Post-Week 9 Power Rankings

1 – Cardinals (8-1) 1

The Cardinals are back on top, dethroning the Packers by proving they have something that Green Bay apparently does not: depth. And the Cards have it in bunches. Without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins, A.J. Green, and J.J. Watt, in addition to losing Chase Edmonds on the first drive of the game, all Arizona did was waltz into the Bay and throw the 49ers all over the place. It was domination from start to finish, even with the fossil that is Colt McCoy leading the way under center. The offense got another huge hand from James Conner, who now has 11 touchdowns from scrimmage (all in his last 7 games) to take the league lead in that category. The defense continues to be dominant as well, forcing 3 turnovers. This is quickly becoming the deepest and potentially best roster in football. They deserve to be back at #1.

2 – Packers (7-2) 1

If you think the Packers deserved to be dropped significantly for their performance on Sunday, you either didn’t watch the game or you just don’t get this league. The worst part about their game was Jordan Love, who was a major disappointment. But… he’s the backup QB. And the man he backs up is the defending MVP. I didn’t think he’d struggle that much, but it was the kid’s first start in lieu of all of the off-the-field drama surrounding the franchise’s COVID policies (or lack thereof). In my opinion, the story of the game was the Packers defense, which was extremely impressive once again. This is a unit filled with studs, and they have more coming once they all get healthy. In my opinion, this is still the team to beat in the NFL, and once Aaron Rodgers is back, you’ll forget this week even happened, from an on-the-field standpoint, at least.

3 – Buccaneers (6-2) 2

Tampa won their bye week by watching some teams above them collapse, but also by getting much healthier. Both Antonio Brown and Rob Gronkowski should be back this week, giving the offense a huge boost. Not like they’ll need that against Washington of all teams.

4 – Titans (7-2) 3

I don’t know how this team does it. Through anything and everything, all the Titans do is win, win, win. Without their best player, Derrick Henry, on the road, facing one of the best teams in football on Sunday Night Football, Tennessee slammed their fist on the table and put together one of the most impressive wins of the season. The story of the game was their defense, which is suddenly an elite unit. Remember how I’ve been knocking this team for 2 years now for not having a pass rush? Yeah, throw that out of the window. This defensive front had their way with the Rams offensive line, namely Jeffrey Simmons, who had 3 sacks of his own. The secondary also continues to be lockdown, as Kevin Byard had a pick six, which was the second of two consecutive interceptions for the defense. The offense struggled as much as I thought they would, but it didn’t matter. They did what they had to do to get the job done. It’s a winning formula that can clearly work against some of the league’s elite. Even without Henry, this is just a winning football team. It’s honestly incredible to watch.

5 – Rams (7-2) 2

I did not see that coming. This team got a very harsh reality check on Sunday night for the entire country to see. It wasn’t pretty. I’m not entirely sure what happened to this offense, but they got stifled every time they had an opportunity to get something going. The defense didn’t do a terrible job, in fact they had a great game, holding the Titans to under 200 yards of offense. But the early turnovers were simply too much to overcome. They were facing a good defense themselves, but I’m so used to seeing the Rams be so great offensively that this was a disappointment. I still have plenty of faith in this team, and there’s no shame in losing to another great team like Tennessee, but they better get buttoned up to old form quickly in the hyper-competitive NFC.

6 – Ravens (6-2) 3

The Ravens are a team that I don’t know what to make of, but I have to love the way they play. They just find ways to win, and it all comes back to Lamar Jackson. He’s putting together a serious MVP campaign, and his ability to lead this team to victory in so many different ways is truly something to behold. He continues to have a great season through the air and on the ground, but he has also been able to bring this team back time after time, and Sunday was another brilliant example of that. This is a resilient bunch led by one of the most resilient QBs we have in this league, and their next man up mentality is working like a charm so far this season. The defense is still a major issue, but as long as Lamar keeps bailing them out, this team will continue to win games. I’d love to see more balance across the board, but this is working, so I can’t complain too much.

