After Week 9 the playoff picture is starting to take shape around the NFL. The Chiefs and Lions remain at the top followed by the Bills, Ravens, and the Commanders’ first appearance within the Top 5. Let’s take a look at how each team is shaking out in this week’s version of Blitz Sports Media’s power rankings.
1. Kansas City Chiefs 8-0 (-)
The Chiefs grinded out another win marking 315 days since their last loss. DeAndre Hopkins has new life in Kansas City as the connection between him and Patrick Mahomes was on full display last night. Offensively they are leading the NFL in 3rd down conversion rate and have not scored under 27 points in 4 weeks. Defensively they need Jaylen Watson to get healthier, they are struggling at CB2 right now. The Chiefs is still the Chiefs.
2. Detroit Lions 7-1 (-)
The Lions come in at number 2 for the third straight week now and put together their most impressive win of 2024 over the Packers. Defensively they made it hard for Jordan Love and company to get going all day while their rushing attack was dominant. They added ZaDarius Smith via trade earlier today to help improve their pass rush down the stretch, but will it be enough?
3. Buffalo Bills 7-2 (-)
The Bills had a tight game with their division rival the Miami Dolphins winning on a last-minute field goal from Tyler Bass. In the first half the Bills offense had problems with Miami’s zone defense but then was unstoppable in the 2nd half. Defensively their concerns are growing in the front seven. They lack an elite pass rush and struggle to stop good ground attacks. They are 7-2 and have almost locked up the AFC East already but have some weaknesses they need to address.
4. Baltimore Ravens 6-3 (+1)
The Ravens bullied the Broncos this weekend behind another perfect passer rating from Lamar Jackson. Jackson now is tied for 1st all-time with the most perfect passer rating games. They added Tre’Davious White at the trade deadline but that necessarily does not move the needle for this defense. Staying ahead of schedule by running the football will be the key to the Ravens winning a super bowl.
5. Washington Commanders 7-2 (+2)
The Commanders continue to win behind the stellar play of rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels. Defensively Dan Quinn has this unit playing as well as they can considering the talent they have. They added Marshon Lattimore which will help down the stretch, but will it be enough to compete against the top teams in the NFC?
6. Philadelphia Eagles 6-2 (+2)
The Eagles won this offseason by adding Saquon Barkley as he has been one of the best players in the NFL. Jalen Hurts has been playing his best football as of late, starting to settle into that Kellen Moore offense. Defensively the secondary is starting to come along as Cooper Dejean is turning into a lockdown corner. The Eagles are now in a two-man race with the Commanders for the division.
7. Green Bay Packers 6-3 (-3)
The Packers disappointed in their loss to the Lions putting up little resistance after a Jordan Love pick-six. Love’s careless play this season has not got them in trouble much, but in a game against the Lions, it shifted the momentum. Defensively their front seven was nowhere to be found and appears to be the clear weakness of this team. The Packers season will ride on their front seven and Jordan Love playing better to have some postseason success.
8. Houston Texans 6-3 (-2)
Without Stefon Diggs or Nico Collins in the lineup, the Texans offense looked like a shell of themselves against the Jets. Their offensive line has been one of the worst in the league this season and allowed 8 sacks on Thursday Night. Defensively they lack playmakers in the secondary outside of Derek Stingley. The Texans ceiling this season might be the divisional round.
9. Pittsburgh Steelers 6-2 (+1)
BYE WEEK
10. Minnesota Vikings 6-2 (-1)
The Vikings got back into the win column after a 21-13 win over the Indianapolis Colts on Sunday Night. Sam Darnold had his best game in the last few weeks and the pass defense held up well against Joe Flacco. The return of T.J. Hockenson will give them another weapon on offense down the stretch. They have an uphill battle against the NFC North but look like they will make the playoffs this year.
11. San Francisco 49ers 4-4 (+1)
BYE WEEK
12. Atlanta Falcons 6-3 (-)
The Falcons continued their winning ways with a dominant victory over the Dallas Cowboys this week. Kirk Cousins was sharp throwing 3 touchdown passes, and the defense had 3 sacks which was a season high. With the Buccaneers loss, the Falcons might be on cruise control the win the NFC South.
13. Arizona Cardinals 5-4 (+2)
The Cardinals are rolling right now with another big win over the Bears this week. Kyler Murray is beating the Call of Duty allegations and has been playing stellar since the start of October. Defensively this unit has turned things around the last few weeks and held the Bears to 9 points. They will probably miss the playoffs this season but there is a lot to like with this young Cardinals team.
14. Los Angeles Chargers 5-3 (+2)
The Chargers are starting to unleash Justin Herbert, and it has been working well. He now has 4 touchdowns and over 280 passing yards in the last two weeks as they have rolled to easy victories. After the Titans game this week, they have the toughest stretch of their schedule approaching with matchups vs the Bengals, Ravens, Falcons, and Chiefs that will determine if they make the playoffs this season.
15. Cincinnati Bengals 4-5 (+2)
The Bengals are back in the win column with a dominant win over the Raiders. They have a big test on Thursday Night Football vs the Ravens to continue trending towards a wild card spot. Zach Moss is reportedly out for the season with a neck injury, so they brought in Khalil Herbert to mix in with Chase Brown down the stretch.
16. Los Angeles Rams 4-4 (+4)
The Rams won a hard-fought divisional matchup between the Seahawks to continue their winning streak. Although it was not pretty, the offense was able to get it done in the second half with the help of some Geno Smith turnovers. A healthy Rams team is gearing up to win a tight NFC West race or sneak into the playoffs as a wild card team.
