NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Latest 2014 Standings and Reaction for All 32 Teams

The NFL had a difficult act to follow in Week 5 after a historically crazy slate of college football games, but it delivered like it almost always does.

The New England Patriots had a statement for those who doubted them, the Cleveland Browns (of all teams) came storming back from a 25-point deficit, the surprising Dallas Cowboys picked up another win and the Buffalo Bills carried off their defensive coordinator in triumphant fashion after a last-second win in Detroit. 

With so much happening around the league, the power rankings were sure to change. Read on to see how.

32. Oakland Raiders 

Bleacher Report’s Matt Miller summarized the week for the Oakland Raiders perfectly:

"

A bye week, and a coaching change, means the Oakland Raiders don't move out of their spot at No. 32 overall.

Perhaps Dennis Allen was to blame and the turnaround will start with Tony Sparano in as the interim head coach. Anything is possible in the NFL, but it looks more like the Raiders are looking ahead to 2015 than focusing on winning in 2014.

"

Raiders fans are just going to have to be patient in 2014 as Derek Carr and company gradually work toward the future. For now, they will have to settle for being No. 32 in the power rankings.

31. New York Jets 

Denis Poroy/Associated Press

There were plenty of people calling for Michael Vick to take over quarterbacking duties from Geno Smith who seemed to forget that he is well past his electrifying prime. This offense is lackluster at best, regardless of which quarterback is under center.

ESPN Stats & Info highlighted just how much the New York Jets are struggling on offense:

The one silver lining from the early losses was the fact that the Jets stayed close, but that was far from the case against the San Diego Chargers Sunday. The Jets simply looked like a bad football team.

30. Jacksonville Jaguars

Sure, the Jacksonville Jaguars are yet to register a win and will be one of the worst teams in the NFL all year, but they are getting closer to mediocrity. 

Jacksonville hung with the Pittsburgh Steelers all game, but Blake Bortles threw a critical pick-six that ultimately cost his team the game. The rookie will gradually improve as he gets more NFL seasoning under his belt, but those types of mistakes are to be expected in year No. 1.

29. Tennessee Titans

Allowing the biggest road comeback in NFL history is not a good look for the Tennessee Titans, even if the Cleveland Browns may be better than some believe. 

Jake Locker and Charlie Whitehurst appeared to be well on their way to a victory in the first half, but the wheels came off after intermission. Losing a game like that automatically eliminates any of the positives we saw in the first half.

28. Washington Redskins

Washington looked much better Monday night against the Seattle Seahawks than they did in their last game against the New York Giants, but it was still a home loss.

There are no moral victories in the NFL, although seeing DeSean Jackson streak up the field against the heralded "Legion of Boom" Seattle secondary was a welcome development for fantasy owners. Washington is clearly fourth right now in the NFC East pecking order, which is troublesome as we enter the middle portion of the season.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

It may be harsh to say that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers choked away Sunday’s game considering how difficult it is to win in New Orleans, but that is exactly what happened.

Tampa Bay controlled much of the contest, and Mike Glennon looks like the right choice at quarterback, but penalties and timely mistakes proved costly. The defense couldn’t stop the New Orleans offense (operating without Jimmy Graham late) from making critical plays at the end, and the Bucs offense missed opportunities to put the game away.

The Buccaneers have to start racking up wins to move up in the power rankings.

26. St. Louis Rams

Anyone who was flipping through games on Sunday probably stopped watching the showdown between the Philadelphia Eagles and St. Louis Rams after it looked like the Eagles were in for a blowout victory.

Austin Davis almost led his Rams all the way back. 

While Davis is actually playing well, the St. Louis defense continues to struggle. That is the exact opposite of the way it was supposed to be before the season began, especially with so many dominant defensive linemen on the roster.

25. Minnesota Vikings

Tom Lynn/Associated Press

It is hard to fault the Minnesota Vikings too much for their loss to the Green Bay Packers, considering it was on the road and without Teddy Bridgewater. 

