2022 B/R NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand Entering Week 7?
If there's one thing in the NFL you can expect, it's the unexpected. But even by NFL standards, Week 6 was wild.
In Pittsburgh, a one-win Steelers team that was boatraced by the Buffalo Bills in Week 5 knocked off the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both New York teams took major steps toward legitimizing themselves, with the Giants knocking off the Ravens at home while the Jets waltzed into Lambeau Field and thumped the Green Bay Packers.
It wasn't all upset specials. The Philadelphia Eagles are still unbeaten after taking care of the rival Cowboys on Sunday night. The Buffalo Bills lived up to being the rare team to go into Arrowhead Stadium as a road favorite, downing the Chiefs in a thriller. And the defending champion Rams got back on track against the hapless Panthers.
It was a week that shook up how we perceive the NFL's pecking order this season. And as they do every week here at Bleacher Report, NFL Analysts Brent Sobleski, Maurice Moton and Gary Davenport have gathered to review the week that was and rank the NFL's teams from worst to first.
The bookends are the same as a week ago. But in-between?
Blender city.
32. Carolina Panthers (1-5)
1 of 32
Last Week: 32
Week 6 Result: Lost at Los Angeles Rams 24-10
Things just keep getting worse for the Carolina Panthers. The head coach has been fired. The new starting quarterback has been awful and is injured. And now the team's second-best receiver was kicked off the sideline—by his own team.
The latest indignity happened during Sunday's loss to the Los Angeles Rams. After arguing with wide receivers coach Joe Dailey in the first half, Robbie Anderson exchanged words with interim head coach Steve Wilks in the third quarter. That was that—Wilks told Anderson to hit the showers.
"No one is bigger than the team," Wilks told reporters after the game. "I'm not going to focus and put a lot of attention on one individual."
However, Anderson defended his action as simple frustration with not being on the field.
"You shouldn't be OK with not being on that turf," he said. "You should want to make a play. Losing is not acceptable. You don't play this game to lose. You could consider me a loser my whole life growing up. I didn't get this far in life to continue to be a loser. It's not what I work for."
One day after the outburst, Anderson was shipped to the Arizona Cardinals.
It has been that kind of season in Charlotte.
31. Houston Texans (1-3-1)
2 of 32
Last Week: 31
Week 6 Result: Bye Week
The Houston Texans were the last team in the NFL to get win No. 1 this season. But that win came last week against the Jacksonville Jaguars, and after finally tasting victory, Texans head coach Lovie Smith said that Houston's off week came at the perfect time.
"We're in pretty good shape, we have a chance to really get healthy right now, and we have a sample of who we think we can be this year," Smith said. "[And] as coaches, to be able to analyze everything that we've done and go from there. So early, late, seems like it's the perfect time for us where we are right now."
Getting that win was nice, but neither one win nor a week off is going to fix all that ails the Texans. Entering Week 6, Houston ranked 30th in total offense, 27th in scoring offense and 29th in total defense.
There have been bright spots, whether it's the play of rookie running back Dameon Pierce on offense or the performance of fellow first-year player Jalen Pitre on defense.
But teams that rank in the bottom five in both total offense and total defense aren't going to win many games.
30. Chicago Bears (2-4)
3 of 32
Last Week: 30
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. Washington 12-7
Justin Fields doesn't want to hear it.
Over the last two weeks, Fields has played easily his best two games of the season as a passer. Against the Commanders, Chicago outgained Washington by almost 180 yards. But two Chicago turnovers played a big part in another Bears loss, and afterward a frustrated Fields wasn't in the mood to talk about moral victories with reporters.
"We always get told that we're almost there, we're almost there," Fields said. "Me personally, I'm tired of being almost there. I'm tired of being just this close. I feel like I've been hearing it for so long now."
However, head coach Matt Eberflus tried to put a positive spin on another dispiriting loss.
"I think [Fields] took a step forward. I really do," Eberflus said. "The toughness. For me, the ability to take the ball and drive it down at the very end, to give us a chance to win it—that's to me what was the improvement. Were there other moments that we need to clean up and the offense needs to clean up? Sure. But we had the drives down there, and if we punch those in, the game's a different game."
Tell yourself whatever you need to, Matt.
"Chicago is painful to watch," Sobleski said. "The team is clearly deficient at wide receiver and along the offensive line. The coaching staff isn't comfortable enough with quarterback Justin Fields to hand him the offensive reins. Despite being able to run the ball, the Bears scored seven points Thursday. Chicago ranks near the bottom of the league in scoring offense. With the New England Patriots and Dallas Cowboys next on the docket—both of whom feature top-seven scoring defenses—things will get worse for Chicago before they can get better."
.jpg?w=256 "Browns Football")
29. Washington Commanders (2-4)
4 of 32
Last Week: 28
Week 6 Result: Won at Chicago 12-7
If it's possible to lose while winning, the Washington Commanders accomplished that feat Thursday in Chicago.
Thanks to a late Bears turnover and Brian Robinson's first NFL touchdown, the Commanders were able to put a halt to their four-game losing streak. But they did so in a game where Washington managed just 214 yards of offense and converted just two of 11 third-down attempts.
However, while speaking to reporters after the game, quarterback Carson Wentz said the Commanders will take a win any way they can get one.
