OFFICIAL S³ WEEK 9 POWER RANKINGS
| Rank | Team | Record | S³ Rating | Move |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |  Buffalo Bills | 7–1 | +52.63 | — |
| 2 |  San Francisco 49ers | 7–1 | +50.88 | — |
| 3 |  Denver Broncos | 7–2 | +41.33 | ↑1 |
| 4 |  Jacksonville Jaguars | 6–2 | +40.50 | ↑2 |
| 5 |  Chicago Bears | 7–2 | +40.33 | — |
| 6 |  Pittsburgh Steelers | 6–2 | +31.50 | ↑1 |
| 7 |  Kansas City Chiefs | 6–2 | +31.38 | ↑1 |
| 8 |  Minnesota Vikings | 6–2 | +30.75 | ↓5 |
| 9 |  Cincinnati Bengals | 6–2 | +29.13 | — |
| 10 |  Detroit Lions | 6–2 | +28.13 | — |
| 11 |  Green Bay Packers | 6–3 | +19.78 | ↑1 |
| 12 |  New York Giants | 5–2–1 | +12.25 | ↑2 |
| 13 |  Seattle Seahawks | 5–4 | +7.44 | ↑2 |
| 14 |  New England Patriots | 5–4 | +6.44 | ↓3 |
| 15 |  Los Angeles Rams | 5–4 | +3.67 | ↑1 |
| 16 |  Cleveland Browns | 5–4 | −6.89 | ↓3 |
| 17 |  Las Vegas Raiders | 4–5 | −17.33 | — |
| 18 |  Houston Texans | 3–5 | −21.88 | ↑8 |
| 19 |  Dallas Cowboys | 4–5 | −21.89 | ↑4 |
| 20 |  Baltimore Ravens | 4–5 | −22.22 | ↓2 |
| 21 |  Carolina Panthers | 3–5 | −23.50 | ↓2 |
| 22 |  New Orleans Saints | 3–5 | −24.88 | ↑2 |
| 23 |  Tampa Bay Buccaneers | 3–6 | −25.33 | ↓3 |
| 24 |  Arizona Cardinals | 3–6 | −33.56 | ↓2 |
| 25 |  Atlanta Falcons | 3–6 | −34.89 | ↓4 |
| 26 |  Washington Commanders | 2–5–1 | −37.75 | ↓1 |
| 27 |  New York Jets | 2–7 | −49.56 | — |
| 28 |  Indianapolis Colts | 2–7 | −58.22 | — |
| 29 |  Philadelphia Eagles | 2–7 | −59.11 | ↑1 |
| 30 |  Miami Dolphins | 1–7 | −61.25 | ↓1 |
| 31 |  Tennessee Titans | 1–7 | −67.88 | — |
| 32 |  Los Angeles Chargers | 0–8 | −84.25 | — |
Movement compared with the Week 8 S³ Power Rankings.
THE S³ WEEK 9 NOTEBOOK
Buffalo Remains No. 1
The Buffalo Bills are beginning to look like the team to beat in the AFC.
Buffalo defeated Minnesota 23–6 on Monday Night Football, improving to 7–1 and handing the Vikings their second consecutive defeat.
The defense delivered another outstanding performance, forcing three turnovers and limiting Minnesota to just six points.
Josh Allen and the offense didn't need to overwhelm Minnesota. James Cook III helped control the game with 107 rushing yards and a touchdown, while Buffalo dominated possession.
S³ Take: Buffalo has always possessed an explosive offense. Now the defense is beginning to deliver championship-caliber performances.
San Francisco Is Closing the Gap
San Francisco remains second following a convincing 38–17 victory over Las Vegas.
The 49ers improved to 7–1 while generating 235 points through eight games.
Their offensive injuries remain worth monitoring, but San Francisco continues demonstrating that it can win football games despite adversity.
Only 1.75 S³ rating points separate the 49ers from Buffalo.
Denver Climbs Into the Top Three
The Broncos continue winning.
Denver defeated Carolina 26–21, improving to 7–2 and recording its fourth consecutive victory.
The Broncos haven't always been spectacular offensively, but they've shown resilience and consistency against a variety of opponents.
Denver's victories over Kansas City and Seattle continue strengthening its résumé.
The Broncos have now earned their highest S³ ranking of the season.
Jacksonville Delivers Another Statement
The Jaguars demolished Baltimore 33–10 on Thursday Night Football.
Jacksonville's defense controlled the contest, limiting a struggling Ravens offense while Trevor Lawrence and the offense generated enough production to secure a comfortable victory.
The Jaguars are 6–2 and have surrendered only 121 points through eight games.
Jacksonville climbs to fourth, moving firmly into the AFC championship conversation.
Chicago Keeps Winning
The Bears improved to 7–2 following a narrow 27–24 victory against Tampa Bay.
Chicago continues finding ways to win, even when its performance isn't particularly clean.
Caleb Williams and the offense experienced turnover problems, but the Bears did enough to escape with another victory.
Chicago has now generated 241 points through nine games.
