NFL Power Rankings, Week 5: Bills crash and burn, Vikings ascent continues

It's now roughly one-quarter into the season, as crazy as that may sound, and somehow compiling our NFL Power Rankings is getting even more difficult by the week. Week 4 was absolutely no different in making me feel any differently either.

Only three teams — including the Seattle Seahawks playing on Monday night — remain undefeated already. One, of course, is the defending back-to-back champion Kansas City Chiefs. The other is the red-hot Minnesota Vikings, who have shocked the world early on with Sam Darnold at the helm. Meanwhile, we saw the Buffalo Bills' fast start go off the rails as the Baltimore Ravens got on them.

Let's unpack those results, those outlooks and so much more with our Week 5 NFL Power Rankings, with the help of site experts from the FanSided Network.

Tier 5: We're Not Having Fun

32. Tennessee Titans (32 - Still to Play on MNF)

The Tennessee Titans enter Monday Night Football versus the Miami Dolphins at 0-3. The only other winless team in the league is their AFC South rival Jacksonville Jaguars. 

Starting quarterback Will Levis must start avoiding the boneheaded mistakes that have hurt the Titans in all three defeats this year. A repeat performance on MNF could have head coach Brian Callahan pondering a QB change heading into the bye week. — Justin Melo, Titans Expert, Site Expert at Titan Sized

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (25)

The Jaguars entered Week 4 in need of a win. They kept things close and even led the game at one point but ultimately couldn't get the job done. You know how people say winning takes a team effort? The opposite was true against the Houston Texans. Some players stood out but many others failed to execute. The playcalling on offense didn't help matters. In particular, the Jags' decision to abandon the run late in the game raised eyebrows because they were averaging over 5.0 yards per carry and leading.

At 0-4, it's hard to see Jacksonville righting the ship in 2024. Talks about head coach Doug Pederson needing to go have started. Conversations about who's best fit to replace him will dominate the news cycle the upcoming months. — Carlos Sanchez, Jaguars Expert, Site Expert at Black and Teal

30. New England Patriots (28)

It's starting to look like malpractice that Jerod Mayo is so married to the idea of not playing Drake Maye — an intentional turn of phrase since there's no logical reason to stick with Jacoby Brissett with how lifeless this offense looks more often than not.

The Patriots defense remains quite formidable, to be sure, but it's just not enough when the offense can't get it done. Maybe the 49ers are a bad litmus test for that but, overall, this certainly seems like a bottome-feeder that will remain there as long as Brissett is QB1 (and potentially thereafter too).

29. New York Giants (29)

It was close, but no cigar for the Giants in Week 4. Another loss to the Cowboys has Brian Daboll at 0-5 in his career against America’s Team, which is a depressing stat. Daniel Jones is still having issues with throwing the ball downfield, which needs to be corrected ASAP. Next up is a showdown with the Seahawks on the road. — Braulio Perez, Giants Expert, Site Editor at GMEN HQ

28. Carolina Panthers (31)

The Carolina Panthers might have lost their home game against the Cincinnati Bengals, but they were competitive. That’s all fans were asking for in Year 1 of head coach Dave Canales’ rebuild after being the NFL’s whipping boys for years. 

There were still plenty of mistakes. The Panthers’ defense needs significant work and mental errors from their young wide receivers cost them in key moments, but they kept fighting until the end. With some winnable games upcoming on the schedule, all hope is not lost with this team just yet if veteran quarterback Andy Dalton continues to provide efficient distribution under center. — Dean Jones, Panthers Expert, Site Expert at Cat Crave

27. Cleveland Browns (21)

For once, even though he took a game-sealing sack, we can't solely point the finger at Deshaun Watson and say that he was the reasons that the Browns added another loss to their unimpressive ledger. However, the team as a whole just looks quite dysfunctional right now.

The run game isn't producing at all, the offensive line is both shorthanded and coming up short in terms of performance, and the penalties across the board have been a frustratingly consistent refrain. There's no shortage of talent in Cleveland but it's certainly not coming together in this current iteration.

26. Los Angeles Rams (19)

It’s tough to witness the injury-riddled LA Rams play right now. As fans, we know that part of the struggles has to do with a significant number of starters and contributors who are not suited up to compete. But is it more than that? After all, the team had parted ways with former IOL Coleman Shelton. He was the one offensive lineman who started every time the team had 100+ rushing yards from a single running back. So far? Nobody has accomplished that feat in 2024.

