NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Initial Standings Post-Thursday Night Football

Someone has to win the NFC South, and it might as well be the New Orleans Saints.

Drew Brees and company secured a rare 28-10 road victory against the division-rival Carolina Panthers on Thursday Night Football in Week 9. The contest gave the first hint as to how one should rate and rank all 32 NFL teams heading into the second half of the season.

The Saints are now 4-4 on the year and first in the NFC South. The victory will give them a boost in these power rankings, although the ground is sure to shift beneath their feet and they could find themselves knocked down a peg or two depending on how certain squads fare on Sunday.

Let's take a look at where each team stands heading into what should be an exciting week of NFL action.


Nate Loop's Week 9 Power Rankings

32. Oakland Raiders (0-7)

The Oakland brass may have thought quarterback Derek Carr would have a nice safety net this season with Darren McFadden and Maurice Jones-Drew in the backfield, but that simply hasn't been the case. The Raiders are averaging just 3.7 yards per carry in 2014 and have scored just two rushing touchdowns. Still, the Raiders have bright spots in Carr and outside linebacker Khalil Mack.

At this point, the Raiders might actually be capable of beating the next team in these rankings, but they aren't leaving the bottom spot until there is movement in the win column.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7)

Blake Bortles has made some bad mistakes this season, but his two ghastly pick-sixes against the Miami Dolphins in Week 8 have to be considered a new low point. It's a shame his play is hurting the team so much, as there is some bright talent surrounding him. Allen Robinson is a fine rookie wideout, and Denard "Shoelace" Robinson is hitting a groove, racking up 235 yards on the ground the past two weeks. 

The Jags are likely praying that Bortles is just getting these interceptions out of his system, or hoping against hope that he will somehow turn into the next Brett Favre. 

30. New York Jets (1-7)

The sloppy, desperate play of Geno Smith and Michael Vick is damaging this team. Chris Ivory is a fine workhorse running back, but doesn't get enough touches as the Jets are constantly playing catchup. The Jets are a bad joke that gets told every Sunday. This doesn't appear to be a situation that any one player can fix, not even Percy Harvin.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6)

The Buccaneers came oh so close to pulling off a win against the Minnesota Vikings in Week 8, but an overtime loss against another lowly team can't rescue Tampa Bay from the power-ranking doldrums. Linebacker Lavonte David needs help—the Bucs defense ranks dead last in both yards and points allowed after eight weeks of play.

28. Tennessee Titans (2-6)

Wade Payne/Associated Press

Quarterback Zach Mettenberger earned his first NFL start in Week 8, a sure sign the Titans are looking to make a big leap in league power rankings—in 2015. The rookie out of LSU performed admirably in a loss to the Houston Texans, throwing for 299 yards, two touchdowns and one interception. The start was encouraging enough for Mettenberger, who believes he belongs in NFL.

"My first experience as a starter was a great experience, but you always kind of have that in the back of your mind that if you can hang with these guys. I think I showed that when I do it right, I can play in this league," he said, via Fox Sports Tennessee's Greg Pogue.

27. St. Louis Rams (2-5)

The St. Louis Rams don't have much to look forward to this season and have concerns at just about every position group.

Running back Zac Stacy has regressed, and there are few signs of competency in the wide receiver corps beyond Brian Quick, who is out for the season. There is very little pass-rushing talent surrounding Robert Quinn, and the Rams defense as a whole is giving up 8.0 passing yards per attempt this season, the fifth-worst rate in the league.

26. Washington Redskins (3-5)

Colt McCoy became an instant hero after leading the Redskins to a 20-17 win over the Dallas Cowboys in Week 8, but he may not have much time to bask in the post-upset glory. According to the NFL Network's Albert Breer, Robert Griffin III is practicing and splitting reps with McCoy:

Considering RG3 is the Redskins' best bet for a franchise quarterback, the sooner he returns, the sooner there will be true pigskin optimism in our nation's capital.

25. Atlanta Falcons (2-6)

After four weeks with a quarterback rating under 90, Matt Ryan had a nice bounce-back performance against the Detroit Lions in Week 8, throwing for two touchdowns with a 108.3 rating. Unfortunately, the Falcons still lost on a last-second field goal under some rather bizarre circumstances.

Ryan's resurgence is likely to little too late for this Falcons squad, who will be playing for respectability for the remainder of the 2014 season.

24. Minnesota Vikings (3-5)

Vikings linebacker Anthony Barr made headlines with his overtime, game-winning defensive touchdown in Week 8. However, don't expect him to disappear from the limelight completely; the UCLA product has quietly put together an impressive first-year campaign. Barr has posted 54 tackles and three sacks this season, impressive numbers for a rookie on a bad team.

He's certainly caught the attention of 1500 ESPN's Derek Wetmore:

The rookie trio of Barr, Teddy Bridgewater and Jerick McKinnon forms a strong core of young talent for the Vikes to build around, although the front office won't see the returns on the investments in 2014.

