NFL Power rankings: Week 9

By Evan Copeland

We’ve finally reached midseason in the NFL and the playoff picture is starting to take shape in both conferences. The league’s last undefeated team finally fell in week eight, while only the Chargers remain winless in 2026.

Who has moved up and who has moved down in this week’s rankings? Let’s dive into how the league stacks up ahead of week nine.

D Tier – Season Over

32. Los Angeles Chargers (=) – I think we all know that there are going to be some serious changes in the Chargers organisation come the offseason, but how drastic are the owners willing to go. Trades involving Justin Herbert and the firing of Jim Harbaugh have both been rumoured, but I think it will start with Mike McDaniel out of the door. He seemed one of the hirings of the summer, but this offense has failed expectations, to say the very least!

31. Indianapolis Colts (-4) – I wouldn’t say I was optimistic about the Colts this season, but I never imagined it getting this bad. It seems like a trade involving Jonathan Taylor could happen any day, it makes you wonder where it stops with this fire-sale. Could Tyler Warren or Sauce Gardner be next? Either way, it’s season over and time to rebuild for the Colts.

30. Philadelphia Eagles (-2) – There’s not much more we can say about the Eagles, their season is over. Regardless of the injuries and struggling offense prior, Jalen Hurts’ season-ending injury ended Philadelphia’s chances in 2026. I expect Nick Sirianni to be fired, the Eagles will be already planning their bounce back for next year.

29. Tennessee Titans (+2) – This was Cam Ward’s best game as a Titan so far this season, beyond any doubt. He finally looked up to the standard we expect from a first overall pick, playing a key part in an impressive Titans offense, despite missing Carnell Tate. Despite eventually ending on the losing side, he showed a lot of promise we haven’t seen during his time in the NFL.

28. Miami Dolphins (+1) – We have certainly seen a significant improvement from the Dolphins in the past few games, especially since their bye in week six. I know they’re still at 1-6 but their most recent three losses have come in one-score games. There’s genuine improvement on the offensive side of the ball and Malik Willis has been at the heart of it. His completion percentage and passer rating have taken huge jumps since the bye; he’s starting to find his feet in Miami.

C Tier – Something Needs To Change, Quickly

27. Washington Commanders (+3) – While this was much better from the Commanders and Jayden Daniels, the Eagles are an absolute mess. Washington took full advantage of the situation of their division rivals, outperforming the Eagles in every offensive stat with a more efficient display. They face the Rams next and will look to build some momentum.

26. New York Jets (=) – Putting aside the Geno Smith interception on the final drive, this was a solid performance from the Jets who went toe-to-toe with an impressive Raiders team. Over 400 yards of total offense, three touchdown drives, we saw the best of the Jets on offense.
The Breece Hall situation is interesting; his injury has come at an awkward time for New York. Given Braelon Allen’s breakout in 2026, I would be tempted to get value from Hall while it’s there.

25. New Orleans Saints (-2) – Took a bye in week eight but remained one game away from the division lead after a loss by the Panthers. I need to see more from this team if they want to be in the mix to win the NFC South, but they are still in the race, for now.

24. Dallas Cowboys (-4) – An embarrassing performance on all fronts which should be the last nail in Brian Schottenheimer’s coffin as Cowboys head coach. It’s inexcusable, letting a 14-point fourth quarter lead slip, at home, against Cardinals’ backup Gardner Minshew. It shows how bad the Dallas defense is that they made Minshew look like Tom Brady. A complete mess, but that has been the story for too long for the Cowboys.

23. Baltimore Ravens (-5) – Heading into last weekend’s game, most Ravens fans would’ve seen the worst-case scenario as Lamar Jackson going out injured again. Somehow, it’s worse. Not only is Lamar now on IR with a thumb injury, backup Tyler Huntley is done for the year with Turf Toe. It’s now down to Jacoby Brissett, traded in from the Cardinals, to save Baltimore’s season. Some serious questions to be asked in the Ravens organisation.

