Our NFL Team Rankings are based solely on the The Trench Counter, which is an objective formula measuring average yards per pass and run on both offense and defense, along with first downs registered and given up, turnovers for and against, and total penalty yards.

Over time, The Trench Counter rankings begin to closely resemble the standings but goes even further to determine which teams are truly the best when on the line of scrimmage.

We are also including the Bill Parcells/Michael Lombardi stat that we modified called Total Rushes/Completions, which is listed as the second set of rankings below.

The chief aim of the Trench Counter is to take the subjective out of the equation and even the somewhat fluky nature of teams actually scoring points, which is of course the whole point on a game-by-game basis.

The NFC was expected to be the far stronger conference this season, but three of the top-four teams are from the AFC, including the Indianapolis Colts (who have defeated the Seahawks and 49ers). 

The Saints dropped from third to fifth this week with a -5.8 in their win against the Bears, while the Eagles jumped up from 16th to seventh due to a +22.5 against the Giants.

Trench Counter (TC) Rankings

1. Seattle Seahawks: 9.9
2. Indianapolis Colts: 8.3
3. Denver Broncos: 6.3
4. Kansas City Chiefs: 5.6
5. New Orleans Saints: 5.6
6. Green Bay Packers: 5.3
7. Philadelphia Eagles: 3.8
8. New England Patriots: 3.4
9. Chicago Bears: 3.1
10. Carolina Panthers: 2.7
11. Dallas Cowboys: 2.3
12. Tennessee Titans: 2.2
13. Cleveland Browns: 1.4
14. Arizona Cardinals: 1.2
15. San Francisco 49ers: 1.0
16. New York Jets: 0.5
17. Houston Texans: -0.3
18. Buffalo Bills: -0.7
19. Oakland Raiders: -1.0
20. Minnesota Vikings: -1.2
21. Cincinnati Bengals: -1.2
22. Baltimore Ravens: -1.2
23. Miami Dolphins: -2.4
24. Detroit Lions: -2.5
25. San Diego Chargers: -2.7
26. Atlanta Falcons: -2.7
27. Washington Redskins: -4.0
28. St. Louis Rams: -5.4
29. Pittsburgh Steelers: -5.8
30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -6.8
31. New York Giants: -10.8
32. Jacksonville Jaguars: -15.7

Total Rushes/Completions (TRC) Rankings

1. Denver Broncos: 14.4
2. New Orleans Saints: 13.4
3. Houston Texans: 13.4
4. Kansas City Chiefs: 8.6
5. Indianapolis Colts: 5.6
6. Seattle Seahawks: 5.2
7. Tennessee Titans: 4.2
8. San Diego Chargers: 3.8
9. Green Bay Packers: 3.8
10. Atlanta Falcons: 3.4
11. Buffalo Bills: 3.2
12. Cincinnati Bengals: 3.2
13. Baltimore Ravens: 3.2
14. Detroit Lions: 2.4
15. Carolina Panthers: 2.3
16. New England Patriots: 0.8
17. New York Jets: 0.6
18. Chicago Bears: -2.6
19. St. Louis Rams: -2.6
20. San Francisco 49ers: -3.0
21. Dallas Cowboys: -3.2
22. Philadelphia Eagles: -4.2
23. Arizona Cardinals: -4.4
24. Cleveland Browns: -4.6
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers: -5.0
26. Washington Redskins: -5.5
27. Oakland Raiders: -5.6
28. Pittsburgh Steelers: -6.3
29. Minnesota Vikings: -8.5
30. Miami Dolphins: -9.6
31. Jacksonville Jaguars: -11.8
32. New York Giants: -18.4