NFL Week 6 Power Rankings

Week 6 of the NFL season only served to complicate power rankings all over. On a weekly basis many teams seem capable of being the one of the best teams in the NFL or the worst.

Be it the Los Angeles Rams or Dallas Cowboys falling off a cliff, the Kansas City Chiefs losing three straight at home, the Carolina Panthers and New Orleans Saints winning four straight with their backup QB, the NFL has been chaos.

So, this week represents a shake up, as it were, in how I looked at my Power Rankings. Ultimately, the top seven are, more often than not, going to beat the teams below them. The teams from eight to around 20 are going to be completely different teams from week-to-week - they're going to be frustrating and inconsistent. 

So, without further ado, here are my Week 6 Power Rankings: 

1. New England Patriots (6-0)

A win is a win, but the offense needs to start clicking and showing steady performance. Brady and co. did well in the second half given the circumstances, but the run game needs to get going and they need to get healthy, particularly at receiver, to stay at number one. Thankfully their defense is ridiculous.

2. San Francisco 49ers (5-0) +4

The 49ers are really legit. Their win over the LA Rams was a blowout, even if the score doesn’t seem massively one sided. They bullied the Rams, especially defensively, but even the offense looked comfortable behind the ground game. This team has a very good feeling to it, and they’re dangerous.

3. New Orleans Saints (5-1)

If this team can play the same way defensively once Drew Brees is back the entire NFL has to be on alert. The 49ers may be undefeated, but going against this offense with Drew Brees while he is being backed up by this defense would give them a very tough task.

4. Seattle Seahawks (5-1) +1

The Seahawks made Sunday’s game look a lot closer than it should have been. The Browns are a talented team, and when they’re playing well they’re dangerous to anyone, but the Seahawks showed for spells they can be and are in a different class. It isn’t the first time the Seahawks performance has changed dramatically in a game, and it is something they have to work out. Fortunately, Russell Wilson is playing like the league MVP right now to bail them out.

5. Green Bay Packers (5-1) -1

The Packers got lucky on Monday night against the Lions thanks to the refs, but they ultimately took care of what they could control to win the game. This team is very good, one of the best in the NFL, and this win could be huge come December.

6. Houston Texans (4-2) +1

The Texans’ win over the Chiefs at Arrowhead is huge, but in truth it should have been so much more convincing. Why? Will Fuller alone dropped THREE sure touchdowns. One led to a field goal, he was bailed out on the second as they scored a touchdown later in the drive, but the third led to a missed field goal. DeAndre Hopkins also dropped what likely would’ve been a touchdown, and Watson was picked on the next play. They left 15 points on the field. If they can leave that many points on the board, against the Chiefs, no less, this team is incredibly dangerous.

7. Kansas City Chiefs (4-2) -5

The Chiefs roster is capable of playing very good football in stretches, but they are not deep enough to deal with injuries nor are they good enough to consistently hang with the best teams. They should look to make a move or two, for Jalen Ramsey or Leonard Williams for example, to try to avoid wasting a year with Patrick Mahomes, who looks clearly hobbled by his ankle.

8. Detroit Lions (2-2-1) +5

Sure, the Lions could have put the game to bed long before they lost it, they squandered several chances to add touchdowns instead of field goals, or turn turnovers and good field position into points, but they can feel legitimately hard done by thanks to some awful officiating. 

9. Indianapolis Colts (3-2) +2

The Colts had a bye week and will have Darius Leonard when they return to action, so this team should get a little bit stronger.

10. Buffalo Bills (4-1)

The Bills had a bye, but I can’t see their time as the second best record in the AFC last for muc longer. Though they are a talented team.

11. Minnesota Vikings (4-2) +8

The Vikings benefited the most from my reshuffle, but I still don’t think they are as close to the top seven teams as the 11^th team usually would be. Cousins played great, and he will when he has a great ground game and can pass in rhythm, but I don’t think the Vikings can do that against the best teams.

12. Los Angeles Rams (3-3) -4

As if they wouldn’t anyway, the Rams are going to really rue their failure in the Super Bowl, because they are a ways away from returning. The roster just isn’t nearly deep enough and the offensive line is bad. It’s as simple as that. Until they fix those issues they won’t be a top tier team.

13. Dallas Cowboys (3-3) -4

How ‘bout them Cowboys?! The last three weeks could not have gone worse, to the point I don’t think it’s unreasonable to start questioning Jason Garrett. How many more chances will he get before mediocrity is not good enough? The same issues have gone unaddressed under his leadership and the Cowboys are paying for it. Getting their tackles back will make this team a hell of a lot better, but they won’t compete with the top teams when they need to.

14. Chicago Bears (3-2)

The Bears had the week off after travelling to London. Hopefully they used it to work something out for this offense.

15. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3) -3

This is a frustrating team. They are very talented and don’t have an excuse for a performance so bad, at least defensively. The Vikings, and Stefon Diggs particularly, embarrassed them. They NEED help in the secondary, and should be bullish and aggressive in fixing it.

