The Falcoholic
A sleepy Week 8 made for an equally sleepy set of power rankings. All but one of the 13 games ended with a margin of at least two possessions, and while there were plenty of blowouts, not much movement followed. With six teams on bye, several squads stayed put, and we didn’t learn much more about the league’s pecking order.
But Week 9 promises to wake things up. We’ve got a make-or-break matchup for the Houston Texans, another Patrick Mahomes–Josh Allen showdown, and a trio of “prove it” games for the Seattle Seahawks, Miami Dolphins, and New England Patriots.
With the Cleveland Browns, New York Jets, Philadelphia Eagles, and Tampa Bay Buccaneers resting up this week, let’s get into the rankings:
There were some solid wins across the league, but none convincing enough to knock the Lions off their perch. Detroit’s rolling, and with Minnesota up next, the streak shouldn’t slow down anytime soon.
Taking care of business feels like second nature to this group. Jonathan Taylor’s looking like an MVP, Daniel Jones tossed three touchdowns, and the Colts cruised. Best offense in football? It’s hard to argue against it.
They survived the Aaron Rodgers revenge game and got a struggling Panthers team as a reward. Green Bay just needs to handle business, something they’ve made harder than it should be at times.
Fresh off the bye, Seattle’s ready to remind everyone how dangerous they can be. The Commanders are still finding their footing, which makes this the perfect setup for a statement win.
The NFC West race is a slugfest, and the Rams are right in the thick of it. Coming off a bye, they get the Saints — a team still trying to find itself. Advantage, Los Angeles.
Game of the Week vibes in Buffalo. Mahomes vs. Allen, Round 500. Kansas City looks like its finally back in rhythm, and a win here would officially put the league on notice.
Buffalo’s been waiting for this one. After another playoff heartbreak courtesy of the Chiefs, they finally get a shot at payback. It’s November, not January, but this one feels like it matters.
Nothing screams “we’re fine” like dropping 44 on a would-be contender. The defense picked off Dak twice, and the offense looked alive. Houston’s no cakewalk next week, though; that one’ll say a lot.
Spencer Rattler lost his job partly because Tampa’s defense wrecked his afternoon. Anthony Nelson led the charge with four pressures and two sacks as the Bucs won ugly, but they won.
Few things feel better than avenging a division loss,...
