B/R Experts Week 6 NFL Power Rankings: Where Does Every Team Stand?
Some folks like to quip that that NFL is scripted—that the entire season is just one big storyline playing out throughout the fall and winter.
If that's the case, then the scriptwriters need to lay off the ayahuasca—because the 2024 campaign has been trippy enough to make David Lynch roll his eyes in disbelief.
Sure, some things have gone according to plan. We expected the Kansas City Chiefs to be good, what with the winning the last two Super Bowls thing and all. Ditto for the Detroit Lions, although the fact we expected the Lions to be good should have been a sign.
But the first team to win five games this season was the Minnesota Vikings, who entered the year an afterthought in the NFC North. The last team to win a game (the Jacksonville Jaguars) came into the year a supposed contender in the AFC South.
The first-place team in the NFC East after five weeks? Rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels and the Washington Commanders. Led by another rookie signal-caller in Bo Nix, the Denver Broncos have more wins than the defending NFC champions. Up is down. Wet is dry.
At least the Carolina Panthers are still awful. There's some sliver of order left in the universe.
Week 5 wasn't short on wild happenings, whether it was upsets in Santa Clara and Seattle or a dismal day passing the ball for Josh Allen in Houston. As has seemingly been the case on a weekly basis, the NFL's pecking order was tossed in a blender.
As has been the case every week this year, Bleacher Report NFL analysts Gary Davenport, Kristopher Knox, Maurice Moton and Brent Sobleski have come together to sift through the smoothie and try to make sense of the 2024 season by ranking the NFL's teams from worst to first.
And with the aforementioned Jaguars earning win No. 1 Sunday, there's a new team bringing up the rear this week.
32. New England Patriots (1-4)
1 of 32
Last Week: 31
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Miami 15-10
The New England Patriots just keep finding new nadirs.
Just about any other team would have beaten the injury-ravaged Miami Dolphins handily Sunday—especially since the Dolphins spent most of the contest trying to lose. Miami missed kicks. Botched snaps. Turned it over. Committed penalties.
But it's hard to want to lose more than these Patriots—and it showed in Week 5.
The Patriots committed a dozen penalties for over 100 yards Sunday, and head coach Jerod Mayo told reporters the team just can't afford those sorts of unforced errors.
"As the game wore on, our fundamentals began to slip," Mayo said. "We preach all the time about pre-snap and post-snap penalties. It just wasn't a good day."
Quarterback Jacoby Brissett, who completed 18 of 34 passes for 160 yards in the loss, wasn't much happier.
"Honestly, nothing was good," Brissett said. "Penalties in the wrong situations, in bad situations. We're not good enough to do that, to go backwards and try to score points."
It was New England's season in a nutshell—after stunning the Cincinnati Bengals in Week 1, the Pats have peeled off four straight losses. The offense is as bereft of talent as any in the NFL. The defense is better, but it can't hold up for 60 minutes every game when the offense offers zero assistance.
The case can be made that the Patriots—the same franchise that dominated the AFC for most of the 21st century—are the worst team in the NFL.
And New England's path to getting better is…cloudy.
31. Carolina Panthers (1-4)
2 of 32
Last Week: 29
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Chicago 36-10
In Week 5, the Carolina Panthers reverted to the dumpster fire of an offense we saw over the first couple weeks of the season. Those early struggles got young quarterback Bryce Young the hook. But despite a dismal performance that got him pulled at the end of the game, Panthers head coach Dave Canales told reporters that veteran Andy Dalton remains the starter under center.
"I just saw it as an opportunity there. We had a couple of injuries on the offensive line, just like wanting to get him in there to get some live reps," Canales said. "And he did a fantastic job, playing with energy, extending plays, finding some completions down the field, which was all fantastic. It's a hard situation, but at that point, it was just like, OK, with just the different things happening on the offensive line, it was something that where I wanted to get Andy out of there."
Knox doesn't know that it really matters who Carolina's quarterback is—because this is a dismal football team.
"Bryce Young made a return to the field on Sunday, albeit in garbage time," he said. "I don't know if Carolina will turn back to him for any extended stretch at any point this season, but I can't see the harm in it either. The Panthers still have far more questions than answers. The biggest unknowns are whether Dave Canales will be one-and-done as the head coach and whether Carolina is ready to target a new quarterback in the 2025 draft."
30. Cleveland Browns (1-4)
3 of 32
Last Week: 27
Week 5 Result: Lost at Washington 34-13
With each passing week, the Cleveland Browns are staking a claim as the worst team in the NFL—and the center of that claim is the atrocious play of quarterback Deshaun Watson.
Watson was a hot mess again Sunday in a blowout loss to the Washington Commanders. A matador-esque offensive line that allowed seven more sacks in Week 5 isn't helping matters any. But that lack of protection is in Watson's head. He's ignoring open receivers and getting happy feet almost as soon as the ball is snapped.
However, despite Watson's terrible play and a season rapidly circling the drain, Cleveland head coach Kevin Stefanski told reporters after the loss that the Browns are not considering a change under center.
"We're not changing quarterbacks," Stefanski said. "We need to play better. I need to coach better. That's really what it is. All areas have to play better [and] coach better."
Stefanski's statement may have given Davenport an aneurysm.
"What the hell is going on in Cleveland?" Davenport asked rhetorically. "Does Stefanski want to lose the locker room? Is he trying to get fired? Sunday against a mediocre (at best) Washington defense, Watson posted a career-low 125 passing yards. He has been awful this season. Just flat-out awful. Yes, he has a $230 million fully guaranteed contract. Yes, the Browns gave up three first-rounders to obtain Watson. But he's terrible. Not making a switch to Jameis Winston at this point is saying to every other player on the roster that the Browns don't care about winning games—because they aren't winning squat with Watson out there."
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29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
4 of 32
Last Week: 32
Week 5 Result: Won vs. Indianapolis 37-34
The last winless team in the NFL has now tasted victory.
