NFL Power Rankings: Week 5

Another shakeup week in the Power Rankings. Two top five teams lost, three bottom five teams won and we had a tie. Last rankings before bye weeks start.

#1 PHILADELPHIA EAGLES (4-0)

Last Week: #1, won at #4 Tampa Bay, 31-25

With all due respect to Buffalo, Detroit & others, it’s Philly then everyone else at this point.

This Week: vs #14 Denver

#2 BUFFALO BILLS (4-0)

Last Week: #2, won vs #31 New Orleans, 31-19

Buffalo was very much on upset alert until late in the fourth quarter this week.

#3 DETROIT LIONS (3-1) +2

Last Week: #5, won vs #21 Cleveland, 34-10

After their season opening clunker, Detroit has looked very much like the juggernaut they were last season.

#4 LOS ANGELES RAMS (3-1) +4

Last Week: #8, won vs #12 Indianapolis, 27-20

The Rams are a blocked kick, two weeks ago against Philly, from being undefeated and probably ranked first.

#5 KANSAS CITY CHIEFS (2-2) +5

Last Week: #10, won vs #7 Baltimore, 37-20

Kansas City looked very much like the Chiefs, finally, against Baltimore.

#6 TAMPA BAY BUCCANEERS (3-1) -2

Last Week: #4, lost vs #1 Philadelphia, 31-25

Tampa came back strong but fell short against the defending champions.

#7 LOS ANGELES CHARGERS (3-1) -4

Last Week: #3, lost at #29 NY Giants, 21-18

That was a bad loss, compounded by the loss of OT Joe Alt. I have faith the Chargers will rebound, though.

#8 GREEN BAY PACKERS (2-1-1) -2

Last Week: #6, tied at #27 Dallas, 40-40

Green Bay was lucky to escape Dallas with a tie, and what happened to that defense?

This Week: BYE

#9 SEATTLE SEAHAWKS (3-1) +4

Last Week: #13, won at #17 Arizona, 23-20

Seattle looks like a legitimate contender on both sides of the ball.

This Week: vs #6 Tampa Bay

#10 PITTSBURGH STEELERS (3-1) +4

Last Week: #14, won vs #16 Minnesota (in Dublin), 24-21

Pittsburgh is suddenly in total control in the AFC North.

This Week: BYE

#11 WASHINGTON COMMANDERS (2-2) -2

Last Week: #9, lost at Atlanta, 34-27

Washington was never really in that game vs the Falcons. They need Jayden Daniels back.

This Week: at #7 LA Chargers

#12 INDIANAPOLIS COLTS (3-1)

Last Week: #12, lost at #8 LA Rams, 27-20

Indy lost & Daniel Jones came back down to earth, but the Colts still proved they’re legit.

This Week: vs #27 Las Vegas

#13 BALTIMORE RAVENS (1-3) -6

Last Week: #7, lost at #10 Kansas City, 37-20

Baltimore has looked out of sorts and now the injuries are mounting, most significantly Lamar Jackson.

This Week: vs #22 Houston

#14 DENVER BRONCOS +1

Last Week: #15, won vs #24 Cincinnati, 28-3

Denver finally resembled the team most of us thought they were, but it was against Cincy, a barely competitive team.

This Week: at #1 Philadelphia

#15 JACKSONVILLE JAGUARS (3-1) +3

Last Week: #18, won vs #11 San Francisco, 26-21

Jacksonville’s passing game is still a work in progress, but their defense & running game are on point.

This Week: vs #5 Kansas City

#16 SAN FRANCISCO 49ERS (3-1) -5

Last Week: #11, lost vs #18 Jacksonville, 26-21

San Fran got Brock Purdy back, but they looked disjointed & the injuries continue to mount.

#17 CHICAGO BEARS (2-2) +2

Last Week: #19, won at #25 Las Vegas, 25-24

It was ugly, but those are the types of games Chicago always lost in the Eberflus era.

This Week: BYE

#18 MINNESOTA VIKINGS (2-2) -2

Last Week: #16, lost vs #14 Pittsburgh (in Dublin), 24-21

Minnesota is a Jekyll & Hyde team, it’s hard to predict which one shows up.

This Week: vs #24 Cleveland in London

#19 ARIZONA CARDINALS (2-2) -2

Last Week: #17, lost vs #13 Seattle, 23-20

Arizona is starting to settle in to what I thought they were. Competitive, but a step below the real contenders.

This Week: vs #32 Tennessee

#20 ATLANTA FALCONS (2-2) +2

Last Week: #22, won vs #9 Washington, 34-27

Atlanta rebounded from getting shutout on the road to a dominant win at home.

This Week: BYE

#21 NEW ENGLAND PATRIOTS (2-2) +7

Last Week: #28, won vs #20 Carolina, 42-13

New England had their most dominant win since the Tom Brady era.

This Week: at #2 Buffalo

#22 HOUSTON TEXANS (1-3) +1

Last Week: #23, won vs #30 Tennessee, 26-0

Houston pitched a shutout against the lowly Titans to pick up their first victory.

This Week: at #13 Baltimore

#23 DALLAS COWBOYS (1-2-1) +4

Last Week: #27, tied vs #6 Green Bay, 40-40

Dallas still has no defense, but their offense is elite, at least at home.

This Week: vs #30 NY Jets

#24 CLEVELAND BROWNS (1-3) -3

Last Week: #21, lost at #5 Detroit, 34-10

Cleveland reverted to a doormat on the road against the high powered Lions.

This Week: vs #18 Minnesota in London

#25 CAROLINA PANTHERS (1-3) -5

Last Week: #20, lost at #28 New England, 42-13

Just when I start believing in Carolina they turn in a 2023 like performance.

#26 NEW YORK GIANTS (1-3) +3

Last Week: #29, won vs #3 LA Chargers, 21-18

The Jaxson Dart era starts with a victory, but the Malik Nabers injury puts a damper on the celebration.

This Week: at #31 New Orleans

#27 LAS VEGAS RAIDERS (1-3) -2

Last Week: #25, lost vs #19 Chicago, 25-24

Vegas continues to turn the ball over way too much, but they did finally find their running game.

This Week: vs #12 Indianapolis

#28 MIAMI DOLPHINS (1-3) +4

Last Week: #32, won vs #26 NY Jets, 27-21

Miami has gotten gradually more competitive every week, culminating in their first victory, but they lost Tyreek Hill for the season.

This Week: at #25 Carolina

#29 CINCINNATI BENGALS -5

Last Week: #24, lost at #15 Denver, 28-3

Cincy is not even competitive without Joe Burrow.

This Week: vs #3 Detroit

#30 NEW YORK JETS (0-4) -4

Last Week: #26, lost at #32 Miami, 27-21

The Jets are still the same undisciplined, mistake prone team they’ve been for years.

This Week: vs #27 Dallas

#31 NEW ORLEANS SAINTS (0-4)

Last Week: #31, lost at #2 Buffalo, 31-19

New Orleans stood toe to toe with a legit Super Bowl contender for most of the game against Buffalo.

This Week: vs #26 NY Giants

#32 TENNESSEE TITANS (0-4) -2

Last Week: #30, lost at #23 Houston, 26-0

Cam Ward summed it up best for Tennessee, “we ass”.

This Week: at #19 Arizona

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