New NFL Power Rankings: 1-32 poll, plus a reason for optimism for all 32 teams

Welcome to Week 9 of the NFL regular season.

Our powerfulness sheet -- a radical of much than 80 writers, editors and TV personalities -- evaluated however teams are stacking up done 8 weeks.

There was question successful our apical 10, but the apical 3 stay unchanged. The Seattle Seahawks and Atlanta Falcons are 2 astonishment teams that person played good and earned a bully leap successful the rankings this week. And the San Francisco 49ers' summation of Christian McCaffrey surely made a quality Sunday and successful these rankings. The New York Giants and New York Jets suffered losses that caused them to drop, but clip volition archer if they are bully capable to emergence again.

In summation to our updated rankings, we checked successful with NFL Nation reporters crossed the league and asked them to springiness 1 crushed for optimism connected each team. There is inactive fractional a play near and immoderate teams should absorption connected what they person going for them and effort to capitalize connected it.

Let's get to it.

Jump to a team:
ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN
CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND
JAX | KC | LV | LAC | LAR | MIA | MIN
NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SF
SEA | TB | TEN | WSH

1. Buffalo Bills (6-1)

Week 8 ranking: 1

Reason for optimism: Playing similar the champion squad successful the league

Let's not marque this complicated. There are truthful galore reasons to beryllium optimistic astir this team. The Bills are beating immoderate of the league's champion teams from past play (5-0 against 2021 playoff teams). Josh Allen is putting up an MVP run with 2,452 combined passing and rushing nett yards, the second-most done 7 games successful NFL past (Peyton Manning, 2013). Von Miller has made the interaction the squad hoped for and the defence leads the league successful interceptions (11) contempt losing information Micah Hyde (neck) for the play and dealing with a assortment of injuries successful the secondary. Finding the positives astir this squad isn't difficult. -- Alaina Getzenberg

2. Philadelphia Eagles (7-0)

Week 8 ranking: 2

Reason for optimism: Stellar start, casual finish

Philadelphia is 7-0 for conscionable the 2nd clip successful franchise history, matching the 2004 squad that precocious to Super Bowl XXXIX. Dreams of home-field vantage passim the playoffs are warranted: The Eagles person the easiest remaining spot of schedule, according to ESPN's Football Power Index. Playing successful the resurgent NFC East, not adjacent a divisional rubric is adjacent to a fastener astatine this stage, but they couldn't person asked for a amended commencement oregon to beryllium successful a amended presumption for the location stretch. -- Tim McManus

3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2)

Week 8 ranking: 3

Reason for optimism: Patrick Mahomes

The Chiefs person 3 comeback wins aft trailing by 10-plus points already this season. Mahomes is 13-9 (including playoffs) aft trailing by 10-plus points -- helium is the lone QB since the commencement of 1950 with a winning grounds aft trailing by treble digits (min. 10 games). So, they person bully crushed to judge they're ever successful the rubric hunt arsenic agelong arsenic they person Mahomes arsenic quarterback. The Chiefs person galore different reasons to judge they tin triumph different championship, including a defence that features an improved walk unreserved that has 19 sacks connected the play already. -- Adam Teicher

4. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

Week 8 ranking: 6

Reason for optimism: Defense ... but besides offense

The defence has been the communicative of the archetypal 8 games, giving up an mean of lone 16.6 points (ranked 3rd successful the league). The tally defense, though, is simply a worry, giving up an mean of 135.1 yards.

But the discourtesy is trending successful the close absorption since Dak Prescott's instrumentality from a fractured close thumb. The Cowboys person shown they tin tally the shot with Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard careless of circumstance, but the passing crippled is improving arsenic Prescott gets re-accustomed to CeeDee Lamb, Michael Gallup and Dalton Schultz. They'll request it arsenic the 2nd fractional begins and the games get much hard and important. -- Todd Archer

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Ryan Clark makes the lawsuit for Ezekiel Elliott and Tony Pollard to stock clip connected the field.

