Crowe - NFL Week #9 Power Rankings 2022
John Crowe, Sports Contributor
Crowe - NFL Week #9 Power Rankings 2022
Prediction: Bills vs. Rams in Super Bowl LVII
Reality: We get partial credit here as Buffalo is the best team in the AFC while the Rams are still struggling with the Super Bowl champion hangover and a 3-4 record.
Prediction: The worst to first team will be the Baltimore Ravens.
Reality: The Ravens are indeed in first place in the AFC North at 5-3. Nailed it.
Prediction: The Patriots will be lucky to get to .500.
Reality: New England stands exactly at .500 (4-4) heading into Sunday’s game with the Colts. This one will be touch and go all season long.
Prediction: Tom Brady and the Buccaneers will be under .500 through four games.
Reality: Well, the Bucs were 2-2 after four games, but with just one win since, Tampa Bay is struggling at 3-5. For now, we’ll give it a push since we missed on the timetable yet landed on track with the record.
Prediction: The Vikings, not the Packers, will win the NFC North.
Reality: Minnesota’s 6-1 and has a 2.5 game advantage over the Packers in the division. Things are looking promising here.
Prediction: The Chargers will win the loaded AFC West.
Reality: Kansas City holds a one-game lead on the Chargers. It’s a fail for now, but the two teams do meet again in Los Angeles in week 11. Stay tuned although LA will be missing both stud wide receivers Keenan Allen and Mike Williams Sunday in Atlanta.
Prediction: The Cardinals will go under .500 and fire Kliff Kingsbury.
Reality: Arizona continues to struggle at 3-5. They do have four of the next five games at home, although one is technically in Mexico City against the 49ers, so there’s still time for Mr. Kingsbury to save his job.
If we’re self-grading, and of course, we are, I’ll say it’s an incomplete B. We’ll check back in a few weeks but for now, our intrepid week nine power rankings with a few new faces.
10. San Francisco 49ers (4-4, Last week not ranked)
Things are looking up by the Bay. The 49ers swept the Rams with a 31-14 victory which got them back to .500. Running back Christian McCaffrey, after his first full week of practice since his trade from Carolina, pulled off the rare NFL hat trick with a passing, rushing and receiving touchdown. The schedule ahead is favorable for the Niners after a week-nine bye. They’ll have four of the next five at home (Chargers, Saints, Dolphins, Buccaneers) while only traveling to Mexico City to face the Cardinals for a Monday night game in week 11. Now, if only San Francisco can stay health.
9. Tennessee Titans (5-2, Last week ranked 10th)
Titans quarterback Malik Willis, filling in for the injured Ryan Tannehill (ankle) went a measly 6-10 for 55 yards and an interception against Houston in week eight. No worries for the Titans though. Derrick Henry ran for 219 yards and 3 touchdowns marking the fourth straight game he’s rushed for over 200 yards against the Texans. Tennessee’s rolling along with a five-game win streak and a 2.5 game edge in the AFC South but week nine finds them in primetime Sunday night against the Chiefs, possibly without Tannehill again.
8. Seattle Seahawks (5-3, Last week not ranked)
This might be the best story in the NFL through two months. Seattle was supposed to be in rebuilding mode after trading star quarterback Russell Wilson to Denver. Yet instead, Geno Smith has taken over and led the Hawks to a 5-3 record, good for first place in the NFC West. Smith has thrown for 13 TDs and leads the NFL with a 72.7 completion rate to boot. Seattle just took down the previously 6-1 Giants in week 8, holding New York in check for a 27-13 victory. Oh, BTW, Kenneth Walker III may be a top 3 running back before this season is done.
7. Miami Dolphins (5-3, Last week not ranked)
All the Dolphins did this week was rally from 14 points down twice to the Lions, trade for Denver linebacker Bradley Chubb to shore up their defense and add 49ers running back Jeff Wilson to add another weapon to its already explosive offense. Keeping up with the Bills and Chiefs in the AFC is exactly what Miami seems intent on doing.
6. Baltimore Ravens (5-3, Last week ranked 7th)
If nothing else, the Ravens will be well-rested after beating Tampa Bay last Thursday night in week eight. Baltimore travels to New Orleans Monday night to complete a rare two-game road trip through the NFC South. They’ll be bringing former Bears linebacker Roquan Smith with them after a trade with Chicago. Smith might be exactly what the doctor ordered to cure the Ravens from dropping double-digit leads.
5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2, Last week ranked 5th)
Who needs Ezekiel Elliott? All Tony Pollard did was score three touchdowns in getting the start for Elliott, who was out with an injured knee, as the Cowboys routed the Bears 49-29. Dallas gets the bye this week before traveling to Green Bay in week ten.
4. Minnesota Vikings (6-1, Last week ranked 6th)
Maybe we should believe in the Vikings. All they do is win close games. Five of Minnesota’s six wins have come by 8 points or less, including last Sunday’s 34-26 victory over the Cardinals. They’ll be tested in November as every team they face has a .500 record or better at the moment: Commanders, Bills, Cowboys, and Patriots (Thanksgiving Night). Minnesota should be able to overcome the loss of tight end Irv Smith Jr. (ankle) after acquiring T.J. Hockenson from the Lions on Tuesday.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2, Last week ranked 3rd)
With no game in week eight, the Chiefs couldn’t do anything but watch the top two teams in the league stay above them. They’ll get to show how good they are in primetime Sunday night when the Titans bring their five-game win streak to Arrowhead Stadium. KC will bring the top-scoring offense into that contest at 31.9 points per game.
2. Buffalo Bills (6-1, Last week ranked 2nd)
It wasn’t quite the blowout that most experts were expecting, but Buffalo wasn’t quite tested Sunday night against the Packers, winning 27-17 in a game that wasn’t really that close. While the Bills continue to top both the team offensive and defensive rankings, they might want to tighten up that run defense. Green Bay ran over them for 208 yards while winning the time of possession 33:48-26:12. Offensively, Buffalo added running back Nyheim Hines from Indianapolis in a trade for RB Zack Moss and a draft pick. Hines could be another interesting third-down weapon out of the backfield for quarterback Josh Allen.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-0, Last week ranked 1st)
The Eagles continue to fly high in our top spot after a pair of wins since last Sunday; a 35-13 win over cross-state rivals, the Steelers and a 29-17 victory in Houston Thursday night. Quarterback Jalen Hurts has put on an aerial show with six touchdown passes, and, more importantly, zero interceptions, in the victories with four of them coming to first-year Eagle wide receiver A.J. Brown. Philly is now 8-0 for the first time in team history and has 11 days to prep for the Commanders next Monday night.
Games to watch in week 9:
Colts at Patriots (Sunday 1 pm on CBS) – Can the Patriots head into the bye with a winning record?
Dolphins at Bears (Sunday 1 pm on CBS) – Fireworks expected in Chicago between Tua Tagovailoa and Justin Fields.
Chargers at Falcons (Sunday 1 pm on FOX) – The Falcons could be a team of destiny.
Bills at Jets (Sunday 1 pm on CBS) – Things could go from bad to worse for Zach Wilson and the Jets.
Rams at Buccaneers (Sunday 4:25 pm on CBS) – The Rams beat the Bucs in the NFC playoffs last season and Tom Brady retired. And then unretired.
Titans at Chiefs (Sunday 8:20 pm on NBC) – Hottest team in the league heads to Arrowhead Stadium.
Last week:
10. Titans
9. Bengals
8. Jets
7. Ravens
6. Vikings
5. Cowboys
4. Giants
3. Chiefs
2. Bills
1. Eagles