Mind you, a three-point win over a so-so Colts team starting its backup quarterback in no way fixes all that ails the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jaguars allowed 447 yards of offense. But thanks to the best performance of the season by Jags quarterback Trevor Lawrence and the hard running of Tank Bigsby, Jacksonville finally halted its skid and got into the win column.
There was talk of discord in the Jacksonville locker room, but head coach Doug Pederson told reporters that the team talked it out and is ready to build some positive momentum.
"There was some frustration. We had a little back and forth and cleared it up," Pederson said. "That's all it is. I love when stuff like that happens. You confront issues. ... Let's talk about it and move on. We did a great job of that."
Trevor Lawrence told reporters that he hopes the team uses this victory as a springboard to getting the 2024 campaign back on track.
"I think it's always good to use these games to build confidence," Lawrence said. "It gives you confidence in the forward. I think for myself and for the team, just even the way the game went. Obviously, we were in control and it got crazy at the end. I thought it was good for us to continue to deal with the adversity and to find a way to finish when things didn't go perfect at the end of the game. First win of the season was tough and it came down to the very end and we had to earn it."
We'll see if the Jags can build on the win in London next week.
But for now there's finally reason for some smiles in Duval County.
28. Tennessee Titans (1-3)
5 of 32
Last Week: 30
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
The good news is that the Tennessee Titans entered their bye week fresh off their first victory of the season.
The bad news is everything else that has happened this season.
Will Levis struggled mightily over the first three weeks of the season before getting hurt during last week's win over the Miami Dolphins. But while addressing the media, Tennessee head coach Brian Callahan made it clear that so long as Levis is healthy in Week 6, he will be the team's quarterback against the Indianapolis Colts.
"I appreciate Mason [Rudolph]'s professionalism, and I appreciate how prepared he was, and ready to go into the game," Callahan said. "But Will is our starting quarterback. I said it last night, and I'll reiterate it again: When (Will) is healthy, he is starting. And hopefully he's healthy for Indy and we're ready to roll, and he's the starting quarterback. It's hard to play quarterback in the NFL, as everybody knows. There does take some development, guys make young-player mistakes, you see it all across the league right now. And we're going to find out everything about Will that we can. And he's going to continue to grow and get better and play better. He needs to play better for us. And, at the end of the day, I believe that he will."
Callahan may be outwardly confident in Levis, but not everyone shares his view—another AFC South coach told Dianna Russini of The Athletic that is was "only a matter of time" until Levis is benched in favor of Rudolph.
27. Miami Dolphins (2-3)
6 of 32
Last Week: 26
Week 5 Result: Won at New England 15-10
One ugly win over an even uglier New England Patriots team is not going to save Miami's season. And the Dolphins made every effort to lose Sunday, whether it was a blocked punt, two missed field goals, a bad snap that knocked Miami out of field-goal range or two turnovers and six penalties.
Against even an average team, that would have gotten Miami beat. But to their credit, the Dolphins gutted it out—and now they will hit the bye week just one back of the Buffalo Bills in the AFC East.
Fullback Alec Ingold, who scored Miami's only touchdown, told reporters after the win that the Dolphins are well aware that Sunday's spotty effort won't be good enough two weeks from now against the Indianapolis Colts.
"Some of the things that we're shooting ourselves in the foot with right now, it was a full team win to be able to overcome those issues," Ingold said. "We know that that's not acceptable. It's not up to the standard. We all know we need to tighten that up."
The Dolphins got the ground game going Sunday, and head coach Mike McDaniel told the media that could be a recipe for success moving forward.
"I think we had been disappointed with what we've produced on the ground just in general," McDaniel said postgame. "So, it was a huge point of emphasis to really hone in on our fundamentals and the technique. To the credit of the offensive line, they punched some holes. I think the running back room was ready to put the team on their back, so to speak."
The question now is whether De'Von Achane (who suffered a concussion Sunday) will be out there in Week 7 and (more importantly) whether Tua Tagovailoa will be under center when he's eligible to return from injured reserve in Week 8.
"The Dolphins' passing game is limited without quarterback Tua Tagovailoa, but while he's out, the offense may be able to muster up enough production on the ground to eke out wins," Moton said. "Miami rushed for 193 yards in a victory over New England. Rookie Jaylen Wright led the way with 86 yards. With an aging Raheem Mostert and De'Von Achane (concussion) banged up, Wright may be the key to the Dolphins' ground attack. Still, Miami is a team that should be ranked outside the top 20 until Tagovailoa returns to action."
26. New York Giants (2-3)
7 of 32
Last Week: 28
Week 5 Result: Won at Seattle 29-20
With the New York Giants heading to Seattle to take on the Seahawks without starting running back Devin Singletary and top wideout Malik Nabers, not many gave the team much of a chance in Week 5.
Someone forgot to tell the Giants.
Thanks to an efficient game from quarterback Daniel Jones, 129 yards on the ground from rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. and an inspired defensive performance that included three sacks from defensive tackle Dexter Lawrence, the Giants pulled off the West Coast upset.
After the win. Jones told reporters the Giants knew they had the depth to overcome the absence of Nabers and Singletary.
"We've said since training camp how much we like our skill guys and how deep we think those positions are. And you saw a lot of guys step up today and make a lot of plays," Jones said.
Davenport admitted to be a little taken aback by the outcome.
"Sure, Tracy and Lawrence will get a lot of credit for New York's win, and rightly so," he said. "But this was a team effort. After a miserable outing in the season opener, Daniel Jones now has a passer rating over 100 in three of his last four starts. The special teams got in on the act Sunday, blocking a Seattle field goal and returning it for a touchdown. Offense. Defense. Special teams. When all three units play at a high level, any NFL team will be hard to beat. The NFC East is starting to look the part of a much tougher division than we expected."
25. Las Vegas Raiders (2-3)
8 of 32
Last Week: 22
Week 5 Result: Lost at Denver 34-18
The Las Vegas Raiders have problems.
