NFL Power Rankings - Week 9: Every team's best win so far
NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.
This week, we identify every team's most impressive win through the first eight weeks of the 2025 campaign.
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ARI | ATL | BAL | BUF | CAR | CHI | CIN | CLE | DAL | DEN | DET | GB | HOU | IND | JAX | KC | LAC | LAR | LV | MIA | MIN | NE | NO | NYG | NYJ | PHI | PIT | SEA | SF | TB | TEN | WAS
1. Detroit Lions (5-2)
Previous rank: 1
Week 7 vs. Buccaneers (24-9). An early run of high-scoring offensive outputs eased any lingering concerns about the loss of Ben Johnson. But this was the game where we realized the defense might be even better following Aaron Glenn's departure.
2. Indianapolis Colts (7-1)
Previous rank: 2
Week 7 at Chargers (38-24). The Colts' offense has been a well-oiled machine all season. Even Jesse Minter's defense wasn't enough to slow the unit down in this game, and a pair of critical interceptions off Justin Herbert allowed Indy to keep the Chargers at a distance throughout.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (5-3)
Previous rank: 3
Week 6 vs. Lions (30-17). A two-score win over the powerhouse Lions was the perfect way for the Chiefs to get their season on track. Not only did the offense hit its stride before welcoming back Rashee Rice the following week, but Steve Spagnuolo's defense stepped up with the kind of performance we've come to expect from this group in critical moments.
4. Los Angeles Rams (5-2)
Previous rank: 4
Week 7 vs. Jaguars (35-7). The Rams being the only team to take down the Colts so far was worth consideration here, but Indy gave that one away with some critical errors late. Overcoming the absence of Puka Nacua to lay a beatdown on the Jaguars in London is a better example of this team's upside.
5. Green Bay Packers (5-1-1)
Previous rank: 7
Week 1 vs. Lions (27-13). Sunday night's win over the Steelers was the best outing we've seen from Jordan Love and the Packers' offense, but it's tough to top the statement they made to open the season. Green Bay temporarily forced us to consider whether Detroit might be in for a rough transition after some coaching turnover.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)
Previous rank: 5
Week 5 at Seahawks (38-35). This was the game where it became clear that the Bucs have some truly special magic. Baker Mayfield picked apart the Seahawks for a season-high 379 passing yards, while the defense rose to the occasion with a key play in crunch time.
7. Seattle Seahawks (5-2)
Previous rank: 6
Week 6 at Jaguars (20-12). Jacksonville entered this matchup as a top-10 offense in terms of success rate, according to TruMedia. One game against the Seahawks was enough to bump them down to 19th. That kind of defense is a scary complement to Seattle's big-play passing game.
8. Philadelphia Eagles (6-2)
Previous rank: 8
Week 3 vs. Rams (33-26). Everyone was ready to smash the panic button for Philly's offense after it fell behind 26-7 early in the third quarter. An incredible comeback effort from there offered an important reminder that talent still wins out. Frustrating as the Eagles can be, it's tough to doubt them when they have the ability to turn it on in a hurry.
9. New England Patriots (6-2)
Previous rank: 11
Week 5 at Bills (23-20). The Patriots will continue to have their share of doubters due to an overwhelmingly favorable schedule, but don't forget about that big Sunday night win in Buffalo. The Bills finally have some real competition atop the AFC East.
10. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
Previous rank: 9
Week 1 vs. Ravens (41-40). The Bills kicked off their season with a shootout win for the ages over the Ravens. The uninspiring run that followed has raised issues for the front office to address at the trade deadline.
11. Denver Broncos (6-2)
Previous rank: 12
Week 8 vs. Cowboys (44-24). Knocking off the Eagles in Week 5 was probably Denver's biggest win of the year when factoring in the opponent. Just like their victory over the Giants, though, the Broncos' offense not showing up until the fourth quarter provided cause for concern. There were no such issues in their domination of the Cowboys. Was this game finally the catalyst for an offensive breakout?
12. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-3)
Previous rank: 13
Week 5 vs. Chiefs (31-28). Jacksonville improving to 4-1 with a Monday night win over Kansas City made it feel like the new regime might have this team in position to compete right away. The consecutive losses that followed said otherwise. Can the Jaguars bounce back after last week's bye?
13. San Francisco 49ers (5-3)
Previous rank: 10
Week 5 at Rams (26-23). Mac Jones and Kendrick Bourne leading the way to a shocking win over the Rams once again proved that Kyle Shanahan will field a productive offense no matter who's out there. Will we be able to say the same about his defense without Nick Bosa and Fred Warner?
14. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Previous rank: 17
Week 1 vs. Chiefs (27-21). The Chargers' best win being the season opener sums up how things have gone in Los Angeles. If last week's blowout victory over the Vikings was any indication, perhaps the offensive line getting Joe Alt back will help the team recapture some of its early brilliance.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3)
Previous rank: 15
Week 3 at Patriots (21-24). Pittsburgh knocking off the up-and-coming Patriots is an impressive result in hindsight, but it took four fumble recoveries to get it done. The Steelers are still searching for the kind of convincing win that inspires confidence in them being anything more than the bubble playoff team we've seen for the last four years.