17. Chicago Bears 4-4 (-4)
The last two weeks have been disappointing for the Bears. With an opportunity to stay in the playoff race, the offense has melted down against two mediocre defenses. Offensive Coordinator Shane Waldron’s days should be numbered in Chicago as rookie quarterback Caleb Williams has struggled this season despite having 3 pro bowlers on offense. At this point, I think Bears fans just want Ben Johnson to be their head coach next season.
18. Denver Broncos 5-4 (-4)
Heading into the week the Broncos had a lot to prove whether or not they were a serious threat in the AFC. With a 41-10 loss to the Ravens, it is apparent that this team is not ready to sniff the playoffs. The lack of talent surrounding Bo Nix makes it almost impossible to string together long drives. Defensively, blitzing has worked against bad teams but against some of the top quarterbacks in the AFC, it never works. The Broncos will find themselves outside of the playoff picture in 2024.
19. Seattle Seahawks 4-5 (-)
It is starting to become an intriguing question whether or not Geno Smith will be the quarterback for the Seahawks next season. The defense had one of their best games of the season and Smith had some good plays as well. The turnovers this season from Smith have cost this team multiple games now. The Seahawks seem like they will be outside of the playoff picture this year.
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 4-5 (-2)
The Buccaneers put up a fight against the Chiefs with Baker Mayfield and the offense putting together an impressive performance against one of the league’s best defenses. After the 49ers this week, the Buccaneers have a favorable schedule ahead. Can they get healthy enough to potentially go 9-8 or 10-7 and back into the 7th seed?
21. Indianapolis Colts 4-5 (+1)
The benching of Anthony Richardson did not help much for the Colts on offense against the Vikings. Joe Flacco had his worst game of the season with 179 passing yards and an interception while the ground game was ineffective. With 5 games remaining against opponents below .500, they have an easier road than others to get to the playoffs.
22. New York Jets 3-6 (+2)
The Jets got a big win over the Texans but a road to the playoffs still seems unlikely. Their lack of talent on the offensive line has prevented them from getting a consistent run game going. They still have four games left against teams in the playoff hunt and it starts this week with a matchup against the Cardinals.
23. Dallas Cowboys 3-5 (-2)
The Cowboys 2024 season is officially over with a loss to the Falcons and Dak Prescott landing on IR with a hamstring injury. Offensively they added WR Jonathan Mingo to try and fill into that WR2 spot, but I am not convinced that will help much. Defensively, without Dan Quinn, this team has been a disaster, and I would expect Mike Zimmer’s days in Dallas to be numbered.
24. Miami Dolphins 2-6 (-1)
The Dolphins fought valiantly against the Bills but at 2-6, their season seems all but over. Tua Tagovailoa and the offense have scored 27 points in the last two weeks while the defense has melted down in the second half of games. 2024 is a lost season for the Dolphins who are at a crossroads with an aging defense and an expensive offense.
25. Jacksonville Jaguars 2-7 (+1)
It was a disastrous first half for the Jaguars who were down 16-0 at half before battling back and making it a one-score game. They need to make a change at head coach to truly start to fix things in Jacksonville. Parker Washington filled in nicely for the Jaguars in the slot after Christian Kirk’s season-ending injury.
26. Cleveland Browns 2-7 (-1)
Jameis Winston and the Browns ran out of magic this week getting beat up by the Chargers. Winston through 3 interceptions and was not sharp in this one. Defensively their pass rush was solid but did nothing else to slow down the Chargers’ attack. They are at a crossroads right now with a veteran roster and no direction at quarterback.
27. New York Giants 2-7 (-)
On the bright side for the Giants, Daniel Jones snapped his touchdown drought at home and had a good day. On the flip side, the defense forced 0 sacks and forced the offense to play from behind a majority of the day. I’m just interested in seeing who they get at quarterback this offseason to pair with this good roster
28. Tennessee Titans 2-6 (-)
The Titans are back in the win column after beating the Patriots. The addition of Tony Pollard was a good move this offseason as he has been a consistent contributor on offense this season. Nick Westbrook-Ikhine has filled in nice at that wide receiver 2 spot for the Titans as well. With a good defensive core, they are potentially a good quarterback away from competing for a playoff spot.
29. New England Patriots 2-7 (-)
Drake Maye is a special talent. The Patriots found their QB of the future and as he continues to develop will make fewer mental mistakes. The question is where do they go in the draft, offensive line or wide receiver? Whatever they decide they need to make sure Maye is on the same page
32. Carolina Panthers 2-7 (+2)
The Panthers are back in the win column after their win over the Saints. Bryce Young has looked better after being benched for Andy Dalton and Chuba Hubbard is fun to watch at running back. They dealt Jonathan Mingo today and are relying on Xavier Legette / Jalen Coker to be the future in the wide receiver room. They are hoping to build on some momentum the rest of the season as they prepare for 2025.
31. New Orleans Saints 2-7 (-)
After a loss to the Panthers, the Saints have hit an all-time low. They have now lost 7 straight games and are reshaping their roster. They fired head coach Dennis Allen and traded CB Marshon Lattimore. This is the start of a long rebuild of the roster in New Orleans.
32. Las Vegas Raiders 2-7 (-2)
The Raiders are a dumpster fire right now after another loss. The offense keeps mixing and matching quarterbacks weekly while having no talent at the skill positions. Defensively they haven’t been abysmal but not good enough to keep them in games. Antonio Pierce might be a one-and-done type of coach