It's not like anyone expected the Raiders to compete for a Super Bowl berth. But there was hope the Raiders would at least be an improved team in 2024. There has been the occasional flash of that improvement, but Sunday's mistake-filled mess of a game wasn't it.
It may also have been the end of Gardner Minshew II as the team's starting quarterback.
After throwing his second interception of the game in the third quarter, Minshew got the hook in favor of Aidan O'Connell. When asked after the game who would start against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 6, head coach Antonio Pierce told reporters he wasn't exactly sure.
"I don't know," he said. "I don't have answer to that one yet."
To Moton, it doesn't really matter.
"Over the last three weeks, the Raiders have been embarrassed twice, losing by 14 or more points, and they're considering a quarterback switch. Following a loss to the Broncos, head coach Antonio Pierce was noncommittal about next week's starter," he said. "Last week, the Raiders benched Gardner Minshew for the second time this season, which likely means we'll see Aidan O'Connell under center in the near future.
"But regardless of who starts at quarterback between Minshew and O'Connell, the Raiders have a below-average offense that struggles to protect the passer and run the ball. O'Connell is a more accurate passer than Minshew, but he won't spark the Raiders' stagnant offense with wideout Davante Adams likely on the way out of Las Vegas. The Raiders' 2024 season is already circling the toilet bowl."
24. Los Angeles Rams (1-4)
9 of 32
Last Week: 24
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Green Bay 24-19
It has just been too much for the Los Angeles Rams.
There have been too many injuries to key players along the offensive line and at wide receiver. There have been too many defensive lapses—including letting Packers tight end Tucker Kraft rumble for a 66-yard touchdown.
And now, as the Rams head into their bye week, the team is 1-4 and reeling.
The Rams have been playing teams tough for the most part. But you are what your record says you are, and Rams head coach Sean McVay made no excuses while talking to the media after another loss.
"I think we've got to be able to finish games and play consistently throughout. I mean, you look at it, we're a 1-4 football team," McVay said. "Three of those four losses come down to one-possession games. But this is football. This is where we're at."
The argument can be made that all isn't lost—even at 1-4 the Rams are only two back of Seattle in an NFC West that no one is running away with. And as Sobleski wrote, Los Angeles may have stumbled upon another passing game weapon.
"The Rams look to have found another one. One, what? Well, a potential difference-making wide receiver. Jordan Whittington, whom the Rams chose in this year's sixth round, caught seven passes for 89 yards against the Green Bay Packers," he said. "Veteran quarterback Matthew Stafford targeted Whittington 10 times. But his usage was very similar to how Sean McVay previously deployed Kupp and Nacua. While both are expected back at some point during the regular season, Whittington looks like another excellent addition to the offense."
23. Indianapolis Colts (2-3)
10 of 32
Last Week: 20
Week 5 Result: Lost at Jacksonville 37-34
For whatever reason, the Indianapolis Colts just cannot win in Jacksonville—after falling in wild fashion Sunday, the Colts have lost a staggering 10 in a row at EverBank Stadium.
This was a game where the Colts roared back with 24 fourth-quarter points. Where Indy piled up 447 yards of offense despite being short its starting quarterback and running back. After the loss, veteran backup Joe Flacco expressed frustration that the Colts couldn't seal the deal.
"Obviously, it's one of those games that ends up being kind of like you want the ball last," Flacco told reporters. "This is the NFL. You're going to play games like this, and you got to be able to dig deep and try to find a way to win."
Colts head coach Shane Steichen was equally nonplussed by yet another loss at the hands of the rival Jaguars.
"I don't have a great answer for you. I've been here two years," Steichen said. "I know some of the guys in the locker room have been around it, but we got to get that fixed for sure going forward."
"The Colts are decimated by injuries," Sobleski said. "Every team is banged up, but Indianapolis may be dealing with the largest group of major contributors not in the lineup. Quarterback Anthony Richardson, running back Jonathan Taylor, center Ryan Kelly, defensive tackle DeForest Buckner, defensive ends Kwity Paye and Tyquan Lewis and cornerbacks Kenny Moore II and JuJu Brents were ruled out before Sunday's game started. Right guard Will Fries didn't return to the contest and has since been placed on injured reserve with a leg injury. Veteran quarterback Joe Flacco can keep the team afloat, but nine key starters out of the lineup is simply too much for most teams to overcome."
22. Denver Broncos (3-2)
11 of 32
Last Week: 25
Week 5 Result: Won vs. Las Vegas 34-18
Could the Denver Broncos be…good?
After looking lost offensively in their first two losses of the season, the Broncos have now peeled off three straight wins. The Denver defense is driving those victories—the Broncos forced three Raiders turnovers Sunday, including a 100-yard pick-six from cornerback Patrick Surtain II. But Bo Nix and the offense are improving.
Sunday's win featured a heated sideline exchange between Nix and Denver head coach Sean Payton. But Payton told reporters after the win that he and his young quarterback are building a strong relationship.
"It's part of the deal,'' Payton said. "There's still a little Ferris Bueller in this player that we've got to get rid of, talking about Bo, and I love him to death. Sometimes it's my love language."
"The Broncos have won three straight," Moton said, "and rookie quarterback Bo Nix continues to take steps in the right direction. In a 34-18 win over the Raiders, Nix threw for two touchdowns and ran for a score. Late in the third quarter, he nearly connected with Troy Franklin on a deep pass, but the rookie wideout dropped the ball in the end zone. Sooner or later, Nix may develop a deep-ball rapport with his receivers to elevate Denver's aerial attack. Though Nix hasn't looked as impressive as fellow rookie signal-callers Caleb Williams and Jayden Daniels, he looks the part of a starter. Nix also has a strong supporting cast, with the Broncos' stout defense holding opponents to an average of 11.8 points per game since Week 2."
