NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Detroit Lions and 4 Teams That Keep Climbing

The theme of the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings was mostly the fall of many good teams, including the Eagles and Steelers, but there are also a handful of teams who are still on the rise.

There are four in particular:  

No. 2 Detroit Lions (4-0)

Back-to-back 20-point comebacks and a perfect 4-0 records vaults the Lions from No. 5 last week into the top two. And why not? 4-0 is an accomplishment in the NFL, no matter who you've beaten or how it's been done. Detroit has shown vast improvement on both sides of the ball, but the offense is what has people talking.

No team has been able to slow the combination of Matthew Stafford and Calvin Johnson, who have eight hookups for touchdowns already in 2011. This might be the Lions peak in the Power Rankings this season, but they certainly deserve where they've landed. 

No. 11 San Francisco 49ers (3-1)

Say what you want about the shortcomings of the 49ers, but coach Jim Harbaugh has turned them from perennial underachievers to one that is slowly figuring out how to win football games.

You can't understate how important these early wins are, especially in a division that should take more than nine or 10 wins to secure a playoff spot. To get to the postseason, the 49ers realistically only need to play .500 ball the rest of the way. They've put themselves in a great position, and the rankings should reflect that.

No. 8 New York Giants (3-1)

There probably isn't many people who expected the NFC East to have the Giants and Redskins tied at the top after four games, but that's where we sit right now. The Giants have rebounded nicely after a difficult Week 1 loss to Washington, winning games against St. Louis, Philadelphia and Arizona. Remember that these teams have just two wins combined between them.

The Giants have climbed in the rankings after Week 1—when many had them in the 20s—and a 3-1 record grants them a spot in the top 10. However, they need to beat the good teams down the stretch to rise any higher. 

No. 10 Tennessee Titans (3-1)

The Titans just keep winning, and quarterback Matt Hasselbeck continues to look like one of the offseason's real steals. He's been fantastic, throwing for eight touchdowns against just three interceptions without a lot of help from All-Pro Chris Johnson.

Tennessee gets the Steelers on the road this week, which should be another good measuring stick for where this team is. But even at this point, the Titans are a legitimate threat to the Houston Texans in the AFC South. 

Full Week 5 Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers (4-0)	17. New York Jets (2-2)
2. Detroit Lions (4-0)	18. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
3. New Orleans Saints (3-1)	19. Chicago Bears (2-2)
4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)	20. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)
5. New England Patriots (3-1)	21. Philadelphia Eagles (1-3)
6. Houston Texans (3-1)	22. Cleveland Browns (2-2)
7. San Diego Chargers (3-1)	23. Carolina Panthers (1-3)
8. New York Giants (3-1)	24. Arizona Cardinals (1-3)
9. Buffalo Bills (3-1)	25. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)
10. Tennessee Titans (3-1)	26. Denver Broncos (1-3)
11. San Francisco 49ers (3-1)	27. Seattle Seahawks (1-3)
12. Washington Redskins (3-1)	28. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)
13. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)	29. Indianapolis Colts (0-4)
14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)	30. Miami Dolphins (0-4)
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2)	31. St. Louis Rams (0-4)
16. Oakland Raiders (2-2)	32. Minnesota Vikings (0-4)