Week 10 NFL Power Rankings: Where Everyone Stands at the Mid-Way Point

 We are officially 50% of the way through the 2022-23 NFL regular season! So much drama has unfolded and much more is yet to unfold! With 9 weeks in the rearview mirror, it is time to see who stands where at the genuine halfway mark. Later this week I will also have my mid-season awards/playoff predictions and maybe even a mid-season first round mock draft.

1. Philadelphia Eagles (8-0)
Last week: #1

Half-way through the season and Philly is still yet to lose. Each week they just look more and more comfortable than the last. This team is a wagon and I don't see a loss on their schedule right now. If they keep on winning it will be hard to deny Jalen Hurts an MVP...

2. Kansas City Chiefs (6-2)
Last week: #3 +

KC jumps up in the ranks following a bad Buffalo loss. While their 20-17 OT win over the Titans was not pretty, there was never much of a doubt that they would falter with the way Chris Jones and that defense was playing. Patrick Mahomes had himself another NIGHT as he probably leads the way in the tight MVP race right now. Even on a night in which Derrick Henry ran wild like he usually does, KC was able to come out on top and left some points on the board as well. They are only going to get better, which is scary.

3. Buffalo Bills (6-2)
Last week: #2 -

A bit of a concerning loss sees the Bills fall down a spot to #3. Buffalo had this game from the start but continued to shoot itself in the foot and ended up on the losing side of a grind-it-out 20-17 game. The ultimate worry in Buffalo is how they are too Josh Allen-reliant. They do not have a run game whatsoever. Relying solely on a QB rarely works, especially in January. What is even more concerning (especially with that being said) is that Allen appears to have tweaked his elbow late in the game and could miss 1-4 weeks. That timeline will become much clearer in the coming days, which is obviously a huge story to watch as we get into the key part of the schedule.

4. Minnesota Vikings (7-1)
Last week: #5 +

It feels almost wrong to put the Vikings this high, yet due to their record, I kind of have to. I am not sold on this team at all. They have had a cakewalk schedule and continue to play close against some bad competition, but they also continue to come out on the winning end of these games so I can't fault them for that. Their easy schedule gets very very tough in the coming weeks, and it will tell a lot about if this team is truly as good as their elite 7-1 record suggests, or if they are just a pretender once again...

5. Dallas Cowboys (6-2)
Last week: #4 -

Dallas drops just one spot while on bye. This was a nice time for their off week to come as they could return multiple key starters like Ezekiel Elliott. The Cowboys are for real with an offense that has come to life with the return of Dak Prescott and the league's arguable no. 1 defense. They will be a tough out come playoff time and I am heavily anticipating their second match against Philly (in the coming weeks)!

6. Miami Dolphins (6-3)
Last week: #6

When Tua Tagovailoa doesn't play, the Dolphins are 0-3. When he plays they are 6-0. The jump that Tua has made this year is nothing short of magical, and it is clearly having a major effect on how good this team is. While the defense has been underwhelming, the offense overwhelming everyone has turned this team into an instant contender. This is not a team I'd want to see in the post-season.

7. Seattle Seahawks (6-3)
Last week: #7

After winning its FOURTH straight game (all by 10 or more points) Seattle remains entrenched at the 7 slot. Unreal. Simply unreal. On this streak Seattle has not played from behind much, but they did go down at one point in the second half on Sunday following a rare Geno Smith mistake (a pick-6). Smith and Seattle promptly responded with four straight scoring drives to close out the game, highlighted once again by another huge 4th quarter from rookie sensation Ken Walker. Since the beginning of this 4-game win streak, Seattle's D is the no. 1 ranked defense in the NFL statistically. Seattle is for real, and their lead in the NFC West has grown. Also, special shoutout to FA signing DE Uchenna Nwosu, who has been the best player on this defense, he too is simply special.

8. Baltimore Ravens (6-3)
Last week: #8

This week (so far) has seen really the least movement inside the top 10 of the whole season. While 6-8 (Miami, Seattle, Baltimore) are really 6A, B, and C, having to choose puts Baltimore slightly at the bottom for me, mostly due to injuries. Still, the Ravens have won back-to-back, even with these injuries, and now get a bye week to rest up. Following this bye they have the easiest schedule remaining in the league. The Ravens are about to really start rolling.

