NFL Power Rankings: Stock Changes for All 32 Teams

Through five weeks of the NFL season, we've seen a number of teams surprise us, while others have been big disappointments.  The power rankings we were expecting to see at the beginning of the season are now completely different.

There have been teams like the New York Giants and Pittsburgh Steelers that have completely disappointed their fanbases, while others like the Kansas City Chiefs and New Orleans Saints have exceeded expectations through just five weeks.

If we looked at every team as if it were a stock, we could make a judgement on whether each stock was on the rise or taking a dive.  Let's go ahead and do that with this week's power rankings heading into the Thursday Night Football game with the Giants taking on the Chicago Bears.

32. Jacksonville Jaguars

Stock: Stagnant

When you're the worst team in the NFL, the only good news is that it can't get much worse.

The offense is putting up less than 250 total yards a game, and the team has yet to lose by less than 10 points in any game.  The return of Justin Blackmon could help the offense a bit, but there isn't enough talent, especially under center, for this team to have any sustained success this year.

Jaguars fans are preparing for May and hoping that they can grab a new quarterback like Teddy Bridgewater or Marcus Mariota.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Stock: Falling

A revamped secondary was supposed to turn this team around.  The additions of Darrelle Revis and Dashon Goldson have helped the defense, but now the offense has become the real problem.

Mike Glennon is now the guy in Tampa Bay, but is that really a good thing?  We saw him in the preseason, and it was not pretty.  Things weren't much better against the Arizona Cardinals, with Glennon throwing for 193 yards, a touchdown and two interceptions.

A full week of practice along with the bye week should help Glennon feel more comfortable in the offense, but until the Buccaneers can actually win games, this is my second-worst team in the NFL.

30. New York Giants

Stock: Falling 

Any hopes of this team making the playoffs have quickly gone away in just five weeks.  The Giants have not only failed to win a game; they've also failed to put up a fight in any of their games since Week 1.

Eli Manning currently leads the league with 12 interceptions, but not all of that is his fault.  His offensive line is banged up and seriously struggling, while his receivers don't seem to be fighting for balls.  Meanwhile, the defense hasn't been able to stop anyone, giving up at least 30 points in every game.

Things are very bleak in New York, at least for one team.  I don't think anyone was expecting that team to be the Giants in 2013.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers

Stock: Falling

The Steelers are another team that a lot of people were expecting to have a solid season.  Instead, they're 0-4, coming off a much-needed bye after losing to the Minnesota Vikings in London.

The defense seems to be slowly falling apart, giving up a total of 74 points in the team's last two games after allowing just 36 in its first two.  The ground game hasn't been good at all, but with Le'Veon Bell back from injury, the Giants are hoping that he will be able to turn things around.

They're currently dead last in the AFC North, and it looks like they might be stuck there for the rest of the season, based on how the rest of the division is playing.

28. Oakland Raiders

Stock: Rising

For a team without a lot of real talent on the roster, the Raiders have been one of the bigger surprises of the season, winning two of their first five games.

Terrelle Pryor has exploded onto the scene as the bright spot on this team.  In fact, the Raiders have put so much trust into this young quarterback that they decided to release Matt Flynn, according to Jim Trotter of Sports Illustrated.

The Raiders took down the San Diego Chargers without Darren McFadden, arguably their most talented player.  He's been productive when in the lineup, running for 215 yards and two touchdowns, while also throwing for a touchdown against the Denver Broncos.

They looked to be one of the worst in football at the beginning of the season, but the Raiders have raised expectations in Oakland, and they're looking to have a respectable season in a difficult division.

27. Carolina Panthers

Stock: Falling

Ron Rivera was able to save his job at the end of the 2012 season, but it's starting to look like he will be on his way out at the end of this year.

A 1-3 start isn't going to get the job done in Carolina.  Things were starting to look up after the 38-0 win over the Giants, yet that's been the only win for this team so far.  This past week against the Cardinals was not pretty, with Cam Newton turning the ball over four times in a 22-6 loss.

