NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Latest 2017 Standings and Reaction for All 32 Teams

The Washington Redskins' victory over the Seattle Seahawks provided the biggest surprise in Week 9, which caused a few shifts in the Week 10 power rankings.

For the most part, playoff contenders have taken cues to play their best football as we approach Thanksgiving. Nonetheless, a club that started 5-0 has faltered over the past month. How far did the Kansas City Chiefs fall after their latest defeat?

At 6-3, the Carolina Panthers keep pounding with quarterback Cam Newton's fingerprints all over their victory against a division opponent. It's possible the offense doesn't need its lead wide receiver to finish the season on a strong note.

How about the Dallas Cowboys?

When breaking down the Cowboys' third consecutive win, pay more attention to the production around the star players as a good sign for the team going forward. Why should confidence in Dallas reach a new height after a Week 9 victory?

You can view the updated NFL standings below coupled with a fresh power rankings list for Week 10.

NFL Division Standings After Week 9

AFC East

1. New England Patriots (6-2)

2. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

3. Miami Dolphins (4-4)

4. New York Jets (4-5)

AFC North

1. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

2. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

3. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

4. Cleveland Browns (0-8)

AFC South

1. Tennessee Titans (5-3)

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3)

3. Houston Texans (3-5)

4. Indianapolis Colts (3-6)

AFC West

1. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3)

2. Oakland Raiders (4-5)

3. Los Angeles Chargers (3-5)

4. Denver Broncos (3-5)

NFC East

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)

2. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)

3. Washington Redskins (4-4)

4. New York Giants (1-7)

NFC North

1. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)

2. Detroit Lions (4-4)

3. Green Bay Packers (4-4)

4. Chicago Bears (3-5)

NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints (6-2)

2. Carolina Panthers (6-3)

3. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)

NFC West

1. Los Angeles Rams (6-2)

2. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)

3. Arizona Cardinals (4-4)

4. San Francisco 49ers (0-9)

Week 10 Power Rankings

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-1)

2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)

3. New England Patriots (6-2)

4. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3)

5. New Orleans Saints (6-2)

6. Carolina Panthers (6-3)

7. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)

8. Los Angeles Rams (6-2)

9. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)

10. Minnesota Vikings (6-2)

11. Jacksonville Jaguars (5-3)

12. Washington Redskins (4-4)

13. Buffalo Bills (5-3)

14. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)

15. Oakland Raiders (4-5)

16. Detroit Lions (4-4)

17. Tennessee Titans (5-3)

18. Los Angeles Chargers (3-5)

19. Denver Broncos (3-5)

20. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)

21. New York Jets (4-5)

22. Miami Dolphins (4-4)

23. Chicago Bears (3-5)

24. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)

26. Arizona Cardinals (4-4)

27. New York Giants (1-7)

28. Indianapolis Colts (3-6)

29. Green Bay Packers (4-4)

30. Houston Texans (3-5)

31. Cleveland Browns (0-8)

32. San Francisco 49ers (0-9)

Notable Rankings

Kansas City Chiefs Trending Down at No. 5

Michael Ainsworth/Associated Press

After a 5-0 start, the Chiefs have cooled off over the past four weeks. A Week 6 loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers opened the gate to a downward trend.

Kansas City have scored 17 points or fewer in two of their last three defeats. The coaching staff has also tinkered with running back Kareem Hunt's workload. In Week 6 and the previous outing, the rookie ball-carrier logged nine carries.

The slight relief on Hunt's rush attempts may preserve him for the length of the season but also hurts the Chiefs offense in the meantime. In those two contests, Kansas City failed to reach 20 points.

Fortunately for the Chiefs, they've stumbled into a bye week with time to regroup, refresh and restart another win streak to finish the season. It also helps that head coach Andy Reid will plan for the one-win New York Giants in Week 11.

For now, Kansas City falls behind the New England Patriots. Both teams look very different from their season-opening game. The Chiefs hit a rough patch on offense. The Patriots haven't surrendered more than 17 points in a game since Week 4.

Carolina Panthers Ground Attack Keeps Team Afloat at No. 7 

Bob Leverone/Associated Press

Despite letting wide receiver Kelvin Benjamin leave via trade to the Buffalo Bills, the Panthers utilized the ground attack to grind out a home victory against the Atlanta Falcons on Sunday. Newton led the charge with 86 of team's 201 rushing yards.

Still, Newton only threw for 137 yards, which is concerning when he's taking extra hits as a ball-carrier. Running back Jonathan Stewart must find his footing as a complementary rusher to Christian McCaffrey to spare the quarterback as a frequent ball-handler on the ground.

Expect to see more creative play calling like the toss to McCaffrey on Sunday:

The Panthers will go full throttle on the ground-and-pound approach with a strong defense until the wheels fall off for the remainder of the season. Nonetheless, the coaching staff should look to establish an efficient short passing game with Curtis Samuel along with McCaffrey to preserve Newton's durability. 

Dallas Cowboys at No. 9 After Statement Victory

Ron Jenkins/Getty Images

You either love the Cowboys or want them to lose every game. Heading into Week 9, critics had a reason to frame this team's winning resume as fraudulent. 

The Cowboys came off their best win against an inconsistent Washington Redskins opponent in Week 8. On Sunday, Dallas earned a notable victory over the Chiefs, who have fizzled over the past month but still pose a viable threat as a playoff-caliber squad. 

It's more important to look at how the Cowboys won the game. Running back Ezekiel Elliott didn't run wild for 150 yards and two touchdowns. By his standards, he put forth a modest performance with 93 yards on the ground and one score. 

Quarterback Dak Prescott's arm and decision-making led the team to victory in Week 9. He completed 21-of-33 pass attempts for 249 yards with two touchdown throws to wideout Cole Beasley. Terrance Williams caught all nine targets for 141 yards. 

For Cowboys fans, it's good to see Beasley and Williams pop up as productive assets in the offense with Elliott's suspension case still pending, per Dallas Morning News reporter Katie Hairopoulos:

Prescott also ran for a touchdown, which shows his dynamic skill set in the pocket. Regardless of what you think about the Cowboys, you must admit they're playing impressive football going into a critical time in the season. 

With Elliott in uniform, it's a team to watch out for down the stretch. Dallas still has two games against the Philadelphia Eagles on the schedule.