Prisco’s NFL Week 9 Power Rankings: Bills take over top spot, Steelers on the rise

Go ahead and admit it. You didn't believe in Mike McCarthy, Aaron Rodgers, the aging defense or the Pittsburgh Steelers when the season started in September.

McCarthy, who won a Super Bowl with Rodgers in Green Bay, was fired by the Dallas Cowboys after five seasons in 2024. He came to the Steelers with many questioning why it was him, even if he was a Pittsburgh guy.

Rodgers was back for one more year in large part because McCarthy was the coach, but at 42, how effective would he be? The defense? Expensive and old.

The Steelers are 6-2 and in first place in the AFC North. They dominated the Cleveland Browns on Sunday in a 27-6 victory that saw the Steelers do what the Steelers do when they are good.

They ran it on offense, and they sacked the quarterback on defense. Pittsburgh ran for 200 yards and sacked Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson eight times. Seven different players, led by T.J. Watt with two sacks, contributed to the sack total.

Rodgers didn't have to do much, throwing for 172 yards, no touchdowns and one pick (which wasn't really his fault). But that's just the way the Steelers would like…

Original source: https://www.cbssports.com/