Niner Noise Power Rankings is officially into double digit weeks! And the NFC North are turning into the NFC West, while the NFC South...not so much.
Week 9 saw the San Francisco 49ers go to 7-1 for the season, as the Las Vegas Raiders did a good job of keeping the game close for a time before a spirited defensive performance saw the Niners end up with a dominant victory.
Unfortunately, Santa Clara law dictates one player must be sacrificed to the Substation. Best wishes to Gracen Halton after a promising rookie season so far that ended with a fractured ankle, and we will see you next season.
Now we're into Week 10, the cream is beginning to the rise to the top. Take the NFC North, that feels less like a division and more like an all-out brawl. Of course, then again, there's the NFC South, then you're the one trying not to sink before the other three.
All that and more, reflected in the power rankings!
Read More: Week 9 NFL power rankings: Only one NFC team comes anywhere close to 49ers
1. San Francisco 49ers (7-1) - Last Week: 1
The good news is the offense is still humming along and the defense in all looks ready for the playoffs. The bad news is Mike Evans is still hurt and the pass-rush is stagnant again.
However, the reinforcements are coming back and San Francisco is top of the NFC. Life is good.
2. Buffalo Bills (7-1) - Last Week: 2
The win over the Vikings wasn't as big a whitewash as it seemed, but the Bills are still 7-1 for a reason.
Josh Allen. Josh Allen is the reason.
3. Chicago Bears (7-2) - Last Week: 5
On the one hand, the Bears had no business only beating a NFC South team by a field goal after nearly choking away a double-digit lead. On the other, it's encouraging for them to win a game where they made so many mistakes. They're still the 49ers' biggest threat in the NFC.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (6-2) - Last Week: 9
The Jaguars suddenly look arguably the most complete team in the AFC, and they have a good chance of the top seed in the AFC right now. The Jags clearly agree, given they just went on a trading spree.
5. Denver Broncos (7-2) - Last Week: 4
No, seriously. Bo Nix can not keep doing this.
6. Cincinnati Bengals (6-2) - Last Week: 8
Joe Burrow is in big-time MVP form. The defense still isn't very good, but the division doesn't seem as scary as it was before. The Bengals could go on a big run.
7. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2) - Last Week: 5
For a second, it looked like the Chiefs would go the way of the Ravens when Patrick Mahomes clutched his elbow and looked in severe pain. But then he went back and looked like the MVP of old.
However, there's been no upgrade at receiver, and K.C. doesn't feel complete this season. Never count out Mahomes, but they're not the best team either.
8. Detroit Lions (6-2) - Last Week: 11
The win over the Dolphins wasn't the offensive masterclass one would expect, but it was a forgivable performance because you trust the offense to bounce back. More than the defense at least.
9. Green Bay Packers (6-3) - Last Week: 12
People are hyping the Packers, but I'm not convinced they're better than the Bears and the Lions. There's no running game, although the defense looks a lot better than it should without Micah Parsons.
With Parsons back, the defense will be even better, but I do wonder about the one-dimensional offense.
10. New England Patriots (5-4) - Last Week: 7
At his best, Drake Maye is a MVP candidate, but he's also been a turnover machine his entire career. What's troubling, however, is how badly the Patriots defense faltered against a team that cannot run the ball at all.
11. Pittsburgh Steelers (6-2) - Last Week: 10
The Steelers are better than I expected, and I clearly was wrong about them being a mere .500 (or thereabouts) team. That being said, I don't think anyone expects this to be a Super Bowl team.
12. Seattle Seahawks (5-4) - Last Week: 10
Sam Darnold has gone down, but on the plus side, Drew Lock may not be that much of a downgrade. The interesting part of the Seahawks schedule is they still need to play the Rams twice, and that could be what determines their playoff fate.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-4) - Last Week: 18
The Rams were very sluggish against the Commanders, but to be fair, it's not like the Commanders haven't given better teams a bloody nose this season. Unfortunately for the Rams, I have to keep them below Seattle and the place for third best team in the NFC after Puka Nacua went on IR.
14. New York Giants (5-2-1) - Last Week: 15
J.J. McCarthy goes down, and then Jameis Winston steps back up. Given the state of the NFC South and the rest of the NFC East, the Giants could be the No. 3 seed in the NFC. Which is insane.
