The first half of the 2020 NFL season closed with a bang this past weekend. Underdogs had plenty of bark all week long, creating quite a stir throughout the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings. Familiar teams sit on top and at the very bottom while the middle of the pack remains a dogfight as we enter the second half of the season. Read on to see where your team stacks up at the halfway point.
With the NFL’s trade deadline set to pass on Tuesday, we will have a full sense of rosters for the remainder of the season by the end of the week. Check out the NFL page here at FlurrySports for plenty more trade deadline-specific content.
Week 9 NFL Power Rankings
1. Kansas City Chiefs
Week 8 Ranking: 1
It was business as usual for Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs in a 35-9 Week 8 win over the hapless New York Jets. It’s impressive for any NFL team to cover a point spread of greater than 20 points no matter how lopsided the matchup is on paper. The Chiefs were able to do just that. Kansas City will look to take care of the Carolina Panthers next week before enjoying a well-deserved bye.
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 8 Ranking: 2
The Steelers stayed undefeated with a huge divisional win at the Baltimore Ravens this past week. Pittsburgh put up 28 points in the game despite less than 200 passing yards from Ben Roethlisberger. The offense was aided by short fields throughout the game as the vaunted Steelers defense forced 4 turnovers. How much longer before the Steelers manage to overtake the Chiefs for the top spot in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings?
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 7 Ranking: 4
The Buccaneers were fortunate to escape their Monday night clash against the lowly New York Giants with a win. Tampa Bay came out flat and benefitted from a pair of Daniel Jones interceptions and some egregious officiating to steal a 2-point win. Nonetheless, Tom Brady and Co. are on a roll heading into a rematch against the New Orleans Saints next week that could ultimately decide the NFC South.
4. Seattle Seahawks
Week 8 Ranking: 6
The Seahawks desperately needed to get right after throwing away what looked like a surefire divisional win two weeks ag. They took advantage of a beaten and battered San Francisco 49ers team to do just that. Russell Wilson to D.K. Metcalf has to be the prettiest connection in the NFL, no? With a bye on the horizon in Week 9, Seattle will look forward to defensive reinforcements for their next game in trade acquisition Carlos Dunlap and the return of Jamal Adams.
5. Baltimore Ravens
Week 8 Ranking: 3
Not a good showing from Lamar Jackson on a big stage yet again. Marquise Brown’s cryptic and since-deleted tweet hints that there might be some frustration brewing in the Baltimore locker room. On top of it all, the Ravens lost top lineman Ronnie Stanley for the year. The ravens remain in the top-5 of the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings by the skin of their teeth.
6. New Orleans Saints
Week 8 Ranking: 8
Chicago is no easy place to earn a road win, and the Saints were able to get the job done Sunday in overtime. Drew Brees may not be throwing the ball downfield much this season, but his 31/41 passing for 280 yards and 2 scores against one of the NFL’s best defenses is nothing to sneeze at. New Orleans also acquired linebacker Kwon Alexander Monday ahead of the trade deadline as they look to fine-tune their defense and gear up for a championship run.
7. Green Bay Packers
Week 8 Ranking: 5
Whether it’s poor coaching, the effect of practicing in a COVID-19 year, or something else, the Packers are horrendous at tackling players in the open field. Surrendering 4 touchdowns to an excellent player like Dalvin Cook is one thing. To do so in the manner Green Bay did is another. Now the Pack have to contend with positive COVID cases in their own locker room. Thursday’s game against San Francisco is very much in doubt.
8. Tennessee Titans
Week 8 Ranking: 7
From 5-0 to 5-2 and this weekend’s loss to the Cincinnati Bengals stings a lot more than one to the undefeated Steelers. The Titans allowed Joe Burrow to pick them apart all game long and failed to take advantage of the Bengals’ poor offensive line play to generate pressure on the rookie signal-caller. Tennessee was active in the trade market on Monday acquiring cornerback Desmond King, but making a play for a pass-rusher seems paramount to the team truly becoming an AFC and Super Bowl contender.
