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NFL Week 9 Power Rankings: Broncos, Packers among Risers, Cowboys and Bengals Fall
Matt JohnsonWeek 8 demonstrated once again why the 2025 NFL season has felt more unpredictable than usual. It also might have been a week that delivering a turning point for several franchises, with victories that could be the spark they need to get back into playoff contention.
Let’s dive into our NFL Week 9 power rankings, evaluating how teams performed in Week 8. For teams on the bye week, we took a look at how they’ve performed so far and what’s next.
1. Indianapolis Colts (1)
TheIndianapolis Coltshave the best record in the NFL right now, which warrants the top spot in the power rankings entering Week 9. Indianapolis’ résumé—with signature wins over the Chargers and Broncos—paired with the preseason skepticism surrounding this team, explains why some remain cautious about buying in. What Shane Steichen and company keep demonstrating, however, is that they can dominate weaker competition and rise to the level of tougher opponents. Sunday’s win was the latest example of that. Given the Colts’ strengths, they should go into Pittsburgh next week and beat Aaron Rodgers.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (2)
TheKansas City Chiefs‘ dominance continues. If they hadn’t taken their foot off the break on Monday Night Football, it would’ve been three consecutive games with 30-plus points scored. Still, Kansas City has to feel great about the 21-0 second half. This is still a three-loss team, including that painful MNF loss to Jacksonville in Week 5. As long as Patrick Mahomes and Rashee Rice keep doing this, though, Kansas City can win every single game remaining on its schedule and be the overwhelming favorite to win the Super Bowl.
3. Green Bay Packers (6)
Jordan Love has made that ascension into the next tier of top quarterbacks, and it couldn’t have come at a better time for theGreen Bay Packers. The play-calling and offensive line aren’t where they need to be right now, which is playing some part in this unit’s penchant for three-and-outs mixed between explosive plays. Fortunately for Matt LaFleur, he has time to figure those issues out because Love and this Packers defense are playing at a top level.
4. Detroit Lions (2)
Coming out of the Week 8 bye, theDetroit Lionsare starting to get healthier defensively. The time off also provides offensive coordinator John Morton and defensive coordinator Kelvin Sheppard an opportunity to make adjustments, learning from their first seven games as play-callers to better position their units moving forward. At 5-2, fielding one of the best rosters in the NFL, Detroit can quickly demonstrate in the second half of the season that it’s the team to beat in the NFC.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4)
Survival. That’s all Week 8 needed to be about for theTampa Bay Buccaneers. The offense has been devastated by injuries and desperately needs some time off. So, while Baker Mayfield’s MVP campaign is taking some big hits, the Buccaneers’ defense is rising to the occasion. Excellent defense is what the Buccaneers didn’t have last season. If they can return from the Week 9 bye with the offensive line in better shape and both Chris Godwin and Bucky Irving returning to the field, that 6-2 record will feel even better.
6. Seattle Seahawks (5)
TheSeattle Seahawkshave a Super Bowl-caliber defense, especially once Devon Witherspoon and Julian Love return to the secondary. One unit that’s really flying under the radar, though, is Seattle’s offensive line. Heading into the Week 8 bye, the Seahawks ranked 21st inESPN pass-block win rate(58 percent) and 12th in run-block win rate (72 percent). Last year, they were in the bottom 10. That’s been one of the biggest keys to Sam Darnold playing so well this season. Now, as Seattle heads into a Week 9 matchup versus Washington, the next objective is finding a way to run the football more effectively (26th in Rush Success Rate), which should help improve an offense that entered the bye with the fifth-lowest third-down conversion rate in the NFL.
7. Buffalo Bills (7)
That’s something much closer to the version of theBuffalo Billsthat Bills Mafia expected this season. James Cook shouldered the load for this offense early, proving instrumental in Buffalo taking a 26-3 lead. That forced Carolina to go away from the one thing it can do well, run the football, and that was all she wrote in this one-sided blowout. It’s the kind of confidence builder Buffalo needs before facing the Chiefs, especially given how dominant Kansas City has looked lately.
8. Denver Broncos (9)
After throwing a pick on the opening drive, Bo Nix and thisDenver Broncosoffense locked in, and the rest is history. Considering how dominant the Cowboys’ offense had been until now, Sunday’s win over the Cowboys felt like the most well-rounded performance by the Broncos all season. If Nix and Denver’s ground game can maintain anything close to the effectiveness we’ve seen in the last five quarters, this could become the second-best team in the AFC. That said, we’re at least a month away from buying into Nix at that level.
