PFT’s Week 9 2022 NFL power rankings

NFL: OCT 30 Steelers at Eagles
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1. Eagles (7-0; last week No. 1): They’ve matched their best start in franchise history. Only the Texans are standing in the way of 8-0. In other words, they’ll be 8-0.

2. Bills (6-1; No. 2): They get just a little too lackadaisical at times against lesser foes.

3. Chiefs (5-2; No. 3): Kadarius Toney could be a poor man’s Tyreek Hill. Which is still better than no Tyreek Hill at all.

4. Cowboys (6-2; No. 4): If Micah Parsons wants to play offense, let him.

5. Vikings (6-1; No. 6): We’ll find out how good this team really is in November; every opponent this month is currently at or above .500.

6. Giants (6-2; No. 5): It had to end sometime.

7. Ravens (5-3; No. 8): Roquan Smith could be exactly what a defense that struggles to hold leads needs.

8. Titans (5-2; No. 9): The Titans are the most overlooked very good team of the decade.

9. Seahawks (5-3; No. 11): They keep getting better and better.

10. Dolphins (5-3; No. 12): Tyreek Hill has gotten his wish to produce like Cooper Kupp in 2021. Can the Dolphins produce like the Rams did, too?

11. Jets (5-3; No. 7): Zach Wilson could be running out of time to prove he’s the guy.

12. 49ers (4-4; No. 16): If their key players can stay healthy, they can win it all.

13. Patriots (4-4; No. 19): Every time it looks like they’re falling apart, they find a way to get it together.

14. Chargers (4-3; No. 15): Post-bye, the Chargers need to start getting more out of Justin Herbert. Otherwise, he may be the only one left next year.

15. Bengals (4-4; No. 10): They need Ja'Marr Chase back on the field ASAP.

16. Falcons (4-4; No. 21): Alone in first place in the NFC South. Just like we all expected.

17. Commanders (4-4; No. 22): The football team plays surprisingly well when ownership is under siege.

18. Packers (3-5; No. 13): It’s not hyperbole to say that any remaining hope they have hinges on beating the Lions.

19. Buccaneers (3-5; No. 14): The Rams officially ended Tom Brady‘s 2021 season in January. They could unofficially end his 2022 season on Sunday.

20. Rams (3-4; No. 17): Sean McVay may be wishing he’d taken the Amazon money when he could have.

21. Browns (3-5; No. 27): Where has this team been hiding all year?

22. Bears (3-5; No. 18): They’re content to plan for a potential takeover of the NFC North, as soon as 2023.

23. Cardinals (3-5; No. 20): One step forward, one step back.

24. Colts (3-4-1; No. 23): The best outcome at this point would be for them to launch a nature-takes-it-course tank job, right into potential franchise quarterback in the draft.

25. Saints (3-5; No. 29): If the defense keeps playing like it did on Sunday, they can become a factor.

26. Broncos (3-5; No. 30): Barely beating a bad team doesn’t really change anything.

27. Panthers (2-6; No. 25): If they can recover from what happened in Atlanta, Steve Wilks definitely should keep the job for 2023.

28. Jaguars (2-6; No. 26): The clock is already ticking on Trevor Lawrence.

29. Steelers (2-6; No. 28): The fact that it’s been so long that they’ve been this bad makes it even more jarring to see.

30. Raiders (2-5; No. 24): Maybe they should have given Rich Bisaccia a chance.

31. Texans (1-5-1; No. 31): Twenty years after joining the league, they feel like an expansion team all over again.

32. Lions (1-6; No. 32): Having a coach who’s a real character is good. Having a coach who wins at least once per month would be even better.

74 responses to “PFT’s Week 9 2022 NFL power rankings

  1. 8. Titans (5-2; No. 9): The Titans are the most overlooked very good team of the decade.>>

    Only overlooked by the football media types who only care about the Packers and Cowboys, etc.

