A sleepy Week 8 made for an equally sleepy set of power rankings. All but one of the 13 games ended with a margin of at least two possessions, and while there were plenty of blowouts, not much movement followed. With six teams on bye, several squads stayed put, and we didn’t learn much more about the league’s pecking order.
But Week 9 promises to wake things up. We’ve got a make-or-break matchup for the Houston Texans, another Patrick Mahomes–Josh Allen showdown, and a trio of “prove it” games for the Seattle
Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots.
With the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers resting up this week, let’s get into the rankings:
1) Detroit Lions (5-2) (even)
There were some solid wins across the league, but none convincing enough to knock the Lions off their perch. Detroit’s rolling, and with Minnesota up next, the streak shouldn’t slow down anytime soon.
2) Indianapolis Colts (7-1) (even)
Taking care of business feels like second nature to this group. Jonathan Taylor’s looking like an MVP, Daniel Jones tossed three touchdowns, and the Colts cruised. Best offense in football? It’s hard to argue against it.
3) Green Bay Packers (5-1-1) (even)
They survived the Aaron Rodgers revenge game and got a struggling Panthers team as a reward. Green Bay just needs to handle business, something they’ve made harder than it should be at times.
4) Seattle Seahawks (5-2) (even)
Fresh off the bye, Seattle’s ready to remind everyone how dangerous they can be. The Commanders are still finding their footing, which makes this the perfect setup for a statement win.
5) Los Angeles Rams (5-2) (even)
The NFC West race is a slugfest, and the Rams are right in the thick of it. Coming off a bye, they get the Saints — a team still trying to find itself. Advantage, Los Angeles.
6) Kansas City Chiefs (5-3) (even)
Game of the Week vibes in Buffalo. Mahomes vs. Allen, Round 500. Kansas City looks like its finally back in rhythm, and a win here would officially put the league on notice.
7) Buffalo Bills (5-2) (even)
Buffalo’s been waiting for this one. After another playoff heartbreak courtesy of the Chiefs, they finally get a shot at payback. It’s November, not January, but this one feels like it matters.
8) Denver Broncos (6-2) (+1)
Nothing screams “we’re fine” like dropping 44 on a would-be contender. The defense picked off Dak twice, and the offense looked alive. Houston’s no cakewalk next week, though; that one’ll say a lot.
9) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2) (-1)
Spencer Rattler lost his job partly because Tampa’s defense wrecked his afternoon. Anthony Nelson led the charge with four pressures and two sacks as the Bucs won ugly, but they won.
10) Philadelphia Eagles (6-2) (even)
Few things feel better than avenging a division loss, especially one that embarrassed you on national TV. The Eagles handled business and now get a well-timed bye before the Packers come calling.
11) Houston Texans (3-4) (+1)
Yeah, the record doesn’t scream “top-12 team,” but the play does. Houston’s catching fire, and in a wide-open AFC, timing is everything. If they keep this up, the playoff chatter won’t sound so crazy.
12) Los Angeles Chargers (5-3) (+1)
That’s how you make a statement. A 27-point outburst gets them back in the mix, and the upcoming schedule (Titans, Jags, Raiders) gives them a real shot to climb the AFC West ladder.
13) New England Patriots (6-2) (+1)
Drake Maye looks the part. The offense is clicking, the defense is physical, and the culture feels stable again. Beat Atlanta at home, and the division starts looking very winnable.
14) San Francisco 49ers (5-3) (-2)
Houston exposed a few cracks, particularly up front, but the Niners are still right in the thick of the NFC West race. Three playoff teams from that division? Don’t rule it out.
15) Washington Commanders (3-5) (even)
Jayden Daniels is back, which gives them a pulse. But the defense still looks lost, and the margin for error is razor-thin. If they’re gonna make noise, it has to start now.
16) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) (even)
The Aaron Rodgers redemption arc fizzled, but the Steelers are still on top of the AFC North, for the moment. With Lamar back, they can’t afford to slip.
17) Baltimore Ravens (2-5) (+6)
That defense finally showed up, and now Lamar Jackson returns for TNF. Could this be the start of a run? Wouldn’t be the first time Baltimore flipped the script midseason.
18) Chicago Bears (4-3) (even)
Losing to Snoop Huntley isn’t exactly ideal, but there’s still potential here. Caleb Williams and Rome Odunze have the tools; now it’s about turning flashes into consistency.
19) Atlanta Falcons (3-4) (-2)
Snip-snap, snip-snap, snip-snap. World-beaters one week, mock-draft hobbyists the next. The defense has to show up in Foxboro, or this could spiral quickly.
20) Minnesota Vikings (3-4) (-1)
Bad vibes in the locker room, bad timing for J.J. McCarthy’s return, and an elite Lions defense waiting for him. This could get rough fast.
21) Carolina Panthers (4-4) (-1)
Burn the tape and move on. A trip to Lambeau isn’t exactly a “get right” game, especially with Micah Parsons on a heater. Good luck with that.
22) Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3) (even)
The bye should help, but losing Travis Hunter stings. The division’s out of reach, but with one of the league’s softest remaining schedules, a wild card shot’s still alive.
23) Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1) (-2)
Yikes. Outplayed in all three phases and two back-breaking picks to boot. Kyler Murray’s out Monday night. If there’s ever a time to bounce back on primetime, it’s now.
24) Arizona Cardinals (2-5) (even)
Jacoby Brissett’s up again with Kyler still sidelined, this time against Dallas. If the Cowboys’ defense plays to its talent, it could be a long night in the desert.
25) Miami Dolphins (2-6) (+6)
Now that’s more like it. Miami looked like its old self again while running Atlanta off the field. Short week ahead, though, and Lamar Jackson looms.
26) Cincinnati Bengals (3-5) (-1)
Joe Flacco turned back the clock, and it still wasn’t enough. That defense has to step up; wasting performances like that is brutal.
27) New York Giants (2-6) (-1)
Five straight road losses, capped off by another blowout. Maybe some home cooking at MetLife can spark something against the 49ers.
28) Las Vegas Raiders (2-5) (even)
A 1 p.m. kickoff against Jacksonville feels like chaos waiting to happen. Only the football gods know how that’ll go.
29) Cleveland Browns (2-6) (-2)
When Drake Maye’s cooking like that, there’s only so much you can do. Myles Garrett got his numbers. Five sacks! And it still didn’t matter. Life as a Browns fan.
30) New Orleans Saints (1-7) (-1)
Has Spencer Rattler been good? Not exactly. But he hasn’t been that bad either. This feels more like a front office experiment than a football decision, and Rattler’s catching strays in the process.
31) New York Jets (1-7) (+1)
Free at last. Free at last. Thank God Almighty, the New York Jets are free at last. Rest easy, Jets fans. You’ve earned it.
32) Tennessee Titans (1-7) (-2)
At this point, the goal’s simple: don’t ruin Cam Ward’s confidence. That’s it.
