NFL Power Rankings entering Week 9
Another wild week
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
Week 8 was a weird and crazy one, as is typical in the 2022 NFL season. The Falcons moved into first place, and the Patriots once again showed that the Jets are no match for Bill Belichick.
As we now turn to Week 9, here are how all 32 NFL teams stack up…
32. Detroit Lions (1-6, lost to Miami Dolphins)
(USAT)
The Detroit Lions don’t know how to win. They were up double digits on the Miami Dolphins, and then watched as it fizzled away. Dan Campbell has a long leash but one has to wonder when it will start to tighten. Next: vs. Green Bay Packers
31. Houston Texans (1-5-1, lost to Tennessee Titans)
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Derrick Henry owns the Texans. The Texans can’t say that about anything. That is all. Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles
30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6, lost to Denver Broncos)
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
Forget growing pains. This team has totally forgotten how to win and now has lost 5 in a row. The promising start to 2022 has been long forgotten. The wheels are off this Jaguar team. Next: vs. Las Vegas Raiders
29. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6, lost to Philadelphia Eagles)
(Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
This is about as bad of a Steelers team as we have seen in a long, long time. It can’t be all about T.J. Watt being out, either. Mike Tomlin has a giant task ahead of him to fix this on the run. Next: Bye
28. Carolina Panthers (2-6, lost to Atlanta Falcons)
(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
Hard not to put this loss on the foot of Eddy Pineiro. PJ Walker delivers the spectacular Hail Mary and the kicker misses the PAT. Then, the Panthers picked off Marcus Mariota in OT, and then Pineiro misses the FG. Yes, it is a team game but sometimes it does come down to a player executing. Next: at Cincinnati Bengals
27. Green Bay Packers (3-5, lost to Buffalo Bills)
(Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports)
The Packers were no match for the Bills. They played better in the second half, but this team has taken a tremendous tumble from what it was in 2021. Matt LaFleur has his work cut out trying to find a cure for what ails. Next: at Detroit Lions
26. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5, lost to New Orleans Saints)
(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)
This was an awful and futile effort. Davante Adams…with one catch? Where is the offensive brilliance of Josh McDaniels? Still in New England? Next: at Jacksonville Jaguars
25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5, lost to Baltimore Ravens)
(Kim Klement-USA TODAY Sports)
Does anything need to be said other than a lot is off-kilter in Tampa? No. Next: vs. Los Angeles Rams
24. Chicago Bears (3-5, lost to Dallas Cowboys)
(Mike Dinovo-USA TODAY Sports)
Chicago made it exciting for a while against Dallas. However, you can only close so much distance after falling massively behind. And then poof, the game was a loss, again. Next: vs. Miami Dolphins
23. Denver Broncos (3-5, defeated Jacksonville Jaguars)
(Photo by Dan Mullan/Getty Images)
The defense was solid as usual for the Broncos in London against the Jaguars. The offense did its job, and Russell Wilson appears to have a good target in rookie TE Greg Dulcich. Next: Bye
22. Arizona Cardinals (3-5, lost to Vikings)
(Brad Rempel-USA TODAY Sports)
The Cardinals make games exciting, but they now have lost 5 of 8 and that falls on Kliff Kingsbury. They were supposed to be a team on the rise but have collapsed into the usual mediocre rut. Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks
21. New Orleans Saints (3-5, defeated Las Vegas Raiders)
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The Saints put on their best effort, smothering the Raiders, and Andy Dalton was effective. This was a great win and puts New Orleans into a tie for second with the Tampa Bay Bucs in the NFC South at 3-5. Guess Dennis Allen would have been happily tied with the Bucs after 8 weeks, just not how it has occurred. Next: vs. Baltimore Ravens
20. Atlanta Falcons (4-4, defeated Carolina Panthers)
(Dale Zanine-USA TODAY Sports)
Atlanta found every way imaginable to blow the game and somehow came away with a win. The Falcons are 4-4 and in first place in the NFC South. Will miracles next cease? Next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers
19. Los Angeles Rams (3-4, lost to San Francisco 49ers)
(Gary A. Vasquez-USA TODAY Sports)
The Rams definitely wish they were the ones to land Christian McCaffrey as opposed to the 49ers. Next: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers
18. Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1, lost to Washington Commanders)
(USAT)
Close game and a tough loss. At least the Colts didn’t fold with Sam Ehlinger at quarterback. Unfortunately, this doesn’t feel like their year. Next: at New England Patriots
17. Cleveland Browns (3-5, defeated Cincinnati Bengals)
(USAT)
Kevin Stefanski has the Bengals’ number, now 5-0 against the in-state rivals as Cleveland coach. The Browns’ defense came up big on Halloween and the offense was, um, scary. Next: Bye