15. Minnesota Vikings (6-2) - Last Week: 6
The bloom seems off the Minnesota rose now, and the impossible NFC North is just too deep for them to do something like what the Giants are doing in the NFC East.
Either Kyler Murray needs to come back and be at least a competent QB, or they need to trade someone in before the deadline.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-6) - Last Week: 16
I consider Chicago the best team in the NFC other than the Niners, so I'm not going to be overly harsh on the Buccaneers. They do feel like the best team in the division since Baker Mayfield came back, although that isn't a particularly high hurdle.
17. Baltimore Ravens (4-5) - Last Week: 26
This increase for Baltimore is due to the trade for Jacoby Brissett. Brissett is by no means elite, but he can win games with the right team around him. Credit to Baltimore for refusing to concede the season, although I still don't know if it will pay off with a playoff berth.
18. Houston Texans (3-5) - Last Week: 21
I don't trust Houston, but there's too much talent to count them out completely. Defeating Cleveland next week is simply non-negotiable.
19. Cleveland Browns (5-4) - Last Week: 17
Oh-so close.
The overtime loss is a heartbreaker to a Browns team that's trying to punch above its weight, but you just can't trust this team. That being said, if they beat Houston, and then the Raiders after the bye...
20. New Orleans Saints (3-5) - Last Week: 24
The Browns aren't great, but they're not the laughingstocks of past seasons either. With that in mind, the win the Saints had in overtime can't be entirely discounted.
21. Washington Commanders (2-5-1) - Last Week: 20
I like to call Washington an "honest" football team. What I mean by that is they show up most weeks, try to give a team a bloody nose and you don't feel bad about them.
It feels like bad luck and some bad decisions in key situations are the main culprits, as opposed to other teams with similar records that are complete basket cases.
22. Las Vegas Raiders (4-5) - Last Week: 19
The Raiders weren't completely horrible against the 49ers, but turnovers killed any chance they had in the second half. If a team is desperate enough like the Vikings, maybe the Raiders can trade Kirk Cousins and unveil the Fernando Mendoza era.
23. Atlanta Falcons (3-6) - Last Week: 18
All the momentum the Falcons once had is officially squandered as they're back in the NFC South quagmire.
It's disappointing, given they had a golden chance to seize the division like the Giants did in the NFC East. Unlike the Giants, the Falcons didn't pull through.
24. Carolina Panthers (3-5) - Last Week: 23
The Panthers were fine. Just fine. Look, better teams have lost to Bo Nix in the fourth quarter. It's all I'll say.
25. Dallas Cowboys (4-5) - Last Week: 28
It's impossible to trust the Cowboys with such a horrible defense, but they have at least won two of their last three. That said, it wasn't exactly a great performance against the Colts.
26. Arizona Cardinals (3-6) - Last Week: 22
Being about two touchdowns worse than Seattle seems about right for the Cardinals. Their offense just wasn't in the same league as Seattle's defense. Which makes sense.
27. Tennessee Titans (1-7) - Last Week: 27
I didn't demote a Titans squad that had a hard-fought OT loss to a team I considered elite last week, and with an absent of worthy teams to place above them, they can stay put one more week.
28. New York Jets (2-7) - Last Week: 25
Look, you guys have made it this far through the power rankings. I won't make you read up about the Jets. They're the Jets. That says enough.
29. Miami Dolphins (1-7) - Last Week: 29
Miami gives maximum effort every week, if nothing else. It's a far cry from the hell that the organization was stuck in earlier this season. The Dolphins are still bad, but it's growth.
30. Indianapolis Colts (2-7) - Last Week: 30
It was a strong performance, given the Colts are selling everything for a full rebuild.
In situations like this, it's all you can ask for.
31. Philadelphia Eagles (2-7) - Last Week: 31
It was a brave effort for what it was, but the real question is why they traded Jordan Davis. That said, they got an excellent haul for someone who plays as little snaps a game as what Davis does. So this week has been a net positive.
32. Los Angeles Chargers (0-8) - Last Week: 32
For reasons that aren't fathomable, the Chargers are refusing to trade anyone or make any organizational changes.
Not coincidentially, they remain the only winless team in the NFL.
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