NFL Power Rankings Week 5: New Teams At The Top And Bottom

Back in the sixteen game NFL schedule, we’d be a clean one-fourth through the season. It’s a little messier now in the seventeen game schedule, but consider these the top and bottom five at the quarter-mark of the NFL season.

Back in the sixteen-game NFL schedule, we’d be a clean one-fourth through the season. It’s a little messier now in the seventeen-game schedule, but consider these the top and bottom five at the quarter-mark of the NFL season.

This isn’t just sorting teams by record. It’s more-or-less based on who I would favor on a neutral field right now.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (1-3)

Last Week: 24-17 (L) @ Chargers
This Week: vs. Packers

Week 4 brought yet another game where the Las Vegas Raiders had a chance to win and couldn’t get it done. And, in typical Raiders fashion, it came in the most painful way possible.

Without Jimmy Garoppolo, who missed the game due to injury, rookie Aidan O’Connell led the team to a 4th-quarter touchdown to cut a 14-point lead to 24-17. And, Chargers head coach Brandon Staley tried to hand the game to the Raiders on a silver platter when he went for it and Los Angeles failed to convert at their own 34 with 3:30 left. The Raiders got it down to the three-yard-line before O’Connell threw a backbreaking pick.

It’s not as if they’re a horrific football team. They’re medicore. But, they find unique ways to not get the job done. Outside the Chicago Bears, no one else has found ways to lose this year like the Las Vegas Raiders.

29. Denver Broncos (1-3)

Last Week: 31-28 (W) @ Bears
This Week: Vs Jets

Through one half of their bottom-five matchup with the Chicago Bears, it appeared the Denver Broncos would be destined for the bottom spot in this week’s rankings. With four minutes left in the third quarter, they had made Justin Fields look like John Elway, and trailed 28-7.

Credit to the Broncos, as they rallied on both sides of the ball for a win. But, they have the Bears to thank for some of that, too.

Still, a win is a win, and the offense has not been all that bad this year. Maybe it’s a spark, and they can work towards getting back to .500 and maybe making a run at a playoff spot? Probably not. But, it’s better than being 0-4.

30. New York Giants (1-3)

Last Week: 24-3 (L) vs. Jets
This Week: @ Dolphins

If it wasn’t for a miraculous second-half comeback against the Arizona Cardinals in week 2, the New York Giants would be dead-last in the power rankings.

A team that won a playoff game a year ago looks simply awful. Out of 16 quarters of football so far, they’ve played two good ones. Seven of the eight halves they’ve played have been non-competitive. Sadly, the way they are playing right now, that Arizona Cardinals win could cost them a chance at a franchise quarterback come April.

They need one, too. Yes, the offensive line was bad, but Daniel Jones was downright awful against the Seahawks on Monday. He couldn’t see the field, couldn’t move in the pocket effectively, and his pre-snap process was awful. Did I mention they gave him $82 million guaranteed coming off a year he had 3200 yards passing and 15 touchdowns?

31. Chicago Bears (0-4)

Last Week: 31-28 (L) vs. Broncos
This Week: @ Commanders

For nearly three quarters on Thursday, the Chicago Bears looked incredible. They had thoroughly dominated the Denver Broncos, Justin Fields looked like the best quarterback in the NFL with a 23/24 start, and the defense was competing hard.

And, then, suddenly, they remembered that they are the 2023-2024 Chicago Bears. Everything went wrong, Justin Fields turned back into Justin Fields, and they choked away a 21-point lead in 19 minutes. A backbreaking strip-sack-six, a failed 4th-and-1, and a sequence of an intentional grounding penalty followed by an interception summed up a fourth quarter that will live in infamy.

But, the Bears actually moved up one spot this week. Playing three-and-a-half good quarters of football is good enough to get them off the bottom.

32. Carolina Panthers (0-4)

Being on the bottom without a first-round pick in the upcoming draft is a bad place to be. But, that’s exactly where the Carolina Panthers find themselves following another loss.

It wasn’t that bad of a showing, either. The Vikings are a significantly more talented team than the Panthers, even though they came in at 0-3, as well. But, even watching the game, it was hard to think of a viable path for this team to win even a few games this year. They’re just simply not good enough. There’s so little explosive, game-changing talent on either side of the ball compared to the other four teams in the bottom five.

