If you expected the Tennessee Titans to have the top record in the AFC after ten weeks, then kudos to you, because you also predicted that the Kansas City Chiefs and the Buffalo Bills would have bumpy starts to the season — and that the Titans would start off more consistently than they have in years past. In the NFC, some of the usual suspects are at the top, such as Green Bay and Tampa Bay, but the rise of Dallas and Arizona has the league’s balance of power shifting. Let’s look at the latest power rankings for the league’s 32 teams as you plan your NFL betting for the weekend.
NFL News: Updated Power Rankings after Week 10
#1 Tennessee Titans (8-2)
The Titans have a six-game winning streak after holding off Trevor Siemian and the New Orleans Saints last week. The team isn’t nearly as dominant without Derrick Henry running the ball; the offense only picked up 66 yards on the ground and has a hard time breaking the 250-yard mark for total offense. Henry is set to return before the playoffs, so as long as Tennessee can keep the team momentum going in an iffy division, they should be ready for a run.
#2 Green Bay Packers (8-2)
The Packers got Aaron Rodgers back on Sunday, and he threw for 292 yards and a pick in a shutout win over Seattle. Aaron Jones sprained an MCL, which could hamper his ability down the stretch. A.J. Dillon ran for 66 yards in that game, and if he can keep moving the ball on the ground in Jones’ absence, that will help the Packers keep rolling.
#3 Arizona Cardinals (8-2)
The team needs Kyler Murray and DeAndre Hopkins back on offense, as we saw in their blowout home loss against Carolina last week. The team had turnovers on their first two drives, and Carolina scored touchdowns both times. Once those two playmakers return, then the Cardinals can get back to winning games.
#4 Dallas Cowboys (7-2)
Not only is Dallas’ offense still high-octane, but the dfeense continues to impress. Micah Parsons had six solo tackles and his sixth sack of the season. Trevon Diggs had his eighth interception; he leads the NFL. The team has a four-game lead in the loss column in their division. How will they do in Kansas City?
#5 L.A. Rams (7-3)
The Rams have gotten trounced twice in a row now. Both Tennessee and San Francisco used a physical running game and an aggressive defense to steamroll the Rams’ defense and pick off Matthew Stafford multiple times. Their combined score in those two games? A 59-26 loss.
#6 Buffalo Bills (6-3)
The Bills have put up some monster games this year, such as their demolition of the Jets last week. They also have three head-scratching losses: at home to PIttsburgh, at Tennessee and at Jacksonville. The Tennessee loss made sense after Derrick Henry just ran all over them, but the other two show some glaring inconsistencies.
#7 Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-3)
The Bucs lost to Washington last week, 29-19, and the Football Team just outplayed the defending champs on both sides of the ball. Tom Brady had two picks, and the offense had just 273 yards. Washington converted 11 of 19 first downs. Is this team ready to bounce back?
#8 Kansas City Chiefs (6-4)
The Chiefs may have finally arrived. Patrick Mahomes threw for 406 yards and five scores against the Raiders — without an interception. The defense only permitted 14 points, snatching two turnovers and logging two sacks. This is finally the team that looks like the two-time defending AFC champions.
#9 Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
This team went to Miami last Thursday and then only put up 10 points in a shocking loss to the Dolphins. Lamar Jackson and the Ravens’ offense struggled to move the ball, and the Dolphins’ running game just took the life out of the Ravens’ front seven. Three of the next four games for Baltimore come against Cleveland and Pittsburgh.
#10 New England Patriots (6-4)
If you thought Bill Belichick would stay on the mat for a few seasons after Tom Brady’s departure, think again. He has Mac Jones playing better than any other rookie quarterback, and now the Pats have won four in a row and five of six, including a 45-7 undressing of Cleveland last week.
#11 L.A. Chargers (5-4)
The Bolts started 4-1, with wins over Kansas City, Las Vegas and Cleveland in succession. However, now they have dropped three of four, including a seven-point home loss to a struggling Minnesota team. The sloppy play has to stop for this team to content.
#12 Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3-1)
Mason Rudolph had to play quarterback for the Steelers against Detroit, but even so, the Steelers should have managed to beat the winless Lions. However, they got outplayed badly enough, turning the ball over three times (twice in overtime) and could not get the winning points.
#13 Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
The Bengals have lost two in a row after starting 5-2, including a big win at Baltimore. Turnovers have piled up, as Joe Burrow had 11 interceptions going into Week 10 in a tie for the NFL lead. If the turnovers can get resolved, the Bengals still have a shot to win this division.
