Post-Week 6 Power Rankings

Cover photo taken from The Kansas City Star.

1 – Eagles (6-0)

The Eagles aren’t just the #1 team because of the 0 in the loss column. They are simply the best team in the NFL. They have been the most balanced, the most dominant, and the most consistent. I know everybody is in a rush to crown the Bills as the best team in the league, and I wouldn’t say that’s without merit. But we have to respect what Philadelphia is doing. They moved the ball with ease on one of the NFL’s best defenses, and their own defense continues to wreak some havoc of their own. The Eagles have an incredible +12 turnover differential through six weeks with a staggering 14 takeaways to just 2 turnovers. They take the ball and shove it down your throat. This is the best team in the NFL, and considering their schedule, it’s hard to see them being knocked off this pedestal.

2 – Bills (5-1) 1

For the second consecutive year, the Bills walked into Arrowhead and beat the Chiefs thanks to Josh Allen’s excellence and their defense stepping up and limiting Patrick Mahomes. They forced him into some poor interceptions to help seal the deal, and Von Miller’s presence was felt more than anyone else on the field, as is seemingly always the case. He was the missing piece in Buffalo, and they look pretty unstoppable on both sides of the ball with him in the picture. The offense maybe didn’t put up as many points as they would have liked to, but they did what they had to do. They got their numbers in, and their two spectacular touchdown drives at the end of each half proved to be the difference. This team has now separated themselves from Kansas City (for the time being), and are deserving of a top 2 spot.

3 – Chiefs (4-2) 1

The Chiefs lost another regular season game to the Bills at home. They better hope this one doesn’t send them spiraling out of control like last year’s did. Even in the loss, the Chiefs showed me plenty to like, especially defensively. They held their own against Josh Allen for the most part, generating a solid pass rush and getting the best play they’ve gotten all season from their corners. It was just a couple of drives that proved to be the difference. I wasn’t a fan of Patrick Mahomes’ two uncharacteristically awful interceptions, the first of which came in the endzone when the Chiefs could’ve added 3 points on the board, and the second of which losing them the game. KC also missed a FG, so considering they took 6 points off the board on their own accord, they really lost to themselves. I do believe they were the inferior team on Sunday, but this team is still going to be fine. They just have an uphill climb to the 1 seed and homefield advantage now.

4 – Vikings (5-1) 5

The Vikings are the massive beneficiary of the rest of the NFL falling apart. In the midst of all the chaos, they are tied for the 2nd best record in the league, with their lone loss being to the only unbeaten team in football. They have yet to be convincing in a win since Week 1, but it virtually does not matter. All that matters is the fact that they keep on accumulating wins. The defense is playing well enough, and the offense continues to do big things. It’s a winning formula in a bad division with a schedule that’s been pretty easy thus far. It’s about to ramp up, so we’ll see how long these winning ways continue.

5 – Chargers (4-2) 2

From here on out, this list is an absolute mess. I have no idea what to make of anyone, so please read with discretion. I don’t even think the Chargers are close to deserving to be this high. I just don’t know what else to do with them. They looked awful offensively on Monday night, but their defense played extremely well. But, they were playing the Broncos. We just saw this team get gashed by the likes of Cleveland and Houston. They’re still getting healthy, but it’ll be a while before many key pieces return. I don’t foresee them staying up here for very long.

6 – 49ers (3-3)

Despite Sunday’s loss, which was pretty poor, and their .500 record, I still feel good about the 49ers. That game had weird things written all over it, and the Falcons played their best game of the season. It does not help that San Francisco’s defensive players are dropping like flies. It’s a unit that’s at its thinnest, and even DC DeMeco Ryans doesn’t know what to do. As long as they get their guys back, they’ll be fine. The concerns still lie with the offense, which was very on and off on Sunday. Their consistency will need to be much better if this team wants to win more games.