"It was a huge," Wentz said. "We've been on a skid lately, we've been in some tough games, had some tough go's with it. This one was huge."
That those sentiments came from a quarterback who failed to throw for 100 yards in the game shows just how ugly a win this was. And with four straight games coming against teams that are .500 or better, Washington needs to play much better to avoid another multi-game losing streak.
28. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4)
5 of 32
Last Week: 29
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Tampa Bay 20-18
So maybe the Pittsburgh Steelers aren't dead after all.
To be fair, Sunday's upset of the Buccaneers doesn't fix all that ails this Steelers team. The run game continues to be a mess, with Najee Harris managing just three yards per carry against the Buccaneers. And after playing lights-out against Tampa in relief of an injured Kenny Pickett, Mitch Trubisky may have ignited a quarterback controversy in the Steel City. After the game, veteran defensive lineman Cameron Heyward allowed to reporters that while winning was great, the team is still a long way from being fixed.
"We ain't back yet," Heyward said. "We've still got work to do."
But after losing four straight (including a blowout defeat at the hands of the Bills in Week 5), the Steelers just needed a win. How didn't matter. And the win gives the Steelers some momentum heading into a Sunday night tilt with the reeling Dolphins—a game that now appears winnable for Pittsburgh.
However, even if Pittsburgh can pull that off and get to 3-4, peeling off three straight wins to climb back to .500 won't be easy.
In Week 8, the Steelers travel to face the undefeated Eagles.
27. Detroit Lions (1-4)
6 of 32
Last Week: 27
Week 6 Result: Bye Week
It has been a long time since the Detroit Lions tasted any sort of sustained success. The last time Detroit had a winning season was 2017. That was also the last time the Lions lost fewer than 10 games.
Neither of those streaks appear likely to end in 2022.
The fault for another bad start in the Motor City can't be laid at the feet of Jared Goff and the offense—entering Week 6, the Lions ranked third in the NFL in both total offense and scoring offense. But as good as the offense has been, the defense has been equally awful—no team in the league has allowed more points per game, and only the Seattle Seahawks are allowing more yards.
Head coach Dan Campbell told reporters last week that he believes Detroit's issues defensively are in part a matter of confidence.
"Well, I know this, we lack confidence. That's very clear to see. That's one element to it," Campbell said. "We lack a lot of confidence, and so certainly to do that you have to have production in games and have success and stop your opponents, get some stops, things of that nature. So we're lacking some confidence in areas, and then there again we're still making errors that falls into our boat as coaches. That's on us."
Confidence isn't the only thing Detroit's defense lacks. And it's going to take more than an ego boost to fix it.
26. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
7 of 32
Last Week: 26
Week 6 Result: Bye Week
After making the playoffs last year, the Raiders were one of the most aggressive teams in the NFL in the offseason. The addition of wide receiver Davante Adams, edge-rusher Chandler Jones and head coach Josh McDaniels was supposed to propel the Raiders on a deep playoff run.
Instead, the Raiders are a one-win, last-place team that has been terrible in the red zone on both sides of the ball. Offensively, the Raiders entered Week 6 23rd in the league in touchdown percentage. Defensively, the Raiders ranked dead last in red-zone defense.
However, despite that abysmal start, McDaniels insisted to reporters that the Raiders aren't about to panic.
“I don’t think anybody here is discouraged about the fact that we’re not close,” McDaniels said. “I think now it’s about, what do we need to do in practice? What do we need to do to carry it over to the games to be able to really make the plays that are winning plays at the end, so that we have an opportunity to close out a lot of these close games?”
The Raiders' post-bye schedule is favorable—none of the team's next six opponents came into Week 6 with a winning record. If the Raiders don't start stringing together wins soon, the season could be all but over by the midway point.
25. Denver Broncos (2-4)
8 of 32
Last Week: 25
Week 6 Result: Lost at Los Angeles Chargers 19-16 (OT)
There's been no shortage of hand-wringing about the state of the Denver offense five games into the season. Denver averaged just 15 points per game over their first five contests, and it's safe to say fans did not expect the Russell Wilson-led offense to be sitting at the bottom of the league in points per game.
However, per ESPN's Jeff Legwold, first-year head coach Nathaniel Hackett insisted before Monday's AFC West clash with the Chargers that the Broncos simply needed time to gel.
"Everything is more growing pains right now. We're five games into the season, five games we've all been working together, we're all still getting to know each other, Russell getting to know the team, the team getting to know him," Hackett said.
"Same thing for me, when you're in those high critical situations, how people are going to react. What plays are maybe our go-tos, what we want to accomplish ... it's about us understanding what we want to go to when we need to.''
Well, another great defensive effort from the Broncos was wasted on Monday night. Once again, the team scored all of one touchdown and 16 points total. After hitting his first 10 passes, Wilson went 5-for-18 the rest of the way and failed to crack 200 passing yards. And the Broncos are now 2-4.
Time's up, Nate.
24. Cleveland Browns (2-4)
9 of 32
Last Week: 24
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. New England 38-15
The Cleveland Browns were beaten in every way a team can be beaten by the Patriots in Week 6, and head coach Kevin Stefanski was the first to admit it.
"Every way you can get beat—offense, defense, special teams, coaching—we got beat," Stefanski told reporters. "They beat us, and we also beat ourselves a few too many times."
