NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Initial Standings Post-'Thursday Night Football'

Week 10 of the 2014 NFL season comes complete with several games sure to have playoff implications. In fact, Thursday Night Football began that trend with a clash between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Cleveland Browns in the Battle for Ohio.

Both teams entered the game with the opportunity to sit atop the division; however, when the dust settled, the Browns emerged victorious over a Bengals team that couldn't get out of its own way. All of a sudden, the pecking order in the AFC North shifted in dramatic fashion. 

Based on the remaining slate of games in Week 10, forthcoming results could be equally as perplexing. Before the rest of this week's active teams take the gridiron, here's a look at the updated power rankings, complete with a glance at each team's impending matchup.

32. Oakland Raiders

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Oakland put up a nice fight against the Seattle Seahawks in Week 9, but things aren't getting any easier for this winless squad, as the Denver Broncos are up next. This is just a young team that needs more experience before the wins start accumulating.

At least Vic Tafur of The San Francisco Chronicle tweeted some good news about rookie quarterback Derek Carr:

31. New York Jets

Michael Vick performed well in his first start of the season; however, against a red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers offense, he'll need to produce the game of his career to keep the Jets from dropping a ninth straight game.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Rookie Mike Evans appears to be the real deal for the Buccaneers. He's coming off a great two-touchdown performance after visibly improved chemistry with Mike Glennon. Unfortunately, if this team can't figure out how to pressure opposing quarterbacks, it will continue to have a hard time winning shootouts.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars

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Blake Bortles is showing noticeable improvement, and rookie wide receivers Allen Hurns and Allen Robinson appear to have bright futures. Jacksonville gets a chance to notch its second win of the season in Week 11 with a banged-up Tony Romo under center for the Dallas Cowboys.

28. Tennessee Titans

Rookie quarterback Zach Mettenberger got off to a nice start against the Houston Texans in Week 8. He's now coming off a bye with a greater amount of experience against a reeling Baltimore Ravens team. He'll have a good chance to earn his first NFL victory on Sunday.

After all, Ravens coach John Harbaugh compared the rookie to another NFL quarterback his team just played, via Jeff Zrebiec of the Baltimore Sun:

27. Atlanta Falcons

If the Falcons are going to win another game this year, it is going to have to be against a Buccaneers team that can't seem to generate a pass rush. Atlanta's offensive line is completely decimated once again, giving Matt Ryan limited opportunities to play to his full potential.

26. Washington Redskins

Washington gets a bye in Week 11 after Robert Griffin III returned to action in a loss to the Minnesota Vikings. He didn't look bad in his return, but conditioning appeared to be problematic late in the game. A week of practice should help going forward.

25. Carolina Panthers

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Cam Newton really needs to get it going after a couple of lackluster performances. He hasn't looked on point recently, but he'll have a good chance to get back on track against a shaky Philadelphia Eagles secondary on Monday Night Football.

24. Chicago Bears

Hopefully Jay Cutler figured out how to take care of the football during Chicago's bye week. This offense features a bevy of talent, but until its quarterback can overcome his mistakes, this team will continue to lose games. A road contest against the Green Bay Packers in Week 11 will be an enormous test. NFL on ESPN tweeted why:

23. Minnesota Vikings

The Vikings get a much-deserved bye in Week 11 after another nice performance from rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. A week of rest should help the signal-caller continue to jell with his teammates before facing a bad Bears secondary in Week 12.

22. New York Giants

The Giants desperately need a running game. Andre Williams hasn't produced in Rashad Jennings' absence, and due to a decimated wide receiver corps, Eli Manning hasn't been able to pick up the slack. Going up against Seattle's defense in Week 11 won't help matters.

21. St. Louis Rams

The Rams are this year's mystery team. They look awful one week but look like division contenders the next. Inconsistency is an NFL team's worst nightmare, and this team has plenty of it. We'll see which version of the Rams shows up against the Arizona Cardinals on Sunday.

20. Houston Texans

The Texans have the week off after losing to the Eagles in Week 9. There's plenty of talent on this team, but it won't be a playoff contender until it has a more capable quarterback. The team will give Ryan Mallett a go under center after its Week 10 bye, and we should know quickly if this team has what it takes to make a run at the postseason.

19. San Francisco 49ers

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Whenever the 49ers figure out they're a run-first team, they'll begin to see wins accumulate. The lack of usage of running back Frank Gore is frustrating, as the game plan is calling for far too many passes from Colin Kaepernick. Controlling the clock against the New Orleans Saints in Week 10 is a must.

