Power Rankings
1. Cleveland Browns (5-0) (LW:1): Kings of the Gridiron. Cleveland leads the league in points per game on offense and leads the league points per game on defense. The Browns were faced with some rumored competition to start the season, but they’ve made mincemeat out of their divisional opponents so far this season and appear to be sailing smoothly into a divisional title once again.
2. Denver Broncos (5-0) (LW:2): Denver moves to 5-0 after a nice win over the Bengals. Although he had 3 interceptions on the day, Trey Lance threw for 455 yards and 5 touchdowns, while completing over 61% of his passes. Jerry Jeudy had an absolutely unfathomable day, hauling in 12 catches for 251 (not a typo) yards and a touchdown. Rookie TE Mason Taylor also chipped in 135 yards and three touchdowns on 5 catches. This win puts the Broncos in sole possession of first place in a tightly contested AFC West. The one downside of this performance was the defense allowing 506 total yards, something they’ll have to clean up if they want to maintain their divisional lead. They travel to Dallas next week to play the Cowboys.
3. New England Patriots (4-1) (LW:4): New England has one of the most balanced offensive attacks in the league, they have 6 receivers amassing at least 100 yards through the air and 4 of them have double digit catches. They don’t pass the ball a ton, but Riley Leonard has been surgical and precise when making his reads this season. He’s averaging 7.9 yards per passing attempt, so it’s clear that Leonard trusts his receivers to get up the field after the catch. They host the Dolphins next week and hope that their defense can force another multi-interception turnover fest similar to their first game with the Dolphins this season.
4. Los Angeles Chargers (4-1) (LW:6): In my personal game of the week, the Los Angeles Chargers were able to get the victory over their division rival Kansas City Chiefs. We were robbed of this game two weeks ago and it lived up to the hype, as a late-game Chargers interception sealed the victory. They have to be happy with how superstar quarterback Justin Herbert was outstanding, throwing for 370 yards and 5 touchdowns with 0 interceptions on the day, including a beautiful throw right before the half. The defense also intercepted Patrick Mahomes twice. Coach Codes and the Chargers have plenty of momentum as they had into Indianapolis for week 6 and a showdown against CB and the Colts.
5. Minnesota Vikings (4-1) (LW:11): The Minnesota Vikings had a chance this week to take control of the NFC North, and boy did they capitalize on it. A 55-32 victory over the two-time division winner and perennial contender Hypemike is one of the more impressive victories we’ll see early in this season. 3rd string quarterback Jaren Hall ended up leading the Vikings to victory after a Joe Milton injury saw him leave the game early. Hal finished with 245 passing yards and 3 touchdowns against a stingy Green Bay pass defense. Second-year back Bucky Irving also had another big day, rushing 20 times for 167 yards and two touchdowns while Justin Jefferson (5/110) also chipped in. The Vikings host the Bengals next week.
6. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1) (LW:3): The Chiefs suffered an unfortunate loss to a divisional foe this week. Outside of two interceptions, Patrick Mahomes had his usual efficient day, completing over 74% of his passes for 308 yards and two touchdowns. Rookie TE Jermaine Terry II got it going through the air as he hauled in 7 catches for 111 yards. The Chiefs normally potent rushing attack only accounted for 79 yards on the day, something we aren’t used to seeing. The defense was also unable to stop Justin Herbert, but managed to hold the Chargers to 107 yards rushing. I fully expect Coach Matigy to review the tape and be ready for next week’s game in what should be a great one as they visit Jacksonville to take on the Jaguars.
7. Houston Texans (4-1) (LW:13): Houston started the season very strong last season finding themselves with a 4-1 record, similar to this season, but the Texans need to avoid the disaster that followed their bye week in week 9 when they went 3-5 to end the season. Cj Stroud threw five touchdowns against the porous Indy defense and completed 78% of his passes. Houston is already out to a 3-0 start against their division. I think this is a rebound season for Kingke.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (3-2) (LW:14): Knocking off the current super bowl champions is a feat not to go unnoticed. Jacksonville has been turning heads this season under new management. Holding the Rams to a lone touchdown in the red zone is impressive and the Jacksonville defense had Tyree Jackson running for his life after sacking him 7 times. Who is Ross Blacklock? Los Angeles knows his name. He led the charge this week sacking Jackson 3.5 times. This was just his second game this season recording any statistical data and he definitely made it count this week.