  2. This is the result of a decade of bad coaching, no discipline, zero accountability, and endless arrogance by mediocre Mike. Everyone protects him and treats him like he’s some great coach. Where’s his coaching tree??? After 15 years he should have coaches all through the NFL. He road Ben’s coat tails and neither of them won a significant game in over a decade. This team is a mess and he’s still telling people it’s just a few penalties away from being a super bowl contender. At this point everyone needs a fresh start. I’d trade off every big contract and accumulate cap space and draft picks. This team is going no where with or without captain catch phrase.

  3. You all love the Packers so Much you still think they are the best 3-5 team out there?

  4. This is why they play the games. Think about how different this list is than it was at the start of the season.

  5. Couldn’t agree more with the Raiders ranking and comment. Too bad the fans don’t run the team.

  6. 220. Los Vegas Aces
    221. Connecticut Sun
    222. Green Bay Packers
    223. Tampa Bradys

  7. The Steelers at #29? Seriously? This sounds like another case of déjà vu happening all over again. The Steelers have only lost 2 games in a row and even though there are 9 games left in the regular season everybody is ready to hit the panic button. I seem to remember back in 2005 a Steeler team that lost 3 in a row with only 4 regular season games left but went on to win those 4 plus 4 more including the Super Bowl! Everyone knows the tough part of the Steeler schedule is over and there is a very real chance they can run the table again! Never count out a Mike Tomlin coached team or you will be sorry!

  8. 2. Bills (6-1; No. 2): They get just a little too lackadaisical at times against lesser foes.
    ——————
    Ugly wins still count. High octane is not sustainable over 17 games.

  9. Queue all the “BuT ThE EaGlEs HaVeN’t PlAyEd AnYoNe YeT” comments. But if you looks at the list they beat #4 and #5…

  10. “Power rankings” should be called what it is: “The Standings, minus conferences”, with some personal bias (see Packers, Green Bay).

  11. ctiggs says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:22 am
    Doesnt matter, Niners will be the last team standing. Run CMC. Bang bang.

    With Garoppolo? LOL yah ok

  12. How are the Jets ranked higher than two teams that have beaten them, Bengals and Patriots, solely because they have one more win? Their only win over a team with a winning record was against the Dolphins who were starting their 3rd string rookie QB in that game.
    And the Titans are rightfully being overlooked because again, who have they beaten and who did they lose to? Zero wins against teams with a winning record, with losses to the Giants and a thorough beatdown by the Bills. Rewarding them with a top ten spot for having beaten the Colts twice, Texans, Raiders, and Commanders is absurd. The AFC South remains the worst division in football.

  13. 2. Bills (6-1; No. 2): They get just a little too lackadaisical at times against lesser foes.
    ————-

    Hard to stay motivated when a game is over so quickly and you’re already looking to the next game while still playing in the 3rd quarter.

  14. garyandersonsonly1998fgmiss says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:56 am
    Philly has played 4 of the bottom 5 teams so far. Enough said.

    But also 2 of the top 5. They can only play the schedule they are given.

  15. “Kadarius Toney could be a poor man’s Tyreek Hill. Which is still better than no Tyreek Hill at all”
    —————–
    Chiefs have the #1 scoring offense in the league without Hill. Tyreek is the #1 ranked WR in the league without the Chiefs.

    Can we stop with the all of the Chiefs/Tyreek missing each other stuff already?

  16. How are the packers still in the top 31? Just kidding pack fans, step back from the ledge.

  17. I love the conversation these mid season rankings elicit. I wish PFT would do a power ranking of the NFL owners.

  18. Man, when I watch the Bills – I just think no other team can keep up on offence. (Maybe Chiefs) Their defense is pretty legit as well. If they can snag a Kamara or Hunt that would be it, their only weakness is their run game in my opinion. They also have a fairly light schedule down the stretch. (Vikings are only good team, Bengals are so up and down its hard to say) I am a little suspect of who the Eagles have played, but they don’t pick the schedule and its hard to go undefeated for 8 straight, so you have to give them some respect.