16. Baltimore Ravens (2-5)
Previous rank: 24
Week 8 vs. Bears (30-16). Don't look now, but the Ravens might have life. A massive win over the Bears sets the stage for Lamar Jackson's return next week. And with a decently favorable schedule ahead, a healthy Baltimore team could even chase down Pittsburgh in the AFC North.
17. Chicago Bears (4-3)
Previous rank: 14
Week 3 vs. Cowboys (31-14). The Cowboys' defense has a knack for making opposing offenses seem better than they are, but this was our first real look at what things could be like under Ben Johnson. Limiting an outstanding Dallas offense to a season-low 14 points also provided reason for optimism amid a difficult start for Dennis Allen's defense.
18. Houston Texans (3-4)
Previous rank: 22
Week 8 vs. 49ers (26-15). Are the Texans finally starting to put it together? The offensive line may well revert to its previous form against healthier defensive fronts, but last week's complete effort against the 49ers made Houston look like the team we saw during C.J. Stroud's rookie season.
19. Dallas Cowboys (3-4-1)
Previous rank: 19
Week 7 vs. Commanders (44-22). This matchup showed that the Cowboys can't afford to let their outstanding offense go to waste. An aggressive trade deadline to bolster the defense could go a long way toward helping Dallas chase down similar results.
20. Atlanta Falcons (3-4)
Previous rank: 16
Week 6 vs. Bills (24-14). The Falcons having wins like this on their resume makes this season all the more frustrating. Where was that defense last week against the Dolphins?
21. Minnesota Vikings (3-4)
Previous rank: 20
Week 1 at Bears (27-24). A late comeback win over an up-and-coming division rival was an incredibly exciting way to start J.J. McCarthy's tenure as a starter. Unfortunately, it's been mostly downhill from there. Can the second-year quarterback's impending return from injury help the Vikings salvage their season?
22. Washington Commanders (3-5)
Previous rank: 21
Week 5 at Chargers (27-10). Jacory Croskey-Merritt's highly anticipated breakout game came in Week 5. The Commanders need to get him rolling again, as the rushing attack is essential to their success.
23. Carolina Panthers (4-4)
Previous rank: 18
Week 6 vs. Cowboys (30-27). Rico Dowdle's revenge game became the big story in this one, but the Panthers' defense shutting down Dallas' rushing attack was equally as important. That unit being victimized in last week's blowout loss to the Bills only adds to the frustrations of an up-and-down year.
24. New York Giants (2-6)
Previous rank: 23
Week 6 vs. Eagles (34-17). The Giants taking it to the defending champs in prime time felt like a glimpse at what the future could be for this team. Jaxson Dart put together the best game of his young career, and Cam Skattebo enjoyed a coming out party of his own with three touchdowns. This will be a fun group to watch when Skattebo and Malik Nabers are healthy and back on the field next year.
25. Miami Dolphins (2-6)
Previous rank: 29
Week 8 at Falcons (34-10). Just when everyone was ready to throw in the towel on Tua Tagovailoa, he throws four touchdowns for the first time since last November. Thursday's game against the Ravens should give us a good idea as to whether this was a sign of belated progress or a one-off performance against a team that's worse than we thought.
26. Cleveland Browns (2-6)
Previous rank: 25
Week 3 vs. Packers (13-10). Remember this one? The randomness of the NFL can probably explain the result well enough, but such upsets are possible with a defensive line that's capable of taking over games. Unfortunately, it may be a while before the Browns get much else going for them.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (3-5)
Previous rank: 26
Week 7 vs. Steelers (33-31). A playoff push won't be possible without Joe Burrow, but this was the vision when Cincinnati traded for Joe Flacco. The Bengals stunning the Steelers provided a great look at the upside that comes with having a gunslinger who's capable of feeding Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins.
28. Arizona Cardinals (2-5)
Previous rank: 27
Week 2 vs. Panthers (27-22). This was a choice between one-score wins over the Saints and Panthers. That tells you everything you need to know about an incredibly disappointing season in Arizona.
29. New Orleans Saints (1-7)
Previous rank: 28
Week 5 vs. Giants (26-14). The Saints have probably been more competitive than their record shows, but their only win coming against a rookie QB making his second career start illustrates that there's still a long way to go.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (2-5)
Previous rank: 30
Week 1 at Patriots (20-13). Knowing what we do now, it's hard to believe the Raiders opened the season by knocking off the Patriots on the road. A victory over the Titans has been the only other positive result in a disastrous first year for Pete Carroll.
31. New York Jets (1-7)
Previous rank: 32
Week 8 at Bengals (39-38). The Jets finally got on the board with their first win of the season last week. It won't be nearly enough to wash out the sour taste of an 0-7 start, but it was at least promising to see the offense look like it belonged.
32. Tennessee Titans (1-7)
Previous rank: 31
Week 5 at Cardinals (22-21). The Cardinals giving this game away with a collection of unforced errors should go down as one of the worst losses in NFL history. That outing being the only win on the Titans' schedule really puts their season into perspective.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.