Week 9 Power Rankings
Week eight brought a few surprises but was primarily the same that we are used to. While the Ravens were shocked by the Browns in a gut-wrenching defeat, the Chiefs handled their business against the Raiders, the Niners man-handled the Cowboys, the Lions brought the boom on offense, and the Jets lost to the Patriots. That all sounds pretty similar to the results we’re used to. In fact, the Giants’ 26-18 loss to the Steelers last night went so similarly to every primetime game that both teams play that I’m starting to wonder if I’m going crazy.
What I’m positive made me go crazy was Jayden Daniels’ game-winning. Hail Mary which might get Tyrique Stevenson killed in Southside Chicago. They moved to 6-2, as did the Bills who put forth a resounding performance against a usually frisky Seattle team, and the Texans who irked one out against Indy. Several other teams made their campaign to move up the rankings while others look like they want to finish the season ranked at #32 (that will be difficult to do with the Panthers in existence).
For this week’s subsection, I made a bold prediction about every team this season. I covered predictions such as players that will be traded, award winners, stat projections, and even who will win Super Bowl LIV.
Let’s transition to the rankings.
32. Carolina Panthers (no change)
Record: 1-7
Bold Prediction: The Panthers won’t win another game.
This is one of the worst teams I’ve ever seen. Their week 3 win has saved them from conversations about being the worst team of all time, but they didn’t fool me. Their -23.0 average point differential in their losses is absurd and is a sign that they might not sniff the win column until 2025.
31. Tennessee Titans (down 3)
Record: 1-6
Bold Prediction: The Titans will start four different QBs this year.
This feels like the classic blame the QB for the bad offense situation for Tennessee who has already benched Will Levis and might think about moving on from Mason Rudolph soon. And you never know what can happen when a vulnerable offensive line takes on formidable pass rushes in New England, Los Angeles, Minnesota, and Houston in their next four games.
30. New Orleans Saints (no change)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: The Saints fire Dennis Allen during the season.
No team is on a worse slide than New Orleans and Allen’s 18-24 record with no playoff appearances doesn’t scream “one more year.” It’s on the record that Allen is uninspiring and his players do not seem motivated to win for him.
29. New England Patriots (up 2)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: The Patriots will not finish last in the AFC East.
With how poorly the Jets are playing and are coached, their season could fall apart once the playoffs are out of reach. On the other hand, the Patriots should get Drake Maye back soon and he has shown great looking flashes in his first few games. This young offense might come together and win a few games down the stretch.
28. Las Vegas Raiders (down 1)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: Maxx Crosby will be traded.
It’s about time the Raiders bite the bullet and accept that they are no longer in contention for anything but the first pick. Crosby is at the peak of his powers and they can get some high draft capital out of a trade that they might not get two years from now. There are plenty of suitors for Crosby such as Detroit, Baltimore, and Green Bay. It’ll be up to the Raiders to make the first move.
27. Cleveland Browns (up 2)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: Jameis Winston just had his best game of the season.
Winston was the beneficiary of the first-game bump which applies to interim coaches and backup quarterback. The city and the whole team were behind him and he was going against one of the worst pass defenses in the league. Five of the Browns’ next six games come against stifling defenses and I expect Jameis to come down to earth as a result.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (down 2)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: Trevor Lawrence will finish as a top-12 quarterback this season.
I’m not in love with Trevor Lawrence but I can’t deny his talent as well as the fact that he has played in one of the worst situations of any QB this season. Lawrence has now been in a group for three of his last four games which has resulted in a 2-2 record including a near win against Green Bay. He’ll continue to rise up the QB rankings.
25. New York Giants (up 1)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: The Giants will stick with Daniel Jones next season. He has a dead cap hit of $41.6 next season and is currently playing at a level that might be good enough to earn him another year of action (music to Giants fans' ears). Their schedule softens up a bit in a few weeks and that will only give Jones more opportunities to prove himself to the Giants’ front office.
24. New York Jets (down 1)
Record: 2-6
Bold Prediction: The Jets will turn their season around.
Whether you like it or not, the Jets haven’t played like your average 2-6 team. Four of their five losses have come on a missed game-winning attempt by Greg Zuerlein, a game-losing redzone pick, a game-losing pick, and a game-losing touchdown with 22 seconds left. In fact, if you turn all of Greg Zuerlein’s misses into makes, the Jets are 5-3 this season. And they still have one of the most talented rosters in the NFL.
23. Miami Dolphins (up 1)
Record: 2-5
Bold Prediction: Tua won’t make it through a full season.
This isn’t very fair of me, but I smell something in the water here. The football gods have something against Tagovailoa and he doesn’t seem destined to survive a full year of bad offensive line play. I hope that if he suffers an injury, it isn’t too severe.
22. Dallas Cowboys (down 3)
Record: 3-4
Bold Prediction: The Cowboys finish their season with no more than six wins.
