2023 NFL power rankings, Week 5: Bills, Cowboys sizzle; Steelers, Patriots fizzle
Four weeks into the season and the only two unbeaten teams are the two clubs that met in last season’s NFC Championship Game. Meanwhile, the losing continues in the Windy City.
Week 4 began on a Thursday night at Lambeau Field between two longtime divisional rivals. It ended on Monday night at MetLife Stadium in a clash between two clubs that reach the playoffs in 2022.
When the smoke cleared, only the Philadelphia Eagles and San Francisco 49ers remain undefeated, while the Carolina Panthers and Chicago Bears are each still looking for their first victory of the season. Once again, there was some movement with the NFL Power Rankings.
57. . . 0-4 | Previous Rank: 31st | Week 4: Lost to Broncos, 31-28. . 32. . 2023 NFL Power Rankings. .
Matt Eberflus’ club hosted the Broncos in a battle of winless clubs. The Bears appeared to be on the verge of its first victory since Week 7 of 2022. Thanks to four Justin Fields’ touchdown passes, two to tight end Cole Kmet, Chicago owned a 28-7 lead in the third quarter. Eberflus’ team racked up 471 total yards by afternoon’s end.
Unfortunately for the Bears, Russell Wilson and company responded with 24 unanswered points to steal the game. The Bears’ current losing streak has reached 14 games, and the franchise is off to its first 0-4 start since 2000.
. . 0-4 | Previous Rank: 30th | Week 4: Lost to Vikings, 21-13. . 31. 87. 2023 NFL Power Rankings. . .
The Panthers took on the visiting Vikings in a battle of 0-3 teams. Rookie quarterback Bryce Young was back at the controls for Carolina, but Frank Reich’s offensive unit failed to score a touchdown. Safety Sam Franklin Jr. took a Kirk Cousins’ interception 99 yards for a score and the team actually owned a 10-0 second-quarter lead.
Carolina was limited to a field goal the rest of the afternoon. Stroud threw for 204 yards but was sacked five times. One of those resulted in a fumble and it was returned 51 yards for a touchdown by Minnesota’s D.J. Wonnum.
. 30. . 1-3 | Previous Rank: 32nd | Week 4: Defeated Bears, 31-28. . . . . 2023 NFL Power Rankings. 45
Off a 50-point thrashing at Miami, the winless Broncos were in the Windy City to take on the 0-3 Bears. Denver’s porous defense had no answers for most of the afternoon when it came to Bears’ quarterback Justin Fields. Sean Payton’s club surrendered 471 total yards and dug itself a 28-7 third-quarter hole. Then things got interesting.
Quarterback Russell Wilson and his team played turnover-free football. He connected on 21-of-28 throws for 223 yards and three scores. Wil Lutz’s 51-yard field goal with 1:46 to play was the difference in a much-needed win.
56. 29. 1-3 | Previous Rank: 23rd | Week 4: Lost to Titans, 27-3. . . . . . 2023 NFL Power Rankings.
The reigning AFC North champions were in Nashville to take on the perplexing Titans. The Bengals were coming off a three-point Monday night win over the visiting Rams. Zac Taylor’s team drove 72 yards on the game’s first passion and took a 3-0 lead thanks to a 21-yard field goal from Evan McPherson. It was all downhill from there.
Cincinnati’s offense managed only 139 yards the rest of the afternoon. Quarterback Joe Burrow was sacked three times and lost a fumble. The Bengals’ defense surrendered 400 total yards, including 173 on the ground.