It was a hideous all-around effort. Cleveland quarterback Jacoby Brissett was atrocious, completing just 21 of 45 passes with a pair of interceptions. Nick Chubb, who entered the week leading the league in rushing, carried the ball just 12 times for 56 yards. Defensively, the Browns finally managed to stop the run with some measure of competence—only to allow a 300-yard passing day to rookie quarterback Bailey Zappe.
"Myles Garrett became Cleveland's all-time sack leader Sunday," Davenport wrote, "but that's the only good thing that happened to the team's beleaguered defense. Linebacker Jeremiah Owusu-Koramoah is getting swallowed up at the point of attack because the interior of Cleveland's defensive line is pillow-soft. Fellow linebacker Jacob Phillips has been horrible since taking over for Anthony Walker Jr. There's a reason Cleveland traded for Deion Jones, but it's going to take a lot more than that to fix the Browns defensively. At the rate things are going, I hope defensive coordinator Joe Woods rented instead of buying. Because his days on the job are probably numbered."
23. Arizona Cardinals (2-4)
10 of 32
Last Week: 16
Week 6 Result: Lost at Seattle 19-9
The good news for the Arizona Cardinals is the team finally scored some points in the first quarter.
The bad news is that first-quarter field goal was the only points Arizona's offense could manage against a Seattle defense that had struggled to stop anyone this season.
After the game, quarterback Kyler Murray lamented Arizona's inability to finish drives—an issue that has plagued the Redbirds most of the season.
"We can't finish. That's the moral of the story right now," Murray said. "We're not finishing drives. Not putting the ball in the end zone. Can't win like that."
However, while head coach Kliff Kingsbury admitted that he has never experienced these kinds of offensive woes, he said he remains confident the Arizona offense can get untracked.
"We will see how we can move things around personnel-wise and scheme-wise and see how we can get better," Kingsbury said. "It's a six-game view and it hasn't been good enough."
Moton thinks the Cardinals can still right the ship.
"The Cardinals will drop in the power rankings after a woeful offensive performance against the Seattle Seahawks’ 29th-ranked scoring defense, but they have help on the way with wideout DeAndre Hopkins’ return from a six-game suspension for violating the league’s performance-enhancing drug policy and the acquisition of Robbie Anderson from the Carolina Panthers," he said.
"With wide receiver Marquise Brown expected to miss extended time with a foot injury (h/t NFL Network's Ian Rapoport), Anderson's speed and big-play ability could complement Hopkins in the passing attack, which bodes well for Arizona’s Thursday night matchup against the New Orleans Saints. Don’t panic over the Cardinals’ 2-4 start. They could go on a run with their best pass-catcher back in uniform and a new deep threat on the perimeter. Murray certainly needs their help. In six outings, he’s thrown for six touchdowns and four interceptions."
22. New Orleans Saints (2-4)
11 of 32
Last Week: 21
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. Cincinnati 30-26
Sunday may be looked back on as the day the 2022 season got away from the New Orleans Saints.
With the Tampa Bay Buccaneers losing in Pittsburgh, the Saints had a golden opportunity in Week 6. Seal the deal against the Cincinnati Bengals, and the Saints could forge a three-way tie for first place atop the NFC South. But despite leading most of the game, the Saints stalled offensively and faltered defensively late, and the Bengals were able to rally for a four-point win.
As running back Mark Ingram II told reporters after the game, this loss was a particularly hard one to swallow.
"You dominate the game from the beginning and basically self-destruct in the last three minutes," Ingram said. "You dominate the whole game and now you have a loss. We have to go back to the drawing board and get ready on the short week."
That short week Ingram mentioned is a Thursday night affair against the Arizona Cardinals—a game that kicks off a brutal stretch in which the Saints play five games in six weeks against teams that made the playoffs last year.
Entering that gauntlet at 2-4 instead of 3-3 makes a difference.
21. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4)
12 of 32
Last Week: 19
Week 6 Result: Lost at Indianapolis 34-27
For a time, it appeared that the Jacksonville Jaguars were turning a corner. But after a 2-1 start, the Jaguars have dropped three in a row after falling in Indianapolis.
This latest loss was an especially dispiriting one—the Jaguars led the entire first half and took a 21-13 lead in the third quarter. But Jacksonville's defense was roasted through the air by Matt Ryan, leading cornerback Shaquill Griffin to take blame for the loss while speaking to reporters afterward.
“I’m hurt because I feel like I let my team down,” Griffin said. “It’s a lot of plays that I had out there that I didn’t make and that last one … hurt me the worst. I’m the type of person, I’m gonna be way harder [on myself] than my coaches are gonna be. I’m gonna be way harder on myself than my [teammates] are gonna be.
"The Jaguars started their season strong by thumping the Indianapolis Colts and Los Angeles Chargers in Weeks 2 and 3," Sobleski said. "The juxtaposition of Jacksonville's two meetings with its divisional rival shows where Doug Pederson's team is currently trending. Aside from losing three straight contests, the Jaguars didn't look anything like the team that faced Indianapolis a month ago. The Colts managed a meager 218 yards in Week 2, while the Jaguars sacked Matt Ryan five times and picked him off on three occasions. On Sunday, Ryan threw for 389 yards and wasn't sacked once on 58 dropbacks during Indianapolis' victory."