9. Los Angeles Rams (2-3) (LW:5): Not many times we see a 2-3 team still sitting inside the top 10 of the power rankings, but given the circumstances, we still have faith that the Rams are indeed a top 10 team. They will enter week 6 with a big game against the Cleveland Browns as heavy underdogs. Cook will have his work cut out for him to avoid a 2-4 start to the season. I just need to see the data on how many teams turned around a 2-4 start. But if we’ve learned one thing this cycle, never count Cook out.
10. Baltimore Ravens (3-2) (LW:7): Lamar Jackson is a two-time MVP in real life, but his PML counterpart just can’t quite seem to put together a consecutive series of interception-less games. In their two losses this season, Jackson has thrown 8 interceptions (4 in each game) and his other 4 interception game against Chicago where Baltimore narrowly won that game. Lamar has thrown at least 1 interception in all five games this season and while the Ravens are making strides as a team, Lamar is making the same mistakes as he has all cycle long. I fully believe that Arod can be a force with this team when he plays a clean game without forcing the ball into double coverage. But for now, the Ravens have three wins, let’s keep the positivity alive.
11. Atlanta Falcons (3-2) (LW:8): The Falcons enter the bye week coming off Darts worst game as a pro that saw him throw 4 interceptions in their week 5 loss at home to the Bills. I know this one hurt Nef going into the bye because 4-1 just looks a lot sexier than 3-2. Thats besides that fact that if we’re supposed to believe in Nef and all his self hype, these are the games he takes care of business.
12. New Orleans Saints (3-2) (LW:9): Did the clock suddenly stop ticking for Jc and the Saints? Is his time indeed up? He doesn’t have the same fight to him we’ve seen the prior two seasons as he is currently sitting at 3-2, and narrowly being 2-3 after a near scare vs the 49ers. Maybe we can chalk it up to the new concepts implemented into the offense tailored to Maalik Murphy? The season is early and I’m sure JC will figure things out sooner than later. They have the Panthers before a potential 1st place showdown against the Falcons.
13. Green Bay Packers (3-2) (LW:10): The Packers drop a tough game at home to their divisional foe, the Minnesota Vikings. Jordan Love had his second consecutive multi-interception game, something we aren’t used to seeing from Coach Hypemike during his tenure as Packers head coach. He was also sacked 6 times on the day. On a more positive note, he threw for 483 yards and two touchdowns and completed over 74% of his passes. TE Luke Musgrave (5/144) and Christian Watson (5/106/1) also chipped in for good days through the air. Perhaps the most concerning thing about this Packers loss was their ability to get anything going on the ground. Being held to only 48 rushing yards on the day is not Packers’ football, and Hype will have to right the ship as the Packers travel to Detroit with the intention of halting this two-game skid.
14. Detroit Lions (3-2) (LW:12): The Lions fell to the Bears in week 5. It seems that right when they’re about to hit their stride they take a step back, and for what it’s worth the Bears have generally had their number for most of this cycle. The defense can’t be happy with the 226 rushing yards they gave up on the day, while the offense will be looking to cut down on the turnovers (a Gibbs fumble and two interceptions from Goff). A HUGE matchup with the Packers awaits next week and it’ll be interesting to see which Lions team shows up to the contest.
15. Seattle Seahawks (3-2) (LW:18): 🎶 Moving on up… here comes Z and the Seahawks. After starting the season 0-2, they’ve now won 3 straight and look every bit like a team ready to contend for the NFC crown. After taking down the Saints this past week, Z’s name certainly belongs back in the conversation of NFC contenders. With the Cardinals and Rams struggling early, this may be the moment the Seahawks needed.
16. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2) (LW:19): Pittsburgh beat the breaks off of the Arizona Cardinals this week, but the game disconnected, and the stat line was thrown out of the window. Zach Wilson has been a man possessed and Curt has vowed that he has turned over a new leaf and he is proving it. Zach Wilson would have had a 15 touchdown to 3 interception ratio in his past three games if the game would have counted this week. The Steelers head into their bye week next week on a three game winning streak and ready to prove that they have what it takes to win in the AFC.
