Analysis

11/1/22

13 min read

NFL Week 9 Power Rankings: Seahawks, 49ers Jump Into Top 10

The lines of demarcation are starting to become clear.

There are the Bills, Eagles, and Chiefs, and then a line. Then the Vikings, Ravens and Cowboys, and then another line.

There are the Titans and 49ers, who might eventually join that second group, but aren’t quite there yet. There are teams like the Seahawks, Giants, and Dolphins that we still don’t know quite what to make of yet.

And then there’s the floundering Bucs and Rams who, in the immortal words of Bill Parcells, are what their record says they are. And right now, their records say they’re not very good.

The 6-1 Bills remained atop The 33rd Team power rankings after disposing of the struggling 3-5 Packers for their fourth straight win. The 7-0 Eagles and the 5-2 Chiefs held on to the second and third spots.

The 4-4 49ers and the 5-3 Seahawks made the biggest moves this week. The Niners jumped seven spots from 15 to 8 after their second win over the defending Super Bowl champion Rams in the last five weeks. The surprising Seahawks also moved up seven spots, from 16 to 9, after beating the Giants, 27-13.

The biggest fall this week was by the 2-5 Raiders, who fell from 20 to 27 after getting shut out by the 3-5 Saints. Other teams taking significant drops: The Bengals from 5 to 10, the Rams from 9 to 14, the Jets from 11 to 15, the Giants from 8 to 11 and the Bears from 21 to 24. All of them lost this weekend.

The Week 9 power rankings:

1. Buffalo Bills (6-1)

Previous: 1

Last week: W 27-17 vs. Packers | This week: at 5-3 Jets

Good news: They are the NFL’s most complete team. They're first in points allowed (14.0 per game) and second in scoring (29.0).

Bad news: Veteran safety Jordan Poyer left the Packers game in the fourth quarter with an elbow injury and didn’t return. His status for this week is uncertain.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (7-0)

Previous: 2

Last week: W 35-13 vs. Steelers | This week: at 1-5-1 Texans

Good news: Jalen Hurts had his first four-touchdown performance vs. the Steelers. All four scores were 25-plus-yard pass plays.

Bad news: Rookie DT Jordan Davis, who has been a key part of the Eagles’ run defense, suffered a high ankle sprain Sunday that is likely to sideline him for 4 to 6 weeks.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

Previous: 3

Last week: Bye | This week: vs. 5-2 Titans

Good news: The Chiefs are averaging nearly four more points a game without Tyreek Hill than they did with him last season.

Bad news: They’re 25th in points allowed, giving up 24.6 per game. A Super Bowl winner hasn’t allowed that many points since the 2011 Giants (25.0).

4. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

Previous: 4

Last week: W 34-26 vs. Cardinals | This week: at 4-4 Commanders

Good news: The Vikings might clinch the NFC North by Thanksgiving. They already have a four-game lead over the Packers and Bears.

Bad news: The Vikings have won five in a row, but their average margin of victory in those five wins has been just six points.

5. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

Previous: 6

Last week: W 27-22 at Bucs | This week: at 3-5 Saints

Good news: The Ravens’ next six opponents have a combined record of 12-30.

Bad news: TE Mark Andrews and WR Rashod Bateman played a combined 23 snaps against the Bucs after leaving the game with injuries.

6. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

Previous: 7

Last week: W 49-29 vs. Bears | This week: Bye

Good news: No Zeke Elliott? No problem. The Eagles rushed for a season-high 200 yards with Zeke out with a knee injury, including 131 and three touchdowns by Tony Pollard.

Bad news: They don’t get another shot at the unbeaten Eagles until Christmas Eve.

7. Tennessee Titans (5-2)

Previous: 10

Last week: W 17-10 at Texans | This week: at 5-2 Chiefs

Good news: In his last four games against the Texans, Derrick Henry has rushed for 892 yards and nine touchdowns.

Bad news: The Titans have won five games in a row since an 0-2 start. But the combined record of the five teams they have beaten is 13-22-3.

8. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

Previous: 15

Last week: W 31-14 at Rams | This week: Bye

Good news: In his second game with the Niners, Christian McCaffrey had 149 rushing and receiving yards and two touchdowns against the Rams. And, oh yeah, he also threw for a third touchdown, making him the first player since Hall of Famer LaDanian Tomlinson in 2005 to perform that touchdown trifecta.