5. Minnesota Vikings (6-1)

Week 8 ranking: 5

Reason for optimism: Success successful adjacent games

The Vikings' 6-1 grounds is highlighted by 5 victories successful one-possession games. There is nary uncertainty they person had immoderate notable and concerning lulls connected some sides of the shot wrong games, but they are uncovering ways to triumph -- either done cardinal fourth-quarter plays oregon successful what manager Kevin O'Connell calls "the margins." That's an exceptional trait to person incorporated arsenic the playoff contention approaches, and it is simply a reminder that teams tin triumph autarkic of whether they person a amended discourtesy and/or defence than their opponents. -- Kevin Seifert

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

Week 8 ranking: 7

Reason for optimism: Favorable remaining schedule

Seven of Baltimore's remaining 9 games travel against teams presently with losing records. ESPN's FPI indicates the Ravens person the 11th-easiest docket the remainder of the way, but it looks softer than that. The combined grounds of Baltimore's remaining opponents is 23-41 (.359). The Ravens look the struggling Steelers (2-6) doubly on with the Carolina Panthers (2-6) and Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6). Plus, Lamar Jackson is 21-7 (.750) successful November and December arsenic the Ravens' QB. -- Jamison Hensley

7. Miami Dolphins (5-3)

Week 8 ranking: 10

Reason for optimism: Tua Tagovailoa

It is astonishing to deliberation that 1 twelvemonth ago, the speech surrounding Tagovailoa focused connected whether the Dolphins would commercialized for different quarterback. In his 3rd season, he's made those arguments look silly. He leads the NFL successful backmost standing and ranks 3rd successful completion percentage, 4th successful touchdown-to-interception ratio and seventh successful passing touchdowns contempt missing 2 afloat games. Miami owns the sixth-best discourtesy successful the NFL successful presumption of yards per game, successful ample portion to the play of its quarterback. -- Marcel Louis-Jacques

8. Seattle Seahawks (5-3)

Week 8 ranking: 13

Reason for optimism: Rookie class

With 3 consecutive wins and a one-game pb successful the NFC West, the Seahawks person plentifulness of reasons for optimism. Their rookie people is 1 of them, some for the semipermanent and the present. Six of their 9 draught picks are already big-time contributors. Charles Cross and Abe Lucas some fertile successful the apical fractional of starting tackles successful ESPN's walk artifact triumph rate. Running backmost Kenneth Walker III has 5 touchdowns successful the past 4 games. Cornerbacks Tariq Woolen and Coby Bryant person forced a combined 8 turnovers. Outside linebacker Boye Mafe has a brace of sacks. Undrafted information Joey Blount is making an interaction connected peculiar teams arsenic well. -- Brady Henderson

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)

Week 8 ranking: 14

Reason for optimism: Offensive targets

The Niners relied truthful heavy connected their defence successful the archetypal 5 weeks of the play that immoderate regression was lone earthy erstwhile that radical got spot by the wounded bug. But the 49ers traded for Christian McCaffrey successful hopes it would bolster the discourtesy capable to marque up for immoderate driblet disconnected the defence mightiness suffer. Now, the Niners participate the 2nd fractional of the play with McCaffrey, receivers Deebo Samuel and Brandon Aiyuk, moving backmost Jeff Wilson Jr. and choky extremity George Kittle. Running backmost Elijah Mitchell and fullback Kyle Juszczyk are expected to travel backmost aft the bye week. That's a full batch of firepower for QB Jimmy Garoppolo. -- Nick Wagoner

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Field Yates discusses wherefore the versatility successful the 49ers discourtesy volition proceed to physique affirmative phantasy output for Christian McCaffrey.

10. Tennessee Titans (5-2)

Week 8 ranking: 11

Reason for optimism: Rush attack

Titans moving backmost Derrick Henry and the violative enactment person deed a groove that includes four-consecutive 100-yard rushing performances from Henry, including Sunday's 219-yard day. Henry carried the Titans to the AFC Championship Game 3 years ago, truthful seeing him bash truthful erstwhile again isn't retired of crushed for Tennessee. As Mike Vrabel said aft the Texans game, "The quality betwixt america and the remainder of the different teams is we person Derrick Henry." -- Turron Davenport

11. New York Giants (6-2)

Week 8 ranking: 4

Reason for optimism: Saquon Barkley

He is the Giants' offense. Barkley has accounted for 38% of their full yards truthful acold this season, 2nd astir of immoderate subordinate this play down Tennessee's Henry. He's connected gait for 2,057 all-purpose yards. That would apical his rookie twelvemonth numbers (albeit with an other 17th game). Still, Barkley unsocial has been worthy the terms of admission. As agelong arsenic helium remains healthy, determination is nary crushed to judge that volition change. And he'll apt pb this light-on-talent Giants squad to the playoffs. -- Jordan Raanan

12. Cincinnati Bengals (4-4)

Week 8 ranking: 9

Reason for optimism: A clicking offense

Ja'Marr Chase's hep wounded surely puts a damper connected the violative uptick the past mates of weeks. But with however good Joe Burrow looked anterior to Monday Night Football, coupled with the extent astatine the apical of the extent illustration with receivers Tee Higgins and Tyler Boyd, Cincinnati should inactive person capable firepower to proceed to person 1 of the league's champion offenses. After a dilatory start, the Bengals ranked 4th successful the NFL successful points and touchdowns per thrust entering Monday. That ratio level is what Cincinnati lacked during past season's tally to the Super Bowl. -- Ben Baby

13. New York Jets (5-3)

Week 8 ranking: 8

Reason for optimism: Dee-fense!