17. Carolina Panthers (2-3) (LW:15): They’re sitting a game behind 1st place, even after losing their last 3. I wasn’t sold early, and I’m not sold now that the Panthers will be any treat to the NFC South. The roster just isn’t there yet, and they lack any type identity that makes me want to believe in them. Could they be opportunist if the Saints and Falcons drop a few, sure. But I think they’re a few big roster moves away from entering any type of playoff conversation.
18. New York Jets (2-3) (LW:16): Someone needs to fire the training staff in New York. Injuries are a part of the game, but it seems like the Jets have had the brunt of it surpassing the majority of the teams in the league. Deshaun Watson will lead the Jets next week into the battle for New York when the Jets take on the Giants. Despite a banged up offense, Deshaun Watson has the tools to lead the team to victory, especially since the Giants are on a multi-game losing streak.
19. Philadelphia Eagles (2-3) (LW: 17): The Eagles drop a tough game to the Dolphins at home. After going into halftime with a 24-3 lead, they were outscored 31-9 the rest of the way, falling to the Dolphins 34-33. You have to wonder what could’ve been had the Eagles just decided to kick the extra point late in the game rather than going for the fake field goal, where they were stopped at the 1 yard line. Desmond Ridder had a rough day at the office, throwing 3 interceptions and completing only 14 of his 26 pass attempts. Rookie running back Jaydn Ott was also only able to pick up 61 yards on the ground. The Eagles will look to bounce back next week as they travel to Seattle to take on the Seahawks.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) (LW:20): Drake Maye, Quinn Ewers, and Joe Burrow.. What do they all have in common? They all lead the league in interceptions with 17 so far this season. Burrow is averaging over 3 interceptions per game and is assured to lose his abilities by the time the season ends, but there’s still time to right their ship in Cincinnati. Run the ball. Make it easier for Joe Burrow. The Bengals rushed the ball 12 times for 37 yards this week and they rank 32nd in rushing offense. Opponents know what’s coming and it’s putting too much pressure on Joe Burrow. Make the switch, Cincinnati. You have a 93 speed rookie superstar halfback, feed him the ball and let him loose. When he is getting carries, rookie Quinshon Judkins is averaging 5 yards per carry, like this is a no brainer.
21. Miami Dolphins (2-3) (LW:21):Miami has one of the league’s top rushing attacks and ut’s helping their rookie quarterback settle into his new role. A one point victory over the Eagles this week was due to Damien Martinez, who hasn’t played since week 1, but he had over 5 yards per carry, rushing 25 times for 134 yards. The 20 year old fifth round pick was the sole rusher in the game, but the Dolphins have three halfbacks with over 30 carries this season and one hundred yards on the ground. Miami has another showdown with the patriots next week and their 3rd ranked rushing offense should fare well against New England’s 16th ranked rushing defense.
22. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3) (LW:23):Can the Bucs somehow find a way to rip off their next three games (SF, NYJ, PHO)? If the answer is yes, then maybe, just maybe we can finally see Cammy making a wildcard push this season. Milroe has been playing better of late, and that alone is all cause for optimism in Tampa. Big stretch coming up!
23. Chicago Bears (2-3) (LW: 24): The Bears get back on track with a win over their division rival Detroit Lions. While he didn’t have prolific numbers through the air, Justin Fields was efficient, completing 13 of his 16 passes for 2 touchdowns. Breece Hall also had another big day on the ground, carrying the ball 20 times for 152 yards. The Bears defense also sacked Jared Goff twice on the day and forced two interceptions as well. They get to kick their feet up and maybe take a brief trip out of the country during their bye week before hosting Coach Curt and the Pittsburgh Steelers in week 7.
24. Indianapolis Colts (2-3) (LW:26): Anthony Richardson, my oh my, where have you been? 5 touchdowns this week for the dynamic signal caller. He completed 85% of his passes and rushed for 22 yards. Indy needs this kind of productivity out of Richardson if they want to be successful in the league. Jonathan Taylor has only rushed for over 100 yards once this season and he only has 1 touchdown. If you want to know why the Colts are losing some of their close games, it’s because Taylor isn’t getting the ball as much as he should.
25. Dallas Cowboys (2-3) (LW:27): The Cowboys win the second iteration of the Recreation Sensation Bowl against Coach Burn and the Giants. Dak Prescott had an okay day through the air (he was gifted two touchdowns, so we will subtract that from his final stats), throwing 2 touchdowns and 2 interceptions. Running back Dameon Pierce had a hard time getting it going on the ground, only rushing for 58 yards on 17 carries. It will be interesting to see what happens with this Cowboys team as the ending of their game was very controversial. We’ll see if they can continue their win streak next week as they host the Denver Broncos.