18. San Diego Chargers

What happened to the Chargers? One of the league's most dominant teams only a few weeks ago suddenly seems average. This team can't stop the pass at all, and watching Philip Rivers flounder against a good secondary in Week 9 wasn't exactly comforting. Around the NFL tweeted a message from Rivers:

17. Buffalo Bills

If the Bills are to have any chance of defeating the Kansas City Chiefs in Week 10, they are going to need to find a way to establish the run. Anthony Dixon and Bryce Brown were terrible following injuries to C.J. Spiller and Fred Jackson. If they can't get it going quickly, consider the Bills out of contention.

16. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are in need of a big win. Their season is quickly spiraling out of control, and they now find themselves in the gutter of the AFC North. Defeating the Titans in Week 10 is necessary if this team is to stay afloat in a highly competitive division.

15. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals were absolutely awful Thursday night. This team hadn't lost a home game in the last season-and-a-half, but struggles in prime time quickly put an end to that streak. Andy Dalton continues to prove he can't step up on a big stage, and that will hold this team back.

14. Cleveland Browns

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Cleveland played well enough to beat an imploding Bengals team Thursday night. All of a sudden, the Browns find themselves atop the AFC North alongside the Steelers. Cleveland's defense played extremely well in Week 10, proving they are the best team in the state of Ohio.

13. New Orleans Saints

The Saints are one of the hottest teams heading into Week 10. They have a very difficult contest against the 49ers ahead; however, it's difficult to bet against Drew Brees, considering his hot streak and the way he plays at home. This could be a top-10 team in short order.

12. Seattle Seahawks

Seattle hasn't been overly impressive this season, but it is winning games, and that's what counts. This team allowed the Raiders to put up 24 points in Week 9, and it must do better against the Giants on Sunday to maintain a favorable spot in the power rankings.

11. Green Bay Packers

Aaron Rodgers' hot streak cooled off a bit in Week 8 in a loss to the Saints, but he's coming off a bye and will have plenty of opportunities to get back on track against a reeling Bears secondary. The quarterback tweaked his hamstring in New Orleans, but, according to NFL on ESPN, he's just fine:

A big win will reaffirm the fact that this team is one of the NFL's most dangerous.

10. Kansas City Chiefs

The Chiefs may not be the flashiest team in the league, but they may be the most well-rounded. An efficient Alex Smith, a dangerous rushing game featuring Jamaal Charles and a secondary that ranks first in the league in passing yards allowed are just a few reasons why this team will likely be playoff bound.

9. Miami Dolphins

Ryan Tannehill continues to play some great football, and Miami's secondary is top-notch. This team has an advantage in the passing game against almost every opponent; however, a date with the Detroit Lions in Week 10 will be a true test.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers

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It's time to give credit to the Steelers offense. This team has so many potent weapons on the offensive side of the ball, and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger just threw six touchdown passes in each of two consecutive games. This may not be typical Steelers football, but it's certainly winning them games.

7. Dallas Cowboys

An injured Romo is problematic for this team. Without a passing game able to balance the ground attack featuring DeMarco Murray, this team doesn't appear quite as dangerous. According to SportsCenter, the team's signal-caller is expected to play Sunday in London:

We'll see how the quarterback responds to his recent injury against Jacksonville.

6. Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck is on a blistering pace this season. He's certainly looking like he belongs in the realm of the league's elite quarterbacks, and he gets a much-needed rest in Week 10 before a pivotal contest against the New England Patriots in Week 11.

5. Denver Broncos

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Peyton Manning was stifled by the Patriots in Week 10; however, this isn't a quarterback who gets frazzled after one average showing. Manning is a future Hall of Famer for a reason, and we should expect a big day from him Sunday against the Raiders.

4. Detroit Lions

Detroit's defense has kept this team as one of the league's elite through eight games. The return of Calvin Johnson and Reggie Bush in Week 10 could propel the Lions to a whole new level if the offense can become as potent as the defense.

Omar Kelly of the South Florida Sun Sentinel tweeted a report that the duo is expected to play:

3. Philadelphia Eagles

The Eagles remain atop the NFC East after defeating the Texans in Week 9; however, that win came with a huge price, as quarterback Nick Foles broke his collarbone and is expected to miss a significant amount of time, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

Can this team rely on Mark Sanchez to keep the winning streak alive? We'll find out in Week 10 in a prime-time showdown against the Panthers.

2. Arizona Cardinals

Arizona owns one of the league's most dangerous offenses. Carson Palmer is playing some of the best football of his career, and that is due in part to weapons such as Larry Fitzgerald, Michael Floyd, John Brown and Andre Ellington. We'll see how well this offense can produce against a Rams pass defense ranked eighth in the league.

1. New England Patriots

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The Patriots are the best team in football right now. Tom Brady has been playing out of his mind, Rob Gronkowski is healthy and as dangerous as ever, Brandon LaFell has emerged as a big component in the team's offense, and the secondary is fantastic with a resurgent Darrelle Revis.

There may not be a team in the league that can take down the Patriots right now, and this team's Week 10 bye comes as terrific news to the other 31 franchises.