Just like that, we’re officially five weeks through the 2024 NFL regular season.
Following Monday Night Football, we polled the Pro Football Network staff to generate the latest version of our consensus NFL Power Rankings.
How far have the Vikings and Commanders climbed in our NFL Power Rankings? Let’s dive right into it.
1) Kansas City Chiefs (5-0; Last Week: 2)
After winning their first four games by one score with an average margin of victory of just five points, the Chiefs made a statement on Monday night with a 26-13 victory over the Saints.
Kansas City’s defense had New Orleans flustered all night, while the old reliable connection between Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce looked rejuvenated once again.
2) Detroit Lions (3-1; LW: 1)
While the Lions’ defense remains a concern, especially coming off their most recent outing in which they allowed 516 yards from scrimmage, this is perhaps the most complete offensive unit in the NFL.
As talented as the Lions are, the NFC North division has proven to be a much more competitive division than expected. The Vikings have emerged as legitimate contenders, meanwhile, the Packers and Bears are each 3-2 entering Week 6.
Detroit might still be the favorites to win the division, but winning their second consecutive NFC North title will be no easy task.
3) Minnesota Vikings (5-0; LW: 6)
The Vikings remain undefeated after beating the Jets 23-17 in London.
After having a career resurgence through the first four weeks, Sam Darnold had his first bad game of the season. As a result, the Vikings’ offense struggled. On Sunday, Minnesota’s offense had their worst performance of the season both by offensive yardage and expected points added.
Nonetheless, the Vikings proved they’re a complete team, as their defense picked up the slack for their struggling offense.
Against Brian Flores’ unit, Aaron Rodgers had his lowest EPA per dropback in a single game this season, and his box score statistics weren’t much better. For the day, Rodgers averaged just 4.5 yards per pass attempt and threw three interceptions.
Throwing hot inside the numbers is exactly what Brian Flores wants Aaron Rodgers to do. See how the center slides to the right?
Van Ginkel is told if the center slides to your side, drop out and rob anything underneath pic.twitter.com/teBJ3H1M6U
— Chase Daniel (@ChaseDaniel) October 6, 2024
Now at 5-0, the Vikings will have their biggest test of the season yet after their bye week against a rested Lions team.
4) Baltimore Ravens (3-2; LW: 5)
The Baltimore Ravens showed their resiliency in their 41-38 overtime win over the Bengals after trailing by 10 points in the fourth quarter.
Lamar Jackson was particularly impressive on Sunday, as he finished the day with 348 passing yards and four touchdowns.
After starting the season 0-2, the Ravens are now 3-0, and during this three-game winning streak, they have led the NFL in average yards per play and rushing EPA.
Simply put, the combination of Jackson and Derrick Henry in the running game is nearly unstoppable.
5) Houston Texans (4-1; LW: 8)
The Texans nearly blew a 20-3 third-quarter lead to the Bills on Sunday, but they managed to escape with a win despite losing Nico Collins to a hamstring injury early.
Over his last two games, C.J. Stroud has been sensational, throwing for 676 yards (8.66 yards per attempt).
After emerging as one of the NFL’s elite quarterbacks as a rookie, Stroud now has perhaps the best wide receiver trio at his disposal, with Collins emerging as one of the most dangerous wide receivers in the NFL.
The Texans’ defense, however, was equally as impressive on Sunday, allowing just 4.7 yards per play. They also shut down Josh Allen and the Bills’ passing attack, as their 4.4 yards per pass attempt were the lowest by a Texans opponent since Week 16 in 2022.
6) Buffalo Bills (3-2; LW: 4)
The Bills rallied down 20-3 to nearly come back and beat the Texans before losing on a walk-off field goal.
After looking like the NFL MVP favorite, Josh Allen has had consecutive bad performances during the Bills’ two-game losing streak. On Sunday, Allen completed just 30% of his passes, the lowest in a single game of his career.
At 3-2, the Bills are still in the driver’s seat in the AFC East, which appears to be one of the weakest divisions in the NFL at this point in the season.
After a difficult two-game stretch against the Ravens and Texans, the Bills have an opportunity to bounce back with matchups against the Jets and Titans coming up.
Expect their defense to improve after allowing 852 yards combined to two Super Bowl contenders.
7) San Francisco 49ers (2-3; LW: 3)
After their improbable loss on Sunday to the Cardinals, the 49ers now sit at a shocking 2-3 record through five weeks.
One silver lining for San Francisco, however, is that Jordan Mason has emerged as a star in Christian McCaffrey’s absence.
