2012 NFL Power Rankings: Week 9
The days of having rookie quarterbacks develop behind established veterans are pretty much over. The demands to please rabid fan bases and see quick returns on investments have compelled NFL teams to test their young signal-callers early.
Since 2008, we've seen the likes of Matt Ryan, Joe Flacco, Andy Dalton, Cam Newton and others make immediate impacts.
The trend has been especially evident in 2012. Top picks Andrew Luck and Robert Griffin III, who were handed the reins from the outset, have been as good as advertised. Thanks to each player's rapid progression, the Colts and Redskins now have much-needed stability at the position.
But the rookie crop doesn't end with them. Ryan Tannehill, Russell Wilson and Brandon Weeden also started from day one, and all three have proved capable.
In Week 9, Tannehill (if recovered from a leg injury) and Luck go head-to-head in what has become a marquee AFC matchup. Both Tannehill's Dolphins (No. 12) and Luck's Colts (No. 15) surprisingly stand at 4-3, and the winner will take a big step toward a potential playoff berth and gaining even more stock with our voters (ESPN.com's John Clayton, ESPN.com's Ashley Fox, NFC East blogger Dan Graziano, AFC North blogger Jamison Hensley and NFC West blogger Mike Sando).
So yes, opportunity continues to knock for rookie QBs. And so far, this year's crop is doing a good job of seizing it.
• How they voted | Bloggers | Who's overrated, underrated? 
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Team Power Rankings charts since 2002
| 2012 Power Rankings: Week 9 | ||||
| RANK | TEAM / RECORD | TRENDING | COMMENTS | |
| 1 |  | -- Last Week: 1 | The Falcons needed until Nov. 27 to score their seventh victory last season. (Sando) | |
| 2 |  | -- Last Week: 2 | Seventh time in nine New York seasons Tom Coughlin has gone 6-2 or better in the first half. Only twice has he won at least five in the second half. (Graziano) | |
| 3 |  | -- Last Week: 3 | The Texans had a chance to relax during the bye without anyone breathing down their necks in the AFC South. (Clayton) | |
| 4 |  | -- Last Week: 4 | The 49ers held Arizona to 7 yards rushing on Monday night, the lowest total for an opponent since 1972. (Sando) | |
| 5 |  | -- Last Week: 5 | The offense is still not consistent, but fortunately for the Bears, their defense is a scoring machine. (Graziano) | |
| 6 |  | 1 Last Week: 7 | Not dominant vs. Jags, but a win's a win, and the Packers are starting to string them together. (Graziano) | |
| 7 |  | 1 Last Week: 6 | Baltimore is 4-0 following bye weeks under coach John Harbaugh, including a 15-point win over Houston last year. (Hensley) | |
| 8 |  | -- Last Week: 8 | New England feels at home in England. The Patriots have scored 80 points in two trips across the pond since 2009. (Hensley) | |
| 9 |  | 3 Last Week: 12 | This is what John Elway expected when he went after Peyton Manning. The Broncos are in first place in the AFC West. (Fox) | |
| 10 |  | -- Last Week: 10 | Jonathan Dwyer became the first Steeler to rush for more than 100 yards in consecutive games since Willie Parker in 2008. (Hensley) | |
| 11 |  | 2 Last Week: 9 | Was Thursday a speed bump, or have the Vikes been overachieving all along? QB is still a question mark. (Graziano) | |
| 12 |  | 4 Last Week: 16 | If Ryan Tannehill is sidelined, the Dolphins will turn to Matt Moore, who proved last season he can lead this team to wins. (Hensley) | |
| 13 |  | 2 Last Week: 11 | The defense has hit a rough patch just as rookie QB Russell Wilson could be turning the corner. (Sando) | |
| 14 |  | 1 Last Week: 15 | The defense was outstanding Sunday despite being put in impossible circumstances repeatedly. (Graziano) | |
| 15 |  | 8 Last Week: 23 | The Colts can have hopes of a wild card if they beat Miami in Week 9. (Clayton) | |
| 16 |  | 2 Last Week: 14 | Road trips to Green Bay and Atlanta are the Cardinals' reward for four-game skid. (Sando) | |
| 17 |  | 2 Last Week: 19 | Matthew Stafford is establishing his place among the league's fourth-quarter assassins. (Graziano) | |
| 18 |  | 5 Last Week: 13 | Changing defensive coordinators didn't help. Could a QB change be next? Time is running out on Andy Reid. (Graziano) | |
| 19 |  | 1 Last Week: 18 | The Steelers were the first to have an answer for RG3. The Skins' defense has an answer for no one. (Graziano) | |
| 20 |  | 3 Last Week: 17 | Norv Turner and Andy Reid occupy the hottest coaching seats in the league. (Fox) | |
| 21 |  | 5 Last Week: 26 | The Bucs have scored at least 28 points in their past three games after failing to exceed 26 in any game last season. (Sando) | |
| 22 |  | -- Last Week: 22 | Cincinnati is looking to avoid its first four-game losing streak since 2010, when it finished 4-12. (Hensley) | |
| 23 |  | 2 Last Week: 21 | The Rams have allowed 75 points in two games after allowing 56 in their previous four. (Sando) | |
| 24 |  | 4 Last Week: 28 | The Raiders have won three of their past five games to remain in striking distance of Denver. (Fox) | |
| 25 |  | 1 Last Week: 24 | The Jets are finding home field to be a disadvantage. They're 2-3 at MetLife Stadium, including two losses by three touchdowns or more. (Hensley) | |
| 26 |  | 6 Last Week: 20 | The Saints are allowing 9.1 yards per pass attempt with 15 touchdowns and only three interceptions. (Sando) | |
| 27 |  | 2 Last Week: 25 | After saving their season with back-to-back wins, the Titans slipped into third place by losing to the Colts. (Clayton) | |
| 28 |  | 1 Last Week: 27 | Defense is a big problem. In their past three losses, the Bills have given up 52, 45 and 35 points. (Hensley) | |
| 29 |  | 1 Last Week: 30 | The Browns have won their past two home games and have held teams to three field goals in the past six quarters. (Hensley) | |
| 30 |  | 1 Last Week: 29 | Forty-eight points over their past three games represents the second-lowest three-game stretch with Cam Newton. (Sando) | |
| 31 |  | -- Last Week: 31 | Blaine Gabbert looked better against the Packers, but now the Jaguars are hopelessly out of it. (Clayton) | |
| 32 |  | -- Last Week: 32 | Woe is Scott Pioli. He has no legitimate starting quarterback in a quarterback-driven league. That will get you beat. (Fox) | |
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| Glossary |
| The rankings were determined by ESPN's Power Panel, a group of more than 80 writers, editors and television personalities. |
