Week 6 NFL Power Rankings: The Vikings Keep Winning

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Oct 11, 2022
Irv Smith Is "Expected" to Play Role in Vikings Playoff Run
Oct 9, 2022; Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA; Minnesota Vikings tight end Irv Smith Jr. (84) reacts late during the fourth quarter against the Chicago Bears at U.S. Bank Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeffrey Becker-USA TODAY Sports.

Week 5 of the NFL season got off to an absolutely dreadful start with the Indianapolis Colts and Denver Broncos failing to score a touchdown on Thursday Night Football, but things quickly got more exciting as the weekend progressed. It was capped off by a highly entertaining matchup between the Kansas City Chiefs and Las Vegas Raiders on Monday night. With all the results tallied, here’s the Week 6 edition of the NFL power rankings.

1. Buffalo Bills

  • Last Week: 38-3 win vs. PIT
  • Trending: +1
  • This Week: 10/16 @ KC

The Bills offense ranks among the top two in terms of total points and yards, and their defense ranks in the top two in points allowed and yards allowed. It’s almost impossible to beat a team when they’re able to do that, but we’ll see how they fare against the Kansas City Chiefs.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

  • Last Week: 20-17 win @ ARI
  • Trending: -1
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. DAL

The Eagles remain the NFL’s only perfect team in the league after sneaking out with a victory against the Cardinals. Now, they have a huge NFC East showdown with the Dallas Cowboys that could set the tone for the rest of the season.

3. Kansas City Chiefs

  • Last Week: 30-29 win vs. LV
  • Trending: —
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. BUF

The Chiefs did what only the Chiefs can do by going down big in the first half only to come roaring back and snatch victory from the jaws of defeat.

4. Minnesota Vikings

  • Last Week: 29-22 win vs. CHI
  • Trending: +2
  • This Week: 10/16 @ MIA

The Vikings offense played their first real complete game of the season, and the defense stepped up just in time down the stretch. If Kirk Cousins continues to play strong football down the stretch of games, Minnesota will be very tough to beat.

5. Baltimore Ravens

  • Last Week: 19-17 win vs. CIN
  • Trending: +5
  • This Week: 10/16 @ NYG

In Justin Tucker, we trust. Once again, with the game on the line, the most accurate kicker in NFL history delivered a big game-winning field goal for the Ravens against a divisional opponent.

6. San Francisco 49ers

  • Last Week: 37-15 win @ CAR
  • Trending: +6
  • This Week: 10/16 @ ATL

This Niners team is clicking on all cylinders right now, and they’ve gained control of the NFC West with another big win.

7. Los Angeles Chargers

  • Last Week: 30-28 win @ CLE
  • Trending: +2
  • This Week: 10/17 vs. DEN

Winning games in the NFL becomes a lot easier if you can pile up 200 rushing yards, and LA was able to do just that as they snuck out of Cleveland with another victory.

8. Dallas Cowboys

  • Last Week: 22-10 win @ LAR
  • Trending: +5
  • This Week: 10/16 @ PHI

Cooper Rush just keeps on getting the job done, and it doesn’t hurt that Dallas’ defense looks like one of the best in the NFL through five weeks. This week brings a massive Sunday Night Football matchup against the Philadelphia Eagles.

9. Cincinnati Bengals

  • Last Week: 17-19 loss @ BAL
  • Trending: -4
  • This Week: 10/16 @ NO

This Bengals team clearly is a strong group as they remain competitive against good teams, but they are having trouble stringing wins together. This week, Joe Burrow heads back to the Bayou since being drafted out of LSU in 2020.

10. Miami Dolphins

  • Last Week: 17-40 loss vs. NYJ
  • Trending: -6
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. MIN

The Dolphins lost another QB in this game as Teddy Bridgewater left with both an elbow injury as well as concussion protocol. With the Vikings coming to town, they need to at least keep this game competitive on Sunday.

11. New York Giants

  • Last Week: 27-22 win @ GB
  • Trending: +8
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. BAL

Honestly, it was just nice of the Giants to let Green Bay score a couple points at the end of the game. This was a huge win for Brian Daboll’s team, and we may have to take them very seriously moving forward.

12. Los Angeles Rams

  • Last Week: 10-22 loss vs. DAL
  • Trending: -5
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. CAR

It’s officially time to start worrying about the Rams and their offensive line. The Cowboys defensive front had a field day all afternoon, and Matthew Stafford continues to be sacked at one of the highest rates in football.

13. Green Bay Packers

  • Last Week: 22-27 loss vs. NYG
  • Trending: -5
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. NYJ

The Packers offense was held scoreless other than a safety graciously given to them by Daniel Jones at the end of the fourth quarter. This offense continues to be in a massive funk when it matters most.

14. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

  • Last Week: 21-15 win vs. ATL
  • Trending: -3
  • This Week: 10/16 @ PIT

Wait, Tom Brady gave Jerome Boger HOW much money?!

15. Las Vegas Raiders

  • Last Week: 29-30 loss @ KC
  • Trending: +3
  • This Week: Bye

The Raiders may be one of the best 1-4 teams we’ve ever seen. They went up big against the Chiefs on the road, but for the fourth time already, they fall in a one-possession game.

16. Arizona Cardinals

  • Last Week: 17-20 loss vs. PHI
  • Trending: -2
  • This Week: 10/16 @ SEA

Arizona very nearly knocked off the top seed in the NFC, but Matt Ammendola’s 43-yard field goal did not go through the uprights. Instead of a 3-2 record tied for the lead in the NFC West, Arizona remains in the chase pack.