9. Cincinnati Bengals (5-4)
Last week: #11 +

We all hoped the Bengals would bounce back at home against the lowly Panthers, and boy did they ever. In an absolute dismantling, Cinncy watched in awe as RB Joe Mixon totaled FIVE touchdowns in the game and helped the Bengals cruise to a 42-21 victory. Even without Ja'Marr Chase, this is a signal of what this offense can do to you. While many were starting to jump ship on the defending AFC champs, it looks like week 8 was just a small hiccup and this team is just fine, and will get even better with the return of Chase in the coming few weeks.

10. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)
Last week: #9 -

The Niners see themselves drop just one spot with the bye in week 9. Despite Seattle playing so well lately, SF is quietly really just one game behind them and also hold a week 2 head-to-head victory over them. This division is not won by Seattle in any way, shape, or form yet, especially with the Niners on the ups with the addition of CMC. This Sunday night will be a great test for Jimmy G and co as they face Justin Herbert and the Chargers who will give their defense all it can handle.

11. New York Jets (6-3)
Last week: #14 +

A win is a win. The Jets, nor any team, care about how pretty it is when they are able to take down a team as good as the Buffalo Bills. That was the case on Sunday as the Jets were able to stall out Josh Allen and his crew on offense and do just enough on their own offensive side of the ball to win. Sauce Gardner continues to blossom into a top 5 CB in front of our eyes, he flat out erased Stefon Diggs and Gabe Davis for good portions of this one. Sure, their lackluster offense limits them, but these Jets are too good on defense to have another losing season, and it's showing.

12. New York Giants (6-2)
Last week: #12

After the tough loss to Seattle in week 8, the G-men flew off to their bye week. They return this week to the same #12 spot in the ranks as last week. My same questions remain about this team whether or not they can really compete with the top tier teams of the league, but with a record of 6-2 at the moment, they are in a great position to make a playoff push if they can avoid a losing record in the final 9 weeks of the year. 

13. Tennessee Titans (5-3)
Last week: #10 -

Man, props to this Titan team. Against the vaunted Chiefs, at Arrowhead, on SNF, with a ROOKIE QB, they almost flat out won. While Malik Willis did not play well in the second half, Derrick Henry and the defense did, and they were able to force OT AND have multiple offensive possessions within the extra period to win. Ultimately, they came up short, but the close loss proved that this team (with Ryan Tannehill back) is still an elite team in the AFC and will be a force to be reckoned with come playoff time. What a job HC Mike Vrabel is doing once again.

14. New England Patriots (5-4)
Last week: #13 -

The Pats fall just one spot in this weeks ranks, but only because of other team movement. They actually probably deserve to move up a slot or two but sometimes it shakes out differently. The Pats continue to win with aggressive running and elite defense. Edge rusher Matthew Judon has always been a good player, but this season he has turned it up to a notch we were yet to see. Judon leads the NFL in sacks with 11.5, the next closest doesn't even have 10! With Judon creating so much pressure, the rest of the defense is thriving. In such a crowded AFC playoff picture, it will be tough for this team to get into the playoffs, but if they do, they play with a formula that no one will want to contend with.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (5-3)
Last week: #16 +

Man oh man, the Chargers almost lost again, but this time they were able to come up on the winning side of a close one. With so many injuries to this offense, Justin Herbert still played lights out football for the most part, throwing to the likes of Joshua Palmer, Gerald Everett, and the ever-elusive Austin Ekeler out of the backfield. The disappointing Charger D stepped it up for a lot of the game on Sunday which is a welcome sight but they also had some luck go their way which could be concerning to the outside eye. SNF this weekend presents a significant opportunity for this team to prove they are for real as they head upstate to the Bay Area to take on the red-hot 49ers.

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-5)
Last week: #21 +

No team had a bigger win on Sunday than Tampa Bay. I cannot stress that enough. With around a minute to go in the game, it looked like Tampa was done for. They were down 4 points and the Rams had the ball. However, the Buc D stepped up and got Brady the ball back with less than a minute and no timeouts. In a vintage Brady drive, he waltzed them down the the field and capped it off with a dumpoff TD pass to rookie TE Cade Otton for the win. That sequence might have saved the Bucs' season as they are now, somehow, back in first place in the NFC South even at 4-5. However, no time to celebrate as a tough task looms this Sunday in Munich against Geno and the Seahawks.