20. Seattle Seahawks (3-3)
13 of 32
Last Week: 23
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Arizona 19-9
The Seattle Seahawks are tied for first place in the NFC West—and they got there with defense.
If you watched Seattle over the first five weeks of the season, the only thing wilder than the first statement is the second.
For most of the season, the Seahawks fielded one of the worst defenses in the league. But against the Cardinals on Sunday, that defense showed up in a big way—Seattle allowed just 315 total yards, 15 first downs, four of 16 third-down conversions and zero touchdowns (Arizona's came on special teams).
After logging eight sacks in five games, the Seahawks also got to Kyler Murray six times, drawing praise from Seattle head coach Pete Carroll in the process.
"The pass rush just came to life today," Carroll said. "Guys were all over the quarterback. Really rewarding in that regard ... It wasn't any one guy who was there, but six sacks by six different guys."
"Sunday's performance probably says more about how bad the Cardinals are than how good Seattle's defense is," Davenport wrote. "But the Seahawks defense deserves credit for stepping up in a week where the offense struggled. Seattle still probably isn't as good as the Rams or 49ers in the NFC West. But that doesn't mean Seattle hasn't exceeded expectations over the first six weeks of the season."
19. Atlanta Falcons (3-3)
14 of 32
Last Week: 22
Week 6 Result: Won vs. San Francisco 28-14
The Atlanta Falcons are quickly becoming one of the harder teams in the league to figure out—and a tough out for opponents.
Playing against a first-place 49ers team in Week 6, the Falcons put together their best all-around effort of the season. Offensively, quarterback Marcus Mariota threw for just 129 yards, but he tossed two touchdown passes, ran for another score and had just one incompletion. Defensively, Atlanta shut down San Francisco's rushing attack and forced three turnovers, one of which was returned for a touchdown.
After the victory, Falcons head coach Arthur Smith lauded his quarterback's effort against one of the NFL's best defenses while speaking to reporters.
"That's a real good defense," Falcons coach Arthur Smith said. "We knew we had to be efficient, and Marcus definitely was."
"In the second year of a rebuild under general manager Terry Fontenot and head coach Arthur Smith, the Atlanta Falcons are headed in the right direction," Moton said. They’ve won three of their last four contests and beat the San Francisco 49ers decisively.
"Marcus Mariota isn’t going to optimize his receiving targets with high-volume passing performances, which is why tight end Kyle Pitts and rookie wideout Drake London won’t post gaudy stat lines in most weeks," he continued, "but he makes up for it with his legs. The dual-threat signal-caller has rushed for at least 50 yards in three out of six games as a big part of the Falcons’ third-ranked rushing offense."
18. Green Bay Packers (3-3)
15 of 32
Last Week: 11
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. New York Jets 27-10
The Green Bay Packers are in trouble.
Blowing a double-digit halftime lead against the New York Giants in London last week was one thing. But now the Packers have been throttled. At home. By the Jets.
The Green Bay offense was miserable in the loss. The Packers averaged just four yards per play and three yards per carry while converting just 25 percent of their third-down attempts. The special teams were exponentially worse, allowing both a field goal and punt to be blocked—the latter of which was returned for a touchdown.
However, despite two straight ugly losses, quarterback Aaron Rodgers continued to insist that the Packers remain on solid ground as a team.
"We've got to be realistic of where we're at," said Rodgers. "We've played a couple of subpar games the last two. We've got to play better. But wobbly? Only if people are breaking rank. I think it'll be interesting to look at the comments from all of our guys and coaches, and hopefully we stick together. That's the important thing. Until I see us breaking ranks, I'm not going to say there's any wobbliness going on."
The problem is that Rodgers said something very similar after the Packers lost in London—and Green Bay responded by looking that much more inept offensively against the Jets. And with the Packers now two back of Minnesota with a head-to-head loss and looking more like a tomato can than a title contender, the notion of this team suddenly turning it on is becoming harder to believe by the week.
Simply put, these Packers just aren't very good.
17. Miami Dolphins (3-3)
16 of 32
Last Week: 15
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. Minnesota 24-16
In Week 4, the Miami Dolphins occupied the top spot in these power rankings after doing something that no team had before or since this season—defeat the Buffalo Bills.
We apologize for jinxing them.
Since then, everything that could go wrong has—especially at quarterback. First, Tua Tagovailoa was sidelined by a concussion. Then he was joined by backup Teddy Bridgewater. In Week 6, Bridgewater was forced to again take the field—after third-stringer Skylar Thompson injured his hand.
However, despite the carousel at quarterback, Dolphins head coach Mike McDaniel wasn't interested in making excuses while speaking to reporters after the game.
"I'm going to demand that the team does not point at that to be a reason for what's happened or a reason for the loss. I think that's the easy thing to do. I think that's the path of least resistance, and generally the path of least resistance doesn't lend the results that an ambitious, convicted, all-in players' team, organization wants. Yeah, there's always difficulties and adversity within NFL football games. I thought we had the capability to overcome that, and we didn't."
Tagovailoa should be back for Miami's next game against Pittsburgh, and the Dolphins play five straight against teams with losing records. But Miami badly needs to peel off some wins—because the Bills don't appear inclined to lose, and Miami now finds itself staring up at both the Bills and Jets in the AFC East.
