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What if the Browns had not lost to the hapless Jets in Week 5?
They would have a six-game winning streak and would be one of five teams in the NFL with one or fewer losses.
Even with that blemish, the Browns are one of the surprise stories in the NFL.
Under 60-year-old first-time head coach Todd Monken, they are off to their first 5-2 start since 2020. It’s the first time they have had a share of first place with a 5-2 record since 1993, when the head coach was Bill Belichick.
Yes, the Browns are one of the NFL’s top 10 teams entering their AFC North showdown with the Steelers (5-2).
Here are The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 8:
1. Vikings 6-0 (3)
Blake Cashman notched 12 tackles, two sacks, four passes defended and three quarterback hits in a 16-10 win against the Colts. Harrison Smith’s 40th career interception ended with him planting the ball at the 40-yard line. Kyler Murray threw a fourth-quarter touchdown pass after the Colts led for more than three quarters of the game. Will Reichard kicked three field goals.
2. Bills 5-1 (4)
The Bills are averaging a league-best 32.8 points per game coming out of their bye, and James Cook is among the league leaders in carries of at least 10 yards. First-year defensive coordinator Jim Leonhard’s unit is having difficulty stopping the pass – especially on third down – despite Greg Rousseau and Deone Walker providing a pass rush.
3. Chiefs 5-1 (2)
For the first time in the Patrick Mahomes era, the Chiefs never even reached the red zone and tied for their fewest points scored with the MVP quarterback under center in a 20-3 loss to the Seahawks. Harrison Butker missed two field goals, including one that would’ve made it 13-6 in the fourth quarter. Mahomes was pressured 14 times.
4. 49ers 6-1 (1)
After committing just six turnovers in their first six games, the 49ers gave the ball away four times and didn’t take it away in a 29-20 loss to the Falcons. Christian McCaffrey missed most of the first half with a thigh injury and then was limited after returning. Brock Purdy’s second interception marred a chance to take the lead in the final four minutes.
5. Broncos 5-2 (5)
Bo Nix ran for a 62-yard touchdown, RJ Harvey turned a short screen pass into a 52-yard touchdown and Marvin Mims Jr. caught a 47-yard pass to set up a touchdown in a 30-16 win against the Cardinals. The defense totaled 12 quarterback hits, six tackles for loss and three sacks, and stopped 12 of 17 third downs.
6. Bears 5-2 (6)
Caleb Williams threw for 308 yards and two touchdowns, and D’Andre Swift ran for a touchdown in a 30-24 win against the Patriots. Cairo Santos’ career-long 58-yard field goal with 37 seconds remaining sealed the win. D’Marco Jackson had an end zone interception, and the Bears survived allowing an inexplicable 48-yard screen-pass touchdown on the final play of the first half.
7. Steelers 5-2 (8)
Payton Wilson’s third-quarter red zone interception kept the Saints from kicking the tying field goal and highlighted a dominant defensive effort (17 carries for 18 rushing yards allowed) in a 16-10 win. Jaylen Warren rushed for 101 yards, Chris Boswell kicked three field goals and Aaron Rodgers threw a 4-yard touchdown pass to Darnell Washington.
8. Bengals 4-2 (11)
Joe Burrow threw four touchdown passes in a second half outburst in a 35-13 victory that turned the Ravens into the first team in 76 years to lead by at least 13 points at halftime and lose by at least 20. Four different receivers caught touchdowns but no one had more yards than Tee Higgins (148).
9. Seahawks 4-3 (13)
Emanuel Wilson rushed for 100 yards while the Nick Emmanwori-led defense did a great job holding former teammate, Kenneth Walker, to 36 rushing yards in the win against the Chiefs. Sam Darnold threw a boneheaded end zone interception but overcame it with 257 passing yards and a touchdown to Jaxon Smith-Njigba (nine catches for 150 yards).
10. Browns 5-2 (14)
Deshaun Watson led his fifth game-winning fourth-quarter drive of the season, setting up Andre Szmyt’s walk-off 32-yard field goal in a 27-24 victory against the Titans. Watson threw for 308 yards, including 129 to KC Concepcion, and ran for a touchdown. It was Watson’s first 300-yard passing game in his five years with the Browns.
11. Jaguars 4-2 (10)
12. Patriots 4-3 (7)
13. Lions 4-2 (15)
14. Packers 4-3 (9)
15. Giants 4-2-1 (19)
Four different rushers (Devin Singletary, Cam Skattebo, Tyrone Tracy Jr. and Jameis Winston) scored – a first for the Giants since 1950 – in a 27-21 overtime victory against the Texans. J.J. McCarthy passed for 252 yards in his first Giants start. Big Blue’s past five games have been decided in the final 20 seconds of regulation or overtime.
16. Ravens 4-3 (12)
17. Rams 3-4 (17)
18. Falcons 3-4 (25)
19. Cowboys 3-4 (23)
20. Raiders 3-4 (20)
21. Panthers 3-3 (16)
22. Texans 2-5 (18)
23. Saints 2-5 (22)
24. Eagles 2-5 (21)
25. Buccaneers 2-5 (30)
26. Cardinals 2-5 (24)
27. Colts 2-5 (26)
28. Dolphins 1-5 (32)
29. Jets 2-5 (27)
Aaron Glenn had his weekly clock-management mishap at the end of the first half in a 28-25 loss to the previously winless Dolphins, falling to 0-8 in the AFC East over his two seasons. Jason Sanders missed a 40-yard field goal against his former team. The offensive play calling was puzzling and led to just two catches for Garrett Wilson.