Here’s the deal with these Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. They are not predictions. If a team projects to have an easy or difficult schedule ahead of them, that matters not for this exercise. These are very simply a list of how good each team is right this minute. Here’s how all 32 teams rank in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
NFL Power Rankings: Week 6
Before we get started with our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings, be sure to check out Mike Tanier’s NFL Week 5 Recap after you take a look through this list of 32 teams. This week, Tanier kicks off the NFL Week 5 Recap looking at the undefeated Steelers, what the Chiefs’ loss means for the AFC playoff race, teams who are rebuilding, and more.
32) New York Jets (0-5)
Joe Flacco got the start vs. Arizona for the NFL’s worst football team. And the results went about as everyone expected, with the Jets falling 30-10. The Cardinals averaged 2.8 more yards per play than New York. What is there to get excited about with this team other than possibly earning the first overall pick in next year’s draft and the inevitable firing of Adam Gase? Just like the last two weeks, the Jets are last in my NFL Power Rankings.
31) Washington Football Team (1-4)
With Dwayne Haskins benched, Kyle Allen got the start but got injured. Alex Smith then replaced him. It was amazing to see Smith back on a football field, but he and Allen combined for 70 passing yards while being sacked eight times. This offense produced just 2.1 yards per play, which is just rare (and pathetic) in today’s NFL. We’ll see how they rebound next week and if they can make a move up the NFL Power Rankings list.
30) Jacksonville Jaguars (1-4)
Times are tough for the Jaguars, who fell to 1-4. Gardner Minshew puts up numbers, but too much of that production is hollow. It was especially disturbing that the Jaguars couldn’t get DJ Chark more involved. It seems apparent that Jacksonville’s offense goes as Chark goes. But more than anything, Jacksonville’s defense is just terrible and a reason why they are 30th in my NFL Power Rankings for Week 6.
29) Atlanta Falcons (0-5)
The Falcons come in at 29th in this week’s NFL Power Rankings list. Todd Gurley broke off some long runs, and Calvin Ridley returned to playing at an elite level, but there isn’t much more positive to say about the Falcons right now, as they dropped to 0-5 at home vs. Carolina. This is officially one of the worst teams in the league, and a coaching change has already been made with Dan Quinn fired (along with GM Thomas Dimitroff) on Sunday night. They’ll now begin looking at potential 2021 head coach candidates.
28) New York Giants (0-5)
The Giants sit at 28th in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. The Giants dominated Dallas early on, but that didn’t last. Still, New York has been playing better as the season goes on, and maybe we shouldn’t have been super surprised that the Giants would have a brutal first month of the season with a first-time head coach and so much change in the organization. Also, Darius Slayton is the real deal.
27) Cincinnati Bengals (1-3)
The Bengals got blown out by Baltimore, but Cincinnati’s defense also dropped several Lamar Jackson passes that very well could have been picked off. And the Bengals turned the ball over three times against a superior football team while averaging a pathetic 3.2 yards per offensive play. Far too much was asked of Joe Burrow. This was a somewhat predictable step back for a franchise that was building momentum and a reason why they are toward the bottom of my NFL Power Rankings headed into Week 6.
26) Denver Broncos (1-3)
Heading into Week 6, the Broncos are 26th in my NFL Power Rankings list. Similar to the Patriots, which is the team Denver was scheduled to play in Week 5, this unexpected bye week could actually help the Broncos in that Drew Lock now has a better chance to return when they see the field again. Injuries have crushed Denver.
25) Detroit Lions (1-3)
The Lions were on bye. They sit at 1-3 and are well behind Green Bay and Chicago in the NFC North. Most concerning, the Lions defense is allowing just under 32 points per game. Detroit does get to come out of their bye with games against the Jaguars and Falcons, so maybe they start to trend in the right direction before long. They’re 25th in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
24) Houston Texans (1-4)
Will the Texans ever crack the top 20 in these NFL Power Rankings? Maybe. With Bill O’Brien out of the picture, the Texans got their first win of the year in convincing fashion over Jacksonville. Despite two interceptions, Deshaun Watson broke out against a terrible defense with 359 yards through the air and 161 of those yards going to Brandin Cooks. Houston ran 15 fewer plays than the Jaguars but averaged 8.4 yards per play in this game!
23) Carolina Panthers (3-2)
The Panthers come in 23rd in the Week 6 NFL Power Rankings, and their offense is humming. Teddy Bridgewater is playing very good football, and Mike Davis had another big afternoon. Robby Anderson and DJ Moore, who combined for 205 receiving yards, are quickly proving to be a high-end pair of weapons for Bridgewater while Carolina’s defense is better than expected. Carolina now has a winning record and is way ahead of schedule in their franchise rebuild.