9. Philadelphia Eagles (10)
That’s a good note for thePhiladelphia Eaglesto enter the bye week on. Saquon Barkley (174 scrimmage yards) got going again, and Jalen Hurts had nearly as many touchdowns (four) as incompletions. Nick Sirianni has to feel particularly good about how the run game looked. Carryover will be necessary after the bye, given the upcoming stretch includes matchups at Green Bay, versus Detroit, and at Dallas.
10. Los Angeles Rams (8)
Special-teams woes and some mistakes are the reason why theLos Angeles Ramsentered their bye with a 5-2 record instead of an undefeated mark. Still, Sean McVay and Les Snead have to feel great about this team sitting near the top of the NFC West given the injuries suffered by Puka Nacua, Rob Havenstein and Ahkello Witherspoon. Los Angeles is one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL right now, boasting a top-10 defense and offense. We’ll find out quickly just where the Rams rank among the top NFC teams, as they face the 49ers, Seahawks and Buccaneers in November.
11. New England Patriots (11)
Drake Maye had one thing left to prove nationally entering Week 9: could he maintain that All-Pro-level play against a top-shelf defense? He proved he could do just that on Sunday. Equally meaningful for theNew England Patriots, TreVeyon Henderson’s breakout game has arrived. This five-game win streak has provided a litany of reasons why New England looks like a very good team right now — and one that’s legitimately capable of winning 11 games.
12. Los Angeles Chargers (15)
Moving theLos Angeles Chargersup this many spots in our NFL power rankings is more about the return of Joe Alt than the Thursday Night Football victory over Minnesota. As that game demonstrated, though, getting the standout blindside protector back on the field actually gives Justin Herbert time to throw to this excellent cast of weapons, and it helps out the run game. Plus, the Chargers’ defense seems to be getting back on track. Los Angeles has three very winnable games (at Titans, vs. Steelers, and at Jaguars) ahead, so there is a path to an 8-3 record entering the bye week.
13. Houston Texans (21)
Winning that game without Nico Collins feels monumental for theHouston Texans. C.J. Stroud certainly benefited from the fact that the 49ers’ front seven has been decimated by injuries, but he still played extremely well on Sunday against a game plan from one of the league’s top defensive coordinators. Houston is now 3-1 in its last four games and if it can win at home next week versus Denver, this is a playoff contender again.
14. San Francisco 49ers (13)
A week later, it feels like that victory over Atlanta says a lot more about the Falcons than it does the San Francisco 49ers. This looked like an injury-plagued team on Sunday in Houston and the issues up front, resulting in a non-existent run game, reared their ugly head again for San Francisco. There’s still a 5-3 record, but there are still some tough matchups remaining on the schedule and the defense is clearly regressing.
15. Chicago Bears (14)
TheChicago Bearshave no one but themselves to blame for Sunday’s loss. Poor decision-making before halftime cost Chicago points, and the situational play didn’t get any better with a chance to win the game in the closing seconds, as Caleb Williams came up inches short on his goal-line dive and then threw way off the mark on fourth-and-goal to lose the game. With the way this Bears defense is performing and the inconsistency of this offense in the first year of the Caleb Williams–Ben Johnson pairing, there’s an outside shot Chicago loses next week to the Bengals.
16. Jacksonville Jaguars (18)
It’s not hard to see what went wrong for theJacksonville Jaguarsduring their two-game losing streak before the bye. The defense couldn’t generate takeaways after recording 14 in its first five games , and the offensive line allowed 14 sacks while the rushing attack mustered just76.5 rushing yards per game. Those takeaways had masked other issues — drops and inconsistency from Trevor Lawrence — that are now glaring. If those areas don’t improve quickly coming out of the bye, Jacksonville could lose three of its next four games.
17. Pittsburgh Steelers (13)
The Pittsburgh Steelers finally have above-average quarterback play and it’s not going to matter. There’s a real possibility of this Steelers defense being bad enough to allow the Baltimore Ravens to steal the AFC North with a second-half revival. It’s a shame for Aaron Rodgers, because he’s played very well this season and is making this passing game work despite only having one true reliable wide receiver. With a looming matchup versus Indianapolis in Week 9, the Steelers will likely at .500 next Sunday.