21. Cincinnati Bengals (1-4)
12 of 32
Last Week: 18
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Baltimore 41-38 (OT)
The Cincinnati Bengals needed this win. The odds of making the playoffs are a lot better for 2-3 teams than 1-4 squads. And Cincy had its chances. The Bengals were up 10 in the fourth quarter. Recovered a Lamar Jackson fumble in plus territory in overtime. And they just couldn't seal the deal.
After the loss, a visibly frustrated Joe Burrow didn't mince words when discussing the state of his team.
"We're not a championship-level team right now. We're not," Burrow told reporters, via ESPN's Ben Baby. "I'd like to think that we'll come back and improve throughout the season to get to that point. But right now, we are not. And we have to get better."
He'll get no argument from Knox.
"Burrow is healthy, Ja'Marr Chase is earning his inevitable raise, and the Bengals offense, at times, looks like one of the best in the NFL," he said. "Unfortunately, Cincinnati's defense has struggled to slow every offense it has faced not led by Andy Dalton. Yes, the Bengals nearly beat the Chiefs in Week 2. They almost beat the Ravens on Sunday too. 'What-ifs' don't win games, though, and this is starting to feel like a 'what-if' season for the Bengals."
That Cincinnati defense has been dreadful this season—after giving up a whopping 520 yards of offense to the Ravens, the Bengals are surrendering over 365 yards per game and more points than any team in the AFC.
Apparently, if you want to see good football in Ohio this year, you have to go to Columbus.
20. Los Angeles Chargers (2-2)
13 of 32
Last Week: 19
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
The Los Angeles Chargers hit their bye week a .500 team fresh off a crushing loss to the rival Chiefs. But there has been improvement in Los Angeles over the first month of the 2024 season.
Last year, the Chargers were a sieve defensively, allowing the fifth-most yards per game in the league. This year, the Bolts are seventh in the league in total defense—with many of the same personnel that were on last year's squad.
While talking to reporters, defensive lineman Morgan Fox said that the Chargers are making it a priority to not get pushed around in the trenches.
"We want to be part of the group that people talk about when they talk about this team," Fox said earlier this season. "They talk about the edges, our DB room, everyone's great, our linebackers. But we want to be people that they talk about. … Let's have people feel us when they watch the tape. When they see the tape, they look at the D-line, and they say, 'That D-line plays.' It don't matter who's in, from the fifth guy to the first guy, we're going to play ball."
The Chargers still have some issues—the offense struggled last week with Justin Herbert nursing a high ankle sprain. But the team's bye week came at the perfect time for the team's injured signal-caller.
And while a healthy Chargers team may not be a serious threat to the Chiefs in the AFC West, the Chargers have at least shown the potential to be a tough out for opponents.
19. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
14 of 32
Last Week: 23
Week 5 Result: Won at San Francisco 24-23
Good luck figuring out the Arizona Cardinals
Last week, the Redbirds were pasted at home by the Washington Commanders. So, of course, the logical next step for the team was to go into Levi's Stadium and knock off the defending NFC champions.
The engine for the upset was quarterback Kyler Murray, who threw for 195 yards and a score and added 83 yards and another touchdown on the ground—including a 50-yard scoring scamper.
After the win, Cardinals head coach Jonathan Gannon told reporters he believed Arizona used last week's beatdown as fuel for an improved effort against its NFC West rival.
"We wanted to get it to the fourth quarter and have a chance to win the game, and that's what we did," Gannon said. "Last week was not a good performance by us. They took that some type of way."
With the Cardinals trailing 23-21, Murray led a go-ahead field-goal drive. But Murray admitted he was upset they couldn't get one more first down to kill the clock and not give the 49ers once last chance.
"I hated it," Murray said. "I didn't want to give them the ball back. I was hoping we could convert and end the games on our terms. That didn't happen. Chad was great making the field goal and the defense came up clutch."
However, Arizona held on. And with the Seahawks and 49ers struggling, a Cardinals team that appeared lost not that long ago is suddenly just a game out of first place heading into another major road test next week at Lambeau Field.
18. New Orleans Saints (2-3)
15 of 32
Last Week: 15
Week 5 Result: Lost at Kansas City 26-13
A million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth, the New Orleans Saints scored 91 points over a two-game span and appeared to be a contender in the NFC South.
Oh, wait. That was Week 1 and Week 2 this year.
It might as well have been a million years ago. Since scoring 44 points in a blowout win over the Dallas Cowboys, the Saints have scored 14 points in a game just once. Against the two-time defending champions, they scored one touchdown and had all of 220 yards of offense.
And as bad as that all sounds, it could be the least of the team's problems. After taking a shot in the fourth quarter, quarterback Derek Carr limped to the locker room with what is being called an oblique injury.
With a short turnaround coming before a now-crucial game against the rival Buccaneers, the Saints could be looking at rolling out either a limited or backup quarterback.
Davenport put on his Captain Obvious hat to describe the Saints' current predicament.
"If Carr misses any real time, the Saints are cooked," he said. "No one is running away with the NFC South, but New Orleans faces Tampa and the surprising Broncos the next two weeks. Frankly, even with a decent schedule over the next six games before the bye, even if Carr is OK, my confidence level about the Saints is shaky at best right now.
"The New Orleans offense has completely fizzled over the last three weeks. That 91-point outburst the first two weeks of the season appears to have been a fluke. New Orleans is an average team with a so-so quarterback. They are what no team wants to be: mediocre."
17. New York Jets (2-3)
16 of 32
Last Week: 17
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Minnesota 23-17 (London)
For years the New York Jets have been a team plagued by poor quarterback play. The team had skill-position talent and a stout defense, but Gang Green was perennially held back by substandard play under center.
The addition of Aaron Rodgers was supposed to remedy that issue. But Sunday in London at least, Rodgers looked less like a four-time MVP and more like one of those bad signal-callers that have plagued the Jets for so long.
For the first time in his career, Rodgers threw a pair of interceptions in the first quarter—one of which was returned for a touchdown. Rodgers threw three picks in total and was pummeled by pass-rushers for a second straight week.
