NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Updated Team Records and Review

With many of the NFL's top teams on the bye in Week 4, the league's middling teams had a golden opportunity to prove that they are among the elite.

While some were able to do precisely that, others inevitably faltered. Week 4 featured plenty of unpredictable results that most definitely altered the perception of the league hierarchy in a major way.

Whether or not those results develop into a trend remains to be seen, but there is still a great deal of uncertainty as it relates to contenders and pretenders.

Ahead of Week 5, here is a full rundown of where every team currently stands in the power rankings.

32. Oakland Raiders (0-4)

After getting crushed 38-14 by the Miami Dolphins on Sunday in London, it was clear that the winless Raiders needed to make a change. That is precisely what they did as they fired head coach Dennis Allen on Monday night, according to NFL Network's Ian Rapoport:

The Raiders have looked largely listless on both sides of the ball so far this season, and it didn't seem like things were on track to get any better with Allen at the helm. With that said, ESPN's Adam Caplan doesn't believe it was entirely his fault:

It is tough to argue with that notion since the Raiders have a rookie quarterback in Derek Carr and very little around him in terms of skill position talent. Regardless of that, some type of shake-up was needed in order to spark this moribund franchise.

With Allen out of the picture, the onus now shifts toward the players to perform. Per ESPN.com's Bill Williamson (h/t Josina Anderson), Raiders tight end David Ausberry realizes that Oakland has to move past the firing and start performing on the field.

"It's a tough deal, especially for (Allen)," Ausberry said. "As we all know, this is the NFL and it keeps growing. So we just all got to as a team pull together and keep going forward. That's all we really can do."

With a bye in Week 5, the Raiders will have some time to regroup. Unless the players compete with way more motivation in the coming weeks, though, Oakland has all the makings of the NFL's worst team.

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (0-4)

Making rookie Blake Bortles the starting quarterback may ultimately pay dividends by the time the 2014 season concludes, but the Jaguars looked as bad as ever in a blowout loss to the San Diego Chargers on Sunday.

30. St. Louis Rams (1-2)

The Rams were idle in Week 4, and it is difficult to get too excited about their future prospects with Austin Davis and Shaun Hill as the two main options under center.

29. Tennessee Titans (1-3)

Tennessee has been on a major slide since a dominant Week 1 victory, and after getting destroyed by the AFC South rival Indianapolis Colts in Week 4, it seems likely that the Titans will battle the Jags for last place in the division.

28. New York Jets (1-3)

The Jets will stick with Geno Smith at quarterback in Week 5 despite suffering three straight losses, but a change may need to be made in order to remain competitive in the up-for-grabs AFC East.

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3)

Tampa Bay showed character in Week 4 by beating the Pittsburgh Steelers one week after getting embarrassed by the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday Night Football. There is also little doubt that the Buccaneers have found an answer at quarterback with Mike Glennon.

26. Cleveland Browns (1-2)

The Browns were on the bye in Week 4, which means they had time to reflect on the notion that they could be 3-0 rather than 1-2 had a few more plays gone their way. This is a team that simply needs to learn how to win.

25. Washington Redskins (1-3)

There was a great deal of optimism surrounding the Redskins entering Week 4 due to Kirk Cousins' emergence at quarterback. After throwing four picks against the New York Giants on Thursday night, though, Cousins' confidence could be shaken.

24. New Orleans Saints (1-3)

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The Saints are in major trouble at 1-3 after getting beaten handily by the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday night. Drew Brees and the offense haven't hit their stride, but the defense has undoubtedly been New Orleans' biggest issue.

23. Miami Dolphins (2-2)

Miami was able to get back on track with a win over the Raiders in London, and it is very much in the AFC East hunt as one of three teams tied for first at 2-2.

22. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)

The Falcons are the definition of a Jekyll and Hyde team as they are totally different at home and on the road. They fell in a shootout at the Minnesota Vikings in Week 4, and they have all the makings of an average 8-8 squad.

21. Minnesota Vikings (2-2)

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Minnesota has had to deal with plenty of turmoil thus far, but there is reason to get excited due to the emergence of rookie quarterback Teddy Bridgewater. He was excellent in a Week 4 win, and he will be the guy moving forward assuming his ankle injury isn't serious.

20. New England Patriots (2-2)

In 2014, the New England Patriots haven't looked like the team observers have grown accustomed to seeing over the past several years. The Pats fell apart in a Week 1 loss to the Dolphins, and they weren't exactly sparkling in wins over the Vikings and Raiders either.

The crisis reached a totally different level in Week 4, though, as the Patriots were trounced 41-14 on Monday Night Football by the Kansas City Chiefs. That loss was one of New England's most one-sided defeats under head coach Bill Belichick, according to NFL on ESPN:

Quarterback Tom Brady threw for 159 yards and two interceptions, while the defense simply couldn't stop running back Jamaal Charles and the Kansas City offense. Patriots safety Devin McCourty likely summed up the Patriots players' thoughts quite accurately, via ESPN.com's Mike Reiss:

The Patriots and their fans have come to expect excellence, but New England looked like one of the league's worst teams in Week 4. The Pats may not be that bad in reality, but this obviously is not a great team.

New England still has a legitimate chance to make the playoffs since the AFC East is so weak, but it won't even be able to overtake the Dolphins or Buffalo Bills if it continues to play at this level. Belichick and Brady have used their magic to persevere time and time again over the past decade, but there may not be any left.

