NFL Week 10 power rankings: Lions reign supreme, Commanders and Ravens rise, Packers fall

Drake Maye didn’t have a good performance through the air (2 INTs, 69.5 QB rating), but he did rush for a career-high 95 yards. He’s demonstrated his unique playmaking ability, but that wasn’t even the biggest ‘win’ for the New England Patriots on Sunday. With the Tennessee Titans and Carolina Panthers recording victories, the Patriots are back in contention for the No. 1 overall pick.

Related: Bill Belichick sounds off on Patriots’ latest move

We’ll start with the bad news. The New Orleans Saints hit rock bottom on Sunday afternoon, somehow finding a way to lose to the worst team in the NFL entering Week 9. Now for the good news, seven straight losses capped off with this embarrassment might finally be the wake-up call the Saints front office needs to launch a rebuild. We’ll get our answer at Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline, but we’re holding out hope New Orleans learns from this and finally begins a rebuild.

Also read: New Orleans Saints fire Dennis Allen after seventh straight loss

We honestly wondered if the Carolina Panthers would win two games this season. Sunday, we saw the emergence of tight end Ja’Tavion Sanders, along with fellow rookie Xavier Legette finding the end zone. It’s the little things that matter for a team that is years away from contention. Carolina might not win another game this season, but it should consider 2024 a win if Legette, Sanders and Jonathon Brooks emerge as building blocks for the future.

Related: Rumors point to an eventual Bryce Young trade

An unwatchable clash between two of the worst NFL teams lasted much longer than anyone wanted. One thing you can say from this game, which really applies to the entire Tennessee Titans’ season, the offseason additions of Tony Pollard and Calvin Ridley have paid off. If Tennessee can just get its quarterback situation figured out in 2025, this team could take a significant step forward. What we are curious to see is who the Titans starting quarterback is with Will Levis close to returning, because Mason Rudolph has been the better starter in limited opportunities.

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Nothing has changed since the Las Vegas Raiders made the change from Josh McDaniels to Antonio Pierce. This remains one of the most penalized NFL teams and it’s also one of the most poorly-coaches teams in football. The locker room and Raider Nation got what they wanted, despite the long history of interim coaches rarely working out. Pierce is in over his head and a bottom-10 coaching staff and roster only make it worse. All of this ultimately falls on the shoulders of Mark Davis, but owners can’t be replaced. For any fans hoping things can be turned around next offseason, the Raiders have far too many holes to fix in one spring.

Also read: Raiders may be waiting for former first-overall QB to hit the trade block

The bright side for the Jacksonville Jaguars is that the regular season is halfway done. In even better news, head coach Doug Pederson probably isn’t sticking around through the rest of November. Even with some good fortune in Week 9, putting Jacksonville in a position to win this game, the Jaguars offense fell flat. Likewise, Jacksonville’s defense had big problems. Pederson needs to go, but nothing will actually change for the better if the Jaguars make the mistake of keeping Trent Baalke around.

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Well, at least Daniel Jones found the end zone at home. Granted, he also had a turnover and the New York Giants demonstrated once again how bad this defense is when you move past the defensive line. With the NFL trade deadline on Tuesday, Azeez Ojulari might not be the only Giants player on the move. Now 2-7, we will be curious to see how bad the Giants have to finish for Brian Daboll and Joe Schoen to be fired.

Related: Analyst claims Daniel Jones holding Giants back from Super Bowl contention

Look at what happens when the opposition doesn’t drop multiple gift-wrapped interceptions. Jameis Winston came back to earth in Week 9, or more accurately, he showed the other side of his playing style. The highs still make him a vastly superior quarterback compared to Jameis Winston, but the Cleveland Browns (2-7) were reminded of why they’ll be sellers at the NFL trade deadline. Cleveland’s season is over, now it’s time to start trading veterans and collecting draft picks.

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The Miami Dolphins delivered arguably their best performance of the season, it just wasn’t enough against Josh Allen and the Buffalo Bills. This can be a competitive team with Tua Tagovailoa back, but a 2-6 record ahead of the NFL trade deadline opens the door to being sellers. Even if the Dolphins roster is kept intact, the hole is too deep to dig out of. Miami’s season is over, but it will be a feisty team for the next few weeks.

Joe Flacco absolutely gives the Indianapolis Colts their best chance to win and making the playoffs means a lot for the career of players in the Colts locker room and this coaching staff. However, the 39-year-old quarterback is just as turnover-prone as Anthony Richardson, which was on full display in the Sunday Night Football loss to the Minnesota Vikings. We don’t like how Indianapolis handled Richardson’s benching behind the scenes and he should take over as the Colts starting quarterback the moment this team is eliminated from playoff contention. What Sunday’s loss should prove to Indianapolis is that even with better quarterback play, Richardson was far from the only problem with this roster.