The Jets will have to shake this loss off quickly—the division-leading Bills visit MetLife Stadium next week.
"The Jets may be able to comfort Aaron Rodgers by acquiring his former Green Bay Packers teammate, Davante Adams, but he needs pass protection more than an old buddy," Moton said. "Over the last two weeks, Rodgers has taken eight sacks. He told reporters that he's dealing with a low ankle sprain.
"If the Jets don't get their ground game going behind a shaky revamped offensive line, Rodgers will have to play Superman for their offense, which isn't ideal for a 40-year-old quarterback on a bad ankle. With or without Adams, the Jets have a top-10 roster on paper, but their collective talent doesn't perform at the level of a top-tier team."
16. Chicago Bears (3-2)
17 of 32
Last Week: 21
Week 5 Result: Won at Carolina 36-10
Among this year's rookie starters under center, Jayden Daniels of the Washington Commanders has gotten most of the run—and rightly so. But if Sunday's blowout win over the Carolina Panthers was any indication, Caleb Williams is starting to figure it out.
Williams played his best game as a pro Sunday, completing 20 of 29 passes for 304 yards and a pair of touchdowns to wide receiver D.J. Moore.
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus told reporters after the win that we're just seeing the natural maturation of a wildly talented young quarterback.
"He's just learning and growing, and you can see that in these games that we've had," Eberflus said. "He knows that. So, he's just got to level up, keep leveling up and every time we've challenged him, he's done that ever since the summer."
For his part, Knox believes what we saw was the team the Bears are capable of being.
"The Bears are finally starting to look like the team many expected them to be ahead of Week 1. Their defense is well above-average, they've finally started to find a running game, and Caleb Williams is finally finding a rhythm," he said. "Williams and D.J. Moore found their groove in Week 5, and Chicago has a lot of momentum at 3-2. If the Bears continue making incremental strides, they'll be incredibly fun to watch over the second half of the season."
With a one-win Jaguars team next up in London, there's a real chance the Bears will hit their bye at 4-2—and as a real factor in an NFC North that's becoming arguably the NFL's most fascinating division.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)
18 of 32
Last Week: 10
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Dallas 20-17
If you're into quarterback controversies, buckle up, because one is coming in Pittsburgh.
In fairness to Justin Fields, it's not solely his fault the Steelers lost their second straight Sunday night. He wasn't great (15-of-27 for 131 yards), but it wasn't his fault Pittsburgh was gashed on the ground by a Cowboys team that had struggled to run the ball.
The young signal-caller told reporters that it was simply a matter of execution. The Cowboys executed, and the Steelers didn't.
"I think the reoccurring thing is just shooting ourselves in the foot," Fields said. "Penalties, false starts, it's just coming down to execution. We just missed shots and shot ourselves in the foot again."
After back-to-back losses, though, the calls for Russell Wilson to start are going to ramp up. Head coach Mike Tomlin told reporters before the loss that who starts under center would be determined at least in part by how Fields fared Sunday night.
"It potentially could, but it has not to this point," Tomlin said. "The guiding factor for us at this point is the amount of ball that we have in front of us, how early we are in this process. That's probably been one of the significant variables in terms of our approach to his rehabilitation."
Huhwhowhat?
Davenport isn't sure it really matters who the Steelers trot out there.
"For reasons known only to Tomlin and Santa Claus, the Steelers are 'managing' the snaps of wide receiver George Pickens, despite the fact that he's easily the team's most dangerous receiving weapon," he said. "This isn't 2015. You can roll Wilson out there behind a below-average offensive line with below-average pass-catchers, and you're going to get the same results Pittsburgh has with Fields.
"The best NFL teams adapt. They change as circumstances change around them. But Tomlin seems so obsessed with the 'Steelers Way' that he keeps doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result."
14. San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
19 of 32
Last Week: 9
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. Arizona 24-23
The San Francisco 49ers have problems.
In 2022 and 2023 combined, the Niners lost just one game in the division. They have already lost two this season. That's bad. What's worse is that in both of those games the 49ers were up double digits in the fourth quarter and couldn't hold the lead.
After the Niners were shut out in the second half, San Francisco head coach Kyle Shanahan told reporters that these late-game collapses are as preventable as they are frustrating.
"Extremely frustrated," Shanahan said. "I think we had 13 points and 17 in the other. By no means should we be able to give that away. It always will come back to turnovers, in my opinion. There's other things you can do to overcome them. We talked last night about how the key in this game would be turnovers. That's exactly what the first half was. It gave us a huge advantage, and then it flipped in the second half. When you do that, it's tough to win."
"The 49ers most assuredly aren't short on talent, even with running back Christian McCaffrey on the sidelines," Davenport wrote. "But talent doesn't matter when a team keeps making game-changing mistakes late. The 49ers may have entered the season as one of the favorites to represent the NFC in Super Bowl LIX, but they have blown leads against a pair of division foes no one expects to see in New Orleans in February. Turnovers are the kiss of death in the NFL—and even the mighty 49ers aren't immune to that."
13. Dallas Cowboys (3-2)
20 of 32
Last Week: 16
Week 5 Result: Won at Pittsburgh 20-17
It's been a bumpy start to the 2024 season for the Dallas Cowboys. A one-dimensional offense. Injuries aplenty in defense. There has been no shortage of adversity.
But as quarterback Dak Prescott told reporters after the team rallied past the Pittsburgh Steelers Sunday night, the Cowboys believe that so long as they stay the course, things will work out OK.
"We talk about it, staying neutral, being resilient, understanding there's going to be ups and downs, ebbs and flows," he said. "We just know who we are. (If) we just stay with it, we can come out with a win. This was a great example."
The Cowboys may have also found a recipe for success in the Steel City. Over the first month of the 2024 season, Dallas had next to no success running the ball. That changed in Week 5, with running back Rico Dowdle piling up 114 total yards on 22 touches.
Dowdle told reporters it felt good to get the run game going.
