Welcome to Week 5 of the Pro Football Network company-wide NFL power rankings! While Dalton Miller ably provides his own power rankings following the conclusion of each Sunday’s action, we’ll be polling each of PFN’s NFL contributors to assemble our list.
Each week, we’ll combine rankings from yours truly, Chief Content Officer David Bearman, NFL Director Adam Beasley, Betting Director Brian Blewis, Audience Engagement Director Mike Gambardella, COO Matt Infante, NFL Analyst Dalton Miller, Bengals Reporter Jay Morrison, Cowboys Reporter Jess Nevarez, and Fantasy Director Kyle Yates.
Which teams are too high or too low as we enter Week 5 of the 2023 NFL season?
From the current NFL standings to team depth charts to coverage of every game in the 18-week NFL schedule, we have all the news from around the league to keep you up to speed!
Pro Football Network’s Week 5 NFL Power Rankings
32) Chicago Bears
Week 4 Ranking: 32
What’s more embarrassing: getting demolished by the Kansas City Chiefs with Taylor Swift in the building or losing to another winless team because you decided against a potential game-winning field goal?
Bears head coach Matt Eberflus accomplished both over the past two weeks and is squarely on the hot seat — even if Chicago has never fired an HC in-season. Justin Fields posted one of the best passing performances in Week 4, but it was all for naught. Nothing is going right in Chicago as the Bears prepare for a Thursday night matchup against the Washington Commanders.
31) Carolina Panthers
Week 4 Ranking: 30
Bryce Young returned following a one-game injury absence, but his presence under center didn’t help the Panthers’ offense. Carolina averaged just 3.4 yards per play in their Week 5 loss to the Minnesota Vikings.
While the Panthers’ defense played well, it’s fair to ask when Carolina could win its first game. They won’t be favored against any of their next four opponents (Detroit Lions, Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, Indianapolis Colts), but maybe they can defeat the Bears in Week 10.
30) Denver Broncos
Week 4 Ranking: 31
The Broncos were down 21 points to the Bears with one minute remaining in the third quarter and had to mount a furious comeback to win Sunday’s game. Russell Wilson (8.0 yards per attempt, three touchdowns) continued to play well, but Denver won’t play Chicago every week.
29) New York Giants
Week 4 Ranking: 25
Monday night was an absolute disaster for the Giants, who looked completely out of their element in a 24-3 loss to the Seattle Seahawks. Daniel Jones threw two interceptions, lost a fumble, took 10 sacks (two shy of the NFL record), and culminated his evening by getting into a sideline argument with head coach Brian Daboll.
Brian Daboll is NOT happy with Daniel Jonespic.twitter.com/13VxgdeCwV
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 3, 2023
Regression always appeared likely for New York, who outperformed expectations en route to a playoff appearance in 2022. But reality has hit the Giants hard.
28) Las Vegas Raiders
Week 4 Ranking: 27
Starting in place of Jimmy Garoppolo, fourth-round rookie quarterback Aidan O’Connell nearly helped bring the Raiders back in an eventual loss to the Los Angeles Chargers. But he looked overwhelmed for most of the game, absorbing seven sacks while throwing a pick and losing two fumbles.
Still, shouldn’t Las Vegas give O’Connell a chance for the rest of the season? Garoppolo isn’t guiding the Raiders out of a 1-3 hole, so they might as well see if they struck gold with their 2023 draft pick.
27) Arizona Cardinals
Week 4 Ranking: 29
Joshua Dobbs continued to impress on Sunday, working efficiently from the pocket while adding 48 rushing yards en route to an 80.8 QBR. Dobbs has cemented himself as — at worst — a long-term NFL backup, and it shouldn’t be a surprise if he’s continually competing for starting roles.
But the Cardinals’ anonymous defense took it on the chin against the San Francisco 49ers. Brock Purdy missed on just one pass attempt, while San Francisco scored on five of its six full drives.
26) New England Patriots
Week 4 Ranking: 19
Week 4 marked the third-worst game of Mac Jones’ career by adjusted yards per attempt, but that might not even do justice to how poorly he played against the Dallas Cowboys. The former first-round pick consistently threw back across the field and seemed to be actively working against the Patriots’ offensive structure.
25) New York Jets
Week 4 Ranking: 23
Elsewhere in the AFC East, Zach Wilson — like Jones, a member of the 2021 draft class — posted one of the best games of his NFL tenure. Wilson will never be Aaron Rodgers, but he kept the Jets in Sunday night’s game against the Kansas City Chiefs and, perhaps most importantly, didn’t commit any back-breaking mistakes.
24) Minnesota Vikings
Week 4 Ranking: 24
After averaging 46 attempts over the Vikings’ first three games, Kirk Cousins threw the ball just 19 times in Minnesota’s first win of the season. Cousins tossed two interceptions, one of which was returned for a touchdown, but the Vikings’ defense gave its best effort of the season, holding the Panthers to just 232 total yards.
