon (suspension), DE Desmond Bryant (wrist), NT Phil Taylor (knee), DE Armonty Bryant (knee), DE Billy Winn (quad).

One week after throwing for a season-high 381 yards in a convincing win at Atlanta, QB Jay Cutler thew for 190 yards in a decisive loss at home against Miami. Pretty much the story of Cutler's up and down career in two weeks.

Key Injuries: CB Charles Tillman (triceps), DT Jay Ratliff (concussion), C Robert Garza (ankle), LT Jermon Bushrod (knee, ankle).

The Texans are almost good enough to be something. Over the last three weeks, they lost in overtime at Dallas, lost by five to Indy after falling way behind early, then blew their own lead at Pittsburgh. 

Key Injuries: OLB Jadeveon Clowney (knee).

Needed a last-second touchdown to beat Minnesota at home, and lost their top two runners in the process, but the Bills have been more competitive with Kyle Orton calling the shots on offence. If Anthony Dixon and Bryce Brown can keep the running game going, they could be okay.

Key Injuries: MLB Kiko Alonso (knee), OLB Nigel Bradham (knee), RB Fred Jackson (ankle), RB C.J. Spiller (collarbone).

A big win at San Diego, coming off the bye week, because Andy Reid always (14-2 after the bye) wins coming off the bye week. 

Key Injuries: ILB Joe Mays (wrist), FS Eric Berry (ankle), ILB Derrick Johnson (Achilles), WR Donnie Avery (groin), CB Chris Owens (knee).

Had some chances against Dallas, but turned the ball over at inopportune times (like there is a good time to fumble) and the defence couldn't hold. Better get rested on the bye week, because Indianapolis, Seattle, San Francisco and Dallas are up the next four weeks.

Key Injuries: G Geoff Schwartz (toe), MBL Jon Beason (foot), RB Rashard Jennings (knee), CBTrumaine McBride (thumb).

Could not contain Packers QB Aaron Rodgers, who completed 19 of 22 passes, in a 38-17 romp in Green Bay and the Panthers' attack is putting a lot on QB Cam Newton and TE Greg Olsen, with injuries hitting the backfield and receiving corps. Strangely enough, speaking of injuries, RB Jonathan Stewart was healthy enough to get 14 touches at Green Bay.

Key Injuries: DE Greg Hardy (Commissioner's List), RB DeAngelo Williams (ankle), CB Josh Norman (concussion), WR Kelvin Benjamin (concussion).

So, Colt McCoy, Franchise Saviour..who would have guessed?

Key Injuries: QB Robert Griffin III (ankle), CB DeAngelo Hall (Achilles), CB Tracy Porter (hamstring), OLB Brian Orakpo (pectoral).

Managed to pull a win out against Seattle, despite giving up 463 yards, but the Rams ruled the day on special teams, with a 90-yard punt return and a successful fake punt late to seal the victory.

Key Injuries: QB Sam Bradford (knee), CB Trumaine Johnson (knee), DE Chris Long (ankle), QB Shaun Hill (thigh).

Being a quarterback in the NFL isn't an easy business. Jake Locker loses his job as Titans starter to rookie Zach Mettenberger and while it's inconvenient for Locker to lose the job while he was coming back from injury, with the Titans struggling, they might as well see what they have in the proverbial QB of the future.

Key Injuries: ILB Zach Brown (pectoral), SS Bernard Pollard (Achilles), LT Michael Roos (knee).

The Vikings' defence has pulled its weight, allowing 34 points over the past two weeks, but the offence has struggled. It's not altogether surprising while rookie QB Teddy Bridgewater learns on the job.

Key Injuries: RB Adrian Peterson (Commissioner's List), QB Matt Cassel (foot), RG Brandon Fusco (pectoral), TE Kyle Rudolph (sports hernia). 

Outscored 127-68 in four straight losses, the Falcons' decent start is in the rearview mirror and they need to shore up defensively if they have any hope of turning the season around.

Key Injuries: LT Sam Baker (knee), ILB Sean Weatherspoon (Achilles), SS William Moore (shoulder). 

Almost pulled off an upset against the Patriots last week and added WR Percy Harvin for a draft pick. For a 1-6 team, that qualifies as a good week.

Key Injuries: None.

Maybe the bye week will help the Bucs' defence get going, or maybe playing at home against Minnesota will do the trick.

Key Injuries: QB Josh McCown (thumb), FS Dashon Goldson (ankle).

Not only did the Jaguars cruise to a relatively easy win, they got a big running game out of RB Denard Robinson, the former Michigan quarterback, who rushed for 127 yards in his first start.

Key Injuries: WR Justin Blackmon (suspension), WR Ace Sanders (suspension), SS Johnathan Cyprien (concussion).

Not to sugarcoat it too much, but while the Raiders remain winless, they have been much more competitive the past couple weeks, so they're not quite as hapless as they appeared even three weeks ago.

Key Injuries: CB D.J. Hayden (foot), OLB Sio Moore (ankle), FS Tyvon Branch (ankle), WR Rod Streater (foot).