"It felt good. It was just like I said the whole time, it's just all about finding a rhythm," he said. "We stuck with it. The linemen were making holes, and we were able to pound it down against a good Pittsburgh defense."
Dallas still has issues—chief among them a pass rush that has been ravaged by injuries. The schedule isn't doing the Cowboys any favors, either; next week brings a visit from the one-loss Lions fresh off a bye.
However, Sunday night's win keeps Dallas right on Washington's heels in the NFC East. And it was a solid start to a brutal schedule stretch that includes the Lions, 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, Texans and Commanders.
Ouch.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (2-2)
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Last Week: 11
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
The Philadelphia Eagles entered the season with aspirations of erasing last year's late-season collapse. Of winning the NFC East and making a deep playoff run.
There have been times when the Eagles looked the part of a team capable of accomplishing those goals. But with wide receivers A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith banged up in Week 4 against Tampa, Philly looked more like a so-so squad that struggled to generate offense through the air.
ESPN's Dan Orlovsky didn't hold back even a little when asked why the Eagles aren't meeting early expectations.
"That's a poorly coached football team," Orlovsky said. "Watch their tape. Number one, since the start of 2023, has anyone gotten better on the team? Jalen Hurts, in a matter of 20 games, has gone from the MVP in the Super Bowl to a liability on offense. And I know Jalen Hurts isn't lazy."
Wow, Dan. Tell us how you really feel.
Calling Hurts a "liability" offensively may be stretching things a bit, although his penchant for turning it over this year is a genuine concern. The Eagles have found out the hard way that they don't have much depth at wide receiver behind Brown and Smith, which caused Hurts to push the action and make mistakes.
Hopefully, both Brown and Smith will be back out there when the Eagles return to action next week when the Eagles host the woeful Browns. And the Eagles have a favorable stretch coming up—four straight against struggling teams.
But the Eagles need to get it together—especially with the Washington Commanders continuing their surprising roll.
11. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
22 of 32
Last Week: 8
Week 5 Result: Lost vs. New York Giants 29-20
Not that long ago, the Seattle Seahawks were riding high—a 3-0 team in first place in the NFC West. Well, Seattle is still in first place—but that's because seemingly no one else wants to be.
For the second straight game, Seattle struggled defensively in Week 5. But it was one thing when it was in Detroit against the Lions. It's another when it's at home against a one-win New York Giants team short its No. 1 receiver and starting running back.
The offense didn't play especially well either, allowing seven sacks and converting just three of 11 first downs. Quarterback Geno Smith was brutally honest when asked by reporters about the team's play after the loss.
"We played bad. That's the reality," Smith said. "I don't think we executed well. I thought we came out slow. Talked about starting fast, that's not how we want to start, and then turned the ball over, not finishing drives. All of the above get you beat in the NFL."
"In Week 4, the Seahawks had a chance to make a statement in a Monday Night Football matchup with the Detroit Lions, and they came up short. The Seahawks weren't ready to knock off one of the NFC's top teams," Moton said. "In Week 5, Seattle lost to the New York Giants, who didn't have their rising star rookie wideout Malik Nabers or starting running back Devin Singletary. The Seahawks allowed rookie fifth-round running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. to rack up 130 scrimmage yards, and Big Blue scored a season-high 29 points. The Seahawks have a long way to go before they can climb the NFC hierarchy and make the leap from pretenders to contenders."
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
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Last Week: 7
Week 5 Result: Lost at Atlanta 36-30 (OT)
Thursday's overtime loss in Atlanta was just one game of 17. But it's one the Tampa Bay Buccaneers may come to regret as the season moves along.
It's a game the Bucs appeared to have in hand—up three with the ball at the Atlanta 28-yard line with less than two minutes to play. But the Buccaneers lost 14 yards on the ensuing drive, knocking them out of field-goal range. Atlanta's Kirk Cousins (who threw for a career-best 509 yards in the game) drove the Falcons down for the game-tying field goal and then guided Atlanta down the field with ease for the game-winning touchdown on the first drive of overtime.
Tampa quarterback Baker Mayfield acknowledged to reporters after the game that he and the Buccaneers let this one get away from them.
"All I care about is wins," Mayfield said. "That's it. So, I've got to find a way to finish that game out on offense. I was thinking about the first half, missing that shot to Shep [Sterling Shepard]. Should have been a touchdown, ended up with three points. I'm just replaying that one over in my head that maybe it shouldn't have even been an overtime situation. I have to make the plays when they're there. Then in the second half, just got to take care of the football, and got to finish on offense."
There's no time for lamentations, however—the Buccaneers are about to enter a month-long gauntlet that includes rematches with the Falcons and New Orleans Saints and two meetings with AFC powers in the Baltimore Ravens and Kansas City Chiefs.
9. Green Bay Packers (3-2)
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Last Week: 12
Week 5 Result: Won at Los Angeles Rams 24-19
The Green Bay Packers have been no stranger to injuries this year—seemingly every week another prominent offensive player is missing. Quarterback Jordan Love missed time with a knee injury. The Pack were without wide receiver Christian Watson Sunday in Los Angeles.
But as has been the case more often than not this season, the Packers found enough offense to win in Week 5—thanks in part to two more takeaways from safety Xavier McKinney. McKinney became the first player since the AFL-NFL merger to have an interception in his first five games with a team.
The game also included the first pick-six of Jordan Love's career. But while addressing the media after the game, Packers head coach Matt LaFleur applauded his quarterback for shaking off the misstep and finding a way to win.
"I think that drive, when you throw a pick-six, that's never fun. But to be able to take us down there in the two-minute drive and get some critical points when points were really tough to come by, I just think that's what he's all about," Packers coach Matt LaFleur said. "And when you get a bunch of tough-minded guys I think that kind of just manifests itself and it's contagious."
Sobleski agrees that Green Bay is playing like a true team—and that makes it dangerous.