The Jets person held opponents nether 23 points successful 5 consecutive games, and their defence is bully capable to support them successful the playoff conversation. Led by DT Quinnen Williams and cornerbacks Sauce Gardner and D.J. Reed, the Jets are beardown connected the beforehand and backmost ends. Gardner is simply a beardown campaigner for NFL Defensive Rookie of the Year. Williams' six sacks already is 1 shy of his vocation high. The Jets person feasted connected a fistful of backup QBs, a origin successful their No. 6 ranking successful full yards allowed, but it's inactive a prime defense. -- Rich Cimini

14. Los Angeles Rams (3-4)

Week 8 ranking: 12

Reason for optimism: Cooper Kupp

The Rams' discourtesy revolves astir Kupp this season, and helium continues to beryllium a accordant people for Matthew Stafford. Kupp did injure his ankle astatine the extremity of the Rams' nonaccomplishment to the 49ers connected Sunday, but helium said aft the crippled helium feels "pretty bully close now." The Rams' discourtesy has struggled to get into a accordant bushed for agelong stretches, but if the portion is going to crook it astir this season, it volition apt beryllium due to the fact that the Stafford-Kupp transportation takes implicit games for Los Angeles. -- Sarah Barshop

15. Atlanta Falcons (4-4)

Week 8 ranking: 19

Reason for optimism: First spot successful NFC South

Admit it, you didn't person the Atlanta Falcons successful archetypal spot astatine midseason. It's OK. Not galore people, if anyone, did. But the Falcons person established themselves arsenic the NFL's No. 4 rushing onslaught by yardage. That they've done it with a converted wide receiver (Cordarrelle Patterson), a fifth-round prime (Tyler Allgeier), an undrafted escaped cause (Caleb Huntley) and a erstwhile cornerback (Avery Williams) is adjacent much impressive. If the Falcons are going to proceed this the remainder of the season, it'll travel with their individuality -- meaning their tally crippled -- intact and continuing to beryllium impressive. Doesn't hurt, either, that lone 2 Atlanta aboriginal opponents person an over-.500 grounds astatine the moment. -- Michael Rothstein

16. Los Angeles Chargers (4-3)

Week 8 ranking: 15

Reason for optimism: Joey Bosa

The Chargers person been decimated by injuries. A few, including near tackle Rashawn Slater and cornerback J.C. Jackson, are of the season-ending variety. The Chargers placed antiaircraft extremity Joey Bosa connected injured reserve aft helium suffered a groin wounded successful Week 3 that required surgery, but manager Brandon Staley has continued to explicit optimism that the Pro Bowl borderline rusher volition instrumentality this season. That would beryllium large quality for a defence that -- contempt starring walk rusher Khalil Mack and information Derwin James Jr. -- has underachieved this season. -- Lindsey Thiry

17. New England Patriots (4-4)

Week 8 ranking: 18

Reason for optimism: Rhamondre Stevenson

The second-year moving backmost is coming into his ain arsenic the uncommon benignant of each down enactment -- powerfulness connected aboriginal downs and pass-catching prowess connected 3rd down. Sunday's triumph implicit the Jets was the latest illustration of however Stevenson is 1 of the champion things the Patriots person going, with 16 rushes for 71 yards and 7 catches for 72 yards. -- Mike Reiss

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Field Yates and Liz Loza springiness precocious praise to Rhamondre Stevenson for his consecutive coagulated phantasy performances.

18. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 17

Reason for optimism: They've already beaten the Falcons once

At 3-5, determination isn't overmuch to consciousness bully astir successful Tampa close now, but it tin instrumentality vantage of it being a down twelvemonth successful the NFC South. The Bucs inactive person a 38% accidental to triumph the part and a 44% accidental of making playoffs (this dropped from a 53% accidental to triumph the part aft the Falcons bushed the Panthers Sunday), according to ESPN Stats & Information. The Bucs besides person the 12th easiest remaining schedule, according to ESPN's FPI. The first-place Falcons person the second-easiest though, but that's wherefore that head-to-head triumph could travel successful useful if the Bucs tin ascent retired of this messiness they're in. -- Jenna Laine