From what we’ve seen this season, the Cowboys aren’t a good team. Their wins are against the Browns, Giants, and the Steelers on a last-second TD. They only play three teams with losing records for the rest of the season and one of those teams is the Bengals who many see as a solid team. Their old-school offense won’t produce and injuries will prove to be too much of a burden for Dallas.
21. Cincinnati Bengals (down 7)
Record: 3-5
Bold Prediction: The Bengals will make the playoffs.
Although the Broncos and the Chargers have emerged as the 6th and 7th seeds in the AFC through eight weeks, I’m still not sold on either of them, especially the Chargers. What I am sold on is this Bengals offense and I believe that they will overcome their defensive issues and short-term injury to Ja’Marr Chase and slide into the postseason through the back door.
20. Indianapolis Colts (no change)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: Joe Flacco will be the reason the Colts are alive in week 17.
I expect the Colts to stick with Anthony Richardson for at least a week or two longer. However, I don’t foresee him playing well against the Vikings or the Bills defenses, leading me to believe we could see Flacco by week 12. Five of the final seven Colts’ opponents have losing records and with how Indy’s performed on offense with Flacco under center, I expect them to make a late run.
19. Seattle Seahawks (down 7)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: The Seahawks’ O-Line will be a bottom-5 unit by the season’s end.
Every time I look up, Geno Smith is getting harassed or fleeing the pocket because his offensive line can’t block a senior citizen. They’re the reason Seattle looked so discombobulated on offense against Buffalo. They’re also struggling with their run-blocking—Kenneth Walker hasn’t had a 100-yard game since week one.
18. Arizona Cardinals (up 3)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: James Conner will make the Pro Bowl.
Conner is getting hotter by the week and as the Cardinals rack up the wins, he is racking up recognition. Conner is 7th in the NFL rushing yards and has four touchdowns as well as three games with over 100 yards rushing. The only NFC runningbacks I can say have definitively been better than Conner this year are Saquon Barkley and Jahmyr Gibbs. Otherwise, it’s a toss-up between Conner, Josh Jacobs, Kyren Williams, and David Montgomery.
17. Los Angeles Rams (up 5)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: The Rams will make the playoffs.
The Rams might be a work-in-progress defensively but when healthy, their offense is extremely dangerous. They showed that the other night by dropping 30 on the Vikings in part of a two-game win streak and have three straight winnable games approaching against Seattle, Miami, and New England.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (down 3)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: The Bucs offense will not fall off with Mike Evans and Chris Godwin.
Against Atlanta, Baker was cooking with gas. He’s been on record saying that Tampa is the perfect system/situation for him which leads me to believe the schematics of the Bucs’ offense won’t change. They have a decent two-headed backfield and Jalen McMillan, Trey Palmer, and Sterling Shepard can hold down the fort until Mike Evans returns.
15. Los Angeles Chargers (up 3)
Record: 4-3
Bold Prediction: The Chargers will finish the season with 10 wins.
I’m no Justin Herbert stan, but I believe that we’ll see the Chargers finish their season the way they did in 2022—reaching 10 wins thanks to weak opponents down the stretch. Their last four opponents are Tampa Bay, Denver, New England, and Las Vegas—two winnable games and two easy wins and with the right coaching in place, I think the Chargers will get to 10-7.
14. Denver Broncos (up 3)
Record: 5-3
Bold Prediction: The Broncos will finish the season as the 5th seed.
As much as I believe in Jim Harbaugh, I believe in Sean Payton even more and what he’s been able to do in terms of maximizing Bo Nix’s abilities. More importantly, his defense is flying around and currently has the 5th best DVOA in the league. Though their schedule is more difficult than LA’s, I trust them and their home-field advantage more.
13. Atlanta Falcons (up 2)
Record: 5-3
Bold Prediction: Kirk Cousins will throw for 4,600 yards this season.
Only Tua Tagovailoa accomplished this feat last season and Cousins has only done it once before in 2016. However, he’s on pace for 4,475 yards and that’s after not throwing for 250 yards in his first four games. In his last four, he’s averaging 310.5 yards per game and has the majority of his schedule against subpar pass defenses.
12. San Francisco 49ers (up 4)
Record: 4-4
Bold Prediction: The 49ers will make the NFC Championship game.
I’m not on the “49ers’ season from hell” train like many are. Christian McCaffrey is projected to return from injury in week 10, Jauan Jennings is coming back, and their defense will soon be healthier. Without those playmakers, they’ve still shown the ability to win—they’re 4-4 with heartbreaking and dare I say flukey losses against the Rams and Cardinals. We know how good they are when at full strength and it’s only a matter of time until they get there.
11. Chicago Bears (down 1)
Record: 4-3
Bold Prediction: The Bears have the best defense in the NFL.
Jayden Daniels has been spectacular all year but the Bears held him to his lowest passer rating this season of 70.9. Their defense hasn’t allowed 20 points once this season despite playing some formidable offenses in Houston, the Rams, and Washington. They have the best corner in the league in Jaylon Johnson and besides Tyrique Stevenson’s antics, they seem motivated, energized, and excited to work together.