Still, the defense was terrible for the few minutes that the outcome was still in doubt, and the offensive line didn’t get the job done. If a healthy Bridgewater is consistently excellent like he was against Atlanta, the Vikings will move up, but there are more pressing issues than Christian Ponder on this team.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers

It was not a great look for the Pittsburgh Steelers to struggle with the Jaguars after losing to Tampa Bay. 

In fact, were it not for a pick-six late in the game, the Steelers may have lost to both Florida teams and dug themselves an early hole this season. The offensive talent is in place for big numbers every week and the defense impressed Sunday, but the Steelers are yet to consistently play well in all facets of the game this year.

23. Miami Dolphins

The Miami Dolphins had a bye week Sunday, but the impending contest with the Packers should say a lot about where they stand. 

After all, Green Bay is rolling and will offer a stiff test for the team that beat the New England Patriots but also lost to the Buffalo Bills. The good news is that Knowshon Moreno will likely be joining Lamar Miller in the backfield soon, but the Dolphins need Ryan Tannehill to produce as well if they want to contend in the AFC East.

22. Cleveland Browns

There aren’t exactly a lot of people calling for Johnny Manziel right now. 

ESPN Stats & Info pointed out that Brian Hoyer has been doing just fine with the Cleveland Browns offense through four games:

Hoyer directed an incredible 25-point comeback win over the Titans Sunday and overcame the early struggles from the defense. Cleveland’s secondary was supposed to be one of its strengths, but it certainly hasn’t been in the early going. 

If the Browns play better on defense moving forward, they may just surprise some teams this year.

21. New Orleans Saints

If it is possible to win in less-than-impressive fashion in the NFL, the New Orleans Saints found the formula Monday.

Drew Brees tossed three picks, and the defense could not stop the Buccaneers for much of the game. In fact, it took overtime to knock off Tampa Bay, which is not the way it is supposed to happen for the Saints at home. 

Until the defense improves, the Saints just cannot be seen as a legitimate contender in the NFC.

20. Houston Texans 

The good news for the Houston Texans is that Arian Foster looked like a star again in their overtime loss to the Dallas Cowboys, but Ryan Fitzpatrick is still struggling to make plays with his arm.

In fact, Houston couldn’t really move the ball with the pass at all against a vulnerable Dallas defense. If it had, it probably would have walked away with a rather impressive road victory.

19. Chicago Bears

We are well past the stage of blaming injuries for the Chicago Bears’ poor performance to start the year. After all, every team suffers injuries during the season and still needs to find a way to win despite the attrition.

The Bears could be 4-1 instead of 2-3 were it not for critical late-game interceptions by Jay Cutler against Buffalo and Carolina. His reputation as a boom-or-bust slinger was not built overnight, and he has added to it this season.

The Bears have the tools (especially on offense) to be a playoff contender, but they just don’t look the part right now after two straight losses. One came in blowout fashion to the Packers, while the other came against the inconsistent Panthers in a game that Chicago led by 14 points.

18. Buffalo Bills

The Buffalo Bills are 1-0 under Kyle Orton, and he did just enough to direct an impressive second-half comeback against the Detroit Lions Sunday. 

With Buffalo’s strong defense and solid running game, Orton simply needs to avoid mistakes and hit Sammy Watkins for enough plays to force the opposition to respect the pass. He did that and then some against the Lions, which means Buffalo may just have the formula to compete in the AFC East.

17. Atlanta Falcons

Sure, the Matt Ryan, Julio Jones and Roddy White trio will win plenty of games on paper, but Ryan is just not getting enough time to throw, and the running game is mediocre at best. 

What’s more, the defense has struggled all year, which puts a lot of pressure on the offense to produce. Atlanta couldn’t score enough points against the New York Giants on Sunday, but the defense is the real issue moving forward.