16. New England Patriots (4-4, defeated New York Jets)
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The worst thing that could have happened to the New York Jets was the Bears beating the Patriots on Monday. Bill Belichick went into his lab and came out with a game plan that had his team beat Gang Green for the 13th straight time. Next: vs. Indianapolis Colts
15. Washington Commanders (4-4, defeated Indianapolis Colts)
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The Commanders are at .500 and Taylor Heinicke is the leader they need. He led a stirring touchdown drive as they took down the Colts. Next: vs. Minnesota Vikings
14. Cincinnati Bengals (4-4, lost to Cleveland Browns)
(Scott Galvin-USA TODAY Sports)
Ja’Marr Chase was out and the Bengals’ offense decided to take Monday Night Football off. Talk about an all-around ugly performance. The AFC reps in the Super Bowl are at .500, which is better than what the team that beat them in the championship game is. Next: vs. Carolina Panthers
13. New York Giants (6-2, lost to Seattle Seahawks)
(Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)
Winning at Jacksonville one week and then at Seattle the next proved to be too much to ask of the Giants. They were competitive and that is a good indication of the team’s improvement. However, Big Blue will have to show its mettle going forward now that the hot streak has been broken. Next: Bye
12. New York Jets (5-3, lost to New England Patriots)
(Robert Deutsch-USA TODAY Sports)
The Jets lost to the Patriots for the 13th straight time. That said, they only allowed a touchdown. The rest of the points came on field goals. This team bears close watching, especially with the recent injuries. Next: vs. Buffalo Bills
11. Miami Dolphins (5-3, defeated Detroit Lions)
(Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports)
It is a good thing for the Dolphins that they fell far behind a Lions team with a weak defense. They showed power in coming back and Tua Tagovailoa was sharp: Turned a disaster into a good Sunday. Next: at Chicago Bears
10. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3, bye)
(Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports)
The Chargers’ bye came at a good time since they were incredibly banged up. Will one week of rest enable enough players to get healthy? Next: at Atlanta Falcons
9. San Francisco 49ers (4-4, defeated Los Angeles Rams)
(Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports)
The Christian McCaffrey era is in full force and other teams in the NFC should be concerned. Deeply concerned. Next: Bye
8. Seattle Seahawks (5-3, defeated New York Giants)
(Joe Nicholson-USA TODAY Sports)
The Seahawks are one of the best stories in the league. You don’t hear Pete Carroll’s name raised for Coach of the Year, as it is early, but he has done a marvelous job, again. Next: at Arizona Cardinals
7. Dallas Cowboys (6-2, defeated Chicago Bears)
(Jerome Miron-USA TODAY Sports)
Tony Pollard showed why he is the present and future at running back. That does not mean Ezekiel Elliott still doesn’t have a place. Also, Micah Parsons is a defensive machine. Next: Bye
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-1, defeated Arizona Cardinals)
(Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports)
So, Kevin O’Connell will continue to have a better record than his mentor Sean McVay. Have to start taking these Vikings seriously, although they still find ways to make things nerve-wracking. Next: at Washington Commanders
5. Tennessee Titans (5-2, defeated Houston Texans)
(Troy Taormina-USA TODAY Sports)
Who needs Ryan Tannehill when you have Derrick Henry and his rushing prowess? It allowed Mike Vrabel to start a rookie QB and only have to ask him to throw 10 passes. Next: at Kansas City Chiefs
4. Baltimore Ravens (5-3, defeated Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
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The Ravens are showing the ability to be a force in the AFC playoff discussion. They did a nice job handling Tom Brady and the Bucs. The offense is much more than Lamar Jackson, and he’s something special. Next: at New Orleans Saints
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2, bye)
(Stephen Lew-USA TODAY Sports)
The Chiefs got a week off. They didn’t take off from dealing as they picked up Kadarius Toney. Will be interesting if the flop in the Big Apple shows what made him a first-round pick now that he is with Patrick Mahomes. Next: vs. Tennessee Titans
2. Philadelphia Eagles (7-0, defeated Pittsburgh Steelers)
(Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports)
The Eagles were a force in wrecking the Steelers. The combination of Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown was dazzling. Seven wins in a row and the run is getting serious. (They just have to hope it spins off on the Phillies for the World Series games at Citizens Bank Park this week.) Next: at Houston Texans
1. Buffalo Bills (6-1, defeated Green Bay Packers)
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The Bills were dynamic in shutting down the Packers in the first half when the game was decided for all practical purposes. Josh Allen is so much fun to watch. Next: at New York Jets
