The first weekend of the second half of the season started with a classic in Baltimore and gave way to an exciting Sunday slate. Panthers/Giants started the day in Munich, and the 1 pm slate provided five one-score games, including several walk-off wins and the field goal block of the season. Detroit completed an impressive comeback Sunday night, while the Dolphins got their first win with Tua back in the lineup on Monday.
Let’s get to the power rankings:
1 — Kansas City Chiefs (9-0, —)
They can’t keep getting away with this, can they? The Chiefs flirted with a loss once again before blocking what would have been the winning walk-off field goal to snag a win over the Broncos. In a season in which every team looks mortal, there’s something to be said for continuing to find ways to win.
2 — Detroit Lions (8-1, —)
A resilient, hard-fought road win over the Texans shows this team’s grit. Beating the Lions will take a complete, 40-minute effort with few mistakes, something Houston couldn’t pull off.
3 — Buffalo Bills (8-2, —)
A comfortable road win in Indianapolis puts the Bills in prime playoff position. They’re only a few weeks out from potentially locking up the AFC East and could still catch the Chiefs in the standings down the stretch.
4 — Baltimore Ravens (7-3, —)
A thrilling come-from-behind victory over the Bengals on Thursday night secures the season sweep and a tiebreaker over Cincinnati. They still have the Steelers to contend with, but the Ravens are in prime position with QB Lamar Jackson playing the best ball of his career.
5 — Green Bay Packers (6-3, —)
The Packers were on bye this week and travel to Chicago in Week 11.
6 — San Francisco 49ers (5-4, up 1)
Tempers flared on the sideline as WR Deebo Samuel got into a heated exchange with K Jake Moody and LS Taybor Pepper that involved Samuel getting physical with both teammates, but the 49ers got a narrow win over the Buccaneers. 49ers fans should hope this remains an isolated incident.
7 — Philadelphia Eagles (7-2, up 4)
After a dominating win at Dallas, the Eagles have overcome a rocky start to the season, at least for now. Two matchups with the Commanders will decide the NFC East, starting this Thursday night.
8 — Pittsburgh Steelers (7-2, up 5)
The win over the Commanders is Pittsburgh’s most impressive result to date. It kicks off a brutal stretch to end the year, but the Steelers have to be feeling good about their playoff chances with seven wins already in the books.
9 — Washington Commanders (7-3, up 1)
The heartbreaking loss to the Steelers was the first game in a while where first-round QB Jayden Daniels didn’t excel. The Commanders have a chance to bounce back in a big game against Philadelphia.
10 — Minnesota Vikings (7-2, down 4)
Vikings QB Sam Darnold didn’t play well, but he still outplayed Jaguars QB Mac Jones in an underwhelming Sunday afternoon showdown. This is reminiscent of the 2022 Vikings team, a season in which they didn’t look inspiring but built an impressive record regardless.
11 — Atlanta Falcons (6-4, down 2)
The Falcons had a chance to really put the NFC South in a stranglehold, but they squandered it in a loss to the Saints. They still have a solid lead, but it’s a loss they didn’t need to take.
12 — Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-6, —)
Another close loss leaves the Bucs searching for answers, and their upcoming bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. Tampa Bay will hope it comes out of the bye healthier, as they still have a lot to play for down the stretch.
13 — Arizona Cardinals (6-4, up 1)
A thorough beatdown of the Jets might be the Cardinals’ most impressive performance of the year. They currently lead the NFC West and already have wins over the 49ers and Rams.
14 — Houston Texans (6-4, down 6)
Despite picking off Lions QB Jared Goff five times, the Texans couldn’t get the home win, allowing Detroit to rattle off 19 unanswered points to close the game. Houston WR Nico Collins should be back next week, but he has a lot to fix.
15 — Cincinnati Bengals (4-6, up 3)
In three games against the Ravens and Chiefs, the Bengals are 0-3 and lost by a combined five points. Brutal luck to close games has Cincinnati in a bit of a hole, but a soft schedule to close the year makes for an easy run to a wildcard berth.
