NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Latest Stock Watch on Top Teams

The Green Bay Packers lead a group of three teams that have separated themselves from the rest of the NFL pack as the top squads in the league. All three of those teams are on the rise after Week 8.

The Packers had their bye this past weekend and head into a Week 9 showdown with the San Diego Chargers looking very solid. After two close wins, Green Bay likely spent its week off refocusing and recovering.

At 7-0, the Packers are the league's only undefeated team, and despite a few close calls, they have looked to be by far the best squad in the NFL all season. Quarterback Aaron Rodgers has easily been the league MVP through eight weeks. His ridiculous quarterback rating of 125.7 leads the NFL and is a whopping 21.3 points ahead of Tom Brady, who occupies second place at 104.4.

The Packers boast the league's highest-scoring offense, averaging a whopping 32.9 points per game, and they don't look to be slowing down. The bye week should only help things, and I expect Green Bay to continue to roll.

The Pittsburgh Steelers have had a remarkable turnaround this season. After a woeful 2-2 start that was highlighted by a 35-7 Week 1 blowout at the hands of the Baltimore Ravens, Pittsburgh has reeled off four straight wins, including an impressive 25-17 victory over the New England Patriots in Week 8.

The Steelers have engineered their turnaround thanks to a stingy defense that is currently ranked second in the NFL in yards allowed, surrendering just 270.8 per game. The offense has also improved since the opening few weeks and is currently ninth in the league in total yardage (388.8 yards per game). 

Pittsburgh is rolling right now, and the team is improving every week. The Steelers' win over the Patriots only verified that they are for real and a force to be reckoned with in the AFC.

Somehow, the San Francisco 49ers have jumped out to a 6-1 record and have a stranglehold on the NFC West after just eight weeks. Jim Harbaugh's team keeps earning respected week by week and has gone from a team no one expected anything of to a legitimate contender in the NFC. 

How have they done it? With toughness.

The 49ers are allowing a league-best 15.3 points per game. Regardless of offensive or defensive rankings, opposing teams can't win if they can't score, and San Francisco is good at keeping opponents out of the end zone. 

Harbaugh has instilled an attitude and belief in his players that they've never had before. They enter games expecting to win, and now they're doing it. 

Right now, the 49ers are riding as high as anyone in the NFL, and their stock is rising the fastest.

NFL Power Rankings, Week 9

1. Green Bay Packers (7-0)
2. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2)
3. San Francisco 49ers (6-1)
4. New England Patriots (5-2)
5. Detroit Lions (6-2)
6. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
7. New Orleans Saints (5-3)
8. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
9. Houston Texans (5-3)
10. New York Giants (5-2)
11. New York Jets (4-3)
12. Cincinnati Bengals (5-2)
13. Atlanta Falcons (4-3)
14. Oakland Raiders (4-3)
15. San Diego Chargers (4-3)
16. Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)
17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-3)
18. Chicago Bears (4-3)
19. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4)
20. Tennessee Titans (4-3)
21. Dallas Cowboys (3-4)
22. Cleveland Browns (3-4)
23. Washington Redskins (3-4)
24. Seattle Seahawks (2-5)
25. Minnesota Vikings (2-6)
26. Carolina Panthers (2-6)
27. Denver Broncos (2-5)
28. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)
29. Arizona Cardinals (1-6)
30. St. Louis Rams (1-6)
31. Indianapolis Colts (0-8)
32. Miami Dolphins (0-7)