7 – Cowboys (4-2) 1

All things considered, Sunday night could have gone worse for the Cowboys. They were getting pummeled in the first half, but used a solid second half on both sides of the ball to make it slightly interesting. If Dak Prescott was playing, maybe the outcome would have been different. The good news for Dallas is that Dak is coming back this week, which is part of the reason I bumped them up. I still trust their defense more than most in the league, and their offense is about to get a massive boost now that they’ll actually be able to throw the ball. I think the Cowboys are primed to be one of the best teams in the NFL for the rest of the way, and it starts with getting their franchise QB back under center.

8 – Giants (5-1) 7

They just keep on winning. I still can’t wrap my head around it, but the Giants are for real. I never could have seen it coming, and I’m done disrespecting it. You might say that they’re still too low here, but this feels right for New York. They utilized yet another late comeback to topple the Ravens on Sunday on the backs of their defense creating more turnovers and making more plays. They have been the heart and soul of this team, and they are the reason they’re winning all of these games. The run game led by Saquon Barkley has been good enough to carry the load offensively. It’s not a conventional formula for wins, but it’s working, and the schedule is somehow only getting easier. The Giants might keep these winnings ways up for a while longer.

9 – Ravens (3-3) 5

The Ravens have a problem. All three of their losses have come after holding double digit leads in the second half, with two of them being in the fourth quarter. They are losing to themselves, giving games away thanks to some sort of internal problem with choking and turnovers in the clutch. This team is way too good to keep losing games like this, and while I gave them the benefit of the doubt before, I can’t anymore. It’s an extremely concerning pattern that needs to change as soon as possible.

10 – Bengals (3-3) 2

Joe Burrow’s return to Louisiana went about as well as you could have hoped. He had the best QB game of the week with over 300 yards passing and 4 total TDs, and his LSU buddy Ja’Marr Chase had his best game of the year with a 7/132/2 statline. The defense didn’t play up to snuff, but the offense looked like their old selves, and it was because of the revival of that connection. If Chase can get this involved and dominate like this, it adds that extra gear to the Bengals that we saw a year ago. We’ll see if they can keep that up against better defenses now that they’ve found their stride.

11 – Titans (3-2) 3

The Titans won their bye week simply because the rest of the league is falling apart around them. It helps that they have played very well going into it. I’m interested to see how they come out of their bye. I think they can separate themselves in the putrid AFC South, but they have to prove it to me.

12 – Jets (4-2) 12

New York, New York. The Jets are seemingly drinking whatever it is the Giants are, and it has led to three consecutive wins and their best record through six games in seven years. They walked into Lambeau and thoroughly beat down the Packers thanks to their defense continuing to dominate the trenches, the continued emergence of rookies like Sauce Gardner and Breece Hall, and a great special teams performance. This team just plays with a level of juice and toughness that’s honestly inspiring, even if it seemingly makes no sense. It’s not flashy. It’s borderline ugly. But it’s winning football. The Jets are playing winning football.

13 – Packers (3-3) 3

When you think it can’t get worse in Green Bay, it gets much, much worse. All this team did on Sunday is play their worst game of the year at home as a touchdown favorite against a team that we all thought was a bad joke. Turns out the Packers offense is the punchline of their own bad joke. Aaron Rodgers has lost his touch on the deep ball, they refuse to get Aaron Jones involved, they get damn near negligible production from their WRs, and the offensive line has fallen off a cliff. The other side of the ball isn’t inspiring any confidence either, as the secondary has been awful despite the dominance of the front seven. This team is just falling apart thanks to their awful play, and I don’t know if they have it in them to turn it around. You’d think that they can only go up from here, but I just don’t know.

