Week 9 of the 2023 NFL season had a ton of high-powered matchups, making for some movement at the top of our Week 10 NFL Power Rankings. The Kansas City Chiefs and Miami Dolphins kicked off the slate in Frankfurt, Germany, the Baltimore Ravens and Seattle Seahawks faced off, the Dallas Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles led the late-afternoon slate, and the Cincinnati Bengals and Buffalo Bills finished off the night on Sunday Night Football.
Outside of the most interesting games, there were plenty of other surprising games that made Week 9 one of the best weeks from top to bottom. Late-game comebacks, high-scoring affairs, and a few new quarterbacks stepping into their first action with their respective teams provided plenty of fireworks for our power rankings to cover. So with that being said, let's dive into the rankings and see where each team lands with nine weeks of football in the books.
Previous NFL Power Rankings: Week 9 | Week 8 | Week 7 | Week 6 | Week 5 | Week 4 | Week 3 | Week 2| Week 1
1. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)
It’s just another week for the Eagles, who held down their top spot in our NFL Power Rankings after a key win over the Cowboys. It was far from easy, as the Eagles found themselves in a three-point deficit heading into halftime.
Another lower-body injury for Jalen Hurts made fans a bit worried, but he quickly returned and there was no real difference in his play. A mediocre showing from D’Andre Swift (18 carries, 43 yards) was overshadowed by a widespread passing attack, as four players caught at least two passes in the win.
2. Baltimore Ravens (+1)
Sunday’s win over the Seahawks made it four in a row for the Ravens, and they have their sights set on their eighth win of their year when they face Cleveland in Week 10.
Baltimore’s 34-point rout came on a day that Lamar Jackson didn’t have his best stuff, but was bailed out by a strong running game. Rookie Keaton Mitchell took his nine carries for 138 yards and a TD, Gus Edwards only needed five carries to find paydirt twice, and Odell Beckham Jr. found the end zone on his birthday, capping off a strong day for the offense.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (+5)
How does a good team get over an upset loss on the road? By taking it to one of the best teams in the league in a foreign country. Sunday morning’s win over the Dolphins was a strong showing by both the offense and the defense, and they were able to get over a few of their struggles shown last week.
While Travis Kelce didn’t have his typical game (Taylor Swift wasn't in attendance, so go figure), Patrick Mahomes connected with Rashee Rice for a short score to open up the scoring. A fumble return for a touchdown at the end of the first half was a great way for Kansas City to go into halftime, and now they find themselves back into the top five of our NFL Power Rankings.
4. Jacksonville Jaguars (no change)
The Jaguars, after a slow start to their 2023 season, have rattled off five wins and are looking for more. A tough slate of upcoming games (49ers, Titans, Texans, Bengals) will test this roster, but with how well Travis Etienne Jr. and Trevor Lawrence have been looking lately, Jacksonville should be able to keep their spot near the top of our NFL Power Rankings for a while.
5. Detroit Lions (no change)
The NFC North division is the Detroit Lions to lose at this point, even though the Vikings have looked pretty good on their four-game win streak. Jared Goff has been a big-time reason why, as his 12 passing touchdowns have contributed to him having the ninth-best QB rating (QBR – 64.4) in the NFL.
6. Miami Dolphins (-4)
It was a pretty poor offensive performance in Frankfurt, Germany for the Dolphins, as they dropped their third game of the year. Their loss to the Chiefs saw the Dolphins face a 21-point deficit coming out of halftime, and while they got as close as seven points, their late-game drive was thwarted by a bad fourth-down snap. While they still are one of the NFL's best teams this year, how they perform against above .500 squads is concerning. Hopefully Mike McDaniel can help figure things out so they can find themselves back in the top five of our NFL Power Rankings.
7. San Francisco 49ers (no change)
A bye week came at a great time for the San Francisco 49ers, as they were given plenty of time to self-audit why they currently are on a three-game losing streak. Brock Purdy has looked dreadful as of late, and this bye week looks to have helped Deebo Samuel heal up, as he has been out for a few weeks with a shoulder injury.
