NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Rank Heading into Week 6?

There are still six teams without a loss yet after five weeks. They range from known juggernauts like the New England Patriots and Green Bay Packers, to the Denver Broncos, a team in transition.

Usually the Seattle Seahawks are among that group, but a once-punishing defense somehow allowed 17 fourth-quarter points during a loss to the Cincinnati Bengals. Now the two-time defending NFC champs are floating in the middle at 2-3 and far removed from those pristine, undefeated records.

At first that seems totally wrong, because the Seahawks couldn't possibly have the same record as the Cleveland Browns and Oakland Raiders. But it's real, just like the suddenly perfect Atlanta Falcons after they won only six games in 2014.

Let's try to make sense of it all with power rankings. Remember, these rankings aren't the standings. Instead, what follows is an analysis of how each team stacks up based on performance, regardless of what its record says. It's subjective, sure, but agreeing on everything (or anything) isn't fun, right?

And remember, I probably hate your favorite team.

32. Houston Texans (1-4)

Eric Christian Smith/Associated Press

Last Week: 32

This Week: 32

Change: None

I'm already running out of anything remotely new to write about the Houston Texans, which is troubling since we're only through Week 5. Every week we see some version of a similar story from a team that's completely rudderless at quarterback.

It goes something like this: One of their two far-below replacement-level passers shows flashes of competence, and joy spreads throughout Houston. This week that was Brian Hoyer, who initially moved the ball well against the Indianapolis Colts, averaging 10.1 yards per attempt.

Then inevitably there's a crushing mistake that restores reality. This week that also came courtesy of Hoyer. He drove his offense down the field searching for a game-tying touchdown late in the fourth quarter, only to hold onto the ball for an eternity and lob up a pop-fly interception.

He's a bad decision-maker, and so is Ryan Mallett. That's why for the foreseeable future the Texans will be excruciatingly difficult to watch.

31. San Francisco 49ers (1-4)

Seth Wenig/Associated Press

Last Week: 30

This Week: 31

Change: -1

There were some sources of encouragement for the San Francisco 49ers during their loss Sunday night to the New York Giants.

Quarterback Colin Kaepernick didn't seem lost in the pocket as often as he has at times early in 2015. He posted a single-game season-high 7.5 yards per pass attempt. And wide receiver Anquan Boldin rose from his slumber for 107 yards through the air with a touchdown. Prior to Week 5 Boldin was averaging 31 receiving yards per game.

There were some sources of discouragement, too, such as a defensive gashing as the Giants offense piled up 525 yards.

It all adds up to a 1-4 record, which is about where reasonable minds expected the 49ers to be at this point in the season. A sputtering offense has been outscored 140-75.

30. Detroit Lions (0-5)

Paul Sancya/Associated Press

Last Week: 26

This Week: 30

Change: -4

We might look back on Week 5 of 2015 as the week when Matthew Stafford's career went careening down a cliff.

Or we might not, and he'll right himself soon enough. The Detroit Lions quarterback has the arm talent and an established history of NFL success. But it's hard not to ponder a few doomsday thoughts after his showing Sunday.

Stafford imploded against the Arizona Cardinals, throwing three interceptions while averaging a putrid 5.9 yards per attempt and finishing with a passer rating of 50.0. He was eventually yanked during second-half garbage time, though his starting job isn't in danger (yet?).

Stafford leads the league in interceptions with eight and is the centerpiece of an offense ranked 30th in scoring, at 16.6 points per game.

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)

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Last Week: 28

This Week: 29

Change: -1

Sometimes the NFL is cruel. Like when you throw for a career single-game-high four touchdown passes, as Jacksonville Jaguars quarterback Blake Bortles did Sunday and still lose.

The Bortles who is both strong-armed and accurate showed up Sunday. He threw 11 touchdown passes throughout his rookie season, so chucking four in one afternoon while averaging 9.2 yards per attempt is quite the personal milestone.

Sadly, he fell victim to familiar obstacles out of his control. A weak offensive lone allowed Bortles to get sacked six times during a loss to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Jaguars running backs combined for only 34 yards on 16 carries (2.1 YPC).

28. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3)

Cliff McBride/Getty Images

Last Week: 31

This Week: 28

Change: +3

Doug Martin has turned back the dial to 2012, when it was still cool to request "Gangnam Style" at weddings and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers running back was chugging toward 1,926 yards from scrimmage.

He's now scored four touchdowns over the past two weeks, with 301 total yards. A healthy Martin is back to juking and muscling his way forward for chunk gains.

But don't ever call him muscle hamster again. Ever.

27. Miami Dolphins (1-3)

Alan Diaz/Associated Press

Last Week: 27

This Week: N/A

Change: N/A

The dumpster inferno known as the Miami Dolphins will begin the Dan Campbell era after a Week 5 bye. Here's to hoping the interim head coach can control his scout team.

26. Chicago Bears (2-3)

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Last Week: 29

This Week: 26

Change: +3

Chicago Bears quarterback Jay Cutler threw two fourth-quarter touchdown passes against the Kansas City Chiefs to complete a late-game comeback. While Cutler should be praised every time he attempts 45 passes without throwing an interception, he's still not the driving force behind Chicago's offense whenever it's sort of clicking.

That title belongs to running back Matt Forte, who logged his fourth game with 100-plus yards from scrimmage this season. He'll be appealing trade bait for an antsy general manager out there.

25. Oakland Raiders (2-3)

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Last Week: 25

This Week: 25

Change: None

The Oakland Raiders held an offense led by quarterback Peyton Manning to only 16 points. It's the same Denver Broncos offense that had been averaging 23.3 points per game prior to Week 5.

So that can be filed under small victories during a loss, along with not allowing Manning to throw a touchdown pass while picking him off twice. A game that was supposed to be an easy strut toward victory for Denver was actually far too close for comfort, ending with a 16-10 Raiders loss.

24. Tennessee Titans (1-3)

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Last Week: 24

This Week: 24

Change: None

Want a serious case of heartaches? The Tennessee Titans have lost their last two games by a combined three points.

And in very Titans fashion, they even managed to lose Sunday while limiting the Buffalo Bills to seven points through three quarters. The problem continues to be any sort of backfield support for rookie quarterback Marcus Mariota, who was Tennessee's leading rusher with 47 yards on five attempts.

23. Baltimore Ravens (1-4)

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Last Week: 21

This Week: 23

Change: -2

The Baltimore Ravens' 2015 season ended on Oct. 11.

It will be remembered mostly for soul-crushing injuries to outside linebacker Terrell Suggs and wide receivers Breshad Perriman and Steve Smith. The glaring holes resulting from those injuries left the Ravens unable to halt a second-half surge Sunday from the Cleveland Browns and helpless while trying to win a shootout.

Yes, it was a shootout with the Browns—the same Browns who had scored only nine touchdowns over four games prior to Week 5. The Ravens allowed three in one half, which will likely be the final blow to their season. Balitmore already trails the Cincinnati Bengals by four games in the AFC North.

22. Washington Redskins (2-3)

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Last Week: 22

This Week: 22

Change: None

The Washington Redskins had a chance to hand the Atlanta Falcons their first loss this season and also jump to the top of their weak division. Late Sunday night the New York Giants also won, so Washington could have been tied with them, holding an identical 3-2 record.

All of that was within reach for quarterback Kirk Cousins, who orchestrated three scoring drives in the fourth quarter, one of which covered 80 yards in four plays. The careful Cousins, who is precise on short throws, led that 13-point charge.

Then the wayward Cousins showed up when it was time to win the game. On his fifth dropback in overtime, Cousins responded poorly to pressure coming from the left, rushing a throw that sailed wide toward the far boundary, and right into waiting Falcons cornerback Robert Alford's mitts.

Cousins has thrown two interceptions in three of his five starts this season. He's limited as a passer and is often a walking turnover.

21. Kansas City Chiefs (1-4)

Ed Zurga/Associated Press

Last Week: 18

This Week: 21

Change: -3

The Kansas City Chiefs lost a game Sunday to the Chicago Bears, a team that in the not-so distant past was shut out (Week 3) and crunched 48-23 (Week 2).

