PackFan’s NFL Power Rankings 2018: Week 6

PackFan2005 At this point in the season, we can root out the contenders and pretenders, based on how a teams playing currently. I can safely say some team’s seasons are practically over. How do the contenders and pretenders stack up? Let’s get to these power rankings.

#1. Los Angeles Rams (5-0)
Close game in Seattle, but because they went for it on 4th down, they’re the 5-0 team we see today. They played a solid game, with yet another 30+ point game. They look like a true super bowl bound team.

#2. Kansas City Chiefs (5-0) +1 ⬆️
And with their dominant win over the Jaguars, the Chiefs officially rise as the AFC’s team to beat. I never thought I would say that the defense performed better than the offense in Week 5. Now, along with the Rams, they remain undefeated.

#3. New Orleans Saints (4-1) +1 ⬆️
New Orleans certainly felt Mark Ingram’s presence in the backfield, as he was key in a rout of the Redskins on Monday Night Football. All their woes we saw in week 1 are nearly gone now.

#4. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) -2 ⬇️
Their offense is so bad, it made the Chiefs last ranked defense look good. Yes, Blake Bortles threw 3 interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown. They were beaten to a pulp by KC. Still, their defense gave Patrick Mahomes a hard time, as it wasn’t a great game for the young quarterback.

#5. Chicago Bears (3-1)
They stay in place as they come rested off of a bye week. This team looks like an NFC threat, and maybe even one of the Rams’ biggest challengers.

#6. New England Patriots (3-2) +2 ⬆️
Their loss to the Lions is looking more and more like a fluke as they continue to dominate like they always have. While effective, Tom Brady doesn’t have the same touch he had a few seasons ago. Perhaps retirement is looming.

#7. Carolina Panthers (3-1) +2 ⬆️
Quite a game against the Giants, especially with all those takeaways and that 63 yarder from Graham Gano to win the game. I may have been wrong about this team. My apologies to the Panthers.

#8. Minnesota Vikings (2-2-1) +2 ⬆️
They finally got back on track against the struggling Eagles, and looked good. Still, the NFC is fiercely competitive, and they need to stay consistently good to make the playoffs.

#9. Cincinnati Bengals (4-1) +2 ⬆️
It has been increasingly apparent over the last few weeks that the Bengals are shaping up to be a playoff team, with a dynamic offense led by Andy Dalton and A.J. Green, and one of the AFC’s best defenses. If they keep this up, they could find themselves back in the postseason (and Marvin Lewis may still stay with the team).

#10. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) -4 ⬇️
Like many have said, the Eagles are stuck in a Super Bowl hangover, and no one is looking like their 2017 selves. Carson Wentz has struggled a bit, the running game has gotten nowhere (and Jay Ajayi tore his ACL to make things worse), the receivers aren’t benefiting off of Wentz’s issues, and the defense as a whole is a shell of its former self. With a losing record and near the bottom of the NFC, things aren’t looking good for them.

#11. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) +3 ⬆️
Philip Rivers and the offense ripped apart Oakland on Sunday, in a trouncing of their division rival. While the defense was quite solid against the Raiders offense, they’re missing a lot of key players, most notably Joey Bosa.

#12. Green Bay Packers (2-2-1) -5 ⬇️
This isn’t a playoff team. I’ll say it here. They’ve struggled to get going early on offense, their defense can’t play for four quarters, and even their kicker can’t seem to get himself together. They need to reform. Fortunately, they have a Monday game against the 49ers for week 6, meaning an extra day of rest and preparation. Mike McCarthy should be concerned. His job is on the line.

#13. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2-1) +3 ⬆️
They just keep bouncing back at points where people lose faith in them, making me question if they’re good or bad. James Conner once again had quite a showing, proving Le’Veon Bell may not really be needed. The defense still needs lots of work, and now they’re still fighting with the Browns to stay afloat in the division.

#14. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) -1 ⬇️
Costly overtime loss to Cleveland, but hey, it wasn’t a blowout loss, and they looked like a decent team. Still, they need to catch up to the Bengals.

#15. Tennessee Titans (3-2)
They stay put because it was only a 1 point loss to Buffalo. I don’t think they should be any lower or higher.

#16. Atlanta Falcons (1-4) -4 ⬇️
Sitting in last place in the NFC South at 1-4, it feels right to say that Atlanta’s season is pretty much over. Pending a miracle, I don’t see the Falcons digging themselves out of the hole they dug early on.