17. Atlanta Falcons (4-5)
Last week: #15 -

This team has been a fun story over the past few weeks as they had held the top spot in the NFC South for a bit, and it looked like they were going to find a way to get over .500 late in the game against the Chargers, but they came up just short and now fall back to one game below .500 again. Still, all is not lost. They remain with the same record as Tampa and still have another game against the Bucs on the schedule where they could possibly flip the division standings and secure an unlikely playoff spot later in the year. RB Cordarrelle Patterson returned this weekend and picked right back up on the torrid pace we saw him go down on.

18. Washington Commanders (4-5)
Last week: #17 -

The Commanders have played with new life under QB Taylor Heinicke, and that was still evident even in their first loss of the season with him starting on Sunday. The Commanders gave the 7-1 Vikings all they could handle and came up JUST short of a victory. It was a strong performance all around from Washington, and I was impressed. While this season is slipping away, the future may be bright for this team if Heinicke remains the starter beyond 2022. All that being said, the NFC is so weak that Washington still does have a decent shot at a wildcard spot this very season if they can keep winning.

19. Cleveland Browns (3-5)
Last week: #20 +

Cleveland got a shot of adrenaline heading into their bye with the huge win over Cincinnati in week 8 on MNF. Now they return with just three games before Deshaun Watson's suspension is up! At 3-5, this team is not out of it yet. If they can win a game or two before Watson returns and then go on a streak with him at the helm, this season is not over just yet.

20. Chicago Bears (3-6)
Last week: #26 +

I do not care if they lost, these Bears are moving up in a big way in the ranks this week! What a showing it was on Sunday, even with the loss taking place. Justin Fields has been showing flashes over the past few games, but in week 9 he really broke out big time. Fields looked incredibly poised passing the ball, but shattered the single-game QB rushing yard record that Michael Vick had held with 178 rush yards! Fields is an animal! Even with the Bears in a rebuild, Fields has made it clear that he truly is the QB of the future in the windy city! A 35-32 loss for the Bears in their current state against the top 6 ranked Dolphins is something to be majorly proud of. This team has a bright future.

21. Los Angeles Rams (3-5)
Last week: #19 -

I'm running out of things to say for this team and excuses to give. The Rams simply are not a good team anymore. Their stars looked aged and the play-calling is uncreative. The meltdown against Tampa was among the worst I've seen in the last few seasons in any sport. Seriously. At 3-5 in a weak NFC, there is still time to turn it around, but I wouldn't bet on it. Not even a dollar.

22. Denver Broncos (3-5)
Last week: #27 +

Sometimes not playing a game at all is the best thing for a team. Denver is hoping that's the case as they had their BYE in week 9 and hope to win their second straight this weekend after returning from it. I don't have much confidence in this team as we all know, but with a defense this good, I can't count them COMPLETELY out just yet, especially with 9 weeks to go. That would be like calling the Rams/Bucs game over with a minute to go...

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-6)
Last week: #29 +

This has to be the most bipolar team in the league. Some weeks they will lose so badly that you will wonder how they are even an NFL team, and then the next week they pull off a comeback like they did Sunday which makes you think they are close to being a playoff team. 

24. New Orleans Saints (3-6)
Last week: #18 -

Whenever you think the Saints have something brewing, they don't. This team needs to give the job back to Jameis Winston, he didn't get a fair chance this season and gives this team the best shot to win a terrible division that even at 3-6, the team is just 1 game back of first place, and a PLAYOFF spot...

25. Arizona Cardinals (3-6)
Last week: #22 -

The jury is in, and the Cardinals stink. It feels like only a matter of time before Kliff Kingsbury is out of a head coaching job and the Cardinals revamp their roster. They were just swept by Seattle.