Sadly, that's not the worst source of shattering Chiefs depression coming from Week 5. They had one of the most dynamic and explosive players in football on their offense. And now they don't.

Chiefs running back Jamaal Charles planted abruptly to find a cutback lane during the third quarter. He does that routinely, as the ability to suddenly burst in another direction is what makes him, well, Jamaal Charles.

But this time something horrible happened. Charles' knee buckled, and the immediate awful assumption after a non-contact injury is a torn ACL. Later those fears stopped being just fears when Chiefs head coach Andy Reid said it's believed Charles does indeed have a torn ACL, per Mike Florio of Pro Football Talk.

An MRI Monday is expected to confirm that diagnosis. When it does, Charles will have torn the ACL in both his left and right knees over a five-year span. That's less than ideal when you play football's most combustible position, and Charles isn't exactly a young man anymore at 29 years old.

The Chiefs have some depth, and Knile Davis has flashed skill in the past. But let's not kid ourselves here: Kansas City's offense just took a fatal hit.

Since 2013 no player has more touchdowns than Charles' 38. And since 2012 only Bears running back Matt Forte has accounted for a higher percentage of his team's offense than Charles' 30.9, per ESPN Stats & Info. Oh and there's also this, per ESPN's Adam Schefter: Charles' 5.5 career yards per run attempt leads all players with 1,000-plus carries.

Yes, that's every player in history.

20. New Orleans Saints (1-4)

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Last Week: 19

This Week: 20

Change: -1

A week after feeling rejuvenated with their season temporarily off life support, the New Orleans Saints couldn't take advantage of a Philadelphia Eagles offense that tried really hard to hand them a win. Instead the Saints defense leaked yards from every possible hole, allowing 519 of them in a 39-17 rout.

The lone positive for New Orleans is a consistent one. Undrafted wide receiver Willie Snead continues to dazzle. He put together his second straight six-catch game, this time finishing with 141 yards.

19. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)

Brandon Wade/Associated Press

Last Week: 15

This Week: 19

Change: -4

The Dallas Cowboys' season will never truly flat line, because the waste basket that is the NFC East will keep it alive. But this is becoming vividly clear: They're lost without a serviceable quarterback.

That's not at all a shocking development, as overcoming the losses of both Tony Romo and wide receiver Dez Bryant is a Herculean feat. But some semblance of ball movement should still be possible.

It was Sunday when the Cowboys failed to score a single touchdown while being thumped by the New England Patriots. They only mustered two field goals and averaged (gulp) 4.0 yards per offensive play.

Cowboys head coach Jason Garrett is embracing the inevitable, according to Clarence Hill of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and considering a quarterback change.

18. Cleveland Browns (2-3)

Joe Robbins/Getty Images

Last Week: 23

This Week: 18

Change: +5

I'm not sure what's more shocking: That we live in a universe where Browns quarterback Josh McCown threw for 457 yards in a game or that his tight end Gary Barnidge was on the other end for 139 of those yards during a win Sunday over the Baltimore Ravens.

Let's go with the latter, because by NFL standards Barnidge is a middle-aged man who shakes his fists at young folks. And yet in his eighth season, he's now third among all tight ends in receiving yards with 374.

This is a good time to remember that prior to 2015 Barnidge had 603 receiving yards scattered throughout his career stats sheet. He's scored a touchdown in three straight games and his averaging 15.6 yards per catch. Acquiring him in any fantasy league already means sacrificing your first-born child.

17. St. Louis Rams (2-3)

Matt Ludtke/Associated Press

Last Week: 16

This Week: 17

Change: -1

Let's stick with positive, cheerful thoughts here, because finding happy vibes has been difficult with a St. Louis Rams team forever mired in mediocrity.

All Rams joy right now is centered around running back Todd Gurley, as it should be. Gurley has a 50-plus-yard run in each of his first two NFL starts, and he's also topped the 140-yard mark in both games.

He's turned his first 53 touches into 334 yards. It seems like he could have a future in this league.

16. San Diego Chargers (2-3)

Donald Miralle/Getty Images

Last Week: 14

This Week: 16

Change: -2

Through three quarters Monday night the San Diego Chargers reduced Pittsburgh Steelers quarterback Michael Vick to what he is: A 35-year-old who's always been a poor decision maker, and despite high-level mobility he often doesn't function well under pressure.