7 – Cowboys (6-2) 3

Everyone is allowed to lay a complete dud. This was the first dud of the Cowboys’ season. I think the biggest problem for this team on Sunday was Dak Prescott, who, in hindsight, probably shouldn’t have played in this game. He was terrible, as was the rest of the offense, which had no reason to get shut down by a Broncos team that just traded way its best defender. Dallas’ defensive woes also caught up to them in this game, as they were picked apart by Teddy Bridgewater of all QBs, and were also gashed on the ground to the tune of almost 200 rushing yards given up. I doubt we’ll see the Cowboys look this bad again, especially because Dak will only get healthier, but I think their defense might be their achilles heel once again moving forward. I can only sit back and laugh at those who crowned Trevon Diggs as their DPOY through 6 weeks because he was a pick magnet.

8 – Bills (5-3) 2

I have no idea what is going on with this team. Something is wrong with this offense. If I’m being honest… I think it’s Josh Allen. In recent weeks, he has been nothing short of terrible. The Josh Allen we got on Sunday was the version of him we were used to seeing before last year. Between terrible reads, awful throws, bone-headed decisions, a plethora of bad QB traits that Allen once had are beginning to rear their ugly heads once again. Buffalo’s defense is just fine, but Allen can’t continue to hold back this offense. With the Patriots catching up in the division and the wild card race looking as tight as ever, this team can’t afford for Allen to regress into his old self.

9 – Chargers (5-3) 2

That was a really nice win for the Chargers. It was a bit closer than I would’ve liked, but they got back on track with a much-needed W. I think the story of this team thus far is that they’re eliminating a lot of Charger-isms. They’ve been going on game-winning drives, milking clock late in games, kicking game-winning field goals, etc. Even if it doesn’t translate into immense success this season, you can tell things are trending upwards in LA. It helps when Justin Herbert is your QB. Herbert had one of the best QB games of the season, and he continues to be a complete treat to watch. The defense still needs to tighten up if this team wants to pull away in a conference littered with 5-win teams.

10 – Patriots (5-4) 3

I’d argue that no team in football is trending up more than the Patriots. We knew this team was good; that was evident in their fight in so many close losses. But now, they’re turning those close losses into impressive wins. The defense is still playing spectacularly, forcing turnovers and even getting in the endzone themselves. But, the story continues to be Mac Jones and this offense getting better and better as the season progresses. You can tell it’s getting easier and easier for this offense to do its thing with each game, and I don’t think they’ve even scratched the surface of their potential yet. Their schedule is extremely tough, but this New England team is going to make things extremely interesting in the back half of the season. I am incredibly intrigued to watch it play out.

11 – Steelers (5-3) 3

Pittsburgh is yet another team that is looking very, very good as of late. Yes, Monday night’s win was a little too close for comfort, but they were in cruise control for most of that game. The Bears deserve some credit for fighting back. This offense is playing good, efficient football, and the two star rookies Najee Harris and Pat Friermuth are a big reason for that. This defense is also still incredible, despite some slip-ups late in that game. This is just a solid team all around, and they have a good, winning formula. As long as they follow it, they should find themselves playing football in January.

12 – Browns (5-4) 5

The Browns are back. Or so I hope. Sunday’s victory was everything I’ve been looking for out of this team in 2021. We knew OBJ was a problem, but man, I have never seen a team change so much in the absence of a single player. Everyone on this team was on fire in Cincy on both sides of the ball. It was a complete and utter clinic. Donovan Peoples-Jones is emerging as a bonafide WR1, Nick Chubb is still one of the best backs in football, and Baker Mayfield is back to his late 2020 ways. Seriously, there aren’t a lot of offenses more fun to watch than this one when they play the way they did on Sunday. If the Browns can continue to play like this in the back half of the season, they can make a serious push in this division. I think they have what it takes.

