Dirty dozen
The top six and the bottom six heading into Week 9 (based on current level of play):
| Team | Comment |
| 1. Indianapolis (7-0) | Will try to break Foxborough jinx. |
| 2. Pittsburgh (5-2) | Better on the road. |
| 3. Denver (6-2) | But has trouble holding leads. |
| 4. Carolina (5-2) | Steve Smith might be half-season MVP. |
| 5. Cincinnati (6-2) | Still have to stop the run. |
| 6. N.Y. Giants (5-2) | Mara’s death and two big wins have provided inspiration. |
| 27. Minnesota (2-5) | A disgrace on many levels. |
| 28. New Orleans (2-6) | Can anything else go wrong? |
| 29. Tennessee (2-6) | Not much except for coach and QB. |
| 30. Green Bay (1-6) | See New Orleans. |
| 31. Houston (1-6) | Move up with first win. |
| 32. Cleveland (2-5) | Lost to Texans. |
Source: Associated Press