NFC standings for Week 8: Commanders cruising, 49ers bruising, Lions enjoy life at the top

As the regular season nears its halfway point, we're starting to learn more about the makeup of every NFC team, both good and poor.

The Detroit Lions overtook the Minnesota Vikings, who had been unbeaten, at the top of the NFC standings in Week 7. The San Francisco 49ers, the conference's reigning champions, have also dropped below .500 after their defeat against the Kansas City Chiefs in a replay of last year's Super Bowl.

Below, we'll look at the NFC division's situation ahead of Week 8.

NFC standings heading into Week 8 ft. Lions

The Washington Commanders resumed normal business

On Sunday, the Washington Commanders resumed their winning ways following a Week 6 loss to the Baltimore Ravens.

Washington defeated the Carolina Panthers by a 33-point margin despite losing rookie offensive tackle Brandon Coleman to a concussion and quarterback Jayden Daniels to a rib injury.

The Commanders may suffer if Daniels and Coleman are unavailable going forward, but seeing how effectively and mercilessly they have been eliminating opponents is quite comforting.

The Detroit Lions rise to the top of the NFC standings

Perhaps the most anticipated game of Week 7 was Sunday's matchup between the Detroit Lions and the Minnesota Vikings. And the contest lived up to the hype.

In a difficult road atmosphere, the Lions fell behind 10-0 at first, but they eventually battled to defeat the Vikings 31-29.

With an outstanding run of performance over the last four games, quarterback Jared Goff is now in the MVP discussion as the Lions lead the NFC rankings. He has amassed 1,086 yards and nine touchdowns in that span, with an 83.5% pass completion rate.

San Francisco 49ers slip below .500

Things went from bad to worse for the San Francisco 49ers after they lost wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk to what is now believed to be a season-ending knee injury during the chaos of a Week 7 defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs.

It's becoming increasingly obvious that the Niners may not be able to compete with other Super Bowl-contending sides this season, including the Chiefs, Detroit Lions, Minnesota Vikings and Buffalo Bills, given their 3–4 record and mounting injury list.

Dallas Cowboys and Chicago Bears set to return after Week 7 byes

Only the Chicago Bears and Dallas Cowboys had byes in Week 7.

The Cowboys needed that week off following the 47-9 beatdown they suffered at the hands of the Lions in Week 6. They are 3-3, and their season could be in jeopardy if they are unable to beat the struggling 49ers at Levi's Stadium next weekend.

The Chicago Bears are expected to be a much more fit team when they return to action in Week 8 following the injuries to several important defensive players prior to the bye. Despite being away in Week 7, the team is still in the exact position it would have liked to be in the NFC playoff picture.

Full NFC standings for Week 8

The NFC standings for Week 8 are listed below. But these rankings will undoubtedly change in the coming months:

1. Detroit Lions (5-1)

2. Washington Commanders (5-2)

3. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

4. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)

5. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)

6. Green Bay Packers (5-2)

7. Chicago Bears (4-2)

8. Philadelphia Eagles (4-2)

9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)

10. Dallas Cowboys (3-3)

11. Arizona Cardinals (3-4)

12. San Francisco 49ers (3-4)

13. Los Angeles Rams (2-4)

14. New Orleans Saints (2-5)

15. New York Giants (2-5)

16. Carolina Panthers (1-6)