Through five weeks, Mason is second in the NFL in rushing yards behind Derrick Henry with 536 total on 5.1 yards per carry.
Despite their below .500 record, the 49ers remain a Super Bowl contender, but things can get ugly fast with a formidable schedule coming up.
8) Green Bay Packers (3-2; LW 7)
With Christian Watson injured and Romeo Doubs suspended by the team, the Packers entered their Week 5 matchup short on playmakers on offense.
While many expected Dontayvion Wicks to step up alongside Jayden Reed, it was tight end Tucker Kraft who delivered with four receptions for 88 yards and two touchdowns.
After struggling in their Week 4 loss to the Vikings, Jordan Love had a bounce-back performance, recording his highest EPA per dropback so far this season.
Considering Love’s injury, the Packers have to be happy with being 3-2 through five weeks, though they find themselves in an NFC North division with all four teams above .500.
9) Washington Commanders (4-1; LW: 10)
This Commanders offense remains unstoppable, and it doesn’t look like they’ll be slowing down any time soon.
During their four-game winning streak, the Commanders have averaged 416 yards per game, and have cemented themselves as one of the most explosive units in the NFL.
While Jayden Daniels finished the game with a season-low mark in completion percentage, (<70% of his passes for the first time this season), the rookie quarterback generated 320 yards of offense combined through the air and on the ground. Overall, Daniels’ dominance continued, and this time, it came against the NFL’s top defense from a year ago.
Jayden Daniels is in good company 👏 @Commanders pic.twitter.com/cG8fL5E26v
— FOX Sports: NFL (@NFLonFOX) October 6, 2024
Defensively, Washington had a breakthrough day against the Browns, holding them to just 212 yards of offense and 13 points. This type of performance, however, is not sustainable against non-Watson-led offenses.
After two consecutive weeks of winning by 21 or more points, the Commanders will have their biggest test of the short season in Week 6 against the Ravens. But if Washington can sustain their offensive production, they could be in the driver’s seat to win the NFC East.
10) Philadelphia Eagles (2-2; LW: 9)
The Eagles were on a much-needed bye, as they should now have A.J. Brown, DeVonta Smith, and Lane Johnson back in the lineup for Week 6.
After an uneven 2-2 start to the season, the Eagles have an easy schedule ahead with games against the Browns, Giants, Bengals, and Jaguars.
While the defense remains a major concern, this Eagles offense should bounce back with all of their starters back in the lineup for the first time since their Week 1 win over the Packers in Brazil.
If Jalen Hurts can cut down on his turnovers, especially in the red zone, this offense has the potential to compensate for the defense’s shortcomings. But make no mistake about it, Washington is a legitimate threat in the division.
11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2; LW: 12)
At 3-2, the Buccaneers have a difficult stretch coming up with games against the Saints, Ravens, Falcons, Chiefs, and 49ers.
Tampa Bay, however, has still managed to perform above expectations despite their playoff run last season. Yet, their resounding Week 4 win against a depleted Eagles team might have been a bit of fool’s gold.
After shutting down Jalen Hurts, the Buccaneers followed up that performance by allowing Kirk Cousins to throw for over 500 yards and recording the highest EPA per dropback against Tampa Bay since Brock Purdy in Week 11 of last season.
For the Buccaneers moving forward, they desperately need to get healthy on defense to match the efforts of Baker Mayfield and their offense.
12) Seattle Seahawks (3-2; LW: 11)
After starting the season 3-0, it appears as if the Seahawks have fallen back to Earth now with a 3-2 record.
In shocking fashion, the Seahawks lost 29-20 as 7.5-point favorites to a Giants team missing their best offensive player.
Seattle’s biggest concern is their offensive line, as Geno Smith was sacked by the Giants seven times. He had his lowest EPA per dropback when pressured in a game since becoming the Seahawks’ starting quarterback in 2022.
Defensively, it appears the Seahawks greatly miss rookie defensive tackle Byron Murphy II, as they have allowed 291 rushing yards in his two-game absence.
13) Atlanta Falcons (3-2; LW: 16)
The Falcons just find ways to win games, and Thursday night’s overtime thriller was no exception. In the NFL, nothing is a sure thing, except for the fact the Falcons finding themselves in the crazy games every week.
Against the Eagles, Saints, and Buccaneers, the Falcons' win probability bottomed out at 1%, 26%, and 5% respectively according to the @NextGenStats
That's a .013% chance to win all three games. A 1 in 7692 chance. pic.twitter.com/TUpV1JJTUf
— Benjamin Solak (@BenjaminSolak) October 4, 2024
After looking rusty to start the season coming off his torn Achilles injury, Kirk Cousins threw for a career-high 509 passing yards in their Week 5 win over the Buccaneers.