Ultimately, this season for the Panthers and first-year coach Frank Reich was always about the development of first-overall pick QB Bryce Young. If you’re a Panthers fan, you’ve got to have faith that he will continue to show improvements and hope the team finds a way to significantly upgrade their talent in the offseason.

5. Miami Dolphins (3-1)

Last Week: 48-20 (L) @ Bills
This Week: vs. Giants

The Miami Dolphins went into Buffalo for the week’s marquee game flying high after a 70-point, 730-yard performance against the Broncos in week 3. But, the Buffalo Bills physically dominated the game in the trenches, blowing out the Dolphins and making a statement.

Still, I’m by no means out on the Miami Dolphins. Since their week 1 loss to the Jets, the Bills have been the best team in the NFL, and the Dolphins offense was still pretty good at times on Sunday. And, while the Buffalo Bills were the better team sunday, total yardage was 414-393, suggesting the game was much closer than the score would lead you to believe.

Overall, this is still one of the league’s best teams and likely its best offense. They will blow out the New York Giants at home this week, and people will be back on the bandwagon again.

4. Kansas City Chiefs

Last Week: 23-20 (W) @ Jets
This Week: @ Vikings

Sunday’s game against the New York Jets was one of the most surreal NFL games anyone can remember. With Taylor Swift and a star-studded group of A-list friends in attendance to watch Taylor’s beau, Travis Kelce, the Chiefs jumped out to a massive 17-0 lead. But, Zach Wilson caught fire for the Jets, and they fought back to tie the game at 20 in the third quarter. Equally strange, Patrick Mahomes looked way out of wack, throwing two bad interceptions.

Ultimately, equilibrium was restored. The Chiefs kicked a field goal early in the 4th quarter, Zach Wilson fumbled a shotgun snap with the Jets driving for the lead, and the Chiefs benefitted from two questionable calls to run out the clock.

Make no mistake, the Chiefs are still a bona fide Super Bowl contender, and the Jets defense is legit. But, the offense doesn’t yet look to be fully clicking. I expect they will have it figured out in short order.

3. Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)

Last Week: 34-28 OT (W) vs. Commanders
This Week: @ Rams

Sunday was not the first time the Philadelphia Eagles’ back seven showed serious vulnerabilities, as Commanders quarterback Sam Howell torched them all day long.

But, Jalen Hurts responded with by far his best performance of the game. Hurts had been struggling in the passing game on obvious passing downs so far this year. That was not the case on Sunday, as he looked every bit the MVP candidate that many expected him to be this year.

Ultimately, the team may have been bailed out by the Commanders not going for 2 after they tied the game with the clock at all zeroes, and a questionable call along the sideline wiped out a drive-extending catch by Terry McLaurin in overtime. But, they keep winning.

2. Buffalo Bills (3-1)

Last Week: 48-20 W vs. Dolphins
This Week vs. Jaguars (London)

It was a tough call between the top two teams on the list, but the Bills slot in just behind the team in front of them due to that week 1 loss at the Jets. But, the Buffalo Bills are red-hot, and showed that with on Sunday agains the Dolphins.

As I talked about with the Dolphins’ ranking, the game probably wasn’t as lopsided as the score. But, the Bills were absolutely the better team on Sunday. And, just as important, the Josh Allen outplayed Tua Tagovailoa. If Tua was the MVP of weeks 1-3, Allen may be the MVP of weeks 2-4. The connection with Stefon Diggs seems to be returning to one of the league’s best, and this remains as very dangerous offense.

What was most impressive about the win was not on the offensive side. Rather, it was the team speed the Bills showed on Sunday on defense. Matt Milano and Terrel Bernard led the way, and they significantly limited the explosive plays the Miami Dolphins have been killing teams with.

1. San Francisco 49ers (4-0)

Last Week: 35-16 (W) vs. Cardinals
This Week: vs. Cowboys

The San Francisco 49ers will face their first big test of the season this weekend against the Dallas Cowboys on Sunday Night Football. But, in the meantime, this team keeps rolling.

Things were actually closer on the scoreboard than many thought for a while on Sunday against the Cardinals. The 49ers pulled away, though, and this remains the most complete team in the league. Even on a day when Arizona significantly limited George Kittle and Deebo Samuel to just one combined catch, the offense was still incredible.

Brock Purdy was a ridiculous 20/21, and Christian McCaffrey added 171 total yards and 4 touchdowns. That’s the beauty of the 49ers offense. You can’t take everything away.