  19. Despite playing 16 more games than the Vikings have, the rest of the NFC North only has one more combined win.

  20. Philly has played 4 of the bottom 5 teams so far. Enough said.

    _______________________________

    They also played Arizona without their best player. Hopkins is a HUGE difference maker. If he is not on the field in Minnesota the Cards don’t score more than 10-13 points.

  21. Walter Strain says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:07 am
    ctiggs says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:22 am
    Doesnt matter, Niners will be the last team standing. Run CMC. Bang bang.

    With Garoppolo? LOL yah ok

    2812Rate This
    —————————————————————————————
    Har har, the guy is so bad he is only good enough to take a team to the Super Bowl.

  22. 7. Commanders (4-4; No. 22): The football team plays surprisingly well whe the media is hating on them just because they don’t like their own.

  23. onlinetoughguy says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:02 am

    Queue all the “BuT ThE EaGlEs HaVeN’t PlAyEd AnYoNe YeT” comments. But if you looks at the list they beat #4 and #5…

    ===

    Yes, and 4 and 5 were barely beating the Cowboys with their backup QB and beating Cousins on a Monday night, where he is 2-10.

    The league is a mess this year, and 7-0 is always an achievement, but the Eagles have no wins that are anything more than modestly impressive. Right now I’d say they have all the makings of one of those home-field-advantage teams that loses its first playoff game.

  24. garyandersonsonly1998fgmiss says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:56 am

    Philly has played 4 of the bottom 5 teams so far. Enough said.

    They best 2 of the top 6. Stop hating.

  25. zoolanderferguson says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:04 am
    Raiders are too high. They are worse than the Lions.
    ___________________________________________________

    Agree with this. Yes, the Lions keep on coughing up leads and losing, but at least they compete for 60 minutes. The Raiders barely even show up most of the time.

  26. I thought there was major bias here toward GB and Tampa until
    I went to SI.com, where both are still in the top ten O.o

  27. MNGoon says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:31 am
    The Vikings will fold like a cheap suit in November. Mark it.

    =======================================================================
    Nah!!! They will fold like a cheap suit when it counts. In mid-January!!!

  28. garyandersonsonly1998fgmiss says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:56 am
    Philly has played 4 of the bottom 5 teams so far. Enough said.

    ——————————————————————-

    And they beat the 2 of the top 5 teams by a combined 26 points. I don’t think your narrative holds much weight lol!

  29. 49ers (4-4; No. 16): If their key players can stay healthy, they can win it all.
    —————
    Not as long as jimmy glass is QB.
    He always blows it.

  30. Only 1 out of 32 teams will win the Super Bowl this year. So I would personally like to congratulate everyone for having a 96.875% chance of being right in your criticism of these Power Rankings!

  31. I don’t know how anybody could watch the Texans last Sunday and not have them ranked a solid #32. But then I didn’t watch the Lions. Wow, they must be really, really awful.

  32. I only come here to read Steelerman’s arguments for how Pittsburgh could easily be 7-1 and thus should be ranked way higher.

  33. Something to consider before using the “they haven’t beat anyone” narrative.
    Of the top 7 teams in the Power Rankings, only the Bills, Eagles & Giants have more than 1 win against a team currently over .500

    Here’s the top 7 team’s win total against teams over .500:

    Buffalo-3
    Eagles-2
    Giants-2
    Chiefs-1
    Vikings-1
    Cowboys-1
    Ravens-1

  34. MNGoon says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:31 am

    The Vikings will fold like a cheap suit in November. Mark it.

