Week 9 of the NFL saw some contenders make statements, while others didn’t meet expectations, and because of it, they move down these rankings. Here are the top 10 Super Bowl contenders after week 9.
Top 10 Contenders for 2026 Super Bowl
1. Philadelphia Eagles
Say what you want about the defending champs, but despite not playing their best football through the first eight weeks, the Eagles are 6-2 and lead the NFC East. Jalen Hurts and the pass game finally got going after dealing with tons of criticism, and then that helped get the struggling run game going. Once this team is firing on all cylinders, they will be very tough to beat. They now have a playoff pedigree, too, so they know how to win big games.
2. Los Angeles Rams
The Rams defense continues to impress, and they are becoming a championship-caliber unit. When you couple that with a Super Bowl-winning QB in Matthew Stafford and a Super Bowl-winning coach in Sean McVay, you suddenly have yourselves a true contender. They won a huge game in Week 7 overseas, and did it without their best offensive player and one of the best players in the league, Puka Nacua. They were able to rest in Week 8 with their bye and come out and beat down the Saints in Week 9.
Is the Cardinals’ move to Jacoby Brissett permanent? We know Brissett is starting in the Monday Night Football matchup, but there are whispers that Kyler Murray may be living on borrowed time in Arizona.
3. Denver Broncos
Being able to battle back with a no-quit attitude and win games like the Broncos have this season is exactly why this team is scary. They may be down, but they are never out. Bo Nix is incredibly dynamic, and although they have struggled at times defensively, overall, they still are one of the top units in football. They lead the league in sacks, and that seems to be a factor for them every week.
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