NFL Power Rankings: Week 9

By Buck Kincaid Hizzle's Football Expert, Tuesday, Nov 3, 2026

Week 9 is here and my recliner is already sauced up. Jacksonville has the best point differential in the league at +85, and the Chargers are still 0-7. Grab your wings, hide your remotes, and let's go.

1. 1 ▲5
   JAX Jacksonville Jaguars 5-2

   Plus 85 point differential, best in the league. Run defense gives up 77.4 a game, 1st of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win, and Jacksonville stops it cold. Baltimore on Thursday. Bring a helmet.

2. 2 –
   SF San Francisco 49ers 6-1

   6-1 with a +58 differential and a run defense at 89.0 yards allowed, 5th of 32. The Niners tackle like they mean it. The Atlanta loss was a blip. Vegas visits Sunday.

3. 3 ▲1
   CHI Chicago Bears 6-2

   Three straight wins, including 34-17 at Seattle. Run defense is 4th at 86.8 a game. That's a real defense, folks. Tampa Bay comes to town and I will be loud about it.

4. 4 ▼1
   BUF Buffalo Bills 6-1

   6-1 after smashing Baltimore 36-10. Josh Allen keeps rolling and the road is 3-0. Monday night in Minnesota is a heavyweight fight and I'm clearing the couch.

5. 5 ▲2
   CIN Cincinnati Bengals 5-2

   Won 43-36 in OT over Tennessee, their third straight win. Joe Burrow is cooking. But 122.3 rushing yards allowed, 20th, is how a good team gets embarrassed. Atlanta next.

6. 6 ▼5
   MIN Minnesota Vikings 6-1

   6-1 and +47, but they just lost 19-15 at Detroit. Kyler Murray and company now face Buffalo on Monday. Run defense is 17th at 116.7. Middle of the pack won't cut it.

7. 7 ▲2
   PIT Pittsburgh Steelers 6-2

   Four straight wins, and the last was a 27-6 stomping of Cleveland. Run defense is 3rd at 83.9 a game. Now they get a bye. Rest up, boys, and keep the wings warm.

8. 8 ▲2
   DET Detroit Lions 5-2

   Three straight wins and a perfect 4-0 at home. Run defense is 9th at 96.6. Jared Goff keeps grinding out tight ones. Road trip to Miami is a chance to fix that 1-2 away mark.

9. 9 ▼4
   KC Kansas City Chiefs 5-2

   5-2 on paper, but two straight losses, 28-24 at Denver and 3-20 at Seattle. Patrick Mahomes needs to stop the bleeding. Run defense is 8th at 96.3. The Jets visit. Fix it.

10. 10 ▲1
    DEN Denver Broncos 6-2

    Four straight wins and 4-0 at home, the latest a 28-24 squeaker over Kansas City. Bo Nix keeps finding a way. But 127.9 rushing yards allowed, 25th, is a problem. Carolina is next.

11. 11 ▲1
    NE New England Patriots 5-3

    5-3 and +22 after beating Miami 24-19. Run defense is 6th at 92.6, which I love. Drake Maye and the boys host Green Bay. Time to prove it's not a fluke.

12. 12 ▲6
    LA Los Angeles Rams 4-4

    Two straight wins, including 24-9 over the Chargers. Plus 26 on the year, but only 4-4. Matthew Stafford gets Washington next. Time to stack some wins, fellas.

13. 13 ▼5
    SEA Seattle Seahawks 4-4

    4-4 with a +26 differential, but Chicago just ran them over 34-17. Run defense is 7th at 94.0, so the front is fine. The offense has to show up Sunday against Arizona.

14. 14 ▲1
    GB Green Bay Packers 5-3

    Beat Carolina 27-19 to get to 5-3. Jordan Love and the boys are solid, not scary. Run defense is 15th at 110.9. Road trip to New England will tell me plenty.

15. 15 ▼1
    NYG New York Giants 4-2-1

    4-2-1 and hanging around. They beat Houston 27-21 in OT. J.J. McCarthy keeps the Giants in games. Run defense is 26th at 128.1, though. Philly next. Tackle somebody.

16. 16 ▲4
    TB Tampa Bay Buccaneers 3-5

    Only 3-5, but a +27 differential and two straight wins, including a 16-0 shutout of Atlanta. Run defense is 2nd at 80.0 a game. That's my kind of defense. Chicago is a real test.

