Gambling.com Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Big Leap For Commanders

Week 8 shuffled the middle of the pack while the top held firm. The 49ers, idle on their bye, remain No. 1, with Chicago and Jacksonville sharing second after wins over Seattle and Indianapolis.

Our rankings combine each team's offensive and defensive league ranks, divided by two, so the biggest swings come from teams whose units moved together, giving a true reflection of how each team performs on both sides of the ball.

Six teams climbed two places, so we split them on average score. Buffalo and Green Bay improved by a full two points, the most of that group. Where is your team?

Gambling.com's Week 9 NFL Power Rankings

The Biggest Climbers

Washington’s nine-place leap, Buffalo’s bounce-back win over Baltimore, and Green Bay’s defensive surge headline this week’s movers, with each team now facing a big test against the Rams, Vikings, and Patriots, respectively.

Capital Gains For Commanders

Nobody climbed further than the Commanders, who jumped nine places, from 28th to 19th, by beating Philadelphia 27-10. They sacked the Eagles five times, intercepted a pass, and held them to 91 rushing yards, while running for 135 themselves.

That lifted the defense from 30th to 22nd, while the offense improved from 19th to 16th. Next up is a home game against the Rams, who are fourth in the table and beat the Chargers 24-9 last time out.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Rams-Commanders this weekend.

Bills Bounce Back

Buffalo rose two places to joint 15th after demolishing Baltimore 36-10 to move to 6-1, scoring four touchdowns, two of them on the ground.

The Bills average 33.3 points per game, giving them the league’s second-best offense, but the defense remains 28th, up from 32nd.

This week they visit Minnesota, whose defense ranks first, so something has to give.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Bills-Vikings this weekend.

Packers Pressure Pays

Green Bay also climbed two places to joint 15th, beating Carolina 27-19 without conceding a sack.

Six sacks and an interception on the other side powered the defense up from 14th to 10th; however, their offense is stuck in 20th.

On Sunday, the Packers travel to New England, who are sixth in our rankings with a 5-3 record.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Packers-Patriots this weekend.

The Biggest Fallers

Carolina, Baltimore and Indianapolis all fell in this week’s rankings after lopsided losses.

Panthers' Problems Pile Up

Carolina dropped eight places to joint 22nd, losing 27-19 at Green Bay after being sacked six times. The defense has slid from 24th to 30th after allowing four touchdowns.

The offense is still 11th, which makes the damage fixable. Denver, 6-2, 17th and fresh from a 28-24 win over Kansas City, visit next.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Broncos-Panthers this weekend.

Ravens Rocked At QB

The Baltimore Ravens fell seven places, from joint 11th to 18th, and they lost quarterback Lamar Jackson after one snap with a thumb injury that requires surgery.

They were beaten 36-10 at Buffalo, managing just 68 net passing yards, while the defense conceded 146 rushing yards on 41 carries.

At 4-4, they now face Jacksonville, tying at second in the rankings after crushing Indianapolis 42-7.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Jaguars-Ravens this weekend.

Colts Continue To Crumble And Tumble

Indianapolis dropped four places to 30th, hammered 42-7 at Jacksonville. They conceded 183 rushing yards and six touchdowns, while the offense, 27th overall, managed 134 net passing yards.

The Colts then host Dallas, owners of the league’s sixth-ranked offense but its worst defense, and fresh from a 33-30 overtime loss to Arizona.

Check out our BetBuilderAI predictions for Cowboys-Colts this weekend.

How will next week's power rankings look after Week 9 in the NFL? Will your team climb or fall as the playoff picture starts to take shape?

Compare NFL betting sites using our guide before Week 9 kicks off. →