2017 NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Los Angeles Rams continue to impress following bye

5. New Orleans Saints (7)

Remember at the beginning of the season when the New Orleans Saints seemed to be heading towards another frustrating year following a 0-2 start? Since those two losses, the Saints have worked their way to becoming one of the hottest teams in the NFL after earning their sixth win in a row on Sunday against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.

Believe it or not, defense continues to be a major reason behind the success of New Orleans during their surprise winning streak after limiting Tampa Bay to scoring just 10 points. Not to mention, defense and special teams came up big for the Saints by returning a blocked punt for a touchdown in the first quarter.

As for the offensive side of the football, Alvin Kamara continues to be quite the surprise impact player for New Orleans after finishing with 152 yards from the line of scrimmage to go along with two trips into the end zone. The Carolina Panthers may not be far behind, but with the way they’ve managed to turn their season around, the Saints are the clear favorites in the NFC South race heading into Week 10, and it will be interesting to see if Sean Payton’s squad can carry their momentum against the Buffalo Bills.