23. New York Giants (3-4)

The Giants got a much-needed bye in Week 8, and they actually match up fairly well with the Indianapolis Colts, their Week 9 opposition. 

The Giants, including standout safety Antrel Rolle, could prove to be troublesome for Andrew Luck. Quarterbacks have amassed an 82.7 rating against the Giants this season. The Colts are also coming off a terrible defensive performance against the Pittsburgh Steelers, which bodes well for the up-and-down Eli Manning.

22. Chicago Bears (3-5)

The Bears' recent performances on offense, considering the abundance of talent on that side of the ball, have been disturbing. The inconsistent, frustrating play came to a head in the first half of their Week 8 game against the New England Patriots, when running back Matt Forte ended up doing pretty much all of the work, as noted by ESPN Radio:

"

Matt Forte responsible for 105 of the Bears 119 yards of offense in the 1st half. Bears: 7 pts Rob Gronkowski: 12 pts (2 TD)

— ESPN Radio (@espnradio) October 26, 2014"

The Bears mercifully have a bye this week and should have time to get their affairs in order, but a tough matchup against the Green Bay Packers in Week 10 looms on the horizon.

21. Carolina Panthers (3-5-1)

Cam Newton's play has quickly deteriorated as the season has progressed, a worrying trend for coach Ron Rivera.

Week	Opponent	CMP %	YDS	TD	INT	RTG
6	Bengals	63.0	284	2	1	85.8
7	Packers	54.8	205	1	1	72.6
8	Seahawks	54.5	171	0	1	61.0
9	Saints	35.7	151	0	1	39.4

With an unstable running back corps and an out-of-sorts defense, the Panthers will need Newton at his best if they are to make a run at an NFC South title this season, as it's highly unlikely a wild-card team will emerge from this mediocre group of teams.

20. Cleveland Browns (4-3)

Cleveland's defense was supposed to be the unit that carried this team through most games in 2014, but they've been decidedly awful this season, allowing 395.6 yards per game. That simply won't work in a cutthroat AFC North that features two standout teams in the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals. Brian Hoyer has played well, but he's not prolific enough to win most shootouts.

19. Houston Texans (4-4)

J.J. Watt picked up two sacks and a forced fumble against the Titans in Week 8, as if anyone figured the most destructive player in football would have any trouble against a lowly AFC South foe. The opportunistic defense and fine form of running back Arian Foster have been encouraging, but a Ryan Fitzpatrick-led team can only go so far in the NFL.

18. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

Rookie wideout Sammy Watkins has been a bright, gleaming ray of hope for the Bills this season. He's posted two straight 100-yard performances, although as this still from SportsCenter reminds us, it's best not to celebrate too early:

After a Week 9 bye, the Bills play the Chiefs and Miami Dolphins in consecutive weeks. While 5-3 is a fine start for this beleaguered franchise, there is still plenty of work to do in upstate New York.

17. New Orleans Saints (4-4)

Drew Brees is far and away the best quarterback in the NFC South, and he should be able to see this group through to the postseason if tight end Jimmy Graham—who had seven catches, 83 yards and one touchdown against the Panthers—stays healthy. A couple of road wins and the usual home dominance should do it for the second half of the season.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)

Don Wright/Associated Press

Good luck explaining Ben Roethlisberger's awe-inspiring 522-yard, six-touchdown performance against the Indianapolis Colts. It's one for the ages, but it doesn't wipe away the consistency issues that have plagued this team all season.

The Week 4 loss against the Buccaneers could sting later on in the season, as the Steelers will be hard-pressed to surpass, let alone pull away from the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals this year.

15. Miami Dolphins (4-3)

The Dolphins are certainly good enough to scrap for a playoff spot in the AFC, but Ryan Tannehill's inconsistency could undermine a solid overall team effort. After lighting up the Bears in Week 7, Tannehill was awful against a porous Jaguars defense the following week, completing just 55.2 percent of his passes for 196 yards.

The team would do well to hand the ball to running back Lamar Miller more often, as he looks very comfortable as a runner, receiver and pass blocker and just might be the total tailback package.

14. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

This is not the same team from last season. They barely got past a struggling Carolina Panthers side in Week 8, although the latter may have been looking forward to the division-rival Saints. Russell Wilson has turned in two inconsistent performances in the last three weeks. His ability to make due with a mostly anonymous wide receiver corps will determine the 'Hawks success this season.

13. San Francisco 49ers (4-3)

When we last saw the 49ers, they were busy getting demolished by a peerless Denver Broncos team. After a week of rest, a home game against the St. Louis Rams should restore order in San Francisco. Look for Frank Gore to have a solid game running it up the gut and slowing the Rams' steadily improving pass rush. 

12. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)

The return of Jamaal Charles has done wonders for this surprisingly potent squad. The seventh-year back has scored three times in the last two games and is averaging 4.6 yards per carry this season. All quarterback Alex Smith has to do is avoid major mistakes, and this team can snag a playoff spot.

11. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

Just two weeks after throwing five touchdowns against the Buccaneers, quarterback Joe Flacco flopped against the Bengals, garnering just 195 yards, two interceptions and no touchdowns.

However, his play may not have too big of an impact on Baltimore's overall performance this season. The Ravens defense, led by the likes of C.J. Mosley, Elvis Dumervil and Haloti Ngata, should keep the team in the hunt for the AFC North crown.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1)

The Bengals bested the division-rival Ravens in Week 8, a pivotal win that will likely take on greater significance as the playoffs draw closer.

Andy Dalton has been impressive despite playing with a depleted wide receiver corps, and he just might be worth the big-money contract. More reason to buy stock in the Bengals: Wide receiver A.J. Green practiced on Wednesday and could play in Week 9.

"If I'm healthy, I'm playing," he said, via Richard Skinner of Cincinnati.com.

9. Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

Roethlisberger eviscerated the Colts secondary in Week 8, but that gonzo performance shouldn't have too many Indy fans worried about this team's future, especially with Andrew Luck at the helm. He should be able to keep the Colts alive in most contests.

Indianapolis' defense could also gets a boost heading into Week 9, as cornerback Vontae Davis practiced this Thursday and is "on his way to playing," per ESPN.com's Mike Wells.

8. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

The banged-up Bolts are in danger of slipping back into a wild-card dogfight should they lose to the Dolphins on Sunday. Tannehill has made huge strides this season, and the health of Chargers secondary could determine this contest.

Cornerbacks Brandon Flowers and Jason Verrett transformed this once pitiful group into a respectable collection of speedsters. Unfortunately, both players have struggled to stay on the field this season.   

7. Green Bay Packers (5-3)

The Saints punked the Packers in Week 8, but it's always tough to play New Orleans in the Superdome. Aaron Rodgers did tweak his hamstring during the game, no doubt stopping what little traffic there is in Green Bay, but the injury doesn't seem to be of much concern.

"So far, so good I would say is how we're looking at it," head coach Mike McCarthy said, via Ryan Wood of the Green Bay Press-Gazette.

With that in mind, expect the Packers to be just fine when they return to action in Week 10.

6. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

The Dallas Cowboys suffered a disappointing loss to the Redskins in Week 8, but that minor hiccup will be of little concern should quarterback Tony Romo's back keep him out for any significant amount of time.

Fortunately for Dez Bryant and the 'Boys, head coach Jason Garrett believes Romo could very well play on Sunday against the Arizona Cardinals, per DallasCowboys.com's Nick Eatman:

A win against the Cardinals would re-establish the Cowboys' dominance in the NFC.

5. Detroit Lions (6-2)

Detroit scraped out a win against a lowly Atlanta Falcons side across the pond in London. It wasn't pretty, but the far-flung foreign affairs shouldn't affect how one views this team. Matthew Stafford will improve once Calvin Johnson returns, and this defense is still among the toughest in the league, allowing a paltry 74.0 rushing yards per game.

4. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

The Eagles are flying high in Chip Kelly's mad-scientist offense, but quarterback Nick Foles could be their undoing this season. He's already thrown nine interceptions this season and will have to keep his head on the proverbial swivel to avoid the game-changing J.J. Watt on Sunday.

3. New England Patriots (6-2)

Tom Brady put on a fine display of quarterbacking in Week 8 against the Bears, but his resplendent performance was largely overshadowed by Roethlisberger's. His five-touchdown performance was hardly surprising considering how well he's played since getting off to a slow start this season, per ESPN's Adam Schefter:

Brady should be doing well considering how his pass-catching contingent has come together this season. Brandon LaFell is playing some of the best football of his career, and Rob Gronkowski is a defense-crushing machine.

2. Arizona Cardinals (6-1)

Rick Scuteri/Associated Press

Carson Palmer's resurgent play has been one of the better storylines of the season. In his four total games this season, Palmer has thrown eight touchdowns against just one interception with a 98.3 quarterback rating. The reassuring presence at quarterback combined with a stellar defense is reminiscent of the Kurt Warner's days in 'Zona. 

1. Denver Broncos (6-1)

They have the best quarterback in football in Peyton Manning, the offense is still ridiculous (32 points per game), and the defense is better than many expected.

Picking up DeMarcus Ware in the offseason has turned out to be a fine bit of business. The 32-year-old pass-rusher has seven sacks on the season and is forcing opponents to choose between blocking him or Von Miller on any given dropback. The Broncos' epic Week 10 contest against Brady and the Patriots is, without a doubt, the game of the week.

Stats courtesy of ESPN.com unless otherwise noted.