Nearly halfway through the NFL season, really only eight teams can be considered truly out of the playoff chase.
Three division races have an overwhelming favorite — the NFC South, NFC East and AFC South — while the rest remain fairly wide open.
And if anything the field of Super Bowl contenders is only getting larger with the New England Patriots and Denver Broncos having to be truly taken seriously after big winning streaks.
That means more shakeup in the weekly NFL power rankings ahead of Week 9.
Top Super Bowl Contenders
1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-3, no change): The Chiefs are technically third place in the AFC West, a game behind the Broncos and tied with the Chargers but having lost head-to-head in the teams’ first meeting. So how is Kansas City No. 1 in the power rankings then? Because the Chiefs have looked like the Chiefs again over a three-game winning streak in which they (briefly) humbled the Lions 30-17, shutout the Raiders 31-0 and beat the Commanders 28-7. Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, let’s not overthink this.
2A. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2, up 2 spots): The reigning Super Bowl champs seem to have righted their offense, putting up 66 points over the last two games. Jalen Hurts has been excellent through the air, completing 79 percent of his passes in that span with 7 TDs and 0 INTs, and Saquon Barkley broke out with a season-high 150 rushing yards (10.7 yards per carry), a rushing TD and a receiving TD in the 38-20 win over the Giants.
2B. Detroit Lions (5-2, down from 2 to 2B): The Lions were on a bye last week. Detroit again has one of the most prolific offenses in the NFL (ranking third at 30.7 points per game) but with what looks to be the best defense it’s had under Dan Campbell. The Lions are giving up the eighth-fewest yards in the league (300.0 per game). Because the Eagles are a proven postseason team and the Lions took an early exit in the playoffs last season, Philadelphia gets the slightest of edges here.
4. Buffalo Bills (5-2, down 1 spot): The Bills drop a spot only to accommodate the surging Eagles. Buffalo just played its best game of the season in a 40-9 win over the Panthers. The defense looked much better than the last time it was on the field in a loss to the Falcons two weeks earlier, and James Cook rushed for 216 yards (11.4 YPC) and 2 TDs to ignite the offense.
5. Indianapolis Colts (7-1, no change): Could Colts running back Jonathan Taylor become the first non-QB to win the NFL MVP since Adrian Peterson in 2012? He deserves to be squarely in the conversation, leading the league with 850 rushing yards and 14 total TDs (two receiving) while driving the Colts to their first 7-1 start since 2009. Indianapolis took it to Tennessee, 38-14, and leads the NFL in scoring (33.8 PPG) and total offense (385.3 YPG).
6. Green Bay Packers (5-1-1, up 1 spot): The Packers used a 21-point fourth quarter surge to get past Pittsburgh, 35-25, as QB Jordan Love played his best game of the season. Love completed 29-of-37 passes for 360 yards, 3 TDs and 0 INTs and had 20 straight completions at one point. If he takes his game to that level more consistently, this team has all the pieces to win it all.
7. Los Angeles Rams (5-2, down 1 spot): The Rams are coming off a bye and could get star WR Puka Nacua back from his ankle injury. Either way, the big picture upside of this team is Tier 1 worthy with QB Matthew Stafford still playing at an elite level (1,886 passing yards, 17 TDs, 2 INTs), Nacua and Davante Adams as good a WR tandem as there is, RB Kyren Williams another productive veteran and a defense allowing the third-fewest points in the league (16.7 per game).
Tier 2 Super Bowl Contenders
8. Denver Broncos (6-2, up 3 spots): We had to create two tiers for the contenders this week because, could we see one of these teams making a big postseason run? Yes, potentially. But not with the same confidence we’d attach to the top seven teams. Anyways, Denver is one of the big risers this week after a 44-24 demolition of the Cowboys. The Broncos have won five straight, lead the AFC West and their only two losses both came on decisive field goals as time expired. More to the point, this is a top-five defense and second-year QB Bo Nix is finding his confidence, accounting for 4 TDs in each of the last two games.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2, down 1 spot): The Bucs have been so impacted by injuries it’s hard to remember what they look like at full strength. The offense hasn’t looked as potent as it did early in the season as a result, but Tampa Bay nonetheless posted a 23-3 win over the Saints on Sunday despite being outgained 275-212, thanks to 4 New Orleans turnovers and a defensive TD.
10. Seattle Seahawks (5-2, down 1 spot): The Seahawks are coming off a bye, having posted two impressive wins over Jacksonville and Houston before that to build momentum. A 38-35 loss to Tampa Bay skews Seattle’s overall defensive numbers, but it has held every other opponent to 20 or fewer points. Sam Darnold is a wildcard, but the well-traveled QB has mostly played very well again this season.
11. San Francisco 49ers (5-3, down 1 spot): QB Mac Jones hasn’t been as good in recent weeks as he was earlier in the season with just 2 TD passes and 4 INTs over the last three games, while being held to fewer than 200 passing yards the last two games. The 49ers lost 26-15 to Houston on Sunday, and there remains no clear timetable for starting QB Brock Purdy to return from his turf toe injury. If this team gets mostly healthy, though …
Potentially Underrated
12. New England Patriots (6-2, no change): Do we have the surging Patriots ranked too low? Probably, hence the title of this tier! But it’s still too early to think this is a team that could get close to a Super Bowl. The Patriots lead the AFC East after five straight wins, but the last three victories came against the Saints, Titans and Browns, so let’s take it for what it is. That said, we are full believers in Pats QB Drake Maye being the real deal and deserving to be in the MVP conversation. He has 2,026 passing yards, the highest completion percentage in the league (75.2%), 15 TDs, 3 INTs and 250 rushing yards with 2 TDs.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3, up 2 spots): The potential for this team has always been high, but it has rarely fully manifested itself this year. The Chargers were at their best last week, though, in a 37-10 win over the Vikings in which Los Angeles held a 419-164 advantage in yards.