8. Cincinnati Bengals (+3)
The winning streak has now hit four games for the Bengals after their 24-18 win over the Bills. Joe Burrow once again looked like his old self, throwing for 348 yards and two scores, and Tee Higgins finally looks to be back as well, as he hauled in eight passes for 110 yards, leading the team in receiving.
The defense forced a Josh Allen interception and a Dalton Kincaid fumble, with the offense scoring points off of Kincaid's second-half fumble. Cincinnati's early-season slump looks to be in the rear-view mirror, as this team has its sights set on the AFC North divisional crown.
9. Seattle Seahawks (-3)
Turnovers have been quite the constant theme of Geno Smith’s play this season, as Seattle’s starter has thrown six of his seven interceptions this year across the past four weeks. Seattle was absolutely boat raced in their 37-3 loss to the Ravens, and no one on the Seahawks looked good in this one.
Smith (157 yards, 1 INT), Kenneth Walker III (10 touches, 17 yards), DK Metcalf (one catch), and Tyler Lockett (32 yards) all struggled in Sunday’s loss. If this was any sort of a sign of things to come for Seattle, they could be on their way to a free fall in our NFL Power Rankings.
10. Cleveland Browns (+3)
Cleveland welcomed back Deshaun Watson for their Week 9 matchup with the Cardinals, but it was their defense that stole the show in their shutout win.
Seven sacks, two interceptions, and a forced fumble were all results of a persistent front seven that frustrated Arizona rookie Clayton Tune all day long. Watson connected with Amari Cooper for one of the strangest TDs you will ever see, and Cooper put up 139 yards on five receptions in the win.
11. Dallas Cowboys (-2)
It was a hard-fought game until the last second, but the Cowboys still don’t seem to be on the same level as the Eagles. While their Week 9 road loss to Philadelphia was a high-scoring affair, the inability for Dak Prescott to lead this team to a last-second win could weigh heavy in their playoff chances.
Prescott and the offense generally looked good, although Tony Pollard has put up a few stinkers lately. CeeDee Lamb (11 receptions, 191 yards) and Jake Ferguson (7/91/1) led the way on offense, but the defense, which held Jalen Hurts to only 207 passing yards and no fourth-quarter points, allowed scores from DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown in the third quarter, costing Dallas the win.
12. Buffalo Bills (-2)
The Bills struggled in their Sunday Night Football matchup with the Bengals, essentially playing from behind throughout the entire game. Josh Allen connected with Stefon Diggs for a late score (and a two-point conversion), but Cincinnati did just enough in the first half to hand the Bills their fourth loss on the year. Handed a golden opportunity with Miami's loss this week, Buffalo needs to figure a few things out, especially when it comes to taking some of the offensive responsibilities off of Allen's shoulders and getting the ground game going.
13. Pittsburgh Steelers (+1)
Helping kick off the Week 9 slate, the Steelers held off a late-game rally from the Titans to earn a big win. With Kenny Pickett back under center after being forced out of their Week 8 contest against the Jaguars early with a rib injury, he connected with Diontae Johnson early and often, who finally found his way into the end zone for the first time since he was catching passes from Ben Roethlisberger.
The defense helped keep the Titans in check, even though Derrick Henry did put together a big outing. The AFC North is one of the strongest divisions from top to bottom this season, and the Steelers are doing their best at keeping pace with their competition for the time being.
14. New Orleans Saints (+2)
A fourth-quarter touchdown from Juwan Johnson helped push the Saints to a Week 9 win over the Bears. But it was the defense that led the way, forcing five turnovers on the afternoon.
Chris Olave finally put together a solid game, as his six receptions for 46 yards and a score led the team. Derek Carr only was needed for 34 passes this game, a far cry from his 50-plus attempt game against the Jacksonville Jaguars in Week 7. The Saints seem to be very comfortable living in the middle of the pack for these NFL Power Rankings, but that could be all it takes to win the NFC South.
