NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Eagles fly to the top, Bills drop, KC win a battle of AFC giants

We are past the halfway point in the regular season, and if there is one thing that’s clear in the NFL, it’s that nothing is clear in the NFL. The Bills went down for the second time this season and which opened up the top spot in the league. Six teams had byes this week as got a chance to relax and get ready for the downhill portion of the season.

As we get ready for the playoff push to start heating up, let’s take a look at the Power Rankings after Week 9.

1) Philadelphia Eagles 8-0, last week 2

Ladies and gentleman, there is a new sheriff in town. It couldn’t have set up more for a trap game for the Philadelphia Eagles on Thursday night. A road game, on a short week against the worst team in the league. It would have been easy for Nick Siriani’s team to go into Sunday’s game unprepared, but as you would expect from a team that is now 8-0, they were all about their business. What I like most about their mentality. Listen to Jalen Hurts after the Eagles 29-17 win over the Texans.

2) Kansas City Chiefs 6-2, last week 3

After watching the Bills get stunned by the Jets, the Sunday night game at Arrowhead meant that much more. The Chiefs were far from their best against the Titans, but against a tough, physical team like the Tennessee they went toe-to-toe and came out on top. Patrick Mahomes may have had 446 yards, but he passed the ball 68 times as the Titans rattled them on line. Fortunately for KC, the Titans offense was immobilized in the second half and the Chiefs won it in OT now are one of two two-loss teams in the AFC.

3) Buffalo Bills 6-2, last week 1

For the second time this year, we saw Josh Allen look human. Coincidentally, the first time we saw the Bills QB and MVP favorite look human came in the Bills only other loss of the season. This team goes as Allen goes, and the mustached man threw two picks and had just 205 yards passing in the stunning loss to the Jets. Their two losses have come to teams in their own division, which may not do them any favors if the division race between the Dolphins, Jets and Bills comes down to the wire.

4) Dallas Cowboys 6-2, last week 4

This is one of those byes that comes at the complete wrong time for the Cowboys. Dak Prescott and the Dallas offense finally gave a performance that was worthy of a team looking to make a deep playoff push. Their defense has been rock solid all season, and seeing the offense ignite should give fans in Big D something to believe in. The only question is, did the bye week break up some of that momentum?

5) Minnesota Vikings 7-1, last week 5

The Bikes just keep winning. I keep on hearing the doubters (I must admit, I was and still sort of am one of them) question whether this Minnesota team is for real, but all they do is win. It’s true that their only win against a team with a winning record up to this point in the season came against a Dolphins team that didn’t have Tua under center. Maybe that’s why they are surrounded in a cloud of doubt, but as long as they keep winning they will keep climbing up the rankings and keep silencing the doubters.

6) Miami Dolphins 6-3, last week 8

If you are a Dolphins fan, Sunday’s win against the Bears gave you a a lot to be pleased with but it should raise a few concerns as well. The great news is Tua and the Miami offense look to be regaining the the rhythm they had before Tua’s concussion problems. The bad news is they allowed an NFL QB record for rushing yards on a historic day for Justin Fields. Usually when a quarterback is able to dominate a game like that, it leads to a victory, but the Dolphins offense was able to hold on for the win, and now they sit a game back of Buffalo and Kansas City.

7) Baltimore Ravens 6-3, last week 7

The Baltimore defense used to be the Ravens biggest weakness, but Monday night’s game against the Saints showed this defense is just as ready to win games as the offense is. In fact over their three game win streak it has been the defense carrying Lamar Jackson and the Ravens, giving up just over 18 points a game. They now go into their bye week as one of five six win teams in the AFC and they lead the division with the Panthers waiting for them at the end of their bye week.

8) New York Giants 6-2, last week 6

I’ve been saying it all year. I want to see what this Giants team looks like once they hit a rough patch. Their Week 8 loss does two things. It forces them to sit with the unsettling feeling of going into a bye on a loss, but it also allows them extra time to prepare for their next two very winnable games against the Texans and the Lions.

9) Seattle Seahawks 6-3, last week 12

Seattle just keeps on winning. I really don’t think it’s too early to give Pete Carroll the Coach of the Year award. Their win over the Cardinals should tell you everything you need about this team. They went into Arizona, against a division rival who was essentially playing for their season and they made all the right plays late in the game to be able to stretch their winning streak to four games.

10) New York Jets 6-3, last week 14

The Jets had a huge bounce back after their ugly loss last week to the New England Patriots. This is a team that started the season having to deal with adversity, but since Zach Wilson got healthy this team had been rolling until the Pats loss. Coming off a loss and having to face the top team in the AFC in Buffalo, things could have spiraled out of control quickly if NY would have lost to the Bills, but Robert Saleh and company didn’t allow the skeptics to start to chirp because they shocked Josh Allen and Buffalo in the Meadowlands.

