NFL Power Rankings after week 9; A brand new top 5

After every week during the NFL season, Section 400 writer Jack Albanese will give us his updated power rankings of all 32 teams across the league.

Here is where each team stands after last week’s action.

Kansas City Chiefs: Martin Meissner/AP Photo

The Kansas City Chiefs bounced back in Germany after slipping up against the Denver Broncos two weeks ago. The offense stalled in the second half against Miami this past week, but the Chiefs were able to win the game off the back of a very good defense.
Philadelphia Eagles: Getty Images

The Philadelphia Eagles nearly choked away the win last week, allowing Dallas quarterback Dak Prescott to drive down the full length of the field with under a minute left in the game and no timeouts. The Birds did hold on and now sit at an NFL-best 8-1 heading into their bye week. We’ll see how this team fairs with a grueling stretch coming up, starting with a date in Kansas City with the Chiefs in Week 11.
Baltimore Ravens: Jessica Rapfogel-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Ravens have proven they belong in the upper echelon of NFL teams. Baltimore is running away with the NFC North and has a legitimate chance to challenge the Chiefs for the No. 1 seed in the AFC if Lamar Jackson stays healthy.
Jacksonville Jaguars: Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

DUUUVALLLLLL. I may be a little biased, but the Jags deserve to jump into the top 5 following the bye week. The Jags are 6-2 on the season and the clear front-runners in the AFC South. This team has been great despite Trevor Lawrence not playing to his full potential yet. If Calvin Ridley can get back on track, the sky is the limit for Florida’s best football team.
Cincinnati Bengals: Getty Images

Joe Burrow has arrived. After a rough start to the season, the Bengals quarterback has thrown for 283 yards per game and 10 touchdowns over his last four games. Most importantly, his team has won all four of those games and is now 5-3. “Cincy” is going to be a playoff team, and might mess around and challenge the Ravens for the division title.
San Francisco 49ers: Tony Ding/Icon Sportswire

The bye week came at the perfect time for the San Francisco 49ers. This team was a staple in the top 3 spots of my rankings in the beginning of the season but injuries, bad quarterback play, and some bad luck have the Niners down at the 6 spot. The addition of Chase Young should help a struggling defense get back on track, and the return of Deebo Samuel will help Brock Purdy get back on track.
Detroit Lions: USATS

The Detroit Lions are going to be NFC North champions. Dan Campbell’s team plays good, solid, and sound football and that is going to carry them to the playoffs. These are not your grandfather’s, or even father’s, Detroit Lions.
Miami Dolphins: NFL.com via Getty Images

It’s time to have the “fraud” discussion about the Miami Dolphins. Mike McDaniel’s team has now lost six straight games against opponents above .500 dating back to last year. They need to prove they can win a big game before they can sniff my top 5.
Cleveland Browns: Joshua Gunter/cleveland.com

The Cleveland Browns have the best defense in the NFL. The issue with this team is quarterback play, which is ironic because they spent nearly $250 million to fix that issue when they signed Deshaun Watson to a mega deal last offseason. Watson needs to play like a top 5 quarterback if the Browns hope to do anything in the postseason.
Buffalo Bills: AP Photo

It is a real possibility the Bills miss the postseason in a loaded AFC. Buffalo is 5-4 on the season and still has games against the Chiefs, Cowboys, Eagles, Chargers, and Dolphins on their schedule. This team is talented enough to win the Super Bowl if they can get into the playoffs, but the inconsistencies may keep them from getting a shot.