NFL Power Rankings - Week 6: Patriots climb, Ravens tumble
NFL Power Rankings takes stock of all 32 teams throughout the season.
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1. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)
Previous rank: 1
This year's Eagles are certainly more flawed than the team that won Super Bowl LIX, and a Week 5 loss to the Broncos is a wake-up call. But the quality of the four wins prior keeps them in the top spot for now.
2. Detroit Lions (4-1)
Previous rank: 3
The Lions have officially put to rest any concerns about losing both their coordinators in the same offseason. Detroit has the NFL's No. 4-ranked offense by EPA/play and is tied for sixth by the same metric on defense, according to TruMedia.
3. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
Previous rank: 2
There's no need to overreact to Buffalo dropping a tough divisional game against a fast-rising Patriots team. However, the Bills' defense has to improve, and I still think they need a true No. 1 receiver to maximize everything Josh Allen brings to the table.
4. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)
Previous rank: 7
The bye week came at a great time for a beat-up Packers offensive line. That group getting back to full strength would go a long way toward Green Bay reaching its Super Bowl ceiling.
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1)
Previous rank: 8
The Bucs would surely like to make some of these wins a little less stressful, but it's getting to the point where it feels like a forgone conclusion that they'll pull through when the game's on the line.
6. San Francisco 49ers (4-1)
Previous rank: 13
San Francisco's injury issues kept me from putting too much stock into a productive first month. Beating the Rams with Mac Jones drawing in for an injured Brock Purdy gives me no choice but to give in and show the deserved respect.
7. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)
Previous rank: 4
While the Rams should still be considered one of the top dogs in the NFC, falling to the shorthanded 49ers last week is a bitter pill to swallow. Opponents are starting to expose the back seven of this defense.
8. Indianapolis Colts (4-1)
Previous rank: 9
Sunday's beatdown of the Raiders moves Indy to the top of the league in point differential at plus-74. And this isn't just about favorable matchups, either. The Colts are a problem.
9. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)
Previous rank: 12
Now do you believe? A statement win over the Chiefs on Monday night all but confirms that Jacksonville's hot start was no mirage. Liam Coen is leading a top-10 offense by success rate, and the Jaguars' defense is tied for fourth in EPA/play.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)
Previous rank: 6
It would be tough to make the case for the Chiefs to be any lower than this. The three-time defending AFC champs are still far more dangerous than their record suggests. It's not where they want to be after five games, though, and next week's matchup against the Lions could very well drop them to 2-4.
11. Washington Commanders (3-2)
Previous rank: 11
Jayden Daniels is back after a two-game absence, and seventh-round rookie Jacory Croskey-Merritt is suddenly one of the NFL's most exciting running backs. A few more defensive performances like the one against the Chargers, and we can silence any talk of Year 2 regression.
12. Denver Broncos (3-2)
Previous rank: 14
The Broncos didn't exactly start the season hot, but they could be primed to take off after a huge win over the Eagles. Denver's defense neutralized the Philly run game and got to Jalen Hurts for six sacks.
13. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Previous rank: 10
Sunday's loss to the Bucs was a heartbreaker, but a productive day provided even more reason to believe that Sam Darnold is for real. The big-money free agent signing ranks third among all QBs in EPA/dropback.
14. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
Previous rank: 5
Injuries are really starting to pile up for the Chargers after a promising start to the season. A depleted offensive line has allowed a league-worst 23 QB hits over the last three weeks, and star rookie Omarion Hampton will now miss at least the next four games.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
Previous rank: 15
Here's hoping the Steelers spent the bye week focusing on ways to start pushing the ball downfield. The offense has shown flashes, but Aaron Rodgers averaging a league-worst 4.8 air yards per attempt won't cut it.
16. New England Patriots (3-2)
Previous rank: 22
Here comes the Patriots. A statement win over the Bills was a signature moment for both Drake Maye's arrival and the trajectory of this team as a whole. With a favorable upcoming schedule, New England could be a steady riser on the list for the next month.
