Minnesota Vikings

NFL Power Rankings week 9: Vikings snap back to reality

Published Jun. 30, 2017 6:28 p.m. ET

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Week 9’s NFL Power Rankings are here! The Vikings offensive woes continued on Monday night vs the Bears. This week they play the Lions at US Bank Stadium.

The Vikings season has hit a drastic bump after losing to a 2-6 Bears team. Norv Turner resigned out of nowhere earlier this week just to make things even crazier. Already dealing with injuries and offensive struggles the week 8 loss to Chicago loosened Minnesota’s grip on the NFC North and made them slide down the NFL power rankings.

However, NFL Week 9 has arrived! The Vikings play the Lions this week in a game that really feels like it will make or break their season. Starting guard Alex Boone and linebacker Eric Kendricks will be out of the game with concussions.

And now, the NFL Power Rankings for week 9:

1. New England Patriots (7-1) Last Week: 1 – They are simply a machine.

2. Dallas Cowboys (6-1) Last Week: 3 – Dak Prescott and Ezekiel Elliott are the best pair of rookies to come out of the draft in a long time.

3. Denver Broncos (6-2) Last Week: 5 – Broncos are a very quiet 6-2 and are tied at the top of a very talented AFC West.

4. Atlanta Falcons (5-3) Last Week: 6 – The Falcons have the offensive firepower to make a run in the playoffs.

5. Oakland Raiders (6-2) Last Week: 10 – Is it finally the year? Yes it is, the Raiders are making the playoffs.

6. Kansas City Chiefs (5-2) Last Week: 9 – Despite Alex Smith leaving the game twice on Sunday, the Chiefs beat the Colts easily. Smith will be out this weekend against the Jaguars.

7. Green Bay Packers (4-3) Last Week: 7 – They don’t fall because the game was so close. It was incredible for them to be competitive with the number of players out last weekend.

8. Minnesota Vikings (5-2) Last Week: 2 – What has happened to our team? It would be nice to finally see some touchdowns in the first three quarters.

9. Seattle Seahawks (4-2-1) Last Week: 4 – Their offense is struggling, but I expect them to turn it on.

10. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-3) Last Week: 12 – They will be getting Roethlisberger back this week. Expect to see the Steelers really get rolling.

Oct 16, 2016; Landover, MD, USA; Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Carson Wentz (11) throws the ball against the Washington Redskins in the third quarter at FedEx Field. The Redskins won 27-20. Mandatory Credit: Geoff Burke-USA TODAY Sports

11. Philadelphia Eagles (4-3) Last Week: 11 – Almost beating Dallas in Dallas is an impressive showing for this Eagles team. They will be in the running for a wild-card all year.

12. Houston Texans (5-3) Last Week: 20 – The Texans are a bizarre team. They either look like a very solid team or flat-out awful. I don’t expect them to stay this high on the list.

13. Washington Redskins (4-3-1) Last Week: 16 – Really sucks to miss a 27-yard field goal, doesn’t it?

14. New York Giants (4-3) Last Week: 17 – The Giants are going to have a difficult time staying in the playoff race given the difficult schedule that lies ahead.

15. Buffalo Bills (4-4) Last Week: 13 – The Bills aren’t bad, the Patriots are just really, really good.

16. New Orleans Saints (3-4) Last Week: 24 – Is there the possibility for a second half of the season run? Probably not, but the Saints are a team I would be a little nervous to play, especially in New Orleans.

17. Carolina Panthers (3-5) Last Week: 28 – I know the record is not good, but this is a team I would not want to play right now. The playoffs are certainly a possibility in clustered NFC conference.

18. Arizona Cardinals (3-4-1) Last Week: 8 – They obviously aren’t the same team as last year. I don’t expect to see them in January.

19. Detroit Lions (4-4) Last Week: 15 – The game this weekend will either make or break their season. The Vikings have been struggling so this may be a close game.

20. San Diego Chargers (3-5) Last Week: 14 – They’ve been in every game this season. If they lose one or two more it will become a season of “what could have been.”

Oct 2, 2016; Houston, TX, USA; Houston Texans fan holds up signs during the game against the Tennessee Titans at NRG Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kevin Jairaj-USA TODAY Sports

21. Tennessee Titans (4-4) Last Week: 21 – The Titans are only a game behind the Texans in the AFC West. Mariota and Murray have been spectacular.

22. Cincinnati Bengals (3-4-1) Last Week: 18 – I keep thinking that they’re going to turn it around, but maybe they’re just not a great team.

23. Miami Dolphins (3-4) Last Week:22 – How long will Jay Ajayi keep this up? If he keeps running the ball for 200 yards per game Miami might find itself in playoff contention.

24. Indianapolis Colts (3-5) Last Week: 19 – Correction to what I said last week: The Colts are not the best team in the South.

25. Los Angeles Rams (3-4) Last Week: 25 – It would be nice to see Todd Gurley get going – for both the Rams and my fantasy team.

Last Week: 25

26. New York Jets (3-5) – They’re not out of it yet, but one more loss would probably end their season.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-4) Last Week: 23 – They have some talented young players, but are still a year or two away.

28. Baltimore Ravens (3-4) Last Week: 27 – They’re on a four game losing streak and need to win this week to keep their season alive.

29. Chicago Bears (2-6) Last Week: 30 – Cutler looked good Monday night, as did Jordan Howard. Let’s see if they could string a few wins together.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-5) Last Week: 29 – Blake Bortles has not looked the same. The team is not going in the right direction despite the young talent they have. They will be good in a few years.

31. San Francisco 49ers (1-6) Last Week: 31 – This team was competing for Super Bowls just a few years ago.

32. Cleveland Browns (0-8) Last Week: 32 – How awesome would it be if the Browns beat Dallas?

The Vikings look to get back to their winning ways this weekend at US Bank Stadium. It’s good the team is home this weekend after two dreadful performances against the Eagles and the Bears. It will be interesting to see if our O-line gets massacred this week, especially with Boone out. Well, hopefully we get a win. Skol!

If you disagree with any of the NFL Power Rankings above feel free to roast me in the comments section below.