16. Baltimore Ravens (4-2)

Dave Dameshek summed the Ravens up perfectly on Twitter: “Thoroughly mediocre.” All I can add is thank god for Lamar Jackson. He is carrying the team. The defense is completely void of a pass rush, shockingly so – even when blitzing – and without Marquise Brown the offense is seriously lacking weapons in the passing game. The Ravens still have a huge hole at receiver that needs to be filled, along with holes all over the front seven and secondary.  

17. Carolina Panthers (4-2) +1

News broke on Monday that Cam Newton is expected to return to practice after their bye next week, which gives the Panthers a huge decision to make. Kyle Allen has played very well and the offense has been a completely different unit, however, has he done enough to keep a fully healthy Cam Newton on the bench?

18. Oakland Raiders (3-2) -1

The Raiders had a bye week after their win in London last week. Will they stay hot this week?

19. Los Angeles Chargers (2-4) -4

What is going on in LA? The Chargers look like they’re defeated. Injuries have ravaged them, with four of their most important players missing significant time or the rest of the season, but they should still be performing so much better. Keenan Allen said it best: “Shit's sad.” To make matters worse, their stadium situation is embarrassing – Sunday night was a home game for the Steelers in LA.

20. Cleveland Browns (2-4)

The Browns showed the full range of their team on Sunday. They are talented enough and capable of beating the best teams in the NFL, but they are also very undisciplined and capable of imploding. That is what we should expect every week for the Browns this year.

21. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-4) +4

I have never seen a team take over a stadium like that. The Steelers looked like and played like the home team in LA, and with third string QB Devlin ‘Duck’ Hodges at QB they comfortably handled (supposedly) a contender. The loss of Stephon Tuitt for the year is big, but this defense is very talented and the team is tough, which will see them through several more wins this season.

22. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-4)

The Jaguars defense played well against the Saints, but they just didn’t get the support they needed from the offense. It was Gardner Minshew’s worst game as a pro, but it did come against a defense playing very well and is understandable considering it is only his fifth start. This team will struggle this year but they have something to be excited about.

23. Denver Broncos (2-4) +4

Two straight wins and two straight strong defensive performances. Maybe the Broncos were right to bet on themselves and not go into wholesale mode yet. They were probably right not to start trading away their best players, but wins against the surprisingly poor Chargers and the now 2-4 Titans aren’t necessarily that impressive.  

24. New York Giants (2-4)

Thursday night was tough for Daniel Jones. It would have been for any QB, but it served as a stark reminder of how far he and the offense must grow. The defense played well in the first half, but ultimately couldn’t do enough to really slow the Patriots.

25. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-4) -4

Yikes, Jameis. Jameis Winston reminded everyone of who he really is, and that is a streaky QB who will lull you into believing he is a franchise guy, only to turn in a horror show. Sunday morning in London was worse than it has ever been, as he had seven bad turnovers. It would seem he is not the guy, but Ian Rapoport made a very good point on Twitter (see below), so maybe not all hope is lost just yet...

I remember Carson Palmer struggling through the first half of his first season under Bruce Arians, then turning the corner and rejuvenating his career. We’ll see if that happens to #Bucs QB Jameis Winston, but history shows it could. Look at Palmer’s 1st season, via @NFLResearch: pic.twitter.com/2K1mhOtLhb

— Ian Rapoport (@RapSheet) October 14, 2019

26. Tennessee Titans (2-4) -3

Marcus Mariota was horrible against the Broncos and was deservedly benched, which may signal the end of his time in Tennessee. Outside of Mariota’s failure, the Titans just didn’t play very well and are just not a very good team.

27. Arizona Cardinals (2-3-1) +1

Kyler Murray turned in his best game as a pro and led the Cardinals to a second straight win. The defense was poor for much of the second half, but they get Patrick Peterson back this week which could significantly help their pass defense. If it does this team could win a handful more games before the season is over.

28. Atlanta Falcons (1-5) -2

Despite a statistically great game from Matt Ryan, and another great game for Austin Hooper while we’re at it, the Falcons lost to the Cardinals. Missing the extra point to tie the game is excruciating, and they arguably should have gotten the ball back late, but this game will go down as just another tough day in a very tough season.

29. New York Jets (1-4) +2

I wouldn’t have believed you if you had told me the Jets would beat the Cowboys even last week, and actually dominate them for large portions of the game. I didn’t think Sam Darnold would make a huge difference to this offense, but he really did. He played well and got real production from his receivers, and he got good support from the defense. It’s not all doom and gloom in New York.

30. Washington Redskins (1-5) -1

The Redskins won the ‘tank off’ – or maybe lost it depending on how you look at it. Either way they are no longer winless! Terry McLaurin is proving to be a great draft pick and the Redskins do have a decent group of talented players, but this win is ultimately pretty inconsequential.

31. Cincinnati Bengals (0-6) -1

The Bengals’ 23-17 defeat to the Ravens was honestly a lot closer than it should have been. The Bengals scored on the opening kickoff but struggled to do anything all game. Nevertheless, they stayed close and still had a (slim) chance late. This is a bad team and I can’t see it getting much better this year.

32. Miami Dolphins (0-5)

The Dolphins played the perfect game to suit their needs. They came so close to winning, to prove they are playing to win, only to lose at the last second to stay winless. That was an elite tanking game. The two-point conversion attempt was awful, as is this team.

What do you think? Have I got it right or am I way off? Let me know in the comments!