Here are the NFL power rankings for Week 10 of the 2023 season (with the previous rank shown in parentheses):

  1. Ravens (2): Baltimore? Best in the league? This team is allowing 13.8 points per game, which is 35 more than the next closest team. They also have a +115 point differential, which is 35 more than the next closest team. Finally, the Ravens have beaten two NFC division leaders (Detroit and Seattle) by a combined score of 75–9 in their last two home games, outgaining the Seahawks by nearly 400 yards. It’s not important that WR Odell Beckham Jr. scored his first touchdown since Super Bowl 56 or that rookie RB Keaton Mitchell ran for 138 yards on his first touches in the NFL. Teams from Cleveland and Cincinnati are coming to Charm City in two weeks, so keep an eye out.
  2. Eagles (1): They are the only 8-1 team in the league and the first team since Peyton Manning’s time in Indianapolis in 2006 to have an 8-1 start in back-to-back years. But since quarterback Jalen Hurts is still dragging his leg around, the bye week couldn’t have come at a better time. Plus, after the break, Philadelphia plays Kansas City, Buffalo, San Francisco, Dallas, and Seattle in a row. Don’t worry, though; Hurts tied Peyton Manning’s record (2008–10) with 12 straight wins in the regular season against teams that already had winning records.
  3. Chiefs (3): The K.C. Chiefs are currently the top-seeded team in the AFC and have a week off before their rematch with Philadelphia in the Super Bowl in Week 11. Their defense is giving up just 15.9 points per game, which is the lowest it has been since Andy Reid took over 11 years ago.
  4. 49ers (5): They had the best off week in recent memory. They got DE Chase Young for very little money, gave injured LT Trent Williams and WR Deebo Samuel much-needed rest, and moved back into a tie for first place in the NFC West after Seattle’s embarrassing loss.
  5. Jaguars (4): After having a bye in Week 9, the Jaguars will only have to leave Jacksonville once more in the next four weeks. It would be a big deal to beat the Niners on Sunday.

6. Bengals (10): WR Tee Higgins said, “We’re back, and we’re here,” after Sunday night’s big win. It was Cincinnati’s fourth straight win overall and sixth in a row at home in prime time, which is a team record. There will not be any more home dates under the lights this season, which is a shame.

7. Tigers (7): Rookie RB Jahmyr Gibbs has the most yards from scrimmage in the league with 132.3 per game in the three games he’s started. Even though War Hammer RB David Montgomery is about to come back from a rib injury, maybe keep him in the starting lineup?

  1. Cowboys (6): Four of their next five games are at AT&T Stadium, and the next three overall against teams a collective 12 games below .500. Make a lot of money in the NFC East before the rematch with Philadelphia in Week 14. This is especially true if WR CeeDee Lamb keeps up his good form (30 catches for 466 yards in the last three weeks).
  2. Bills (8): They only have one more road game left, at Philadelphia, before December 10. That would be a good time to turn things around, since Buffalo is better at Orchard Park. and maybe to try and evolve this offense beyond QB Josh Allen running or throwing to WR Stefon Diggs.
  3. Dolphins (9): For those keeping score at home, that’s 39 points per game in their six wins (all against teams without winning records), and 17 per game in three losses – all against projected playoff squads.
  4. Steelers (12): Of the 29 teams to be outgained in each of their first eight games since the 1970 AFL-NFL merger, Pittsburgh (5-3) is the only one to manage a winning record.
  5. Seahawks (11): Would not have expected the acquisition of DE Leonard Williams to coincide with Seattle surrendering 37 points and 515 yards.
  6. Browns (13): Their top-ranked defense ceded 58 yards Sunday, the third fewest in franchise history. Cleveland is the first team in 41 years to hold two opponents below 100 total yards in the first eight games of a season.
  7. Chargers (14): We give Brandon Staley a lot of flak for his underwhelming defense. Well, Monday night it posted eight sacks, three takeaways and didn’t allow a touchdown … though, does the performance really count when it comes against the Jets?
  8. Texans (22): After a weekend of shattering rookie passing records, Houston QB C.J. Stroud has another one in his sights. With 14 touchdown throws and one pick, he could annihilate Dak Prescott’s mark (23 TDs, 4 INTs in 2016) for best TD-to-INT ratio among freshman passers.
  9. Vikings (23): “It’s like if you were taking AP Spanish all year, and you showed up and someone told you Wednesday … you have an AP French exam on Sunday,” new QB Josh Dobbs said of learning Minnesota’s offense on the fly Sunday. Good thing he’ll face the fleur-de-lis from New Orleans on Sunday.
  10. Colts (21): CB Kenny Moore II became the first player in franchise history with two pick-sixes in one game at a most opportune time. No Indianapolis player has multiple TD catches in a game this season.
  11. Jets (15): Only one team in the league has yet to score on its opening drive this season. Take a guess. The NYJ have eight offensive TDs this season, two fewer than Miami had … in Week 3.
  12. Titans (17): Maybe their quarterback issue is solved, for now, with Will Levis. But a defense with a league-low six takeaways needs to give the rookie a little help … and a few extra possessions.
  13. Falcons (18): Remember, this is the team that decided it wasn’t worth trying to sign QB Lamar Jackson to an offer sheet earlier this year.
  14. Buccaneers (19): For all the good they did, the 37 points they posted Sunday were more than they scored in any game last year with QB Tom Brady.
  15. Saints (20): Taysom Hill’s 5.2 yards per rush are nearly 50% better than any of New Orleans’ other regular ball carriers.
  16. Rams (16): They’ve gone 1-4 since the return of WR Cooper Kupp, who’s been held to fewer than 50 receiving yards in each contest of LA’s three-game losing streak.
  17. Raiders (24): Playing the decimated Giants obviously helped, but seemingly little coincidence that Las Vegas scored its most points and surrendered its fewest – while having plenty of fun – in Game 1 post-Josh McDaniels.
  18. Broncos (25): Quiet at the trade deadline, time to find out if they overvalued their players … or might go on a run with them after winning the last two games.
  19. Packers (28): Nice to see LB Rashan Gary land a four-year, $96 million extension coming off a 2022 season curtailed by a torn ACL.
  20. Bears (29): We’re in the midst of a five-week stretch in which Chicago is scheduled to play three prime-time games. Let’s hope QB Justin Fields (thumb) can return Thursday to at least make Da Bears entertaining.
  21. Commanders (30): Fresh off consecutive 300-yard games for the first time in his career, QB Sam Howell now leads the NFC with 2,471 passing yards – a figure that may continue to rise after the defense was stripped at the trade deadline.
  22. Patriots (27): Hopefully the good people of Germany are not expecting Manning vs. Brady in Sunday’s Colts-Pats game in Frankfurt.
  23. Panthers (31): The NFL doesn’t have an in-season tournament – yet – but you have to think Carolina really wants to win the DJ Moore Bowl.
  24. Giants (26): You have to feel for injured QB Daniel Jones. You also have to feel like New York probably has buyer’s remorse after extending him in the offseason. Now they might be one of, say, a dozen teams having to reconsider its QB1 plans going into 2024.
  25. Cardinals (32): Welcome back, Kyler Murray. Good luck … with this.