22. Atlanta Falcons (-3) – Michael Penix played his part in one of the NFL’s most unique games, throwing four interceptions in a dismal performance by the Falcons offense. 0/12 on third downs, four turnovers, outgained by nearly 100 yards, nothing went right. It seems obvious if a team gets shutout, but there were no positives at all for Kevin Stefanski, except remaining well in the division race.

21. Arizona Cardinals (+4) – I’m not sure how the Cardinals are 3-5, or how they were allowed back in the game against Dallas in week eight. Gardner Minshew has ousted Jacoby Brissett as starting quarterback after a phenomenal performance against the Cowboys, leading Arizona into a brutal three game stretch, the Seahawks, Rams, and Chiefs. Brutal puts it lightly.

20. Las Vegas Raiders (+4) – For anyone calling for Fernando Mendoza to be given the starting role in Vegas, Sunday’s win over the Jets showed Kirk Cousins and this team aren’t done yet. The Raiders are back to .500 in a weak AFC and have a chance to make a playoff push. They will need to weather the storm to stay in contention, facing the 49ers, Seattle, and Denver in the coming weeks.

19. Houston Texans (+2) – After a bye in week eight, it’s set up to be a real uphill battle for the Texans throughout the rest of 2026. I would expect the division is out of reach, but at least one of the Wild Card spots in the AFC could be a target for Houston.

B Tier – In With A Fighting Chance

18. Cleveland Browns (-2) – This game wasn’t close, Cleveland got flat-out dominated from the first whistle. Consistency is going to be an issue if this team wants to make the playoffs, it always seems like one step forward, two steps back. In this game however, the offensive line play was nowhere near good enough as DeShaun Watson took eight sacks.

17. Carolina Panthers (-4) – The talk of a Bryce Young MVP charge taking the Panthers to the playoffs has been quickly extinguished after successive losses. Carolina still sits atop the NFC South, but a resurgent Tampa Bay team are looming large after Baker Mayfield’s return from injury.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+6) – That will be one of the weirder games we see in the NFL for years to come, but a win is a win for Tampa Bay. The Bucs became the first team since the 1974 Bills to come out on top despite having zero passing yards.
All it took was pouring Florida rain for Tampa Bay to opt for a full rushing-offense as Baker Mayfield threw only three times. It’s gone from season over to division favourites for this Tampa turnaround, a miraculous turnaround, and an even weirder game.

15. New York Giants (=) – This is the real acid test for JJ McCarthy and the Giants offense, facing a struggling Eagles outfit. Coming out of the bye, fully rested, McCarthy given time to learn this offense, it could be a confidence booster for the G Men.

14. Green Bay Packers (+3) – Back on track for Green Bay after last week’s loss to the Lions, keeping pace in an ultra-competitive NFC North. Despite a dismal start to the year, doubts over the head coach, off field controversies and an injured Micah Parsons, somehow this team currently occupies a Wild Card spot. Micah is set to return soon, with the Packers targeting a crucial Thanksgiving showdown against the Rams.

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1) – Somehow, despite questions over this offense, the Steelers have the sole lead in the AFC North, notching another in-division win over the Browns. Mike McCarthy and Aaron Rodgers deserve huge credit for keeping this team ticking over. It’s not particularly flashy but they are getting the job done and should be a team to watch heading towards January.

A Tier – Capable Of Winning It All

12. New England Patriots (=) – A mark of the league’s great teams is the ability to be at their best when the going gets tough. We’ve seen it before from Tom Brady’s New England teams, and we saw it again from Drake Maye this weekend. Down double digits into halftime, three straight touchdown drives, all by Maye saw the Patriots come out on top. A crucial victory, all down to a brilliant quarterback.

11. Seattle Seahawks (-5) – A similar situation to the Minnesota Vikings, an elite defense will only get you so far. Again, as good as JSN has been this season, Sam Darnold hasn’t been on the level Seattle needs him to be if they want to even make the playoffs, never mind go on another deep run. The run game and the quarterback are two key issues that Mike McDonald must fix if the Seahawks want to go back-to-back.