This team is filled with a lot of young talent, but they're all still developing into better players.  The Panthers have a top-10 defense at the moment, but they need more discipline on offense before they can start winning more games.

26. Washington Redskins

Stock: Rising

As bad as he was to start the year, Robert Griffin III is improving each and every game.  He's shaking the rust off and looking more comfortable in the offense each week, stepping into throws and sliding in the pocket to avoid pressure.  With him and Alfred Morris on offense, the Redskins shouldn't have a problem scoring points as the season goes on.

What will hold this team back in 2013 is its defense, which has struggled quite a bit.  It has given up 440.5 yards per game, the worst in the league.

The NFC East is very weak right now, so there's a chance that the Redskins turn it around after their bye week and take over the division.  They'll have to turn it around quickly, however, as they play the Dallas Cowboys this week in a Sunday Night Football showdown.

25. Buffalo Bills

Stock: Falling

Once again, the Bills are struggling with consistency this season.  They've yet to win or lose two games in a row, looking great at times and terrible at others.

Losing EJ Manuel for the next few weeks won't help the Bills, who will now have to rely on Jeff Tuel to play quarterback.  Fortunately he has weapons behind him in the backfield with Fred Jackson and C.J. Spiller, but he will need to make some plays of his own in order to open up the running game.

The defense is suspect right now, so it's going to be hard to win while Manuel is gone.  The Bills have games coming up against the Cincinnati Bengals, Miami Dolphins and Saints, so things are probably going to get a little rough.

24. Minnesota Vikings

Stock: Rising

Fans that were calling for Christian Ponder to sit finally got their wish a couple of weeks ago, and now he might be done for good this season, with the Vikings bringing in Josh Freeman.

As controversial as Freeman has been in 2013, he's a better option than Ponder or Matt Cassel.  Don't expect him to start this week, as he will be working on understanding the playbook, but he will likely get the starting job in the next couple of weeks.

Having Adrian Peterson certainly doesn't hurt, so this offense should be in much better shape once Freeman comes in.  Still, something needs to happen with that defense, which has allowed over 30 points per game, before the team can start making a run in the NFC North.

23. Cleveland Browns

Stock: Rising

Since trading away Trent Richardson, the Browns have gone 3-0.

I don't know if anyone saw that coming.

The trade seemed to have ignited a spark in the Browns' locker room, and players are responding.  Losing Brian Hoyer to an ACL injury hurts, but Brandon Weeden was the starter at the beginning of the season for a reason.

The next four games are going to be a real test for this team before its bye week, so keep a close eye on it.  As of right now, however, the Browns are 3-2 and tied for the top spot in the AFC North, which is all Browns fans can ask for.

22. Tennessee Titans

Stock: Rising

Ryan Fitzpatrick proved he can lead this team while Jake Locker gets healthy.  He threw for 247 yards and had a touchdown through the air and on the ground.  However, he did also have two interceptions, and the Chiefs scored 13 unanswered points to stay undefeated.

Alterraun Verner has been huge on defense.  He's already had four interceptions and 11 passes defended so far.  Pro Football Focus (subscription required) has him as the highest-rated cornerback by quite a bit, scoring a grade of 9.5, with Darrelle Revis in second place at 7.5.

As bad as the Texans have looked so far, the Titans have a shot to make a run for second place in the AFC South this season.  The offense isn't perfect, but the play of their defense could give them chances to pull out some wins as the season goes on.

21. Philadelphia Eagles

Stock: Stagnant

I'll keep watching this offense regardless of who is playing quarterback, but just because the offense is fun to watch doesn't mean that the team as a whole is good.

The Eagles were finally able to win their second game of the season, winning 36-21 over the Giants.  Michael Vick had to leave the game with a hamstring injury, forcing Nick Foles back into the starting lineup.  He played well, throwing for 197 yards and two touchdowns with no interceptions.

