Week 6 NFL Power Rankings: Cardinals & Ravens Soar To The Top

BY JORDAN ROSAS

1. Arizona Cardinals (6-0)

Last Week: 2 (High: 1, Low: 6)

The Arizona Cardinals remain as the last undefeated team. The ’72 Dolphins will have to wait at least another week before popping the champagne. Even without their head coach, the Cardinals dominated the Browns. It was Arizona’s game to lose from the first quarter. This offense is full of weapons, and while the defense has its well known playmakers, their success in key late down situations has been the difference maker. A few teams can still plead their case for the top spot, but Arizona has bested all challengers, and they haven’t had an easy schedule either. That’s more than anyone else can say.

2. Baltimore Ravens (5-1)

Last Week: 8 (High: 2, Low: 14)

This was the statement win Baltimore needed to truly cement themselves as an elite team. They slowed down the Chargers more than LA traffic during rush hour and beat the brakes off one of the best teams in the league. Baltimore’s motley crew of cast away RBs are finding their niches, and Mark Andrews continues to make his case as the next dominant TE.

3. Los Angeles Rams (5-1)

Last Week: 6 (High: 1, Low: 6)

The Rams had a cupcake matchup against the Giants, but they did what good teams are supposed to: they dominated. Darrell Henderson and Cooper Kupp each scored twice, and the defense only allowed 11 points. They’ll have to wait until week 14 to avenge their loss to the Cardinals, but at least for now, they look like the best team in LA once again.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5-1)

Last Week: 7 (High: 1, Low: 9)

The Bucs have been very consistent, but that’s not necessarily a good thing. They’re winning close games, even against teams that shouldn’t be able to hang with them. Leonard Fournette had a big game, scoring twice, although his numbers were more due to workload than efficiency. Still, a respectable run game adds balance to an offense that has been lacking it, especially one led by a 44 year old QB with the mobility of a cruise ship.

5. Dallas Cowboys (5-1)

Last Week: 4 (High: 4, Low: 10)

Dallas has only lost to Tampa, who also barely managed to win in Foxboro. CeeDee Lamb had a monstrous performance and Dak Prescott threw for 445 yards, 3 TDs, and 1 INT. The defense had an up and down performance. On one hand, they allowed 29 points, but on the other, they forced 3 turnovers, including a pick 6 by Trevon Diggs, who tied an NFL record with his 6th consecutive game with an interception. This team is only going as far as Dak can carry them, so the calf injury he suffered late in the game is a significant cause for concern.

6. Buffalo Bills (4-2)

Last Week: 1 (High: 1, Low: 11)

The Bills still hold the best point differential in the league. They’re second only to the Cowboys in points scored, and second only to the Saints in points allowed, mostly because New Orleans was on bye this week. Tennessee may have had AJ Brown and Julio Jones back in the lineup, but the Bills still lost to a Titans team that got beat by the Jets 2 weeks ago. Derrick Henry is phenomenal, but that’s no excuse for the best defense in football to give him 3 TDs. The Bills are still a great team, but the 6-0 Cardinals spanked this Titans team in week 1.

7. Los Angeles Chargers (4-2)

Last Week: 3 (High: 3, Low: 14)

The Chargers have been very good this year, but they got smoked by the Ravens this week. Obviously, I have to drop them lower than the Ravens, but I still think they’re a force to be reckoned with going forward, so I’m not dropping them too much. Let’s remember that Justin Herbert, as promising as he looks, is still in just his second year, and this is HC Brandon Staley‘s first year at the helm. There were always going to be growing pains. They’re still a great squad though. No one’s excited to see them on the schedule.

8. Green Bay Packers (5-1)

Last Week: 9 (High: 8, Low: 20)

Aaron Rodgers doing the Discount Double Check celebration (no, it’s not the championship belt celebration, he lost that when he sold out to State Farm) after running for a TD was appropriate. Shouting “I still own you” to the fans in Soldier Field in the midst of a mostly average performance? Perhaps a bit much. After all the obnoxious taunting flags we’ve seen this year, certainly this should have been worthy of some attention. At the end of the day though, the Packers beat their division rivals 24-14 to take a 2 game lead in the NFC North. They’re not blowing teams out of the water, but the Packers are slowly but surely stacking up wins.

