If you had told any football fan back in August that Daniel Jones would be leading a 7-1 squad into November, they probably would’ve laughed you out of the room. Yet, here we are. The NFL power rankings week 9 landscape is officially upside down, and the Indianapolis Colts are sitting pretty at the top of the mountain. It’s a weird season.
Honestly, the parity this year is exhausting. We just watched the Pittsburgh Steelers—a team most experts wrote off weeks ago—absolutely dismantle the Colts’ high-flying offense and force six turnovers. Despite that Week 9 hiccup, Indy stays at No. 1 in most circles because their body of work is just too solid to ignore. They’ve been winning games they’re supposed to win, and Daniel Jones has turned into a turnover-free machine under Shane Steichen’s wizardry.
The Heavy Hitters: Who Actually Controls the AFC?
While the Colts are the talk of the town, the AFC is basically a three-way arms race between Indy, the Denver Broncos, and a surging New England Patriots squad. It's kinda wild to see the Patriots on a six-game winning streak. Drake Maye looks like the real deal, and that defense just held the Falcons to 23 points in a gritty win.
Then you’ve got the Broncos. They’re 7-2 and just watched Bo Nix light up the Cowboys for 44 points. If you’re keeping track, Denver has won five straight. Their only losses came on walk-off field goals. That is a team that is two plays away from being undefeated. People keep waiting for the wheels to fall off in Denver, but Sean Payton seems to have found his rhythm.
The Buffalo Bills finally got back in gear too. They desperately needed a "get-right" game after dropping two straight, and they found it against the Panthers, winning 40-9. James Cook is playing like a man possessed, racking up over 200 yards on the ground. When Josh Allen doesn't have to carry the entire world on his shoulders, the Bills are terrifying.
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NFC Chaos and the Green Bay Reality Check
Over in the NFC, things are even more of a mess. The Detroit Lions were the darlings of the league until they ran into a buzzsaw. J.J. McCarthy made his return for the Vikings and spoiled the party in Detroit, leading Minnesota to a 27-24 upset.
Green Bay is another fascinating case. They were the only one-loss team left until the Carolina Panthers—yes, those Panthers—shocked them 16-13. Jordan Love had his best game of the year against the Steelers recently, but the inconsistency is glaring. One week they look like Super Bowl favorites, and the next they’re losing to Bryce Young.
- Philadelphia Eagles (6-2): They didn't even play in Week 9, yet they moved up in the rankings because everyone else at the top lost. Saquon Barkley is dealing with a groin injury, which is the only dark cloud over Philly right now.
- Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2): They’re still favorites in the South, but injuries are gutting their explosiveness. Baker Mayfield's MVP campaign is officially on life support after a 212-yard dud against the Saints.
- Seattle Seahawks (6-2): They’ve quietly reclaimed first place in the NFC West. Mike Macdonald has that defense playing fast and physical.
The Injury Bug is Eating the League Alive
You can’t talk about the NFL power rankings week 9 without mentioning the carnage on the injury report. It’s brutal. The Washington Commanders just lost Jayden Daniels for the season with a dislocated elbow. That basically ends their playoff hopes, especially since Marcus Mariota isn’t exactly a game-changer at this stage.
The Houston Texans are also reeling. C.J. Stroud went down with a concussion during their loss to the Broncos. Watching Davis Mills try to navigate that offense was painful. Without Stroud, the Texans look like a bottom-five team.
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The Chargers also took a massive hit, losing rookie tackle Joe Alt for the season with a high ankle sprain. Justin Herbert was pressured on nearly 43% of his dropbacks once Alt left the game. If they can’t protect Herbert, their 6-3 record won't matter much come December.
Why the "Experts" are Usually Wrong
Most power rankings get stuck in the "what have you done for me lately" trap. If a team loses one game, they drop ten spots. It’s reactionary. The 49ers are a perfect example. They’re 6-3 and just beat the Giants, yet people are down on them because they lost to the Texans a few weeks back.
San Francisco is decimated by injuries, but they still have Christian McCaffrey. As long as CMC is healthy, they are a threat. The same goes for the Kansas City Chiefs. They’re 5-4, which feels like a disaster by their standards, but they just took the Bills to the wire. Betting against Patrick Mahomes in the second half of the season is usually a fast way to lose money.
The real story of Week 9 isn't the teams at the top, though. It’s the middle class. The Chicago Bears are 5-3 and just won a 47-42 thriller against the Bengals. Caleb Williams is starting to look like he belongs. They aren't "there" yet, but they are getting close.
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Actionable Insights for the Second Half
If you’re looking at these rankings to help with your pick 'em league or just to argue with your buddies, keep these three things in mind:
1. Watch the Trench Health: The Chargers and Falcons are both dealing with massive offensive line injuries. High rankings for these teams are deceptive right now because their quarterbacks are about to be under siege.
2. The "Bye Week" Bounce: Teams like the Rams and Seahawks are coming off their byes rested. Historically, Sean McVay is excellent with extra time to prep. Look for the Rams to make a massive jump in the Week 10 rankings.
3. Home Field is Dying: In Week 9, road teams were incredibly successful. Don't weigh home-field advantage as heavily as you normally would this year; the environment seems to matter less than the actual matchup in the secondary.
The Indianapolis Colts may be the No. 1 team today, but with the way this season is going, a new king will probably be crowned by next Tuesday. Keep an eye on the injury reports and the strength of schedule as the weather starts to turn.