17. Tennessee Titans

  • Last Week: 21-17 win @ WSH
  • Trending: -1
  • This Week: Bye

Derrick Henry keeps putting the Titans on his back, and the wins keep coming for this team as they’ve put themselves on top of the AFC South.

18. Indianapolis Colts

  • Last Week: 12-9 win @ DEN
  • Trending: +2
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. JAX

Indianapolis has a strong defense, but their offense has been horrendous through five weeks. They’ll need both groups to improve moving forward.

19. Jacksonville Jaguars

  • Last Week: 6-13 loss vs. HOU
  • Trending: -4
  • This Week: 10/16 @ IND

Trevor Lawrence has put together back-to-back stinkers over the last two weeks, and he definitely needs to get back to his early season production if Jacksonville is going to compete for the AFC South this year.

20. New England Patriots

  • Last Week; 29-0 win @ DET
  • Trending: +1
  • This Week: 10/16 @ CLE

Is there a QB battle in New England, too? Similar to Dallas, probably not, but it’s good to know that a backup is capable of leading the offense while the starter is out.

21. Atlanta Falcons

  • Last Week: 15-21 loss @ TB
  • Trending: +1
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. SF

If only a late game roughing the passer hadn’t been called, the Falcons would have had a terrific chance at winning this game against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. Would they have pulled it off? Who knows, but it’s certainly positive that they continue staying competitive in these games.

22. New York Jets

  • Last Week: 40-17 win vs. MIA
  • Trending: +7
  • This Week: 10/16 @ GB

Apparently, we cannot sleep on this New York Jets team in 2022. Sure, the Dolphins ended up playing a rookie seventh-round pick at QB down the stretch, but New York’s offense flowed very well down the stretch as they pulled away.

23. New Orleans Saints

  • Last Week: 39-32 win vs SEA
  • Trending: +3
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. NO

Taysom Hill keeps doing his thing for the Saints offense even when he’s technically not the starting QB. Hill rushed for three touchdowns in the game and passed for another in the game.

24. Cleveland Browns

  • Last Week: 28-30 loss vs. LAC
  • Trending: -1
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. NE

Nick Chubb very quietly is on pace to rush for over 2000 yards and 20 TDs this season, emerging as the top running back in the league. The story for many of the teams remaining on this list also applies to the Browns, though. They simply refuse to play consistent ball on defense.

25. Seattle Seahawks

  • Last Week: 32-39 loss @ NO
  • Trending: +2
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. ARI

Geno Smith’s emergence as a quality starting QB has been one of the more surprising storylines this season. It would certainly be getting more attention if not for the Seattle Seahawks defense being absolutely atrocious.

26. Denver Broncos

  • Last Week: 9-12 loss vs. IND
  • Trending: -8
  • This Week: 10/17 @ LAC

The NFL needs to learn to stop putting this Broncos team in primetime. After one of the worst Thursday Night Football games I’ve ever seen (and there’s been a few stinkers), Denver plays on Monday night against the Chargers. Let’s ride.

27. Detroit Lions

  • Last Week: 0-29 loss vs. NE
  • Trending: -4
  • This Week: Bye

If Detroit’s offense can’t put points on the board, it’s going to be hard for this Lions team to remain competitive in games. The defense got torn apart by a Bailey Zappe-led Patriots offense on Sunday.

28. Chicago Bears

  • Last Week: 22-29 loss @ MIN
  • Trending: +2
  • This Week: 10/13 vs. WSH

Justin Fields put a few very nice drives together in the second half against Minnesota. That said, just like previous weeks, capping drives off with touchdowns proved to be a challenge once again.

29. Pittsburgh Steelers

  • Last Week: 3-38 loss @ BUF
  • Trending: -4
  • This Week: 10/16 vs. TB

The Kenny Pickett era didn’t get off to a roaring start, but it’d be hard for anyone to win in Buffalo right now, let alone a rookie making his first career start.

30. Houston Texans

  • Last Week: 13-6 win @ JAX
  • Trending: +1
  • This Week: Bye

The Texans seem to have found something special in rookie RB Dameon Pierce. However, that’s about the only positive to take away from this offense right now. This win might say more about Jacksonville than Houston.

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31. Carolina Panthers

  • Last Week: 15-37 loss vs. SF
  • Trending: -3
  • This Week: 10/16 @ LAR

The Panthers seemed like they had begun figuring some things out with their victory over the Saints a couple weeks back, but they’ve been outclassed by NFC West opponents in back-to-back weeks. Their tour of that division continues with a road matchup against the defending Super Bowl champs.

32. Washington Commanders

  • Last Week: 17-21 loss vs. TEN
  • Trending: —
  • This Week: 10/13 @ CHI

Carson Wentz actually played fairly well in this game but getting shut out in the fourth quarter of a one possession at home is a tough look. They have to go on the road off short rest now against a feisty Bears team.

Josh Frey is a Class of 2020 graduate of The College of Idaho with a bachelor’s degree in Creative Writing as well as minors in History, Human Biology, and Journalism. When he’s not writing about the NFL, Josh enjoys marathon training, playing video games, or rooting for the Milwaukee Brewers and Bucks. For more of his takes, NFL and otherwise, check out his Twitter account: @Freyed_Chicken

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