9. Kansas City Chiefs (3-3)

Last Week: 12 (High: 1, Low: 12)

For all the (deserved) talk about how bad KC’s defense is, they produced what might be the most impressive defensive play of the season, as DE Tershawn Wharton made an astonishing one handed interception, pinning the football to the head of the lineman assigned to block him on their way to the ground. Wharton, with hands covered in tape and gloves made for gripping jerseys, not footballs, made a grab that most WRs would struggle with, as the Chiefs beat Washington. They’re back to .500, and as I’ve said before, all they need is a somewhat competent defense to be competitive.

10. Cincinnati Bengals (4-2)

Last Week: 11 (High: 10, Low: 19)

Alright, I admit it, I was wrong about the Ja’Marr Chase pick. It was a great move. I still think Penei Sewell could have helped this team, but they’re not struggling at the line of scrimmage like I thought they would. Chase on the other hand, is the front-runner for offensive rookie of the year. Not only did he have 97 receiving yards, he also delivered a fantastic downfield block that was absolutely critical to Joe Mixon‘s long touchdown. To be fair, I did say that Chase would have to throw blocks in addition to catching passes in order to justify taking him over Sewell…

11. Las Vegas Raiders (4-2)

Last Week: 20 (High: 5, Low: 20)

Give the Raiders credit. In their first win since Jon Gruden got canned, they got a crucial divisional win over Denver to keep their winning record. I’ve lamented how inconsistent the Raiders have been over the past few years, but with Gruden gone, perhaps that changes. They certainly have the talent to be a contender team. Time will tell if they can play like one for the rest of the season.

12. Tennessee Titans (4-2)

Last Week: 25 (High: 12, Low: 27)

Derrick Henry is the MVP front-runner, and I don’t care what anybody says. There is no other player in the league more valuable to his team than King Henry. Pat Mahomes has had some off games, and his Chiefs are 3-3. Allen, Herbert, Jackson, they’ve all had less than stellar showings. Kyler has been great, but so have his teammates. Henry put up 143 yards and 3 TDs against the best defense in football, and his team still barely won. He’s had at least 100 rushing yards in every game except the season opener and has 10 TDs through 6 games. Take him off this roster and this team is lucky to win a game. He’s not just the best RB of this generation, he’s in the GOAT conversation. At 6’3″ and 247lbs, he’s a monster to bring down, yet he reached the fastest speed of any RB this year on his 76 yard TD run. That kind of dual threat excellence shouldn’t be possible at this level. Everyone knows he’s going to get the football, but teams still can’t stop him. He’s carrying the Titans the way OJ Simpson used to carry the Bills.

13. Indianapolis Colts (2-4)

Last Week: 15 (High: 13, Low: 27)

This win is great to see. The Colts have been playing better than their record would suggest all year, but it hasn’t translated to wins until now. Jonathan Taylor had a Madden-esque performance, as he averaged over 10 yards per carry, picking up 145 yards and 2 TDs on just 14 carries. Before we get too excited, let’s remember they were playing Houston. However, the Texans are a divisional opponent, and the Colts decimated them. I’ve been expecting wins out of this team for a couple weeks now. Don’t be surprised if they string a few together here.

14. New Orleans Saints (3-2)

Last Week: 14 (High: 2, Low: 23)

Thanks to their bye this week, the Saints now lead the NFL in fewest points allowed. It’s been an up and down year for the black and gold, but the pieces are there to make a post-season run. A bit of consistency would go a long way for this team.

15. Minnesota Vikings (3-3)

Last Week: 19 (High: 13, Low: 23)

A few weeks ago, beating the Panthers would have been far more impressive. Now though, they’re playing without Christian McCaffrey, while the Vikings got Dalvin Cook back at full speed. It was a close one, but while the Panthers seem like they’ve been playing at their best, the Vikings have been underperforming. I give them the edge, because if this team can have Justin Jefferson, Adam Thielen, and Dalvin Cook on their A game, while supporting a breakout season for TE Tyler Conklin, they should be a top 5 offense in the NFL. The only question is whether or not Kirk Cousins can feed 4 mouths. Their defense still isn’t great, but they’ve shown flashes, like they did this week, and they’re good enough to win with.