#17. Miami Dolphins (3-2) +1 ⬆️
Despite a pretty bad loss to the Bengals, they move up a spot, mostly because no other team deserved to, and Miami had a good lead against Cincinnati before halftime.

#18. Washington Redskins (2-2) -1 ⬇️
Since they were playing the Saints, I made an exception and moved them down only one spot. I’m quite eager to see what this team has in store.

#19. Seattle Seahawks (2-3) +2 ⬆️
Dang, they fought hard against the Rams, but came up two points short in the end. Their non-existent run game finally got off the ground in week 5, but the defense has yet to do anything worthwhile.

#20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2)
It’s anyone’a guess what this team does after their bye week. Perhaps they can pull off an upset again.

#21. Cleveland Browns (2-2-1) +3 ⬆️
The Browns haven’t won multiple games since the 2015 season, in which they went
3-13. Fortunately for them, they’ve looked like a decent team this season, though have made plenty classic Browns mistakes (another missed field goal anyone?). Maybe they won’t completely suck after all this season. They haven’t so far. Anything can happen.

#22. Denver Broncos (2-3) -3 ⬇️
It’s eerily similar to their 2017 season so far, in which they started 3-1, and ended 5-11. Could that be the case here? They’ve lost three straight games, the most recent being an embarrassing one to the Jets, in which they allowed Isaiah Crowell of all backs to rush for over 200 yards. What will happen to them in the coming weeks?

#23. Houston Texans (2-3) +3 ⬆️
A thrilling Sunday Night matchup in Texas led to the Texans’ second win of the season. Many of their players showed flashes. DeShaun Watson played well, but took a beating, and Keke Coutee and DeAndre Hopkins looked like very reliable targets. Houston’s season is far from lost.

#24. Detroit Lions (2-3) +3 ⬆️
Like Houston, not all is lost for the Lions, as they come off of a great win over the Packers. Kenny Golladay has been quite a receiver since his rookie season, and had a field day during week 5. Detroit now heads into the bye week in the midst of the NFC North race.

#25. Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
Close loss to the Texans, but not a terrible game. On another note, they need a true #1 receiver. They can’t keep relying on Ezekiel Elliot to win them games.

#26. New York Jets (2-3) +4 ⬆️
No one expected them to have that big of a game against Denver, but Sam Darnold, Robby Anderson, and Isaiah Crowell terrorized Denver’s defense. That’s not to say this isn’t a fluke game like week 1 seemed to be, but maybe we’ll see a better Jets team in the coming weeks.

#27. Indianapolis Colts (1-4) -4 ⬇️
All buzz after their week 2 win is gone with yet another loss. However, I’ve been surprised with their good defense, especially with rookie Darius Leonard leading the NFL in tackles currently. But defense simply can’t win teams games all the time.

#28. New York Giants (1-4)
Wild, but surprisingly decent game from New York, that had Odell Beckham Jr of all people throw a touchdown to Saquon Barkley. He looks like a better passer than Eli Manning currently.

#29. San Francisco 49ers (1-4) -7 ⬇️
Losing to the worst team in football is absolutely embarrassing, proving that San Fran is nothing without Jimmy Garappolo leading them. I finally had to drop them. It was inevitable.

#30. Buffalo Bills (2-3) +1 ⬆️
Buffalo is the definition of an up and down team. From a dominant win over the Vikings, a shutout loss to the Packers, and now, a field goal win over the Titans. What is up with the Bills?

#31. Oakland Raiders (1-4) -2 ⬇️
Jon Gruden has a good chance of being fired at the end of the season, or will he be similar to Hue Jackson? Still, Oakland is absolute garbage currently, letting the Chargers offense stomp them in Week 5. Not even Khalil Mack could’ve helped this mess.

#32. Arizona Cardinals (1-4)
Despite winning, they remain dead last, because the win was against the 49ers. Arizona is an incomplete team.

Comments

The only one that I think is too high is Atlanta just because that defense is so hurt all around they have given up 35+ the last three weeks. Deion Jones, Keanu Neal, and Ricardo Allen all went on the shelf are key pieces to that teams success last season that's impossible for your offense to somehow win games like that.

Also for the Jags comment it was actually 4 interceptions he threw to that Chiefs defense. - visitor