S³ Take: The Bears are winning consistently, but eliminating turnovers will become increasingly important against the league's strongest opponents.
Kansas City Responds
After consecutive defeats, the Chiefs returned to the win column with a 35–12 victory over the Jets.
Kansas City improved to 6–2 and delivered the offensive performance it desperately needed.
Patrick Mahomes and the Chiefs remain dangerous, but their recent struggles prevent them from immediately reclaiming a position among the top five.
Kansas City climbs to seventh.
Minnesota's Offense Is Becoming a Serious Concern
Two consecutive defeats have brought Minnesota back to reality.
The Vikings followed their loss against Detroit with a disappointing 23–6 defeat against Buffalo.
Minnesota has now scored only 21 combined points over its last two games.
The defense remains among the league's strongest, but the offense is struggling to sustain drives and generate scoring opportunities.
The Vikings fall five positions, from third to eighth.
S³ Take: Minnesota's defense can keep the Vikings competitive. The offense must start doing its part.
Cincinnati Continues Building Momentum
The Bengals improved to 6–2 following a convincing 34–17 victory over Atlanta in Madrid.
Joe Burrow continues playing outstanding football, and Ja'Marr Chase delivered another impressive receiving performance.
Cincinnati has scored 240 points through eight games.
The offense is becoming increasingly dangerous, but the defense still needs greater consistency.
Green Bay Delivers a Statement
The Packers produced one of Week 9's most impressive offensive performances, dismantling New England 45–27.
Green Bay generated a season-high 478 total yards, overwhelming a Patriots defense that had previously demonstrated considerable improvement.
The Packers have now improved to 6–3.
New England drops three positions to No. 14 after surrendering its highest point total of the season.
The Giants Are Quietly Taking Control of the NFC East
New York defeated Philadelphia 19–11, improving to 5–2–1.
It wasn't a spectacular offensive performance, but the Giants continued demonstrating their ability to win close football games.
Meanwhile, Philadelphia suffered its seventh consecutive defeat.
The Giants remain the only NFC East team with a winning record.
Houston Makes the Biggest Jump
Houston delivered one of Week 9's most dominant performances, defeating the winless Chargers 44–22.
The Texans have now won three of their last four games after opening the season 0–4.
Houston climbs eight positions, the largest movement of any team this week.
The Texans remain below .500, but their recent performances suggest the offense is beginning to find its identity.
Seattle Wins Without Sam Darnold
Seattle defeated Arizona 17–3 behind another strong defensive performance.
With Sam Darnold unavailable, Drew Lock stepped in and helped the Seahawks improve to 5–4.
Seattle's offense remains inconsistent, but the defense delivered the type of performance necessary to secure a comfortable victory.
The Seahawks climb to thirteenth.
Cleveland Suffers a Costly Defeat
The Browns suffered a disappointing 23–22 overtime loss against New Orleans.
Cleveland had opportunities to win, but its inability to consistently finish drives and execute defensively proved costly.
Shedeur Sanders generated some important downfield plays, but the Browns couldn't complete the job.
Cleveland falls three positions to No. 16.
Baltimore's Collapse Continues
The Ravens are now 4–5 following their 33–10 defeat against Jacksonville.
Baltimore has lost three consecutive games and its offense continues struggling without consistent quarterback production.
The Ravens have surrendered 236 points through nine games.
A team that entered the season with significant expectations now sits twentieth in the S³ rankings.
Philadelphia's Season Is Spiraling
The Eagles suffered their seventh consecutive defeat, losing 19–11 to the Giants.
Philadelphia has generated just 148 points through nine games while surrendering 221.
With Jalen Hurts unavailable, the Eagles continue struggling to sustain offensive possessions.
At 2–7, Philadelphia has become one of the league's most disappointing teams.
The Chargers Remain Winless
Los Angeles fell to 0–8 following a 44–22 defeat against Houston.
The Chargers have now surrendered 219 points through eight games.
Their offense has produced only 121 points, and the team has yet to demonstrate the consistency necessary to win a football game.
The Chargers remain last in the S³ Power Rankings.
S³ BOTTOM LINE: THE CONTENDERS ARE SEPARATING THEMSELVES
Nine weeks into the season, Buffalo and San Francisco have established themselves as the NFL's strongest-performing teams.
Denver continues climbing, Jacksonville is becoming a serious AFC threat, and Chicago keeps finding ways to win.
Meanwhile, Kansas City has recovered from its recent setbacks, Cincinnati is building momentum behind Joe Burrow, and Detroit remains firmly involved in the NFC championship race.
Minnesota's offense is becoming a concern, Baltimore continues losing ground, and Philadelphia's season is rapidly slipping away.
The Rams have recovered to 5–4, but their overall performance still leaves considerable room for improvement.
The NFL season isn't decided in November, but nine weeks of football provide a substantial body of evidence.
The S³ Power Rankings don't reward preseason predictions or roster reputation.
They reflect what teams have accomplished on the football field.
WE DON'T RANK THE HYPE. WE RATE THE PERFORMANCE.
Sweet Science Sports | S³ NFL Power Rankings
