NFL power rankings after Week 5
![George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a...](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fcdn.newsday.com%2Fimage-service%2Fversion%2Fc%3AN2YzMGYxODYtNDY0Ni00%3AODYtNDY0Ni00YzM4MmQx%2Fspnflranks2023_photos.jpg%3Ff%3DLandscape%2B16%253A9%26w%3D770%26q%3D1&w=1920&q=80)
George Kittle of the San Francisco 49ers celebrates after a touchdown catch against the Dallas Cowboys. Credit: Getty Images/Ezra Shaw
(Last week’s ranking in parenthesis)
1. San Francisco: The Niners left no doubt about their supremacy with a rout of the Cowboys. The next serious challenge to a potential perfect season may not show up on their schedule until Dec. 3 when they face… (1)
2. Philadelphia: The Eagles are like their signature short yardage play – strong, effective, not flashy, but virtually unstoppable. (2)
3. Miami: Losing De’Von Achane to an ankle injury is tough, but maybe he is as fast a healer as he is a runner. (6)
4. Detroit: Even while missing two top offensive weapons, they cruise to a dominant win. Trouncing opponents who should be trounced is the sign of an elite team that the Lions can now claim. (5)
5. Kansas City: The regular season is basically their preseason now and we are just watching them work out their kinks for 17 weeks. (7)
6. Jacksonville: They haven’t won in Jacksonville yet but they went 2-0 in London with a nice win over the Bills. (15)
7. Buffalo: Two season-ending injuries to key defensive players in back-to-back weeks will be tough to absorb. (3)
8. Dallas: Getting smoked on national TV in a game that was supposed to be a measuring stick for your progress? The Cowboys had to eat what they served up to the Giants in Week 1. (4)
9. LA Chargers: We’ll know a lot more about this team from its next two games against Dallas and Kansas City. (9)
10. Tampa Bay: Baker Mayfield had a great bye week with his Sooners. Now back to trying to replace Tom Brady. (10)
11. Pittsburgh: First place in the AFC North? How’d that happen? (20)
12. Baltimore: Tough loss to the Steelers. Strange how they still came out looking like the better team though. (8)
13. Cincinnati: If Joe Burrow keeps looking healthier, so do the Bengals. (18)
14. LA Rams: Cooper Kupp’s return gave them a puncher’s chance against Philly. (12)
15. Seattle: Being 3-1 is tremendous for a team that doesn’t particularly excel at anything. (16)
16. Cleveland: No snooze button coming out of the bye for the Browns, who now host the Niners. (13)
17. NY Jets: It’s not every week you get to face a team with a worse Wilson at quarterback than you have. The Jets took advantage of it in Denver. (19)
18. Atlanta: The Falcons let Ridder cook, and he delivered a decent meal. (24)
19. New Orleans: Wins in Foxborough aren’t worth what they used to be, but the Saints will take it no matter the value. (23)
20. Indianapolis: Anthony Richardson is a more exciting player but the Colts once again show they are a better team when Gardner Minshew is at quarterback. (22)
21. Houston: All that good mojo off two straight wins melted away pretty quickly. (17)
22. Washington: Magic Johnson needs to better handle the inevitable ups and downs of this team’s season more than the players and coaches do. (11)
23. Las Vegas: Jimmy G and the Raiders end their three-game skid thanks to three defensive takeaways. (28)
24. Tennessee: When the old Derrick Henry shows up, the Titans are good. When he doesn’t, they lose to the Colts. (21)
25. Green Bay: In two primetime games, Jordan Love has thrown five interceptions. That doesn’t win hearts and minds… or games. (14)
26. Chicago: Justin Fields had a heck of a five-day span with 8 TDs but only one win. (31)
27. Minnesota: What might life be like if Justin Jefferson leaves in free agency? The Vikings will get a taste of it with him on IR for a bit. (25)
28. Arizona: This is the team that plays everyone tough but doesn’t have the talent to actually win. (27)
29. NY Giants: Some may have predicted a step back from the playoff team of a year ago, but no one could have seen this coming. (29)
30. New England: The measly 17 wins Bill Belichick needs to match Don Shula for most all time have never seemed so unachievable. (26)
31. Denver: Imagine how bad it would have been if Aaron Rodgers had been there to defend Nathaniel Hackett’s honor. (30)
32. Carolina: Worse yet, the Panthers don’t even have their own first-round pick to look forward to. (32)
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