"How do you know the Packers are a well-coached team? Almost every week, a different player is being utilized while still finding success," he said. "Despite Jordan Love's early-season injury, Green Bay is now 3-2, having won three of its last four. During those games, Josh Jacobs, Malik Willis, Dontayvion Wicks, Jayden Reed and Tucker Kraft assumed the roles of playmaker. Kraft is the newest weapon in the arsenal, as a tight end capable of creating after the catch with a 66-yard touchdown romp."
8. Atlanta Falcons (3-2)
25 of 32
Last Week: 13
Week 5 Result: Won vs. Tampa Bay 36-30 (OT)
The Atlanta Falcons apparently like to live dangerously—all five of their games so far this season have been one-possession affairs. And with Thursday's overtime thriller over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, the NFC South's preseason hype darlings are finally where some expected in 2024—in first place.
It's not hard to pinpoint the hero of this win—veteran quarterback Kirk Cousins had by far his best game as a Falcon, passing for a career-high 509 yards and four scores. As Falcons head coach Raheem Morris told reporters after the win, with each successive week Cousins is becoming more and more comfortable in his new home.
"Every single week [Cousins has] been better," Morris said, "whether it's been explosiveness, whether it's been execution, whether it's just a rhythm and routine with him and Zac [Robinson, Falcons offensive coordinator] and our offensive staff. I mean, it's just getting better and better."
However, Morris was also quick to downplay the long-term significance of one overtime win.
"I don't want to call ourselves a team of destiny," Morris said. "There's only one team of destiny every single year. We'll figure that out when we get there, hopefully."
The Falcons aren't without issues—chief among them an inability to pressure opposing quarterbacks. But Cousins has had the team in every game this year, and when he plays at the level he did in Week 5, Atlanta is not going to be an easy out.
"The Falcons are finding their way," Sobleski said. "Atlanta won two consecutive divisional games against the New Orleans Saints and Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Both contests proved to be close, but Kirk Cousins and Co. did what needed to be done late in both to secure victories. Keep in the mind, Cousins was coming off a major knee surgery, joining a new team and learning a new system. A new coaching staff was hired this past offseason. Atlanta deserved a slight grace period to adjust. Raheem Morris' squad now appears to be hitting its stride."
7. Washington Commanders (4-1)
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Last Week: 14
Week 5 Result: Won vs. Cleveland 34-13
For the first time in a while, Commanders quarterback Jayden Daniels looked like a rookie Sunday against the Cleveland Browns on Sunday. Daniels threw an early interception at the goal line and completed just 14 of 25 passes.
It didn't matter even a little—thanks to over 200 yards on the ground and a second straight stout defensive performance, the Commanders pasted the Browns to win their fourth consecutive game.
After the win, Daniels told reporters that he's doing his best to maintain an even keel despite this early success.
"Stay the course," he said. "Don't get too high, get too low. Everything's going to work out. I just missed some throws. That's it. Some throws I wish I had back, but we were able to capitalize on some plays."
Daniels accounted for over 300 yards of offense against the reeling Browns. And while it seemed incomprehensible just one month ago to be saying this, Knox thinks the Commanders might just be the best team in the NFC East.
"Rookie phenom Jayden Daniels didn't have his cleanest game as a pro in Week 5, but it didn't really matter," Knox said. "For the second straight week, Washington's defense showed up and helped propel the Commanders to a decisive win. That should concern the rest of the NFC East. Daniels is playing like the best quarterback in the division, and Washington just might have its most complete roster."
We may well find out just how good the Commanders really are next week, when Daniels and Washington make the short road trip to Baltimore to face Lamar Jackson and the Ravens.
6. Buffalo Bills (3-2)
27 of 32
Last Week: 3
Week 5 Result: Lost at Houston 23-20
Remember when the Buffalo Bills were 3-0 and looked like arguably the best team in the AFC?
About that…
After getting waxed by the Baltimore Ravens last week, the Bills faced another tough opponent in Week 5 in the Houston Texans. And the final outcome of the game may be the least of Buffalo's problems.
Head coach Sean McDermott is widely regarded as one of the best in the league at what he does. But his decision to throw three straight times from the shadow of his own end zone late helped set the stage for Houston's game-winning field goal. While addressing the media after the game, McDermott admitted that he flat-out blew it.
"That's on me, the end-of-game situation on offense," McDermott said. "We're in a tough situation ... they were holding three timeouts; they got a good field-goal kicker. We needed to run the clock and move the chains, and that's on me. We didn't do that there, and that's my fault."
"McDermott's abysmal clock management was hardly Buffalo's only problem Sunday," Davenport said. "Josh Allen's completion percentage was terrible—30 percent. The Buffalo offense managed just 276 yards of offense and was outgained by almost 150 yards. The Bills got through the first few weeks without issue—but the passing game has problems ahead of next week's trip to face Aaron Rodgers and the Jets."
5. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
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Last Week: 6
Week 5 Result: Won at Cincinnati 41-38 (OT)
One of the most exciting games of Week 5 took place in the Queen City, where the Baltimore Ravens and Cincinnati Bengals went at it in a back-and-forth affair that took overtime to resolve.
The two defenses weren't much of a factor in this one—the Ravens and Bengals combined for 962 yards of offense and 79 points. After erasing a 10-point fourth-quarter deficit and overcoming a turnover in overtime, Baltimore head coach John Harbaugh lauded his team's resiliency while speaking to the media.
"It was a shootout, a flat-out shootout in the second half," Harbaugh said. "That's a great win against a team that was playing at a high level."
After losing two straight to open the season, the Ravens have peeled off three straight wins to get right back in the mix in the AFC North. But as Knox wrote, the Ravens still have issues that need to be addressed,
"The Ravens outlasted the rival Bengals by the narrowest of margins, which put an end to a dominant two-week streak by Baltimore," he said. "On the positive side, the Ravens snatched an overtime victory and moved to 3-2 on the season. On the negative side, Baltimore's secondary still looks like a liability that could stand between the Ravens and a deep playoff run."