11) Los Angeles Chargers 5-3, last week 11

The Chargers are 5-3 after their narrow Week 9 win over the Atlanta Falcons. They trailed for most of the game and needed one of the strangest plays you’ll ever see an NFL field to win the game. With how close things have been in the NFL, if you are a team over .500 it’s because you deserve it. The Chargers are far from playing their best football, but they are still just a game behind the Chiefs and the Bills.

12) Cincinnati Bengals 5-4, last week 13

It was a bad day to be on the same field as the Bengals who took out all of their frustration from a Monday Night beat down to Browns out on the Panthers. Joe Mixon exploded for 5 TDs on a day where he had over 200 yards of total offense. The Bengals will be with out Ja’Maar Chase for the next few weeks, but if they get this sort of production from their run game then they will be just fine. The only thing they will be looking for in Cincy, is a little consistency.

13) San Francisco 49ers 4-4, last week 9

The Niners have had so much shuffling around on their roster in the first half of the season that a week off will serve them well just to get everyone on the same page. Christian McCaffery already looks like he’s been in the Bay for a decade, but this extra time to get him even more acclimated to the Niners offense, which is great for San Fran, and bad news for everyone else. Kyle Shanahan is keeping quiet on when exactly Deebo Samuel will be back from a hamstring injury, but if this team is healthy for the last half of the season we should be seeing them in the playoffs yet again.

14) Tennessee Titans 5-3, last week 10

All eyes were on the Chiefs-Titans game on Sunday night as Mike Vrable’s team came into Week 9 riding a five game win streak despite plenty of questions surrounding their offense. With Malik Willis in under center everyone knew Derrick Henry was going to get a healthy helping of runs and the King went for 115 yards and two TDs but after his second TD, the Titans offense shut off. They went three and out on six of their final seven possessions, but the defense was able to force overtime. After KC kicked a FG to start overtime, the offense once again was shut down and the Titans lost their first game since Week 2.

15) New England Patriots 5-4, last week 15

The Pats had a chance to make a statement against the Colts in a game between two middle of the pack teams, and that’s exactly what they did. The offense was tamed to say the least, gaining just 203 yards of total offense, but the special teams set up an early TD after a blocked punt and a late pick six propelled the Pats to above .500 going into their bye week.

16) Atlanta Falcons 4-5, last week 19

Atlanta used their ground and pound game to control the rhythm of play against the Chargers, but as we have seen at times this season the Falcons have a tough time closing out games. Give them credit, they have exceeded almost everyones expectations and they are staying in games against some of the best teams in the league, but they still don’t have that killer instinct to bury teams when they have a chance.

17) Washington Commanders 4-5, last week 17

Taylor Heinicke didn’t have enough magic in the tank to take down a one loss Minnesota team on Sunday. You had to know the defense was going to come around for Riverboat Ron’s team. Over the last five games, the defense is allowing just 17 points per game. The Commanders kept it close until the very end thanks to their defensive unit, but couldn’t keep the Vikings from driving down the field to kick the game winning field goal with 12 seconds to go in the game.

18) Chicago Bears 3-6, last week 26

New flash: Justin Fields has officially been unchained. Fields ran wild on the Miami Dolphins, rushing for 176 yards to set a new all time record for a quarterback. The Bears knew they were going to have to keep pace with the Dolphins and they did so on the ground totaling 252 yards on the ground. Fields’ efficiency on the ground makes the Bears that much more dangerous in the red zone. They went 3-4 inside the 20 and Fields had 3 passing TDs, but Chicago couldn’t come up with a final drive to tie or win the game late dropping them to 3-6 on the year.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-5, last week 22

Someone had to win the Rams-Bucs game, and for a long time it looked like neither team wanted to. In the end the Rams left the Bucs in it until late in the in the fourth quarter, and Tom Brady showed that he is still Tom Brady when the game is on the line. They snapped their three game skid, and somehow lead the NFC South. That speaks more of the status of the division than it does for the Bucs quality, but a win is a win especially for a team that is has looked so bad over the last few weeks.

20) Los Angeles Rams 3-5, last week 16

The Rams just can’t kick their Super Bowl hangover. After failing to make any moves before the trade deadline the offense once again was the downfall of LA. They gained a grand total of just 206 yards against the Bucs, and Cooper Kupp had 127 of those yards. Matthew Stafford is desperately short of options at the WR position, and his offensive line is giving him no protection at all. This is a franchise that went all in to win the Super Bowl last year, and but this year that ambition from the front office seems to have disappeared.

21) Arizona Cardinals 3-6, last week 23

The Cardinals have lost four of their last five and the patience with Kliff Kingsbury has to be wearing thin in the desert. If we are being fair, the those four losses came at the hands of the Eagles, Vikings and Seahawks (twice), who have a combined four losses this season. They have faced some of the top teams in the conference recently, but the Cardinals felt like this was their year to be included among the top teams in the NFC and it hasn’t panned out like that.