23) Houston Texans
Week 4 Ranking: 28
C.J. Stroud is an NFL quarterback. Any doubters can go ahead and quietly erase their pre-draft tweets. The No. 2 overall pick in April’s draft put up 240+ passing yards for the fourth consecutive game and has now posted the second-most passing yards by a quarterback through four starts in NFL history.
MORE: NFL Week 4 Rookie Rankings
Houston’s offensive line, missing a starter at four of five positions, didn’t allow a single sack. And the Texans’ defense is full of young playmakers like Will Anderson Jr., Christian Harris, and Jalen Pitre, all of whom flashed in the club’s 30-6 win over the Pittsburgh Steelers.
22) Washington Commanders
Week 4 Ranking: 22
What are we supposed to make of the Commanders? They beat two of the league’s worst teams — the Cardinals and Broncos — to open the season, but both wins required frantic comebacks. A blowout loss to the Buffalo Bills in Week 3 soured the mood in Washington, but the club responded by taking the Philadelphia Eagles to overtime on Sunday.
#Commanders QB Sam Howell hits Jahan Dotson as time expires to send it to OT 🤯
MADNESS.
pic.twitter.com/jkSMQtmgFX— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 1, 2023
Sam Howell was efficient despite taking five more sacks, completing 70.7% of his passes for 290 yards and a touchdown while adding 40 more yards on the ground. If Howell continues to play as he did against the Eagles, the Commanders could reel off three straight wins against the Bears, Atlanta Falcons, and Giants.
21) Tennessee Titans
Week 4 Ranking: 26
The Titans’ defense held a limited Joe Burrow to three points on Sunday, but Tennessee’s offensive production was just as impressive. Derrick Henry looked unstoppable while forcing nine missed tackles, and Ryan Tannehill routinely used play action before hitting shot plays down the field.
We’ve seen Mike Vrabel’s Titans grind out plenty of wins in the past. He remains one of the NFL’s best coaches and can get the most out of a roster that’s not exactly chock full of talent. Tennessee might not be a playoff team in 2023, but their floor remains relatively high.
20) Pittsburgh Steelers
Week 4 Ranking: T-14
The Steelers got good news on Kenny Pickett, whose knee injury is less severe than initial fears. Pickett, dealing with a bone bruise and muscle strain, will practice on Wednesday and has a chance to play on Sunday.
But will it even matter? Pittsburgh’s offense ranks 31st in expected points added (EPA) per play. While Mike Tomlin indicated the Steelers would make changes, Matt Canada is still this team’s offensive play-caller. An upcoming three-game stretch against the Baltimore Ravens, Los Angeles Rams, and Jacksonville Jaguars won’t help.
19) Cincinnati Bengals
Week 4 Ranking: 11
No team fell further in our power rankings this week than the Bengals, who dropped eight spots following their limp Week 5 defeat to the Titans. Burrow is clearly still hindered by his calf strain and admitted after Sunday’s game that Cincinnati essentially has no offensive identity. But the Bengals can’t afford to sit him and risk dropping to 1-4.
The latest episode of the PFN Bengals Podcast is posted.
– What was the most troubling thing we saw in Tennessee?
– What changes should be made?
– Can they save their season in Arizona?
– Are @DallasDRobinson and I dumb enough to predict another win?https://t.co/EtQSuGDoh3
— Jay Morrison (@ByJayMorrison) October 3, 2023
Cincinnati can at least use Burrow’s health as an excuse for its offensive struggles. But Lou Anarumo’s defense was just as disappointing against a Tennessee offense that shouldn’t exactly scare anyone. If the Bengals’ defense can’t rectify things against the Cardinals in Week 5, it’ll be time to sound the alarm.
18) Atlanta Falcons
Week 4 Ranking: 17
The Falcons have enough talent on the offensive and defensive sides of the ball to win the NFC South in 2023. But Desmond Ridder isn’t getting it done.
MORE: NFL Fans React to Toy Story Broadcast for Falcons-Jaguars London Game
One week after finishing dead last in QBR, Ridder ranked next-to-last with a 10.6 mark in Week 4. Among quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts, only Jordan Love has a lower completion percentage above expectation than Ridder, meaning Atlanta’s starter isn’t hitting throws that a league-average QB would complete.
It’s still early. But Taylor Heinicke, the NFL’s second-highest-paid backup quarterback, looms.
17) Indianapolis Colts
Week 4 Ranking: 20
We don’t know how many wins the Colts will end up with this season. Maybe they’ll sneak into the playoffs. Perhaps they’ll struggle down the stretch.
