NFL Power Rankings Week 10: Predicting Post-Monday Night Football Standings

It took until Week 9, but the New England Patriots finally lost a game. They didn't just lose on Sunday night to the Baltimore Ravens, though; they got embarrassed. A vaunted Patriots defense that allowed just 7.6 points per game coming in was gashed for 37, and New England had no answer for Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson.

In the long run, New England will be just fine. The Patriots might even be better for the loss. However, the Patriots cannot be considered the best team in football after getting thrashed like that by a conference rival.

Where do the Patriots, Ravens and the other 30 teams stand after Week 9? Let's take a look. These are the projected power rankings for after Monday Night Football. The Dallas Cowboys—9.5-point favorites over the New York Giants, according to Caesars—are your projected MNF winners.

NFL Power Rankings

1. San Francisco 49ers

2. New Orleans Saints

3. New England Patriots

4. Baltimore Ravens

5. Kansas City Chiefs

6. Green Bay Packers

7. Minnesota Vikings

8. Seattle Seahawks

9. Dallas Cowboys

10. Houston Texans

11. Indianapolis Colts

12. Buffalo Bills

13. Los Angeles Rams

14. Philadelphia Eagles

15. Carolina Panthers

16. Los Angeles Chargers

17. Oakland Raiders

18. Detroit Lions

19. Pittsburgh Steelers

20. Jacksonville Jaguars

21. Tennessee Titans

22. Arizona Cardinals

23. Chicago Bears

24. Denver Broncos

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

26. New York Giants

27. Cleveland Browns

28. Atlanta Falcons

29. Miami Dolphins

30. Washington Redskins

31. New York Jets

32. Cincinnati Bengals

1. San Francisco 49ers

New England's loss leaves the San Francisco 49ers as the NFL's last unbeaten team. However, the 49ers aren't the new No. 1 thanks to record alone.

San Francisco is a team built to win on the road and late in the season. With a strong defense and the league's second-ranked rushing attack (171.1 yards per game), the Niners can win in any sort of weather.

The addition of wideout Emmanuel Sanders has added another element to the 49ers too. Despite playing in just two games, Sanders already ranks sixth on the team with 11 receptions. He makes the offense more balanced, which in turn, should open up even more room for the running game.

San Francisco's 28-25 win over the Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night wasn't overly impressive, but the 49ers still got themselves a win over a divisional opponent on the road. Style points don't exist in the NFL.

2. New Orleans Saints

Bill Feig/Associated Press

The New Orleans Saints didn't play in Week 9, but they managed to move up thanks to the Patriots' loss. The Saints have already navigated their fair share of adversity—Drew Brees, Alvin Kamara and Jared Cook have all missed games—and come through mostly unscathed.

The Saints might just have the deepest roster in the NFL. When Brees missed time, they won with Teddy Bridgewater. With Kamara out of the lineup, Latavius Murray became a star. In his last two games, Murray racked up 211 rushing yards, 86 receiving yards and four touchdowns.

"I can't say enough good things about him," Brees said, per ESPN's Mike Triplett. "Man, he's a pro; he's a ballplayer."

Depth and the ability to overcome challenges are two hallmarks of a championship-caliber team, and that's precisely what New Orleans might be in 2019.

29. Miami Dolphins

Congratulations are in order for Miami Dolphins head coach Brian Flores. He got his first win of the season on Sunday, despite efforts from the front office to ensure he wouldn't have the talent to do so.

The Dolphins didn't just beat the rival New York Jets either; they controlled them. They won the time-of-possession battle, forced Sam Darnold into mistakes and got a strong outing from quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick.

Miami played like a competitive team Sunday, which can't be said about the Jets or the Washington Redskins—two of the three teams now ranked below the Dolphins. The Cincinnati Bengals, the NFL's last winless team, is the other.

Of course, the Dolphins win may have sunk their hopes of securing the No. 1 pick in the 2020 draft. With another game against the Jets and winnable games against Cincinnati and the Cleveland Browns, Miami could string together a handful of wins down the stretch.