18. Dallas Cowboys (16)
Dak Prescott and thisDallas Cowboysoffense need to be near-flawless to overcome the defense. They were nothing close to that on Sunday. There’s every reason to believe this passing attack will rebound quickly, especially next week on Monday Night Football versus Arizona. However, no matter who Jerry Jones acquires at the NFL trade deadline, this defense won’t be good enough to make the playoffs.
19. Washington Commanders (19)
The lone bright spot that could’ve come out of that ugly Monday Night Football loss for the Washington Commanders, Terry McLaurin’s return, was wiped out by the Pro Bowl wideout exiting again with a quad injury. Jayden Daniels could return in Week 9, but the Commanders are now two games below .500 and entering a two-game stretch that will almost certainly result in a 3-7 record. Realistically, Washington will be 4-7 entering its bye week.
20. Baltimore Ravens (26)
TheBaltimore Ravensmight finally be turning a corner, which is very unfortuante for the rest of the AFC North. It wasn’t a banner performance by any means, but a victory without Lamar Jackson against Chicago is a significant step forward.
21. Carolina Panthers (20)
The only path to victory for theCarolina Panthersin Week 8 was stopping the run and getting a big game from Rico Dowdle. James Cook put up 200 rushing yards in three quarters, and Carolina found itself down three scores quickly. Sunday was a game that put the Panthers back in their place as a league-average team that can win when things are going right. That doesn’t bode well for a Week 9 matchup at Lambeau Field.
22. Atlanta Falcons (17)
We’re going to need an explanation from Zac Robinson on why theAtlanta Falconsabandoned the run game so early. Facing one of the league’s worst defenses, Atlanta put the ball far too much in Kirk Cousins’ hands when it was still a close game. Unsurprisingly, especially with Drake London out, he looked just as bad as he did last season. Of course, it’s also worth recognizing how bad the Falcons’ offensive line has been over the last two games — going from beating the Commanders and Bills to dropping games against San Francisco and Miami. It’ll only get worse from here with the Patriots and Colts up next.
23. Arizona Cardinals (25)
TheArizona Cardinalshave a -1 point differential this season, better than multiple four-win teams (Bears, Panthers, Jaguars, and Chargers) and just behind the five-win 49ers and Eagles. Remarkably, Arizona has outscored its opponents by 44 points through the first three quarters of games but has been outscored by 45 points in the fourth. This is a good team that implodes in the final 15 minutes. Given that Kyler Murray will return as the starter in Week 9, even though Jacoby Brissett has been more effective so far, it’s hard to see significant improvement coming for the Cardinals.
24. Minnesota Vikings (23)
It’s now beyond time to panic with theMinnesota Vikings. The bye week is already behind them, and it’s pretty evident, seven games into the season, that there isn’t a reliable starting-caliber quarterback on this roster. Earlier in the season, that could be masked a bit more because of the defense. Now, with the pass rush regressing, the secondary has been exposed, and Minnesota’s defense has been just as bad as its quarterback play in the last month. Even worse for the Vikings, they have a 3-4 record before a stretch against the Lions, Ravens, Bears, Packers, Seahawks, Commanders, and Cowboys. A losing record now feels inevitable.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (22)
New quarterback, same team. TheCincinnati Bengalsare a carbon copy of what we saw last season—a team that needs to score on nearly every possession because its defense might give up just as many scoring drives. The fact that nothing has changed is an indictment of the entire organization. At this point, trading Trey Hendrickson and waving the white flag on this version of the team might be the best idea. Then again, it’s hard to imagine this front office and coaching staff executing the kind of draft-and-develop approach necessary to turn this Bengals defense around.
26. Miami Dolphins (31)
That will probably go down as the best performance of the season for theMiami Dolphins. Defensively, this unit played extremely well and took full advantage of Atlanta abandoning the run far too early. De’Von Achane and Tua Tagovailoa capitalized on that, putting Miami up 24-3 and making this a Week 8 blowout that no one saw coming. This win probably won’t be enough to save Mike McDaniel’s job long term, but it’s promising to see the fight this team showed on the road.
Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel TheMiami Dolphinslooked like a team on the rise two seasons ago, coming off an 11-6 campaign with quarterback Tua Tagovailoa thriving and head coach Mike McDaniel viewed as one of the NFL’s brightest minds. Fast forward to 2025, and McDaniel finds himself on the hot seat. McDaniel is far from the only problem in Miami, as part of the issue stems from the roster put together by general manager Chris Grier. In the best-case scenario, Dolphins owner Stephen Ross would clean house and bring in both a new head coach and general manager for the first time since January 2016. For now, though, we’ll focus on NFL coaching candidates who could take over in Miami. Let’s dive into our list of Dolphins coaching candidates who could replace McDaniel next season. There are a variety of factors to consider when evaluating Dolphins coaching candidates. Miami could take the opposite approach of its last head-coaching search, targeting a defensive-minded coach. However, there has to be an appeal to both hiring someone who can revitalize this offense and potentially hurt a divisional foe in the process. Hiring Joe Brady would accomplish that. Related:Miami Dolphins Could Fire Mike McDaniel, Chris Grier Midseason Brady, age 36, was a rising name in coaching circles after his stint as the LSU Tigers’ passing game coordinator and wide receivers coach in 2019, when they won the national title. He turned it into a play-caller gig with the Carolina Panthers, a job he flamed out in and was fired less than two full seasons into the gig. He’s since rebounded with theBuffalo Bills, working his way from quarterbacks coach to one of the best play-callers in the NFL right now. It’s crucial to note with Brady that his work in Buffalo is about so much more than Josh Allen winning his first NFL MVP in 2024. Yes, the Bills’ yards-per-play average (5.7to6.0), red-zone touchdown rate (63.1% to 71.6%) and points per drive (2.37 to 2.92) all increased from 2023-24 under Brady. One crucial reason for that, though, is that Brady took the Bills’ rushing attack to another level. He’s demonstrated that he can learn from his mistakes earlier in his coaching career, and that ability to adjust would be welcomed in Miami. So much of the focus onGreen Bay Packersdefensive coordinator Jeff Hafley as a head-coach candidate this offseason will center on what he does with this unit after acquiring Micah Parsons. It’s fair to highlight that, given Green Bay’s phenomenal defense in 2025, but it’s even better to look at how Hafley helped the Packers’ defense improve in his first season before Parsons’ arrival. Related:NFL Defense Rankings 2025, Evaluating all 32 Defenses In2023, under defensive play-caller Joe Barry, the Packers’ defense ranked 21st in yards per play allowed (5.4), 25th in third-down defense (41.1% conversion rate), 22nd in points per drive allowed (1.99) and 23rd in Defensive EPA per Play (0.009). After an adjustment period in his first season as an NFL defensive coordinator, Green Bay’s defense ranked eighth in yards per play allowed (5.2), 12th in third-down defense (37.5% conversion rate), sixth in points per drive (1.79) and fourth in Defensive EPA per Play (-0.066) in 2024. Hafley, who will only be 47 years old next season, also has head-coaching experience from his time with Boston College (2020-23) and he was well-regarded before that both as a defensive coordinator at Ohio State and a defensive backs coach for the San Francisco 49ers. Experience, culture and defensive improvement are what Hafley can bring to the table. When many compile a list of Dolphins coaching candidates, the focus often centers on defensive play-callers and offensive coordinators. It’s certainly understandable given the responsibilities and success those head coaches have had in those roles. However, being a great coordinator hasn’t always translated to being a successful NFL head coach, and other qualities need to be weighed. That brings us to Detroit Lions offensive line coach Hank Fraley. Related:2026 NFL Draft Order Right Now, Miami Dolphins Draft Picks 2026 Fraley, age 48, has been an offensive line coach throughout his career and is widely respected for his work in Detroit. Under his guidance, the Lions’ offensive line has been consistently one of the NFL’s best, despite turnover at the position. For a Dolphins franchise plagued by poor trench play and minimal development of young linemen, Fraley could be a transformative hire for the front. Obviously, there are risks in hiring a head coach without prior coordinator experience. However, Fraley has spent years learning from Dan Campbell, who was primarily a tight ends coach before his head-coaching tenure. Being a successful head coach relies more on leadership than