NFL Power Rankings: Ascending Teams That Will Continue to Rise

The Atlanta Falcons came off their bye week and demolished the Philadelphia Eagles, 30-17. They will retain their top spot atop the power rankings, and at this point, they may be able to hold that spot even if they drop a game. 

While their claim to No. 1 is clear, the rest of the picture is much more muddied. The NFL is insanely bunched this year. 21 of the 32 teams are within two games of .500. 

Here is where they all fit in my latest power rankings, with special attention being paid to teams on the rise. 

Langford's Week 9 NFL Pocwer Rankings

1. Atlanta Falcons

The Falcons are in a great position. They have the league's best record, are relatively healthy and have a fairly favorable schedule the rest of the way.

They may hold this position throughout the remainder of the regular season.  

2. Houston Texans

The Texans enjoyed a bye week after thrashing the Ravens. This is the most balanced team and football.

They have the Bills next and then a huge showdown with at the Bears, and they'll win that one by a touchdown.

3. New York Giants

The Giants just keep rolling along. There is not a way or a style of play that they can't come up with an answer for. 

In what should be one of the week's most entertaining games, the Giants' defensive line will be chasing around the Steelers' Ben Roethlisberger all day. 

4. San Francisco 49ers

Give the 49ers an early lead and they are unbeatable, and thanks to their amazing defense, that happens frequently. 

San Francisco is on bye, and in Week 11 they will have a battle for power as they host the Bears. 

5. Chicago Bears

The Bears are tied with the Texans for the league's second-best record, but I have them lower than that because the insanely unsustainable scoring rate of their defense cannot continue. 

We will have a great feel for the true quality of the Bears in a few weeks, as they play at Tennessee this week before going against a long string of serious playoff contenders. 

6. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens entered last week's bye off a concerning blowout loss to the Texans, and the injuries are mounting. 

They will play at Cleveland then host the Raiders, and if they don't win both of those games, this team could be headed for a rough finish. 

7. Denver Broncos

Why the Broncos Will Continue Their Ascent

Denver is getting better with each passing game, and their schedule is getting a whole lot easier. They only have one more game on the schedule against a team that is over .500.

Peyton Manning is growing more comfortable in this offense. Since his three-interception performance in Week 2 against the Falcons, Manning has thrown 14 touchdowns and one interception. 

With Manning running the show, this offense looks unstoppable, and all of a sudden, Demaryius Thomas is one of the best receivers in the game. 

The defense is not dominant, but they are also improving, and they only need a handful of stops a game to keep the Broncos rolling. 

8. Green Bay Packers

The Packers looked fairly uninspired last week in their 24-15 win over the Jaguars, but they got the job done, and I get the feeling this team is just focused on getting to the playoffs and peaking at the right time. 

9. New England Patriots

Why the Patriots Will Continue Their Ascent

The Patriots enter the bye after a 45-7 destruction of the Rams where all the new facets of New England finally came together.

New England has a string of four winnable games before hosting the Texans in Week 14 and then traveling to San Francisco.

With a vastly-improved run game, the Patriots have the most balanced and dangerous offense in football.

Tom Brady has plenty of weapons in the passing game, and they can package that talent in numerous sets.

The defense remains the big question mark, especially when they go against teams with elite passing attacks, but the Pats are making strides, just like they did last year. 

10. Pittsburgh Steelers

After losing two of their first three, the Steelers have bounced back nicely to take three of four games. The defense got off to a bit of a slow start (for the Steelers) but is getting better as the season rolls along. 

11. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings are stumbling. Losers of two of their last three, the efficient offense and excellent defense is waning. They have a telling game this week with the next team on our list. 

12. Seattle Seahawks

The Seahawks have lost two straight—both have been on the road. This is not a shock. On the season, Seattle is just 1-4 on the road and undefeated at home. The next two are at home for the 'Hawks. 

13. Miami Dolphins

The Dolphins are on fire! They've won three straight, and continue to own the ground on offense and defense. That will keep them in a lot of ball games. 