So too, the defense elected to trade away top tackler ILB Ernest Jones, a true thumper who led the defense. In his place, the team has linebackers who give ground before making tackles.

The Los Angeles Rams have fallen to 1-3, a record that has historically shown less than a 2.5 percent chance of making the playoffs. The hope was for this team to hold it together until the BYE on Week 6, and then make a push for the playoffs. But the Rams are very likely to limp into their BYE with a record of 1-4. And with such disjointed performances, the expectation for another 7-1 finish to the season (as happened in 2023) seems unlikely.

Matthew Stafford continues to play well if protection holds up. But will he want to play for a team that is struggling again in 2025? That’s a huge question now. — Bret Stuter, Rams Expert, Site Expert at Ramblin' Fan

Tier 4: Vibes Generally Could Be A Lot Better

25. Denver Broncos (27)

The Denver Broncos have now won two straight games and after four games in the month of September, they have an argument as being the best defense in the entire NFL. Defensive coordinator Vance Joseph has done a tremendous job of game-planning each week and the Broncos have the 3rd-highest pass rush win rate in the league as a result.

The offense had a nice game in Week 3 against the Bucs but Bo Nix struggled with the elements on Sunday against the Jets. Luckily, the running game has been getting going the last two weeks for the Broncos and they could be in line for another breakthrough at home in Week 5. — Sayre Bedinger, Broncos Expert, Site Expert at Predominantly Orange

24. Arizona Cardinals (18)

It was frankly shocking to see the Cardinals not hold up their end of the bargain in what was supposed to be a shootout with the Commanders. Washington hung 42 on a suspect Arizona defense but they held Kyler Murray and Co. almost wholly in-check for a 28-point loss that the Cardinals ate.

This team has the potential to be exciting on any given week but it's also clear that all of the pieces for a legitimately good team are not yet in place.

23. New York Jets (14)

So let's get this straight. The Jets forced Bo Nix to throw for only 60 yards on 25 attempts and held the Broncos to only 10 points as a result yet still lost? That's probably not good, right?

The New York run game has been leaving quite a bit to be desired with Breece Hall struggling while Aaron Rodgers has been solid. This might've been the best performance to date for the Jets defense but the offense couldn't back it up. Maybe, just maybe, this has more to do with the coaching staff than the players. It can't be ruled out at this point.

22. Las Vegas Raiders (26)

Once again, this Raiders team is impossible to figure out. After an upset win over the Baltimore Ravens in Week 2, they got destroyed by a terrible Carolina Panthers team in Week 3. Many were ready to give up on Las Vegas but they were able to beat the Cleveland Browns in Week 4 despite missing Maxx Crosby and Davante Adams.

The Raiders are now 2-0 against playoff teams from last season and 0-2 against teams that had top-10 picks. The reality with Las Vegas is that they can beat anybody but also lose to anybody. That means there will likely be some more ugly losses and more surprising wins in 2024. It’s far too early to believe in the Raiders as a possible playoff team but they could easily be in the mix all season. — Austin Boyd, Raiders Expert, Site Expert at Just Blog Baby

21. Chicago Bears (30)

Playing easily his best game as a pro, Caleb Williams is growing up before our eyes. The Bears still have an offensive line issue but Williams stepped up and handled the pressure beautifully on Sunday to help move to 2-2 on the season.

It's definitely a touch-and-go offense with the Bears, the same of which might be true of the defense. However, if the moments where they're on can become more prevalent as Williams continues building a comfort level and as other young pieces start to gel, Chicago is positioning itself to make a big late-season push.

20. Miami Dolphins (20 - Still to Play on MNF)

The Miami Dolphins have a lot to prove on Monday night. Beating a winless team is never easy but this game holds a lot more importance than simply beating a team like that. They have to show they can rally around Tyler Huntley and prove they are not folding it in. With the Bills losing on Sunday night, the Dolphins have a shot to pick up a little ground. — Brian Miller, Dolphins Expert, Senior Contributor at Phin Phanatic

19. Indianapolis Colts (24)

The Indianapolis Colts had a disastrous start to the season, but in the last two weeks, they’ve been anxious to prove they are still playoff contenders. In Week 4, the Colts hosted the undefeated Pittsburgh Steelers at Lucas Oil Stadium, and nearly all NFL analysts expected them to be roundly defeated. The Colts run defense has struggled this year, and they had five defensive starters out with injuries; Anthony Richardson has also had issues with interceptions and accuracy. Long story short, no one expected the Colts to emerge victorious on Sunday.

