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    • Commanders, Eagles in top 10; Cowboys sink
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    Commanders, Eagles in top 10; Cowboys sink

    Idris Bevan Posted on

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    NFL power rankings entering Week 9 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):

    1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Guess who now has the most receptions (945) among active players. Travis Kelce after his game-changing 10-catch performance in Sunday’s win in Las Vegas. And also DeAndre Hopkins after his two-grab KC debut in Sunday’s win in Las Vegas. Additionally, the Chiefs just acquired LB Josh Uche, who is averaging about six sacks and 17 pressures per 17 games, joining a top-five defense that continues to anchor the champs. Kansas City still hasn’t had a truly dominant performance, but there hasn’t been a loss yet either.

    2. Detroit Lions (3): Their 172 points in the last four games represent a franchise record, the most scored by a team over a four-game stretch in five years, and are on pace to become the 30th team in league history to do so who has scored at least 500 points.

    3. Baltimore Ravens (2): Speaking of elite offenses, they’re just the fourth team to score more than 20 points and 375 yards in each of their first eight games, joining the 2000 Rams, 2007 Patriots and 2013 Broncos, all purveyors of legendary offenses… although none of these teams won the Super Bowl. Like Detroit, Baltimore is heading toward 500 points – which is important because the Ravens might give up 450 points.

    4. Minnesota Vikings (4): In their third exclusive broadcast window in the last four games, the listed Vikes will have to prove once again that they are ready for prime time without the injured Christian Darrisaw, one of the league’s best left tackles.

    5. Buffalo Bills (7): It almost feels like you could already give them the “x” for winning the AFC East (and that would be the fifth straight season). Buffalo is the only team in the league four times ahead of the rest of its division in the win column and next hosts its nearest rival, the Dolphins, who have beaten the Bills in 12 of their last 13 visits to Western New York.

    6. Green Bay Packers (5): The Lions couldn’t beat them at Lambeau Field for literally decades. Now the Pack is on the verge of a third straight home loss to conference leader Detroit, especially given the appeal of resting QB Jordan Love and his injured groin, whose bye comes in Week 10.

    7. Washington Commanders (10): Amazingly, a team led by a rookie quarterback (Jayden Daniels) is also on its way to .500 points – despite scoring fewer than 20 points for the first time this season on Sunday. A crucial phase lies ahead for the NFC East leaders, facing all three division opponents over the next four weeks.

    8. Houston Texans (6): A club that has averaged 166 net passing yards over the last three weeks now faces the prospect of playing without injured WRs Nico Collins and Stefon Diggs on Thursday night… but perhaps that won’t be such a big one against the smoldering Jets Matter.

    9. Atlanta Falcons (8): They are now 4-0 in a division that QB Kirk Cousins ​​enjoys competing against. His 281.6 passing yards per game against NFC South competition during his career are Cousins’ most against any division in the league, and his 104.1 passer rating isn’t too bad either.

    10. Philadelphia Eagles (11): Maybe the City of Brotherly Love should show HC Nick Sirianni and Co. a little more. A coach who was once vilified for, among other things, his refusal to run the ball is overseeing a team with the most rushes per game (34.3) in the league. Philly didn’t lose or turn the ball over once in October.

    11. Chicago Bears (12): They probably think they lost Sunday’s game because of Daniels’ already epic Hail Mary. Secure. But the Bears really lost when they decided to hand off to OL Doug Kramer at the 1-yard line with just over six minutes left, with the tricky play resulting in a killer fumble instead of a game-winning touchdown . This team is really good…but has to get out of their own way sometimes.

    12. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9): QB Baker Mayfield leads the league with 21 TD passes. QB Baker Mayfield is tied for the lead with nine INTs. It was a valiant effort on Sunday given the Bucs’ injury history, but this team probably can’t afford the turnovers – nine during the current 3-1 loss – if it hopes to make a fifth straight playoff appearance, especially after the loss against Atlanta… and with that, dates against last season’s Super Bowl teams are next on the agenda.

    13. Pittsburgh Steelers (14): The quarterback was sacked four times Monday night, turned the ball over and led just one touchdown drive against a weak team. Tell us again, Coach T, why moving on to Russell Wilson makes so much sense (besides the fact that Justin Fields was injured this week)?