14 – Buccaneers (3-3) 9

Speaking of uninspiring teams that are falling apart at the seams, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers are in the midst of perhaps the biggest implosion of the season thus far. Their problems are quite similar to Green Bay’s. Their offense is a complete joke, boasting the NFL’s worst (!) rushing attack with a disgusting 67.5 yards/game thanks to an offensive line comprised of 5 drunk Floridians taken off the street. Their passing game might as well be nonexistent as well, even with their WRs coming back from injury. Tom Brady is getting no favors from anyone, but he hasn’t been great either, throwing for a measly 8 touchdowns in 6 games. The defense has previously been the saving grace of the team, but they couldn’t stop Mitch Trubisky and Kenny Pickett on Sunday. Like I said, it’s a bad joke. Still, everyone is laughing.

15 – Dolphins (3-3) 4

Again, I really don’t want to fault the Dolphins for continuing to fall apart at QB. Their 3rd stringer Skylar Thompson got hurt on Sunday after doing a whole lot of nothing through the air, so they had to revert back to an injured Teddy Bridgewater, who also did a whole lot of nothing. But that’s not the only problem with this offense. The run game is nonexistent to the tune of just 70.5 yards/game, which is the second worst in the league. The WRs are getting their numbers, but it’s because they can’t do anything else offensively. The bigger concern is their defense continuing to play worse and worse with every passing game. They continue to get gashed both on the ground and through the air, despite their stacked personnel. This team just has a lot to fix and tighten up, which may happen as they get healthier.

16 – Rams (3-3)

Does this team move you? Do they move anyone? Be honest with yourselves. They used another boring, unconvincing performance against the worst team in the league at home to get back to .500. And no one cares. No one should! This team is not good. They can force feed Cooper Kupp and ride that to victory, and it does nothing for me. The offensive line is only getting thinner and worse, Matt Stafford is still a turnover machine, they are actively shopping their best RB in Cam Akers, they have no real options at WR other than Kupp, and the defense is honestly not playing great. If there’s any team that deserves to be permanently placed in the 16th spot, it’s the Rams.

17 – Falcons (3-3) 5

Atlanta keeps on playing really nice football, and people are finally starting to take notice. Arthur Smith’s offense keeps on humming despite the lack of star power, moving the ball up and down the field on the NFL’s best defense on Sunday. Marcus Mariota played his best game of the year, and Kyle Pitts finally scored his first touchdown in North America. The defense has also sharpened up, especially up front, and it has helped tremendously. This is a very solid team that’s playing much better than I thought they could, and it’s thanks to great coaching.

18 – Patriots (3-3) 1

Did the Patriots upgrade at QB with Bailey Zappe? You be the judge. Zappe is now 2-0 as a starter with two blowout victories over two decent teams. The defense is also back to their old ways, creating turnovers and making big plays. Now, New England is at .500 and back in the thick of the AFC Wild Card race. Mac Jones should not be rushed back at all if Zappe can continue playing this well, similar to the Cooper Rush-Dak Prescott situation. Until the wheels fall off the train, keep the rookie in the lineup. He is playing great and deserves his shot.

19 – Seahawks (3-3) 4

The Seahawks are fairly easy to assess at the moment. For one, they are a much better roster than we thought that’s capable of winning any game they play. Geno Smith is a very capable QB who is having perhaps the best year of his life. DK Metcalf might be a top 10 WR in the league. The defense is much better than anticipated. And so much of this team’s success is coming from their tremendous rookie class. Sunday’s game was a standout one for DBs Coby Bryant and Tariq Woolen as well as RB Kenneth Walker in his first start of the year. This is just a solid team that will continue to win games. It’s that simple.

20 – Colts (3-2-1) 6

Are the Colts back? It may be too soon to tell, but back to back tough wins pulled out late has this team above .500 and in first place. They haven’t exactly looked impressive or anything, but wins are wins. The offense actually looked serviceable thanks to the emergence of rookie RB Deon Jackson and fellow rookie WR Alec Pierce. The defense played pretty poorly, but it didn’t matter in the long run. This team is still just weird and tough to assess. This week’s contest against the Titans in the battle for the top spot in the division will tell us where this team actually stands.