10. Pittsburgh Steelers (down 1)
Record: 6-2
Bold Prediction: T.J. Watt will be the reason Pittsburgh makes the playoffs.
Last night when the Giants were down 26-18 with the ball at Pittsburgh’s 19-yard line, I said, “This is where T.J. Watt forces a fumble.” Sure enough, he beat his block and pounded the ball out of Daniel Jones’ grasp, giving the Steelers the ball back. Watt does this 2-3 times per season and as the most clutch defensive player I’ve ever seen on a team that is always on the fringe of making the playoffs, I expect him to make the difference when it counts.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (up 2)
Record: 5-2
Bold Prediction: The Eagles will not make the playoffs.
I had to move the Eagles into the top 10 but it’s going to take a lot to convince me that the relationship between Jalen Hurts and Nick Sirianni is strong enough for the Eagles to keep up their strong play. The Packers look great, I still believe in the Vikings, and I think Chicago and Los Angeles both stand a better chance of making the postseason than Philly does.
8. Houston Texans (down 2)
Record: 6-2
Bold Prediction: The Texans will have a bottom-half offense by season’s end. Right now, Houston’s offense is ranked 17th in DVOA and just lost Stefon Diggs for an extended period of time. They are already without Nico Collins and their offensive line has been abysmal. As a result, C.J. Stroud has not looked like his easy-flowing, explosive self. I’m not sure how things get easier from here.
7. Minnesota Vikings (down 3)
Record: 5-2
Bold Prediction: Kevin O’Connell and Brian Flores will both be Coaches of the year.
I know they’ve lost two in a row, but I still believe in this team as long as they lean on their coaching staff. Minnesota has still over-performed more than any team in the NFL and Brian Flores’ defense is still the best defense in the NFL by the numbers even with giving up 61 points in their last two games. Don’t let two close losses fool you. This is still a great team.
6. Washington Commanders (up 1)
Record: 6-2
Bold Prediction: Jayden Daniels will receive MVP votes.
If I had a vote, Daniels would be third on my ballot behind Lamar Jackson and Jared Goff, edging out Josh Allen. In all likelihood, he’ll finish the season with the highest completion percentage, he hasn’t turned the ball over much, has proven to be a fantastic leader, and has his team at six wins, which only five teams in the NFL have.
5. Baltimore Ravens (down 3)
Record: 5-3
Bold Prediction: Lamar Jackson will win his third MVP.
It’s clear that this new Ravens defense under Zach Orr is not what it used to be. Whether or not the Ravens can win the AFC North and make a playoff run will come down to Lamar Jackson putting the team on his back which we all know he’s capable of. Lamar hasn’t played a bad game all season, is leading the second-highest scoring offense, leads the league in several QB categories, and is the most talented QB in the league.
4. Green Bay Packers (up 1)
Record: 6-2
Bold Prediction: Jordan Love will finish the season with the most interceptions.
Love is currently tied with Baker Mayfield and Patrick Mahomes for the league lead in picks with 9 and he has done so with one fewer game than Mahomes and two fewer than Mayfield. The Packers have been willing to go deep this season and Love is capable of making tough throws. This will all lead to success on offense, but it is also a high-risk style and will cause Love to turn the rock over more than any QB.
3. Buffalo Bills (up 5)
Record: 6-2
Bold Prediction: The Bills will give up 30+ points in a playoff loss.
I suppose this is a bit of a grim prediction but it’s a reflection of my lack of belief in their defense. I recognize that they shut out Seattle last week and are only allowing 15.8 PPG in their last four games, but there just isn’t much talent on that side of the ball, especially in the secondary. Plus, the Bills have lost the Chiefs three times and the Bengals once in their last four playoff defeats and have allowed 33.5 PPG in those games.
2. Detroit Lions (up 1)
Record: 6-1
Bold Prediction: The Lions will finish the season with the best record in the NFL.
I said it at the start of the season and I’ll say it again. This is the best regular season team in the NFL and it’s showing. I understand the Chiefs are undefeated but look at Detroit’s last four games. 43 PPG, 23 touchdowns, 13 incompletions, and six picks on defense. Those are ridiculous numbers and they, unlike Kansas City, have never had the one-seed before and are on a mission to do so.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)
Record: 7-0
Bold Prediction: The Chiefs will threepeat and I’ll smash my TV as a result.
I hope this prediction doesn’t come true but I have no evidence that Patrick Mahomes can lose in the playoffs as long as the Bengals don’t make it and Tom Brady doesn’t come out of retirement. As for smashing my TV, I’ll have to make sure I sit in the chair farthest from my TV and have my friends on watch. As long as I don’t have to watch Travis Kelce kiss Taylor Swift on the field, I think I’ll be alright.
I just know youre still fuming from the ravens loss