16. Cleveland Browns (3-3)

Last Week: 5 (High: 3, Low: 16)

Brace yourselves, Cleveland. Nick Chubb missed the game with an injury and Kareem Hunt got banged up this week. OBJ made a visit to the injury tent, and Jarvis Landry still has yet to come off IR. Baker Mayfield is a terrific leader, and he’s responsible for taking the Browns from the darkest of depths to the post-season, but he’s really more of an elite game manager than a superstar. He’s losing weapons fast. Luckily, Donovan Peoples-Jones seems up to the challenge. With the WR logjam suddenly cleared, he caught 4 of 5 targets for 101 yards and 2 scores. They may have to lean him considerably going forward.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-3)

Last Week: 18 (High: 7, Low: 21)

The Steelers needed a win and they got one. It may have been against a mediocre team missing its starting QB and RB, but still, it’s a win. TJ Watt continues to play at a world class level, which is critical, considering the massive contract they gave him. They’re not a great team, but when their offense is in sync, they can be dangerous.

18. Philadelphia Eagles (2-4)

Last Week: 13 (High: 13, Low: 23)

If we’re being honest, the Eagles aren’t going anywhere this year. Dallas has the division wrapped up with a bow on top, barring any major setbacks, and winning every third game isn’t going to get a wildcard. That being said, the Eagles have found ways to stay competitive in games, despite being outplayed. Outside of the Dallas game, they’ve managed to keep every loss relatively close. Pretty soon they’re going to start stealing upsets.

19. Chicago Bears (3-3)

Last Week: 17 (High: 16, Low: 25)

Yes, I’m aware they lost. But Green Bay was pretty healthy. Chicago on the other hand? They’ve had to rotate injured QB’s, their best healthy RB was a rookie 6th rounder, and their receivers have had their issues. That’s just the offense. Despite all that, they hung tight with Green Bay. Aaron Rodgers may still own the Bears, but for how much longer? The grizzled State Farm salesman is only getting older, while Justin Fields is only getting better.

20. Carolina Panthers (3-3)

Last Week: 10 (High: 7, Low: 26)

Another week, another loss for Carolina. It was one thing when they were losing competitive games with Christian McCaffrey briefly sidelined. Now, he’s been placed on IR though, and they’ve lost every game he’s missed already. They put up a valiant effort, but still fell short of coming back against another 3-3 team. Things look to get rough for this team, especially with the rest of the division looking competent.

21. New England Patriots (2-4)

Last Week: 26 (High: 17, Low: 26)

The Patriots have mostly been a tough team this year, but they’re still not winning games. They only lost by a point to Miami and they lost by a missed field goal to Tampa. They lost by 2 scores to New Orleans, and now 1 score to Dallas. They’re giving other teams fits, but they’re finding ways to finish second best in tight contests. They’re a distant wildcard contender, but they have to start finding themselves on the right side of the scoreboard.

22. San Francisco 49ers (2-3)

Last Week: 22 (High: 13, Low: 25)

Not many teams have needed a bye week more than the 49ers this week. Two banged up QBs, a plethora of RB injuries and their star TE are just the highlights of the extensive injury list. They’re no longer the only team in the division without their starting QB, but that alone isn’t enough to earn a post-season berth. It’s going to be tough, but there is a path to the playoffs for San Francisco, if they used their time off effectively.

23. Denver Broncos (3-3)

Last Week: 16 (High: 11, Low: 23)

The skid continues. After cruising to a 3-0 start against a cakewalk schedule, the Broncos have lost 3 straight to the only legitimate teams they’ve faced so far. The Raiders should have been a fairly evenly matched team, especially considering they had just lost their head coach. Instead, the Raiders overpowered the Broncos for much of the game, eventually settling on a 34-24 score. To make matters worse, QB Teddy Bridgewater got banged up. Denver has had more than its share of QB woes. If Bridgewater has to miss any time, this run game probably isn’t good enough to shoulder any extra burdens.

24. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

Last Week: 24 (High: 24, Low: 30)

A lot happened in the NFL while the Falcons were on bye. Not much directly affected them though, aside from McCaffrey being placed on IR. Kyle Pitts has had an impressive start to his career for a rookie TE, and Matt Ryan still has some juice in the tank. They’re a ways away from contending for the playoffs, but they’re the best of the basement teams.

25. Seattle Seahawks (2-4)

Last Week: 21 (High: 8, Low: 25)

Last week, Geno Smith provided a glimmer of hope in the wake of Russell Wilson‘s injury. He played so well in fact, for a brief moment, some people even joked about a QB controversy in Seattle. But, moments are fleeting, and that moment is over. Smith struggled in his first start in over 1000 calendar days. On the bright side, backup RB Alex Collins fared surprisingly well, allowing the team to make him the focal point of their offensive attack. At the end of the day though, if this team wasn’t going far with Wilson, it’s clearly going nowhere without him.

