NFL Power Rankings - Week 9: Ravens on the rise, Jets tumble
The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (7-0)
Previous Rank: 1
Do you also feel like the Eagles get better every week? One of Philly's issues was completing more big plays in the passing game - Jalen Hurts was among football's worst passers in average depth of target through his first six appearances. But in Sunday's beatdown of the Steelers, 17.9% of Hurts' throws were deep (20-plus yards) as he posted one of the best performances of his career.
2. Buffalo Bills (6-1)
Previous Rank: 2
After defeating the Packers on Sunday Night Football, the Bills have now beaten three former NFL MVPs this season to go along with the reigning Super Bowl champions. Buffalo easily leads the league with a 105-point differential, miles ahead of the Eagles, who rank second with 78.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)
Previous Rank: 3
Owners of the NFL's top-ranked offense in expected points added (EPA) per play, the Chiefs were on a bye this week, and that should scare the Titans, their next opponent. Kansas City is 4-0 and averages 34 points per contest coming off its bye since Patrick Mahomes became the starter in 2018.
4. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Previous Rank: 4
Dallas allowed 29 points to Chicago in Week 8 - the most it's given up all year - but the Cowboys also scored 49 on the back of Tony Pollard's three-touchdown outing. America's Team is proving itself as one of the NFL's most well-rounded clubs.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)
Previous Rank: 8
Week 8 was great for the Ravens. Yes, they were outscored again in the fourth quarter Thursday, but Baltimore looked very good in the second half versus the Bucs, with its offense averaging 7 yards per rushing attempt. Plus the team added some much-needed defensive help by acquiring star linebacker Roquan Smith from the Bears on Monday.
6. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)
Previous Rank: 7
Could the Vikings be ranked higher? Their record says yes. But should they be? Given their unconvincing performances and relatively easy schedule so far, no. But fans in Minnesota should be happy with what they've seen. One-score games used to be a nightmare for the Vikings, but they're 5-0 in those situations this year.
7. Miami Dolphins (5-3)
Previous Rank: 9
Tua Tagovailoa still doesn't get as much love as other star quarterbacks, but he's been the perfect QB for Miami when healthy. After torching Detroit on Sunday, Tagovailoa now leads the NFL with 9 yards per pass attempt and trails only Mahomes and Josh Allen in EPA per play.
8. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Previous Rank: 10
It didn't take long for the 49ers to see what Christian McCaffrey is capable of. In his second game since he arrived from Carolina, the superstar running back became the first player since 2005 with a touchdown pass, catch, and rush in the same game. He also topped 30 yards passing, rushing, and receiving, becoming the first player to do so since ... himself in 2018.
9. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)
Previous Rank: 11
The Seahawks' offense has been one of the year's biggest surprises, but we should probably start paying attention to the defense, too. Seattle, whose defensive unit was brutal to start the season, allowed only 15 points per game over the last three weeks, and in Week 8, it limited the Giants to 13 points, New York's worst mark this campaign.
10. New York Giants (6-2)
Previous Rank: 5
The Seahawks poured cold water on the Giants' hot start this past weekend. Saquon Barkley's average of 2.65 yards per carry on Sunday was his lowest of the season despite punching in his fifth TD of the year. New York's rushing attack should be able to regain its footing and prove the team's early-season success had little to do with a favorable schedule.
11. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
Previous Rank: 12
The Titans have found some momentum during their five-game winning streak. Derrick Henry continues to run over the opposition with four consecutive games of 100 or more yards on the ground. Perhaps it doesn't matter who lines up at QB as long as No. 22 is in the backfield.
12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-4)
Previous Rank: 6
Even good teams are allowed to have bad games, but it can't just be a coincidence the Bengals scored only 13 points in their first game without Ja'Marr Chase. Cleveland had the third-worst scoring defense before Week 8, yet Cincy struggled to move the ball all night long. Chase is reportedly expected to miss at least four weeks with a hip injury, so the Bengals must find some answers soon.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)
Previous Rank: 14
Even with the bye week in the books, the Chargers find themselves dealing with some unfortunate injuries. Regardless of who's missing from the lineup, the Bolts need to correct whatever's causing their defense to give up an average of 27 points and surrender 137.6 yards on the ground per game.
14. Los Angeles Rams (3-4)
Previous Rank: 13
The reigning champions are off their game as the halfway point of the season approaches. Getting swept by their bitter rivals won't put a smile on the Rams' faces. What might improve the mood in the locker room, however, is boosting the team's woeful average of 68.4 rushing yards per game. The Buccaneers, the only team doing worse in that department, are on deck in Week 9.
15. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
Previous Rank: 17
The Falcons continue to prove preseason doubters wrong by not only reaching .500, but claiming top spot in the NFC South. Atlanta hasn't been first in the division at this point of the season since its last Super Bowl appearance in 2016. Kyle Pitts is finally starting to develop into the weapon that many projected he would be when he entered the league.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
Previous Rank: 16
The Buccaneers are searching for answers amid a three-game losing streak in which nothing is going right. Did Tom Brady really decide to unretire after 40 days to lead an offense that can only muster 18.3 points per game compared to last year's 30? Fortunately, the dismal NFC South race provides the Bucs with an opportunity to fulfill their postseason ambitions.