But either way, Indianapolis has to feel good about the Shane Steichen-Anthony Richardson partnership. The No. 4 overall pick helped guide the Colts back from a 23-point deficit with 21 minutes remaining in regulation. Richardson never saw the ball in overtime, but we’re betting he could have made something happen.
16) New Orleans Saints
Week 4 Ranking: 13
A shoulder injury hampered Derek Carr in the Saints’ Week 4 loss, and it showed. No quarterback averaged fewer yards per attempt than Carr (3.4) on Sunday.
New Orleans’ defense has typically kept the club in games even when the offense sputtered. But the Saints allowed Baker Mayfield to throw three touchdowns and post a 93.0 QBR in a game in which Mike Evans departed early with a hamstring injury.
15) Los Angeles Rams
Week 4 Ranking: 21
Matthew Stafford, Puka Nacua, and Kyren Williams have allowed the Rams to field the NFL’s eight-most efficient offense, even with Cooper Kupp on the sidelines. With Kupp back at practice and trending toward a Week 5 return, Los Angeles has seemingly unlimited offensive upside.
PUKA NACUA WALK-OFF TD IN OT 😳
RAMS WIN. WOW#RamsHouse pic.twitter.com/5yRfichjRZ
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 1, 2023
The Rams’ defense has been surprisingly effective, holding three of four opponents to 23 or fewer points. If Raheem Morris’ defense — which boasts little in the way of name value beyond Aaron Donald — can manage even a league-average performance, Los Angeles could be a playoff team.
14) Green Bay Packers
Week 4 Ranking: 12
One step forward, one step back. That’s been the story of the season for the Packers, who fell to 2-2 after a Thursday night loss to the division-rival Detroit Lions. Jordan Love exemplified those ups and downs in Week 4, completing just six of 15 first-half attempts for 50 yards before turning it on in the second half.
Green Bay recently lost left tackle David Bakhtiari (likely for the season), but left guard Elgton Jenkins should return to the lineup soon. Meanwhile, WR Christian Watson and RB Aaron Jones should be in full health after a 10-day break.
13) Jacksonville Jaguars
Week 4 Ranking: T-14
The Jaguars looked like the clear AFC South favorites entering the 2023 season, but every team in the division is 2-2 through four weeks. Based on Jacksonville’s slow start, they’re fortunate to have not fallen behind.
Trevor Lawrence was efficient, but the Jaguars’ offense has generally struggled this year, ranking just 16th in yards per play and 20th in scoring. But Jacksonville’s defense stepped up with its best performance of the season, headlined by Josh Allen’s three-sack day.
T-11) Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Week 4 Ranking: 18
No team has made as significant of a leap in our power rankings this season as the Buccaneers, who entered the 2023 campaign ranked 31st. Mayfield is playing his best football in years — assuming Evans’ injury isn’t long-term, Tampa Bay’s passing offense could continue to thrive.
If Mayfield turns back into a pumpkin at some point, the Buccaneers will lose their lead in the NFC South. But Tampa Bay has enough talent on defense to contend if Mayfield can avoid self-inflicted errors.
T-11) Cleveland Browns
Week 4 Ranking: 10
Week 4 represented a step back for the Browns, but they weren’t necessarily expected to beat the Ravens with fifth-round rookie quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson filling in for the injured Deshaun Watson.
Watson played his best game as a Brown in Week 3, and Cleveland’s defense remains the most dominant unit in the NFL. The Browns are heading into a bye, but their Week 6 matchup against the 49ers will give us a better sense of who this team really is.
10) Los Angeles Chargers
Week 4 Ranking: 16
The Chargers struggled offensively on Sunday, but Justin Herbert’s third-quarter finger injury was at least partly to blame. Austin Ekeler’s return after L.A.’s Week 5 bye should buoy a rushing attack that hasn’t found any success with Joshua Kelley leading the backfield.
MORE: NFL Offense Rankings 2023
Khalil Mack took out his frustration against the Raiders (his former team) en route to six sacks, and the Chargers’ defense played its best game of the season. But it came against O’Connell, a Day 3 rookie in his first NFL action.
#PFN365 Defensive Player of the Week: #Chargers OLB Khalil Mack 😤
➡️ 10 tackles
➡️ 6 sacks
➡️ 2 forced fumbles
➡️ 1 pass defendedThe 7-time Pro Bowler was UNSTOPPABLE vs. his former team!
PFN's Defense Rankings: https://t.co/TqZRBnh3Bk pic.twitter.com/X7xSoP2GcM
— Pro Football Network (@PFN365) October 3, 2023
Week 4 didn’t offer much clarity on the Chargers. Weeks 6 and 7, featuring matchups against the Cowboys and Chiefs, will.