15. Minnesota Vikings (+3)
With BYU rookie Jaren Hall thrust into the starting quarterback role after the season-ending Achilles injury to Kirk Cousins, the Vikings were looking at an uphill battle in Sunday’s game against Atlanta. While Hall looked solid in his limited action, a head injury knocked him out of the game, forcing the recently-acquired Dobbs into action.
Dobbs did his best magic trick, throwing for 158 yards and 2 touchdowns, leading Minnesota to their fifth win on the year and keeping them in the playoff hunt.
16. Houston Texans (+6)
The Panthers passing on Stroud may have gifted the Texans with the 2023 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year award winner – and it certainly would be nice to see a young quarterback actually succeed with the Texans.
Stroud led six scoring drives in the second half, including the game-winning 75-yard drive that only took 40 seconds. Given how well Stroud takes care of the ball (14:1 TD:INT), this offense has a real chance to be one of the league’s best by the end of the season.
17. Los Angeles Chargers (+3)
It was a slug-fest between the Chargers and Jets on MNF, with a poor offensive performance put on by both teams. While the Chargers did come out on top, it was because of their defense sacking Zach Wilson eight times and their special teams taking a punt back for a score. Better days are ahead for Justin Herbert, who was bailed out by two scores from Austin Ekeler.
18. New York Jets (-6)
A makeshift offensive line doomed the Jets from the start, as their QB was forced to run for his life most of the night. Combine that with a stale passing attack and a defense that just couldn't force any takeaways, and you have the makings of yet another Jets loss. Garrett Wilson was the team's lone bright spot, but Zach Wilson force-fed him targets all night, making this offense one-dimensional.
19. Washington Commanders (+4)
At 40.5 points, the Commanders' contest against the Patriots had one of the lower over-under totals of the entire Week 9 slate, and yet this game still ended up hitting the under. For the Commanders, a ten-point third quarter was all they needed to earn their fourth win on the year, a result which was largely thanks to a strong outing from Sam Howell.
A 325-yard day from Howell, where he connected with Jahan Dotson for a long score, helped keep this offense on track. Howell’s right arm has been a huge reason for Washington staying afloat this season, and while he can be a bit turnover-prone, Howell runs the Commanders offense fairly well.
20. Indianapolis Colts (+5)
It was a fairly abysmal offensive performance from the Indianapolis Colts, but two pick-sixes from the defense helped carry Gardner Minshew and the Indianapolis Colts to their fourth win of the year. Jonathan Taylor looked to have officially taken over the lead running back role again, as his 23 touches (and a receiving TD) were far more than Zack Moss' seven touches.
21. Atlanta Falcons (-6)
Week 9 marked Taylor Heinicke's first start for the Atlanta Falcons after Desmond Ridder's benching, and it came against a vulnerable opponent in the Vikings. Another game of underutilizing Bijan Robinson and Kyle Pitts hindered Atlanta’s offense, and their defense allowed Josh Dobbs, who was just acquired before the trade deadline, to march down the field and connect with Brandon Powell for the game-winning score.
Sunday's loss was an important one, as it dropped Atlanta out of the top 15 in our NFL Power Rankings. If the Falcons want to still factor into the NFC South race, then there will need to be some serious changes made on offense.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-5)
Even though they scored 37 points, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers folded late in Week 9, losing on a late-game touchdown from the Houston Texans. While Baker Mayfield and Rachaad White both accounted for two scores, the defense had no answers for C.J. Stroud, who put up a sterling 470 yards of passing and 5 touchdowns.
With the NFC South still up for grabs, the Bucs need to get things figured out fast if they want any shot of finding their way into the postseason.
23. Tennessee Titans (-4)
Will Levis was tasked with leading the Tennessee Titans again this week, but his late-game interception wrapped up any sort of chance they had against the Pittsburgh Steelers on Thursday Night Football. With Ryan Tannehill still without any sort of return timetable from his ankle injury, it likely will be Levis’ show until further notice.