13 – Bengals (5-4) 5

Sigh. Everything was so good just a few weeks ago. Back-to-back bad losses for this team have them falling in the standings, as the once-first-seeded Bengals now sit in dead last in the AFC North. Still, I have a lot of faith in this team. Joe Burrow is as resilient as they come, and this upcoming bye week should help them refocus and get back on track in the second half. I am concerned with Cincy’s defense, which seems to be regressing into its old self. This is an explosive offense, but they cannot afford to be weighed down by a defense that gives up big play after big play. The second half schedule is absolutely killer. The Bengals need to figure it out this week if they want to remain afloat in this wild playoff race.

14 – Colts (4-5) 1

I won’t go crazy over the Colts blowing out Josh Johnson and the Jets, but I was still impressed with what I saw on Thursday night. The story continues to be Jonathan Taylor and his awesome play as he continues quickly emerging into one of the NFL’s best backs. This defense also found themselves getting back on track, but again, it was Josh Johnson. I still think this is a very solid team all around, and as long as Carson Wentz is playing with his head on his shoulders, they will find themselves winning games. They can only hope that he doesn’t throw the season away.

15 – Saints (5-3) 3

Ok, I am being a bit harsh to the Saints. They showed a ton of fight and resilience to be able to come back and take a late lead on Sunday. But, I have two problems with what I saw in that game. For one, they should never have even been in that position against a team like the Falcons. Secondly, they should not have given up that game-winning drive. You guys know how much I love this defense. Where were they on Sunday? They stifled the run game to just 23 yards, but Matt Ryan threw for 343 yards and had his way with the secondary all game long. I know that’s the weaker link of the defense, but come on now. I do think this team will be fine, but it’s still so hard to get a read on them.

16 – Raiders (5-3) 6

The Raiders are like Groundhog Day. It’s just the same thing over and over and over again with this team. It’s unbelievably tiring, and I’m not even a fan of this team. They started out the season red hot? Oh, that just means they’ll fall off and return to mediocrity. Their former first rounders are emerging into stars? Nope, they have off the field issues and are no longer on the team. Derek Carr is playing like an MVP candidate? Nah, he’ll flutter against the Giants. It happens every single season. This is a 9 win team at best and that’s all I can say about them. I refuse to continue to be fooled. I’m done taking the Raiders seriously.

17 – Chiefs (5-4) 1

Was I supposed to be impressed with the Chiefs’ win on Sunday? For the second straight week, KC put together an uninspiring win that makes us feel worse about the team. Only scoring 13 points with all of that offensive talent is just inexcusable, even against a defense as good as Green Bay’s. I will say that I was impressed with Kansas City’s own defensive performance, but they were facing Jordan Love, not Aaron Rodgers. Had Rodgers been playing, this game would have been a wash. This team is still bad and has no redeeming qualities, and I will not be fooled by a couple of unimpressive wins.

18 – Seahawks (3-5) 3

Seattle is another team that won their bye week by likely getting Russell Wilson back from injury ahead of a pivotal matchup against the Packers. With Russ back, perhaps the Seahawks can turn their season around. I doubt it’ll happen, but at least we don’t have to watch Geno Smith play anymore.

19 – Broncos (5-4) 3

I genuinely have no idea where any of that game from. None. For the first time since Week 3, the Broncos looked impressive. Their defense was spectacular against a seemingly unstoppable Cowboys offense, and their own offense had their way in both the passing and running game all day long. They were severely underestimated by everyone, which was for a good reason, but came out and proved us all wrong. I’m not expecting to see Denver do this again this season, but good for them to shut us all up for a week.

20 – Vikings (3-5) 1

Ok. This is getting really tiring. I still believe this team is better than their record, but I’m waving the white flag with them. If they were truly better than their record, perhaps they’d actually be winning all of these games that they manage to lose. Good teams don’t fumble games away, miss game-winning kicks, lose to Cooper Rush, or throw away double digit leads. It’s as simple as that. This team just isn’t good enough to get over the hill that they have constructed in front of themselves. There are plenty of people to blame, and pointing fingers is a waste of time. Sometimes, you just gotta look inward.

21 – Eagles (3-6) 2

I’d say the Eagles are in the midst of a best case scenario season. They’re showing flashes and their young pieces are playing well, yet they’re still losing and heading towards multiple top draft selections. Great success! I like what I’m seeing from this team on both sides of the ball, and I think this rebuild is going well. That’s more than can be said about some of their division counterparts. This is honestly a decent team that can give anyone a fight and win games on any given Sunday.

