NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Predicting Post-Monday Night Football Standings

Another wild week in the NFL leaves us with some difficult decisions about where teams fit in the league. But with Monday Night Football bringing one of the biggest rivalries in the sport, it's time to rank each team.

Sure, the Washington Redskins might shock the entire country with a win over the Dallas Cowboys. But with Colt McCoy leading the charge for Washington, it appears Tony Romo and the 'Boys have a great chance to claim the outright NFC East lead.

What do we make of the Atlanta Falcons after losing a 21-point lead? How about the Detroit Lions, who kicked a game-winning field goal? Yes, you read that right.

All that and more can be found below ahead of the final prime-time matchup.

32. Oakland Raiders (0-7)

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Despite being the only winless team in the NFL, the Oakland Raiders have slowly improved each week behind Derek Carr. The rookie quarterback passed for 328 yards and a touchdown, but it wasn't enough to take down the Cleveland Browns.

Even with his breakout under center, Carr simply doesn't have the weapons to succeed right now. Bryan Fischer of NFL.com brought up that point on Sunday:

Having the toughest strength of schedule doesn't help, but the Raiders simply can't get out of their own way. They now face a three-game stretch against the Seattle Seahawks, Denver Broncos and San Diego Chargers. Needless to say, this trend will likely continue for Oakland.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6)

Currently sitting at 1-6, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are slightly better than the 0-8 start from last season. Ironically enough, they have just two less wins than the NFC South-leading Carolina Panthers. There are positives for the Bucs, even if they are hard to find.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7)

Blake Bortles might be the quarterback of the future for the Jacksonville Jaguars, but he hasn't looked the part lately. Passing for six touchdowns and 12 interceptions in six games, the win from last week seems like a distant memory for Bortles and Jags fans.

29. Tennessee Titans (2-6)

In his first start, Zach Mettenberger put up memorable numbers with 299 passing yards, two touchdowns and one interception. However, he was mocked by J.J. Watt and trampled by the Houston Texans. Mettenberger was the lone bright spot as the Titans continue to falter on a weekly basis.

28. New York Jets (1-7)

Just when it seemed matters couldn't get any worse for the New York Jets, Geno Smith throws three interceptions—in the first quarter.

Eventually replaced by Michael Vick, neither quarterback could hold on to the ball, with three turnovers apiece. With nothing left to lose, Dom Cosentino of NJ.com believes the Jets should stick with Vick:

"

Admittedly, Vick had a low bar to clear. He, too, made his mistakes on Sunday: He fumbled four times, losing two, and he threw a pick. ...

Vick might be with the Jets on a one-year deal, but that's no longer relevant. There is no season to save anymore. The Jets have eight games remaining to make the most of what they've got with this roster. Why not see what Vick can do?

"

Equipped with weapons like Eric Decker, Percy Harvin and Chris Ivory in the backfield, the Jets should be able to compete, at the very least. But heading into a road matchup with the Kansas City Chiefs, the turnaround won't start anytime soon.

27. Washington Redskins (2-5)

The quarterback carousel continues for the Redskins, with Colt McCoy expected to lead the team to a victory over Dallas. This team will be 2-6 on Tuesday and hoping for the return of Robert Griffin III as soon as possible.

26. St. Louis Rams (2-5)

No one remembers a gimmicky win over the defending Super Bowl champions when you lay an egg the next week. The St. Louis Rams did just that against the Chiefs, losing 34-7, and remain in the cellar of the NFC West.

25. Minnesota Vikings (3-5)

Mike Zimmer has somehow mustered up three wins this season with a team that is still learning. With Teddy Bridgewater under center and Jerick McKinnon in the backfield, this team might blossoming into a spoiler team by the end of the year.

24. Atlanta Falcons (2-6)

Tim Ireland/Associated Press

Traveling to London, the Atlanta Falcons were riding a four-game losing streak. Even with a 21-point lead at the half, Atlanta allowed the Detroit Lions to come back and eventually win 22-21.