Atlanta now enters Week 6 with a 3-2 record and a matchup against the lowly Panthers.
Despite the concerns regarding Cousins and this Falcons team after Week 1, they’re firmly in the mix to win the NFC South and make their return to the postseason for the first time since 2017.
14) Dallas Cowboys (3-2; LW: 15)
The NFC East is far more competitive than many expected going into this season. The Commanders have emerged as the best of the division in the early part of 2024, not the Cowboys.
Cowboys QB Dak Prescott overcame three turnovers to upset the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road. Despite his turnover struggles, Prescott was able to move the ball through the air by throwing for 348 passing yards, including a clutch 4-yard game-winning touchdown pass to WR Jalen Tolbert.
Although Dallas was missing both Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence, the Cowboys were still able to sack Justin Fields three times in Week 5. Dallas’ defense held the Steelers to just 17 points in Pittsburgh.
Now the Cowboys will look to build on their 3-2 start to the regular season, but it won’t be any easier for them in the coming weeks. Dallas will host the Detroit Lions in Week 6 before visiting the San Francisco 49ers in Week 8.
15) Pittsburgh Steelers (3-2; LW: 13)
Pittsburgh’s seemingly elite defense was put to the test against the Cowboys in Week 5. The Steelers ultimately fell short, allowing Dak Prescott to throw for more passing yards (352) than any QB has had against Pittsburgh this season.
Given the lackluster play of starting QB Justin Fields, the Steelers were severely limited by the team’s lack of offensive success on Sunday night. Dallas’ defense was able to keep Fields in check, despite missing both of the team’s starting edge rushers.
On the bright side, T.J. Watt continued to add to his Hall of Fame resume in Week 5, as he became the 44th player in NFL history to officially record 100 career sacks.
The Steelers will look to bounce back as they are set to travel across the country to visit the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 6.
16) Arizona Cardinals (2-3; LW: 21)
After last week’s blowout loss at home to the Commanders, the Cardinals pulled off a shocking upset with a 24-23 win over the 49ers as 7.5-point road underdogs.
Against the 49ers, the Cardinals rallied down 23-10 going into halftime to score 14 unanswered points.
When San Francisco had the ball inside the red zone with seven minutes remaining in the fourth quarter and a 23-21 lead prior to Jordan Mason’s fumble, the 49ers had a win probability of 85.3% according to ESPN.
Although they managed to force three takeaways, the Cardinals’ defense still remains a major concern going forward, as the 49ers ran for 153 yards against them on 26 carries.
17) Chicago Bears (3-2; LW: 24)
Even though it came against the Panthers, the Bears had perhaps their most impressive win of the season in Week 5.
Caleb Williams had his best performance of his short career, as he posted season-high totals in passer rating, yards per attempt, and EPA per dropback. After a slow start to the season, Williams has shown week-over-week improvement.
Caleb Williams passer rating by game this season:
Week 1: 55.7
Week 2: 51.0
Week 3: 80.8
Week 4: 106.6
Week 5: 126.2#Bears— Zack Pearson (@Zack_Pearson) October 6, 2024
Behind Williams’ sensational day, the Bears’ offense had their best outing of the season as well with 36 points and 424 yards from scrimmage.
As spectacular as their offense was, the Bears’ defense reminded us why they’re considered one of the best units in the NFL.
Although they’re in the ultra-competitive NFC North division, the Bears proved themselves as a complete team on Sunday. If Williams and their offense can sustain this production to go along with their stout defense, this team can make a run at the postseason.
18) New Orleans Saints (2-3; LW: 14)
After looking like the Greatest Show on Turf 2.0 through two weeks, the Saints’ offense regressed to the mean in three consecutive losses to the Eagles, Falcons, and Chiefs.
While some believed New Orleans would be able to pull off an upset victory in New Orleans, they were unable to do so. The Chiefs’ defense knocked Derek Carr out of the game with an oblique injury, and Alvin Kamara was limited to just 2.4 yards per rushing attempt.
19) Los Angeles Chargers (2-2; LW: 18)
While the Chargers are 2-2, they’ll need to get more production out of Justin Herbert and their passing attack coming out of their bye week.
Going into their bye, the Chargers ranked just 31st in passing yards, only ahead of Jacoby Brissett and the Patriots.
Even with the Chargers leaning more heavily on their rushing attack, their ceiling as a potential playoff contender is fairly limited if they can’t improve their passing offense.