22 – Falcons (4-4) 2

Yes, the Falcons picked up a very nice division win on Sunday. No, I don’t really care. I still have plenty of problems with this team, and a couple of wins isn’t going to magically erase them. This isn’t a playoff team despite currently being in the playoff picture. That’s why theres 9 more games left to be played. I will admit that the Falcons are playing a lot better than I though they would be, but I still don’t see it with this team, despite being at .500. Beat a bonafide good team at full strength and then we’ll talk.

23 – 49ers (3-5) 5

Like their once-fellow Bay Area residents, I am done with this team. How do you get blown out at home by the Cardinals B team offense? Yes, that is still a solid B team, but there’s no excuse for the 49ers to have played as poorly as they did on Sunday. Just none. Both sides of the ball are falling apart and this season is going nowhere fast. Even when Trey Lance is ready to play, it won’t magically solve all the other issues with this team. It’s just going to be another lost season in the Bay. They better hope Lance is as good as they think.

24 – Bears (3-6) 2

Like the Eagles, the Bears are in a good spot right now. They clearly have their franchise QB in Justin Fields, who played what was easily his best game as a pro on Monday night. He delivered throw after throw with extreme accuracy, took several hits and got back up, and led a clutch go-ahead drive that their defense subsequently threw away. But, as long as Fields continues to grow and impress and this team continues to lose, I’d say they’re doing well. I’m not some sort of tanking advocate, but I do recognize when losing has its advantages. Good losses are perhaps the best thing a team like the Bears can ask for.

25 – Giants (3-6)

I’ll admit, I was impressed with the Giants this week. I knew they’d play the Raiders close, but to beat them outright was something I didn’t see coming. It was largely thanks to another great defensive performance, as that side of the ball continues to prove its worth. The offense doesn’t have anything going for it, but the other side of the ball is playing extremely well. Good for them. They should look into fixing the offense, though. Just a suggestion.

26 – Panthers (4-5) 6

I could be overreacting here, but things are definitely cooked in Carolina. Remember that great defense they had a month ago? They’re still falling apart each and every week? Remember the 3 weeks that Sam Darnold was good? Now he’s playing like the worst starting QB in football. And to make matters worse, he’ll miss at least a month with a shoulder issue. So, even with Christian McCaffrey back, this offense is doomed. P.J. Walker is a solid backup, but he can’t salvage this absolute mess. I don’t know if anyone can.

27 – Jaguars (2-6) 2

How can you not feel good for this team? That was an awesome win for a franchise that needs as many as they can come by. You can tell this team has an energy that so many other bottom-of-the-barrel teams don’t, and Urban Meyer might just be proving that he can really do this in the NFL. I’m happy for him and the rest of this team. I enjoy watching them all succeed. Just don’t throw away a top 5 pick.

28 – Washington (2-6) 1

Last week was my favorite in the season because I didn’t have to subject myself to the torture of watching this team play. Unfortunately, they return to action this Sunday for an inevitable blowout at the hands of Tom Brady. At least it’ll be fun to watch him play.

29 – Jets (2-6) 1

Life’s too short to kick the Jets while they’re down. I have relished in that a lot over the years, but I won’t do that this week. Getting stomped by a good team after your starting QB gets hurt is nothing to be ashamed of. I hope Mike White gets healthy soon, because he actually makes this team somewhat watchable.

30 – Dolphins (2-7)

Congrats to the Dolphins on winning the worst game of the season on paper. Maybe if they had left any sort of impression on the field other than the fact that they’re still terrible, they’d get moved up a bit this week. But that’s not happening. A 17-9 win over the Texans is disgusting. At least they can say that they won.

31 – Lions (0-8)

For the first week this season, the Lions didn’t lose a game! Good for them. We’ll see how many similar weeks they have in 2021.

32 – Texans (1-8)

No.

All stats taken from ESPN.