JetNation NFL Power Rankings – Week Nine

This week, with Halloween in mind, we look at the scariest scenarios for each of the power ten teams. Here are our NFL Power Rankings.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (7-0)

Last Week: 1

The Chiefs pulled away from the Raiders and held on for a road win. Travis Kelce caught his first touchdown pass of the season. The Chiefs’ defense held Las Vegas to just 33 yards rushing.

Scariest Schedule: There’s not much that scares Kansas City these days, but this next stretch of games is the toughest remaining on their schedule. The Chiefs play Tampa and Denver before a trip to Buffalo.

2. Detroit Lions (6-1)

Last Week: 3

The Lions scored 52 against the Titans – all in the first three quarters of the game. Somehow Jared Goff only threw for 85 yards, but three of his twelve completions went for touchdowns. Detroit took advantage of four Tennessee turnovers and did not commit a turnover on the day.

Scariest Schedule: The Lions are living a scary scenario with Aidan Hutchinson out for the year. They also play the Bears, Packers, and Bills in the three-game stretch starting on Thanksgiving.

3. Green Bay Packers (6-2)

Last Week: 5

The Packers won a tough road test Sunday in Jacksonville. The Jags were up to the challenge as they tried to save their season. The Pack used 170 rushing yards to notch the win.

Scariest Schedule: The Packers go into their scariest scenario this week. They play a pivotal home game against division rival Detroit. That is followed by a road game in Chicago and a trip to San Francisco.

4. Buffalo Bills (6-2)

Last Week: 6

The Bills dominated Sunday against the Seahawks in Seattle. The Bills kept Seattle out of the end zone save for a cosmetic touchdown in the fourth quarter. Josh Allen threw his first interception of the year, but he also threw for two touchdowns. Buffalo is hitting stride on both sides of the ball.

Scariest Schedule: Life in the AFC East is nice right now. The Bills face a daunting stretch starting in mid-November when they host the Chiefs and 49ers followed by trips to play the Rams and Lions. If the Bills make it through that unscathed, they could be home for the playoffs.

5. Houston Texans (6-2)

Last Week: 7

The Texans fought off division rival Indianapolis on Sunday to take a two-game lead in the AFC South. Joe Mixon continues to be a difference maker for Houston. Mixon had 102 yards and a touchdown Sunday.

Scariest Schedule: The schedule makers gave the Texans no gifts for Christmas. The Texans travel to Kansas City in late December and host Baltimore on Christmas day in consecutive weeks.

6. Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

Last Week: 4

The Ravens dropped a division game in Cleveland on Sunday, snapping their five-game win streak. Baltimore needs to find some answers on defense after the league’s second-worst offense scored 29 points on them. The 29 the Browns scored Sunday were one less than they scored in the previous two games combined.

Scariest Schedule: November ramps up for Baltimore as they face road games in Pittsburgh and Los Angeles against the Chargers; then they host the Philadelphia Eagles.

7. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)

Last Week: 9

The Steelers are finding plays in the passing game since the switch to Russell Wilson. Wilson is able to give Pittsburgh all the offense they need to complement the league’s ninth-ranked defense.

Scariest Schedule: Mid-December turns very cold for Pittsburgh as they travel to Philadelphia and Baltimore then come home to host Kansas City in consecutive weeks.

8. Minnesota Vikings (5-2)

Last Week: 2

The Vikings lost their second straight on Thursday night after opening the season 5-0. Two straight opponents have scored 30 on the Vikings after Minnesota kept each of their previous opponents under that mark.

Scariest Schedule: Things loosen up significantly for Minnesota until the final weeks of the season. The Vikings travel to Green Bay then host Detroit in the last week of the season.

9. Washington Commanders (6-2)

Last Week: 8

The Commanders escaped with the help of some magic on Sunday. The Commanders need to find more ways to get the ball into the end zone to be competitive at the level they are hoping to be.

Scariest Schedule: The Commanders need to dispatch the Giants this week. Then they can focus on the three-game stretch that follows. Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, and Dallas all await the young Commanders.

10. Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Last Week: 10

The Eagles blasted the Bengals in Cincinnati Sunday outscoring the home team 27-7 in the second half. A three-game win streak has the Eagles back in the race after being wildly inconsistent early in the season.

Scariest Schedule: The schedule is kind to Philadelphia the rest of the way. Their toughest stretch starts Thanksgiving week and has the Birds hosting Washington then traveling to play the Rams and Ravens.

28. New York Jets (2-6)

Last Week: 25

We often hear about an individual player having an “unlimited ceiling” meaning the player has no limit to how good they can be. The New York Jets have an unlimited floor. The franchise has an uncanny ability to play more poorly than anyone could have imagined. This week’s loss to the Pats reset the floor for this team yet again. Most people expected the Jets would be closer to 6-2 than 2-6 at this point. The level of disappointment for current Jet fans is much more intense than anything in recent memory.

Scariest Scenario: We are living it. It is October and the Jets’ season is, for all intents and purposes, over. They will miss the playoffs again. It’s hard to comprehend. The only remaining interest is if the front office decides to go into fire-sale mode and lets the overpriced and underperforming veterans on the team underachieve somewhere else while securing as many draft picks as possible to fix this mess in the offseason.

Nick Ferraro

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