NFL Power Rankings: Best Team from Each Division Through Week 9

Through nine weeks of the 2011 NFL season, there has been arguably as much excitement, surprise and change as the game has seen over the last decade. The turnarounds teams have made for a plethora of changes in division leaders and for all the more interesting of a season. 

Teams like the Detroit Lions (6-2) and San Francisco 49ers (7-1) are legitimate threats, when just a season ago, neither team stood a chance. Meanwhile, an Indianapolis Colts team that owned the AFC South for so many years is now on the brink of extinction. In other words, they have potentially reached the beginning of a post-Peyton Manning era.

Yes, the Andrew Luck chants in Indi are growing all the more louder.

Through the first nine weeks of the season, these are the best teams in each division in the NFL. Although not all of the teams listed may actually be the current No. 1 teams in the division, as performance as of late is taken into account.

AFC East: New England Patriots (5-3)

It's a controversial pick to most, yet it is evident this is still the team to take down in the AFC East. The New England Patriots are losers of their last two games, yet the two losses came to two of the best teams in football in the New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers.

It must also be taken into consideration that the Buffalo Bills are a team that has had their fair share of struggles as of late, while the New York Jets haven't had the most difficult of opponents over the last three weeks.

Currently a three-way tie for the division lead between the Bills, Patriots and Jets, the Patriots have the clear edge in their experience and strength of schedule. A well-coached football team in New England currently has the edge over their division rivals.

AFC West: San Diego Chargers (4-4)

Philip Rivers and his San Diego Chargers are the slight favorites in the weak AFC West, as they boast the most talent and ability in the division.

Not to mention this is a team that hung down to the wire with the Green Bay Packers in Week 9, something no team has really been able to do against the Pack all season.

The Oakland Raiders and Kansas City Chiefs are arguably two teams that could gives the Chargers a run for their money, yet for the time being the Chargers are still the stronger team coming out of the AFC West.

AFC North: Baltimore Ravens (6-2)

The Baltimore Ravens are not pretenders, as a win over the Pittsburgh Steelers in typical Ravens vs. Steelers physical football has the Ravens atop the division standings at 6-2.

When it was said the Ravens win over the Steelers in Week 1 was a fluke victory, the Ravens sent a message to the doubters and made it clear they were ready for a 2-0 sweep of the Steelers this season.

Defense has been the key for the Ravens this season, as they currently rank No. 5 against the pass and No.3 against the run.

AFC South: Houston Texans (6-3)

Arian Foster has run for 351 yards and four touchdowns in the last three weeks, recording three straight 100-yard games.

Foster and the Texans offense, along with an elite, heavily underrated defense that ranks in the top five in the league, has made a statement this season that they are the team to beat out of the AFC South.

The team is winners of three straight games and has been without the services of star wide receiver Andre Johnson since Oct. 2.

NFC East: New York Giants (6-2)

Although Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles are more than capable of coming back to take over the division, Eli Manning and company are out to prove otherwise.

Manning and the Giants have quietly been playing some of the best football in the league. Earlier in the season Manning had said he was one of the elite quarterbacks in the game. Sure enough, his top-notch performance this season has backed that statement up to the fullest.

It was in fact Manning who took down Brady and the Patriots this past Sunday.

NFC West: San Francisco 49ers (7-1)

No, it's not a misprint. These San Francisco 49ers have one loss through nine weeks of the season.

It might be the oldest joke in the book, but if one thing's for sure, these 49ers are for real.  They feature the best running defense in the NFL, allowing just over 70 yards a contest.

Offensively, quarterback Alex Smith has had the offense gelling and continuing to do just enough to get it done. Frank Gore has been a beast on the ground as well, rushing for 782 yards on the year.

A five-game division lead through nine weeks is unheard of, yet it's just what the 49ers are looking at.

NFC North: Green Bay Packers (8-0)

Aaron Rodgers has put together an MVP type season this year, putting up some of the best numbers of any quarterback in NFL history through nine weeks.

Although the Packers lack a defense that limits points, the explosiveness of the offense seems to always make up for it.

Clay Matthews and the Packers defense are a talented group that know how to create turnovers and are capable of limiting teams in points, yet they certainly have room to improve on their play this season.

Through nine weeks, the Packers are easily the best team in football.

NFC South: Atlanta Falcons (5-3)

The New Orleans Saints are currently the No. 1 team in the division, yet if there's a team that has outright played the best football in the division as of late, it's these Atlanta Falcons.

After a 2-3 start to the season and much doubt as to whether this team was capable of even making the playoffs, the team is now winners of three straight games and are rolling. The three wins came against Carolina, at Detroit and at Indianapolis most recently.

The Falcons boast a dynamic offense as well as a strong defense against the run. If Turner can continue to produce as well from the running back position, there is no question Atlanta's offense will become all the more difficult to slow down.

The Saints may well win the division, yet currently, it is the Falcons that are playing the better football.