Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, injuries and roster depth, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders.
Here are the rankings heading into Week 6:
Super Bowl favorites
1. Buffalo Bills (4-1, No. 1 last week)
2. Philadelphia Eagles (5-0, No. 3)
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1, No. 2)
There’s no stopping the Bills when Josh Allen gets hot. The star quarterback destroyed the Steelers in a 38-3 victory, throwing for 424 yards and four touchdowns, including a franchise-record 98-yard pass to wide receiver Gabriel Davis. His 348 passing yards in the first half are tied for the second most over the opening two quarters in an NFL game since 1991, while Davis became just the fifth NFL player since 2000 to have two touchdown catches of 60 or more yards in the same game. Buffalo is the most talented team in the NFL, and playing like it.
The Eagles are making a push to be considered No. 1, holding off the Cardinals, 20-17, to remain the last undefeated team in the league. Quarterback Jalen Hurts continued to build his MVP case, rushing for 61 yards and two touchdowns and passing for 239 yards. He’s quickly become one of the league’s best dual-threat quarterbacks, passing Cam Newton for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback in his first 25 starts with 19. The offensive line needs to stay healthy to keep Hurts and company rolling, but there’s no doubt Philadelphia has established itself as a legitimate contender under second-year coach Nick Sirianni.
The top contenders
4. Baltimore Ravens (3-2, No. 6)
5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2, No. 7)
6. Dallas Cowboys (4-1, No. 11)
7. Minnesota Vikings (4-1, No. 10)
8. San Francisco 49ers (3-2, No. 12)
9. Green Bay Packers (3-2, No. 5)
10. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2, No. 14)
Is it too early to say the Ravens are back on track? That 19-17 win over the Bengals on Sunday was awfully significant, and not just for the AFC North race. Baltimore needed to prove it could hold a lead, and even though the defense failed to do so late in the fourth quarter, quarterback Lamar Jackson and kicker Justin Tucker stepped up and delivered a last-second victory. The loss of safety Marcus Williams to a dislocated wrist stings, but the return of left tackle Ronnie Stanley and running back J.K. Dobbins and the impending arrival of outside linebacker Tyus Bowser gives this team a boost as it looks to realize its Super Bowl potential.
In the NFC, there isn’t a clear pecking order behind the Eagles, as the two teams once considered the best in the conference have failed to deliver. The Buccaneers were sloppy again Sunday in a 21-15 win over the Falcons, needing a questionable roughing-the-passer call on Tom Brady to hold off a late comeback bid. The Packers’ offense was shut out in the second half of a 27-22 loss to the Giants in London, as quarterback Aaron Rodgers struggled to connect with his young receivers. According to ESPN Stats & Information, Rodgers was 0 for 5 on passes of 20 or more yards in the air, including 0 for 4 in the second half. Perhaps even more concerning for Green Bay is the play of its defense, which allowed the Giants to score on five straight drives.
The Cowboys are quickly emerging as the biggest threat to Philadelphia in the NFC. Cooper Rush moved to 5-0 in his career as a starting quarterback with a 22-10 victory over the Rams, but it was the defense that continued to lead the charge, opening the game with a fumble return for a touchdown while sacking Matthew Stafford five times and forcing three turnovers. Once Dak Prescott returns from his thumb injury, Dallas has the makings of a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Sunday night’s game against the Eagles will be an important test.
Playoff hopefuls
11. Miami Dolphins (3-2, No. 4)
12. New York Giants (4-1, No. 17)
13. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3, No. 9)
14. Los Angeles Rams (2-3, No. 8)
15. Tennessee Titans (3-2, No. 18)
16. Arizona Cardinals (2-3, No. 15)
The Giants remain the league’s most surprising team. Coach Brian Daboll was expected to lead a rebuilding year for a roster bereft of top talent, but instead they’ve already equaled last season’s win total. Despite getting little from their two top-paid players this year, wide receiver Kenny Golladay and defensive end Leonard Williams, New York has found a way to win. Quarterback Daniel Jones and running back Saquon Barkley deserve a lot of credit for the way they’ve carried this team, and defensive coordinator Don “Wink” Martindale has worked magic with a no-name defense. This much early success seems unsustainable, but Daboll is in the conversation for Coach of the Year with the way he’s turned around this team.
Is it time to panic for the Dolphins and Rams? Miami was forced to turn to third-string quarterback Skylar Thompson in Sunday’s 40-17 blowout loss to the Jets after losing Teddy Bridgewater to a concussion check under the league’s amended protocols, leaving the Dolphins in a perilous situation if Tua Tagovailoa can’t return quickly. Los Angeles, meanwhile, is facing a reckoning on offense after another disappointing performance. Coach Sean McVay will need to make some adjustments to better protect Stafford, who has already been sacked 21 times, for the Rams to have any hope of defending their Super Bowl title. An elite defense led by cornerback Jalen Ramsey and defensive tackle Aaron Donald is clearly not enough.
The wild cards
17. New York Jets (3-2, No. 25)
18. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3, No. 13)
19. New Orleans Saints (2-3, No. 23)
20. Denver Broncos (2-3, No. 16)
21. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4, No. 20)
22. Atlanta Falcons (2-3, No. 24)
23. New England Patriots (2-3, No. 26)
24. Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1, No. 27)
25. Cleveland Browns (2-3, No. 19)
26. Seattle Seahawks (2-3, No. 21)
Are the Jets for real? The return of second-year quarterback Zach Wilson has sparked two straight wins, and running back Breece Hall is starting to look like the superstar the team envisioned when it drafted him in the second round. Hall became the first Jets rookie with 100 receiving yards and a rushing touchdown in the same game, finishing with 197 yards from scrimmage against Miami. For a team that hasn’t been to the playoffs since 2010, this is an encouraging start.
The Raiders are much better than their 1-4 record suggests, but at a certain point, the results speak for themselves. A blown 17-point lead in a 30-29 loss to the Chiefs on Monday night showcased why this team has struggled all season. Ill-timed penalties, a questionable decision to go for two with more than four minutes left and a bobble by star wide receiver Davante Adams ultimately cost Las Vegas a huge division win. They’ve suffered four losses by a combined 14 points, but until they start turning those close losses into wins, they’ll continue to flounder under first-year coach Josh McDaniels.
The basement
27. Detroit Lions (1-4, No. 22)
28. Chicago Bears (2-3, No. 30)
29. Washington Commanders (1-4, No. 28)
30. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4, No. 29)
31. Houston Texans (1-3-1, No. 32)
32. Carolina Panthers (1-4, No. 31)
The Panthers fired coach Matt Rhule on Monday after he went 11-27 in two-plus seasons, a swift end for a regime that offered so much promise. After Rhule was given a seven-year, $62 million contract to rebuild the team, he couldn’t deliver the same results he enjoyed in turning around both Temple and Baylor. Swings and misses at the quarterback position ultimately led to his downfall, with former Browns star Baker Mayfield just the latest example. Carolina hasn’t had a winning season since 2017, and it might be awhile before they can end that streak. Perhaps trading stars like running back Christian McCaffrey and starting a complete teardown is the best approach, but owner David Tepper is likely going to try to make a big splash this offseason by adding an exciting coach and quarterback.
