NFL power rankings: Patriots, Cowboys remain on top, but Raiders, Falcons rise

The Patriots and Cowboys still hold down the top two spots in most NFL power rankings, but they’ve got some new competition at the top.

The Raiders proved their claim on the top spot in the AFC West was legit when they beat the Broncos in a game that wasn’t as close as its 30-20 final score suggests. No team had rolled up more than 23 points on an elite Denver defense until Derek Carr and a versatile Oakland attack dismantled them on Sunday night.

With the win, the Raiders are now the AFC’s clear No. 2 team. With a couple of New England losses, a longtime afterthought could be the conference’s top dog.

Week 9 was even more volatile in the NFC. Minnesota’s fall from the league’s elite continued with a third straight loss. New offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur failed to jump-start the Viking offense as Detroit rallied to pull off an improbable overtime win on the road to push its way into the postseason picture. With the Seahawks edging the Buffalo Bills in a contentious thriller on Monday night, Seattle climbs to No. 2 in the NFC and the Falcons are next at No. 3.

The NFC East and the AFC West are neck and neck for the title of the league’s top division. The West placed three different teams — the Raiders, Chiefs, and Broncos — among SB Nation’s top nine franchises. The East outshined its AFC counterpart by putting all four of its members in the league’s top 11.

The picture at the bottom of the rankings is just as clear as it is at the top. The 0-9 Browns have last place all to themselves, but a 49ers team on a seven-game losing streak could challenge their claim to the No. 1 overall pick in the 2017 NFL draft.