In Week 5 of the NFL season, there were some major movements in the power rankings. Mackenzie Salmon breaks down the biggest risers and fallers in this week’s NFL power rankings.
The Cincinnati Bengals and Houston Texans made significant moves in opposite directions. The Bengals, who were previously ranked at 11th, dropped all the way down to 26th after their quarterback Joe Burrow’s underwhelming performance. Burrow, despite being the highest-paid player in the league, has the lowest passer rating among non-rookie quarterbacks. The Bengals are also one of only two teams without a touchdown before halftime this season.
On the other hand, the Texans, who were ranked at 28th, climbed up to 11th after rookie quarterback C.J. Stroud impressed with his performance. Stroud has set an NFL rookie record with 151 passes without an interception. The Texans have also won their last two games by a collective margin of 44 points.
The San Francisco 49ers maintained their top spot in the power rankings, thanks to running back Christian McCaffrey’s outstanding performance. McCaffrey is averaging 150 yards and nearly two touchdowns per game, putting him on track to break records set by LaDainian Tomlinson and Chris Johnson.
The Buffalo Bills moved up to the second spot in the rankings after demonstrating their dominance as the best home team since 2020. However, they suffered a setback with cornerback Tre’Davious White being sidelined due to an Achilles injury.
The Philadelphia Eagles, who went undefeated for the second consecutive season, moved down to the third spot. History shows that teams with a 4-0 start have had great success in the past, with three of the previous five teams winning the Lombardi Trophy.
The Dallas Cowboys made a significant jump from 9th to 4th after their quarterback Dak Prescott displayed a strong performance, fueled by his determination and anger. The Cowboys will face tough challenges in their upcoming games against the San Francisco 49ers and the Los Angeles Chargers.
Other teams that made notable moves in the power rankings include the Detroit Lions, who climbed up to the 5th spot after scoring at least 20 points in 13 straight games, and the Kansas City Chiefs, who dropped from 4th to 6th after quarterback Patrick Mahomes was outplayed by the New York Jets’ Zach Wilson.
As the NFL season progresses, teams will continue to fight for better rankings and strive for success. It will be interesting to see how these power rankings change in the coming weeks.