play-calling. At the very least, Miami could bring Fraley in for a head-coaching interview this offseason to see if he is the right person to instill cultural change in the Dolphins’ locker room. Los Angeles Chargers defensive coordinator Jesse Minter has made a name for himself in less than two full years in the position. He spent several years on the Baltimore Ravens’ coaching staff (2017-2020), learning from John Harbaugh, not long before Jim Harbaugh hired him as the Michigan Wolverines’ defensive coordinator in 2022. After winning a national championship together, largely because of Michigan’s defense, Harbaugh brought Minter with him to Los Angeles. Related:Multiple Dolphins Players were Fed Up with Mike McDaniel Before the Season Before diving into the numbers, it’s important to keep in mind that the Chargers’ defensive roster never added an All-Pro talent upon Minter’s arrival, like Green Bay did (Xavier McKinney) after hiring Hafley. Instead, Los Angeles spent several mid-round picks in the 2024 NFL Draft on young defenders. Before Minter’s arrival, the Chargers’ defense ranked 26th in yards per play allowed (5.5), 25th in yards per drive (32.6), 24th in points per drive (2.01), and Defensive EPA per Play (0.019). In Minter’s first season, Los Angeles ranked 13th (5.3), 15th (30.5), third (1.66), and fifth (-0.054) in those same categories. He absolutely maximizes the talent he has to work with, and his time spent learning from both Harbaugh brothers could help him shape the culture of the team he’ll run. Hiring a head coach out of college, especially one without any NFL coaching experience, would certainly be a gamble for Miami. There are a few intriguing options out there, including Matt Campbell (Iowa State) and Ryan Day (Ohio State). However, Campbell seems focused on staying in college, and Day’s success might be more reflective of the Buckeyes’ talent. Instead, we’re highlighting Marcus Freeman. Related:Highest-Paid College Football Coaches 2025 It says something about Notre Dame’s coach that when Brian Kelly left for LSU, players wanted Freeman to be promoted to head coach. To that point, several of Kelly’s assistants remained with Freeman after he was named the Fighting Irish coach. In his third year as a college head coach, he took Notre Dame to the CFP national championship game. Jeremy Fowler ofESPNreported in January that Freeman is already being eyed by NFL franchises. At 39 years old, he’s also far better at connecting with young players than some of his peers. Freeman also brings an excellent defensive background, and Miami could support him by surrounding him with some NFL head-coaching experience on his staff. Todd Monken has taken theBaltimore Ravensoffense to new heights since being hired in 2023, orchestrating a unit that ranks top-two in EPA per Play and Success Rate from2023-25. While he’s the oldest of our proposed Dolphins coaching candidates, turning 60 in February, he brings a track record of success both in the NFL and at the collegiate level. Read More:NFL Power Rankings 2025, Evaluating all 32 Teams Monken’s decades of coaching experience also provide him with an extensive network around the league. It would better enable him to assemble a quality Dolphins coaching staff, including a defensive coordinator. Furthermore, he’s demonstrated the ability to design highly efficient offenses for a variety of different quarterbacks (Jackson, Stetson Bennett, and Jameis Winston). Regarding Winston, his only seasons with a 90-plus QB rating over double-digit games came with Monken as offensive coordinator. It might not be a splashy hire, but Monken’s extensive background and success at various stops under different circumstances could make him a safer bet than an inexperienced play-caller. Furthermore, if Miami decides to hire a new general manager, it could go with a tandem hire by poaching from the Ravens’ front office to pair with Monken as head coach.Identifying 6 Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel
Joe Brady, Buffalo Bills Offensive Coordinator
Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator
Hank Fraley, Detroit Lions Offensive Line Coach
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
Marcus Freeman, Notre Dame Fighting Irish Head Coach
Todd Monken, Baltimore Ravens Offensive Coordinator
27. New York Giants (24)
The life was taken out of theNew York Giants’ season immediately after the Cam Skattebo injury. He was more than just an excellent running back — the rookie was the heart of this Giants team. With him done for the season, there will be far too much of this offense placed on Jaxson Dart’s shoulders. The only hope now is for Dart to stay healthy, for Skattebo to make a full recovery, and for a new Giants coaching staff to be in place next season.