16. Kansas City Chiefs 

The Kansas City Chiefs kept the game close at San Francisco, which was enough to keep them in the middle of these power rankings.

Jamaal Charles and Travis Kelce spearhead an offense that should keep the Chiefs competitive in the AFC wild-card race, and the secondary will keep almost every game close. Kansas City should win plenty of games the rest of the year, but it won’t be enough to keep up with the Denver Broncos or San Diego Chargers in the division.

15. Carolina Panthers 

The Carolina Panthers needed a win at home Sunday, and they got just that.

Despite the offensive line issues and relatively unknown group of wide receivers behind Kelvin Benjamin, Cam Newton and Greg Olsen came up big against the Bears. It will likely be up to Newton to win plenty of games this year, and he will need to do so under constant pressure if the offensive line doesn’t improve.

14. New York Giants 

The New York Giants were a punchline in the first two weeks, but Eli Manning and company have done a complete 180. ESPN Stats & Info highlighted the offensive turnaround that has led to three straight wins:

It wasn’t just Manning on Sunday against the Falcons, either. Andre Williams impressed in relief of Rashad Jennings, and the secondary did their part against the strong Atlanta passing attack. Overlook the Giants at your own risk in the NFC East.

13. Detroit Lions

Sunday’s loss for the Detroit Lions felt like the opposite of what we used to see in the past when the defense didn’t do enough for the offense to win.

Instead, it was the Detroit defense that played well against the Bills, while the offense just couldn’t get enough mustered with an injured Calvin Johnson. It may be time for Lions fans to worry a bit with the offensive injuries, but the front seven should keep them competitive all year.

12. New England Patriots

Guess the death bell was ringing a bit early when it came to the New England Patriots. 

Tom Brady and his club completely eviscerated the previously undefeated Cincinnati Bengals under the lights behind an inspired crowd. The team clearly played off of that energy, and Brady made some history in the process, via SportsCenter:

The only question now is whether New England can bring enough consistency every week to stay among the league’s elite. After all, it is easy to get up for what felt like a must-win game with a dominant crowd behind you, but the Patriots have to bring that energy level moving forward to avoid losses like the one we saw against Kansas City.

11. Baltimore Ravens

The Baltimore Ravens kept the game close against the Indianapolis Colts, which is exactly what we said about their effort against the Bengals earlier in the season. 

Still, Baltimore looks like a solid playoff contender (it did crush Pittsburgh and Carolina), but it needs to find a way to protect Joe Flacco the rest of the year. The only way he can get the ball to Steve Smith Sr. and company is by staying healthy.

10. Dallas Cowboys

Tony Romo looked pretty good when he made an incredible play to avoid J.J. Watt and fire a long touchdown pass Sunday, huh?

If Romo is making plays like that to go along with the dominant running of DeMarco Murray, the Dallas Cowboys will be a tough out all year. The offensive line has been impressive, and the defense has not been a complete disaster like so many expected. 

The Cowboys may ultimately finish 8-8 again this year, but they look a lot better than that heading into Week 6.

9. Philadelphia Eagles

The Philadelphia Eagles may be winning games, but that secondary is a real concern moving forward.

It’s just difficult to see this team winning when it matters most if it can’t even prevent the St. Louis Rams from storming back from a multi-score deficit. Austin Davis threw for 375 yards and three touchdowns.

The offense needs to make up for the secondary, which means it is rather important that LeSean McCoy breaks out of his slump and performs like the running back the Eagles (and fantasy owners) expected to see this year.

8. San Francisco 49ers

Colin Kaepernick was inconsistent at the start of the year, so the San Francisco 49ers went back to the running game. It has paid off in spades.

Frank Gore is the true definition of a workhorse, and Carlos Hyde is a solid second option. San Francisco is controlling the clock and moving the ball, and the defense will gradually improve as its personnel returns and gels. 

Despite the poor start, the 49ers are back in the thick of things in the NFC.