16. New England Patriots (3-3)
17 of 32
Last Week: 20
Week 6 Result: Won at Cleveland 38-15
You cannot stop Bailey Zappe. You can only hope to contain him.
One week after shutting out the Detroit Lions in his first NFL start, Zappe looked that much better in blowing out the Cleveland Browns—24 completions in 34 attempts for 309 yards and a pair of second-half touchdowns. After the game, head coach Bill Belichick was effusive in his praise of Zappe while speaking to reporters.
"He has pretty good instincts, but again, there's a lot for him to learn," Belichick said. "He saw some things today and he learned from them, he was able to take advantage and make a couple plays, so it was a solid performance."
What? That's effusive for Belichick. Zappe also became the first quarterback in the Super Bowl era to win his first two starts and post a passer rating north of 100 in both games.
"The Patriots have something in Zappe," Sobleski wrote. "Unlike in Dallas where Cooper Rush was never a viable alternative to Dak Prescott, New England could have a decision forthcoming. Mac Jones is operating under a rookie contract with only one season under his belt. Clearly, the organization's history with Tom Brady makes Zappe an instant favorite, and the coaching staff knows how to handle such a situation. The offense is now clicking. The first-year signal-caller completed 74.6 percent of his passes in his two starts."
15. Los Angeles Rams (3-3)
18 of 32
Last Week: 14
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Carolina 24-10
The title defense for the Los Angeles Rams hasn't gone according to plan. And while the Rams are tied for first place in the division, after defeating the woeful Panthers, Moton didn't see many reasons for celebrating the victory.
"Yes, the Rams beat the Panthers, who fired head coach Matt Rhule last week, and covered a 10.5-point spread, but they didn’t look impressive in a 24-10 victory over arguably the league’s worst team, he said. "The Rams trailed the Panthers 10-7 at halftime, and they didn’t retake the lead until late in the third quarter.
"To make matters worse, the Rams have to figure out what’s next for running back Cam Akers, who didn’t suit up for the team Sunday. Fox Sports’ Jay Glazer says Los Angeles is 'trying to actively trade him.' Moreover, left tackle Joe Noteboom will miss the remainder of the season with a torn Achilles tendon, per ESPN's Lindsey Thiry. Don’t let the Rams’ Week 6 win fool you. They still have offensive issues to sort out."
Noteboom's injury could be especially damaging—the Rams have allowed 22 sacks in six games, which is tied for the third-most in the NFL.
14. Indianapolis Colts (3-2-1)
19 of 32
Last Week: 17
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Jacksonville 34-27
The first five weeks of the Matt Ryan era didn't go so well for the Indianapolis Colts. Ryan struggled throwing the ball, the Colts ranked near the bottom of the league in scoring and Indy struggled, winning just once over the season's first month.
However, Sunday against the Jaguars, it was a different story—Ryan threw for 389 yards and three scores without an interception in leading the Colts to a come-from-behind win over the rival Jaguars. And at 3-2-1, the Colts are now just half a game back of the Titans in the AFC South.
"In Week 6, Ryan turned back the clock and looked like the quarterback who once led the Atlanta Falcons’ high-powered passing attacks a few years ago instead of a 37-year-old signal-caller on his way to retirement," Moton said. "We must note that he didn’t take a sack in last Sunday’s game, which is a great improvement from 21 sacks in the first five weeks.
"Ryan had time to showcase his connection with lead wideout Michael Pittman Jr. (13 receptions for 134 yards), rookie wide receiver Alec Pierce (three catches for 49 yards and a touchdown) and running back Deon Jackson (10 receptions for 79 yards). Even Parris Campbell reached the end zone with one of his seven receptions (57 receiving yards).
"Even more impressive, Indianapolis had its best passing performance without star running back Jonathan Taylor, who usually draws a lot of attention in the backfield but has missed consecutive games with an ankle injury," Moton continued. "If Ryan continues to get maximum protection, watch out for the Colts."
13. New York Jets (4-2)
20 of 32
Week 6 Result: Won at Green Bay 27-10
On some level, it was understandable to be skeptical of the 3-2 start of the New York Jets. New York's first two wins came against a pair of struggling teams in the Browns and Steelers. Then there was a win over a Dolphins team led by a third-string quarterback.
But now the Jets have gone into Lambeau Field and blasted the Packers. The same Packers who are 39-10 over the past three seasons. Even if you believe that the 2022 Packers aren't nearly as formidable as in years past, it was still a statement win for the long-floundering franchise.
Rookie running back Breece Hall, who gashed the Packers for 116 yards on 20 carries, said after the game that while the rest of the nation may be slow to recognize what these Jets are capable of, he and his teammates were not.
"It just shows that we're trending upwards," Hall said. "I feel like a lot of people expected that it would be a surprise if we won this game, but we expected to come in and win this game."
The performance was enough to earn a mea culpa from Davenport.
"The Jets aren't a threat to the Bills in the AFC East," he said, "not with a quarterback throwing for 110 yards like Zach Wilson did in this game. But Hall has been outstanding running the ball. The Jets defense is legit. And opponents will no longer look forward to facing Gang Green. Given how the Jets are playing right now, it's very possible they will be 5-3 or even 6-2 when the Bills come calling in Week 9—and it's been a while since fans could look forward to a matchup like that with excitement instead of dread."