26. San Francisco 49ers (2-3) (LW:28): If there was any time this cycle to sneak up, it would be now. The Rams and Cardinals are not where many projected them to be early thus season and the 49ers are missing the opportunity to capitalize on that. Can Purdy keep the team afloat before #2 overall pick Shedeur Sanders returns? That is the million dollar question right now. The odds have to be siding with ‘no’ ad he failed to keep them afloat for 2 seasons now
27. Tennessee Titans (1-4) (LW:22): The Titans are on a four game losing streak and the sun isn’t shining in Tennessee, in fact, it’s 24 hours of darkness and gloom. The defense was shredded this week and allowed CJ Stroud to lit them up for five touchdowns. The Titans have a rotation of running backs between Nick Singleton and Blake Corum, Singleton won in training camp, but he is the slower back of the two. Despite the losses piling up, both backs are averaging 6 yards per carry and Will Levis has a 13 touchdowns to 9 interceptions ratio. So, despite the record, the Titans are playing some good football, they just can’t quite piece it together. However, the face off against the Raiders next week and maybe taking on another struggling team will brighten the path for the former division winners.
28. New York Giants (1-4) (LW:25): The Giants fall in the second iteration of the Recreate Bowl against the Cowboys. While the offense was able to move the football, three Quinn Ewers interceptions on the day is not the formula for Giants success. They were in a hole to begin with, having to spot the Cowboys a 14-point lead to begin the game. However, they were able to weather the storm and had the game come down to a crucial 4th and 11 that is sure to cause some commotion within the commissioner’s chat. The Giants sit at 1-4 and have a big matchup with the Jets next week that could decide if their season is already over.
29. Arizona Cardinals (1-4) (LW:29): Are Que and the Cardinals the most disappointing team in the season so far? They have to be up there. They were supposed to take a leap this year, but have only looked the worst they have all cycle. I am not sure what is going on in Arizona, but it definitely isn’t what we expected now that the rebuild seemed to be in full motion and turning that proverbial corner. They’ve taken losses to the Panthers, Colts, and Steelers. Their only win came off a fair sim. What’s going on in Arizona?
30. Buffalo Bills (1-4) (LW:30): We have life in Buffalo. Josh Allen threw for 400 yards, 3 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and completed 70% of his passes. He threw for a 99 yard touchdown to KJ Hamler and the Bills needed this win more than the Falcons did. Buffalo is starting out in a position that most can’t overcome, but if Josh Allen can play at this level week over week, they can compete with any team in the league. Kayvon Thibodeaux was a non-factor in this game and Jalin Hyatt recorded 2 catches for 44 yards. Not much production so far out of the newest Buffalo Bills, but there’s still a lot of season left to determine who won the trade between both New York teams.
31. Las Vegas Raiders (0-5) (LW:31): The Raiders fall again, this time to the Indianapolis Colts. After starting off with a 14-0 lead, they were outscored 42-14 the rest of the way. Quarterback Jayden Daniels continues to struggle, and although he only threw one interception this game, his propensity to miss critical throws has plagued the Raiders since last season. The defense has been overly aggressive, and allowed Anthony Richardson to throw for 269 yards and 5 touchdowns on the day while only being sacked twice. With Arch Manning in this upcoming draft class, and Mike being a diehard Longhorn, it’ll be interesting to see what the Raiders do at the quarterback position in the offseason. They travel to Tennessee to get held by the Titans next week.
32. Washington Commanders (0-5) (LW:32): Another week, another instance in which the Commanders give up over 50 points, this time to the struggling 49ers. Drake Maye was once again abysmal, completing only 14 of his 26 passes for 1 touchdown and 4 interceptions. The defense also allowed two different 49ers receivers to go over 130 yards and were dissected all day by quarterback J.J. McCarthy. The Commanders are now giving up 54 ppg (32nd), 591 (!!!!) yards per game (32nd), 400 passing yards (32nd) per game and 190 rushing yards per game (30th) on the year. They’ll need to use the bye week to do some defensive soul-searching as the next time we will see them will be in week 7 on Thursday Night Football against the Cowboys.