14. Baltimore Ravens (2-5, up 9 spots): We really haven’t known where to slot Baltimore for a while because the Ravens can’t really be judged on what happened with QB Lamar Jackson sidelined. He’s as valuable as any player in the league, and he’s now set to make his return Thursday night vs. Miami. With a much-needed win over the Bears on Sunday, Baltimore is still very much in the reach of the playoffs, just two games back in the AFC North with both games against division-leading Pittsburgh still to come. Could Baltimore be ranked in either of the tiers above? Sure, if it stays healthy. This is probably too low given the Ravens, potential, but at the same time their margin for error is thin after this 2-5 start.
Good But Not Great
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3, down 1 spot): At one point it looked like the Steelers might run away with the AFC North, but two straight losses has changed that. The Steelers are exactly what the title of this tier says they are.
16. Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1, no change): The Cowboys have not won two straight games all season. They either look really darn good or really bad. It was the latter Sunday in a 44-24 loss at Denver.
17. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3, no change): The Jaguars had a bye week to regroup after two straight losses. Wins over the Chiefs and 49ers are very notable, but the 35-7 loss to the Rams in their last game is hard to forget.
In The Playoff Hunt At Least
18. Washington Commanders (3-5, no change): QB Jayden Daniels is set to return this week from the hamstring injury that kept him out of Washington’s 28-7 loss to the Chiefs. This was the second injury to sideline Daniels this season, as the 2024 NFL Offensive Rookie of the Year has had a tough sophomore campaign. But this team did reach the NFC championship game last season, which can’t be forgotten.
19. Minnesota Vikings (3-4, no change): Backup QB Carson Wentz is done for the season as he undergoes shoulder surgery, which means the Vikings have no choice but to turn back to second-year QB J.J. McCarthy, who was exceptionally bad the last time he started a game. This is a talented roster, but it’s hard to overcome bad QB play. McCarthy will need to be much better.
20. Houston Texans (3-4, up 5 spots): QB CJ Stroud had his best game of the season in Houston’s 26-15 win over the 49ers, completing 30 of 39 passes for 318 yards, 2 TDs and an INT. A struggling offensive line has undermined the Texans to this point, but their defense is legit, allowing a NFL-low 266.9 YPG and 14.7 PPG.
21. Atlanta Falcons (3-4, down 7 spots): The Falcons were without QB Michael Penix Jr. and star WR Drake London in a 34-10 loss to Miami. Both could return this week for a big road game at New England as Atlanta looks to snap a two-game skid.
22. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5, no change): QB Joe Flacco has given the Bengals new life since coming over the Cleveland Browns, but a 39-38 loss to the New York Jets on Sunday hurts. The Bengals blew a 15-point lead in the fourth quarter against the previously-winless Jets.
23. Chicago Bears (4-3, down 3 spots): The Bears’ four-game winning streak came to a halt with a 30-16 loss to the Lamar Jackson-less Ravens. QB Caleb Williams has just 2 TD passes and 3 INTs over his last four games and needs to be better for the Bears to push for the playoffs.
24. Carolina Panthers (4-4, down 3 spots): The Panthers had a three-game winning streak end in a 40-9 loss to the Bills with backup QB Andy Dalton struggling to move the offense. Starter Bryce Young looks on track to return this week.
No Playoffs But Potentially Entertaining
25. Arizona Cardinals (2-5, up 1 spot): After missing two games with a foot injury, QB Kyler Murray is likely to make his return Monday night vs. Dallas. But the Cardinals are riding a five-game losing streak and too far back/not good enough to make a playoff push.
26. New York Giants (2-6, down 2 spots): Running back Cam Skattebo joins star receiver Malik Nabers on injured reserve with a season-ending ankle injury. It’s a tough blow for a team that had looking spry before the fourth quarter collapse at Denver and a blowout loss in Philadelphia.
The Dregs Of The NFL
27. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5, up 2 spots): The Raiders got a much-needed bye after a 31-0 beatdown from the Chiefs, and there is some good news. Star tight end Brock Bowers is ready to return to action after missing three games with a knee injury.
28. Cleveland Browns (2-6, down 1 spot): The Dillon Gabriel experiment is going about as well as could be expected. The rookie QB passed for 156 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INT in a 32-13 loss to the Patriots.
29. Miami Dolphins (2-6, up 2 spots): QB Tua Tagovailoa isn’t done yet. A week after a mid-game benching, Tagovailoa was excellent in a 34-10 road win over the Falcons, passing for 205 yards, 4 TDs and 0 INTs.
30. New York Jets (1-7, up 2 spots): The Jets got their first win under coach Aaron Glenn in surprising fashion — winning an offensive shootout with the Bengals, 39-38. Embattled QB Justin Fields passed for 244 yards and a TD, and Breece Hall rushed for 133 yards, 2 TDs and passed for a score.
31. New Orleans Saints (1-7, down 3 spots): One has to seriously question the Saints’ QB plan. New Orleans is benching Spencer Rattler, who was 1-13 in 14 career starts in favor of 2025 second-round pick Tyler Shough, who seemed like a reach in the draft. Both QBs tossed picks last week in a 23-3 loss to the Buccaneers.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-7, down 2 spots): No. 1 overall draft pick Cam Ward has been sacked a league-high 34 times — 6 more than any other QB. The Titans lost 38-14 to the Colts on Sunday.