Despite earlier reports that Vick would likely miss this week's game against the Buccaneers, a report by Pro Football Talk says that he is surprised with how good his hamstring feels, meaning that he might be playing after all.

The defense is going to have to step up before this team is considered a contender, however.  If that doesn't happen, Chip Kelly's first season won't be a successful one.

20. Arizona Cardinals

Stock: Rising

While the Eagles have one of the more exciting offenses, the Cardinals have one of the more exciting defenses.

The Cardinals defense may not completely shut down its opponents, but it has a number of playmakers, including Patrick Peterson and Tyrann Mathieu.  It has forced 11 turnovers so far this year, grabbing seven interceptions and forcing four fumbles.

Carson Palmer hasn't lived up to expectations on offense, however, throwing nine interceptions and just five touchdowns.  They have some great receivers in Arizona, but Palmer just isn't getting the job done so far.

19. St. Louis Rams

Stock: Falling

The Rams may have won last week, but it was against the Jaguars.  They're now 2-3 on the season, with two ugly losses against the Dallas Cowboys and San Francisco 49ers.

Tavon Austin has yet to live up to expectations on offense, but Sam Bradford is finding other options, including Chris Givens and Austin Pettis.  The ground game hasn't been good, but the Rams are hoping that the move to Zac Stacy as their starter will start to turn things around.

Robert Quinn leads a front seven that's continuing to improve, but it needs some help in that secondary before it can start making an even bigger impact.

18. San Diego Chargers

Stock: Falling

I really thought that this was the Chargers team from a few years ago.  Unfortunately, it looked a lot more like the Chargers from last year in the ugly loss to the Raiders.

Philip Rivers finally came back down to Earth, throwing three interceptions in the 27-17 loss.  He's still having a solid season, throwing for 13 touchdowns and completing 73.7 percent of his passes, but that loss was certainly concerning for a team looking to turn things around.

That defense is ugly as well, giving up over 400 total yards of offense per game, and unless that fixes itself this week, it's going to be a long game against the Indianapolis Colts on Monday Night Football.

17. New York Jets

Stock: Skyrocketing

It's official.  I'm buying into the Jets after that huge win over the Atlanta Falcons.

Now that doesn't mean I think that this will be a playoff-caliber team, but I do think that they are going to be a decent team in the AFC.  Geno Smith is still a rookie and has been sloppy with the ball, throwing eight interceptions and fumbling the ball three times.  But that defense has stepped up big, allowing less than 300 yards of offense per game.

The good news for the offense is that Geno had a huge game this past week and is showing signs of improvement.  He threw for 199 yards and three touchdowns while also not turning the ball over at any point in the game.

If they keep it up, Rex Ryan may very well save his job.  It's still early, however, so we will have to see how the rest of the season goes.

16. Houston Texans

Stock: Plummeting

When you lose three straight games, your stock is going to take a huge hit, and that's exactly what has happened in Houston. 

Matt Schaub has officially become a liability for the Texans.  He broke an NFL record last week, throwing a pick-six in his fourth straight game.  Things have gotten so bad that Gary Kubiak claimed that it was a tough decision starting him this week, according to the team's Twitter account.

The defense is still one of the best in the league, with J.J. Watt playing as well as ever.  It's allowing an incredible 134.2 passing yards per game, far and away the best mark in the NFL.  

Still, it's hard for defenses to put up points.  Until that quarterback situation is fixed, it's going to be a long year in Houston.

15. Atlanta Falcons

Stock: Falling

For a team with so much talent, the Falcons are quickly becoming one of the worst teams in football.  It has lost three straight games and is now already four games behind the Saints in the NFC South.

The offense hasn't been the problem, but that could change after the injury to Julio Jones.  According to the NFL Around the League Twitter account, Jones could miss the rest of the season.

Jones is just another player to add to the list of injuries the Falcons are dealing with this season.  The defense is banged up and struggling.  The secondary is young and inexperienced, giving up some big plays so far this year.

Things keep looking worse for this team, but we will see if it can turn it around after the bye week.