22) Philadelphia Eagles (1-3-1)
Have the Eagles found a wide receiver gem in Travis Fulgham? Well, the Steelers had no answer for him on Sunday, and Fulgham finished the day with 10 catches for 152 yards and a touchdown. Carson Wentz finally got some help and played very well against a great Steelers defense, but it wasn’t enough. The Eagles are 22nd in these NFL Power Rankings.
21) Dallas Cowboys (2-3)
The Cowboys started this game very poorly, a recurring habit for Dallas. But a Daniel Jones pick-6 got the Cowboys right back into the contest. In what ended up being a great game, unfortunately, the biggest news is a gruesome leg injury for Dak Prescott. This looks like Andy Dalton’s offense going forward. They sit just outside the top 20 in these NFL Week 6 Power Rankings.
20) San Francisco 49ers (2-3)
Coming in 20th in these NFL Power Rankings are the San Francisco 49ers. Jimmy Garoppolo really had a tough time. It looked like he returned from his ankle injury too early. With the 49ers down by 23 points, Garoppolo was benched at the half. This was ugly. San Francisco’s upcoming schedule? The Rams, at New England, at Seattle, Green Bay, and then a trip to New Orleans. Oh, dear.
19) Arizona Cardinals (3-2)
The Cardinals come in at number 19 in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Playing against the Jets isn’t a stiff test, but it was a great get-right game for Arizona. Kyler Murray’s 380 passing yards is especially encouraging. As usual, DeAndre Hopkins was the recipient of most of that production, but Murray did find nine different pass catchers. Unfortunately, the Cardinals could now be without Chandler Jones for the rest of the season.
18) Miami Dolphins (2-3)
The Dolphins jumped all over San Francisco. They were leading 30-7 at the half! Tua Tagovailoa’s time will come, but Ryan Fitzpatrick was outstanding in this game, throwing for 350 yards. Miami won the turnover battle 3-0 and just blew the 49ers out of the water, punting just twice and generating a ton of pass-rush pressure on defense. The Dolphins aren’t a bad football team, which is why they’re 18th in these NFL Power Rankings headed into Week 6.
17) Las Vegas Raiders (3-2)
I ranked the Raiders 17th in this week’s NFL Power Rankings. The Raiders went on the road and knocked off the defending champs. That is a huge accomplishment with Derek Carr playing a very strong game. Getting Henry Ruggs back paid off in a big way. He only caught two passes…but for 118 yards. Jon Gruden had to be in glory, watching Josh Jacobs close this game out on the road behind the Raiders’ massive offensive line.
16) Minnesota Vikings (1-4)
The Vikings sit just outside the top 15 in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Dalvin Cook is playing as well as any running back in football right now. He was playing great before leaving the game very early in the second half. The game drastically changed in Seattle’s favor at that point. But the Vikings stuck with the running game with Alexander Mattison as the new feature back.
Minnesota went on to run 83 plays and control the clock to the tune of over 39 minutes of possession time. It was the Vikings’ football and after possessing the ball for over 36 minutes last week, things were starting to shape up for this team. That is until Russell Wilson took the Seahawks down the field in the rain to beat them and send Minnesota to 1-4.
NFL Power Rankings, Week 6: Teams ranked 15-6
15) Los Angeles Chargers (1-4)
We kick off the top 15 of our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings with the Los Angeles Chargers. As usual, the Chargers played in another very close game, this one going to overtime in New Orleans on Monday Night Football. And, as usual, Anthony Lynn’s squad loses another one score game. After throwing three touchdowns in the first half, Justin Herbert cooled off as the game went along. The Chargers have lost a lot of big-name players to injury this year and can now maybe add Keenan Allen to that list.
14) Chicago Bears (4-1)
The Bears are 4-1. The Bears are 4-1. How on earth are the Bears 4-1? Their quarterback play is amongst the worst in the league, and over five games, Chicago has only outscored their collective opponents by five points! Still, the Bears are 4-1 and are number 14 in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
13) Indianapolis Colts (3-2)
The Colts come in 13th in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Cleveland ran 20 more plays and controlled the clock for almost 10 minutes longer than the Colts. Indianapolis got little going on the ground, and every defense this team faces looks to stop the run first and foremost. The Colts are very short on receiving weapons and are not getting nearly good enough quarterback play. It won’t happen, but Indianapolis should consider going to Jacoby Brissett.
12) New England Patriots (2-2)
The Patriots game was postponed, but that Week 5 bye week could work out well for New England as it gives Cam Newton a much better chance of playing when this team does finally return to the field. Their status will be updated in next week’s NFL Power Rankings after they take the field.
11) Cleveland Browns (4-1)
The 11th team in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings are the Cleveland Browns. Baker Mayfield and the Browns’ offense faced a very stiff test against Indianapolis’ defense. Mayfield took a beating. He had an up and down game, and the Colts defense didn’t allow for much running room. Still, the Browns put up 32 points in a winning effort.
