2019 NFL power rankings, Week 5: Browns impress, Falcons regress

Recap: Dating back to midseason a year ago, the Ravens were 8-2 in their last 10 regular-season games, both of those losses at Kansas City. And one of those wins came at home last year in Week 17 against the Browns that enabled John Harbaugh’s team to clinch the AFC North.

Those clubs met again on Sunday in the same location and Baltimore would never lead in the games. And for the second straight Sunday, Harbaugh’s defensive unit looked helpless as the Ravens have now allowed a combined 1,033 total yards and 73 points to the Chiefs (503 and 33) and Browns (530 and 40), respectively. Baltimore also coughed up the ball three times in this divisional setback.

Next Week: It’s been one of the more physical and entertaining rivalries in the league for quite some time. Dating back to Harbaugh’s arrival in Baltimore in 2008 and including three playoff meetings, the Ravens own 12-13 overall record vs. the Steelers. But his team won on a Sunday night at Heinz Field last season, 26-14, in Week 4.

Playoff hopes: After making it look somewhat easy the first two weeks against the less-than-formidable Dolphins and Cardinals, it’s been a much different story these last two games. A loss at home to a division rival is never good news and the Ravens are suddenly scrambling for answers on defense. This is now a team with questions.

Recap: Bill O’Brien’s team has rebounded smartly after that Week 1 heartbreaker at the Superdome. Off sweat-it-out wins against the Jaguars and Chargers — the latter on the road — the Texans returned home to take on the Kyle Allen-led Carolina Panthers.

Just when the team’s offensive front looked like it was making some strides, third-year pro Deshaun Watson was sacked six more times. Dating back to the start of the 2018 season and including the playoff loss to the Colts, the young quarterback has been dropped an astonishing 83 times in 21 contests. Houston’s defense did its share for the most part but didn’t have many answers for Carolina’s Christian McCaffrey.

Next Week: The Texans face an NFC South team at home for the second consecutive Sunday as the Atlanta Falcons comes to town. The franchises have met four times previously with the home team prevailing each time. In 2015 at Atlanta, Dan Quinn’s club rolled to a 48-21 victory in the most recent encounter in this interconference series.

Playoff hopes: After four weeks, no team in the AFC South has a winning record and all have had their ups and downs. All four of the Texans’ games this season have been decided by seven points or less. Fortunately for O’Brien’s club, Houston’s two setbacks are not within the division. Watson has to get some help up front soon.

Next: Nos. 12 and 11