17. 17 ▼4
    CLE Cleveland Browns 5-3

    5-3 but minus 34 on points. Got blown out 27-6 by Pittsburgh. Perfect at home, 3-0, though. Run defense is 24th at 126.5, and the Saints are next. Don't get cute.

18. 18 ▲1
    DAL Dallas Cowboys 3-5

    3-5. They scored 30 and still lost to Arizona in OT. Run defense is dead last at 152.8 a game, 32nd of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Cowboys, I'm throwing a remote.

19. 19 ▲4
    LV Las Vegas Raiders 4-4

    Got a 38-33 win at the Jets to move to 4-4. Plenty of points, but 144.9 rushing yards allowed is 31st of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Niners are next. Good luck.

20. 20 ▼4
    BAL Baltimore Ravens 4-4

    Three straight losses, the last a 36-10 beating at Buffalo. Lamar Jackson and company have scored 10 or 13 in two of them. Run defense is 13th at 102.8. Thursday vs Jacksonville is rough.

21. 21 ▼4
    ATL Atlanta Falcons 3-5

    Got shut out 16-0 at Tampa Bay. Zero points, folks. Run defense is 18th at 118.3. Cincinnati rolls in Sunday with Joe Burrow. Atlanta, find some offense.

22. 22 –
    HOU Houston Texans 2-5

    2-5 and 0-4 at home. Lost 27-21 in OT to the Giants. Run defense is 11th at 98.0, so the front is fine. C.J. Stroud has to finish games. A trip to the Chargers is the cure.

23. 23 ▼2
    CAR Carolina Panthers 3-4

    Lost 27-19 at Green Bay after a 43-13 beatdown by Tampa Bay. Bryce Young can't do it alone. Run defense gives up 140.7, 30th of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Denver is next.

24. 24 ▲4
    WAS Washington Commanders 2-4-1

    Beat Philly 27-10 and Jayden Daniels looked sharp. Still just 2-4-1 and 0-4 on the road. Run defense is 12th at 99.1, which is solid. The Rams are coming Sunday.

25. 25 –
    ARI Arizona Cardinals 3-5

    Won 33-30 in OT at Dallas behind Jacoby Brissett. Still 0-3 at home and minus 63 on points. Seattle awaits Sunday. Run defense is 19th at 122.1, so nothing to brag about.

26. 26 –
    NO New Orleans Saints 2-5

    2-5 and 0-3 at home. Lost 10-16 to Pittsburgh. Tyler Shough has had some moments. But 139.4 rushing yards allowed, 29th of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Cleveland next.

27. 27 ▼3
    NYJ New York Jets 2-6

    Three straight losses, the latest a 38-33 shootout with Vegas. Geno Smith can sling it, but the defense gives it back. Kansas City is next. Hide the remotes.

28. 28 ▼1
    IND Indianapolis Colts 2-6

    Four straight losses, including a 42-7 beatdown at Jacksonville. Daniel Jones and the Colts allow 130.8 on the ground, 27th of 32. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. Dallas visits.

29. 29 –
    MIA Miami Dolphins 1-6

    1-6 and 0-3 at home. Lost 24-19 to New England. Malik Willis kept it close, but close doesn't count. Detroit shows up Sunday. Brace yourselves, Dolphins fans.

30. 30 –
    PHI Philadelphia Eagles 2-6

    Six straight losses, the latest 27-10 at Washington. Tanner McKee has not had much help. Run defense is 28th at 131.9. If you can't stop the run, you can't win. The Giants are next.

31. 31 –
    TEN Tennessee Titans 1-7

    1-7 and 0-4 at home. Lost 43-36 in OT at Cincinnati, so the offense showed up. The defense did not. A bye is welcome. Cam Ward, use the week to fix the tackling.

32. 32 –
    LAC Los Angeles Chargers 0-7

    0-7, the only winless team in the league. Worst point differential at minus 76, seven straight losses. Justin Herbert is stuck in the mud. Houston comes to town. Somebody, win a game.

Tell Buck he's wrong

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• Buck Kincaid Hizzle Expert 1 day ago

  Week 9 is here and my recliner is already sauced up. Jacksonville has the best point differential in the league at +85, and the Chargers are still 0-7. Grab your wings, hide your remotes, and let's go. My top 5: 1. Jacksonville Jaguars: Plu...

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Past editions

• 2026 Week 9
• 2026 Week 8
• 2026 Week 7

Schedule and scores: nflverse. Picks: the Sim, Hizzle's own model. Power rankings: Buck Kincaid. Times are Central. Not affiliated with the NFL.