NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Underrated Teams Ready to Make Big Leaps

At some point, a team goes from being that underrated Little Engine That Could and becomes either a powerful team that is capable of winning a Super Bowl—like last year's Green Bay Packers—or an underachiever that needs to make a few changes to get over the hump. 

Through eight weeks of the NFL season, you start seeing which direction those teams are going to go. By this point, we have enough of a sample size to evaluate a team's talent and see how good or bad they should be. 

There are a number of teams that are all bunched together, each with records of 4-3 and 3-4, so it is time for the best of the average bunch to start living up to their potential. 

Here are three teams that have the talent to be great, but have yet to live up to that hype. They are each poised to make a big move up the power rankings over the final eight weeks of the season. 

Atlanta Falcons

The Atlanta Falcons have not had a great start to the season, especially considering the expectations that they had back in August.

However, the team have got much better in the last two weeks and are making a serious run up the power rankings. What's more, there is no reason to think that hot streak won’t continue in Week 9 when the Falcons take on the winless Colts.

A playoff berth looked bleak in October, but as the calendar has shifted to November, hope has returned to Atlanta. The return of Julio Jones to the offense should help to open up the stagnant passing game. 

Tennessee Titans

After a hot start to the year, the Titans are just 1-2 and that victory came against the Indianapolis Colts last week. Their superstar running back Chris Johnson has lost his edge, and Javon Ringer is being featured a lot more in the game plan.

So why are the Titans going to start moving closer to the Top 10?

They have two winnable games in the next two weeks.

I know the Bengals, their opponent in Week 9, have five wins this season. However, they are going to realize that they are starting a rookie at quarterback at some point and lose some games.

The Titans are not great, but they are the second-best team in the AFC South right now. They can keep up with the Texans and compete for a playoff spot if Johnson ever finds himself and Matt Hasselbeck plays the way he was when they were 3-1.

Oakland Raiders

When the Raiders acquired Carson Palmer three weeks ago, the popular opinion was they had finally got a quarterback capable of leading them back to the playoffs. However, he was thrown to the wolves two weeks ago against the Chiefs and was clearly not ready to play.

Now, after a bye week and plenty of time to study the playbook, Palmer will be ready to lead the Raiders offense and the team will return to its perch in the power rankings.

The fact that they are playing the Broncos is going to help, but they are infinitely better than they looked two weeks ago. 

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