9) Seattle Seahawks
Week 4 Ranking: 9
Despite a brief scare, Geno Smith avoided a serious knee injury on Monday night as the Seahawks embarrassed the Giants in a 24-3 win. Seattle’s defense won’t get to play an offensive line as porous as New York’s every week, but a unit featuring Riq Woolen, Devon Witherspoon, and a front capable of a 10-sack performance is frightening.
8) Baltimore Ravens
Week 4 Ranking: 8
The Ravens might still be the most underrated team in the NFL. Their 3-1 start has seemed mostly ho-hum, but they’d be undefeated had they managed to pull out an overtime win against the Colts in Week 3.
Baltimore still has a ton of injury issues. The club’s Week 4 inactives list read like a who’s who of the Ravens’ roster, including Rashod Bateman, Odell Beckham Jr., Marlon Humphrey, Ronnie Stanley, and Odafe Oweh. If Baltimore can stick atop the AFC North and get some of those critical contributors back, they’ll be a force to be reckoned with.
7) Detroit Lions
Week 4 Ranking: 7
Few teams have lived up to the hype this season as confidently as the Lions, who have now knocked off the Chiefs at Arrowhead and the Packers at Lambeau over their first four games. Detroit is now 3-1 and looks like the clear favorite in the NFC North.
The Lions have so many different ways to win. Jared Goff was hit or miss in Week 4, but David Montgomery came off injury to post a career-high 32 carries for 121 yards and three touchdowns. Even when the offense has an off night, Detroit’s defense can stifle its opponents, as it did to the Falcons in Week 3.
6) Miami Dolphins
Week 4 Ranking: 2
Tua Tagovailoa said the Dolphins’ 48-20 loss to the Bills was “much needed” for some of Miami’s players to be humbled after the team’s 3-0 start. Maybe that’s true, but some of the Dolphins’ issues were exposed on Sunday.
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Vic Fangio’s defense is officially on notice after allowing Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs to connect for three touchdowns in Week 4. And the Dolphins, already missing center Connor Williams, will be without left tackle Terron Armstead (knee) for the foreseeable future.
5) Dallas Cowboys
Week 4 Ranking: 6
Through four weeks, the Cowboys have posted three blowout wins that have positioned them as one of the NFL’s best teams and one embarrassing loss to the Cardinals, viewed as one of the league’s worst clubs.
Week 4 was one of Dallas’ good days. The Cowboys’ defense scored two touchdowns, and Dallas even converted a two-point conversion on a fake PAT attempt. Mike McCarthy’s team was having fun against the Patriots on Sunday, but Week 5’s date against the 49ers will present a much stiffer test.
4) Kansas City Chiefs
Week 4 Ranking: 3
The Jets’ defense can stifle just about any quarterback, and that includes Patrick Mahomes. The reigning MVP tossed two of the worst interceptions you’ll ever see him throw — but the Chiefs still managed to escape New York with a win.
If Isiah Pacheco can look as explosive as he did on Sunday night (20 carries for 115 yards and a touchdown), Kansas City should be able to pull out wins even when Mahomes isn’t at the top of his game. And if the Chiefs’ defense can continue to shut down opposing offenses, another Lombardi Trophy is well within reach.
3) Buffalo Bills
Week 4 Ranking: 5
It’s hard to say what was more impressive on Sunday: Allen and the Bills shredding the Dolphins’ defense for 48 points, or Buffalo’s defense largely shutting down a Miami offense that scored 70 points in Week 3?
MORE: NFL Defense Rankings 2023
There’s no wrong answer. The Bills are a complete team without any apparent weaknesses (although Tre’Davious White’s season-ending injury could create one). Buffalo’s loss — and Allen’s total meltdown — against the Jets in Week 1 seems like a distant memory.
2) Philadelphia Eagles
Week 4 Ranking: 4
Philadelphia’s rushing attack and defensive performance were largely responsible for the club’s wins in Weeks 2 and 3, but Jalen Hurts and A.J. Brown finally got the Eagles’ passing game going against the Commanders in Week 4. Brown (nine catches for 175 yards and two touchdowns) could not be contained and has now erupted in consecutive games.
The Eagles’ defense could become a concern against higher-quality competition. Howell is a better quarterback than many gave him credit for entering this season, but Philadelphia shouldn’t have allowed him to drive 80 yards with 1:43 on the clock to send the game to overtime.
1) San Francisco 49ers
Week 4 Ranking: 1
The 49ers’ offense was nearly flawless on Sunday. Purdy completed 20 of his 21 attempts and led all quarterbacks with a 97.2 QBR. Christian McCaffrey was utterly dominant, posting 106 rushing yards and 71 receiving yards while scoring four total touchdowns in San Francisco’s win over the Cardinals.
Purdy and Co. haven’t been truly tested through four weeks. That will change in Week 5, when the 49ers will face the Cowboys in prime time in what could be the game of the year.