We’re now through five weeks of what has been a chaotic and drama-filled 2023 NFL regular season. While several clubs are making their cases as bonafide championship contenders, there’s a giant “mushy middle” list and a wide-open race for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
Plenty of good football left. With five weeks down, let’s see how all 32 teams stack up against each other.
32. Carolina Panthers (31)
Bryce Young finally showed some promise with 25 completions for 247 yards and three touchdowns…but he also had two interceptions in a 42-24 blowout loss against the Detroit Lions.
With the Chicago Bears winning in Week 5, the Panthers are football’s last winless team. Things aren’t getting any easier with the Miami Dolphins next on the schedule.
31. New England Patriots (26)
Just how bad is it in New England? One week after Bill Belichick suffered his worst loss as a head coach in Dallas…his Patriots were smacked 34-0 by the visiting New Orleans Saints at Gillette Stadium.
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Things haven’t looked this bleak in Foxborough since the early 90s. The main question is if Belichick is on borrowed time in New England.
30. New York Giants (30)
No offensive line. No playmakers outside of Saquon Barkley. A practically invisible defense…
Other than that, things aren’t that bad for a Giants team that had high expectations after last year’s surprise run to the elite eight. Gotta wonder if Daniel Jones is given the bench soon, and if Barkley will hit the trade block ahead of the Oct. 31 deadline.
29. Arizona Cardinals (28)
The Cardinals’ upset of the Dallas Cowboys in Week 3 feels like a lifetime ago now. They’ve surrendered 69 points since, having gotten blown out by the San Francisco 49ers and then the Cincinnati Bengals.
If there’s any consolation, it’s that Arizona remains a front-runner for the Caleb Williams sweepstakes.
28. Denver Broncos (27)
One year ago, Denver had the worst scoring offense in the league. Here in 2023, they currently bolster the worst scoring defense in the league, having allowed a pathetic 36.2 points per game.
Sean Payton’s obsession with retaining Vance Joseph as his DC still makes no sense to us. Sure, Sean, if the goal is to tank even though you inherited a roster that’s supposedly in win-now mode…
27. Chicago Bears (31)
The Bears took advantage of an undisciplined Washington Commanders team on Thursday night and humiliated them by a final score of 40-20 at FedExField, giving Matt Eberflus and company their first win of 2023.
Beating a team with a mediocre QB and a garbage defense isn’t a giant cause for celebration, but the Bears will simply take a W however they can get them. With home games against the Vikings and Raiders next on the schedule, there is a path here to getting back to .500.
26. Minnesota Vikings (25)
Minnesota kept it close against the defending champions on Sunday evening, but they ultimately fell 27-20 to the visiting Kansas City Chiefs.
Sloppy mistakes and ongoing struggles in the red zone were too much for Kevin O’Connell’s group to overcome. All four of the Vikings’ losses have been decided by a score, so maybe they’re not as bad as their record indicates.
But moral losses don’t exist in football…and with Kirk Cousins five months away from free agency, you do wonder if Minnesota is open to trading him.
25. Washington Commanders (21)
Only Denver’s defense has been worse than a Commanders unit which has allowed a gross 32 points per game. Just one year ago, this was the No. 7 scoring defense in football.
Yes, the sky’s falling in DC. Will “Riverboat” Ron Rivera even last the entire season? Will Chase Young get dealt ahead of the deadline? Bottom line, it already looks like the focus should shift over to 2024 — because this team isn’t built to compete in a loaded NFC
24. Las Vegas Raiders (29)
A nice bounce-back win for the Silver and Black, who won a nailbiter over Jordan Love and the visiting Packers on Monday.
Jakobi Meyers saved the day with Davante Adams being shut down by his old team, and the inconsistent defense actually came through with game-changing plays. At 2-3, the Raiders are far from an afterthought in a wide-open AFC playoff race – not to mention they have the unraveling Pats and one-win Bears next on the schedule.
23. Tennessee Titans (17)
Two touchdowns and five interceptions for Ryan Tannehill through five weeks, and yet Mike Vrabel won’t even consider a change. Ridiculous.
Tennessee is in contention to win a wide-open AFC South, but Vrabel’s stubbornness and loyalty to Tannehill suggests he’s not doing his best to win now. Someone please make it make sense, because Tannehill is wasting strong production from DeAndre Hopkins and the defense.
22. Green Bay Packers (19)
Just an all-around frustrating loss for the Packers in Sin City on Monday night. Jordan Love failed to take advantage of one of football’s worst defenses, and Green Bay’s ultra-talented D once again underperformed in crunch time.