17. Chicago Bears (2-2)
Previous rank: 17
The Bears' offense is slowly coming together under Ben Johnson, but that will only get them so far if the defense doesn't follow suit. Dennis Allen's unit ranks 30th in pass success rate and 32nd by the same metric in the run game.
18. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
Previous rank: 16
Needing to sweat out a last-second win over the Browns isn't a good sign for the weeks and months ahead. Among other things, the Vikings will need better quarterback play to survive an upcoming stretch against the Eagles, Chargers, and Lions.
19. Houston Texans (2-3)
Previous rank: 19
Are the Texans finally starting to figure things out, or is this two-game win streak the result of a soft stretch of the schedule? Maybe it's both. Houston has a chance to make a run if its offense can sustain what we saw in Sunday's blowout win over the Ravens.
20. Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1)
Previous rank: 20
Are the Cowboys ... fun? The defense isn't going to offer much, but the offense is good enough to give Dallas a chance to win every week. Dak Prescott is playing the best football of his career, and this run game produces no matter how many starters are missing on the offensive line.
21. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
Previous rank: 21
Michael Penix Jr. was excellent in Atlanta's Week 4 win over Washington. The Falcons will emerge as a playoff contender if the 25-year-old quarterback can build on that breakout performance coming out of the bye.
22. Baltimore Ravens (1-4)
Previous rank: 18
The Ravens are in trouble. Lamar Jackson and a few other key players could return soon, but there's already so little room for error. The Rams are up next, and only four teams in NFL history have made the playoffs after starting a season 1-5.
23. Cleveland Browns (1-4)
Previous rank: 25
The Browns are at least an interesting watch. That's more than we can say about the rest of the teams in this tier. A spectacular rookie class provides the foundation for a new era that could take shape faster than many are expecting.
24. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
Previous rank: 23
Arizona's mistake-filled collapse against Tennessee is just about as bad as it gets in this league. While the embarrassing loss doesn't have to define the Cardinals' season, it's not like we've seen anything to make us believe that this team is any good.
25. Carolina Panthers (2-3)
Previous rank: 29
Rico Dowdle was the star in Carolina's comeback win over Miami, ripping off a career-high 206 yards in a spot start. Bryce Young must find some semblance of consistency if this squad is to be competitive. Until then, the roller-coaster ride continues.
26. Miami Dolphins (1-4)
Previous rank: 27
Just when it seemed like the Dolphins' offense had finally started to get things back on track, Miami ended up punting on six of its last seven drives against Carolina. Mike McDaniel's seat is heating up.
27. New Orleans Saints (1-4)
Previous rank: 32
It'll probably be a while before the Saints return to relevance, but Kellen Moore quietly has his new team doing some good things. Notably, Sunday's win over the Giants provided further confirmation that Spencer Rattler can play quarterback in this league.
28. New York Giants (1-4)
Previous rank: 24
The turnover issues we saw against the Saints were an important reminder that Jaxson Dart's development will be a process. And that was arguably the easiest matchup he'll face all year. These next three weeks (versus Eagles, at Broncos, at Eagles) will be a tough test for the rookie quarterback.
29. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
Previous rank: 26
Pete Carroll talked a big game about how the Raiders would compete right away, and they've done anything but. After a 40-6 loss to the Colts, fans are still looking for a reason to believe this new regime is any different than the incompetent ones that came before.
30. Tennessee Titans (1-4)
Previous rank: 31
The Cardinals provided an assist in helping the Titans secure their first win of the year, but it was still nice to see Cam Ward and the offense capitalize on their extra opportunities with a few scoring drives in crunch time. The rookie signal-caller could be a star when he gets the right supporting cast.
31. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
Previous rank: 28
Joe Burrow's absence is highlighting the fact that this is one of the worst-constructed rosters in football. Zac Taylor's staff doesn't do much to compensate, either. Are we sure the Bengals will win another game this season?
32. New York Jets (0-5)
Previous rank: 30
The Jets are the NFL's last remaining winless team. While the offense has produced at least a few encouraging moments, the defense is another story. A talented unit giving up a league-worst 24 plays of 20-plus yards isn't the best look for Aaron Glenn and this new coaching staff.
Dan Wilkins is theScore's senior NFL writer.