Was the Thursday Night Football victory over the Houston Texans a turning point for the New York Jets? Probably not. Aaron Rodgers did look outstanding in the second half and that receiver tandem of Davante Adams and Garrett Wilson looked unstoppable. You could even make the case that at 3-5, New York could make a push toward a .500 record with the Cardinals, Colts, Seahawks and Dolphins looming on the schedule. Then, you remember this team lost to the Patriots and was demolished by the Pittsburgh Steelers. So, we’ll hold off on thinking the Jets’ playoff hopes are still very much alive.

Related: Should the New York Jets rest Aaron Rodgers?

Maybe the Dallas Cowboys win on Sunday if not for the Dak Prescott injury, pushing this team back to the .500 market. Instead, the Cowboys quarterback is now dealing with a hamstring injury that raises significant doubt about his availability for Week 10 against the Philadelphia Eagles. Whether he plays or not, though, the Eagles are the superior team and Dallas feels destined for a 3-6 record. Credit to Jerry Jones, who has overseen the deterioration of this Cowboys roster and now gets to watch his team plummet down the NFL standings.

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The Cincinnati Bengals beat one of the worst NFL teams, congrats. While it moves Joe Burrow and Co. just a game under .500, let’s keep in mind they’ve lost to the Chiefs, Commanders, Ravens and Eagles this season. That matters because the upcoming Bengals schedule includes the Ravens (TNF), Chargers, Steelers and Cowboys. Two losses in that four-game stretch feels inevitable and a third defeat is realistic.

Related: Two trade targets for Cincinnati Bengals

Well, it was fun while it lasted for the Denver Broncos. Entering Week 9 with a 5-3 record, the Denver Broncos’ lone quality win came against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Since then, they’ve largely beaten up on some of the worst NFL teams. If Sunday’s loss to the Baltimore Ravens is a sign of things to come, considering the Broncos schedule in the next two weeks features the Kansas City Chiefs and Atlanta Falcons, we could be looking at a .500 team in late November.

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Without Mike Evans and Chris Godwin, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers essentially need a miracle to upset the Kansas City Chiefs on Monday Night Football. A loss drops them to 4-5, a mighty fall from that 4-2 start that put them atop the NFC South. Having already lost the tiebreaker to the Atlanta Falcons, the Bucs’ playoff hopes come down to one of three Wild Card spots. With the Packers, 49ers and Vikings ahead of them, making it in seems unlikely.

Coaching is the Chicago Bears’ biggest problem. After all, there’s a reason many argued that Matt Eberflus should’ve been replaced this past offseason. Instead, Eberflus was allowed to hire Shane Waldron as his offensive coordinator and despite all the skill players the Bears front office assembled, much of it is being wasted. While Eberflus and Co. won’t be fired until after the regular season, it’s evident what the Bears need to do next offseason and that’s hire Ben Johnson.

There’s just too much inconsistency with the Seattle Seahawks offense. It doesn’t help that, for whatever reason, this front office has seemingly been incapable of fixing a turnstile offensive line for the last few years. It impacts the run game, forces Geno Smith into mistakes and kills drives. While a 4-5 record is right in line with expectations for the Seahawks this year, we can’t get over the inability of Seattle’s front office to ever improve this offensive line.

After getting blown out by the Green Bay Packers, it looked like the potential Arizona Cardinals’ breakout season wouldn’t come to fruition. Then, they returned home and took out the Los Angeles Chargers then traveled across the country and knocked out Miami in Tua Tagovailoa’s return. On Sunday, the Cardinals looked like the vastly superior team against the Bears. It’s come together quite quickly for a team that still seemed to be in the early stages of a rebuild. Now at 5-4, it’s time to think about the Cardinals as a legitimate playoff contender.

The Los Angeles Rams are back. Even after Puka Nacua got ejected from this game, the Matthew Stafford-Cooper Kupp connection is all Sean McVay’s offense needed. It also certainly helps that rookies Braden Fiske and Jared Verse are recreating their magic from Florida State, uplifting this Rams’ pass rush. From 1-4 to 4-4, what a turnaround for Los Angeles to get back into contention.

Justin Herbert has finally been unleashed. However, he’s not the only player standing out on this Los Angeles Chargers offense. Making his return from injury Quentin Johnston came through with a 100-yard game, showing how dangerous he can be with the football in his hands. Plus, with the Chargers passing attack unlocked, running the football becomes a lot easier for J.K. Dobbins (88 yards, 2 TDs, 6.1 ypc). Now at 5-3, the Chargers have a great shot at a four-game win streak and a 7-3 record if they can take out the Titans and Bengals in the next two weeks.

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The Cowboys found the end zone in garbage time, turning a two-touchdown victory for the Atlanta Falcons into a narrow 27-21 win. Certainly, the score doesn’t matter nearly as much as the win, pushing the Falcons to 6-3. At the very least, Atlanta feels like a near-lock to win the NFC South and host a playoff game. However, if the Falcons don’t add a pass rusher at the NFL trade deadline, the Divisional Round is this team’s ceiling.