The 2-1 start feels like forever ago. This is a mediocre team that has zero true strengths and a ton of holes heading into Week 6.
21. Los Angeles Rams (15)
Cooper Kupp’s return was the main story for the Rams this week. Kupp caught eight passes for 118 yards in Sunday’s 23-14 home loss to the Philadelphia Eagles, giving LA fans a promising glimpse of what this offense is capable of at full strength.
LA should remain humble after keeping it close against a team that easily overmatches them in terms of talent. The Rams get the Cardinals and then a Jekyll-and-Hyde Steelers team next – both at home — so there is a promising road to getting above .500 again.
20. New York Jets (23)
The Jets took advantage of a Denver team that’s come to love giving games away — and the result was a 31-31 New York victory.
Huge difference between being 1-and-4 and 2-3, so Robert Saleh’s group kept their playoff hopes alive with a gutsy victory. Dare we say this team will have a chance if Zach Wilson somehow stops with the turnovers — and quickly?
19. Houston Texans (11)
Disappointing loss for the Texans, who made Desmond Ridder look like Patrick Mahomes in a 21-19 defeat. CJ Stroud had to do most of the work on his own with a non-existent ground game and a quiet day from wideout Nico Collins.
Houston’s mini two-game win streak is over, but they have one of the easiest schedules the rest of the way. As long as Stroud is slinging it, this team will be in the running for the AFC South division…or at the very least a wild card berth.
18. Cincinnati Bengals (24)
A loss to the lowly Cardinals would have put away the Bengals’ playoff hopes for good. But amid a tough season full of injuries and adversity in the early going, Joe Burrow and company have found a way to hang in there.
A daunting schedule awaits with the Seahawks, 49ers and Bills up next. Something tells us we haven’t seen their best football yet, but we’ll soon get a real good idea of what these Bengals are made of.
17. Atlanta Falcons (18)
The Falcons just barely squeaked past Houston at home to get back above .500, thanks to a stellar performance by Desmond Ridder. The second-year QB had 329 yards passing and one touchdown in the nail-biting victory.
You look at their remaining games, and there isn’t a contest that they “SHOULD” definitely lose. In other words, the Falcons are alive and well. Tied with New Orleans and Tampa for the most wins in the NFC South.
16. New Orleans Saints (22)
That was easily the Saints’ best and most convincing win under Dennis Allen as head coach.
New Orleans went into Foxborough and dismantled Bill Belichick’s Patriots 34-0. They won the turnover battle 3-0 and allowed just 156 yards of offense in the blowout victory.
This was the first game where the Saints actually played up to their potential and looked like a team we expect to win the NFC South. Like Atlanta, New Orleans has a clean and manageable schedule from here — so let’s see if they can start tacking on the W’s after a hot-and-cold first month to open the season.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (16)
If someone told you that Pittsburgh would be 3-2 despite averaging a woeful 15.8 points per game through five games, someone would call you crazy.
But hey, it’s a testament to the Steelers’ D and Mike Tomlin’s Hall of Fame coaching job. That was a statement home win over the rival Baltimore Ravens on Sunday afternoon, alright.
Now imagine how much better this team would be if their offense, yanno, did something for once?
14. Cleveland Browns (14)
The Browns’ bye week came at a good time, as it allows Deshaun Watson to rest up and recover for Week 6.
With the 49ers, Colts and Seahawks making up the Browns’ next three games, we’ll soon see what this year’s Browns really are made of. Good time for Deshaun to earn his contract.
13. Indianapolis Colts (20)
The bad news: Anthony Richardson could miss a month or more after suffering a shoulder injury.
The good news: The Colts still beat the Titans on Sunday and are 3-0 with backup Gardner Minshew II. Throw in Jonathan Taylor’s three-year contract extension, and the vibes are indeed good in Indianapolis right now.
Are the Colts just enjoying early-season luck, or are they for real? Their next three games are against playoff contenders in the Jaguars, Browns and Saints. Ideal opportunities to make a statement await.
12. Los Angeles Chargers (13)
The banged-up Chargers are also probably thankful for their early-season bye week. Now on a mini two-game win streak, the Bolts have it tough with the Cowboys and then the Chiefs next on their schedule.
Both games should be filled with fireworks, but that won’t mean anything to Bolts fans if their team doesn’t win at least one of them. This small two-game stretch could quickly make or break the 2023 Chargers.
