Now that we’re past the halfway point in the 2020 NFL regular season, we have more ideas about the makeup of the postseason field. Pittsburgh is running away with the AFC North, although it wouldn’t take more than a slip or two for the 6-2 Baltimore Ravens to threaten their lead. The NFC West remains one of the most exciting divisions, with all four teams capable of putting up big wins — and coughing up games due to defensive issues.
Let’s look at the latest power rankings for the 32 NFL teams as you plan your NFL betting.
NFL News: Power Rankings after Week 9
#1 Pittsburgh Steelers
The Steelers almost lost in Dallas, but scraping back from a 10-point deficit showed some real mental strength. Winning in Baltimore was impressive, but the Steelers have a ways to go before they can expect to beat the Chiefs.
#2 Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs are the top team in point differential. Patrick Mahomes has thrown 25 touchdown passes against one interception. When Mahomes hasn’t had big games, the Chiefs have been able to ride the running game.
#3 Baltimore Ravens
Baltimore has lost to Kansas City and Pittsburgh, both losses coming at home. They could still push 12, 13 or even 14 wins — and potentially enter as a wild card team.
#4 Green Bay Packers
Even though the Packers were embarrassed in Tampa Bay in Week 7, the key for the Packers is to mount sustained drives to keep the ball out of the hands of the opposition. They still struggle to stop the run, but they have the sort of offense that does not devolve into three-and-outs.
#5 New Orleans Saints
The team rebounded big-time with that 38-3 win in Tampa Bay on Sunday night. Wide receiver Michael Thomas is healthy and back in the lineup, and seven of the eight teams remaining on the New Orleans schedule have losing records.
#6 Buffalo Bills
The Bills should be able to cruise to their first division title in 25 years. Josh Allen has finally hit his stride in the NFL, and the Buffalo defense was finally healthy — and showed up on all three levels — in their win over Seattle.
#7 Seattle Seahawks
The Seahawks could win the NFC West, but with the worst passing defense in the league, it’s hard to see Seattle pushing far into the playoffs.
#8 Tampa Bay Buccaneers
I didn’t think Tampa Bay would win the NFC South, and now they would have to finish ahead of the Saints to do it after losing both divisional games. Close shaves against the Raiders and Giants also show that the team has too many flaws to win this division.
#9 Tennessee Titans
The defense still has questions, but the grinding offense led by Derrick Henry and Ryan Tannehill sets the rhythms in contests, and their emphasis on ball security will make it hard for other teams to get cheap big plays.
#10 Arizona Cardinals
This is a fun team to watch, but as we saw against Miami, the defense still has questions.
#11 Los Angeles Rams
The Rams have the fourth toughest remaining schedule in the NFL. The good news is that their defense permits just 19 points per game. The bad news is that, while the offense clicks sometimes, if you can get pressure on Jared Goff, he will make bad decisions.
#12 Indianapolis Colts
Adding a seventh seed to the playoffs should give the Colts enough room to get there…if Philip Rivers doesn’t throw picks at the wrong time.
#13 Las Vegas Raiders
The Raiders are the only team in the NFL to beat the Chiefs in the last calendar year. The team is gritty despite injuries in the secondary and the offensive line, and Derek Carr finally looks like the gunslinger who won an AFC West title.
#14 Miami Dolphins
Tua Tagovailoa looked terrific in Arizona, and the Miami defense is in the top five in points permitted.
#15 Chicago Bears
The Bears were 5-1….and are now 5-4. The offense has fallen off the table. Chicago has five games left against losing teams, so they could sneak into the playoffs.
#16 Cleveland Browns
It’s been 18 years since the Browns were in the playoffs. This year, they are 5-3 and have a fairly easy schedule the rest of the way. Losing Odell Beckham Jr for the season with an ACL tear doesn’t help, but this is a team with plenty of talent.
#17 San Francisco 49ers
There are too many injuries on the 49ers’ roster for this team to make a run, but they could make life messy for some other teams.
#18 Carolina Panthers
The Panthers lost their first two games, won the next three, and have gone 0-4 since then. The problems come on defense — and with the injury to Christian McCaffrey.
#19 Minnesota Vikings
A two-game winning streak has the Vikings up to 3-5, and if their running game can remain the foundation of the offense, they could crawl back into the postseason.
#20 Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles are 3-4-1 and lead the NFC East — and they should win it. Hopefully Carson Wentz can stop making some of the mistakes he’s made in the first half.
#21 New England Patriots
The road to the postseason is very thin, especially when you consider the team had to mount a furious comeback to beat the Jets.
#22 Denver Broncos
The Broncos still have to play Kansas City, Las Vegas, Miami, Buffalo and New Orleans. They’ve had three starting quarterbacks this year. It’s still a rebuild in Denver.
#23 Los Angeles Chargers
Justin Herbert has been a pleasant surprise, but the team blows way too many leads.
#24 Atlanta Falcons
This team looks a lot like the Chargers — put up points, and then cough up the game down the stretch.
#25 Detroit Lions
Matt Patricia is on the hot seat, but the team still looks like a mess on defense — which is Patricia’s specialty.
#26 Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals are just 2-5-1, but with Joe Burrow, you always have a chance to take down the opposition.
#27 Houston Texans
The focus is on 2021 in Houston, but under interim head coach Romeo Crennel, the team has gone 2-2 (with both wins coming against Jacksonville). The team will be figuring out whether to keep Will Fuller V and J.J. Watt or move toward a rebuild.
#28 New York Giants
The Giants have definitely improved, as Joe Judge has put in a stout culture. However, their quarterback needs to start making better decisions.
#29 Washington Football Team
Can Alex Smith lead this team to a division title? The Football Team still gets to play Detroit, Cincinnati, Dallas and Carolina.
#30 Dallas Cowboys
How about Garrett Gilbert? The SMU product led the offense well against that stout Pittsburgh defense. Andy Dalton is expected to return after the bye week, but Gilbert is the only quarterback other than Dak Prescott to throw a touchdown pass for Dallas this season.
#31 Jacksonville Jaguars
It’s sad, given how recently this team was in the AFC Championship, but tanking is the best option.
#32 New York Jets
See my remarks about the Jaguars.
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