And yet, Richardson and the Colts came out swinging on Sunday, scoring a quick touchdown on their very first drive, and the defense dominated the Steelers as well, holding them to just three points in the first half. Unfortunately, Richardson was injured in the first quarter, but Super Bowl champion Joe Flacco was more than capable of stepping in to keep the momentum going. The Steelers tried to mount a comeback in the second half, but the Colts managed to hold on to their lead and walked away with the win.

The Colts are proving that they are a better team than their first two weeks made them appear. But will they be able to continue their winning streak? They head to Jacksonville next to take on the winless Jaguars, and a loss here could be truly devastating. But for now, Colts fans have reason to be cautiously optimistic. — Cassandra Chesser, Colts Expert, Site Expert at Horseshoe Heroes

Tier 3: It Could Go Either Direction

18. Cincinnati Bengals (22)

The Bengals were able to get their first win of the season over the Carolina Panthers in Week 4, but they still have a long way to go to climb out of the 0-3 hole they fell into to start the season. Cincinnati’s offense seems to be rounding into form as they’ve now scored at least 33 points in two straight games.

The defense remains an issue, however, as the Bengals have given up more points than they’ve scored so far this season, which obviously isn’t a recipe for success. Moving forward, they need to tighten up on that side of the ball, especially against the run where they’ve allowed over 145 yards per game. The next couple of weeks will be crucial when it comes to making or breaking the team’s playoff hopes. — Michael Kaskey-Blomain, Bengals Expert, Site Editor at Stripe Hype

17. Los Angeles Chargers (13)

I honestly considered not even moving the Chargers from their Top 15 ranking a week ago after this week. Despite not having Joey Bosa, Joe Alt and several others along with Justin Herbert dealing with an injury of his own, LA still nearly took down the Chiefs on Sunday in a low-scoring rockfight.

Jim Harbaugh is just a damn good football coach, man, and it was on full display in Week 4. As this team gets back to full health, they have the makings of a club that is likely going to have a chance to win in every game they play. The big question will be how soon they can get healthy and how many of those close ones they can pull out.

16. Green Bay Packers (11)

Jordan Love made his return on Sunday against the rival Vikings and, well, it was a mixed bag. Love threw three interceptions but with 389 yards and four touchdowns while Christian Watson also went down with an ankle injury. Oh, and the Packers lost another game as well while Minnesota remained undefeated.

In all honesty, the Packers defense appears to be the bigger underlying issue. Jeff Hafley taking over wasn't the pancea that the organization hoped and we're seeing plenty of underperformers, Rashan Gary chief among them, that need to pick it up for Green Bay to reach its ceiling.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (8)

What exactly have the Eagles shown us that would make you believe in Philly after four weeks? It feels like you can largely throw the Brazil game out, they lost to the Falcons, looked unimpressive but won against New Orleans, and then got blown out in Tampa.

The Philadelphia defense has plenty of warts right now while the offense, even when it's not getting Todd Bowles-ed, has been stop-and-go far too often for my liking. It feels like this season is teetering early on and could end up going either way, north or south.

14. Dallas Cowboys (17)

Much like the rival Eagles, the Cowboys feel in a very similar boat. In all honesty, we could've called this 15A and 15B because the two foes feel oddly similar right now.

Dak Prescott and the Dallas passing offense are tremendous but the run game has largely been nonexistent. More importantly, Mike Zimmer's defense is entirely uninspiring, even more so with Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence now banged up. Beating the Giants doesn't help me feel any better about this team.

Tier 2: Surprise, Surprise?

13. Washington Commanders (23)

The fairytale start for the Washington Commanders and rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels continued with a sensational win at the Arizona Cardinals. This was a complete performance from Dan Quinn’s squad, who are quickly emerging as the league’s surprise package after racking up their third-straight triumph in fine style. 

Washington’s offense is humming with Kliff Kingsbury and Daniels leading the charge. The offensive line is another genuine positive propelling this squad to a potential playoff berth. After a sluggish first quarter, the much-maligned defense came to life after that. This was arguably a bigger plus than anything based on their indifferent start to the campaign. 

