Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Denver Broncos’ Demise

By Lorraine Perla
for BroncosZone.com

Published: November 3, 2009

The Week Nine Power Rankings make sense of it all and set up the lines for Week Nine with a glance back at some of the results from Week Eight that are what make betting football so much fun in the first place.

The biggest demise of all is that of the Denver Broncos. It looks like the Week Nine Power Rankings have had a bit of a change this week, due to some poor performances from teams such as the Seattle Seahawks and the Detroit Lions.

Figuring out how a Philadelphia Eagles team can lose straight up at Oakland, get a healthy road win against a division rival on Monday Night Football, and then completely annihilate the New York Giants is like trying to solve a Rubik’s Cube with your eyes closed. It just won’t happen.

Top of the Charts

An offensive production nearly 10 points better than the next closest team can’t last forever, but until it fades to at least less than touchdown, the Saints are No. 1 on the bet republic’s power ranking chart.

New England was off for Week Eight following its London Calling vs. Tampa Bay but Indy’s game against San Francisco has prompted us to put Tom Brady and his crew in an official tie for second place.

Brady vs. Manning is going to be the big story for Week 10 when those teams hook up. And pending straight up wins in Week Nine vs. Miami and Houston, this ranking won’t change until the super power of the AFC is crowned Sunday night.

By the way, this is the only time this year the words “Tampa” and “Bay” will be used in the “Top of the Charts” segment, so we hope you enjoyed it, Bucs fans.

Upticks

No ties in this department as the Chicago Bears stop the bleeding and the Dallas Cowboys make a significant jump that solidifies them in our top 10 rankings.

That win over Cleveland is nothing for the Bears to write home about. But they don’t have to write home because they are home again this week against the original Chicago team, the Arizona Cardinals.

A strong game from the defensive front seven and better red zone efficiency against a comparable unit could make the Bears a strong play on option in the back half of the season.

Tennessee gets a mention, too, but it should be noted they just ticked up from 27th to 24th.

The Titans (+4) are getting a ton of action from sports bettors on a line that opened as high as -5.5 at some online sportsbooks, but the anticipation of win No. 2 is nowhere near as great as it was for their first.

Downticks

Green Bay’s season wasn’t lost in that game against Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings, but its playoff hopes were. Head coach Mike McCarthy will get another shot, too, since his defense is new this year and QB Aaron Rodgers is young. But a lack of discipline will continue shooting that team in the foot if something doesn’t change.

Jacksonville is now one overtime win better than the Titans and it’s time for head coach Jack Del Rio to go. Really. The Jaguars (-6.5) welcome Kansas City in Week Nine and money line options on the Chiefs are worth considering.

Bottom Feeders

If anything, Oakland can have credit for being a good cover team. The Raiders are 4-4 ATS this year and that’s more than we can say for the Detroit Lions (2-5 ATS). Off a bye with QB Matthew Stafford back, the Leos couldn’t game plan for a home win against the previously winless St. Louis Rams.

Now the Lions travel to Seattle (-10) and Minnesota and glancing down their schedule, it’s safe to say the Lions will not likely win another game in 2009.

Week 9 NFL Power Rankings: Denver Broncos’ Demise

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