2023 NFL power rankings, Week 9: Sloppy Chiefs fall out of top spot after ugly loss

The Titans returned to action after a week off and hosted the Falcons. Rookie quarterback Will Levis got the start and handled all the passing (Malik Willis carried the ball twice, losing a fumble) and showed off that heralded arm. He finished the afternoon hitting on 19-of-29 passes for 238 yards and three scores without an interception. 

In his first six games with the Titans, veteran DeAndre Hopkins caught 27 passes for 376 yards and zero TDs. On Sunday, he was targeted six times and totaled four receptions for 128 yards and found the end zone three times. 

Apparently, the Colts’ defense was just the tonic Dennis Allen’s team needed to cure what ailed them. New Orleans snapped a two-game winning streak. The Saints rolled up 511 total yards and evened their record.

Inconsistency has plagued Allen’s team this season. However, the Saints find themselves tied with Atlanta for the best record in the NFC South. Even more interesting is the fact that the club’s remaining nine games are all within the conference. Five of those nine are divisional clashes, including a pair with both the Panthers and Falcons.

What was indeed troubling for the Steelers on Sunday at home against the first-place Jaguars was the fact that Teryl Austin’s defense came up with three takeaways. Of course, this same unit gave up 377 total yards. Once again, the offense was a no-show in the first half as Kenny Pickett struggled early and eventually went down.

It’s a short week for Tomlin’s team as they host the Titans on Thursday night. The availability of both Pickett (ribs) and safety Minkah Fitzpatrick (hamstring) is up in the air, but Matt Canada’s offense may be the bigger concern.