Vick was swarmed and whacked constantly, and not given time to connect with wide receiver Antonio Brown deep. Brown isn't far removed from beginning his season with three straight 100-plus yard receiving games. Yet Monday he was targeted only six times, and just two came in the second half.

Vick netted a lowly 87 yards on his first 17 pass attempts. Then on the 18th he nearly equaled that total with a 72-yard heave to wide receiver Markus Wheaton.

Steelers running back Le'Veon Bell eventually won the game in dramatic fashion with his goal-line plunge as time expired. But that one glaring coverage gaffe when cornerback Brandon Flowers was roasted by Wheaton's double move eventually became the difference. There was little margin for error, and it came directly after a Chargers touchdown midway through the fourth quarter, adding to the feeling of sudden deflation.

Wheaton's victim was predictable, as Flowers entered Week 5 allowing a passer rating in coverage of 133.3, according to Pro Football Focus. The game-changing completion gave the Steelers an opportunity to stick around, even after their offense had been stuffed for three quarters. 

15. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3)

Michael Perez/Associated Press

Last Week: 20

This Week: 15

Change: +5

Sam Bradford seems to need time and patience in abundance. Or maybe the Philadelphia Eagles quarterback is still lost within Chip Kelly's offense, and that's reflected in his inconsistent play.

A win over the New Orleans Saints Sunday presented an interesting case study. Bradford killed two drives, and two chances to get points with end-zone interceptions in the first half. But then in that same half, he composed himself and chucked darts for 215 yards.

He finished with 333 passing yards and is running an offense that's unsurprisingly leading the league in deep-ball distribution. Philadelphia is the only team with at least 10 different pass-catchers who have a 20-plus-yard reception, according to Reuben Frank of CSNPhilly.com.

14. New York Giants (3-2)

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Last Week: 17

This Week: 14

Change: +3

Three straight wins will always make a team collectively giddy. And three straight wins in the NFC East just might come close to securing a division title.

The New York giants won their third straight game in dramatic fashion Sunday night, with tight end Larry Donnell using ever inch of his 6'6" frame to stretch for a looping pass from quarterback Eli Manning. When he snatched that heavily contested ball and came crashing down in the end zone, Donnell completed a successful 82-yard drive with only 1:45 remaining in what became a second-half shootout against the San Francisco 49ers.

The Giants showed they can take blows in a game of that nature and deal out a few of their own. Manning finished with 441 passing yards and three touchdowns. He spread the love around pretty liberally, too, as three Giants pass-catchers recorded 70-plus receiving yards.

13. Minnesota Vikings (2-2)

Jack Dempsey/Associated Press

Last Week: 13

This Week: N/A

Change: N/A

Minnesota Vikings quarterback Teddy Bridgewater has been sacked five-plus times in a game twice already. Most recently he crumbled seven times during a Week 4 loss to the Denver Broncos.

He's healing those wounds during a Week 5 bye, but then life could continue to be painful with the Kansas City Chiefs teed up next. In 2014 the Chiefs finished fifth with 46 sacks, and have 11 through five games this season.

12. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

John Grieshop/Getty Images

Last Week: 6

This Week: 12

Change: -6

Over the final five games of 2014, the Seattle Seahawks allowed 39 points. That's 39 total points, and an average of only 6.5 per game. It was a regular weekly flattening that spanned nearly half the season.

So you're permitted to need a quadruple take while processing Sunday's collapse.

The same core pieces of that dominant defense are still running things for the Legion of Boom, especially now that safety Kam Chancellor has returned from his contract holdout. Yet a defense that once made every yard feel like a struggle, coughed up 17 fourth-quarter points, allowing the Cincinnati Bengals to force overtime and eventually win on a 42-yard field goal.

We live in a bizarre new NFL where scoring against Seattle is very possible, apparently.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

Kirby Lee-USA TODAY Sports

Last Week: 11

This Week: 11

Change: None

The Pittsburgh Steelers' win Monday night came with the usual cheerfulness, but still plenty of dread. Regular starting quarterback Ben Roethlisberger needs to return soon, because without him the Steelers won't experience that joyful winning feeling much more.