14. Indianapolis Colts

The Colts are in the thick of the AFC playoff race. The run game is starting to spring to life, and the balance makes this offense dangerous. 

15. Dallas Cowboys

The defense of the Cowboys can carry this team. The offense just has to let it. Case in point, their loss to the Giants last week. The defense was outstanding, and it should have been enough for a win. 

16. Philadelphia Eagles

What to make of the Eagles? This appears to be a sinking ship, yet they are just ball security and improved late-game defense away from being very good. 

17. Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals are crumbling, and they can thank their offensive line. You simply cannot let your quarterback get hit that often and expect to be competitive all season. 

18. Detroit Lions

The Lions are coming around, and their next game is against the lowly Jaguars, but they face a brutal stretch after that, and will be doomed by their one-dimensional offense. 

19. Washington Redskins

Teams are starting to figure out the Redskins' offense with Robert Griffin III at the helm, and it is going to be increasingly difficult for that offense to carry its anemic defense. 

20. New York Jets

The Jets can find a way to hang with any team on any given Sunday, but this team is thin and vulnerable. It doesn't matter who the quarterback is, they are going to struggle. 

21. Oakland Raiders

Why the Raiders Will Continue Their Ascent

The Raiders have won two straight games over very bad teams. That fact makes it easy to dismiss their recent success. 

However, this team is rapidly improving, and is a late Carson Palmer interception in Atlanta away from being on a three-game winning streak with some serious buzz around them. 

The Raiders are playing excellent run defense. The pass defense has also been outstanding the last three weeks, and it has been playing without either starting cornerback, and both have a chance to be back in the coming weeks. 

Carson Palmer is playing excellent football, despite the offensive line being a serious issue, but the pass-blocking will receive a huge boost when right tackle Khalif Barnes returns shortly from injury. 

If the Raiders can find a way to get the run game going, they could make a run at the playoffs. 

22. Cincinnati Bengals

Andy Dalton is regressing and the defense is terrible. The Bengals are not in a great position. 

Mercifully, the Bengals have a bye this week to try and regroup and end their three-game losing streak when they play the Broncos the following week.

23. San Diego Chargers

The Chargers have had periods where they've struggled over recent history, but not like this. The Bolts' offense is broken. They mustered just six points against the Browns in a 7-6 loss last Sunday. 

24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Tampa Bay's offense is springing to life. They have scored at least 28 points in each of their last three games. However, passing defense remains a huge concern. 

25. Tennessee Titans

The Titans' defense is a terrible. They can't stop the run or the pass and that is no way to be competitive in the NFL. 

I would say they clearly have the worst defense in the NFL, but the next team is giving them a run for their money. 

26. Buffalo Bills

The Bills' last-ranked rush defense is the only thing keeping the pass defense from not being next to the bottom. As it is, they are No. 22, and the Bills are no threat to move up until that unit improves. 

27. St. Louis Rams

The Rams' defense was carrying this team to respectability, but it is wearing down and has allowed 75 combined points in the last two games. 

This offense can't cope with that. 

28.  New Orleans Saints

I spoke to soon when I alluded to the Titans and Bills having a monopoly on terrible defense. The Saints belong in that argument as well, and their pass defense knows no equals in being generous. 

29. Carolina Panthers

Is it next season yet? That's what I'm going to say instead of trick or treat on Halloween when I dress as a Panthers fan. 

30. Cleveland Browns

The Browns have won two of three and they are showing signs of improvement. Unfortunately, they don't have a favorable schedule, and this is still a limited team. 

31. Jacksonville Jaguars

The Jaguars lost by nine last week and they should consider it a moral victory. With this offense the only team I would be excited to watch the Jaguars play is the Alabama Crimson Tide to see if the Jags could score. 

32. Kansas City Chiefs

Oof! The Chiefs were pegged as a sleeper team by many prior to the season. People were confused, but close. This team is just sleeping.