NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Rising Teams Ready to Reshape Division Races

Parity is the word of the year in the NFL. While all the focus has been on the undefeated Green Bay Packers and the winless Indianapolis Colts and Miami Dolphins, the real story is what's been going on with everyone else.

Including, of course, the surprising teams that have not only impacted the races within their divisions, but also jumped right into the thick of them. That theme figures to continue in Week 9, thanks in large part to these three teams.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

The Buccaneers haven't exactly come out of nowhere after posting a 10-6 record last season, but they've managed to surprise nonetheless, though not necessarily in a good way.

On the one hand, they've racked up some quality wins against divisional opponents (the Falcons and the Saints) and padded their record by beating the dregs of the NFL (the Vikings and the Colts).

On the other hand, they've also struggled against some pretty good teams, with losses to the 49ers and the Bears within their last three games.

Luckily for Josh Freeman and company, they'll have a game from behind Door No. 1—a trip to New Orleans to play the equally-inconsistent Saints—on tap for Week 9. What's more, star running back LeGarrette Blount should be ready to go by Sunday, reopening the Bucs' offense to a multidimensional attack.

With Blount back, the Bucs will have an excellent chance to move to 3-0 within the NFC South and take sole possession of first place in the process.

Buffalo Bills

Nobody circles the wagons (or hangs around the top of the AFC East) like the Buffalo Bills.

They bounced back from a disappointingly-close 27-24 loss at the New York Giants in Week 7 with a convincing 23-0 shutout of the Washington Redskins in Toronto.

Granted, much can't be expected of a Redskins offense with John Beck under center, though that fact does little to take away from what was easily the finest performance of the season for an often beleaguered Bills D.

This week, Buffalo will have a golden opportunity to cement itself as no worse than a wild card contender, when the New York Jets come to town. A win over Gang Green would pair nicely with that Week 3 stunner over the Patriots while helping the Bills to hold steady atop the division for at least one week longer.

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals will have the chance to shift two division races at once in Week 9. At 5-2, the Bengals are tied with the Ravens and a half-game behind the Steelers in the AFC North. Cincinnati will be guaranteed to either hold steady in second or move into a tie for first with a win, depending on what happens between Pittsburgh and Baltimore on Sunday night.

To do so, the Bengals will have to beat the Titans, who happen to be fighting for their lives in the watered-down AFC South. As such, you can bet Matt Schaub and the Texans will be rooting hard for Cincy's top-ranked defense to stifle Matt Hasselbeck and Chris Johnson on one end, and for the rookie tandem of Andy Dalton and AJ Green to continue to thrive on the other.

Josh Martin's Week 8 NFL Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers

2. San Francisco 49ers

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

4. New England Patriots

5. Baltimore Ravens

6. Detroit Lions

7. Atlanta Falcons

8. New York Giants

9. New Orleans Saints

10. Buffalo Bills

11. New York Jets

12. Cincinnati Bengals

13. Kansas City Chiefs

14. Houston Texans

15. Philadelphia Eagles

16. Chicago Bears

17. San Diego Chargers

18. Dallas Cowboys

19. Oakland Raiders

20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

21. Tennessee Titans

22. Cleveland Browns

23. Minnesota Vikings

24. Carolina Panthers

25. Washington Redskins

26. Denver Broncos

27. Seattle Seahawks

28. Jacksonville Jaguars

29. Arizona Cardinals

30. Miami Dolphins

31. St. Louis Rams

32. Indianapolis Colts