Welcome to the Week 9 Power Rankings. I hope you had a great Halloween. We ran through more than 150 (full-sized) candy bars before breaking into the reserves. I dressed up as Chewbacca from Star Wars and wore the mask that makes the Chewbacca sound every time you open your mouth. I’m lucky to have met the right partner in life who keeps the kid alive and encourages you to find your inner toddler as we head into the throes of the holiday season. Life is too short to be boring or agitated all the time.

With that in mind, let’s get into our weekly staple and rank some power. 

1. Buffalo Bills (6–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: beat Ravens, 36–10
This week: at Vikings

I was honestly pretty surprised at the muted response to Josh Allen getting his neck twisted almost 200 degrees on Sunday by Roquan Smith which, purposeful or not, deserved a stronger pushback from almost everyone involved. Allen remaining healthy is our best chance at getting one of a few select dream Super Bowl matchups. 

2. Chicago Bears (6–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: beat Seahawks, 34–17
This week: vs. Buccaneers

When the referees managed to step out of the way in this one, what we predicted would be a beastly defensive line lived up to expectations. As Chicago finds more of a balance between its explosive offense and a more complementary defense,  the Bears are rounding into legitimate Super Bowl favorites.

3. Jacksonville Jaguars (5–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: beat Colts, 42–7
This week: at Ravens

The loss of DaVon Hamilton is a killer for the Jaguars, who look so coldly efficient on offense and just need the horses on defense to keep them in games. Expect the Jaguars to go big game hunting at the DT position over the next week. 

4. Detroit Lions (4–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: beat Vikings, 19–15
This week: at Dolphins

Drew Petzing has been on my ascending head coaches list but has put himself on many others after a sterling performance against the Vikings. Petzing managed to get the job done against Brian Flores and add a flourish, a particular feat that seems almost impossible given how talented this Minnesota defense is. 

5. San Francisco 49ers (6–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Raiders

The Jauan Jennings deal falling through means that San Francisco has both told on itself and now faces a price increase at the receiver position heading toward the deadline. Still, a 6–1 start is not to be squandered, especially with a team this old. 

6. Seattle Seahawks (4–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: lost to Bears, 34–17
This week: vs. Cardinals

This was a game both select Bears players and striped-shirt gentlemen tried to invite Seattle back into time and time again. But Sam Darnold had defenders in his face all night. Jeffrey Simmons led the team in tackles and tackles for loss, and tied the team lead in quarterback hits. How’s that for throwing out the game plan?

7. Denver Broncos (6–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: beat Chiefs, 28–24
This week: at Panthers

Jonah Coleman is one of my favorite types of players. A back that is clearly gifted, is still on the board after the third round and has a bunch of average sportswriters wondering why he’s still available…and then he gets to the NFL and rocks. 

8. Green Bay Packers (5–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: beat Panthers, 27–19
This week: at Patriots

A note on Green Bay, Josh Jacobs and NFL teams backsliding on morality once again. 

9. Minnesota Vikings (6–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: lost to Lions, 19–15
This week: vs. Bills

Was Brian Flores’s defense bested, or did the Lions run the ball just well enough combined with an offense that is clearly lagging behind? Holding the Lions to less than 20 points should be good enough for a victory with this much talent on offense. 

10. Cincinnati Bengals (5–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: beat Titans, 43–36 (OT)
This week: vs. Falcons (Madrid)

We need to start appreciating the games where Tee Higgins and Ja’Marr Chase go for roughly 300 combined yards, three touchdowns and 30 targets. This troika (including Joe Burrow) may never be at full strength again, but once every few months we get the absolute juggernaut game we deserve. 

11. Los Angeles Rams (4–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: beat Rams, 24–9
This week: at Commanders

I don’t know what exactly this says or who it compliments, but the Rams defense still has not allowed a first quarter touchdown this season which is wild, potentially insignificant, totally unsustainable and yet, still noteworthy. 

12. Kansas City Chiefs (5–2)

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: lost to Broncos, 28–24
This week: vs. Jets

Guys. Guys. Guys. GUYS. Guys. It was a false start. 

13. Pittsburgh Steelers (6–2) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: beat Browns, 27–6
This week: idle

The Steelers were (rightfully) pissed after clubbing the Browns on Sunday. Aaron Rodgers wisely set the tone by being critical of the offense. With almost no red zone finesse to speak of, the team continues to abandon the run at critical situations. 

14. New England Patriots (5–3) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: beat Dolphins, 24–19
This week: vs. Packers

I truly do not understand how Kyle Williams was robbed of a touchdown on Sunday. While I am beginning to accept and almost enjoy the incredible inconsistency from crew to crew on the most basic of subjects, how we do not have a general idea of what constitutes a touchdown catch is beyond me. 

15. New York Giants (4–2–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Eagles

With the Giants at the bye, let’s flash back to this time last year when Cam Skattebo celebrated 1,000 subscribers by drinking an energy beverage out of a used football cleat. 

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3–5) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: beat Falcons, 16–0
This week: at Bears

Baker Mayfield gets a lot of flak and Sunday’s win was almost not at all about him (he completed zero passes after all). But him getting into a fight with the Falcons over physical run blocking is not performative. He is that dude. 

17. Las Vegas Raiders (4–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: beat Jets, 38–33
This week: at 49ers

I can’t be the only one who saw Klint Kubiak open the door just a smidge for Mike Washington Jr. and watched as Washington kicked the thing open, right? It’s a different feel when the rookie out of Arkansas is in the backfield. 

