Although there’s still half a season yet to be played, Week 9 of the 2024 NFL season felt like a pivotal week for so many teams around the league when it comes to their playoff hopes, in general. There were a number of teams around the NFL with their backs against the wall, and we got the chance to see some playoff-type atmospheres as a result of that.
With Week 10 of the season looming, there are plenty of teams that have been ascending up our NFL Power Rankings lists as of late, and more teams continued surging upward after impressive wins in Week 9.
Other teams continue to look like they might be sellers at the 2024 NFL trade deadline with an eye on the 2025 NFL Draft already. Who are the biggest risers and fallers in this week’s NFL Power Rankings? Which teams impressed and which teams let their fans down?
2024 NFL Power Rankings, Week 10: Ravens soaring, Cowboys plummeting after Week 9
32. Las Vegas Raiders
The Las Vegas Raiders could be sellers at the NFL trade deadline, although I’m not sure they would make a move as rough as trading Maxx Crosby. I’m sure they will get offers, and the offers will be tempting if teams dangle 1st-round picks at the Raiders.
We’ll see what happens.
What we all know now is that the Raiders just simply aren’t good enough to hang with most teams in the NFL right now. They traded away Davante Adams earlier this year and that move was a clear signal that they are basically punting on this season.
Gardner Minshew was benched for the second time during a game this season, and the Raiders very obviously just don’t have the quarterback position figured out to the point that they could even play spoiler at some point this season. What do the Raiders have to hang their hats on right now? They beat the Ravens earlier this year, but now they just need to hope that they can find a way to get that #1 overall pick so they can pick their QB of choice in the upcoming rookie class.
31. New Orleans Saints
Seven straight losses? Seven?
This New Orleans Saints team was looking like one of the most dominant in the league after the first two weeks of the season. They were barely going a possession without scoring the ball. They had 91 points in the first two games and they were just awesome offensively.
Alvin Kamara had a four-touchdown game.
Now?
They don’t even look like the ghost of those Saints. They are out there losing to the Carolina Panthers, who were previously in the driver’s seat for the #1 overall pick.