Related:New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll It certainly seems like only a matter of time untilNew York Giantshead coach Brian Daboll is fired, given he has a sub-.300 winning percentage since Week 11 of the 2022 NFL season. With the veteran coach inevitably headed out the door, now is a good time to evaluate potential Giants coaching candidates. Before diving into our analysis, we’ve already eliminated two popular NFL head coach candidates from consideration. First, North Carolina Tar Heels coach Bill Belichick not only could bring unwanted attention (Jordan Hudson) to the franchise, but he has also reportedlybad-mouthed the Giants’ organization privately. As for offensive coordinator Joe Brady, we just can’t see Mara hiring aBuffalo Billsplay-caller consecutively. Now, let’s dive into our list of Giants coaching candidates who could replace Daboll next season. If we’re ranking Giants coaching candidates,Los Angeles Chargersdefensive coordinator Jesse Minter is at the top. First, putting aside his excellent track record as a defensive play-caller, Minter has spent the past four seasons of his coaching career learning from Jim Harbaugh—first as the Michigan Wolverines defensive coordinator (2022–23) and then following him to Los Angeles. Before that, he spent four years under John Harbaugh as a defensive assistant (2017–18) and then a defensive backs coach (2019–20) with theBaltimore Ravens. The number of better NFL head coaches you’d want a young assistant to learn from more than those two is very small, especially from a leadership perspective. Related:2026 NFL Draft Order Right Now, Giants Draft Picks 2026 Now for his defensive work. In his final season as the Wolverines’ defensive play-caller, Michigan allowed the fewest points per game (10.4) and the fourth-lowest yards per play average (4.1). He then took over the Chargers defense—23.4 PPG allowed (24th), 38.4% third-down conversion rate (16th), 32.6 yards per drive (25th)—and turned it into thebest scoring defense(17.7 PPG) and the fifth-best third-down defense (35.7 percent) in the NFL. He’s having all of this success with one Pro Bowl edge rusher (Khalil Mack) and little else. In New York, he could build his defense around Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Abdul Carter. Not only would the Giants have a great shot at an immediate turnaround defensively, but Minter could also help change the culture, too. Kliff Kingsbury has rebuilt his reputation with theWashington Commanders. When he was first hired, many viewed it as a poor fit with Jayden Daniels and the team’s offensive line. Kingsbury orchestrated an offense that ranked 10th in yards per play (5.7), fifth in scoring (28.5 PPG), and sixth in both third-down conversion rate (45.6 percent) and red-zone touchdown rate. Read More:NFL Trade Candidates 2025, including Giants’ Defender Daniels gets the majority of the credit for that, but it’s also worth noting that Kingsbury helped Marcus Mariota post a 131.2 QB rating with a 77.3 percent completion rate and a 9.1 percent passing touchdown rate in three games last season. In the two games where Mariota attempted 18-plus passes, Washington averaged 31.5 points per game. Kingsbury even seemed to resolve the issues with his offenses regressing in the second half of the season. From Weeks 10 to 18, Washington averaged 27.8 points and 344.5 total yards per game with a 45.4 percent third-down conversion rate. TheGreen Bay Packerslikely know their time with defensive coordinator Jeff Hafley is limited. Matt LaFleur took a chance on him in 2024, bringing the former Boston College head coach to the NFL. In his first season as a defensive play-caller, Hafley’s unit’s effectiveness skyrocketed across the board. Green Bay went from 21st (5.4) to 8th in yards per play allowed (5.2), 25th (41.1 percent) to 12th (37.5 percent) in third-down defense, and from 23rd (0.009) to 4th (-0.066) inDefensive EPA Per Play. He did all of this without Micah Parsons. Related:NFL Defense Rankings 2025, Evaluating All 32 Defenses While Hafley has never been a head coach in the NFL, he led a locker room across four seasons at Boston College. He also earned a lot of respect before that as a defensive backs coach with the Cleveland Browns (2014–15) and San Francisco 49ers (2016–18). Hafley would have an even better pass-rushing group in New York with Dexter Lawrence, Brian Burns, and Abdul Carter than he does now in Green Bay. On top of all that, Hafley is also a New Jersey native. There seems to be a real possibility of theMiami Dolphinsfiring head coach Mike McDaniel. Given what’s transpired within that franchise over the last two years, it’s understandable why many might be apprehensive about hiring McDaniel so soon after a potential firing. However, what’s happening in Miami feels more like an indictment of the general manager and quarterback Tua Tagovailoa than of McDaniel’s coaching ability. Related:New York Giants Could Make 2 Big Midseason Firings It’s also fair to say that McDaniel learned from his mistakes in the 2024 season. The culture issues within the team got out of control, which prompted the trades of Jalen Ramsey and the decision not to name Tyreek Hill a team captain. At just 42 years old, McDaniel is still on the younger side for an NFL head coach, and learning from mistakes