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

After back-to-back losses had dropped them below .500, the Oakland Raiders again have a winning record.

The Raiders notched their second straight win Thursday night by defeating the AFC West-rival Los Angeles Chargers 26-24 to open Week 10 of the NFL season. Oakland lost to the Green Bay Packers and Houston Texans following its Week 6 bye, but it's bounced back with wins over the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles.

With winnable games against the Cincinnati Bengals and New York Jets the next two weeks, the Raiders are in position to contend for a playoff spot this season.

That's been reflected in the updated NFL power rankings. Here's a look at how all 32 teams stand entering the weekend.

Current NFL Power Rankings

1. San Francisco 49ers (8-0)

2. New England Patriots (8-1)

3. New Orleans Saints (7-1)

4. Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

5. Seattle Seahawks (7-2)

6. Kansas City Chiefs (6-3)

7. Green Bay Packers (7-2)

8. Dallas Cowboys (5-3)

9. Houston Texans (6-3)

10. Buffalo Bills (6-2)

11. Minnesota Vikings (6-3)

12. Los Angeles Rams (5-3)

13. Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

14. Carolina Panthers (5-3)

15. Philadelphia Eagles (5-4)

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-4)

17. Oakland Raiders (5-4)

18. Detroit Lions (3-4-1)

19. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-5)

20. Chicago Bears (3-5)

21. Tennessee Titans (4-5)

22. Los Angeles Chargers (4-6)

23. Arizona Cardinals (3-5-1)

24. Denver Broncos (3-6)

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-6)

26. Cleveland Browns (2-6)

27. New York Giants (2-7)

28. Atlanta Falcons (1-7)

29. Washington Redskins (1-8)

30. Miami Dolphins (1-7)

31. New York Jets (1-7)

32. Cincinnati Bengals (0-8)

Can Seahawks Dethrone 49ers?

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After winning eight straight games to open a season for the first time since 1990, the San Francisco 49ers are in good position to return to the playoffs for the first time since the 2013 season. But things are also about to get a lot tougher.

Through the first nine weeks, the 49ers' only games against teams that currently have winning records were against the Los Angeles Rams and Carolina Panthers, who are both 5-3. Now, in four of the next five weeks, they play the Seattle Seahawks (7-2), Packers (7-2), Baltimore Ravens (6-2) and New Orleans Saints (7-1).

So if San Francisco is a legitimate Super Bowl contender this season, it should prove itself during this upcoming tough stretch. And that begins Monday night, when the 49ers play their first of two games against the NFC West-rival Seahawks this season.

Seattle has also had an impressive start, as its only two losses came against a pair of strong teams in New Orleans and Baltimore. The Seahawks still have their sights on the NFC West title, and a win over the 49ers would make things in the division race a lot closer.

How Will the Patriots Bounce Back After Their Bye?

Gail Burton/Associated Press

The New England Patriots also won their first eight games of the season, but they suffered their first loss as they dropped a Sunday night road game against the Ravens 37-20 in Week 9. Now New England has a bye week to reset and prepare for the rest of its regular-season schedule.

Over the first eight weeks, the Pats had no games against teams that have winning records. However, their matchup against the Ravens was the start of a tougher stretch. After the bye, they face the Philadelphia Eagles (5-4), Dallas Cowboys (5-3), Houston Texans (6-3) and Kansas City Chiefs (6-3) in consecutive weeks.

There's no question that New England will be back in the playoffs, but the next four games should also give a better indication of New England's chances of repeating as Super Bowl champions this season.

2 Top NFC Teams Set to Face Off

Adam Hunger/Associated Press

One of the best games on Sunday's slate is the night matchup between the Dallas Cowboys and Minnesota Vikings, two of the top teams in the NFC. Dallas leads the NFC at 5-3, while Minnesota sits in second in the NFC North at 6-3.

Both of these teams could use wins to help them in their respective divisional races. The Cowboys have a half-game lead over the Eagles, while the Vikings trail the Packers by a game.

These teams don't face off that often, but the past three times they have, each of the games has been decided by four or fewer points. The Cowboys have won the past two matchups: a 17-15 victory on Dec. 1, 2016, and a 27-23 win on Nov. 3, 2013.

Dallas and Minnesota are both teams that could make the playoffs this season, so perhaps this will be a preview of a matchup we'll see again in January.