Momentum is building in Washington and the fanbase is galvanized. If the same trend continues, it won’t be much longer before this storied organization is back in the postseason picture. — Dean Jones, Commanders Expert, Site Expert at Riggo's Rag

12. New Orleans Saints (10)

Klint Kubiak's offense with the New Orleans Saints was the talk of the NFL through the first two weeks of the season as this club hung a combined 91 points on the Panthers and Cowboys. But they've fallen back to Earth quite abruptly in the two contests since, most recently losing a heartbreaker to the rival Falcons in Atlanta on Sunday, a 26-24 loss with a bitter aftertaste.

One thing noticeably missing of late has been the explosive plays that seemed commonplace through those first couple of wins. They'll need to find that and soon to climb back up the power rankings, especially with the Chiefs next on the schedule.

11. Atlanta Falcons (16)

Younghoe Koo, lemon pepper wings on the city of Atlanta this week! The Falcons, mismanagement from Zac Robinson late aside that could've made it easier, needed their kicker to convert a 58-yarder in the waning seconds to topple the rival Saints, which he did.

Kirk Cousins still hasn't quite looked like the revelation fans had hoped he would this season while the likes of Kyle Pitts questionably remain absent as big parts of the offense. But there's no denying that Raheem Morris has had a substantial positive impact on the defensive side of the ball. The Falcons' upside is probably still to be determined but this is going to be a feisty team week-in and week-out throughout the 2024 campaign.

10. San Francisco 49ers (12)

Getting Deebo Samuel and George Kittle proved to be a massive boost for Brock Purdy and the 49ers, who needed a bounce-back game against an offensively challenged Patriots squad in a major way.

But the game was more about the Niners’ defensive stars, Fred Warner and Nick Bosa, who steamrolled a banged-up Pats offensive line and made life exceptionally challenging for Jacoby Brissett over all four quarters.

It wasn’t always pretty, but the Niners relied on their star talent to beat an inferior team, and that’s what good teams do. — Peter Panacy, 49ers Expert, Site Editor at Niner Noise

9. Pittsburgh Steelers (5)

The Pittsburgh Steelers took quite the tumble in the power ranking after failing to show up against the Colts in Week 4. Indianapolis bullied a stagnant defense, and Mike Tomlin’s team found themselves in a 17-point hole that proved too deep to climb.

After an electric 3-0 start, the league’s top-ranked defense came back down to earth in the road loss to the Colts. Steelers fans should be encouraged by the second-half performance of quarterback Justin Fields, but it wasn’t enough to mount a miraculous comeback victory.

This team didn’t play pretty football in September and their offense still has a lot to prove if they want to avoid slipping outside of the top 10 in the NFL power rankings after they take on the Dallas Cowboys in Week 5. — Tommy Jaggi, Steelers Expert, Site Editor at Still Curtain

8. Houston Texans (3)

Look, does it feel a bit dirty to drop the Texans this much after a win? Of course it does, especially with this team sitting at 3-1 on the season. At the same time, though, they needed a touchdown pass to Dare Ogunbowale in the final 20 seconds to get a win at home in Houston against a winless Jaguars team.

Houston has been quite sloppy to start the season, which we've seen in both their run defense and with an excess of penalties, including committing 12 for 93 yards in the narrow win over Jacksonville. This is still a team with a tremendous ceiling but it's looking like the Texans may not have as fully arrived as we mostly thought coming into C.J. Stroud's second campaign.

Tier 1: Bank On Them As Much As You Can Stomach

7. Buffalo Bills (2)

It was a heavily humbling reality check for the Bills. Heading into Baltimore, the Bills were looking to continue their dominant play they were riding on. However, Derrick Henry and the Ravens rushing attack had other plans. Literally right from the start, the Bills felt the pain of Baltimore’s rushing attack off a Derrick Henry 87-yard touchdown run on their first offensive play of the game. 

From there on out, the Bills couldn’t get anything going. Josh Allen was running for his life, the offensive line was getting bullied upfront, and the running game never got established. 

Buffalo’s defense never made adjustments and they allowed Lamar Jackson and company to do whatever they wanted. Overall, the Bills just simply didn’t show up for this game. 