Vick looked like an aging backup who's inaccurate and uncomfortable in the pocket Monday night against the San Diego Chargers. That's because, well, he is an aging and inaccurate backup. If Vick is given any more than a handful of spot starts, trouble will follow.

The Steelers left San Diego with a win because of running back Le'Veon Bell's slippery missed-tackle creating ways that led to 127 yards from scrimmage. He also scored the game-winning touchdown as time expired.

Vick, meanwhile, did his part with a 72-yard deep touchdown pass to wide receiver Markus Wheaton that tied the game, and he later added a key 24-yard run to help set up Bell's plunge. But Vick's performance was terrifying before his heave to Wheaton.

Through just over 56 minutes of football he averaged 5.1 yards per pass attempt, and led an offense that punted on five of its seven first-half drives.

Roethlisberger is still considered a "longshot" to recover from his MCL sprain in time for Week 6, according to ESPN's Adam Schefter. Until he returns the Steelers will remain severely limited offensively.

10. Carolina Panthers (4-0)

Brian Blanco/Associated Press

Last Week: 10

This Week: N/A

Change: N/A

The Carolina Panthers have a zero in their loss column, which is all that ever really matters. But they've benefited from a pushover list of opposing quarterbacks so far. The first true test comes after a Week 5 bye when the Panthers travel to visit CenturyLink Field.

Losing doesn't happen often for the Seatte Seahawks there.

9. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)

Patric Schneider/Associated Press

Last Week: 12

This Week: 9

Change: +3

Prior to this season, Indianapolis Colts backup quarterback Matt Hasselbeck hadn't started a game since 2012. And he was last a full-time starter in 2011.

He's 40 years old, and very much in the quasi coach stage of his career. Hasselbeck's veteran presence is a highly valued asset, but his ability to actually do enough to win football games is questionable? Not so much, until two weeks ago at least.

The Colts were vulnerable when Andrew Luck suffered a shoulder injury, pushing Hasselbeck into a starting role for two games. They had started 1-2 and were seemingly in a tailspin without Luck.

Now they're 3-2 and leading the AFC South, thanks to a rather elderly spot-starter who has yet to throw an interception over 76 attempts, with a passer rating of 95.0. And it's all while having been diagnosed with a bacterial infection, according to NFL Network's Stacy Dales.

Football is weird. Don't bet on it.

8. New York Jets (3-1)

Matt Dunham/Associated Press

Last Week: 8

This Week: N/A

Change: N/A

The league's third-ranked defense through four weeks is resting and waiting for a Washington Redskins offense in Week 6 led by turnover-prone quarterback Kirk Cousins, who's already thrown six interceptions on 185 attempts.

The New York Jets, meanwhile, have recorded a league-leading 13 takeways. That matchup will end horribly for Cousins.

7. Buffalo Bills (3-2)

Jim Brown-USA TODAY Sports

Last Week: 9

This Week: 7

Change: +2

The Buffalo Bills are confusing, and at times they make little sense to me.

Their nonsensical ways have led to alternating wins and losses. They have yet to string together two of either outcome over five games. Sunday against the Tennessee Titans the Bills' first three drives ended quickly in three-and-outs. And the Bills offense seemed to locate rock bottom when the unit didn't take its first snap in opposing territory until the 1:34 mark of the third quarter. Seriously.

Yet they still won a football game because quarterback Tyrod Taylor flicked his awesomeness switch, a neat trick he can pull off at anytime.

In the first half Taylor did little. He didn't complete a pass in the first quarter and finished the half connecting on only five of his 11 attempts for 36 yards.

Unsurprisingly, the Bills scored only seven points over three quarters. Then Taylor caught fire when it mattered most, starting with a key 26-yard run on third down to extend a third-quarter drive. A few plays later he took off again for a 22-yard touchdown.

The Taylor show wasn't done there, as in the fourth quarter he added another long run for 24 yards before heaving one deep to wide receiver Chris Hogan. That 46-yard bomb set up what stood as the go-ahead touchdown.