19. Washington Commanders (4-4)

Week 8 ranking: 21

Reason for optimism: Defensive line

Defensive tackles Jon Allen and Daron Payne person played good this play and person been a cardinal portion successful improved antiaircraft play overall. In the past six weeks, Washington's defence ranks 5th successful yards per carry, eighth successful sack percent per dropbacks, 5th successful yards and ninth successful points. And it starts up front, wherever the Commanders person endowment and depth. Allen has 3.5 sacks and 9 tackles for a loss, 2 shy of his vocation best. Payne has 4.5 sacks, a fractional sack shy of his vocation best, and his six tackles for a nonaccomplishment are 1 disconnected his vocation high. Montez Sweat has played fine, but helium should beryllium helped by the instrumentality of Chase Young. Young is expected to signifier Wednesday, but mightiness not play until Week 10 astatine Philadelphia. Still, his instrumentality volition beryllium a large boost. -- John Keim

20. Green Bay Packers (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 16

Reason for optimism: Aaron Jones

Jones ranks tied for 5th among each moving backs successful yards per transportation (5.87) and 5th successful full rushing yards (575). He's besides tied for 5th successful rushes of 10 yards oregon much (17) by a RB, truthful helium mightiness beryllium the Packers' champion accidental for explosive gains. With thing other to bent their chapeau connected offensively, the moving crippled (along with AJ Dillon) mightiness beryllium their champion hope. -- Rob Demovsky

21. New Orleans Saints (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 26

Reason for optimism: They're susceptible of playing mistake escaped football

The Saints person lamented being their ain worst force for astir the full season, turning the shot implicit successful a nonaccomplishment to the Bucs, allowing a precocious touchdown against the Bengals and throwing pick-sixes against the Cardinals. But they showed against the Raiders that they're inactive susceptible of playing the benignant of defence that led them to wins successful the past fewer seasons. They besides didn't crook the shot implicit connected Sunday, sparking anticipation that possibly Alvin Kamara's accountability code to the squad helped them crook the corner. -- Katherine Terrell

22. Indianapolis Colts (3-4-1)

Week 8 ranking: 22

Reason for optimism: Defense

The Colts' violative results didn't alteration adjacent though the backmost did (from Matt Ryan to Sam Ehlinger). But the defence has been this team's astir accordant constituent successful 2022. Indianapolis is eighth successful scoring defense, allowing 19.6 points per game. In the past 4 games, the Colts person allowed 16.3 points against their defence (the Titans scored a antiaircraft touchdown against the Colts successful Week 7). Coordinator Gus Bradley's portion is legit. -- Stephen Holder

23. Cleveland Browns (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 25

Reason for optimism: Offensive accomplishment talent

Cleveland's violative accomplishment endowment has either met oregon exceeded expectations. Amari Cooper has performed similar a morganatic No. 1 receiver, Donovan Peoples-Jones has made a ton of pugnacious and contested catches and choky extremity David Njoku was having a vocation play until suffering a high-ankle sprain past week (he should beryllium backmost soon). Throw successful Pro Bowl RB Nick Chubb and the Browns mightiness person 1 of the league's much underrated accomplishment contingents. That's a large wherefore Cleveland has ranked successful the apical 10 successful violative ratio for overmuch of the play contempt playing backup QB Jacoby Brissett. -- Jake Trotter

24. Arizona Cardinals (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 20

Reason for optimism: DeAndre Hopkins

Hopkins has helped revive an discourtesy that was stuck successful the mud earlier helium returned from a six-game suspension. He has astatine slightest 100 yards receiving successful each of his archetypal 2 games backmost and has provided a jolt to an discourtesy that needed one. If the Cardinals tin fig retired their self-inflicted mistakes, they tin utilize Hopkins successful ways that could assistance them triumph games. -- Josh Weinfuss

25. Denver Broncos (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 27

Reason for optimism: Defense

The discourtesy has scored much than 16 points successful conscionable 2 games this season, truthful it relied connected the defence to beryllium the root of hope. And the Broncos person stood gangly connected that broadside of the shot done the archetypal 8 games arsenic they are among the league's champion successful full defense, scoring defence and reddish portion defense. Ejiro Evero's radical has surrendered immoderate rushing yards astatine times -- astir notably to the Raiders successful Week 4 and the Jaguars successful London this past Sunday -- but wide they person flooded their ain offense's failings astir of the time. -- Jeff Legwold

26. Chicago Bears (3-5)

Week 8 ranking: 28

Reason for optimism: Justin Fields' development

Fields has shown sizeable maturation successful Chicago's past 2 games -- a triumph astatine New England and nonaccomplishment astatine Dallas -- and looks similar a antithetic backmost from wherever helium was successful Weeks 1-6. That tangible betterment is thing this franchise tin beryllium excited astir agelong term, considering however good Fields has performed contempt the deficiency of endowment astir him. The second-year QB posted the highest passer standing of his vocation (120.0) against the Cowboys and is showing the Bears that helium whitethorn beryllium their semipermanent answer. -- Courtney Cronin

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Mina Kimes and Marcus Spears interruption down the Ravens' determination to commercialized for Roquan Smith.

27. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)

Week 8 ranking: 23

Reason for optimism: Star powerfulness astatine violative accomplishment positions

Sure, there's been galore fits and starts arsenic the Raiders proceed to get acclimated to first-year manager Josh McDaniels' scheme, adjacent aft 7 games. But determination is acold excessively overmuch prima powerfulness for Las Vegas to flounder astir astatine 2-5. Pro Bowlers abound, from QB Derek Carr to WRs Davante Adams and Hunter Renfrow to TE Darren Waller to RB Josh Jacobs, truthful surely they'll close their vessel soon, no? Plus, Las Vegas is astir to participate the brushed underbelly of their schedule. -- Paul Gutierrez

28. Carolina Panthers (2-6)

Week 8 ranking: 30

Reason for optimism: NFC South is simply a mess

Despite Sunday's overtime nonaccomplishment to the Falcons, the Panthers stay lone 2 games backmost successful the nonaccomplishment file to Atlanta and are lone 1 crippled retired of 2nd place. They besides are 2-1 successful the part and get the Falcons again connected Nov. 10 for Thursday Night Football. So, similar the 2014 play wherever they were 3-8-1 with 4 games near and won retired to triumph the division, they inactive power their destiny. And they are playing good capable present to win. -- David Newton

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-6)

Week 8 ranking: 24

Reason for optimism: Travis Etienne Jr.

Etienne is sixth successful the NFL successful rushing (571 yards) acknowledgment to gaining 270 yards implicit the past 2 games, including 156 against the Denver Broncos successful London connected Sunday. Etienne started the play arsenic James Robinson's backup, but by the extremity of the archetypal period helium was outperforming Robinson. The Jaguars yet made him the starter and traded Robinson to the New York Jets. Now, Etienne is connected gait to travel adjacent to Fred Taylor's rookie rushing grounds (1,223 yards successful 1998). With the Jaguars connected a five-game losing streak, Etienne is 1 of the fewer agleam spots. -- Michael DiRocco

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)

Week 8 ranking: 29

Reason for optimism: T.J. Watt's impending return

There's not overmuch to beryllium optimistic astir aft the undefeated Eagles soundly dismantled the Steelers, but immoderate assistance is connected the skyline with reigning NFL Defensive Player of the Year T.J. Watt acceptable to marque his instrumentality from injured reserve aft the bye. Without Watt, the Steelers person conscionable 8 sacks since Week 2 -- tied for lowest successful the league with the Falcons implicit that stretch. Watt can't hole everything that ails the Steelers, but his beingness tin inactive springiness the defence a important boost. -- Brooke Pryor

31. Detroit Lions (1-6)

Week 8 ranking: 31

Reason for optimism: It's Year 2 of the rebuild

The Lions nationalist diagnostic connected HBO's "Hard Knocks" whitethorn person fixed the nationalist immoderate benignant of mendacious anticipation that they would beryllium overmuch amended than they really are. Through 7 games, 1 triumph surely isn't acceptable, but Lions proprietor Sheila Ford Hamp told reporters past week that she continues to judge successful caput manager Dan Campbell and wide manager Brad Holmes to crook things around. Detroit has a brace of first-round picks successful the upcoming 2023 draught with a batch of young endowment connected the existent roster, and if they're decently developed could assistance alteration the losing civilization successful Motown. -- Eric Woodyard

32. Houston Texans (1-5-1)

Week 8 ranking: 32

Reason for optimism: Rookie class

Optimism whitethorn look hard to find this season; however, determination is one: The 2022 draught class. The Texans rookie people yielded 4 starters successful cornerback Derek Stingley Jr., near defender Kenyon Green, information Jalen Pitre and moving backmost Dameon Pierce. Quarterbacks person a 56% completion complaint erstwhile Stingley is the nearest defender and helium has an interception; Green has started the bulk of the season; Pitre has 5 tackles for loss, 1 sack and 2 interceptions; and Pierce leads each rookie moving backs successful rushing (539) and is successful the league's apical 12 successful rushing. -- DJ Bien-Aime