The good news is that they are 3-1 and still have control of the AFC East through the first month of the season. Now they will turn their attention to a familiar face in Stefon Diggs and the Houston Texans in Week 5. — Brandon Ray, Bills Expert, Site Expert at BuffaLowDown

6. Baltimore Ravens (15)

Finally! It feels like this is the team many expected to see Week 1. Well, better late than never. The Baltimore Ravens resoundingly took care of business against the undefeated Buffalo Bills at home Sunday night 35-10. Make no mistake about it, this is a massive statement win.

Ravens running back Derrick Henry continues to prove that the “he’s washed” narrative is more washed than he’ll ever be. Coming off a season-high 151 rushing yards against the Dallas Cowboys, all Henry did for the encore was rush for 199 yards more with a touchdown and then add another receiving touchdown to his resume as well.

So much for the “Josh Allen is better than Lamar Jackson narrative.” That seems to have aged poorly. And while it might seem like an overreaction, it’s truly not. This Ravens team is one of, if not the most talented teams in the NFL, and now they are starting to finally play like it after underwhelming the first few weeks of the season. Destroying an undefeated Bills team is a huge step in the right direction for a team that’s starting to look scary good.

Let’s hope they extend this two-game winning streak in Cincinnati this upcoming week. — Matt Sidney, Ravens Expert, Site Expert at Ebony Bird

5. Seattle Seahawks (6 - Still to Play on MNF)

Quietly, we may have to start taking the Seattle Seahawks far more seriously than anyone expected. They come into Monday night with an unblemished record and a chance to topple one of the NFC favorites in the Lions. Mike Macdonald has made an immediate impact on this team and how they handle Goff and Co. in primetime will be another chance to add a feather to his cap.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (9)

There are bounce-back games, and then there's what the Tampa Bay Buccaneers did on Sunday against the Eagles. After getting humbled by the Broncos in Week 3, the Bucs came out looking like the team everyone thought they could be earlier in the season. Baker Mayfield carved up Philly's defense, embarrassing C.J. Gardner-Johnson after he foolishly poked the bear before the game, and the Bucs offense was lethally efficient. 

For the first time since 2022, the Bucs scored an opening drive touchdown and then scored on each of its next four offensive drives. It wasn't until the end of the first half that they punted for the first time, which is a perfect encapsulation of how the afternoon went. 

Tampa Bay badly needed this sort of performance as it enters a gauntlet of games in the coming weeks. The Bucs have a Thursday night matchup with the Falcons, followed by a road game in New Orleans, and then a Monday Night Football showdown with Lamar Jackson and the Ravens. If they look anything like they did on Sunday against Philly, it won't be long before they're legitimately talked about as the best team in the NFL. — Josh Hill, Buccaneers Expert, Content Director at The Pewter Plank

3. Minnesota Vikings (4)

If you don’t already believe in the success of the Vikings this season, it’s time to start. Minnesota just finished a three-game stretch that was supposed to be the tough part of its schedule with an unbeaten record.

Not only did they come out with wins over the 49ers, Texans, and Packers in the last three weeks, but they achieved these victories in dominating fashion (for the most part). In all four of their games this season, the Vikings have entered the fourth quarter with a lead of at least 13 points.

Now, Green Bay was almost able to pull off a comeback on Sunday, but Minnesota still found a way to leave the field with a win and start its season with a 4-0 record for the first time since 2016. — Adam Patrick, Vikings Expert, Site Editor at The Viking Age

2. Detroit Lions (3 - Still to Play on MNF)

The Detroit Lions come into Monday Night Football still looking like one of the NFL's best but while still having some questions. Jared Goff and the offense have not been as explosive, particularly thorough the air, as they were a year ago. Seattle may have a better record but this could be a huge spot for the Lions to ultimately prove themselves.

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1)

Is this a weird round of NFL Jenga? Is the league’s script to take pieces away one at a time to see when this team will crumble? Four wins: all close, all ugly. The offense is sputtering, Rashee Rice is finished, and their latest victory over the Chargers came against a decimated opponent. 

Here’s the thing: we’re referencing a team that’s been in four of the last five Super Bowls when we talk about these Chiefs. They’ve been here before. They’ve been down before. They’ve lost guys before. When you have an all-world defense with emerging young players along with the core of Andy Reid, Patrick Mahomes, and Travis Kelce, no one is going to feel for you. The Chiefs will take 4-0 and figure out the rest as they go. — Matt Conner, Chiefs Expert, Site Editor at Arrowhead Addict