NFL Power Rankings Week 9: Peyton Manning, Tom Brady Lead Respective Clubs Atop NFL Hierarchy

1.       Denver Broncos (6-1)

Emmanuel Sanders had a game for the ages versus the Chargers, hauling in nine receptions for 120 yards with three touchdowns.

2.       New England Patriots (6-2)

Tom Brady is the only QB in NFL history to throw for 350+ yards and complete over 85 percent of his passes with 5 TDs and zero interceptions in a game. He has accomplished this feat twice now, the first coming in a 59-0 pummeling of the Titans in 2009 at Gillette Stadium. In Sunday’s win, Brady threw for 354 yards against the Bears and he had as many touchdown passes as he did incompletions.

3.       Arizona Cardinals (6-1)

With the emergence of slot receiver John Brown, the Cardinals feature arguably the NFL’s top wideout trio with Michael Floyd and veteran Larry Fitzgerald lining up on the outside. Arizona has also found a gem in the kicking game with rookie Chandler Catanzaro setting an NFL rookie record by converting the first 16 field goal attempts of his career.

4.       Philadelphia Eagles (5-2)

Interceptions continue to pile up for QB Nick Foles and the Eagles’ woes in the red-zone remain a major issue for the defending NFC East champions.

5.       Dallas Cowboys (6-2)

A home loss to the Redskins—led by third-string QB Colt McCoy—is unacceptable, but the panic button should not be hit yet—provided Tony Romo’s back injury is just a bruise as the team says.

6.       San Diego Chargers (5-3)

Philip Rivers is still playing at an MVP-caliber level, but his offensive line is holding him and the Chargers’ offense back. Concerns also lie in a depleted San Diego secondary.

7.       Detroit Lions (6-2)

The Lions secured an improbable victory for the second straight week, scoring the final 22 points in their London tilt against the slumping Falcons.

8.       Cincinnati Bengals (4-2-1)

The Bengals swept the regular season series versus the Ravens for the second straight year. The sweep could go a long way in Cincinnati earning consecutive division titles for the first time since the 1981-1982 seasons.

9.       Seattle Seahawks (4-3)

For the second straight season, Seattle left Carolina with a road victory in a low-scoring affair via a fourth-quarter TD pass by Russell Wilson, who went 4-of-4 for 53 yards on the Seahawks' game-winning drive.

10.   Baltimore Ravens (5-3)

Five of Joe Flacco's seven interceptions this season have come when throwing the ball to wideout Torrey Smith, including both picks in Sunday’s loss in Cincinnati. Flacco has thrown five interceptions on 42 passes targeted to Smith (11.9 percent) in 2014. Flacco has been intercepted just twice on the 237 passes directed at other wide receivers this season.

11.   Green Bay Packers (5-3)

Aaron Rodgers threw for 203 yards in the first quarter on Sunday night, the most he has posted in a single quarter in his career. However, the Packers collapsed after Rodgers pulled his hamstring, as the hobbled QB was unable to thwart the rout at the hands of the Saints.

12.   Pittsburgh Steelers (5-3)

Ben Roethlisberger became the only QB in NFL history to record multiple 500-yard passing games. He set franchise records with 522 yards and 6 touchdowns in the victory over the Colts.

13.   Indianapolis Colts (5-3)

Despite entering the contest with the third-ranked defense, the Colts were torched for 639 yards in a humiliating loss to the Steelers. Indianapolis failed to attain a sack for the first time since its Week 2 loss to the Philadelphia Eagles.

14.   San Francisco 49ers (4-3)

Coming off Bye Week

15.   Kansas City Chiefs (4-3)

Justin Houston sacked Rams QB Austin Davis three times and recorded four QB hits and five tackles in the Chiefs’ blowout victory. Knile Davis had a 99-yard kickoff return for a touchdown in the win. He became the fifth player in NFL history to attain a 99-yard touchdown return in back-to-back seasons.

16.   Buffalo Bills (5-3)

The Bills are 3-1 with veteran Kyle Orton under center, who has helped jumpstart the promising career of rookie WR Sammy Watkins (157 receiving yards and a TD against the Jets).

17.   Cleveland Browns (4-3)

The Browns’ rushing attack has vanished since the season-ending injury to Pro Bowl center Alex Mack. Behind a strong defensive effort, particularly from the secondary, the Browns overcame their running woes to defeat the Raiders and avoid losing to an 0-6 team with a rookie QB in consecutive weeks.

18.   New Orleans Saints (3-4)

The Saints must continue to feed bonafide tailback Mark Ingram the rock. He rushed for 124 yards and a TD in the Saints’ commanding victory over the Packers. Ingram is now averaging an otherworldly 5.7 yards per carry on the season.

19.   Miami Dolphins (4-3)

The Dolphins intercepted Blake Bortles two times and returned both for touchdowns in their 27-13 win in Jacksonville.

20.   Houston Texans (4-4)

J.J. Watt’s fourth-quarter sack-celebration—which included a Zach Mettenberger-inspired selfie—capped off the Texans’ dominating road win.

21.   Carolina Panthers (3-4-1)

The Panthers are 1-4-1 in their past six contests, yet remain tied for the lead in the mediocre NFC South.

22.   Washington Redskins (3-5)

Colt McCoy’s 83.3 completion percentage on “Monday Night Football" was the best mark by a Redskins QB with at least 30 pass attempts in franchise history, according to the Elias Sports Bureau.

23.   New York Giants (3-4)

Coming off Bye Week

24.   Minnesota Vikings (3-5)

Teddy Bridgewater improved his record to 2-2 as a starting QB in the NFL, recording his first-career road victory on Sunday.

25.   Chicago Bears (3-5)

The Bears’ defense is falling apart. After surrendering 51 points to the Patriots, Chicago now ranks 29^th defensively in points per game, surrendering 27.8 per contest.

26.   Atlanta Falcons (2-6)

Arthur Blank was left in disbelief following the Falcons’ second-half meltdown in London.

“You’re up 21-0,” Atlanta’s owner Arthur Blank told the Atlanta Journal-Constitution’s columnist Mark Bradley after the game. “There’s no way you lose that game — just no way. There’s nothing else I can say.”

27.   St. Louis Rams (2-5)

A week after upsetting the defending champs, the Rams laid a dud against the Chiefs.

28.   Tennessee Titans (2-6)

Zach Mettenberger ought to spend his time learning the Titans’ playbook, rather than taking unflattering selfies.

29.   Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-6)

The Bucs finished with 225 yards total offense in their overtime loss to the Vikings, just 66 coming on the ground. QB Mike Glennon was sacked five times in the deflating defeat.

30.   New York Jets (1-7)

Before Geno Smith got benched, he went 2-for-8 for five yards with three interceptions. It’s officially time to terminate the Geno Smith-era in New York.

31.   Jacksonville Jaguars (1-7)

The Jaguars may have handed rookie QB Blake Bortles the starting gig too soon. Bortles has four interceptions returned for touchdowns and 12 interceptions on the year. He threw two pick-six’s in a 27-13 loss to the Dolphins on Sunday.

32.   Oakland Raiders (0-7)

David Carr looks like the real deal but his supporting cast is atrocious—leading many to believe the Raiders will finish the season winless.