16 — Los Angeles Rams (4-5, down 1)
Rams QB Matthew Stafford had an excellent night, but the Rams’ inability to convert drives into touchdowns killed them Monday night against the Dolphins. Sixth-round K Joshua Karty had five field goals, and the Rams will look to bounce back at New England.
17 — Los Angeles Chargers (6-3, up 2)
Another solid performance against an overmatched team gives Los Angeles a sizeable lead in the AFC wildcard race. New HC Jim Harbaugh continues to get the most out of an average roster.
18— Seattle Seahawks (4-5, down 2)
The Seahawks were on bye this week and travel to San Francisco in Week 11.
19 — Denver Broncos (5-5, up 1)
The Broncos were so close to what would have been a monumental win over the Chiefs but had their game-winning kick blocked. They can still compete for a wildcard berth, and first-round QB Bo Nix continued to show some nice flashes.
20 — Miami Dolphins (3-6, up 3)
While they’ve lost a lot of ground, the Dolphins aren’t quite out of the AFC playoff picture yet. A win over the Rams is a good start, though they still have a way to go.
21 — Indianapolis Colts (4-6, down 4)
Their defense hung tough for a while, but the Colts were never really in a 10-point home loss to the Bills. Colts QB Joe Flacco had four turnovers, and the more he struggles the louder the calls to return to second-year QB Anthony Richardson will grow.
22 — Jacksonville Jaguars (2-8, up 3)
With QB Trevor Lawrence out with a left shoulder injury, the Jaguars turned to his 2021 classmate, Mac Jones. Acquired in a trade with the Patriots this offseason, Jones struggled in his first start in Jacksonville.
23 — New York Jets (3-7, down 1)
This was truly an uninspired and unacceptable performance from the Jets in a miserable blowout loss to the Cardinals. Recently acquired WR Davante Adams called this out in the postgame, saying a lack of effort and fight is to blame.
24 — Dallas Cowboys (3-6, —)
With the news breaking over the weekend that QB Dak Prescott will likely undergo season-ending surgery on his hamstring, the rest of this season became more of a formality. Backup QBs Cooper Rush and Trey Lance can’t take this team where they want to go.
25 — Chicago Bears (4-5, down 4)
A 16-point home loss to the hapless Patriots might have sealed the fates of this coaching staff. First-round QB Caleb Williams, billed as a generational talent, is lagging behind his classmates in development.
26 — Cleveland Browns (2-7, —)
The Browns were on bye this week and travel to New Orleans in Week 11.
27 — New England Patriots (3-7, up 2)
A solid road beatdown over Chicago marks an important moment in the Patriots’ season. Much has been made of first-year HC Jerod Mayo’s results, but a win like this with New England’s roster is an accomplishment.
28 — Las Vegas Raiders (2-7, down 1)
The Raiders were on bye this week and travel to Miami in Week 11.
29 — New Orleans Saints (3-7, up 3)
This week’s most shocking result goes to the Saints, getting a home win over their division-rival Falcons after firing HC Dennis Allen on Monday. This team turned heads to start the year, perhaps this win can spark a revival of sorts.
30 — Carolina Panthers (3-6, up 1)
The Panthers stacked back-to-back wins for the first time since drafting QB Bryce Young. It’s a positive sign for a franchise that desperately needed one. Speaking of Young, he continues to look steady.
31 — Tennessee Titans (2-7, down 3)
Second-year QB Will Levis returned from a shoulder injury and had some nice throws, but it was otherwise more of the same on offense for Tennessee. The team is trending towards one of the top picks in the 2025 draft and will have a decision to make at quarterback.
32 — New York Giants (2-8, down 2)
The vibes couldn’t be worse in New York heading into the bye. Starting QB Daniel Jones might not keep his job in two weeks, and HC Brian Daboll might be coaching for his.
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