18. Cleveland Browns (5–3)

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: lost to Steelers, 27–6
This week: at Saints

The Browns’ quarterback issue was masked during a recent run but will continue to rear its head during the thick of their schedule. A home game two weeks from now against Watson’s former Texans looms as a fascinating measuring stick game for Cleveland post-deadline.

19. Atlanta Falcons (3–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: lost to Buccaneers, 16–0
This week: vs. Bengals (Madrid)

If there was any game to let Bijan Robinson sit in Wildcat this was it, right? Todd Bowles’s stubbornness and conservatism proved to be the right play in ridiculous conditions, while Atlanta missed an opportunity to let Robinson have a defining afternoon piloting the offense.  

20. Carolina Panthers (3–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: lost to Packers, 27–19
This week: vs. Broncos

The Panthers came into Lambeau Field on Thursday down significant pieces on the offensive line (and lost more help during the game) and the secondary. That’s a bad mixture against a Packers team that is rushing the passer extremely well right now and throwing deep better than most. 

21. Dallas Cowboys (3–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: lost to Cardinals, 33–30 (OT)
This week: at Colts

TEASER: Stay tuned to the social accounts of MMQB podcast co-hosts Albert Breer and myself for my uber-creative solution to fixing the Cowboys defense. I think I can make it work. 

22. Washington Commanders (2–4–1)

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: beat Eagles, 27–10
This week: vs. Rams

At this point in the race, Washington is my favorite to wind up winning the NFC East. Last night, the breadcrumbs shown between Jayden Daniels and Antonio Williams leads me to believe there’s just enough of a spark left in this offense to generate a run. 

23. Arizona Cardinals (3–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: beat Cowboys, 33–30 (OT)
This week: at Seahawks

Credit where credit is due: I pegged Mike LaFleur as one of the worst coaching hires of this past cycle (actually the worst, let’s not try and sugarcoat it). All he’s done is be himself and log some really tough wins against superior opponents. Arizona is this year’s tough-out champion. 

24. Baltimore Ravens (4–4)

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: lost to Bills, 36–10
This week: vs. Jaguars

Here’s a column looking ahead at the Lamar-Ravens-injury dance to come. Meanwhile, Jesse Minter’s first season as head coach sees a third quarterback starting games this season and (likely) the acquisition of an emergency backup. Not the way he drew it up. 

25. Houston Texans (2–5) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: idle
This week: at Chargers

The Texans will face the Chargers this weekend in a battle of the two most confoundingly disappointing teams I can ever remember. This is the kind of hype that forces me to never trust again. 

26. New Orleans Saints (2–5)

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: idle
This week: vs. Browns

Kellen Moore has his first big lever pull as head coach, dismissing the team’s run game coordinator amid struggles. Sometimes these changes can be monumental (see: The Lions pivoting from Anthony Lynn to Ben Johnson at offensive coordinator). Sometimes they are just an act of pacifying ownership. 

27. Philadelphia Eagles (2–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: lost to Commanders, 27–10
This week: vs. Giants

How many teams think Saquon Barkley has some legs left underneath him and how many of them would be willing to part with a non-insignificant amount of equity to find out? Like Jonathan Taylor, I think it’s time to limit his reps until the deadline. 

28. New York Jets (2–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: lost to Raiders, 38–33
This week: at Chiefs

If nothing else, the Jets woke up this morning to three top-10 picks. Hooray for tomorrow! In all seriousness, when was the last time we saw such a clear disconnect in popularity between the general manager and the head coach? I get Aaron Glenn’s job is undoubtedly harder and would have been less difficult with Quinnen Williams and Sauce Gardner, but are we imagining this team any closer to .500 with those two? 

29. Indianapolis Colts (2–6)

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: lost to Jaguars, 42–7
This week: vs. Cowboys

Teams should be interested in Daniel Jones. Teams are interested in Josh Downs and Jonathan Taylor. Head coach Shane Steichen is going to play all of them deeply into blowouts until someone says otherwise. This is where the owner needs to step in. 

30. Tennessee Titans (1–7)

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: lost to Bengals, 43–36 (OT)
This week: idle

The Titans are so close to being 5–3. And we can say that it’s all about the quarterback, who played his best game of his career against the Bengals in a loss on Sunday, or the coach, but in reality it’s just how the NFL is sometimes. I’ve changed my tune on Tennessee these last few weeks as the team continues to fight amid a possible firesale. 

31. Miami Dolphins (1–6) 

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: lost to Patriots, 24–19
This week: vs. Lions

Dolphins offensive coordinator Bobby Slowik has been quietly compiling some strong performances over the past two weeks. Following in the Kyle Shanahan mold, he’s also been offsetting his backs and playing with some interesting backfield setups that have generated above-average rushing performances. Miami has cleanly fit what we expected of Jeff Hafley in Year 1: functional and more difficult to play than expected.

32. Los Angeles Chargers (0–7)

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: lost to Rams, 24–9
This week: vs. Texans

I honestly can’t believe we’re here. The defense is playing incredibly well. Enough to almost legitimize the Chargers’ unwillingness to trade Khalil Mack. Offensively, Justin Herbert feels like he’s in self-destruct mode. Those two interceptions against the Rams looked as bad as any he’s thrown this season.