Another week of football means another edition of our NFL Power Rankings. It was a weird week in the football world last week. The Bills, Cowboys, Rams and Raiders all suffered stunning losses that makes us question what this madness means. Fortunately, that’s what our Power Rankings are here for: to make sense of the nonsensical. Don’t like where your team is ranked? That’s not my problem. Go contact your favourite team’s headquarters and tell them to start playing some better football then, because the Intermission’s NFL Power Rankings are here!
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1. Arizona Cardinals (8-1)
Previous Rank: 2
No Kyler Murray? No problem for Arizona. The Cardinals made easy work of the 49ers in a 31-17 victory. Colt McCoy and Christian Kirk did great, but the true star of the game was James Connor. The former Steeler product scored three times on the day and now leads the NFL with 11 touchdowns. Next up, a matchup versus the struggling Panthers.
2. Green Bay Packers (7-2)
Previous Rank: 1
No Aaron Rodgers? Big problems in Green Bay. The offence led by Jordan Love in his NFL debut was stonewalled against a Chiefs defence that ranks near the bottom of the NFL. Love could only muster a late touchdown to Allen Lazard in a frustrating 13-7 loss. The Packers were also a mess on special teams: two missed field-goal attempts and a muffed punt that led to a Chiefs field-goal. Good thing that the bad man is set to return for Sunday’s matchup versus the Seahawks.
3. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Previous Rank: 6
One story surrounding the Bucs this season has been the health of Rob Gronkowski. After a hot start to the season, Gronk has missed four games with rib and lung issues, then exited the Week 8 loss to the Saints with back spasms. While the Bucs still do have the luxury of having Cameron Brate and O.J. Howard fills that hole, this offence just isn’t as dominant without him.
4. Tennessee Titans (7-2)
Previous Rank: 10
Upset alert! The Titans dismantled the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday Night Football 28-16 in their first game without superstar running back Derrick Henry. The defence came to play, recording five sacks and two interceptions on the day (including a pick-six). The defence has been a major strength for this team during their four-game conquest over the Bills, Chiefs, Colts and Rams. This team is starting to look dangerous.
5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Previous Rank: 3
What the hell was that Dallas. Right after you guys get recognized as a legitimate contender in the NFC, you immediately go and lay your biggest egg of the season. The Broncos run attack was dominant, totalling 190 yards on the day while the Dallas offence was non-existent: Dak Prescott didn’t eclipse 100 yards until there was only 10 minutes left in the game. We dem boyz? More like we dem bumz. Get out of my sight.
6. Los Angeles Rams (7-2)
Previous Rank: 5
The Rams just didn’t have it against the Titans on Sunday Night Football, getting thoroughly dominated 28-16. The Rams committed a season-high 12 penalties which led to 115 yards in the loss, and just could never get it going against a stout Titans defence. An ugly performance, no doubt, but even great teams can deliver a dud during a long season. The Rams hope this was it.
7. Baltimore Ravens (6-2)
Previous Rank: 7
The Ravens won on Sunday due to a resilient offence that just doesn’t give up. Lamar Jackson threw for 266 yards and ran for 120 more while Justin Tucker delivered another game-winning field-goal in a 34-31 OT win over the Vikings. However, the Ravens are still far from perfect. Their defence is still very suspect, getting pushed around early and late by the Vikings while also ranking near the bottom of the league. Jackson can only carry this team so far if they have legitimate Super Bowl aspirations; they need other players (specifically on defence) to start stepping up.
8. Buffalo Bills (5-3)
Previous Rank: 4
I’ve never felt more pain and shame in my entire life as a Bills fan than watching the product the Bills brought out Sunday versus the Jaguars. The Bills were completely stonewalled against a Jaguars defence that got destroyed by Geno Smith a week prior. GENO SMITH! The Bills’ Josh Allen wasn’t even the best Josh Allen on the field. His struggles weren’t alone though: the offensive line continued to fail while play-caller Brian Daboll couldn’t dial any in-game adjustments to counter Jacksonville’s two-high safety scheme. These coming weeks will surely tell us what we need to know about this team and their Super Bowl hopes.
9. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Previous Rank: 12
The Chargers finally got the Justin Herbert performance they’ve been vying for in a hard-fought 27-24 road win over the Eagles that moves the Chargers into a first-place tie for the AFC West. Herbert threw for 356 yards and three touchdowns on a ridiculous completion rate of 84%. It was a good bounce-back win after subpar performances in losses to the Patriots and Ravens. Next up for the gunslinger, a matchup versus a Vikings defence that just got gashed for 500 yards against the Ravens.
10. Cleveland Browns (5-4)
Previous Rank: 16
The Browns will not miss Odell Beckham Jr.. The Cleveland offence looked fine without its No. 1 receiver who was never a No. 1 receiver at all, scoring early and often in a 41-16 win over the Bengals. Baker Mayfield had a good performance after all the criticism surrounding him over the past week. It’s been an up-and-down season for the Browns, but they remain a talented team capable of going on a big run.
11. New England Patriots (5-4)
Previous Rank: 15
Bill Belicheck wishes he could face off against Sam Darnold every week, because the Patriots would never lose a game. Ever. Darnold’s struggles continued against a stout New England defence that picked him off three times in a 24-6 win. It’s the third straight win for the Pats, who are somehow in contention for the AFC East now. A Week 10 showdown versus the Browns could have huge playoff ramifications.
12. Kansas City Chiefs (5-4)
Previous Rank: 13
The Chiefs come out victorious, but it doesn’t feel reassuring. The offence is still broken (somehow) but the defence that’s been shredded this season came up big against Jordan Love in his NFL debut. This doesn’t seem sustainable at all, and the Chiefs will have to hope Andy Reid can revive this offence halfway through the season.
13. New Orleans Saints (5-3)
Previous Rank: 9
The Saints almost delivered an epic comeback versus the Falcons but just fell short in a dramatic 27-25 loss. Trevor Siemian wasn’t great, but he didn’t get much help from his pass catchers who had five drops going into halftime. New Orleans can’t afford to be making mistakes like that, especially since Semien and Taysom Hill aren’t classified as electric throwers of the football.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)
Previous Rank: 14
Say what you want about the reffing in the Steelers-Bears Monday night matchup, but the Steelers showed they still have something left in the tank offensively after the defence failed to close out the game. Big Ben led Pittsburgh on the 50th game-winning drive of his career, a possession that led to a Chris Boswell field goal that secured a 29-27 victory. The schedule is not easy from here for Pittsburgh though; their remaining opponents have a .553 winning percentage.
15. Las Vegas Raiders (5-3)
Previous Rank: 8
After a tragic and crazy week, the Raiders suffered a painful 23-16 loss versus the Giants. Derek Carr threw a third-quarter pick-six and lost a fumble with the Raiders just 13 yards from the potential game-tying score in the final minute. With Henry Ruggs III gone, the Raiders signed veteran DeSean Jackson to try to fill that hole on their offence. Even worse news: 2020 first-round pick Damon Arnette was cut by the team after troubling videos with him arrised.
16. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Previous Rank: 11
The Bengals got blown out at home versus the Browns on Sunday in a 41-16 loss that has the Bengals losers of two straight. The offence isn’t in sync and the defence is being scored on at-will. This happens after the Bengals were 5-2 and touted as a legitimate contender in the AFC. Any given Sunday, ladies and gentlemen.
17. Denver Broncos (5-4)
Previous Rank: 22
Of course the Broncos best game of the season comes after they trade their franchise star Von Miller. It’s not a bad thing though, it shows this Denver squad may have something left in the tank. The Broncos dominated the Cowboys in a stunning 30-16 win that wasn’t as close as it seems. The defence stonewalled the No. 1 offence in football until garbage time that makes you wonder if Denver still has some greatness left on that side of the football.
18. Seattle Seahawks (3-5)
Previous Rank: 19
The return of Russell Wilson is imminent for this squad. The expectation is that he will be able to suit up for their Week 10 matchup versus the Packers. While Geno Smith did do good against the Jaguars, he obviously isn’t the man who Seattle wants to help lead them into a playoff spot. Sitting at 3-5 at the season’s midpoint, it’s time for Seattle to live or die on Let Russ Cook.
19. Indianapolis Colts (4-5)
Previous Rank: 20
The Colts offence couldn’t be stopped against the Jets, scoring touchdowns on six of its first seven possessions leading to a 45-30 win. The ground game was dominant, totalling a season-high 260 rushing yards at 8.7 yards per carry. This Colts team showed their not going to just roll over and die in a AFC South division that the Titans are running away with.
20. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
Previous Rank: 24
Cordarrelle Patterson has been the MVP of Atlanta this season. He’s found a unique role in this offence that utilizes his running and pass-catching skills, and it’s working beautifully this season. He was the star of Sunday’s game versus the Saints, totalling 136 scrimmage yards, including a dramatic 64-yard catch-and-run that set up the game-winning field-goal as time expired.
21. Minnesota Vikings (3-5)
Previous Rank: 18
The Vikings have talent, but they just haven’t been able to close out games this season. Nothing showcased this weakness more than Sunday’s overtime 34-31 loss versus the Ravens. The Kirk Cousins-led offence is inconsistent and it’s time to start asking questions if Captain Kirk is the man that can deliver a Super Bowl for this Vikings squad. On paper, they should be good. But they just aren’t.
22. New York Giants (3-6)
Previous Rank: 26
The defence came to play in a 23-16 win over the Raiders. The Giants harassed the Raiders into three turnovers, including a pick-six and a game-clinching strip fumble in the final minutes. The offence is still decimated with injuries, but it’s fun to speculate what this Giants team could look like at full strength if this defence can keep it up.
23. Chicago Bears (3-6)
Previous Rank: 25
It took a bit, but Justin Fields finally looks like the young quarterback Chicago has been vying for. He led the offence for a seven-play, 75-yard march to take the lead with not much time left. Unfortunately, the defence fell apart to give up the game-winning field-goal as Chicago lost in a 29-27 thriller. However, there were plenty of positives for Chicago to take out of this loss, especially since it felt like a game where nothing was going their way.
24. San Francisco 49ers (3-5)
Previous Rank: 17
The 49ers looked bad in Sunday’s 31-17 loss versus a Cardinals squad playing without Kyler Murray, DeAndre Hopkins and Chase Edmonds. The offence couldn’t be revived even with the return of George Kittle, and the defence remains a big question mark. The 49ers look like a former shell of their 2019 selves, and it doesn’t get any easier from here.
25. Carolina Panthers (4-5)
Previous Rank: 21
It’s safe to say that the Sam Darnold era in Carolina may have reached an end. After a nightmare performance versus the Patriots, Carolina has brought back former MVP Cam Newton from free agency. The hope is that Newton can revive this broken offence. A tough task, but not impossible?
26. Philadelphia Eagles (3-6)
Previous Rank: 23
Philadelphia fought hard but came up short at home (again) in a 27-24 loss versus the Chargers. While the Eagles showed progress on offence, the defence continues to struggle, specifically against the pass. They were shredded by Justin Herbert for 356 yards on 80 percent completion and the Eagles have now allowed five quarterbacks to achieve that feat.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
Previous Rank: 30
Josh Allen was dominant in the Bills game on Sunday. Just not that bum who throws the football, the one who plays linebacker for Jacksonville. He had a game-high eight tackles to go along with a sack and interception as the Jaguars pass-rush kept the Bills offence off-sync the entire day. A good win for Jacksonville and Urban Meyer to try to build off of.
28. Washington Football Team (2-6)
Previous Rank: 28
Washington was built to win based off of their fearsome front-seven. However, that’s been far from the case this season. Chase Young has disappointed this season mustering only 1.5 sacks and Montez Sweat hits IR for at least a month after suffering a broken jaw. This team can only win if their defence is playing well, and that’s been far from the case this season.
29. Miami Dolphins (2-7)
Previous Rank: 29
The Dolphins committed five turnovers on Sunday but still somehow came out victorious. It was probably because they were playing the hapless Texans, but a win is a win. Questions surround quarterback Tua Tagovailoa and his inability to stay healthy. He’s missed five games this season and it’s starting to feel like he might not be the long-term answer for the Dolphins.
30. New York Jets (2-6)
Previous Rank: 27
If you guys had Mike White on the field, you would have won by 60 points, and that’s after the Jets gave up 45 points. No Mike White = one of the worst teams in football.
31. Detroit Lions (0-8)
Previous Rank: 31
I hope the Lions can win a game or two during the rest of the season. I hate seeing this team lose, it’s making me sad.
32. Houston Texans (1-8)
Previous Rank: 32
Not even the GOAT Tyrod Taylor can save this excuse of a franchise.