NFL Week 9 power rankings: Chicago slides after Hail Mary mishap

Week 8 saw a lot of games come down to the wire, which was an exciting development for NFL fans. We got to see teams and coaches operate with high stakes; some passed with flying colors, and others caved under pressure. These performances helped guide our Week 9 rankings, which will set us up for the second half of the NFL season. All statistics are sourced from Football Reference.

It was a movie that Panthers fans didn’t want to see again. Bryce Young was back under center in Carolina, and the offense stalled after a successful first drive. Panthers head coach Dave Canales told NBC Sports that he thought Young played “fast and was very decisive,” but the organization is likely hoping Andy Dalton can get back on the field after spraining his thumb in a car accident.

For a little while, it looked like Tennessee was going to hang with one of the best teams in the NFL on the road in Detroit. Things quickly went from bad to worse, as the Titans collapsed in all three phases of the game. The Lions were so comfortable that they ran trick plays for touchdowns. Tennessee has a long way to go to turn their program around.

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Perhaps, the Raiders’ team website summarized the team’s defeat to the Kansas City Chiefs best. They wrote it was a “competitive, yet frustrating loss.” Las Vegas has to be kicking themselves after not being able to get any points after picking off a Patrick Mahomes pass and bringing the ball back to the three yard line.

The Saints were the talk of the NFL after the first two weeks of the season, after throttling the Panthers and Dallas Cowboys. New Orleans has proceeded to lose six straight games since, and head coach Dennis Allen is now forced to answer questions about whether defensive tackle Nathan Shepherd tried to intentionally injure Los Angeles Chargers quarterback Justin Herbert.

The Giants are a mess right now, as they can’t seem to get strong performances in all areas to string victories together. As the New York Post covered, head coach Brian Daboll decided to bench former first round draft pick Deonte Banks after he made an ill-advised tackle attempt in the second quarter.

Jacksonville played a tight game at home against the Green Bay Packers on Sunday, but some key injuries might torpedo any chance they had of making a late season surge. Wide receiver Christian Kirk was ruled out for the rest of the season with a broken collarbone, and rookie standout Brian Thomas Jr. might also miss time with a chest injury.

There isn’t much the Patriots can do this season to change their perception as one of the worst teams in the NFL, but their victory against the New York Jets was a nice moment. Sports Illustrated has made the case that New England should actually become buyers before the trade deadline, by making a push for Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Tee Higgins.

The Browns have been here before. Things did not seem to be rosy with Deshaun Watson under center, but a backup quarterback has breathed life into the franchise. Jameis Winston was exciting to watch as he pushed the ball downfield and threw a game-winning touchdown pass to Cedric Tillman with time winding down in the fourth quarter.

Things might be going from bad to worse for the Jets. Sports Illustrated called out Aaron Rodgers’ decision to walk off the field as the rest of the team ran to the line of scrimmage to try and sneak in one more play at the end of the game. At 2-6, New York’s lofty expectations for the 2024 season have almost been completely dashed.

It was amazing to see how much better Miami looked with Tua Tagovailoa under center on Sunday. While the product on the field was much more competitive, the Dolphins were unable to put the Arizona Cardinals away at home, which caused them to fall to 2-5. Miami is going to need nearly everything to go their way if they have any hope of returning to the playoffs for a third straight year.

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The Bengals went blow for blow against the Philadelphia Eagles for a half, and then couldn’t seem to do anything right on offense or defense. Given Joe Burrow’s history and talent, it’s hard to write Cincinnati off, but their winless home record in 2024 is an indicator that this team may not be a legitimate postseason contender.

It felt like the entire tenor of the Rams’ season changed in Week 8. They got back Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp, which allowed their offense to resemble the high octane attack fans expected coming into the year. Los Angeles is now 3-4, and the chatter about trading some high-priced veterans has quieted down.

After Dallas’ Week 8 loss to the San Francisco 49ers, Dak Prescott told ESPN, “That’s my point, this is frustrating but nobody is giving up. Nobody is shook, as you can say, from where we’re at.” It’s the perfect statement to make coming from a great leader, but the Cowboys’ uneven play can’t continue for much longer, as Washington and Philadelphia have shot up the standings in the division.

Broncos head coach Sean Payton told the NFL’s website, “I wish we finished better. I said this, it’s not a good offense we played. It’s just the truth.” Payton seemed to take a shot at the downtrodden Panthers, but his expectations for his own team come across in that statement. Denver has outperformed what many thought they were capable of, as they sit at 5-3 after eight games.

The New York Times wrote about the standout defense the Chargers have been playing so far this season. They called out that they lead the NFL in scoring defense, and wonder if it is for real. There’s no reason to think they can’t keep it up, as head coach Jim Harbaugh has often strong defensive clubs previously during his time in the NFL.