11. Baltimore Ravens (6)
Is there a more frustrating team so far than the Ravens? Their defense shut down Kenny Pickett’s Steelers for most of the game, but then Lamar Jackson and the offense committed mistake after mistake and let their archrivals come back to win.
Baltimore is 3-2 despite lackluster play through five weeks. But is the offensive explosion ever coming? And will this John Harbaugh guy learn how to close out games again? It’s a concerning trend that has to stop if they’re to go somewhere…
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10)
Baker Mayfield’s Bucs didn’t have the best of bye weeks, with both New Orleans and Atlanta winning in Week 5.
All three clubs have three wins heading into Week 6. It’s go-time for the Bucs especially with the Lions, Falcons and then the Bills next on their schedule. Show us if you’re the real deal, Baker.
9. Dallas Cowboys (5)
Dallas had a prime opportunity to make a statement on Sunday night. The only “statement” they made was a simple reminder that they’re nowhere close to the 49ers’ level.
Dallas took it on the chin with a 42-10 loss, and this much is obvious: They won’t reach the Super Bowl unless they somehow avoid the 49ers. Easier said than done. It’s now on to La La Land for a Monday night showdown with the Chargers
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (12)
The Jaguars put together one of the biggest statement wins of the season, dominating Josh Allen’s Bills on both sides of the ball en route to a 25-20 victory.
Trevor Lawrence, Calvin Ridley and Travis Etienne Jr. all made easy work of Buffalo’s D, reminding the world that this offensive trio can hang in there with the best of the very best.
And now here’s a juicy nugget for Sunday: The Jaguars will welcome back old friend Gardner Minshew and his Colts this Sunday. Winner takes sole possession of first in the AFC South.
7. Buffalo Bills (4)
Frustrating loss for the Bills, who waited until midway through the fourth quarter to show up against Jacksonville.
A banged-up Bills’ defense lost Matt Milano and Daquan Jones too. Not ideal for a team with championship aspirations, and it just already feels like this team’s championship hopes will come down to the Josh Allen-Stefon Diggs connection.
6. Seattle Seahawks (8)
Despite being on a bye week, Seattle moves up two spots thanks to losses from several top-10 teams.
The Seahawks have a manageable schedule in the coming weeks, though Sunday’s Week 6 contest against Joe Burrow’s Bengals should be a challenge. Sign us up for Devon Witherspoon and Tariq Woolen vs. Ja’Marr Chase and Tee Higgins!
5. Detroit Lions (7)
What a week for the Lions! They crushed the Panthers at home while watching Minnesota and Green Bay fall this week. Factor in the head-to-head tiebreaker, and Dan Campbell’s Lions are already three games up on the Pack for first in the NFC North.
Jared Goff, Amon-Ra St. Brown, David Montgomery and Sam LaPorta round out a prolific offense nucleus that has been borderline unstoppable for five weeks now. Up next, a visit to Tampa against Baker’s surprising Bucs.
4. Miami Dolphins (9)
The Dolphins rebounded from their blowout loss in Buffalo by taking down the sluggish Giants at home.
Go ahead and put Miami down for 5-1 with the winless Panthers next on the schedule, followed by a potential Oscar-worthy picture in Week 7 when they visit the Eagles on Sunday Night Football.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (3)
The Chiefs’ season-opening loss to Detroit feels like a lifetime ago now. KC has reeled off four straight wins now, thanks largely to a defense that’s allowing only 16 points per game.
This just in: Patrick Mahomes and Travis Kelce remain phenomenal at football. Through the first month of 2023, it’s evident that they’re still the team to beat in the AFC.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (2)
The Eagles still haven’t put together a complete team performance, yet they’re still a perfect 5-0. Hard to complain, right Philly fans?
The offense is rolling as always, but the banged-up D has had some struggles getting off the field. Philly may be undefeated, but better health in the back is needed if they’re to challenge the 49ers for the NFC’s top seed.
1. San Francisco 49ers (1)
Anything more that needs to be said here? The 49ers welcomed Dallas into Levi’s Stadium and crushed their longtime rivals by a final score of 42-10.
33.4 points per game through five weeks. A league-low 13.6 points per game allowed, too. What more can we say? Brock Purdy and Christian McCaffrey both deserve MVP consideration, and yet the offense isn’t even the strength of this team.
The 49ers are in a class of their own right now. Let’s see if they can stay undefeated with a road trip to Cleveland up next.
What changes would you make to our Week 6 editions of the 2023 NFL power rankings?