14. Dallas Cowboys

Stock: Rising

Forget the loss, the Cowboys stepped up big last week against the Denver Broncos.  Tony Romo may have thrown a critical interception at the end of the game, but he also threw for five touchdowns and over 500 yards.  Football Outsiders has Romo as the fifth-best quarterback in terms of DVOA at 29 percent this season.

At 2-3, the Cowboys are still tied for the lead in the NFC East.  The offense has a number of big-time playmakers with Dez Bryant, DeMarco Murray and Jason Witten.  On the other hand, the defense has struggled to defend the pass, allowing 326.4 yards through the air per game.

In order for the Cowboys to cement themselves as the best team in their own division, they're going to need to win these next two games against the Redskins and Eagles.  If they can do that, then they're in good position to finally make it back to the playoffs.

13. Detroit Lions

Stock: Stagnant

The Lions get a pass from last week since they didn't have Calvin Johnson.  In fact, any team that has to play without its best player should get a pass when it's going against a team like the Green Bay Packers.

The offense is so much more balanced this season than it was last year.  After Matthew Stafford threw for well over 700 passes in 2012, he's on pace for just over 600 this year.  A big part of that has been the emergence of Reggie Bush and Joique Bell in the backfield.  They're also both legitimate weapons in the passing game, making this offense even more deadly.

We will see if that defense can keep its composure as the season progresses, but in the meantime, the Lions should be able to win a good amount of games with that electric offense.

12. Miami Dolphins

Stock: Stagnant

After starting the season 3-0, the Dolphins have lost two straight.  Granted, they were against tough teams, but fans wanted to see more from a team that's supposed to be a contender in the AFC.

The defense hasn't looked the same with Cameron Wake hobbled, but that should turn around as he continues to get healthy.  Brent Grimes has helped the secondary turn it around from last season, and it had a nice bounce-back game against the Ravens after getting torched by Drew Brees and the Saints.

Ryan Tannehill is continuing to develop into a franchise quarterback, and with weapons like Mike Wallace and Brian Hartline, the offense should be able to put up some big points throughout the season.

11. Baltimore Ravens

Stock: Rising

Last week was more like it for the Ravens.  The offense wasn't super efficient, but it was good enough to put up 26 points while the defense stepped up.

That defense is continuing to improve as all of the new players begin to get more comfortable.  It currently ranks sixth in the NFL against the run, allowing just 89.8 rushing yards per game.

If the offense can turn it around, the Ravens will make it into the playoffs without much trouble.  A lot of that has to be on Jim Caldwell right now, so it's up to him to help this offense play like it did in the playoffs last year.

10. Chicago Bears

Stock: Falling

The Bears were looking like one of the best teams in the NFC, but two straight ugly losses have exposed this team's weaknesses.

The offensive line was holding its own through the first three games, but now it's starting to be exposed a bit more.  Jay Cutler has been sacked six times in the past two games, after being sacked just three times to start the season.

The defense is still capable of forcing turnovers, but it has lost a bit of its swagger with Brian Urlacher gone.  The Bears shouldn't have a problem on Thursday, however, as they'll be taking on the Giants in what should be a blowout.

9. New England Patriots

Stock: Falling

It was only a matter of time before this team lost its first game.  The offense is missing Rob Gronkowski badly, and although the young receivers are improving every game, they don't provide the mismatch that Gronk does.

Losing Vince Wilfork has clearly hurt this defense, and that's going to be a big concern for the rest of the year.  Unless it finds a way to make up for his absence, this defense may take a big step back for the remainder of the year.

8. Cincinnati Bengals

Stock: Rising

The Bengals got a big statement win by taking down the Patriots last week in the pouring rain.  Not only did they hold New England to just six points, but they also snapped Tom Brady's 52-game streak of throwing a touchdown pass.

Giovani Bernard has emerged as an exciting offensive weapon, and along with fellow rookie Tyler Eifert, this is becoming a legitimate offense.  The defense is stepping up as well, ranking eighth in the NFL allowing just 316.8 yards of total offense per game.