Myles Garrett is proving to be as disruptive as any defensive player in the NFL not named Aaron Donald. This is a huge win for the Browns and makes them a front-runner for an AFC playoff spot even though the AFC North has three top teams.
10) New Orleans Saints (3-2)
Coming in tenth in the Week 6 NFL Power Rankings are the New Orleans Saints. The Saints played very poorly early on Monday Night Football, but got into the end zone to close out the half and then quickly made up the difference in the second half. Emmanuel Sanders stepped up huge in Michael Thomas’ absence, catching a dozen balls. Getting Thomas back could complete this offense. Still, there is something missing with this team in 2020.
9) Tennessee Titans (4-0)
After their litany of positive tests, the Titans – ninth in my NFL Week 6 Power Rankings – hosted the Bills on Tuesday. The Titans didn’t show any rust from their bizarre time off and came out hot. Even though Tennessee was down some key players, it was great to see AJ Brown back on the field, and he looked as powerful and explosive as ever. What an effort this was by the Titans when you consider everything involved in playing this game. And Tennessee remains undefeated.
8) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
On a short week on the road, the Buccaneers wore down as the game went on and couldn’t pull out a win in Chicago even though they looked like the better team in the box score. Tampa Bay’s 11 penalties for 109 yards really helped derail the Bucs. Let’s see if they can get any higher in next week’s NFL Power Rankings.
7) Los Angeles Rams (4-1)
Coming in seventh in this week’s NFL Power Rankings are the Los Angeles Rams. The Rams had eight sacks (four by Aaron Donald!) against Washington and just dominated this game up front on defense. Jared Goff played a great game, and Cam Akers’ performance was also quite encouraging. The Rams are a contender.
6) Buffalo Bills (4-1)
The Bills come in sixth in my NFL Week 6 Power Rankings. In a matchup of undefeated teams, the Bills traveled to Tennessee on Tuesday night and proceeded to play their worst game of the season. Josh Allen made too many mistakes, Buffalo lost the turnover battle 3-0, and the Bills got zero from their ground game. The defense offered too little resistance against Ryan Tannehill, Derrick Henry and company. It was a bad night for Buffalo, but let’s not overreact. The Bills are still a very strong team.
The top 5 NFL teams
5) Seattle Seahawks (5-0)
We begin our five best teams of the Week 6 NFL Power Rankings with the Seattle Seahawks. In the first half, Seattle ran seven pass plays and seven run plays. Minnesota ran 40 first-half plays from scrimmage. It was a 13-0 game in Minnesota’s favor at halftime. But everything changed in the second half in Seattle…until the Vikings took back control of the game on the strength of their running game. Russell Wilson had thrown for just 140 yards before the last drive…and then walked away coolly with a 27-26 victory.
4) Baltimore Ravens (4-1)
The Ravens – fourth in these Power Rankings – wiped the floor with Cincinnati, but Lamar Jackson’s passing remains somewhat worrisome. He did get his clear top two receivers, Marquise Brown and Mark Andrews, heavily involved, and Baltimore rushed for 161 yards, but only held the ball for 25:21. That being said, the Ravens defense owned this day and was spectacular against Joe Burrow and company.
3) Pittsburgh Steelers (4-0)
The Steelers are third in this week’s NFL Power Rankings. The Steelers are undefeated and look to have another young stud at the wide receiver position in Chase Claypool, who found the end zone four times against Philadelphia. And Claypool actually had a touchdown called back after a very questionable offensive pass interference call.
Pittsburgh’s defense didn’t play to their usual level, but Ben Roethlisberger made great decisions with the football. The Steelers ran for 136 yards and controlled the clock for almost 35 minutes. This is a balanced team that is tough to play against.
2) Green Bay Packers (4-0)
The Packers come in as the number two team in this week’s NFL Power Rankings. After rolling through the first quarter of their schedule, the Packers were on bye in Week 5. Considering how well they were playing, Green Bay probably would have preferred to have their bye later in the year. But there really isn’t much to complain about right now with this organization.
1) Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
The Chiefs hadn’t lost a football game in quite a while, but that is exactly what happened as Kansas City fell to the Raiders 40-32 on Sunday in Week 5. Patrick Mahomes’ numbers were excellent as usual, as was his play overall, but the Chiefs couldn’t get much going on the ground. Kansas City’s 10 penalties sure didn’t help their cause either, and the defense overall had their worst outing of the year.
This was only Mahomes’ second divisional loss of his amazing career. Are the Chiefs still the best team in the league? We are going with yes, which is why Kansas City remains in the number one spot in my Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
Matt Williamson is a Senior NFL Analyst for Pro Football Network. You can follow him on Twitter: @WilliamsonNFL.