7. Arizona Cardinals

One more loss and the Arizona Cardinals are going to plummet in these power rankings, but we are going to give credit to the dominant force that is the Denver Broncos offense for the time being. That means the Cardinals don’t get punished too severely in these power rankings for their first loss.

There is reason to be concerned about the quarterback situation, though. Arizona lost Drew Stanton Sunday and had to turn over the reins to rookie Logan Thomas. 

Carson Palmer can’t come back soon enough.

6. Green Bay Packers

Mike Roemer/Associated Press

It feels like the Green Bay Packers are a lock to win the NFC North at this point.

Clearly, that’s not the case, but the Lions looked vulnerable (especially with Calvin Johnson dealing with an injury) against the Bills, and the Bears are a mess after two straight losses. More importantly for Green Bay, the offense is dominating again behind Aaron Rodgers, Jordy Nelson and Randall Cobb, and the defense impressed Thursday night against the Vikings. 

This is a well-oiled machine (at least until it faces the 49ers in the playoffs seemingly every year) and has earned a high spot in the power rankings.

5. Cincinnati Bengals 

Everyone got their Cincinnati "Bungles" jokes out of their system on Twitter during Sunday night’s meltdown, but this is still one of the best teams in the league.

A.J. Green is a star, the defense is much better than it showed against Tom Brady and the running game has the pieces to excel. There are still some issues (especially in the kick return game and at linebacker until the unit is fully healthy again), but don’t put too much stock in one loss.

Cincinnati is still the class of the AFC North.

4. Indianapolis Colts 

The Indianapolis Colts won with defense against the Baltimore Ravens Sunday, as the line pressured Flacco all game and the secondary handled Smith and company in the passing attack.

If the defense is getting the job done, the Colts are a threat to advance deep in the playoffs with Andrew Luck directing the offense. Luck has been a machine all season, and there is no reason to expect anything different moving forward.

3. San Diego Chargers

DENIS POROY/Associated Press

Most of the things you read on the San Diego Chargers right now centers on Philip Rivers, and for good reason.

He has dominated this year and has the Chargers poised to compete with the Broncos in the AFC West, but there may finally be a reliable rushing option in place for San Diego. Branden Oliver destroyed the Jets front Sunday, which was a breath of fresh air after Ryan Mathews, Danny Woodhead and Donald Brown all went down with injury.

The success on the ground even gave the team a sense of toughness, which Rivers discussed, according to The Associated Press, via ESPN.com:

"

For whatever reason, whether it's Southern California, or the vibe that you get out here of just a finesse group of guys that like to throw it around in 75-degree weather, I think we've shown our toughness. We talk about it all the time. Not just being tough, but who's going to be the toughest the longest, through four quarters, through 16 games, through a tough stretch, they aren't all going to be like this. We might hit a bump in the road going forward, but I think our toughness has been shown the last five weeks. 

We've dealt with injuries and just played tough on both sides and that's just awesome to see.

"

2. Denver Broncos

The Denver Broncos were surgical in their victory over the previously undefeated Cardinals Sunday, and Peyton Manning became only the second quarterback in NFL history to top the 500-passing-touchdown plateau (joining Brett Favre). 

Demaryius Thomas won plenty of fantasy games, Julius Thomas is still a beast and this team is scary good right now. Ian Rapoport of NFL.com also noted that the Broncos may not even have to worry too much about Montee Ball’s injury (although fantasy owners probably beg to differ):

1. Seattle Seahawks

It may not have been pretty at times, but the Seattle Seahawks still flew across the country and won by two scores against Washington in front of a raucous crowd under the Monday night lights.

That was enough to keep Seattle at the top of these power rankings, especially after Russell Wilson turned in a vintage performance with 201 passing yards and two touchdowns through the air and 122 rushing yards and another touchdown on the ground.

The secondary was surprisingly vulnerable against Jackson on Monday night, but there may not be a unit in all of football with a more proven track record. Seattle is still the top team in the NFL.

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