12. Tennessee Titans (3-2)
21 of 32
Last Week: 13
Week 6 Result: Bye Week
The Tennessee Titans were two very different teams over the first five weeks of the season.
In Weeks 1 and 2, the Titans looked nothing like the team that won 12 games on the way to capturing the AFC's No. 1 seed last year. Tennessee's offense was stagnant, the defense was porous. And after getting embarrassed by the Buffalo Bills, the Titans were 0-2 and in last place in the AFC South.
They haven't been flawless, but since then the Titans have peeled off three straight victories to retake first place in the division. The offense got Derrick Henry going on the ground. The defense improved. Per ESPN's Turron Davenport, quarterback Ryan Tannehill credited head coach Mike Vrabel for instilling a culture where the players weren't about to panic after a slow start.
"The message is sent from Coach Vrabel," Tannehill said. "Guys in the locker room believe in each other and don't lose faith. Keep to the process of trying to get better each week. We have a long season in front of us. Still have to keep improving because we're just scratching the surface."
Given what we saw back in Week 2, it might be a stretch to say that these Titans can hang with the likes of the Bills and Chiefs in the AFC. But Tennessee can't be counted out, either.
After all, the Titans were 3-2 five games into last year, too.
11. San Francisco (3-3)
22 of 32
Last Week: 7
Week 6 Result: Lost at Atlanta 28-14
Under head coach Kyle Shanahan, the San Francisco 49ers have followed a fairly simple recipe for success. Run the football. Play defense. Avoid mistakes.
Against the Atlanta Falcons Sunday, the Niners did none of those things, and now, San Francisco finds itself part of a three-team 3-3 logjam in the NFC West.
The struggles were at least partly unavoidable. The 49ers have been blasted by injuries on defense, with star edge-rusher Nick Bosa missing Sunday's loss. But injuries don't account for San Francisco's inability to run the ball on a mediocre Falcons defense or for three 49ers turnovers—one of which was returned for a touchdown.
After the game, quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo said the offense was to blame for the listless loss.
"It's just on the offense," Garoppolo said. "Putting up zero points in the second half is just not us. We've just got to go back to the drawing board, get back to our style of football, and I think the rest will take care of itself."
"These 49ers aren't really any different from the team that made the NFC title game last year, for better or worse," Davenport said. "The Niners can beat just about anyone when they avoid making mistakes. But when they don't, they aren't talented enough to dig out of big holes.
"Still, with all four teams in the NFC West showing warts over the first six weeks of the season, the 49ers are still probably the team to beat in the division—I think. Maybe."
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-3)
23 of 32
Last Week: 4
Week 6 Result: Lost at Pittsburgh 20-18
Entering the 2022 season, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were widely regarded as one of the teams to beat in the NFC. Maybe the team to beat.
Six weeks into the season, it's becoming harder and harder to buy into that assessment.
After falling in stunning fashion to a Steelers team that hadn't tasted victory since Week 1, the Buccaneers have dropped three out of their last four. Quarterback Tom Brady admitted to reporters after the defeat that the Buccaneers just flat-out didn't play well.
"We didn't earn the win," Brady said. "It's a game of earning it, and it's a game of playing well and performing well, and we're just not doing a good job of that. I don't think we've done it for six weeks. I think we're all playing less than what we're capable of. It's all of us. It's our whole offense. ... Obviously there's no position that's performing at an elite level right now."
A visibly frustrated Brady got on his offensive line during the game—and the new-look interior of that line has played a significant role in the team's struggles. The Steelers had generated little pass rush since T.J. Watt got hurt, but they got to Brady twice and held the Buccaneers under three yards a carry on the ground.
"The Buccaneers will probably still win the NFC South," Davenport said. "It's a bad division. But the notion that Tampa is going to magically snap out of their month-long funk just doesn't appear realistic. The Buccaneers haven't played especially well on offense for most of the season, and those struggles apparently aren't easily fixed."
"We may be finally seeing the end of Tom Brady's career," Sobleski added. "This isn't to say he can no longer play. Of course, he can. At the same time, the greatest to ever do it is barking at offensive linemen on the sidelines and doesn't seem to be in the same groove we've seen since he joined the franchise two years ago.
"In fact, his average yards per game, yards per attempt, QBR and quarterback rating are down across the board. Tampa Bay can still be counted among the league's best, and they have the perfect upcoming opponent to stop the bleeding in Carolina after losing three of its last four. Beyond next week, Brady and Co. must respond to their early season adversity."
9. Cincinnati Bengals (3-3)
24 of 32
Last Week: 12
Week 6 Result: Won at New Orleans 30-26
Who says you can't go home again?
The Cincinnati Bengals trailed most of Sunday's meeting with the New Orleans Saints. It appeared that the homecoming of wide receiver Ja'Marr Chase and return to the bayou for quarterback Joe Burrow was going to be spoiled and that the defending AFC champions would fall to 2-4. But duo worked some late magic, and the Bengals narrowly escaped with a win.
Chase told reporters after the game that getting the win should make the holidays a bit more enjoyable—for him, at least.
"It means a lot actually, just knowing that I've got the advantage on beating New Orleans," he said. "I come back home after the season and [can] talk a little trash. That's good. I know my family, they all love the Saints. It's good for me to come back home and rub it in their face a little bit."
