NFL Power Rankings - Week 9: Players who must step up in 2nd half
The NFL Power Rankings are selected by a panel of theScore's football editors.
This week, we look ahead to the second half of the season and name one player from each team who needs to step up.
1. Pittsburgh Steelers (7-0)
Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 2
It's hard to nitpick an undefeated team, but Terrell Edmunds is the only starter in the Steelers' secondary without an interception this season.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (7-1)Previous Rank: 1
Frank Clark came on strong in the second half last year, and he'll need to repeat that after managing just three sacks and 20 quarterback pressures through the first eight games in 2020.
3. Seattle Seahawks (6-1)Previous Rank: 3
Though they're 6-1 and the class of the NFC, there's plenty of room for the Seahawks to improve, starting with their 31st-ranked defense. Top corner Shaquill Griffin has allowed five touchdowns and a 115.4 passer rating against.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (6-2)Previous Rank: 4
The Buccaneers' defense is playing well to start the campaign, but although pass-rusher Shaq Barrett has been disrupting quarterbacks, he's logged just three sacks and is well off the pace from his 19.5-sack season in 2019.
5. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 5
With All-Pro left tackle Ronnie Stanley lost for the season, Orlando Brown Jr. figures to move across the offensive line, and he'll need to play the best football of his young career.
6. Green Bay Packers (5-2)Previous Rank: 6
Za'Darius Smith has registered six sacks in seven games, but he's getting little help from his teammates. Tag-team partner Preston Smith notched 12 sacks last year, but he's tallied just half a sack this season.
7. Arizona Cardinals (5-2)Previous Rank: 8
Aside from a 164-yard outburst in Week 6, Kenyan Drake has recorded just one other game with 80-plus rushing yards. Drake will need to give the Cardinals' offense some balance when he returns from his ankle injury.
8. Buffalo Bills (6-2)Previous Rank: 11
Ed Oliver hasn't taken the sophomore leap the Bills envisioned, and the team's defensive line issues threaten to linger if the 2019 No. 9 pick doesn't pick up his game.
9. New Orleans Saints (5-2)Previous Rank: 10
The Saints have won four straight, though no victory has come easy. New Orleans needs Michael Thomas to make a seamless return from his injury and disciplinary issues so its offense can kick into a higher gear.
10. Tennessee Titans (5-2)
Frederick Breedon / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 7
The Titans were expecting more than zero sacks from Jadeveon Clowney when they handed him $13 million before the season, yet that's what they've received thus far.
11. Indianapolis Colts (5-2)Previous Rank: 13
The key for the Colts down the stretch will be offensive consistency, so it would help if T.Y. Hilton recaptured his top form. He's averaging under 36 yards per game, and there aren't many quality options beyond him on the Colts' depth chart.
12. Las Vegas Raiders (4-3)Previous Rank: 16
There's no way Nick Kwiatkoski should be outplaying Cory Littleton, a marquee free-agent signing. But the former has taken over as the Raiders' top linebacker.
13. Los Angeles Rams (5-3)Previous Rank: 9
Jared Goff is coming off a four-turnover performance, and he'll need to make better decisions when faced with pressure, particularly with games against the Seahawks, Buccaneers, 49ers, and Cardinals upcoming.
14. San Francisco 49ers (4-4)Previous Rank: 12
Jimmy Garoppolo and George Kittle are out long term, shifting the 49ers' offensive focus to their running game going forward. Injuries have also crippled San Francisco's backfield, and although he's played in all eight games, Jerick McKinnon has failed to make an impact.
15. Miami Dolphins (4-3)
Michael Reaves / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 17
Byron Jones has been in and out of the lineup, and his consistent presence would be a major boost to a Dolphins secondary already benefitting from Xavien Howard playing at a Pro Bowl clip.
16. Cleveland Browns (5-3)Previous Rank: 14
The Browns didn't draft Baker Mayfield first overall to be a game-manager. He needs to step up against better teams for Cleveland to be taken seriously in the playoff race.