Bad news: Those early-season losses to the Bears and Broncos could come back to bite them in the butt down the road.

9. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)

Previous: 16

Last week: W 27-13 vs. Giants | This week: at 3-5 Cardinals

Good news: Geno Smith has nine touchdowns and one interception in the last five games. Yeah, we all saw that coming.

Bad news: The Seahawks have converted just 28.8% of their third downs in the last four games, including 3 of 13 against the Giants.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-4)

Previous: 5

Last week: L 13-32 at Browns | This week: vs. 2-6 Panthers

Good news: The Bengals' next two games are against the 2-6 Panthers and 2-6 Steelers.

Bad news: QB Joe Burrow and Bengals' offense weren’t the same without injured WR Ja’Marr Chase. The Bengals had season-lows in points, yards and first downs against the Browns.

11. New York Giants (6-2)

Previous: 8

Last week: L 13-27 at Seahawks | This week: Bye

Good news: They held a Seahawk ground game that averaged 6.3 yards per carry a week earlier against the Chargers to 3.5.

Bad news: Saquon Barkley had a season-low 53 rushing yards (2.7 yards per carry) against the Seahawks. The Giants' offense doesn’t work without Barkley.

12. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)

Previous: 12

Last week: Bye | This week: at 4-4 Falcons

Good news: Justin Herbert’s been sacked just 10 times in the first seven games.

Bad news: He has averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt in the Chargers’ last two games and is averaging a yard less per attempt (6.5) this year than last year (7.5).

13. Miami Dolphins (5-3)

Previous: 13

Last week: W 31-27 at Lions | This week: at 4-4 Falcons

Good news: Tua Tagovailoa had a career-high 138.7 passer rating against the Lions.

Bad news: The Dolphins have only scored more than 21 points twice in eight games.

14. Los Angeles Rams (3-4)

Previous: 9

Last week: L 14-31 vs. 49ers | This week: at 3-5 Bucs

Good news: For only the second time this season, Matthew Stafford didn’t have an interception Sunday.

Bad news: The Rams are swirling the drain. They’ve lost three of their last four, including two to the Niners.

15. New York Jets (5-3)

Previous: 11

Last week: L 17-22 vs. Patriots | This week: vs. 6-1 Bills

Good news: The Jets sacked Patriots QB Mac Jones six times on Sunday.

Bad news: The Jets have shown improvement in a lot of areas, but quarterback hasn’t really been one of them. Zach Wilson threw three interceptions against the Patriots and has a godawful 54.9 completion percentage.

16. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)

Previous: 17

Last week: W 37-34 vs. Panthers | This week: vs. 4-3 Chargers

Good news: A team that is supposed to be in rebuilding mode is in first place in the NFC South, even if it is with a .500 record and the league’s fifth-worst points allowed average (25.6).

Bad news: In the last five games, first-round rookie WR Drake London has 132 receiving yards and no touchdowns.

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)

Previous: 14

Last week: L 22-27 vs. Ravens | This week: vs. 3-4 Rams

Good news: Tom Brady hasn’t thrown an interception in his last 313 attempts.

Bad news: That hasn’t prevented the Bucs from losing five of their last six and Brady from losing three in a row for the first time in 20 years.

18. Washington Commanders (4-4)

Previous: 23

Last week: W 17-16 at Colts | This week: vs. 6-1 Vikings

Good news: The Commanders have won three in a row after a 1-4 start, and are 2-0 with Taylor Heinicke at QB.

Bad news: With the 6-1 Vikings up next, chances are slim that Heinicke is going to make that 3-0 with him as the QB.

19. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)

Previous: 18

Last week: L 26-34 at Vikings | This week: vs. 5-3 Seahawks

Good news: In the two games since returning from his suspension, DeAndre Hopkins has 22 catches for 262 yards and one touchdown.

Bad news: The Cardinals have been outscored 55-9 in the first quarter.

20. Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1)

Previous: 19

Last week: L 16-17 vs. Commanders | This week: at 4-4 Patriots

Good news: QB Sam Ehlinger didn’t look awful in his first career start.

Bad news: The Colts are 1-3-1 in their division, including two losses to the first-place Titans.