"The Bengals aren't without problems," Davenport said, "and Cincinnati is finding out first-hand that staying on top in the NFL can be that much harder than getting there. But coupled with Baltimore's loss to the New York Giants, Cincy's comeback win over the Saints moved the Bengals back into a tie for first place in the AFC North.
"After this week's meeting with the 3-3 Falcons, Cincy has three straight against teams with losing records—a stretch that should give the Bengals a chance to build some momentum."
8. Baltimore Ravens (3-3)
25 of 32
Last Week: 6
Week 6 Result: Lost at New York Giants 24-20
For most of Sunday's game against the New York Giants, the Ravens appeared to be in control. The Ravens out-gained the G-Men by 168 yards and led most of the way.
But the only stat that really matters in football is the final score. And thanks to a couple of late turnovers by quarterback Lamar Jackson, the Giants came roaring back to stun Baltimore and drop the Ravens to .500 on the season.
After the dispiriting loss, head coach John Harbaugh bemoaned his team's inability to finish while speaking with reporters.
"That's the biggest story for us, is winning the game at the end of the game," Ravens coach John Harbaugh said. "Making the plays that need to be made and not making the errors that cost you an opportunity to win the game."
For his part, Jackson said the Ravens have to shake off this poor performance and move on.
"It's frustrating because we're losing these games," said Jackson, who threw for 210 yards and ran for another 77. "It happened. It's over with. We have to move on to the Browns. We just can't keep beating ourselves up because that's what it is. It's not our opponent."
Jackson's right, of course. But this isn't the first time this season the Ravens haven't been able to hold a late lead. Baltimore has led by double digits in the second half of five games this year.
The Ravens have now lost three of them.
7. Dallas Cowboys (4-2)
26 of 32
Last Week: 5
Week 6 Result: Lost at Philadelphia 26-17
Frankly, we should have seen this coming.
Cooper Rush player better than anyone could have reasonably expected in place of an injured Dak Prescott, leading the Dallas Cowboys to a 4-1 record entering Sunday night's showdown with the rival Eagles. But Rush is a backup quarterback for a reason, and he looked like one in Week 6, throwing three costly interceptions.
However, while Prescott told reporters after the game that he plans to be back out there Sunday against the Lions, he wasn't about to take anything away from what Rush accomplished.
"I mean, I never really had any doubt that the team wouldn't do what they just did," Prescott said. "Obviously, y'all know me, [I'm] very optimistic. Got a lot of pride in this team, know the guys that are on this team, the defense, know what Cooper is capable of. So, yeah, obviously disappointed I couldn't be with the guys along what, the past five weeks, I guess. But excited to move forward and happy as hell with the position that we're in, and we can get rolling."
Losing to Philadelphia and falling two back of the Eagles (with a head-to-head loss to boot) isn't an ideal scenario by any stretch. But if you had told Dallas that the team would be 4-2 at the end of Prescott's absence, the Cowboys would have taken that potential outcome 10 times out of 10.
6. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)
27 of 32
Last Week: 10
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Denver 19-16 (OT)
The Chargers aren't doing things the easy way, but they are getting the job done. And after out-lasting the Broncos on Monday night, the Bolts are now 4-2 and in a virtual tie with the Kansas City Chiefs atop the AFC West.
It's a far cry from a few weeks ago. After losing a heartbreaker to the Chiefs in which quarterback Justin Herbert injured his ribs, the Chargers were blown out by the Jaguars at home to fall to 1-2. The offense was sporadic. The defense wasn't playing well. The Chargers were in trouble.
Since then, however, the Chargers have peeled off three wins in a row. Granted, the last two came by a combined total of five points.
The offense still isn't playing especially well, although at least part of that can be attributed to the absence of No. 1 receiver Keenan Allen. But the defense is holding its own despite Joey Bosa's injury, and the Chargers are finding ways to win instead of finding ways to lose.
The hope is that Allen will return for this week's home date with the Seahawks, after which the Bolts will hit their bye.
If Los Angeles can enter the break at 5-2, the team will have to be pretty happy with where things stand, given the injuries that have struck both sides of the ball.
5. New York Giants (5-1)
28 of 32
Last Week: 9
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Baltimore 24-20
If there was any question regarding the validity of the New York Giants' inclusion in the top 10 of these power rankings, it was answered Sunday against the Baltimore Ravens.
The 2022 Giants are for real.
Six games into the season, first-year head coach Brian Daboll has to be considered an early front-runner for Coach of the Year honors.
Offensively, running back Saquon Barkley rebounded from a slow start against the Ravens to have another excellent game, amassing 95 total yards and a touchdown. Giants quarterback Daniel Jones didn't light up the stat sheet, but he offset his meaningless fumble to end the first half with a pair of touchdown passes.
The defense was the real story of Sunday's win. Facing arguably the most dangerous offensive player in the entire NFL, the Giants did an excellent job of holding Lamar Jackson in check. Better yet, the Giants defense forced a pair of Jackson turnovers, including a late fumble that sealed the game.
"The Giants may not win with a lot of flash," Davenport said. "But they win—and keep winning. The Giants now have wins over a first-place Titans team, a first-place Ravens team and a Packers team that won 13 games each of the last three seasons. These Giants believe it can win every week and plays hard for 60 minutes. It's high time we started believing, too."