21 – Browns (2-4) 8

In a league full of bad jokes, the Browns might be the worst one. Like so many other teams with seemingly good rosters, this team is falling apart and looking like absolute garbage. How do you get thrashed by over 20 points at home to a backup QB? How does your own backup QB look like an XFL QB with a great surrounding cast? How does your incredible RB tandem combine to do absolutely nothing for sixty minutes? The answer to all those questions is simply the fact that this is Cleveland. I’d be lying if I said they didn’t deserve this.

22 – Cardinals (2-4) 5

I picked the Cardinals to lose on Sunday, but I didn’t foresee them completely disappearing on offense and not even scoring a touchdown. Kyler Murray didn’t play horribly, but they just could not put points on the board to save their lives. They were a turnover machine, and it lost them the game. It didn’t help that they’re still very thin at RB and WR Hollywood Brown suffered what is likely a season-ending foot injury. However, it does help that Arizona is finally getting DeAndre Hopkins back from suspension this week, which will fill in that hole and provide a boost to the passing game.

23 – Raiders (1-4) 2

The Raiders mercifully had a bye week where they couldn’t lay a dud or choke another game away in embarrassing fashion. But they’ll surely get back to doing that this week.

24 – Saints (2-4) 6

As much as I don’t want to fault the Saints for losing by four points against a good team while missing their top 3 WRs, I just think this team is cooked. It’s not the fact that they’re losing or the fashion in which they do so, but something is just off in New Orleans. I personally think it’s coaching; who could have foreseen Dennis Allen being an awful head coach? It’s unlikely that they can get healthier this week with the quick turnaround and a Thursday nighter out in Arizona on tap. A win would help them get back on track, but a loss will put them deeper in the hole they’re currently in. We’ll see what happens.

25 – Jaguars (2-4) 5

The three weeks of the Jaguars being a good team were pretty fun. Now, they’re on a three-game losing streak including back to back bad losses in the division. The problem on Sunday wasn’t their offense, but their defense, which made a prehistoric Colts offense look like world-beaters. Trevor Lawrence and the offense did their thing, getting out to an early lead, but it was all for nothing in the end. It was honestly a microcosm of where this team stands.

26 – Steelers (2-4) 4

Good for the Steelers to get such a nice win at home to end their four-game skid. That must feel great for the team and for the city. I don’t know if it will spark some sort of comeback for their season, but they did everything right on Sunday for the first time. I don’t think this team will be awful for the rest of the season. But that was likely their best win that will not be topped.

27 – Lions (1-4) 2

Detroit ended their three straight weeks of losing by being blessed with a bye. I really hope they can come out of it and look like a real football team again, but you and I both know that’s not going to happen anytime soon.

28 – Broncos (2-4) 1

Hahahaha…. hahahaAHAHAHA….. AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA. The league’s biggest joke is only getting funnier and funnier. The coaching decisions are only getting worse. The QB play is only getting harder to watch. The memes are only getting better. This is a disaster that is somehow getting worse by the week, and I am loving every second of it.

29 – Texans (1-3-1)

The Texans had the week off after notching their first win, and it was completely uneventful. They remained at the bottom of the standings, where they’ll probably reside for a good while. At least they get the Raiders this week in what could be another win for them.

30 – Commanders (2-4) 1

They won a game. They ruined their draft position. The head coach cursed at the press. And now the reins are being handed to Taylor Heinicke. My life is hell.

31 – Bears (2-4) 3

The Bears lost the worst game of all time to themselves, which is sadly indicative of where this franchise stands. They just can’t do anything right, even when it seems like they’re headed in the right direction. It doesn’t help that the roster is abhorrent, but it’s going to be a while before things turn around in Chicago.

32 – Panthers (1-5)

The Panthers tank is continuing to go swimmingly as Robbie Anderson essentially quit the team mid-game and got shipped to Arizona. That likely won’t be the last trade that this team makes in the coming weeks. Sit back and enjoy the dumpster fire burning.

All stats taken from ESPN.