It was unofficially Blowout Week in the NFL.
With three five-win teams among the six on a Week 8 bye, the NFL turned in a stinker of a weekend.
Twelve of the 13 games were decided by at least 10 points, with the only draft-position battle in Jets-Bengals providing any last-minute drama.
Starting with the Chargers dismantling the Vikings on “Thursday Night Football” and continuing through the Chiefs pounding the Commanders on “Monday Night Football,” the average margin of victory was 18.5 points.
What does that mean? Not a lot of movement within the top, middle and bottom tiers of the league.
Here are The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 9:
1. Colts 7-1 (1)
Are Daniel Jones and Jonathan Taylor in an MVP race? Taylor rushed 12 times for 153 yards and two of his three total touchdowns, while Jones threw for three touchdowns in a 38-14 route against the Titans. It was the first time that Jones threw more than two touchdowns in a game in 2,135 days — the end of his rookie year with the Giants.
2. Packers 5-1-1 (2)
Jordan Love outdueled mentor Aaron Rodgers by throwing for 360 yards and three touchdowns (two to Tucker Kraft) in a 35-25 road win over the Steelers. What’s more impressive? Love led five straight second-half scoring drives. What’s most impressive? Love completed 20 straight passes. Rashan Gary sacked his former teammate twice.
3. Lions 5-2 (3)
Detroit’s high-powered offense hasn’t really skipped a beat in the post-Ben Johnson Era. Jared Goff went into the bye with 15 touchdowns compared to three interceptions, and Jahmyr Gibbs and David Montgomery have a combined 881 yards and 10 touchdowns on the ground. Aidan Hutchinson (six sacks, four forced fumbles) is all the way back from injury.
4. Buccaneers 6-2 (4)
The defense scored more points than it allowed as Anthony Nelson’s 3-yard interception for a touchdown started the scoring in a 23-3 victory against the Saints that got quarterback Spencer Rattler benched. Antoine Winfield Jr. also had a highlight-reel interception. Chase McLaughlin’s three field goals and Sean Tucker’s 1-yard touchdown run carried the offense.
5. Bills 5-2 (5)
The power of rest was on display as James Cook ran for 216 yards and two touchdowns and Josh Allen accounted for three touchdowns in a 40-9 victory that ended the Panthers’ three-game winning streak. Allen improved to 8-0 after the bye in his career and set an NFL record with 46 games of at least one passing and one rushing touchdown.
6. Eagles 6-2 (6)
Jalen Hurts threw four touchdown passes, while Saquon Barkley (150 yards) and Tank Bigsby (104) fueled a 276-yard rushing performance in a 38-20 vengeance win against the Giants. The Eagles benefited from a pair of controversial calls going their way, including one to negate a would-be Hurts fumble on the Tush Push. The defense tallied five sacks.
7. Rams 5-2 (7)
With each passing week, the Rams’ Week 4 victory against the Colts looks better and better, and so does the decision not to move on from Matthew Stafford (17 touchdowns, two interceptions) during the offseason. If not for kicking mishaps against the Eagles and 49ers, the Rams could have been the only undefeated team coming out of their bye.
8. Seahawks 5-2 (8)
The Seahawks look smart for their bold decision to trade three-year starter Geno Smith and sign free agent Sam Darnold. The connection between Darnold and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (819 receiving yards and four touchdowns) was on fire entering the bye. It’s not quite Gibbs-Montgomery, but Kenneth Walker III-Zach Charbonnet is becoming one of the NFL’s best rushing duos.
9. Chiefs 5-3 (9)
Patrick Mahomes overcame two early interceptions and threw touchdown passes on his first three possessions of the second half to break open a game that was tied at halftime. Kareem Hunt scored the first two touchdowns — one rushing and one receiving — in the 28-7 victory against the Commanders. Travis Kelce joined the 100 career touchdown catches club.
10. Patriots 6-2 (11)
Drake Maye threw three second-half touchdown passes to three different receivers to turn a two-point lead at halftime into a 32-13 pasting of the Browns. Jaylinn Hawkins and Robert Spillane intercepted rookie quarterback Dillon Gabriel, who also was penalized for a safety. It didn’t matter that the Patriots couldn’t protect against Myles Garrett (five sacks).
11. Broncos 6-2 (13)
12. Jaguars 4-3 (12)
13. 49ers 5-3 (10)
14. Chargers 5-3 (18)
15. Bears 4-3 (15)
16. Steelers 4-3 (16)
17. Cowboys 3-4-1 (17)
18. Texans 3-4 (22)
19. Panthers 4-4 (19)
20. Falcons 3-4 (14)
21. Vikings 3-4 (20)
22. Commanders 3-5 (21)
23. Ravens 2-5 (25)
24. Bengals 3-5 (23)
25. Giants 2-6 (24)
One half of the 1-2 punch that injected life into the season is finished, as Cam Skattebo suffered a season-ending dislocated ankle during the loss to the Eagles. Jaxson Dart is trying to overcome the limitations around him, throwing for 193 yards with a touchdown through the air and on the ground. Leaky run defense has been a problem for three straight years.
26. Cardinals 2-5 (26)
27. Dolphins 2-6 (31)
28. Browns 2-5 (27)
29. Raiders 2-6 (28)
30. Jets 1-7 (32)
Breece Hall ran for two second-half touchdowns and threw the game-winner on a trick play in the final two minutes to complete a 15-point, fourth-quarter comeback in a 39-38 win against the Bengals. Justin Fields rebounded from a trying week with 244 passing yards and a touchdown strike. It was the first win of head coach Aaron Glenn’s tenure.