26. Washington Football Team (2-4)

Last Week: 23 (High: 15, Low: 26)

Taylor Heinicke is a great feel good story, but with each passing week, the league seems to have figured him out. He’s got a decent future as a backup QB, but he’s just not getting it done as a starter. Granted, he’s not getting much success from his teammates, who are crumbling around him. This defense is now a full blown liability, while the run game was productive, if underutilized. If they could rally around Heinicke and lighten the load on their backup QB, they might have a chance. Instead, they’re relying him to consistently produce like a $30 million franchise player, which he simply is not.

27. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5)

Last Week: 32 (High: 27, Low: 32)

The Jags are on a heater. Kidding aside, London’s team finally delivered. It was a close win over a troubled team, but hey, baby steps. I’ve been expecting a win from this team for weeks now, because they’ve been much more competitive than most of the bottom feeders. Urban Meyer seems to be earning back the respect of his players, and their offense is finding a comfortable balance. The unlikely trio of rookie QB Trevor Lawrence, journeyman WR Marvin Jones, and UDFA RB James Robinson have become a fine offensive core. The only problem is that Jones is 31, and while this may be the best season of his career, he probably won’t be around long enough to see the Jaguars complete a rebuild.

28. New York Jets (1-4)

Last Week: 31 (High: 28, Low: 32)

Anyone who’s seen Moneyball should remember the famous “What’s the problem?” speech. I’ve gone through the good teams and the bad teams, and after 50 feet of crap, we arrive here. The Jets got smacked silly in their last game, as they have almost every game this season. Even their lone win over the Titans feels like it needs an asterisk because of the injuries and how close it was. That being said, the Jets only have 4 losses, thanks to a bye this week. That means they’re the only one of the bottom 6 teams with a chance to still finish 13-4. To be clear, the Jets have done absolutely nothing that merits moving up the list. The rest of the teams just happened to suffer embarrassing losses, which the Jets avoided by simply not playing. If they can use the bye week to fine tune the connection between Zach Wilson and Jamison Crowder though, they might be able to squeeze a couple more wins out of this season.

29. New York Giants (1-5)

Last Week: 29 (High: 23, Low: 30)

Like the rest of the teams in this neighborhood, the Giants are awful. Unlike most of the cellar dwellers though, they have legitimate excuses. This is a team built around a RB, who’s been hurt all season. Their starting QB has been dinged up, and even the 1st round WR they drafted to support him has missed time, along with other pass catchers. They were never going to be a great team this year, but without those ailments, they’d probably at least be competitive. For now though, they’re stuck with a living, breathing, 2nd and 8 at RB.

30. Houston Texans (1-5)

Last Week: 27 (High: 25, Low: 32)

Nothing like getting rocked by a sub .500 team to put a team back in its place. They might as well give Brandin Cooks the key to the city at this point, because he’s about the only good thing about this offense. The run game wasn’t awful this week, but it also wasn’t great. The Texans had possession of the ball longer, but the Colts averaged almost twice as many yards per play. They still have the Dolphins, Jets, and Jaguars on the schedule, so a few more wins are possible.

31. Miami Dolphins (1-5)

Last Week: 30 (High: 12, Low: 31)

It took just 6 weeks for the Dolphins to go from arguably the best team in the AFC East to arguably the worst team in the AFC East. That’s especially remarkable since this division could very realistically win the Super Bowl and the first overall pick. They barely beat the Patriots in Mac Jones‘s first career start, and it’s been all downhill from there. They just lost to the Jags, ending the THIRD LONGEST LOSING STREAK IN THE 101 YEAR HISTORY OF THE NFL. The run game is about as pathetic as you’ll ever see in the NFL, and they had their starting QB back for this one. I’ve been singing praises for Brian Flores‘s turnaround work over the past couple years now, but this year has been terrible. He may well be the next coach to get canned, which is hard to believe considering how successful he’s been for the rest of his tenure.

32. Detroit Lions (0-6)

Last Week: 28 (High: 24, Low: 32)

The Lions finally played like an 0-6 team. They should have 2 or 3 wins at this point, but coulda woulda shoulda doesn’t win football games. Curse or no curse, it’s another frustrating year of Detroit Lions football. Dan Campbell turned the heat up on Jared Goff in his post game presser. It’s understandable, but this is kind of what they should have been expecting when the Rams offered up him and 2 firsts for the much older Matt Stafford. I still think the Lions benefitted from the trade, because they went from being a rock bottom team to being a rock bottom team with 2 extra first round draft picks.

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