"Maybe the Giants are actually...good? A 5-1 start with back-to-back wins against the Green Bay Packers and Baltimore Ravens can't be viewed as an aberration," Sobleski continued. "The team is playing a more physical brand of football, especially on defense under Wink Martindale's supervision. Brian Daboll and his staff have done a wonderful job getting the most out of their talent."
4. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
29 of 32
Last Week: 8
Week 6 Result: Won at Miami 24-16
For most of Sunday's game against the Miami Dolphins, the Minnesota Vikings did not look like a legitimate contender, especially on offense.
Quarterback Kirk Cousins threw for just 175 yards against a Dolphins pass defense that has struggled much of 2022. Twelve of Dalvin Cook's 13 carries went for just 24 yards.
Of course, Cook's other carry was a 53-yard touchdown, and that late score cemented a 24-16 win that gave the Vikings a stranglehold on first place in the NFC North.
After the game, head coach Kevin O' Connell saluted his star running back for putting the final touches on Minnesota's fourth straight victory.
"That's the type of run, that cut, that's a game-changing cut that only certain players in this league can make," O'Connell said. "It was a critical run for us at a big moment in the game."
The Vikings aren't flawless—the team has been rather inconsistent on both sides of the ball, and the Vikings one loss was an ugly defeat at the hands of the undefeated Eagles.
But with the Packers struggling and the Bears and Lions candidates to make the playoffs only if the field is expanded to 28 teams, it's looking more and more like the Vikings could run away with the division.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2)
30 of 32
Last Week: 2
Week 6 Result: Lost vs. Buffalo 24-20
The latest battle between the Buffalo Bills and Kansas City Chiefs was a thrilling back-and-forth affair that lived up to the hype—so much so that Chiefs head coach Andy Reid couldn't help but remark about what a great game it was despite being on the losing end.
"It was a great battle. You love these games," Reid said. "You just don't want to be sitting on this end of it. But you love the competition and the way the guys get after it."
The difference in the game was simple. While Buffalo's Josh Allen was mostly clean in the contest, Patrick Mahomes threw a pair of interceptions.
The first snuffed out Kansas City's first drive in the end zone. The second sealed the game. Neither was an especially well-advised throw, and they exposed Mahomes as an overrated quarterback and the Chiefs as a paper tiger.
Did you pick up on where the sarcasm started there?
Yes, the Chiefs lost the game—a loss that could impact where these teams meet in the postseason battle that appears inevitable at this point. But Kansas City is still easily the best team in the AFC West and more than capable of getting payback against the Bills in the playoffs.
They have Patrick Mahomes, for Pete's sake.
2. Buffalo Bills (5-1)
31 of 32
Last Week: 3
Week 6 Result: Won at Kansas City 24-20
The marquee matchup of Week 6 took place at Arrowhead Stadium, where Patrick Mahomes and Josh Allen locked horns for the fifth time in a rematch of last year's Divisional Round thriller. It wasn't quite as high-scoring as that affair, but the game was a back-and-forth thriller…
And this time, it was Allen and the Bills who came out ahead.
Allen won the battle of quarterbacks as well, throwing for 329 yards and three scores without an interception. While he admitted that this was a big win, Allen made it clear to reporters after the victory that this win had nothing to do with revenge for last year's overtime loss in the playoffs.
"Nothing we did last year translates to what we're doing this year," Allen said. "What happened in the past, that's where it is. All we can do is focus on the next one. Today was the next one."
As well as Allen played, the real difference in this one may well have been the Bills defense, with Buffalo picking off Patrick Mahomes twice and Von Miller logging a pair of sacks. To Davenport, it's that defense that separates these AFC powerhouses.
"The Chiefs and Bills are undoubtedly the two best teams in the AFC," he said. "They may be the two best teams in the entire NFL. But while both teams feature offenses capable of piling up yardage and points, the Bills pair that with an elite defense. That defense was the difference in Week 6—and it may be again in the playoffs."
1. Philadelphia Eagles (6-0)
32 of 32
Last Week: 1
Week 6 Result: Won vs. Dallas 26-17
After racing out to a 20-0 lead over the Dallas Cowboys Sunday night before holding on to win 26-17, the Philadelphia Eagles are the NFL's last remaining undefeated team. But as impressive as the Eagles have been this year, head coach Nick Sirianni told reporters the team is only just scratching the surface of what they are truly capable of.
"We know we've got to play a complete game," Sirianni said. "What's exciting about being 6-0 and not having played a complete game is we know it's coming."
The idea of these Eagles improving markedly should terrify the rest of the NFC because Philly is awfully good. Playing against one of the league's better defenses, the Eagles gained just 268 total yards. But with the offense struggling a bit, the defense stepped up, picking off Cowboys quarterback Cooper Rush three times.
After passing this NFC East test, the Eagles have a real chance at posting the franchise's best-ever start to a season. If the Eagles can get past the cross-state Steelers Sunday, they will tie the 2004 team for that mark. Get past Pittsburgh, and the only thing standing between these Eagles and history is the one-win Texans.
.jpg?w=480 "Browns Football")
.jpg?w=600 "AEW Dynamite Results & Recap")