    14. Arizona Cardinals (15): They’ve won three of four games, are undefeated in NFC West play, don’t return until Nov. 24 and, if the season ended today, would be the conference’s No. 4 playoff seed. Now imagine if a team that hasn’t given up fewer than 370 yards since Week 2 played a little defense.

    15. Los Angeles Rams (23): WRs Puka Nacua and Cooper Kupp are back with additional reinforcements, especially on the offensive line. A team that has been rumored to be on the trade market still could be — but perhaps as a buyer instead of a seller after an impressive win over Minnesota.

    16. San Francisco 49ers (17): If Christian McCaffrey and his Achilles tendon issues are indeed on the other side of this week’s bye, ask yourself if the Niners might want to use him more in the slot to bolster a weakened receiver corps and allow RBs Jordan Mason and Isaac Guerendo to make their splash Let performance continue work from the backfield.

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    17. Dallas Cowboys (13): WR CeeDee Lamb owns 28% of their offensive production. I still can’t imagine why RB Rico Dowdle, who was sidelined Sunday night with illness, and TE Jake Ferguson aren’t featured more prominently in an offense that’s crying out for diversification.

    18. Los Angeles Chargers (19): They are getting good returns from their rookie class. According to Next Gen Stats, RT Joe Alt didn’t concede a single pressure in 38 pass-blocking plays on Sunday, marking the best performance by a rook in the last three seasons. Meanwhile, WR Ladd McConkey’s game would have six catches, 111 yards and two touchdowns could make him QB Justin Herbert’s main target for years to come. McConkey’s 100-yard day was the first by a Bolts rookie in 11 years.

    19. Denver Broncos (20): As encouraging as their 5-3 start was, the trips to Baltimore and Kansas City in the next two weeks will shine a truer light on this team.

    20.Cincinnati Bengals (16): They converted 77% of their third downs on Sunday – the best performance in the NFL this season – and lost by 20%. It’s been that kind of year for Cincy, who is just as inept when trying to defend on third down.

    21. Indianapolis Colts (21): Meet the first team in league history to have their first eight games decided by no more than six points each. Indy can be tiring to watch…but don’t get caught up in a play.

    22. Seattle Seahawks (18): So much for the supposed home-field advantage at Lumen Field, where the Seahawks have suffered three straight losses and have had bigger battles on their own sidelines than between the lines.

    23. Cleveland Browns (32): Since the infamous Deshaun Watson acquisition in 2022, two-time Coach of the Year Kevin Stefanski is 9-10 with the starting quarterback and 11-12 without him. Essentially a loss, but QB Jameis Winston’s performance on Sunday was a reminder of that too Was a playoff team last season — thanks largely to the leadership of another veteran passer, Joe Flacco.

    24. Miami Dolphins (24): The lowest scoring offense in the league is obviously operating at a much higher level with QB Tua Tagovailoa on the field. But strangely enough, the defense allows more than five points fewer per game when Tagovailoa doesn’t play.

    25. Jacksonville Jaguars (25): This Sunday’s game in Philadelphia will be the Jags’ fifth road game in Jacksonville in the last seven weeks … although it’s possible none of their three starting receivers will make the trip.

    26. New England Patriots (27): Rookie quarterback Drake Maye scored his first NFL win while suffering a concussion. So if this team is “soft”…

    27. New York Jets (22): … what does it make The Team?

    28. New York Giants (30): Next time you need a stone-cold ban, remember that QB Daniel Jones is 0-8 on “Monday Night Football.”

    29. New Orleans Saints (26): They’re currently on a league-worst six-game losing streak, in fact, it’s the longest since… their vagabond post-Katrina season in 2005.

    30. Carolina Panthers (28): They don’t leave Charlotte until December 8th, which would be nice…if they hadn’t lost nine of their last 11 games at Bank of America Stadium.

    31. Las Vegas Raiders (29): Brock Bowers continues to solidify himself as their best offensive player, joining Hall of Famer Mike Ditka (1961) and Kyle Pitts (2021) as the only rookie tight ends with at least 500 receiving yards through the first eight games.

    32. Tennessee Titans (31): They played like a team that had just lost its best wide receiver and linebacker. Not that it was unwise to move away from DeAndre Hopkins and Ernest Jones after what felt like a misguided offseason spending spree.

    ***

    Follow USA TODAY Sports’ Nate Davis on X, formerly Twitter, @ByNateDavis.

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    Idris Bevan
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