After watching the Ravens get shredded by Joe Burrow, Ja'Marr Chase and the Bengals passing game to the tune of 392 yards and five touchdowns, it's rather difficult to argue his point.
4. Houston Texans (4-1)
29 of 32
Last Week: 5
Week 5 Result: Won vs. Buffalo 23-20
There was no shortage of subplots surrounding Sunday's matchup between the Bills and Texans in Houston. It was a battle of two of the AFC's top contenders. Stefon Diggs playing his first game against his old team. So on and so forth.
It was a back-and forth affair in which both teams made mistakes, but the Texans were able to gut out the win on a last-second field goal, impressing head coach DeMeco Ryans in the process.
"It wasn't all pretty," Ryans said. "But it's the way you finish at the end and I'm proud of the way our guys finished."
Diggs admitted to reporters after the victory that this game was a bit more personal than he let on.
"I'm not going to sit here and act like it was just regular," he said. "It meant a lot to me, and it was reassuring that the guys around me knew that it meant a lot to me, even if I didn't say it. I just try to just keep it poised and treat every week like it's the same … but I'd be lying if I said it didn't mean a lot."
This was a game the Texans led 20-3 before the Bills came charging back. There are things the Texans need to clean up moving forward. Next week's trip to Gillette Stadium should offer an opportunity to do that, but things tighten up from there—trips to Green Bay and Dallas and a home date with the Detroit Lions will all be stiff tests.
Still, the Texans passed in Week 5. And at the moment, that's all that matters, although if star wideout Nico Collins (hamstring) misses significant time, that could be a problem.
3. Detroit Lions (3-1)
30 of 32
Last Week: 4
Week 5 Result: Bye Week
You know that things are going well when a team's biggest problem is deciding who gets a game ball after a big win.
Last week against the Seattle Seahawks, Lions quarterback Jared Goff was perfect—not one of his 18 pass attempts fell incomplete, and Goff even scored on a touchdown catch. But Lions head coach Dan Campbell didn't give Goff the game ball, which left the coach with some egg on his face while talking to the media.
"I just gave the game ball to somebody else, so I feel awful right now," Campbell said. "I knew he played a heck of a game. I did not realize he was perfect. I did not know he was literally 18 for 18. But I knew he played really well; you could feel it. He really found his rhythm early, and I thought he was seeing the field, played with rhythm, he had to move a little bit in the pocket. … Just a number of huge throws. Played with poise."
"The Lions have been who we expected them to be in 2024," Davenport wrote. "The offense is loaded, and Goff doesn't get the mention he deserves among the best quarterbacks in the league. Detroit's weakness is in the defensive backfield—just as it was a year ago. With that said, there isn't a team in the NFC that doesn't have at least one notable flaw—the Lions absolutely have what it takes to make another deep playoff run this season."
2. Minnesota Vikings (5-0)
31 of 32
Last Week: 2
Week 5 Result: Won vs. New York Jets 23-17 (London)
For much of their undefeated start, the Minnesota Vikings have been propelled by some of the best play of Sam Darnold's career. Sunday in London, the seventh-year veteran had easily his worst game of the season—just 14 completions in 31 attempts for 179 yards with an interception.
It didn't matter. Because as good teams often do, when one facet of the game falters, another steps in to take up the slack.
For the Vikings in Week 5, it was the defense that saved the day. The Vikings picked off Aaron Rodgers three times Sunday—including the first time Rodgers has ever been intercepted twice in the first quarter. One of those interceptions was returned 63 yards for a touchdown by edge-rusher Andrew Van Ginkel—his second pick-six of the season.
On a day when the Vikings lost lead running back Aaron Jones to a hip injury, Minnesota gained just 82 yards on 30 carries and Darnold struggled, Minnesota put the clamps on Rodgers and the Jets. New York had just 254 yards of offense, turned the ball over three times and was held to five third-down conversions in 17 attempts.
Now the Vikings will head into their off week in a position that no one expected—as the lone undefeated team in the NFC, and a team near the top of the Bleacher Report NFL Power Rankings.
"After five weeks, it's OK for everyone to start believing in the Vikings," Sobleski said. "More importantly, Sam Darnold played his worst game of the year and the team still won. When the quarterback doesn't perform well yet his squad still finds a path toward victory, it's officially a good all-around team. Darnold will bounce back. The Jets feature a good defense, and this particular contest had the extenuating circumstances of being played in London. A bye week comes at the perfect time, as the Vikings now have two weeks to prepared for the rival Detroit Lions."
1. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0)
32 of 32
Last Week: 1
Week 5 Result: Won vs. New Orleans 26-13
The Kansas City Chiefs have been hit hard by injuries on offense. First, the team lost starting running back Isiah Pacheco to a broken leg. Then No. 1 wide receiver Rashee Rice suffered a potentially season-ending knee injury.
As tight end Travis Kelce told reporters after last week's win over the Chargers, teams are also playing the Chiefs differently than in the past.
"Every single year is different," he said. "I think with the pieces that we have, teams are playing us a little bit differently than they were last year and they're playing Patrick differently than they were last year. I think you're seeing teams play a little bit softer, making us drive an entire way down the field instead of just taking away those big shots. And I think Pat's doing a great job of getting the ball in everyone's hand."
It wasn't Mahomes who was the engine for the Kansas City offense in Week 5—he topped 300 passing yards but didn't throw a touchdown pass. Instead, it was time-machine time.
Kareem Hunt turned back the clock to his Chiefs heyday, carrying the ball 27 times for 102 yards and a score. JuJu Smith-Schuster looked like it was 2018, catching seven passes for 130 yards. And Kelce was, well, Kelce, with nine grabs on 10 targets for 70 yards.
It was a game far more lopsided than the final score suggests. The Chiefs had over twice as many yards as the Saints. It was also a message to the rest of the league.
Injured stars or not, Kansas City is still the best team in the NFL.
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