19. Buffalo Bills (2-2)

The Bills let one slip away in Week 4 as they lost to the Houston Texans despite largely outplaying them. With EJ Manuel being benched in favor of Kyle Orton at quarterback, however, it is clear that Buffalo is tired of losing.

18. Carolina Panthers (2-2)

The Panthers have now been smoked by AFC North opponents in consecutive weeks, but there is still plenty to like about them due to the presence of quarterback Cam Newton and a usually stout defense.

17. New York Giants (2-2)

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Quarterback Eli Manning and the Giants have certainly hit their stride offensively over the past couple weeks, which means things could get interesting in the NFC East with the Cowboys and Philadelphia Eagles both thriving as well.

16. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)

Few teams in the NFL are tougher to figure out than the Steelers. They looked like world-beaters in Week 3 when they destroyed the Panthers, but they suffered a huge setback in a Week 4 loss to the Buccaneers. It's nearly impossible to predict how they'll fare from one week to the next.

15. Kansas City Chiefs (2-2)

The Chiefs have shaken off a tough 0-2 start to insert themselves back into the playoff race at 2-2. Kansas City crushed the New England Patriots on Monday night, and the Chiefs are starting to resemble the team that came flying out of the gates last season.

14. Chicago Bears (2-2)

Chicago's momentum was halted in a big way during a Week 4 loss to the rival Green Bay Packers at home. With so many weapons on offense, though, the Bears will continue to be a very dangerous team this season.

13. Houston Texans (3-1)

It hasn't always been pretty, but the Texans deserve credit for starting 3-1 after going 2-14 last year. Quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick can be a liability, but the defense and running game are good enough to protect him.

12. Green Bay Packers (2-2)

The Packers answered their critics in a big way in Week 4 as quarterback Aaron Rodgers threw for over 300 yards and four touchdowns in a huge divisional triumph. Although the defense and running back Eddie Lacy are still concerns, this is a tough team to beat when Rodgers is firing on all cylinders.

11. Indianapolis Colts (2-2)

Most figured that the Colts would be fine after starting 0-2, and that has been the case with consecutive easy wins over AFC South opponents. Quarterback Andrew Luck is already elite, which is why Indy should be favored to take the division once again.

10. Dallas Cowboys (3-1)

There was very little optimism regarding the Cowboys' chances entering 2014, but they find themselves tied atop the NFC East at 3-1. Dallas beat the Saints decisively in Week 4, and running back DeMarco Murray's form makes the Cowboys' success sustainable.

9. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)

The Eagles dodged plenty of bullets to start 3-0, but they weren't quite so lucky in a Week 4 loss to the San Francisco 49ers. Chip Kelly's high-powered offense was putrid, and there is reason to worry about running back LeSean McCoy and his yards-per-carry average of 2.7.

8. San Francisco 49ers (2-2)

The Niners may not be the same dominant team that they have been in recent years, but they proved in Week 4 that they are still contenders. The defense shut down the Eagles, and the offense played a ball-control style that should be extremely effective moving forward.

7. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

Baltimore is on an absolute roll right now on the heels of blasting the Panthers in Week 4. Wide receiver Steve Smith Sr. has proven to be an incredible addition, and the defense is making the Ravens look like true players in the AFC.

6. San Diego Chargers (3-1)

The Chargers established themselves in a big way with a win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2, and they have built upon that with subsequent victories in Weeks 3 and 4. Quarterback Philip Rivers and the defense are playing great, which is certainly a winning formula.

5. Detroit Lions (3-1)

Nobody was quite sure what to expect out of the Detroit Lions this season after their implosion in 2013. The Lions have tons of talent on both sides of the ball, but they have struggled to put everything together and play winning football.

That seems to be changing as the Lions are now 3-1 after a solid road win over the Jets in Week 4. Quarterback Matthew Stafford was once again excellent with nearly 300 yards passing and three total touchdowns, but another aspect of the Lions' play has truly been the difference.

As pointed out by the Lions' official Twitter account, Detroit boasts the NFL's best defense through four weeks:

The Lions have always had that type of potential due to a dominant defensive line that features Ndamukong Suh, among others, and they are finally starting to live up to their billing. Stafford, wide receiver Calvin Johnson and the offense have received most of the accolades, but it can be argued that they haven't even been at their best yet.

If the offense truly starts to click, it is scary to think about how good the Lions could become. They are first in the NFC North currently, and they may be one of the few teams capable of challenging the Seattle Seahawks in the NFC due to their explosiveness on both sides of the ball.

4. Arizona Cardinals (3-0)

The Cardinals' bye in Week 4 came at a great time since it allowed for injured quarterback Carson Palmer to heal a bit. Arizona is 2-0 without Palmer under center, but it is clearly better off with him in the fold.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (3-0)

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Unlike the Cardinals, the Week 4 bye probably wasn't a welcomed one from the Bengals' perspective. It can certainly be argued that they are the most complete team in the league, and although their momentum has been interrupted, they have all the pieces necessary to continue thriving.

2. Denver Broncos (2-1)

The Broncos were also on the bye in Week 4, which gave them extra preparation time for a Week 5 clash with the undefeated Cards. Denver has its flaws, but quarterback Peyton Manning's presence is more than enough to make it the No. 2 team in the league currently.

1. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

Seattle tops the quartet of Week 4 bye teams atop the NFL power rankings. The Seahawks received a bit of a reality check when they lost to the Chargers in Week 2, but they bounced back by beating the Broncos in Week 3. With the league's best defense and an impeccable leader in quarterback Russell Wilson, the defending Super Bowl champs remain the team to beat.

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