Andy Dalton may not be the best quarterback, but he's getting the job done.  If he keeps it up, the Bengals could win the AFC North this season.

7. Green Bay Packers

Stock: Rising

The Packers needed a win coming out of their bye week, and they were able to grab one against the Lions.

They didn't get out of the game unscathed, however, as Clay Matthews broke his thumb.  According to Adam Schefter, he's expected to miss a month.

The offense is looking really good, which was expected.  But the real surprise has been the emergence of a running game.  The Packers rank fifth in the NFL, averaging 141 rushing yards per game.

Aaron Rodgers is one of the best in the game, so he should be able to lead this team to the playoffs without much trouble, but that defense needs to step up before the team can be considered a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

6. San Francisco 49ers

Stock: Falling

A 34-3 win over the Texans is a good sign, but this team still has some questions, particularly on offense.

Colin Kaepernick hasn't looked the same this season.  He's missing some easy throws and not using his legs as much as he did in 2012.  Some of that is due to the fact that he doesn't have a lot of guys to throw to, but some of his throws just look off right now.

The 49ers shouldn't have much trouble with their next three games before the bye week, but they are going to need to fix their offense a bit before they can convince people that they're one of the best teams in the NFC.

5. Indianapolis Colts

Stock: Rising

Looking at my rankings, I simply can't leave the Colts out of the top five any longer.  Wins over the 49ers and Seattle Seahawks have officially put them on the map as a contender in the AFC.

Andrew Luck doesn't have the flashiest stats, but he's been playing terrific football so far.  He's only thrown two interceptions and has made some great reads against some good defenses.  Don't believe me?  Take a look at this throw he made to T.Y. Hilton last week.

The balance on offense combined with an improved defense has changed the mentality in Indianapolis.  The Colts only won two games back in 2011, but now they look like they will be in the playoffs for the second straight season.

4. Seattle Seahawks

Stock: Falling

The Seahawks lost to the Colts, but they're still the more talented team overall, especially on defense.

The secondary got beat last week, but it's still the best in football.  Meanwhile, the improved defensive line with Michael Bennett and Cliff Avril has made this defense even more intimidating than it was last season.

When the Seahawks are away from home, they're a different team, but they're still good enough to make a deep run in the playoffs at the end of the year.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

Stock: Rising

What a difference a year, along with a new quarterback and head coach, makes.

There's no mistaking that the Chiefs arguably have the most talented defense in the league.  According to Pro Football Focus (subscription required), the Chiefs are first in the league with a defensive grade of 83.9, while the Seahawks are in second at just 52.5.

Justin Houston has become one of the best pass-rushers in the NFL.  He has 8.5 sacks so far, with 4.5 of those coming in Week 3 against the Eagles.  Meanwhile, guys like Brandon Flowers and Derrick Johnson are having some of the best seasons of their careers.

2. New Orleans Saints

Stock: Rising

The return of Sean Payton has been huge for this team, but what's been even bigger has been the addition of Rob Ryan as the team's defensive coordinator.

The Saints defense was hands down the worst in the league last season.  Now, it has done a great job shutting down its opponents, allowing fewer than 20 points in every single game so far.

Drew Brees and Jimmy Graham have been big as always on offense.  Brees has found Graham 37 times for 593 yards and six touchdowns through just five games.

Make no mistake about it: This is the best team in the NFC right now, but there's one other team in the NFL that's better.

1. Denver Broncos

Stock: Rising

Did you think that it could be anyone else?

Peyton Manning is easily having the best season of his entire career, despite being 37 years old.  He's thrown for 1,884 yards and 20 touchdowns, throwing just his first interception of the season last week.

The offense as a whole is the best in football.  It leads the league in both total yards and scoring, averaging 489.8 yards and 46 points per game.

The defense hasn't been good against the pass, but that should change once Von Miller returns.  Until then, Manning will have no problem keeping this team ahead in games, especially this week against the Jaguars.