21. Denver Broncos (3-5)

Previous: 22

Last week: W 21-17 at Jaguars | This week: Bye

Good news: The Broncos’ defense is one of the best in the league. They are giving up just 16.5 points per game.

Bad news: The Broncos’ converted just 2 of 11 third-down tries vs. the Jags. Only Carolina has been more impotent on third down this season than the Broncos (29.2%).

22. Green Bay Packers (3-5)

Previous: 24

Last week: L 17-27 at Bills | This week: at 2-6 Lions

Good news: Aaron Jones rushed for a season-high 143 yards against the Bills.

Bad news: Aaron Rodgers said last week that going on the road to play the Bills “might be the best thing for us.’’ It wasn’t. But it also wasn’t the worst thing. They held the Bills to three points in the second half.

23. New England Patriots (4-4)

Previous: 25

Last week: W 22-17 at Jets | This week: vs. 3-4-1 Colts

Good news: They picked off Jets’ Zach Wilson three times Sunday. Their 16 takeaways are tied for the most in the league.

Bad news: Their 16 giveaways also are tied for the most in the league.

24. Cleveland Browns (3-5)

Previous: 30

Last week: W 32-13 vs. Bengals | This week: Bye

Good news: Nick Chubb had his first 20-carry game since Week 3. Not coincidentally, the Browns scored a season-high 32 points.

Bad news: The Browns have lost four games by three points or less.

25. Chicago Bears (3-5)

Previous: 21

Last week: L 29-49 at Cowboys | This week: vs. 5-3 Dolphins

Good news: The Bears have scored 62 points in their last two games, and Justin Fields had his first multiple-touchdown, zero-interception game of the season Sunday.

Bad news: They still lost as the defense gave up 175-plus rushing yards for the fourth time in eight games.

26. New Orleans Saints (3-5)

Previous: 29

Last week: W 24-0 vs. Raiders | This week: vs. 5-3 Ravens

Good news: If the Saints are indeed looking to trade Alvin Kamara by the Tuesday 4 p.m. deadline, his performance Sunday only enhanced his value. He had 158 rushing and receiving yards and three touchdowns.

Bad news: Before shutting out the Raiders, they had given up 132 points in their previous four games.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)

Previous: 26

Last week: L 17-21 vs. Broncos | This week: vs. 2-5 Raiders

Good news: The James Robinson trade has left Travis Etienne as the team’s workhorse running back. He responded Sunday by rushing for a career-high 156 yards on 24 carries against the Broncos.

Bad news: Trevor Lawrence continues to have problems with ball security. He has 10 turnovers, including six interceptions. He had two against the Broncos, including an inexcusable one in the red zone.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)

Previous: 20

Last week: L 0-24 at Saints | This week: at 2-6 Jaguars

Good news: It’s finally starting to cool off in Vegas.

Bad news: Just because somebody worked for Bill Belichick doesn’t necessarily mean they know what the hell they’re doing.

29. Carolina Panthers (2-6)

Previous: 28

Last week: L 34-37 at Falcons | This week: at 4-4 Bengals

Good news: D’Onta Foreman had his second straight 100-yard rushing performance, including three touchdowns.

Bad news: A boneheaded penalty by WR D.J. Moore after his game-tying 62-yard touchdown catch with 12 seconds left in regulation cost the Panthers a division win.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)

Previous: 27

Last week: L 13-35 at Eagles | This week: Bye

Good news: They’ll be getting T.J. Watt back after the bye.

Bad news: The Steelers have already given up 17 touchdown passes, including four Sunday to Jalen Hurts.

31. Houston Texans (1-5-1)

Previous: 31

Last week: L 10-17 vs. Titans | This week: Bye

Good news: They’ve held four of their seven opponents to 20 points or less.

Bad news: They’re about to play the unbeaten Eagles on three days' rest.

32. Detroit Lions (1-6)

Previous: 32

Last week: L 27-31 vs. Dolphins | This week: vs. 3-5 Packers

Good news: Owner Sheila Hamp gave coach Dan Campbell and GM Brad Holmes votes of confidence last week.

Bad news: Top pick Aidan Hutchinson has a team-high 4.5 sacks. But overall, the pass rush has been meek. The Lions have just 11 sacks, and four in the last five games.

WATCH MORE: Week 8 Fantasy Football Takeaways


RELATED