#14 Indianapolis Colts (5-5)
The Colts started 1-4 and have since gone 4-1 to sit at .500. The secret is Jonathan Taylor, whose running has paced the Indy offense. He had 21 carries for 116 yards and a score in a win over Jacksonville. The Colts still trail Tennessee by three games, but a wild card is possible.
#15 New Orleans Saints (5-4)
With Jameis Winston done for the season — and with tailback Alvin Kamara (knee) out, the Saints almost delivered a comeback win at Tennessee. However, Tampa Bay lost as well, so the Saints did not fall behind. Can Trevor Siemian guide this team to a wild card?
#16 Cleveland Browns (5-5)
The Browns scored a touchdown on their opening drive at New England last week…and then gave up the next 45 points in the game. Baker Mayfield went down in the third period with a knee injury, and Nick Chubb was already out with COVID-19. It’s hard to see this team bouncing back, but Mayfield is a game competitor.
#17 Minnesota Vikings (4-5)
The Vikings’ first seven games were all decided by one score, and they went 2-5. On Sunday, the game was close again against the Chargers, but the Vikings came out ahead, thanks to 118 all-purpose yards from Dalvin Cook. Next up is a visit from the Green Bay Packers.
#18 Las Vegas Raiders (5-4)
The Raiders came out of their bye, lost at New York and then got demolished at home by Kansas City, permitting 516 yards of offense and 41 points. DeSean Jackson had a sure touchdown catch but somehow got lost going to the end zone and fumbled the ball away, and the Raiders would not score again in a 41-14 shellacking. Can they bounce back?
#19 Carolina Panthers (5-5)
This team started 3-0, lost four in a row and is now 5-5 — and Cam Newton is back at quarterback. He was on the field for seven plays against Arizona and accounted for a pair of touchdowns in the laugher. Which Newton will emerge this week?
#20 San Francisco 49ers (4-5)
After losing to an Arizona Cardinals team led by a backup quarterback, the 49ers routed the Los Angeles Rams. Which team will show up in Jacksonville next week?
#21 Philadelphia Eagles (4-5)
The Eagles have dedicated themselves to a run-first offense, and it is working, as they ran the ball 40 times for 214 yards against Denver in a 30-13 road win, averaging 5.4 yards per carry. They play five of their next seven against teams with losing records.
#22 Washington Football Team (3-6)
Going into Sunday, Washington had turned a 2-2 start into a 2-6 season. However, they were able to get a transcendent Sunday out of quarterback Taylor Heinicke, who posted a passer rating of 110.4. However, Chase Young, last year’s Defensive Rookie of the Year, left with a torn ACL.
#23 Denver Broncos (5-5)
The Broncos blew out Dallas two weeks ago…and got run out of their own stadium on Sunday. Mistakes like a Melvin Gordon fumble and a blocked field goal did not help.
#24 N.Y. Giants (3-6)
That home win over Las Vegas gave the G-men some hope going into tier bye week. They should also get back tailback Saquon Barkley and left tackle Andrew Thomas.
#25 Seattle Seahawks (3-6)
Russell Wilson has started 150 games for the Seahawks, and the team had never been shut out in any of his starts until the most recent one in Green Bay. Seattle has dropped four of five and looks like they will miss the playoffs.
#26 Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
The Falcons mustered just 214 yards of offense against Dallas last week. Matt Ryan threw for just 117 yards and a pair of picks. This is a team that can’t beat contenders but is not bad enough to get a high draft pick.
#27 Chicago Bears (3-6)
The future is Justin Fields, and that future is bright, but should Matt Nagy keep leading the team? The defense is bad and undisciplined, and Nagy may have lost the room.
#28 Miami Dolphins (3-7)
The Dolphins have now won two in a row. However, they need to do a lot more to think they have saved their season.
#29 N.Y. Jets (2-7)
Mike White threw for 405 yards and three touchdowns in a win over the Bengals. Against the Bills, he threw for 251 yards and four interceptions, without a touchdown. It’s clear that the league has caught up to him.
#30 Jacksonville Jaguars (2-7)
The Jaguars only got 162 yards of passing out of Trevor Lawrence last week (and a 59.5 passer rating). However, he does not have a working O-line, and his receivers are not getting open. So it’s a team problem.
#31 Detroit Lions (0-8-1)
The Lions have stayed close with several teams this season, and they managed to stick with the Steelers all the way to the end of a tie. If they had made a field goal in overtime, they would have won in a game when Jared Goff only threw for 114 yards.
#32 Houston Texans (1-8)
The talent problems that we foresaw for this team back in the summer? Yes, they are a real thing.
