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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Adam Stites

NFL power rankings: What experts think of the Jaguars after Week 9

The Jacksonville Jaguars watched from home in Week 9 while resting up during a much-needed bye.

The weekend of rest and recuperation still had an impact on the Jaguars’ place in the standings, though. Both the Houston Texans and Indianapolis Colts inched a little closer in the AFC South and the Kansas City Chiefs and Baltimore Ravens pushed out in front in the race for the best record in the AFC.

Teams like the Cincinnati Bengals and Cleveland Browns continued to push their way into the conversation, while early frontrunners like the Buffalo Bills and Miami Dolphins continued to raise questions about their chances at contending.

With so many teams moving up and down over the weekend, did the Jaguars hold steady during their bye? Here’s where experts think Jacksonville stacks up with Week 10 on the way:

USA Today: 5th

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: 4th

Via Nate Davis:

Coming off their Week 9 bye, October’s road warriors will leave Jacksonville just once in the next four weeks. Beating the Niners on Sunday would be quite a statement.

No. 1 team: Baltimore Ravens

ESPN: 6th

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Last week: 6th

Via Michael DiRocco:

Non-QB MVP: OLB Josh Allen

Running back Travis Etienne Jr. (583 yards rushing, 8 total TDs) might deserve it, too, but Allen gets the nod because the defense has surprisingly carried an offense that hasn’t operated at a consistently high level in the first half. Allen is having the best year of his career (9 sacks) and has pretty much been the Jaguars’ entire pass rush. His 48 QB pressures are more than twice the number of the next-closest teammate (Travon Walker with 22), according to NFL Next Gen Stats. He also has helped the run defense rank third in the NFL (79.3 yards per game).

No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles

The Athletic: 8th

Charles LeClaire-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: 10th

Via Josh Kendall:

Don’t look now, but Jacksonville is 12-3 in its last 15 games. The Jaguars aren’t dominant in any one area of the game. They are 18th in the league in yards per play allowed (5.2) and 19th in yards per play (5.1). But they have created more turnovers (2.25 per game) than anyone in the league and are ninth in point differential (plus-37). Their matchup this week with the 49ers with both teams coming off a bye is the game of the week.

No. 1 team: Baltimore Ravens

Pro Football Talk: 3rd

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: 2nd

Via Mike Florio:

Beat the 49ers this weekend, and they are the real deal.

No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles

CBS Sports: 3rd

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Last week: 3rd

Via Pete Prisco:

They come off their bye with a huge game against the 49ers at home. That is a proving game of sorts in terms of the national stage.

No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles

Yahoo Sports: 6th

Corey Perrine/Florida Times-Union

Last week: 8th

Via Frank Schwab:

The Jaguars get the 49ers at home Sunday in a huge game for Jacksonville. Win that and the Jaguars will take their place among the elite teams in the NFL and will have to be taken seriously as a Super Bowl contender. We’ll know a lot more about Jacksonville after Sunday.

No. 1 team: Baltimore Ravens

Touchdown Wire: 5th

Trevor Ruszkowski-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: 3rd

Via Jarrett Bailey:

The Jaguars were on a bye in Week 9, but they get Wally Pipped by two teams who played fantastically.

No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles

Jaguars Wire: 4th

Matthew Hinton-USA TODAY Sports

Last week: 4th

The Kansas City Chiefs went up and the Miami Dolphins went down after their Germany tilt. The Jaguars, who were in the middle in the JaguarsWire rankings, stayed put as those two teams swapped around them.

No. 1 team: Philadelphia Eagles

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