JACKSONVILLE – Here are senior writer John Oehser's Week 9 2014 NFL power rankings. And we all know how important these are:
1.Denver Broncos (6-1) | 1 | Better and better and better …
2.Arizona Cardinals (6-1) | 4 | Won't be "Quietly Good" much longer
3.Dallas Cowboys (6-2) | 3 | Lost a game Monday – and nearly lost Romo
4.Philadelphia Eagles (5-2) | 2 | Learned Sunday what many are learning – that Cardinals are for real
5.Detroit Lions (6-2) | 8 | Starting to look very good for a playoff spot
6.New England Patriots (6-2) | 9 | Maybe they shouldn't bench Tom Brady after all
7.San Diego Chargers (5-3) | 7 | Still looking like an elite team
8.Indianapolis Colts (5-3) | 6 | In control of the AFC South until they're not
9.Green Bay Packers (5-3) | 5 | A huge "oof" in the Big Easy Sunday
10.Seattle Seahawks (4-3) | 10 | Perilously close to sub-.500, but they're not
11.Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1) | 13 | Got things right after a long month
12.San Francisco 49ers (4-3) | 12 | Held steady through the bye – mark of a champion
- Buffalo Bills (5-3) | 14 | Don't look now, but the Bills are in contention
14.Baltimore Ravens (5-3) | 11 | Missed chance to take lead in suddenly tough AFC North
15.Kansas City Chiefs (4-3) | 15 | Sort of quiet, but in contention as midseason nears
16.Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3) | 18 | Have shaken off sluggish start in big, big way
17.Carolina Panthers (3-4-1) | 16 | Schedule has made it tough to match last season
- Miami Dolphins (4-3) | 17 | Did enough to survive in Jacksonville Sunday
19.Houston Texans (4-4) | 21 | Doing just enough to stay in contention
20.New Orleans Saints (3-4) | 24 | Still a long way to go -- but a good start
21.New York Giants (3-4) | 20 | Ah, what a bye week for Blue
22.Cleveland Browns (4-3) | 22 | A game above .500 only good for fourth in AFC North
- Washington Redskins (3-5) | 28 | Pulled one of biggest upsets of season Monday
- Minnesota Vikings (2-5) | 26 | Tampa Bay just what struggling Vikes needed Sunday
25.Chicago Bears (3-5) | 19 | A faster, further fall than anyone expected
26.Atlanta Falcons (2-6) | 23 | The season is fast losing hope for these birds
27.St. Louis Rams (2-5) | 25 | Too many injuries, too much KC on Sunday
28.Tennessee Titans (2-6) | 27 | Two consecutive losses as Titans skid into bye
29.New York Jets (1-7) | 29 | Seven-game losing streak longest since 2005
- Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7) | 30 | Rookie quarterback woes negate vastly improved defense
31.Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6) | 31 | Stunning finish in Tampa leaves them here another week
32.Oakland Raiders (0-7) | 32 | Still winless, still at No.32