Also read: Atlanta Falcons have eyes on this pass-rusher

Coming out of the bye, the San Francisco 49ers are expected to get Christian McCaffrey and Jauan Jennings back in Week 10. If that’s not sweet enough for a team decimated by injuries, linebacker Dre Greenlaw isn’t far behind. Even with McCaffrey and Jennings returning, San Francisco isn’t close to the team it used to be last year. All that matters, however, is making the playoffs and the NFC is wide-open enough for the 49ers to make it in…as long as they clean up their fourth-quarter issues.

A tradition unlike any other, the Houston Texans offensive line getting the quarterback killed. C.J. Stroud isn’t blameless by any means, he had an abysmal performance on Thursday Night Football. It’s not surprising, though, considering the state of the Texans’ offensive line and receiving corps. Houston does get No. 1 receiver Nico Collins back in Week 10, but this offensive line is an anchor that will keep Houston from Super Bowl contention this season.

Related: C.J. Stroud calls out Houston Texans teammates after Week 9 loss

When it comes to the Pittsburgh Steelers, there’s too much focus on how sustainable Russell Wilson’s performance is. Obviously, the Steelers quarterback isn’t going to average a 111.9QB rating, probably not close to it. He will take some drive-killing sacks and make turnover-worthy plays. However, he provides stability for this passing attack and that makes it easier to run the football. Pair all that with great coaching and an excellent defense, you have team-wide success that can be sustained.

The Philadelphia Eagles roster has to overcome Nick Sirianni each week. What makes that so much harder is when key players like A.J. Brown, Dallas Goedert and Jordan Mailata go down. Thanks to Jalen Hurts, Saquon Barkley and DeVonta Smith, Philadelphia managed to survive in Week 9. With that said, the Eagles are going to lose against some of the best NFL teams because they don’t have the head coach to win close games against great competition.

On a night when Sam Darnold turned it over 3 times and kicker Will Reichard missed two field goals, the Minnesota Vikings still pulled out the win. It moves this team to 6-2 and that’s not even the best news. The upcoming Vikings schedule – at Jaguars, at Titans, at Bears, vs Cardinals, vs Falcons, vs Bears – gives this team a viable shot at having 11 wins in early December. Now, the offensive line is still a concern and we’ve seen how this defense looks against great quarterbacks, but the Vikings are definitively one of the best NFL teams in 2024.

The Green Bay Packers just aren’t on the same level as the Detroit Lions, plain and simple. It certainly doesn’t help that Jordan Love is seemingly the new Brett Favre, with his “What are you doing?!?!” throws matching the number of “How did you do that?!?!?” dimes. Even without that pick-six, though, the Packers lost the battle in the trenches and looked like an inferior team. Green Bay is still a bonafide playoff contender, but it won;t beat the Lions this season.

The Giants made it close on the scoreboard, but the Washington Commanders largely had control of this game. While a win is typically all that should matter, the bigger NFL news in Week 9 is the report that players want to play for the Commanders. That’s something no one ever expected. It also honestly strengthens the argument for Jayden Daniels to win NFL MVP. The Commanders’ schedule gets tougher from here (vs Steelers, at Eagles), but everything we’ve seen from Washington this year suggests it’s one of the best NFL teams.

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Loyalty doesn’t always yield positive results in the NFL, but the Buffalo Bills’ refusal to give up on Tyler Bass after a rough first half of the season was awarded on Sunday. While he missed an extra-point attempt early, Bass came through in the clutch with his game-winning 61-yard field goal, helping Buffalo escape with a narrow 30-27 victory. While it won’t be seen as a ‘quality’ win because of the Dolphins’ record (2-6), Miami is a much better team with Tua Tagovailoa under center.

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Total domination. Derrick Henry rushed for over 100 yards with 2 scores, Zay Flowers eclipsed the 100-yard receiving mark with 3 scores and Lamar Jackson (16-of-19, 280 yards, 14.7 ypa, 3-0 TD-INT) posted a perfect NFL QB rating. All of this, mind you, came against the best defense in the NFL and the Baltimore Ravens offense only needed 3 quarters to do it. Just a great rebound performance in Week 9, though, Baltimore would still be wise to strengthen its pass rush ahead of Tuesday’s NFL trade deadline.

The Kansas City Chiefs are the only undefeated team in the NFL, but there are concerns. It doesn’t start with Patrick Mahomes, it starts at left tackle which is an even bigger hole than it has been in years past. We have no doubt that Mahomes’ turnover issues will get cleaned up, but his team has needed a phenomenal defense to do the heavy lifting and that’s still only been good enough to escape with wins against some bad opponents. Our concern stems from what happens when defensive regression hits because of the Jaylen Watson injury. The Chiefs’ margin for error is thinner than ever before. That’s why there’s not even a little consideration to put them in the No. 1 spot of our NFL power rankings.

The Detroit Lions are the best NFL team right now. In their lone loss, back in Week 2, they outgained the Tampa Bay Buccaneers by nearly 250 yards and dominated time of possession. Since then, they’ve taken out the previously undefeated Vikings and thoroughly dismantled the Packers, Seahawks and Cowboys. Put the Lions on a neutral field against the Kansas City Chiefs, we’ll take the Lions by a touchdown. Simply put, we believe Detroit is even a tier above the best NFL teams right now.

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