24. Denver Broncos (no change)
A bye week for the Denver Broncos comes on the heels of their upset win over the Chiefs in Week 8. With Russell Wilson being a surprising leader for a few major quarterback stat categories, and no major moves made to tear down the team at the trade deadline, it’s possible – unlikely but possible – that Denver could finally be righting the ship.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (+1)
Football has a funny way of showing its humorous side, and the Las Vegas Raiders helped carry out that side this week. After the mid-week firings of head coach Josh McDaniels and general manager Dave Ziegler, the Raiders managed to put up a 30-burger on the Giants, earning their fourth win of the year.
26. Green Bay Packers (+3)
Climbing their way out of the basement of our NFL Power Rankings, the Green Bay Packers put together one of their best performances of the season in their win over the Rams. Jordan Love only threw six incompletions, Aaron Jones had over 20 touches in what hopefully is his return to a normal workload, and the defense shut down the Rams Brett Rypien-led passing attack.
27. Los Angeles Rams (-6)
Even with Matthew Stafford out due to a thumb injury, the Los Angeles Rams were the better team on paper in their matchup against the Green Bay Packers. But they apparently decided not to live up to that billing, only putting up three points in another ugly loss.
Nothing much to report on this game, as this was a matchup of two under-performing squads in Week 9.
28. New York Giants (no change)
Heading into a game where they were facing a team with an interim head coach and general manager, plus a rookie quarterback, the New York Giants had a great chance to actually earn a win. Instead, they fell behind early and lost Daniel Jones to a knee injury, with the expectation being that it's a torn ACL that will keep him out for the rest of the season.
With Jones out, Tommy Devito was thrown into the fire for the second straight week, and while he looked better than he did against the New York Jets in Week 9, it wasn't nearly enough for the Giants. With injuries continuing to pile up, the Giants will remain towards the bottom of these power rankings unless something drastic changes.
29. New England Patriots (-2)
A game-sealing interception thrown by Mac Jones in the final minute wrapped up the New England Patriots seventh loss on the year and their fourth at home. The offense, which was forced to rely on rookie Demario Douglas as their main receiver, was less than stellar, and their defense allowed over 430 total yards of offense against the Washington Commanders.
Things are quite bleak for the Patriots for the rest of the year, and the possibility that they end up moving on from Bill Belichick as their head coach continues to increase by the day.
30. Chicago Bears (no change)
During Justin Fields’ recovery time, Division II rookie Tyson Bagent was handed the keys to the offense for the Chicago Bears, and he certainly has shown that he is here to stay in the NFL. However, there have been far too many turnovers during his brief starting stint under center, and Sunday’s loss to the Saints could be the final one before Fields returns.
Three interceptions and a game-sealing strip-sack clouded Bagent’s 220 passing yards, 70 rushing yards, and two TDs, numbers that were good enough to lead the Bears to victory. Another loss puts Chicago at seven on the year, and their trek to potentially earning the top overall pick yet again has plenty of steam.
31. Carolina Panthers (no change)
Another week, another mediocre performance from Bryce Young and the Carolina Panthers, who were unable to build upon last week’s surprising win over the Houston Texans. A three-interception performance from Young, which also saw him get sacked four times, dampened yet another start for the first overall pick of the 2023 NFL Draft.
It’s been quite a struggle for Young amid his rookie campaign, but his lack of development needs to be put on the shoulders of the offensive staff and not just on Young, as he has not been put in positive situations so far in his young career.
32. Arizona Cardinals (no change)
After trading Joshua Dobbs to the Minnesota Vikings at this year’s trade deadline, it was rookie Clayton Tune who took over the starting duties. Arizona got absolutely rocked by the Cleveland Browns, and Tune was certainly not hitting the right notes against the Browns defense, as the offense as a whole was held to only 58 passing yards and 41 rushing yards.
Kyler Murray cannot return soon enough for this team, and although it's likely his 2023 debut happens in Week 10 his head coach Jonathan Gannon isn't ready to have that conversation just yet.
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