NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Where Did ESPN Experts Get It Right and Wrong?

ESPN released their Week 5 NFL Power Rankings on Tuesday, so let's dive into the list to see where the Worldwide Leader got it right and wrong. 

No. 1-10

1. Green Bay Packers (5-0) 

2. New England Patriots (4-1)

3. New Orleans Saints (4-1)

4. Detroit Lions (5-0)

5. Baltimore Ravens (4-1)

6. Buffalo Bills (4-1)

7. San Diego Chargers (4-1)

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2)

9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1)

10. Washington Redskins (3-1)

Comments: I absolutely do not understand why the Lions aren't No. 2 in the power rankings. 5-0 is 5-0, and it hasn't been a fluke for the Lions. You don't just walk into five straight wins in the NFL, and the Patriots and Saints would be the first ones to tell you that. What more do the Lions need to do? The difference between No. 2 and 4 means really nothing, but I think that ranking is wrong.

The Steelers vault back into the Top 10, but I'm not sure they belong ahead of the 49ers, who really should be 5-0 (they blew a late lead against the Cowboys then lost in OT). Suddenly, that 49ers vs. Lions game at Ford Field this weekend looks awfully tasty.

And who would have guessed—other than Rex Grossman, of course—that the Redskins would be the highest ranked NFC East team (by four slots) after five weeks? That division is upside down right now, but Washington doesn't mind.  

No. 11-20

11. Oakland Raiders (3-2)

12. Houston Texans (3-2)

13. Tennessee Titans (3-2)

14. New York Giants (3-2)

15. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)

17. New York Jets (2-3)

18. Chicago Bears (2-3)

19. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

20. Cincinnati Bengals (3-2)

Comments: Every team in the middle third of the rankings took losses or had byes in Week 5 besides the Raiders and Bengals, which makes this a tough group to sift out. The Raiders' emotional win makes their spot at No. 11 justified. No matter what you think of Al Davis' legacy in the NFL, his team pulled together a win in a gutsy game on the road.

No team had a bigger hiccup than the Giants, who had no business losing a game at home to a team that had to travel across the time zones for an early start and lacks playmakers on the roster.

The Bucs will likely use that former excuse as their own, considering they went to San Francisco and simply did not show up in a 45-point loss. They deserve to fall more than the five spots they did, but who jumps them?

The Titans, Jets, Bears and Falcons lost games to teams that were undoubtedly better. Tennessee is still alive, but New York, Chicago and Atlanta have some serious issues to wrinkle out in a hurry. And a warm welcome to the Bengals, who crack the Top 20 after securing their third win of the season.    

No. 21-32

21. Philadelphia Eagles (1-4)

22. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

23. Cleveland Browns (2-2)

24. Carolina Panthers (1-4)

25. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

26. Minnesota Vikings (1-4)

27. Denver Broncos (1-4)

28. Arizona Cardinals (1-4)

29. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)

30. Miami Dolphins (0-4)

31. St. Louis Rams (0-4)

32. Indianapolis Colts (0-5)

Comments: Surprise, surprise, but the Eagles disastrous start has dropped them into the final third. They deserve nothing less after the way their offense has turned the ball over. And don't even get started about the defense, who couldn't stop Temple's rushing offense much less an NFL team's. They are in serious, serious trouble after five weeks.

Kudos to the Seahawks and Chiefs for big wins in their seasons. Seattle killed most of the survivor pools in America but kept their floundering season afloat with a win in New York. The Chiefs came back and stunned the winless Colts on the road, which temporarily gives Todd Haley some breathing room on the hot seat.

Cam Newton and the Panthers had a golden chance to get themselves into the middle third, but Drew Brees struck again in the clutch. They won't be satisfied with the loss, but it certainly was a confidence builder.

The bottom five or six teams are just awful. In most seasons, a loss like the Cardinals had in Minnesota would have put them in the NFL's cellar. They were asleep for most of the first half against a team that didn't have a win. Unacceptable. But they can't fall into the basement because the Rams, Colts and Dolphins have been terrible.