17. New England Patriots (4-4)
Previous Rank: 24
Bill Belichick got a slight reprieve from criticism of his handling of the Pats' quarterback situation as Mac Jones finished with a 79.9 passer rating in an outing where he was hauled to the ground for six sacks. The offense also needs to improve its red-zone efficiency after scoring a TD on 11 of its 24 trips.
18. New York Jets (5-3)
Previous Rank: 15
Zach Wilson's three-interception performance in Week 8 left many wondering about his franchise status. With an opportunistic defense that has generated 12 takeaways, the offense needs to stop giving gifts to the opposition if the Jets want to become real contenders.
19. Washington Commanders (4-4)
Previous Rank: 22
Don't look now, but Washington is keeping pace in an exciting NFC East race with its third straight win. The Commanders appear to be thriving under the stewardship of Taylor Heinicke. Washington is 2-0 since Carson Wentz was placed on injured reserve, and Terry McLaurin continues to produce for the club in clutch moments.
20. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)
Previous Rank: 18
The Cardinals' frustration during their 3-5 start hasn't been hard to miss. Arizona is just two games back of the top spot in the NFC West even though, to date, the team hasn't beaten anyone with a .500 record. With a defense allowing 26.3 points per game, more shootouts could be on the horizon for Kliff Kingsbury and crew.
21. Green Bay Packers (3-5)
Previous Rank: 19
Green Bay's slide continues with no real reason for optimism. The offense just doesn't have the weapons to move the ball consistently, let alone put many points on the board. At this point, it'll take a massive turnaround for the Packers to even make the playoffs.
22. New Orleans Saints (3-5)
Previous Rank: 26
The Saints gave us a glimpse of what so many expected from them this season in a 24-0 shutout of the Raiders. Has the defense finally figured it out? Or is this team more like the one we saw in the first game of the season? The answer to that question will send New Orleans down one of two very different paths.
23. Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1)
Previous Rank: 21
Playing in the AFC South still gives Indy some hope, but the quarterback change tells us that even the Colts have accepted this isn't their year. As was to be expected, turning to Sam Ehlinger in place of Matt Ryan didn't yield more promising results. The Colts are a mess.
24. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
Previous Rank: 28
The Browns' blowout win over the Bengals on Monday night was a reminder of their potential, particularly when playing with a lead. Despite its five losses, this team's been just a few plays away from a much better record. Don't count Cleveland out yet.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Previous Rank: 20
Just when it seemed like the Raiders could be primed for a run to save their season, they got shut out by the Saints, who previously hadn't been able to do anything right on defense. A busy offseason and the arrival of Josh McDaniels were supposed to help Las Vegas take the next step, but instead, this team has gotten worse.
26. Denver Broncos (3-5)
Previous Rank: 29
We're not going to give the Broncos too much credit for barely beating the Jaguars in London - it was hardly a breakthrough. But a win is a win, and Denver has to hope that the positive momentum, along with the upcoming bye week, can help the offense get on track.
27. Chicago Bears (3-5)
Previous Rank: 23
This season is all about Justin Fields' development. And with the Bears finally putting him in position to utilize his unique athletic ability, he's starting to show real signs of growth. The short-term results may not be impressive, especially with Chicago shipping off star players like Roquan Smith at the deadline, but the future is suddenly looking a lot more promising.
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
Previous Rank: 25
Make that five straight losses for the Jaguars. Trevor Lawrence's continued struggles after a hot start to the season are concerning. Could a home matchup with the Raiders be just what Jacksonville needs to get the offense going?
29. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
Previous Rank: 27
It's bizarre to see the Steelers sinking closer and closer to the basement of the NFL, but that's the world we live in now. Some glimmers of promise from Kenny Pickett would at least give Pittsburgh reasons for longer-term optimism. Four starts into his pro career, however, the Steelers are still waiting.
30. Carolina Panthers (2-6)
Previous Rank: 30
A heartbreaking loss to the Falcons can be taken as another recent sign of progress for Carolina. So far, the Panthers have looked a lot more competitive after firing Matt Rhule and turning to P.J. Walker at quarterback. It really may have been that simple.
31. Detroit Lions (1-6)
Previous Rank: 31
All of our praise for the development of Detroit's offense early this season still stands. The problem is that the defense is so unbelievably bad that it almost doesn't matter how many points the Lions put on the board. Opponents are lighting them up on a weekly basis.
32. Houston Texans (1-5-1)
Previous Rank: 32
Houston is firmly in the driver's seat for the No. 1 overall pick and the choice between Bryce Young and C.J. Stroud. It's tough to sit through a season like this, but it could be worth it.