National Football League

Chiefs retain top spot, Cowboys move up in Nick Wright's NFL Tiers

Published Nov. 3, 2022 11:41 a.m. ET

The halfway point of the 2022 NFL season has arrived, as Week 9 kicks off Thursday night with a matchup between the Philadelphia Eagles and the Houston Texans.

Nick Wright and his "Committee" put their heads together to come up with the latest version of his weekly NFL tiers list.

Let's get right into them.

Cowboys, Bills, Eagles challenge Chiefs atop Nick's NFL Tiers.

The Cowboys, Bills, Eagles and Dolphins threaten the Chiefs’ placement atop Nick Wright’s NFL Tiers entering Week 9.

Eliminated: Cleveland Browns, Denver Broncos, Chicago Bears, Carolina Panthers, Pittsburgh Steelers, Houston Texans, Detroit Lions, Indianapolis Colts

Wright's thoughts: "These are the teams whose seasons are already over. We know they are already over, and once you join the ranks of the eliminated, you are in fact eliminated. … The Browns this week joined the eliminated tier. The reason for that is twofold. The first one is they are 3-7 … ‘That’s not possible, they've only played eight games.' That's correct, but they are in fact 3-7. Their record says 3-5, but their next two games are at Miami and at Buffalo. So they are in fact 3-7, so when Deshaun [Watson] gets there it will not matter. The other reason … once you drop to the eliminated tier, you stay there! We have never once in the history of the Committee had a team touch the eliminated tier and then make the postseason."

Hanging By A Thread: Las Vegas Raiders, Jacksonville Jaguars, Arizona Cardinals, Washington Commanders, New Orleans Saints

Wright's thoughts: "I'm telling you right now fans of those teams: If they lose this week, they drop to the eliminated tier. So they are hanging by a thread."

Eh, Whatever: Atlanta Falcons, New York Jets, New England Patriots

Wright's thoughts:" Listen, they're all overachieving to a degree. The Jets and Patriots just play boring offensive football. The Falcons actually are somewhat exciting, but they also had no business winning [Sunday]. They won because the referee threw a ridiculous flag on DJ Moore. They're fine, it's a credit to them. They're not hanging on by a thread, and they're alive for the postseason, but nobody's excited to watch them."

Living On Reputation: Los Angeles Rams, Green Bay Packers, Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Wright's thoughts: "Without these teams' success over the last few years, or without their Hall of Fame quarterbacks, in the Packers' and Bucs' cases, nobody would consider these teams as a threat to do anything. But because the Rams are the defending champs, because the Bucs have the GOAT [Tom Brady], and because the Packers have [recently] been to consecutive conference championship games, and have a four-time MVP quarterback [Aaron Rodgers] with amazing hair, you feel like they’re scary even though they're probably not."

Chuck It Deep: Cincinnati Bengals, Los Angeles Chargers

Wright's thoughts: "Even though they have injuries at wide receiver, there's one reason they're scary: because of the quarterback and the deep ball. They don't really do much else well right now. The Chargers should be good on defense, they're too banged up. Both these teams should be able to run the ball, they don't. But when Mike Williams and Keenan Allen are healthy, when Ja'Marr Chase and Tee Higgins are healthy, you feel like those teams can beat anybody, if they just have Joe Burrow and Justin Herbert throwing it deep."

Begrudging Respect: New York Giants, Minnesota Vikings, Tennessee Titans, Seattle Seahawks

Wright's thoughts: "These teams are 22-8, and I guess the goal is to win football games, so at some point we have to give them their respect. However, do we feel like any of these teams are good? I don't know, I guess the Vikings are good. I know … [the Titans] have won five in a row, and they don't turn the ball over. Did you watch them this week? Their quarterback completed six passes this week. … He had 12 yards rushing and they won by two scores."

Trade Deadline Champs: San Francisco 49ers, Baltimore Ravens, Miami Dolphins

Wright's thoughts: "Add Bradley Chubb, add Christian McCaffrey, add Roquan Smith. Three teams that were already contenders that added significant Pro Bowl or All-Pro level performers at the trade deadline. They all got better."

Truly Terrifying: Dallas Cowboys, Buffalo Bills

Wright's thoughts: "Teams that don't always play a complete game, but when they do, [they] look like they're as good as anyone in football. But a little too often — like the Cowboys against the Lions … or the Bills in their most recent game — [they don't put it all together]. When they [do] put it all together, they look unbelievable."

Undefeated But Untrustworthy: Philadelphia Eagles

Wright's thoughts: "The Committee cannot get out of its head down 31-0 in the playoffs eight months ago. … We can't, we apologize. You're undefeated, you've played incredibly well all year, it can't get [that game] out of its head. But right now, it does look like you're going to be 11-0, probably finish the season 14-3. [They will] still be a little untrustworthy."

Favorites: Kansas City Chiefs

Wright's thoughts: "Oh my goodness: Did you see the underrated move of the deadline? Adding the guy that people were calling coming out of college the poor man's Tyreek Hill, Kadarius Toney, for pennies on the dollar. And did you see their first-round pick Trent McDuffie just came off IR? A team that is so plush with riches they're trading away starting players for conditional seventh-round picks because their draft class needs to get on the field? They're still the favorites, there's no reason to not be the favorites."