9. Buffalo Bills
Week 8 Ranking: 11
The Bills found great success running the football for really the first time all season. Both Devin Singletary and Zack Moss surpassed 80 yards rushing on the day and the latter found the end zone twice. It’s an encouraging sign going forward as Buffalo looks to lessen the burden on QB Josh Allen. It may have been in an escape-like fashion, but the Bills will gladly take any win over the New England Patriots they can get.
10. Indianapolis Colts
Week 8 Ranking: 14
The Colts remain one of the toughest teams to consistently pin down and find themselves cracking the top-10 for the first time all season in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings. If not for throwing away a Week 1 game against the lowly Jacksonville Jaguars that Indianapolis dominated statistically, this team would be 6-1. Phillip Rivers proved his doubters wrong yet again with another big game against the Detroit Lions this past week, and the Colts formidable defense will keep them in games no matter who they are up against.
11. Los Angeles Rams
Week 8 Ranking: 9
Jared Goff did Jared Goff things in South Beach on Sunday as the Rams suffered a disappointing road setback in their quest to keep pace in the crowded NFC West picture. Much of it was because L.A. fell behind quickly, but the Rams won’t win many games when Goff has to throw 65 passes.
12. Arizona Cardinals
Week 8 Ranking: 12
The Cardinals have a great opportunity to make hay against the AFC East coming out of their Week 8 bye week. Three of Arizona’s next four games come against the Dolphins, Bills, and Patriots. Acquiring defensive help before the trade deadline would only reinforce the idea that it’s time to take this team seriously.
13. Chicago Bears
Week 8 Ranking: 13
The Bears’ fourth quarter surge was just too little too late as they suffered a tough home loss to the Saints. Chicago benefitted from the Packers’ loss earlier in the day to remain just a half-game out of first in the NFC North. Another positive is the fact that the Bears have a slew of favorable matchups down the stretch. Fantasy Football managers take note.
14. Las Vegas Raiders
Week 8 Ranking: 16
The weather conditions were far from ideal, but the Raiders managed to shut down the rushing attack of the Cleveland Browns and earn an impressive defensive win at the Dawg Pound. Jon Gruden continues to get the most out of his players every week and Las Vegas has their sights set on contending for a playoff spot.
15. San Francisco 49ers
Week 8 Ranking: 10
The 37-27 loss to the Seahawks was perhaps the least consequential blow the 49ers suffered this weekend. Quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo is out indefinitely with an ankle injury and tight end George Kittle will miss the next eight weeks with a broken bone in his foot. These are just the latest injuries for a San Fran team that has lost more key names in a season than any team in recent memory. The 49ers will in all likelihood continue to fall in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings.
16. Cleveland Browns
Week 8 Ranking: 15
Sunday’s loss to the Raiders was the first L on the season for Cleveland to any team not named Pittsburgh or Baltimore. The windy and rainy weather limited the passing game of both sides, but it’s fair to question whether the Browns will fade without Odell Beckham Jr. Perhaps of bigger concern was the ineffectiveness of the run game. With Nick Chubb set to return after the team’s bye, the Browns will look to get back on track in two weeks.
17. Detroit Lions
Week 8 Ranking: 18
The Lions did well to bottle up the lethal Colts’ rushing attack, but it’s hard to win when you let Phillip Rivers throw for nearly 300 yards and a trio of scores. Detroit also had no balance whatsoever offensively in their own right, rushing for a measly 29 yards as a team. Kenny Golladay appears likely to miss time after sustaining a hip injury as well.
18. Philadelphia Eagles
Week 8 Ranking: 20
The Eagles got the key NFC East win over the depleted Dallas Cowboys Sunday night, but it was once again far from a pristine game. The clamoring for Jalen Hurts only grew after Carson Wentz committed 4 total turnovers. Philadelphia looks like a playoff team by default, but this team has a lot of work to do.
19. Miami Dolphins
Week 8 Ranking: 22
The Dolphins were able to come away winners in Tua Tagovailoa’s first career start, but the victory was much more about the defense than anything Miami’s offense did. The Dolphins earned a big boost in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings, but can they actually contend for a playoff berth with Tagovailoa under center?