26. Green Bay Packers (3-6)
Last week: #24 -

Aaron Rodgers and the Pack have reached a new low. The team lost a game they were heavy favorites in to Detroit, as Rodgers threw 3 picks. In the loss, emerging superstar edge rusher Rashan Gary sustained a season-ending knee injury as well. Nothing can go right for this team and they fell like a lost cause at this point. If this awful record holds up, it is sure to make for a wildly entertaining off-season in Wisconsin.

27. Indianapolis Colts (3-5-1)
Last week: #25 -

It has all come undone in Indy. Frank Reich is out and this franchise is in its most questionable spot since pre-Andrew Luck. Not only have the Colts struggled even with a fully healthy team at times this season, they have looked completely lost. To make matters worse, owner Jim Irsay passed up on promoting any active coach on the roster to interim HC and instead went with former pro bowl center Jeff Saturday, who has never coached in college or the NFL. This is going to be a wild last half of the season in Indy, and who knows what will happen with Saturday at the helm.

28. Detroit Lions (2-6)
Last week: #31 +

Good for Detroit! It had been a painful string of losses in Motown, but the Lions finally got back in the win column in the best way possible, ruining a potential 'get-right' day for Aaron Rodgers and the rival Packers. Despite usual star players Amon-Ra St. Brown and D'Andre Swift playing oddly, the Lions flexed their muscles on defense for what feels like the first time in years and won this game. Let's see if they can keep it rolling.

29. Las Vegas Raiders (2-6)
Last week: #23 -

I've held out hope for this team all year, knowing how talented they are and what they did last season. I no longer will do so. This team is cooked, and I have to assume a lot of the blame is on HC Josh McDaniels, who has been mostly a disaster. The Raiders continue to find different ways to blow huge leads, and they did so once again this weekend, blowing a 17-0 first half lead to the lowly Jags to wind up losing in the end. Yeesh. This will also set up for quite the off-season in Vegas.

30. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-6)
Last week: #30

With the Steelers having been on bye in week 9, it's nice to get a week off from writing about some way the Steelers shit the bed and lost. Vacation's over with them getting back to playing this weekend...

31. Carolina Panthers (2-7)
Last week: #28 -

This team thought they had something in PJ Walker, but by the end of Sunday's game, Baker Mayfield was in. Despite this, Walker is apparently getting the start this Thursday night against Atlanta. Why do we have to watch Carolina in primetime? :(

32. Houston Texans (1-6-1)
Last week: #32

The Texans continue to lose, but Dameon Pierce continues to impress despite. Pierce ran for a career best 139 yards on 27 carries in last week's TNF loss to the Eagles. While this is the worst team in football, Pierce makes them slightly watchable. He's a star.

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JKNFLFOOTBALL Week 9 Honors

Offensive PlayerS of the Week: Joe Mixon (RB, Bengals) AND Justin Fields (QB, Bears)
Mixon's Statline: 22 carries for 153 yards, 4 TDs rushing | 4 receptions for 58 yards, 1 TD rec.

Fields' Statline: 17 completions for 123 yards, 3 TDs, 0 INTs passing | 15 carries for 178 yards, 1 TD rushing (yardage a single game NFL RECORD)

Defensive Player of the Week: Justin Houston, Outside Linebacker, Baltimore Ravens
Statline: 2.5 sacks, 1 INT, 2 TFLs, 3 total tackles

Special Teams Player of the Week: Jake Camarda, Punter, Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Statline: 6 punts, 59.5 yard average, 74 LONG

Rookie of the Week: Kirby Jospeh, Safety, Detroit Lions
Statline: 10 total tackles, 2 INTs, 3 pass deflections

Team of the Week: New York Jets (6-3)
Beat Buffalo Bills 20-17

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Week 10 Official Game Picks
Last Week's Record: 8-5
2022 Season Overall: 69-50-1

Falcons over Panthers (19-14)
Seahawks over Buccaneers (30-20) *GERMANY*
Bears over Lions (30-17)
Dolphins over Browns (34-30)
Titans over Broncos (23-16)
Bills over Vikings (27-24)
Giants over Texans (22-11)
Chiefs over Jaguars (42-24)
Steelers over Saints (24-21)
Raiders over Colts (27-26)
Cardinals over Rams (23-19)
Cowboys over Packers (30-21)
Chargers over 49ers (34-31)
Commanders over Eagles (26-24)