    Exactly how does a cheap suit fold? For that matter, how does an expensive suit fold? Never really understood the meaning or the origin of this saying. Now, the Vikings will fold – because that is what every Vikings team in the history of the Vikings has done. It is their nature. So far, the Vikings are winning one score games in less than convincing fashion. Over time and a more difficult schedule, the Vikings will also start losing one score games if they can even keep those games within one score with that defense. This team reminds me of the Mike Tice Vikings team that started 6-0 and ended up 9-7.

  35. steelcitywhiner says:
    November 1, 2022 at 12:05 pm
    MNGoon says:
    November 1, 2022 at 10:31 am
    The Vikings will fold like a cheap suit in November. Mark it.

    =======================================================================
    Nah!!! They will fold like a cheap suit when it counts. In mid-January!!!
    __________

    Can we all just agree that the Vikings are eventually going to fold like a cheap suit.
    Whether it’s November through January, they always do.
    You simply don’t get to 0-62 by accident. 🤣

  36. God please give me team a WR or two before the trade deadline. I can’t take any more of these practice squad “johnsons” running 86% of the routes.

  37. Tyler Lockett had his only drop of the year on what would have been a TD. He fumbled at the 2 to give the Giants and easy score. And as one of the best toe-tappers in the league, he JUST missed a tap for a 2nd TD. Three very uncharacteristic mistakes by one of the most underrated players in the league are the only reasons the Giants only lost by 10, rather than 25. Dominated the Giants in all three phases of the game.

    And Seattle is ranked BELOW the Giants?

  38. bvolke says:
    November 1, 2022 at 9:51 am
    The Bills would beat the Eagles by at least 2 td’s.

    130141Rate This
    ——
    Funny the Bills barely got by the crappy Packers last week, they scored an incredible 3 points the entire 2nd half.

  39. 13. Patriots (4-4; No. 19): Every time it looks like they’re falling apart, they find a way to get it together.

    ————-

    I have no idea what the Patriots are at this point. The defense has looked really good for long stretches and then looked putrid against Chicago.

    The offense looks way better with Zappe, but his ceiling is probably Heinike. Mac looks way, way worse than he did the first 3/4 of last year. He can’t help but throwing picks directly to the other team. It’s like he has to. It’s usually during a solid drive too.

    Yet, here we are, 4-4, and somehow the Patriots were a play away from beating GB and kept it close against Baltimore and had chances yet were trounced by the Bears.

    I have no idea what the Patriots are. With how badly so many other teams are playing that were expected to be good the Patriots aren’t even out of the playoff hunt. It’s crazy.

  40. “I seem to remember back in 2005 a Steeler team that lost 3 in a row with only 4 regular season games left but went on to win those 4 plus 4 more including the Super Bowl!”
    __________

    That Steeler team finished 11-5 and were 6-2 after 8 games while this squad is 2-6. It’s pretty tough to win the Super Bowl when you don’t make the playoffs.

  41. What a crazy year. I thought the AFC would be a much tougher conference. It may still pan out that way – but you’d have to call teams like the Chargers, Colts, Broncos & Bengals pretty big disappointments at this point of the season.

  42. tinye67 says:
    November 1, 2022 at 11:55 am
    Packers have lost 4 in a row and dropped 10 spots. Can’t make it up.
    ———————
    You’re right, they should’ve climbed to #1.

  43. mogogo1 says:
    November 1, 2022 at 4:16 pm
    “I seem to remember back in 2005 a Steeler team that lost 3 in a row with only 4 regular season games left but went on to win those 4 plus 4 more including the Super Bowl!”
    __________

    That Steeler team finished 11-5 and were 6-2 after 8 games while this squad is 2-6. It’s pretty tough to win the Super Bowl when you don’t make the playoffs.
    ________________________________________
    Figures lie and liars figure.

  44. @citizen strange, Tomlin wasn’t head coach of the Steelers until 2007. He had nothing to do with Steelers over Seahawks in Super Bowl XL. Actually, from forums such as these, I understand the officials were responsible for that victory. That was a very long time ago, so you were probably still a semi-sentient infant in a Steelers onesie.

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