20. Carolina Panthers
Week 8 Ranking: 17
After being the talk of the town following a three-game winning streak, the Panthers have now dropped three in a row. The offense looked rather inept in the latest defeat, particularly the O-line which failed to hold back the Atlanta Falcons’ pass rush all game long. With the Chiefs, Buccaneers, and Lions on deck, nothing gets easier for Matt Rhule’s young team going forward.
21. Los Angeles Chargers
Week 8 Ranking: 19
For my money, the Chargers are just as good at choking away leads as the Falcons, and maybe worse. Justin Herbert continues to look the part of a franchise quarterback, but Los Angeles had no. business losing to the Denver Broncos in a game they led by 21 points. A coaching change would appear imminent as Anthony Lynn continues to amaze in the second half of games.
22. New England Patriots
Week 8 Ranking: 21
You’d have to go all the way back to 2002 to find the last time the Patriots lost four straight games. The lack of talent in New England is clear and Bill Belichick really has his hands tied as far as this season goes. For my money though, Cam Newton outplayed Josh Allen on Sunday, albeit in defeat. The Pats will look to snap the skid against the New York Jets next Monday night.
23. Minnesota Vikings
Week 8 Ranking: 24
The Vikings earned a season-saving win at Lambeau Field on Sunday to move up one spot in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings. As good as Dalvin Cook was, how about some love for linebacker Eric Kendricks? From his 8 total tackles to running stride for stride with Davante Adams in coverage, Kendricks was everywhere defensively for Minnesota.
24. Atlanta Falcons
Week 8 Ranking: 26
The Falcons impressed in their road win over Carolina. Julio Jones was his usual Thursday night self with 7 catches for 137 yards. Atlanta may be 2-6, but it’s hard to say they are totally out of the newly expanded NFC playoff picture.
25. Houston Texans
Week 8 Ranking: 23
A bye week gave the Texans time to lick their wounds and gear up for the second half of the season. Houston does have one of the easiest strength of schedule the rest of the way. Given how bad the defense has been, it’s tough to envision a sudden playoff push.
26. Cincinnati Bengals
Week 8 Ranking: 25
The Bengals took it to the Titans in an impressive win on Sunday. Cincinnati has something special in Joe Burrow. This still isn’t their year, but the future has never been brighter.
27. Denver Broncos
Week 8 Ranking: 28
A win is a win, even if the Broncos had no business walking away victorious from their AFC West showdown with the Chargers. Denver now has three wins on the year, yet it’s hard to move them up in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings given the success of other teams around them.
28. Washington Football Team
Week 8 Ranking: 27
Following a win over the Dallas Cowboys, head coach Ron Rivera finished up his cancer treatment. Washington will look to avenge their loss to the New York Giants this coming week and announce themselves as the Eagles’ top challengers in the NFC East.
29. Dallas Cowboys
Week 8 Ranking: 29
The Cowboys defense held their own, forcing 4 turnovers to keep the team in the game. I guess Ben DiNucci could’ve been a lot worse, right?
30. New York Giants
Week 8 Ranking: 30
Joe Judge deserves credit. The Giants come ready to play each and every week, despite a quarterback who is turnover-prone and then some sabotaging any momentum they seem to build. The Giants also got hosed in the fourth quarter on more than one occasion by the referees Monday night. Don’t @ me.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 8 Ranking: 31
Realizing that they probably can’t win another game all year if they are to have a shot at drafting Trevor Lawrence, the Jaguars will hold Gardner Minshew out of their Week 9 game with a thumb injury and roll with rookie Jake Luton instead. Never before has a team wanted to fall to last in the Week 9 NFL Power Rankings so bad.
32. New York Jets
Week 8 Ranking: 32
Avery Williamson won the jackpot. The linebacker was 0-8 and is suddenly 7-0 after being dealt to the Steelers Sunday night. Safe to say he’s hyped about it too.
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