is part of the process of becoming a good leader for a team. As for Miami’s regression offensively, a lot of that can be attributed to Tagovailoa’s limitations both as a passer and a runner. Give McDaniel a quarterback with excellent arm strength and someone comfortable making plays on the move, and suddenly the offense can look a lot better. There’s certainly still some risk with this, but it’s just as much risk as hiring someone with no head-coaching experience. Related:Miami Dolphins Coaching Candidates to Replace Mike McDaniel Sometimes, organizations want to make a bit of an outside-the-box hire. It starts by bringing in an assistant for an interview, and they blow the team away with their vision for turning the franchise around. That could be the case withMinnesota Vikingsoffensive coordinator Wes Phillips. Read More:NFL Power Rankings 2025, Weekly Analysis of All 32 Teams Phillips comes from NFL bloodlines, as the son of Wade Phillips and the grandson of Bum Phillips. The 46-year-old has served under Vikings head coach Kevin O’Connell since 2022, learning from one of the best play-callers in the NFL for the last four seasons. Before that, O’Connell worked as theLos Angeles Ramsoffensive coordinator (2020–21) under Sean McVay. There’s undeniable risk in potentially hiring a head coach who hasn’t even served as a primary play-caller in the NFL. However, his success working with quarterbacks (Matthew Stafford and Sam Darnold), paired with the two offensive minds he’s been mentored by, also offers a lot of upside for an organization still looking for the right person to finally unlock this dormant offense. Rounding out our Giants coaching candidates is the most coveted name in college football. While Ryan Day has a national championship, Matt Campbell has taken the Iowa State Cyclones further than anyone ever expected. He’s expected to finish 2025 with double-digit wins, which would be the first time in history that the Cyclones’ football team has won double-digit games in consecutive seasons. Campbell has been on the NFL’s radar in recent years; he just hasn’t found an opportunity that made it worthwhile to leave. New York would need to surround him with assistants who have head-coaching experience in the NFL, given Campbell has no experience at the pro level, but his track record as a team builder and culture setter speaks for itself.Identifying 6 New York Giants Coaching Candidates to Replace Brian Daboll
Jesse Minter, Los Angeles Chargers Defensive Coordinator
Kliff Kingsbury, Washington Commanders Offensive Coordinator
Jeff Hafley, Green Bay Packers Defensive Coordinator
Mike McDaniel, Miami Dolphins Head Coach
Wes Phillips, Minnesota Vikings Offensive Coordinator
Matt Campbell, Iowa State Cyclones Head Coach
28. New Orleans Saints (28)
The Spencer Rattler era ends as quickly as it seemed to be taking off. He wasn’t entirely to blame for all the turnovers committed by this New Orleans Saints offense in Sunday’s 20-point home loss, but we can’t fault Kellen Moore for making a change. At 1-7 with the NFL trade deadline nearing, it seems increasingly likely that Rashid Shaheed, Brandin Cooks and a few veterans could be off this roster in the near future.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (29)
The one hope for theLas Vegas Raidersto be a competitive team this season and win seven to nine games was having an above-average offense. Instead, Geno Smith has suddenly regressed to the player he was in New York. Brock Bowers is dealing with a serious knee injury, and neither Smith nor Ashton Jeanty stands much chance behind this struggling offensive line. Coming out of the bye, without an offensive turnaround, the Raiders might only win two more games this season. Smith has a low passer rating, ranks near the bottom in the league for interceptions (tied for most with 10), and has been benched recently after poor performances, leaving the team in a difficult position offensively.
30. Cleveland Browns (27)
There’s just nothing inspiring about watching Dillon Gabriel at quarterback. It wouldn’t have made a difference if Shedeur Sanders or Joe Flacco were under center on Sunday — theCleveland Brownsdefense didn’t perform well enough to win. Still, Gabriel hasn’t shown the physical tools that starting-caliber quarterbacks need. With a matchup next week against the Jets, Cleveland’s defense should absolutely rebound in a win.
31.New York Jets(32)
Aaron Glenn gets his first win as a head coach, and theNew York Jetsdeliver their best offensive performance since the regular-season opener. Glenn’s team, led by Justin Fields, showed real fight on Sunday afternoon in Cincinnati, responding to a 14-point deficit in the fourth quarter with 15 unanswered points and a timely defensive stop for that elusive victory. This is still one of the worst NFL teams in 2025, but Glenn and the Jets finally delivered a performance that gives fans a little hope for the future.
32. Tennessee Titans (30)
TheTennessee Titansare in a class of their own as the worst team in the NFL. It legitimately took another franchise finding unique ways to give the game away, in the form of 14 points, for Tennessee to win its lone game this season. Outside of that, this has looked like by far the worst roster and worst-coached team in the league. Cam Ward deserves so much better than this.