17. Chicago Bears (5-3)Previous Rank: 15
The Bears are married to Nick Foles, for better or worse. For Chicago to remain in playoff contention, the veteran quarterback needs to improve his near 1:1 touchdown-to-interception ratio, and a passer rating worse than what Mitchell Trubisky produced.
18. Denver Broncos (3-4)Previous Rank: 23
They've got a long road ahead of them, but if Drew Lock can get hot, the Broncos could make a run at the AFC's final wild-card spot. Lock has thrown four touchdown passes and five interceptions in five appearances, though he led a game-winning drive against the Chargers in Week 8.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (3-4-1)Previous Rank: 21
Carson Wentz may lack playmakers around him, but he needs to take care of the ball better. His penchant for extending plays has led to a league-high 12 interceptions and four fumbles lost.
20. Carolina Panthers (3-5)
Grant Halverson / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 18
Derrick Brown, the Panthers' first-round pick and the seventh overall pick last spring, has recorded just 18 tackles while missing three.
21. New England Patriots (2-5)Previous Rank: 22
Tom Brady isn't walking through that door. Unless Cam Newton can transform into Superman, the skill-deficient Patriots don't stand a chance.
22. Minnesota Vikings (2-5)Previous Rank: 27
Kirk Cousins sure isn't playing like the seventh highest-paid quarterback based on annual average. The Vikings passer has thrown 10 picks, and he's made few contributions during the team's two victories.
23. Detroit Lions (3-4)Previous Rank: 20
Marvin Jones Jr. needs to become the Lions' No. 1 receiver with Kenny Golladay set to miss time again due to an injury. Jones struggled with that responsibility earlier in the year, and he's logged just 265 yards and three scores this season.
24. Washington Football Team (2-5)Previous Rank: 24
Life after Trent Williams is rough. Geron Christian Sr., Washington's replacement at left tackle, has allowed six sacks and 24 quarterback pressures.
25. Cincinnati Bengals (2-5-1)
Todd Olszewski / Getty Images Sport / GettyPrevious Rank: 28
Joe Mixon is off to a sluggish start for the second straight year, and the Bengals' poor ground game has resulted in Joe Burrow trying to win contests by himself. As Cincinnati's record shows, that's too much to ask of a rookie quarterback.
26. Houston Texans (1-6)Previous Rank: 26
Houston can't begin a second-half surge without a defensive resurrection, which means J.J. Watt needs to reach into the fountain of youth and come up with more than the three sacks he's tallied during the first half.
27. Los Angeles Chargers (2-5)Previous Rank: 19
The Chargers haven't struggled during the first three quarters of games, so we're calling out head coach Anthony Lynn for the repeated fourth-quarter meltdowns. Coach, whatever you're doing in the final frame, change it.
28. Atlanta Falcons (2-6)Previous Rank: 29
The Falcons' pass defense has been barbecue chicken, allowing the second-most yards and a league-high 20 touchdowns. Rookie A.J. Terrell has given up 25 receptions on 32 targets.
29. Dallas Cowboys (2-6)Previous Rank: 25
With the uncertainty at quarterback in Dallas, it's imperative that Ezekiel Elliott returns to form. He's averaging a career-low 3.9 yards per rush, and his three lost fumbles have played a role in the Cowboys' ugly record.
30. New York Giants (1-7)
Icon Sportswire / Icon Sportswire / GettyPrevious Rank: 31
Daniel Jones has accounted for 10 turnovers, and he's missed several open receivers running free past the secondary. There's still a chance for the Giants to make the playoffs out of the weak NFC East, but their sophomore quarterback needs to improve his accuracy.
31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-6)Previous Rank: 30
In a rebuilding season, the Jaguars wanted to see more from DJ Chark, who finished with 1,008 receiving yards last year. But the club is still waiting for him to surpass the 300-yard mark at the midway point of its schedule.
32. New York Jets (0-8)Previous Rank: 32
Denzel Mims compiled a pair of 42-yard games to begin his career, and the Jets will need the second-round wideout to flash more if they want to resuscitate Adam Gase's offense.
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