The NFL Blog: 2012 Power Rankings (After Week 9)

Power Rankings After Week 9

1. Atlanta 8-0 (5^th)

2. New York Giants 6-3 (1^st)

3. San Francisco 6-2 (2^nd)

4. Green Bay 6-3 (3^th)

5. Houston 7-1 (4^th)

6. Baltimore 6-2 (6^th)

7. New England 5-3 (7^th)

8. Denver 5-3 (8^th)

9. Chicago 7-1 (9^th)

10. Seattle 5-4 (10^th)

11. Pittsburgh 5-3 (11^th)

12. Detroit 4-4 (14^th)

13. Tampa Bay 4-4 (17^th)

14. Indianapolis 5-3 (19^th)

15. Minnesota 5-4 (15^th)

16. Dallas 3-5 (16^th)

17. Miami 4-4 (18^th)

18. New Orleans 3-5 (21^st)

19. Philadelphia 3-5 (12^th)

20. Washington 3-6 (13^th)

21. New York Jets 3-5 (20^th)

22. Carolina 2-6 (27^th)

23. Cincinnati 3-5 (22^nd)

24. St. Louis 3-5 (23^rd)

25. San Diego 4-4 (30^th)

26. Tennessee 3-6 (24^th)

27. Buffalo 3-5 (25^th)

28. Oakland 3-5 (26^th)

29. Jacksonville 1-7 (28^th)

30. Arizona 4-5 (29^th)

31. Cleveland 2-7 (31^st)

32. Kansas City 1-7 (32^nd)

Comments: 22 of 32 spots in my rankings experienced change for the second week in a row. Overall, 8 teams moved up in my rankings this week, while 14 teams moved down. Of the 8 teams going up in the rankings, 7 climbed more than 1 spot. On the other hand, of the 14 teams falling in the rankings, only 5 dropped more than 1 spot. 

For a second straight week the Indianapolis Colts were one of the teams taking the biggest climb up the rankings. Indy moved up 5 spots in my rankings this week from #19 to #14. The Colts had gone up 6 spots in my rankings the week before. 

The Chargers also moved up 5 spots this week, rising from #30 to #25. San Diego opened Week 9 with a thrashing of the Kansas City Chiefs and they ended up making a big move up the power rankings after plummeting the week before.  

The Panthers moved up 5 spots in the rankings this week as well. Carolina surprised RGIII and the Redskins in Washington to earn just their second victory of the season. The Panthers rose from #27 to #22 in my power rankings. 

Two teams from the NFC East took the biggest dives in my rankings this week. The Eagles and Redskins both dropped 7 spots in the rankings. Philly fell from #12 to #19, while the Skins dropped from #13 to #20.

While the teams in my top 11 remained the same this week, there was plenty of movement at the top of my rankings. It was finally time for me to place my Atlanta Falcons atop the power rankings. They earned it. The Birds are still the only remaining undefeated team in the NFL, and they vaulted 4 spots this week from #5 to take over the top spot in my rankings for the first time. 

The Giants fell out of the top spot after three weeks at #1. They dropped 1 spot to #2 and are now my highest ranked team with at least 3 losses after falling at home to Pittsburgh on Sunday. 

At the other end of the spectrum, the Kansas City Chiefs remained the bottom team in my rankings for a second straight week. The Chiefs appear to have a stranglehold on the #32 position.

Detroit is my highest ranked .500 team at #12, while the Chargers are my lowest ranked .500 team at #25.

  

Minnesota is my lowest ranked team with a winning record at #15, while the Cowboys are my highest ranked team with a losing record at #16.