The perception of the Colts doesn’t actually jibe with reality. Indianapolis stands at 4-4, with the ability to stay in the hunt of the AFC playoff picture. However, it seems like head coach Shane Steichen may soon have to make a hard decision about Anthony Richardson, who has not been the consistent option under center they would have hoped for.

The Bears had the most excruciating loss of Week 8, losing on a last-second Hail Mary at the hands of the Washington Commanders. They snatched defeat from the jaws of victory, but still remain over .500. Cornerback Tyrique Stevenson apologized to Bears fans after he taunted Commanders fans before the decisive Hail Mary, according to CBS Sports.

Second-year head coach Jonathan Gannon seems to have turned a corner with the Cardinals, as the team got a much-needed road victory in Miami. Bleacher Report noted that Gannon emphatically told his team that he would see them on Wednesday this week, meaning they had a couple of days off thanks to their dramatic win.

While the Bears had the most shocking loss in Week 8, Seattle arguably had the most painful one. They shot themselves in the foot with self-inflicted mistakes at home against Buffalo, including a bad snap and a play where center Connor Williams stepped on quarterback Geno Smith’s foot. The Seahawks are right in the middle of the NFC West race, but will need a much better effort in Week 9.

Although Tampa Bay wasn’t able to get the job done against the Atlanta Falcons in Week 8, fans have to be encouraged that the Bucs were still able to move the ball without two of their primary offensive weapons. Baker Mayfield appears to have legitimately turned the corner, using his remaining options to keep the team competitive.

BVM Sports believes that the Falcons defense has taken a step back during the 2024 season, which is not what the team had hoped for after acquiring Matthew Judon and Justin Simmons. There’s still time for them to right the ship, as Atlanta has as much talent as almost any team in the NFL.

The Vikings’ staunch defense has been somewhat exposed in each of the last two weeks, as the Detroit Lions and Los Angeles Rams have found ways to move the ball down the field. Defensive coordinator Brian Flores will need to make the adjustment to get his players flying around the football like they were earlier in the season.

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San Francisco’s infrastructure has continued to keep them relevant this NFL season as they deal with one injury after another. Head coach Kyle Shanahan told NBC Sports that the plan during the bye week is to have Christian McCaffery hit the practice field hard, in hopes that he can return in Week 10.

The Ravens suffered a disappointing loss on Sunday on the road against Cleveland, as their defense gave up a long touchdown late in the fourth quarter. Baltimore figures to be in the conversation as a legitimate playoff contender late in the year, but they will need to clean up certain things in order to be taken seriously.

The NFL’s website is reporting that Packers starting quarterback Jordan Love suffered a strained groin in Week 8, which makes this the second notable injury he has had to work through this season. It’s unclear if Love will be able to suit up in a huge game against the Detroit Lions in Week 9, but head coach Matt LaFleur has shown he can adequately alter the game plan for Malik Willis.

Despite not being the most exciting team in the NFL, Pittsburgh continued their winning ways on Monday night by defeating the Giants. The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette tabbed wide receiver Calvin Austin III as a star of the game, as he provided the team with big plays that they needed to get the victory.

NBC Sports wrote that the Eagles reclaimed their offensive identity in Week 8, which makes sense considering that quarterback Jalen Hurts was dangerous on the ground once again. Hurts rushed for three touchdowns, and was involved in other “brotherly shoves” that got Philadelphia critical first downs throughout the game.

It looked like the Commanders were headed towards an uninspiring loss on Sunday, until a Hail Mary pass from Jayden Daniels was remarkably tipped and then caught by Noah Brown in the endzone. While it would be a mistake to look past the offense’s lackluster performance for 59 minutes, the ending might keep the magical spark Washington has seemed to have this season.

What’s a little scary for the rest of the NFL is that Houston has not played their best football so far this season, and they’re still 6-2. Unfortunately for them, ESPN is reporting that the Texans fear star wide receiver Stefon Diggs tore his ACL, which would shelve him for the rest of the season. With that said, the Texans still have enough offensive firepower to do damage in January.

Buffalo has made one resounding statement after another this season, with the latest one coming on Sunday against Seattle. In a rain-soaked affair, the Bills put it to the Seahawks early, effectively ending the game with most of the second half yet to be played. Many predicted that the Bills would take a step back in 2024, but they might actually be better than ever.

The Lions did what good teams should do when they face bad teams at home. Detroit absolutely pummeled the Tennessee Titans 52-14, further stamping themselves as one of the NFL’s most dominant teams. The Lions did it in all three phases of the game, and looked virtually unstoppable.

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It should come as no surprise that the Chiefs are the top team in our power ranking, as they are the only undefeated team left in the NFL. Kansas City continues to find ways to win, and are handling business with an eye towards the postseason. The Kansas City Star wrote about the Chiefs’ acquisition of Joshua Uche from the Patriots, which should make them even stronger down the stretch.