Week 9 NFL Power Rankings Roundup: Undefeated Chiefs Continue to Prove Themselves

Although the Chiefs still aren't the consensus top team, many outlets are beginning to recognize this year's undefeated squad in power rankings.

Oct 27, 2024; Paradise, Nevada, USA; Kansas City Chiefs wide receiver Mecole Hardman (17) and quarterback Patrick Mahomes (15) leave the field after the game against the Las Vegas Raiders at Allegiant Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images / Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Eight weeks through the 2024-25 NFL season, only one team remains undefeated. Naturally, it's the same Kansas City Chiefs club that has won back-to-back Super Bowl titles.

Last weekend saw Andy Reid's crew travel to Allegiant Stadium, a familiar venue, and take down the Las Vegas Raiders on the road. Behind a solid offensive performance and various big-time stops on defense, Kansas City emerged with a 27-20 win and is up to 7-0 on the year.

Where do the back-to-back Super Bowl champs slot in compared to their peers? Let's take a look at some Week 9 NFL power rankings from major outlets as Monday's game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers approaches.

The 33rd Team: 1

The Chiefs won't wow anyone with style points, but they simply keep getting the job done. That's the sentiment echoed in this week's power rankings from The 33rd Team, which have Kansas City occupying the top spot once again.

Same old, same old for the Kansas City Chiefs. It wasn’t a pretty win, but they managed to go to Las Vegas and get a “W” against the last team to beat them. The Chiefs have now won 13 straight games since being upset by the Raiders on Christmas 2023, and it might be a while before they lose another game. – Marcus Mosher

Bleacher Report: 1

One of the scary things about this year's Chiefs team is that they still have some things to figure out on the offensive side of the ball. With the defense rounding into form and some recent acquisitions set to get acclimated, the league should be on notice.

The still-undefeated Chiefs will work on acclimating new wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins to their offense, and he will elevate their lackluster passing attack. Kansas City also added help on the defensive front this week, acquiring edge-rusher Josh Uche from the Patriots for a Day 3 pick. For now, Kansas City's defense is playing at a level similar to last season, even without cornerback L'Jarius Sneed. That was enough to keep its record spotless and remain atop the power rankings. – Maurice Moton

Sports Illustrated: 2

The aforementioned Hopkins trade was a big deal, but Uche should be able to help Steve Spagnuolo and Joe Cullen's defensive front in a significant way. While Conor Orr still has Kansas City sitting second in his power rankings, he's interested to see how things shake out.

The Joshua Uche trade was another clean single for the Chiefs’ front office, which catches a lot of flak—even from me—for perceived inaction. However, Uche was a hidden gem around the trade deadline a year ago and I think he fits in well with this front of amoebic, talented individuals who can be in a million different places, rush the quarterback situationally and muddy up life for opposing QBs and coordinators hoping to gash this team with easy completions. – Conor Orr

The Athletic: 2

Following yet another win, the Chiefs make the jump from fourth to second in The Athletic's NFL power rankings. Josh Kendall singles out Hopkins as the intriguing piece of the week for the reigning champs.

DeAndre Hopkins had two catches for 29 yards in his first game as a Chief. He’ll get better as he gets more familiar with Patrick Mahomes’ improvisational style. However, it might only get so good. The 32-year-old Hopkins has topped 750 yards in a season just once in his last four full seasons. He had 202 yards in seven games last year. He’s never had a quarterback like Mahomes, but he will probably never be 2018 DeAndre Hopkins again. – Josh Kendall

FOX Sports: 1

Similar to last season, Kansas City is relying on its defense to come up with big plays late in games to seal wins. Bucky Brooks has no problem with it, as the Chiefs top his 10 best teams list for another week.

Andy Reid's squad lacks the flash of some of his previous championship teams, but it keeps stacking wins against quality competition. Led by a disruptive defense that creates turnovers and splash plays, the Chiefs can rely on Chris Jones & Co. to make enough game-changing plays to sustain the squad until Patrick Mahomes regains his MVP form. Considering the Chiefs have raced out to a 7-0 start without No. 15 playing his best ball, the rest of the league should pay close attention to how the defending champs are getting it done without relying extensively on the quarterback to make it happen each week. – Bucky Brooks

CBS Sports: 1

As he has all season, Pete Prisco keeps Kansas City atop his power rankings entering Week 9. He, like many others, seems to give the Uche pickup two thumbs up.

The addition of Josh Uche will help a pass rush that hasn't quite been what was expected before the season. He's a quality veteran who has had double-digit sacks in his career. – Pete Prisco

Read More: Chiefs Trade for Patriots Pass Rusher Josh Uche – What Did KC Give Up?