20) Cincinnati Bengals (1-4; LW: 19)
The Bengals find themselves at 1-4 and plummeting in our power rankings largely because of their defense.
After five weeks, this Bengals defense has been a bottom-five unit by EPA per play and success rate.
MORE: Simulate the Season With PFN’s Playoff Predictor
In their overtime loss to the Ravens, the Bengals allowed 41 points and 520 yards from scrimmage — the fifth-most in a single game in the Zac Taylor era.
Joe Burrow and the Bengals’ offense have been playing excellent football since Week 1, as they trail only the Commanders in EPA per play in the last four weeks. However, the defense hasn’t been able to hold up on their end, and it might be too late for Cincinnati to climb out of this hole.
21) Denver Broncos (3-2; LW: 23)
Don’t look now, but the Broncos are now 3-2 and on a three-game winning streak.
During this stretch, the Broncos have been a top-five defense by yards per game, yards per play, success rate, and EPA.
Bo Nix has also shown steady improvement, and on Sunday, he recorded season highs in yards per attempt (7.6) and passer rating (117.2).
The Broncos may have a long way to go before they’re considered playoff contenders, but they have climbed out of an 0-2 hole in impressive fashion.
22) New York Jets (2-3; LW: 17)
As stated earlier, Rodgers had his worst performance of the season in Week 5 by EPA per dropback, and the offense struggled as a whole. For the day, they generated just 254 yards of offense and averaged just 3.6 yards per play.
One silver lining for the Jets’ offense in Week 5 was that Garrett Wilson had his breakout performance of the season, finishing with 13 receptions, 101 yards, and one touchdown on a whopping 22 targets.
However, outside of Wilson, the Jets are clearly lacking weapons. Breece Hall’s struggles continued on Sunday, as he is down to just 3.0 yards per carry for the season.
Meanwhile, as Davante Adams trade rumors are ongoing, it became even more clear on Sunday that the Jets need more weapons in the passing game outside of Wilson. Mike Williams has yet to get in a groove with Rodgers, and Lazard is miscast as a WR2 in this offense.
On the other side of the ball, the Jets managed to limit the Vikings’ offense to just 16 points and 253 yards from scrimmage, inspiring hope for the rest of the season.
23) Indianapolis Colts (2-3; LW: 22)
The Colts have now gone 10 consecutive seasons without winning a game in Jacksonville, and this time, they let the Jaguars get their first win of 2024.
Without Anthony Richardson, the Colts’ offense had their most productive game of the season, but it wasn’t enough to compensate for their defense.
Against the Jaguars, Gus Bradley’s unit posted season lows in passing yards, rushing yards, and points allowed.
To make matters worse, the Jaguars’ 8.7 yards per play were the most by a Colts opponent in more than 10 years.
Simply put, the Colts’ playoff hopes are going to end sooner than later if their defense can’t improve, regardless of Richardson’s health and Joe Flacco’s heroics.
24) Los Angeles Rams (1-4; LW: 20)
The Rams continue to be gritty enough to stay in games but not talented enough to win them.
Outside of their 41-10 Week 2 loss to the Cardinals, the Rams’ other three losses this season have all been by one score (and they have come down to the very last drive of the game).
#Rams RB Kyren Williams now has a rushing TD in 8⃣ straight games, the longest active streak in the NFL.
He also ties Derrick Henry for most rushing TDs in the NFL this season with 6. 🙌 pic.twitter.com/E8yYxULzzh
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 6, 2024
Even without Cooper Kupp and Puka Nacua, there have been some bright spots in this Rams offense outside of Matthew Stafford.
Kyren Williams has scored touchdowns in eight straight games, and sixth-round pick rookie Jordan Whittington had seven receptions for 89 yards on Sunday.
25) New York Giants (2-3; LW: 30)
Without Malik Nabers on Sunday, the Giants managed to have their best offensive performance of the season in a shocking 29-20 upset over the Seahawks.
Rookie running back Tyrone Tracy Jr. had a breakout performance, rushing for 129 yards on 18 carries, while Darius Slayton filled in masterfully for Nabers as the Giants’ primary receiver, catching eight passes for 122 yards and a touchdown.
The most encouraging development for the Giants, however, was Daniel Jones delivering an efficient performance. For the day, Jones threw for 257 yards on 7.6 yards per attempt and two touchdowns. Jones’ 109.6 passer rating was his highest in a single game since Week 17 of 2022.