Taylor set a new Bills single-game franchise record with 76 quarterback rushing yards. He's not consistent, and neither are the Bills. But Taylor is athletically electrifying enough to ride through the valleys, reach more peaks and keep Buffalo in playoff contention.

6. Arizona Cardinals (4-1)

Duane Burleson/Associated Press

Last Week: 7

This Week: 6

Change: +1

Like the New England Patriots this week, the Arizona Cardinals did what was expected when a rising team comes up against a sinking one: They obliterated the Detroit Lions 41-17.

And also like the Patriots, the Cardinals do more than simply win when they beat teams. The combined score of their four wins is a gruesome 168-66.

5. Denver Broncos (5-0)

Kyle Terada-USA TODAY Sports

Last Week: 4

This Week: 5

Change: -1

There's a gaggle of undefeated teams at the top, and the shifting between them means a few with still flawless records have to drop. The Denver Broncos were an easy candidate for that treatment after they followed a recent trend of looking unimpressive offensively, but suffocating defensively.

The latter is becoming expected behavior from a team that's allowed less than 15 points in three of its five wins. But the former is a concern, especially when another dud came this week against the Oakland Raiders' 26th-ranked defense.

The Broncos' offensive sickness is rooted in the backfield. Broncos running backs gained only 43 yards on 18 carries Sunday (2.4 yards per carry).

4. Atlanta Falcons (5-0)

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Last Week: 5

This Week: 4

Change: +1

Every week we'll expect Atlanta Falcons running back Devonta Freeman to keep up his Superman act with even more laughably booming production. Eventually he'll disappoint, but we're still waiting on a day when he looks sort of normal.

Freeman tore up the Washington Redskins for 197 yards from scrimmage Sunday. He's started three games since fellow running back Tevin Coleman went down with a rib injury. During those games Freeman has averaged (averaged!) 179.7 total yards.

Throughout the Super Bowl era, he's the first player to score seven rushing touchdowns over his first three starts, according to NFL director of NFC football communications Randall Liu. What's really scary is that Freeman is only one weapon in an offense filled with them.

3. Green Bay Packers (5-0)

Mike McGinnis/Getty Images

Last Week: 2

This Week: 3

Change: -1

The Green Bay Packers fall ever so slightly this week through no fault of their own. 

They still have an imposing offense with one receiver who was yanked off the street (James Jones) and a quickly emerging mid-round draft pick (Ty Montgomery). Though it was jarring to see quarterback Aaron Rodgers throw two interceptions at Lambeau Field—halting his record of 587 pass attempts without an interception at home—the Packers still field a solid ninth-ranked offense and have scored the fifth-most touchdowns (16).

But the Bengals offense? It's ranked second while averaging 421.4 yards per game and 29.6 points. They leapfrogged Green Bay after beating a higher-caliber opponent with that firepower.

2. Cincinnati Bengals (5-0)

Frank Victores/Associated Press

Last Week: 3

This Week: 2

Change: +1

Through three quarters the Cincinnati Bengals scored just seven points against a Seattle Seahawks defense that frequently stonewalls opponents and had already pitched a shutout this season (Week 3).

The Bengals entered the fourth quarter down 24-7. They had no business doing anything more than surrendering during garbage time and losing their unblemished record.

Then 17 fourth-quarter points later they remained undefeated. They mounted a late-game comeback on a Seahawks defense that allowed 15.9 points per game in 2014.

It was a loud, statement win. But of course, the Bengals have made many statements in October before.

1. New England Patriots (4-0)

Christian Petersen/Getty Images

Last Week: 1

This Week: 1

Change: None

Yes, the New England Patriots have beaten up on the Jacksonville Jaguars and Dallas Cowboys over their last two games. Those two teams have won a combined three games through Week 5, and the Cowboys are absolutely decimated by injuries.

And none of that takes away from the division-leading, undefeated muscle-flexing New England has done.

Inferior opponents should be stomped, which accurately describes the Patriots' results against Jacksonville and Dallas. The Patriots have won their last two games by a score of 81-23.

They've won four games and scored 30-plus points in three of them. They're treating every team like a punching bag while laughing gleefully.