We are at the halfway point in the season. Teams are separating themselves from the pack and establishing who the contenders and pretenders are. After a scary slate of Halloween games, here are my week nine NFL power rankings.
32) Detroit Lions
If Lions fans were concerned about losing their spot at the bottom of the power rankings then they shouldn’t be anymore. They got embarrassed by an Eagles team that really isn’t that good. It just speaks to how bad the Lions really are.
31) Jacksonville Jaguars
It feels like the Jaguars have quit. They’ve quit on this season and they’ve quit on this coach. I don’t know how much better it gets in Jacksonville this year.
30) Houston Texans
The Texans have started giving away what little talent they have. They are just as bad as the first two teams on this list, except they don’t have the young talent to be hopeful for in the future. It’s a complete rebuild starting next year.
29) Miami Dolphins
The Dolphins have become more of a will they won’t they sitcom as opposed to an actual football team. The biggest story in Miami is potentially trading for quarterback Deshaun Watson. The actual football being played in Miami doesn’t give you much to actually say other than it’s not good.
28) New York Jets
Anytime the Jets win it comes as a surprise. It’s that much more shocking when they lose their starting quarterback and beat a hot Bengals team. This is one of the biggest upsets of the season so far, even if it’s not sustainable.
27) New York Giants
Moral victories don’t mean much in this league. Particularly when you have a coach and young quarterback who are feeling their seats get pretty warm. However, holding the Chiefs offense to just 20 points and losing by 3 in Kansas City is a positive.
26) Washington Football Team
Things are starting to get ugly in Washington. The Heinicke hype that was built in the playoffs is officially gone and the offense can’t consistently score. It might be time to start thinking about what college quarterbacks you like if you’re a Football Team fan.
25) Seattle Seahawks
Even without Russell Wilson, the Seahawks were good enough to crush the Jaguars. I wouldn’t expect many more wins in this Geno Smith era, but this was a particularly impressive victory from an offense that I wasn’t expecting much from.
24) Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles were dominant on Sunday. Yes, you read that correctly. They controlled every aspect in their win vs Detroit. Even against the lowly Lions, I came away extremely impressed with a Philadelphia team that I didn’t think was much better than Detroit.
23) Chicago Bears
It feels like the Bears are running out of time. Time to develop Justin Fields. It’s time for Khalil Mack to get healthy. Time in the Matt Nagy tenure. However, they might be just in time for a fire sale of their impressive veteran talent.
22) Atlanta Falcons
In the battle for the NFC South basement, the Falcons came out the less impressive team. They were without Calvin Ridley, who has stepped away from football to focus on his mental health. Without him, a bad wide receiver group may have become the worst in the NFL and it shows.
21) Carolina Panthers
The offense still looked bad, but the Panthers finally found a way to win without Christian McCaffrey. Divisional games are never easy, but Carolina was able to get it done. As good of a win as you can expect from a bad team.
20) San Francisco 49ers
This was the closest thing the 49ers have to a win over a good team this year. It felt like a make or break game for both San Francisco and Chicago and it was the 49ers who came out on top.
19) Indianapolis Colts
This loss will be a tough pill to swallow for Colts fans. A three point loss to a division rival who also happens to be maybe the best team in the AFC. There’s no shame in this loss, but a 3-5 overall record stings.
18) Minnesota Vikings
It was a disappointing loss vs a Cowboys team who was without Dak Prescott. It felt like an opportunity to get back in control of their playoff destiny and they came up short. Maybe the middle of the road is just where they belong.
17) New England Patriots
The Patriots moved back up to .500 on Sunday and they beat a good Chargers team to do it. There is nothing that wows me about this team, but there’s something to be said about just being good at everything.
16) Denver Broncos
The Denver defense stood tall on Sunday, allowing just 10 points to the Washington Football Team. It’s unclear if they can get back to the level of success they experienced early in the season, but don’t count them out of the playoffs just yet.
15) Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs worked their way up to 4-4 with their win over the Giants. A mediocre record for a mediocre team gets a mediocre ranking. Hopefully Patrick Mahomes can get back on track and play like the all pro we’ve seen up until this year.
14) Los Angeles Chargers
The Chargers have lost two in a row now after a 4-1 start. Their run defense is an issue and there’s a lot of pressure put on Justin Herbet’s shoulders as a second year player. Still a lot to like with this team, but they’ve fallen back to earth.
13) Pittsburgh Steelers
It was a gritty and hard fought win over the Browns on Sunday. The defense continues to shine and the offense continues to leave me wanting more.
12) Cleveland Browns
The Browns have been banged up and sputtering along. I still believe this is perhaps the best team in the AFC when healthy, but things are starting to unravel. Now there are questions with Odell Beckham Jr and Baker Mayfield’s ability to get him the ball.
11) Cincinnati Bengals
After a huge win over the Ravens two weeks ago, the Bengals followed it up to maybe the worst loss of the season for any team. They walk the line of becoming a good team, but at the same time lose to the Jets and get taken to the wire by the Jaguars.
10) Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders have reached their bye week and are 5-2 to show for their efforts so far. This is a good time to get reorganized after a coaching change and prepare for a second half playoff push.
9) Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are another team that have reached their bye week. They are currently one of the top teams in the AFC and are primed for another playoff run come January.
8) New Orleans Saints
A big win over the defending champions goes a long way. No, it doesn’t make up for Tampa Bay knocking them out of the playoffs last year, but the Saints have solidified themselves as a threat in the NFC.
7) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
The Bucs have looked sloppy for much of the year. They are one of the most penalized teams in the league and they are starting corners who were signed off the street. Despite this they are still 6-2 and sit on top of the NFC South.
6) Buffalo Bills
It was a typical three touchdown day for Josh Allen in a win over the Dolphins. The defense help Miami to just 11 points and Buffalo cruised to another win.
5) Tennessee Titans
It was a difficult win over the Colts, but it was a big win as they put more distance between themselves and the biggest threat in the AFC South. The only down side is that this game may have seen the end to Derrick Henry’s season as he suffered a foot injury.
4) Arizona Cardinals
The Cardinals lost their first game and J.J. Watt all in the same week. They’re having a great season and have proven to be a top team in the NFC. We’ll see how much the loss of Watt impacts the defense.
3) Green Bay Packers
Without their star wide receiver, the Packer messed around and beat the only undefeated team left in the NFL. This was as impressive of a win as they’ve had all year and it solidifies them as a contender.
2) Dallas Cowboys
If you had Cooper Rush on your fantasy team, then this was a good week for you. With their backup quarterback the Cowboys beat a decent Minnesota team and look impressive in the process. Just imagine what their ceiling is when they get Dak Prescott back.
1) Los Angeles Rams
The Rams continue to dominate opponents. On top of that, they just traded for Von Miller to improve their pass rush. The Rams are the team to beat this season.
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