26) Miami Dolphins (2-3; LW: 27)
The Dolphins snapped their three-game losing streak on Sunday, picking up their first victory without Tua Tagovailoa. However, it did come against the Patriots, so take it with a grain of salt.
De’Von Achane left the game early with an injury and never returned, but the Dolphins’ other running backs picked up the pieces in his absence.
MORE: NFL Injury Report
For the day, Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright combined for 166 rushing yards on 32 carries for an average of 5.19 yards per attempt.
Mostert and Wright led the Dolphins to their best performance on the season by EPA on designed running plays, and overall, it was their offense’s most productive day since Week 1.
27) Las Vegas Raiders (2-3; LW 26)
Even though they lost by 16 points to the Broncos on Sunday, the Raiders actually outgained them by 41 yards. The issue, however, was that they lost the turnover battle, as Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell combined to throw for three interceptions.
At 2-3 and Davante Adams trade rumors aflame, the Raiders’ season could spiral fast. By the end of the season, we might be looking back at their Week 2 win over the Ravens as the most shocking game result of 2024.
28) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4; LW 29)
The Jaguars reminded the NFL world on Sunday that they’re not the worst team in the NFL despite entering Week 5 as the only winless team.
Trevor Lawrence had a bounce-back performance in snapping his nine-game losing streak, throwing for a career-high 371 yards on an average of 10.9 yards per attempt.
Lawrence also recorded the fourth-highest EPA per dropback in a single game of his career, and it was his best since Week 11 of last season.
In addition to Lawrence, Tank Bigsby and rookie Brian Thomas Jr. each shined on offense. Bigsby ran for 101 yards, including a 65-yard score on the ground, while Thomas Jr. showed off his explosiveness with an 85-yard touchdown reception.
At 1-4, the Jaguars’ playoff hopes remain dim, and Doug Pederon’s job continues to be on thin ice.
29) Tennessee Titans (1-3; LW: 28)
The Titans managed to avoid going into their bye week winless, but it was their backup quarterback Mason Rudolph who led them to their first victory of the season, not Will Levis.
Although the Titans are 1-3, they have outgained their opponents in three out of four games this season. Their issue has been they have a -7 turnover differential, which was the worst of any NFL team through four weeks.
Levis will need to improve coming out of the bye to save both his job and the Titans’ season.
30) Cleveland Browns (1-4; LW: 25)
There was hope that Deshaun Watson could at least produce semi-competent quarterback play against the Commanders’ defense this week, but that proved not to be the case.
Watson continued to hold the Browns’ offense back, as he went just 15/28 for 125 passing yards with his lone touchdown coming in garbage time.
Even with Watson’s massive contract on the books, head coach Kevin Stefanski needs to seriously consider benching his starting quarterback if he wants to have any hopes of both saving his season and his job.
Deshaun Watson is averaging -0.30 EPA per dropback, the lowest number for any Browns QB in Weeks 1-5 since at least 2000.
The second-worst performance? Deshaun Watson last season (-0.20).
— Austin Gayle (@austingayle_) October 6, 2024
Defensively, the Browns actually held the Commanders to their lowest point total since Week 3. But Jayden Daniels had an easy day moving the ball against them, finishing with an average of 9.5 yards per attempt while gaining 82 yards on the ground.
31) New England Patriots (1-4; LW: 31)
The Patriots were home underdogs to a lifeless Dolphins team without their starting quarterback on Sunday, and ended up losing the game 15-10 — that’s how bad they are at the moment.
New England’s offense, in particular, is a disaster right now, averaging just 250.8 yards per game and 4.3 yards per play.
Jacoby Brissett has struggled mightily, and Sunday was no exception. For the season, Brissett has finished with a negative EPA per dropback in four out of five weeks, and he hasn’t thrown for 170 yards or more in a single game yet.
Even though it’s clear the Patriots prefer not to rush Drake Maye into game action, especially with how bad the supporting cast is offensively, it appears to be a matter of if and not when he becomes the starting quarterback for the rest of the season.
32) Carolina Panthers (1-4; LW: 32)
Andy Dalton and the Panthers’ offense suffered a massive setback on Sunday, as they had their worst performance by yards, points scored, and EPA since before benching Bryce Young.
Dalton particularly struggled, as he averaged just 4.9 yards per attempt and threw zero touchdown passes with one interception.
Sitting at 1-4 and with their eye on the 2025 NFL Draft, the Panthers are certainly a team worth remembering leading up to the trade deadline.
Veteran wide receiver Diontae Johnson, in particular, is a name to watch, as there should be plenty of teams interested in him that need a boost to their offense.
