NFL Power Rankings: Initial Post-Sunday Breakdown Ahead of Week 10

And then there were none.

Week 9 of the 2018 NFL season brought with it the first loss for the league's last unbeaten team as the Los Angeles Rams saw their perfect record blemished by a red-hot, Drew Brees-led New Orleans Saints team.

That outcome, coupled with others around the league, shook up this week's NFL Power Rankings.

As the second half of the season continues, we will look at the rundown of all 32 teams and the storylines to watch heading into Week 10.

NFL Power Rankings

1. New Orleans Saints (7-1)
2. Los Angeles Rams (8-1)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (7-1)
4. Carolina Panthers (6-2)
5. New England Patriots (7-2)
6. Los Angeles Chargers (6-2)
7. Houston Texans (6-3)
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2-1)
9. Minnesota Vikings (5-3-1)
10. Chicago Bears (5-3)
11. Cincinnati Bengals (5-3)
12. Washington Redskins (5-3)
13. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)
14. Miami Dolphins (5-4)
15. Philadelphia Eagles (4-4)
16. Green Bay Packers (3-4-1)
17. Seattle Seahawks (4-4)
18. Baltimore Ravens (4-5)
19. Tennessee Titans (3-4)
20. Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-5)
22. Detroit Lions (3-5)
23. Indianapolis Colts (3-5)
24. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)
25. New York Jets (3-6)
26. Denver Broncos (3-6)
27. Cleveland Browns (2-6-1)
28. New York Giants (1-7)
29. Arizona Cardinals (2-6)
30. San Francisco 49ers (2-7)
31. Buffalo Bills (2-7)
32. Oakland Raiders (1-7)

Down Go The Rams

"Everybody gotta be humbled, and this was our day," Todd Gurley said as he addressed the media following Sunday's loss to the New Orleans Saints. The defending NFL Offensive Player of the Year scored touchdown number 16 in the game but was held under 100 rushing yards.

Humbled is right.

The Rams defense, appropriately nicknamed the Mob Squad for its stout pass rush, was picked apart by an explosive Saints offense Sunday afternoon to the tune of 487 yards of total offense. The secondary, in particular, struggled as Brees connected with wideout Michael Thomas for 211 yards and a crucial fourth-quarter TD that sealed the win for the NFC South division leaders.

Fresh off their first loss, the Rams enter the third of a grueling four-game stretch in Week 10 as they return home to face divisional foe Seattle in their second matchup of the season. From there, they head to Mexico for one of the marquee games of the season, a Monday Night Football main event against Kansas City.

The Rams will need to fix the defensive woes that reared their head in Week 8 against Green Bay and were exploited by Brees and Co. to great success Sunday. If not, their 8-0 start could feel like a lifetime ago by the time their bye rolls around in Week 12.

Here Come The Panthers

Every year, it seems as though there is that one team that comes from out of nowhere to make a splash late in the season and tear through the playoffs to the surprise of many. The Carolina Panthers are that team this season.

Quietly, former league MVP Cam Newton and his teammates are establishing dominance and sending a message to the rest of the NFC that the road to Super Bowl XLIV may not roll through New Orleans, Los Angeles or Philadelphia, as many expected at the beginning of the season.

A week after systematically picking apart the Baltimore Ravens' No. 1 defense at home, the Panthers defense forced two interceptions and sacked Ryan Fitzpatrick three times while Newton tossed two TDs and tailback Christian McCaffrey added two on the ground.

Nothing the team does is particularly pretty, and they are not going to wow anyone with their aerial attack. They play tough, physical football, though, which will benefit them later as fall turns to winter and their style of football becomes overwhelming.

With all of that said, only one of their six wins is against a team with a winning schedule, that being their Week 3 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals. The quality of their team and their ability to play at a high level late into the season (and postseason) will be tested in the second-half.

Thursday night, the Panthers travel to Pittsburgh, where they will face an equally hot team with better playmakers who will challenge their stout defense.

On Sunday, the 6-2 Panthers were able to halt a comeback attempt by the Bucs. With offensive weapons on the Steelers like Antonio Brown, James Conner and JuJu Smith-Schuster around future Hall of Famer Ben Roethlisberger, the Panthers must be more consistent for all four quarters.

Two dates with division leader New Orleans and a rematch with an Atlanta team that dealt them their first loss also loom.

Middle of the Pack

Sometimes, just having Aaron Rodgers is not enough to elevate a team to greatness—something the 2018 Green Bay Packers are finding out each and every week.

Sunday, the team lost by two touchdowns to a New England Patriots team that exploited injuries in the secondary. On one particular play, quarterback Tom Brady faked a handoff, on which the defensive backs bit and hit Josh Gordon for a 55-yard TD.

On the offensive side of the ball, Rodgers completed just over 50 percent of his passes for two scores and no turnovers, but a fumble from Aaron Jones proved costly—it came one week after a fumble from Ty Montgomery on special teams cost the green and yellow a shot at a comeback against the Rams.

Sloppy play on both sides of the ball, inconsistency on offense, a few controversial calls for roughing the passer, costly turnovers and injuries have plagued the Packers this season. In the process, that tornado of misfortune has proved that a team can have Rodgers and still not be good enough to win their division.

At this point, even a wild-card berth is in question.

The Packers will return home to play a Miami Dolphins team sitting at 5-4 after an impressive defensive showing in a victory over the New York Jets in Week 9.