22) Cleveland Browns 3-5, last week 24

The Browns bye week means they are one step closer to seeing Deshaun Watson make his debut for Cleveland. Will they be in the hunt for the playoffs when that time comes? They have tough games against the Dolphins and the Bills in the next two weeks, and the Browns QB1 won’t be fully reinstated until the 4th of December.

23) Denver Broncos 3-5, last week 25

After a long trip from Denver to London the Broncos got a much needed week off. This team has needed a week to get their chips in order since Week 1 it seems. Will Nathaniel Hackett be able to sort the ship to make a playoff push in the second half of the season?

24) New Orleans Saints 3-6, last week 21

The Saints offense was dreadful on Monday Night against the Ravens. If it wasn’t for their inconsequential 83 yard TD drive at the end of the game they would have ended the game with well under 200 yards of total offense. They have been plagued by injuries, but this is the NFL. That’s not an excuse for how New Orleans played at home in primetime.

25) Green Bay Packers 3-6, last week 20

Blame the offensive line all you want. Blame the receivers if you please. But just know this, Aaron Rodgers deserves a lot of the blame, especially in the loss to the Lions in Detroit. He looked terrible. Two of his three interceptions were inexplicable for a quarterback that has won four MVPs. I hate to say it, but when you talk about spending your offseason doing ayahuasca and then stink during the season a lot of people are going to start questioning your decisions, and commitment to the team.

26) Indianapolis Colts 3-5-1, last week 18

The wheels are on the verge of falling off of the Colts’ wagon this season. They benched Matt Ryan for the season, and Sam Ehlinger was the chosen one to come in and rescue Indy’s season. He was the one in need of rescue on Sunday, getting sacked nine times while going 15/29 for 103 yards and an interception. Only one team showed a sense of urgency to get into the playoff picture in New England, and it wasn’t Indianapolis. We will see if Ryan remains on the bench after Matt Rhule was fired on Monday. Interim coach Jeff Saturday has his work cut out for him taking saddle of a physical and mentally wounded Colts team.

27) Jacksonville Jaguars 3-6, last week 29

It was a battle of futility in Jacksonville as the Jags beat the Las Vegas Raiders to snap a five game losing streak. The rough patch definitely dropped expectations for this team to a more reasonable level, and that should help Trevor Lawrence and the Jags for the rest of the year. Lawrence went 25/31 for 235 yards and a TD and Travis Etienne Jr. had 109 yards and two TDs on the ground but the defense was most impressive in the for the Jags. They kept the Raiders off the board and allowed just three first downs in the second half of their 27-20 win.

28) Detroit Lions 2-6, last week 31

Good for the Detroit Lions. How can you not like a coach like Dan Campbell, who wears his emotions on his sleeve in each and every press conference. Points were expected at Ford Field, but it was the defense that prevailed for Campbell’s guys. Picking off Aaron Rodgers is not an easy task, but they preyed on a wounded Packers team that is sinking as the seconds pass.

29) Pittsburgh Steelers 2-6, last week 30

The bye week is probably the best thing that has happened to Kenny Pickett and the Steelers. Since he made his debut they have played the top QB in the league (Josh Allen) and the Bills, the best QB of all time (Tom Brady) and the Bucs, Tua Tagovailoa and the Dolphins in an emotional return from injury, and the best team in the league in the Philadelphia Eagles. He will have time to shake off the a 1-3 start to his NFL career and prepare for the Saints next week.

30) Las Vegas Raiders 2-6, last week 28

Las Vegas is making me feel like a fool. I believed in them for way too long, and they have done nothing to repay my trust. It went from bad to worse for the Raiders in Jacksonville over the weekend as they didn’t just lose to the Jags, they collapsed. We have seen this before from LV, they gave up a 20-0 lead to the Cardinals back in Week 2, and on Sunday they let a 17 point lead slip through their fingers. Josh McDaniels offense bottomed out after halftime as they gained just 65 yards and were shut out in the final 30 minutes.

31) Carolina Panthers 2-7, last week 27

The Panthers resurgence under Steve Wilks hit an orange and black wall in Week 9 as the Bengals laid it on Carolina. The game was over as soon as Joe Mixon walked on the field, and PJ Walker was benched after throwing two picks in his first 10 passes. Baker Mayfield came and put up decent numbers in a game that was long gone, but this Panthers team looks like it has no idea which direction it wants to go.

32) Houston Texans 1-6-1, last week 32

You’ve got to hand it to the Texans, they gave the Eagles all they could handle on Thursday Night in Houston. It was a battle of David vs. Goliath and Goliath needed 50 minutes to put the game on ice. Rookie Dameon Pierce gave Texans some much needed hope of things to come in the future. He had 139 yards against a top rated defense, but Davis Mills’ third quarter interception led to the Texans downfall.