10. Los Angeles Rams (+1) – This team is finally starting to build some momentum, winning successive games to move back to .500. The Rams defense, especially the secondary had Justin Herbert seeing ghosts all afternoon and the offense eventually got into gear to secure a dominant victory.

The long-awaited duo of Myles Garrett and Aaron Donald on the same defensive line is drawing closer as Garrett returned to practice this week, the stuff of nightmares for the league’s quarterbacks.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (-4) – It looks like the Chiefs are rounding into some offensive rhythm at the perfect time, despite giving up an 11-point fourth quarter lead against the Broncos. Helped by the returning Rashee Rice, Patrick Mahomes had his best game of the season so far and looks back to his frightening best. I’m not worried about this team at all, regardless of successive losses they remain one of the AFC’s best.

8. Minnesota Vikings (-4) – This was coming for Minnesota; the defense can only do so much. Divisional matchups, particularly in the NFC North with so much at stake, are bound to be close affairs, but I just see no life from this Vikings offense and Kyler Murray. Against Detroit’s defensive unit, one of the worst in the NFL no less, they just couldn’t get anything going consistently. It’s a fatal flaw that will cost them down the stretch.

7. Detroit Lions (+2) – This team showed everything it’s about, coming from behind to take down the undefeated Minnesota Vikings. After losing team captain Jack Campbell to a gruesome injury, the Lions showed grit and fight to rally and take a crucial win. The signs look positive so far for Campbell, but he will be a huge loss for this defense. He’s a brilliant player and key personality in the organisation, but his health is crucial right now.

6. Denver Broncos (+3) – This team’s record-setting ability to win one score games is a testament to the greatness of Sean Payton. Despite an inconsistent offense, he has taken Denver to new levels by making them hard to beat and even harder to keep out of the game. A 15th straight victory in one-score games, this time in a thriller against the Chiefs, ties the NFL record set by Peyton Manning’s Colts in 2008.

5. Cincinnati Bengals (+4) – While it’s fair to say Joe Burrow’s three interceptions kept Tennessee in the game, he was exceptional in the Bengals’ overtime win. Six total touchdowns (including the game winner), nearly 500 yards of offense, he put the team on his back once again.
I still have concerns over this defense, but the Bengals offense can win them any game. Burrow for me should be the MVP favourite, his numbers in 2026 are in another league.

S Tier – Super Bowl Favourites

4. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3) – Liam Coen’s Jaguars returned from London in some style, dominating the car-crash Colts. 30% of Trevor Lawrence’s completions ended in touchdowns, if you can believe that, as Jacksonville’s offense continues to rival the NFL’s best. This is one of the league’s most complete teams, spearheaded by Coen and Lawrence, one of the best quarterback-coach tandems you will find across the NFL.

3. San Francisco 49ers (=) – Their lead at the top of the NFC West stayed the same during the bye week after the Seahawks fell on Monday night. Staying healthy will be key for this team and their postseason ambitions.

2. Chicago Bears (=) – I was really impressed, as the rest of the league was, with Caleb Williams on Monday night. It almost feels like he has changed his playing style in 2026. The accuracy is much better, he is dictating games without feeling like he needs to do anything out of the ordinary. Picking apart Seattle’s defense is no mean feat, but Caleb did so with ease, a terrific all-around Chicago performance.

1. Buffalo Bills (=) – While this wasn’t the challenge many envisioned coming into the game, the Bills didn’t leave any chance for the Ravens to pull off the upset. The offense looked dominant all game against a solid Baltimore defense, Josh Allen, James Cook, DJ Moore – there is so much talent on that side of the ball. Moore had an excellent game on his return from injury, over 80 yards and a touchdown.

EVAN COPELAND

NFL ANALYST

Evan is a Los Angeles Rams fan and sports journalism student at Lincoln University, with a keen interest in NFL writing, alongside golf and football. You can keep up with all of his content on X at @EvanCopeland26.

Rated 5 out of 5
BoyleSports NFL