If matters weren't already bad enough for the Falcons, owner Arthur Blank called out the team, per Around the NFL:

Here's a stat to remember: No team that has lost in the International Series has finished above .500. Still mired in a long losing streak, it doesn't appear the Falcons will break that mold.

23. New York Giants (3-4)

Getting the weekend off, the New York Giants are still licking their wounds after two straight losses in the NFC East. Heading into a stretch against the Indianapolis Colts, Seahawks, San Francisco 49ers and Cowboys again, the Giants need a turnaround quick to compete in the division.

22. Chicago Bears (3-5)

Outside of a 14-point win over the Falcons, the Chicago Bears have been awful over the last five games. Yet another matchup against the Green Bay Packers looms, so the Bears might be leaving Lambeau three games under .500.

21. Carolina Panthers (3-4-1)

A 2-0 start for Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers seems like forever ago. When considering the team has gone 1-4-1 since that point, the Panthers head into Thursday Night Football against the New Orleans Saints more desperate than ever for a win.

20. Cleveland Browns (4-3)

Get blown out by the Jaguars, then win by 10 points against Oakland? Such is life with the 2014 Cleveland Browns. Brian Hoyer continues to lead the team with 275 yards and a touchdown, but he will need help from the running game moving forward.

19. Houston Texans (4-4)

Just when you thought the Texans were falling into the same trap as last season, they rebound with a win. Granted, it was over the Titans, but the team is back at .500 and within striking distance of the Colts.

18. New Orleans Saints (3-4)

Drew Brees and the New Orleans Saints look like they're finally back. The only question is: Will they finally get a road win to get to .500 for the first time this season?

SportsCenter noted just how brilliant Brees was in the second half against the Packers:

Carolina has won two straight home games against the Saints and four of the last six. In order for New Orleans to officially enter the playoff picture, it will need another strong performance against its division rival.

17. Miami Dolphins (4-3)

Ryan Tannehill has been a revelation over the last four games for the Miami Dolphins, leading the team to three wins over that stretch. Now at 4-3, he'll need to remain steady against the San Diego Chargers, Lions, Buffalo Bills and Broncos to keep his team in the postseason hunt.

16. San Francisco 49ers (4-3)

Having a week off, the 49ers got a chance to heal after getting curb-stomped by the Broncos. Currently second in the NFC West, this is a team likely on the rise with the pieces coming back into the fold.

San Francisco will need all the help it can get with the Saints, Seahawks (twice), Chargers and Arizona Cardinals remaining on the schedule. With nothing guaranteed, the Niners need to start the charge now.

15. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

Kyle Orton helped lead the Buffalo Bills to 43 points under center. You read that right.

Heading into the bye week, the Bills are at 5-3 and a serious contender in the AFC East. Having tough matchups against the Chiefs and the Dolphins following the bye in a five-day span, Buffalo might be looking at a chance at the playoffs in Week 17 against the New England Patriots.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)

Don't look now, but Ben Roethlisberger might be leading the Pittsburgh Steelers to yet another trip to the playoffs. Big Ben threw for a franchise-record 544 yards and six touchdowns in a victory over the Colts.

Following the blowout win, Roethlisberger is hoping for more performances like Sunday, per Scott Brown of ESPN.com:

"We just came out and put up a really nice team effort," Roethlisberger said. "This was offense, defense and special teams, coaches, this was everybody and why does it have to stop here? Why can't we keep doing this?"

Having Le'Veon Bell in the backfield, Antonio Brown at receiver and Martavis Bryant exploding onto the scene, Pittsburgh looks like a postseason team. But in a division loaded with playoff potential, the Steelers will need to prove it against the Baltimore Ravens.

13. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)

Huge losses on the defensive side of the ball at the beginning of the season haven't caused the Kansas City Chiefs to fall apart. The team is above .500 behind Alex Smith and Jamaal Charles and have yet another favorable matchup with the Jets.

12. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

As strange as it seems, the defending Super Bowl champions were lucky not to fall to 3-4 on Sunday after a come-from-behind win. Luckily, Russell Wilson was clutch again and can continue the climb back to the playoffs against the Raiders and Giants at home.

11. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

A heartbreaking loss to the Bengals leaves the Ravens looking up in the division after winning five of the previous six games. Traveling to Heinz Field, Baltimore will need to sweep Pittsburgh to keep up with Cincinnati.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1)

Maybe the defense isn't quite back, but Andy Dalton was able to get the job done against the Ravens. His two rushing touchdowns and 266 passing yards helped earn the first win for Cincy in over a month.

The final rushing touchdown was enough for the win, but it came after two fourth-quarter turnovers for Dalton. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com summed up the Red Rifle's performance perfectly:

When A.J. Green returns, he will join a team that has Giovani Bernard and Mohamed Sanu surging. With weapons like that around him, Dalton should have the Bengals in the playoffs. What he does from there will be the real question.

9. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Philip Rivers fell to Peyton Manning and the Broncos on a short week, but he still has a team that can compete for the division. Facing the Dolphins this Sunday, San Diego has a chance to enter the bye at 6-3 and entrenched in the playoff picture.

8. Green Bay Packers (5-3)

A tough loss against Brees and the Saints was a setback for the Packers, but they are still one of the best teams in the NFL. Facing the lowly Bears again at home, Green Bay simply needs the defense to step up to keep up in the division.

7. Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

Justin K. Aller/Getty Images

Facing a Steelers team that saw Roethlisberger have the best day of his career, the Colts defense looked woeful on Sunday.

But even with the defense struggling, Andrew Luck put the blame on himself after throwing a pick-six. Mike Wells of ESPN.com provided comments from the quarterback:

"You kill yourself by throwing a pick-six," Luck said. "We got it to a one-score game. Give credit to our defense for getting some stops and then the turnover. Just a bonehead play by me that [helped them win] the game at the end."

Luck still threw for 400 yards and three touchdowns in the loss. But if the Colts are going to get over the top in the AFC, they will need a complete effort from both sides—which they didn't get in Pittsburgh.

6. Detroit Lions (6-2)

Bringing in Matt Prater might have been one of the biggest moves the Lions have made this season. Despite his miss from 43 yards, his game-winner leaves the Lions at the top of the NFC North heading into the bye.

5. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

A late bomb from Carson Palmer to John Brown put the nail in the coffin for the Philadelphia Eagles, but they are still one of the best in the NFC. Matching up with the Texans this weekend, Philly has a chance to return to form and keep pace with the Cowboys.

4. New England Patriots (6-2)

Tom Brady is officially back, and so is his favorite target. Rob Gronkowski finished with three touchdowns as the Patriots routed the Bears. With Brandon LaFell looking the part of a No. 1 receiver and Gronk rounding into form, New England has a chance to make a statement against the Broncos.

3. Arizona Cardinals (6-1)

Palmer's return has made the Cardinals a much more convincing team in the last several weeks. His huge pass to Brown capped off a strong day and kept them at the top of the NFC West.

Despite missing time due to injury, Palmer has still been one of the most clutch quarterbacks in the NFL, per John Buccigross of ESPN:

On Sunday, he'll be facing the No. 1 signal-caller on that list. When the Cardinals take on the Cowboys, it might just be an early playoff preview—just like we all predicted, of course.

2. Denver Broncos (6-1)

A win against the division-rival Chargers keeps the Broncos atop the AFC with Manning in the midst of another outstanding season. Getting a statement win against the Patriots? That might be enough to push them into the top spot in the NFL again.

1. Dallas Cowboys (6-1)

Prior to the season, no one would have thought the Cowboys would be anywhere near the top 10 in the power rankings. Now, with a chance to go 7-1 against the Redskins, Dallas looks like the most complete team in the NFL and a worthy No. 1 franchise.

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