Uncertainty

Unscripted NFL Power Rankings
2014 Week 9

What a tough week to do rankings! Out of the 10 teams in the Top 10 last week, 6 of them lost this past weekend! So who follows the Broncos at #1? That was a tough call. As were really the 8 slots after that! For example, should the Patriots be as high as they are currently? Many might disagree with this week's New England ranking, but when they win so decisively and when every team that was ranked above them loses, what else do you do? Hopefully next week provides more certainty for this confused ranker.

Nipping at #10's heels:

Saints (#16), Chiefs (#15), Steelers (#14)

49ers (#13), Ravens (#12), Bengals (#11)

10. Seattle Seahawks (4-3)
Last Week: 9th
Best Ranking: 1st (Week 6, 5, 4, 2, 1, Post-Draft)
To be sure, they won't put this one in the How To Play Offense textbook - the exception being another masterful final drive led by Russell Wilson. The Seahawks went 80 yards in nine plays to win it with the only touchdown of the game on a 23-yard pass to tight end Luke Willson. It was the 12th time in Wilson's career that he has led the team to a comeback victory in the fourth quarter or overtime. The Seahawks improve to 4-3 and end a two-game losing streak. After back-to-back road games, the Seahawks return home for back-to-back games at CenturyLink Field, starting with the Oakland Raiders on Nov. 2. The Seahawks will host the New York Giants on Nov. 9. - Terry Blount

9. San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Last Week: 5th

Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 7)

The Broncos seized control of the AFC West with an emphatic win over the Chargers. At 6-1, Denver created some breathing room from the Chargers, who fall to 5-3 overall. Denver controlled the line of scrimmage on both sides of the ball. The Broncos finished with 139 rushing yards, while the Chargers mustered 61 yards on the ground for the game. Branden Oliver was held to 36 yards on 13 carries, including a meaningless 23-yard run on the final play of the game. With the early game, the Chargers get some time off before traveling to Miami for the team's final game before their bye week. - Eric D. Williams

8. Detroit Lions (6-2)
Last Week: 11th
Best Ranking: 7th (Week 5)
The Lions spent the first month of the season trying to find a field goal kicker. Now it appears they have one. Matt Prater made a 48-yard field goal as time expired to give the Lions their second come-from-behind win in as many weeks -- this after Prater missed a 43-yard attempt that was waived off because of a delay of game penalty. The Lions have found a way to win games they really have had no business of winning and have put themselves in a good position at the halfway point of the season. The Lions are off for a week - something Detroit needs desperately considering all its injuries - before facing Miami at home in Week 10. - Michael Rothstein

7. Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

Last Week: 3rd

Best Ranking: 3rd (Week 8)

The Colts' defense had been the talk during the team's five-game winning streak. They had held Baltimore's Joe Flacco and Cincinnati's Andy Dalton in check during the streak, but they had no answer for Pittsburgh's Ben Roethlisberger. The Steelers quarterback was rarely pressured and picked apart the defense. The Colts offensive line reverted to quarterback Andrew Luck's first two seasons in its inability to protect the franchise player. Luck was sacked only twice, but the Steelers also knocked him down at least an additional 10 times. Luck managed to get up every time and finish 26-of-45 for 400 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions. - Mike Wells

6. Green Bay Packers (5-3)

Last Week: 6th
Best Ranking: 6th (Week 9, 8, 3, 1)
The Packers couldn't keep up in a shootout mostly because one of the most reliable aspects of their offense this season -- their red zone efficiency -- was terrible. They failed to score a touchdown on their first three trips inside the 20. Coming into the game, they ranked third in the league with a 70.4 percent conversion rate. On their first three red zone possessions, they came away with just six points on a pair of field goals. After what was a solid first seven games, the Packers limped into the bye week at 5-3, one game behind the first-place Detroit Lions in the NFC North. - Rob Demovsky

5. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Last Week: 4th

Best Ranking: 4th (Week 8, 4, 3)

The Eagles knew if they continued to live dangerously they would eventually pay. That's what happened in this meeting of two NFC playoff contenders. The game was marred by a combined 16 penalties in the first half alone. The Eagles turned the ball over twice while knocking on the door to the Arizona end zone. They gave up the longest touchdown catch of Larry Fitzgerald's career, an 80-yarder that traveled about two feet in the air. And yet, the Eagles were in a position to come back and win thanks to a series of three-and-outs created by their defense. That allowed Nick Foles to shake off his two interceptions and throw a perfect 54-yard pass to Jeremy Maclin for the go-ahead touchdown. A long drive ended with a Cody Parkey field goal. But the margin for error was thin, and the Cardinals took advantage. - Phil Sheridan

4. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Last Week: 2nd
Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 8)
So much for the six-game winning streak. So much for starting 2-0 in the NFC East. Now the good news: At least Tony Romo was able to return to the game after taking a nasty hit on a third-quarter sack. The Cowboys, now 6-2, lost a chance to take control of the NFC East with the Philadelphia Eagles losing on Sunday to the Arizona Cardinals. They also now must answer more questions about the health of Romo, not to mention linebacker Justin Durant and guard Ronald Leary. The Cowboys had two key turnovers in the first half, including one at the Washington 10, and the defense was unable to come up with key stops on Washington's two second-half scoring drives. With a chance to add to his legend, Romo was unable to deliver in part because the Cowboys had no answers for the Washington defense all night. - Todd Archer

3. Arizona Cardinals (6-1)

Last Week: 8th

Best Ranking: 3rd (Week 9)

The Cardinals showed Sunday a game can turn on a play or two. Their offense struggled to find a rhythm but when it needed big plays most it found them. Larry Fitzgerald gave Arizona a 14-7 lead in the third quarter with the longest catch of his career, but the Cardinals couldn't figure out a way to hold their lead. A combination of a lackluster offense combined with giving the Eagles great field position throughout the second half, put added pressure on Arizona’s defense to guard a short field. But good teams find ways to win when things are going bad and Arizona beat Philadelphia at its own game by going deep. Carson Palmer hit the speedy John Brown for a 75-yard touchdown with 1:33 left. - Josh Weinfuss

2. New England Patriots (6-2)

Last Week: 7th

Best Ranking: 2nd (Week 9, 2)

This felt like old times. The Patriots' offense was unstoppable as it opened up a commanding halftime lead after playing what was easily the team's best 30 minutes of the year. Tom Brady finished 30-of-35 for 354 yards with five touchdowns, no interceptions, and no sacks. This was Brady’s 100th career regular-season start at home and his 86-13 record entering the game was the best among any quarterback who debuted in the Super Bowl era. The Patriots improve to 6-2, and the decisive start allows fans to start looking ahead to next week when the AFC-leading Denver Broncos come to town for the biggest game of the regular season. Think there will be some hype for that matchup? - Mike Reiss

1. Denver Broncos (6-1)

Last Week: 1st

Best Ranking: 1st (Week 9, 8, 7, 3)

The Broncos are officially in charge in the AFC West with victories in hand over the Kansas City Chiefs and the San Diego Chargers on the way to 6-1. The Broncos have also shown their mettle with wins over the Chargers and San Francisco 49ers in a five-day span to go with victories over the Arizona Cardinals and Indianapolis Colts over the season's first seven games. The Broncos close out their first half of the season against yet another playoff team from 2013 with a trip Nov. 2 to the rising New England Patriots. The Broncos will play four of their next five on the road and won't play another home game until Nov. 23 against the Miami Dolphins. - Jeff Legwold