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USA Today Sports Media Group
USA Today Sports Media Group
Sport
Glenn Erby

Week 5 NFL power rankings roundup: Eagles sit at No. 1 ahead of matchup vs. Cardinals

The Eagles are headed out West for an exciting NFC matchup against Kyler Murray and the Arizona Cardinals.

The matchup will feature two dynamic dual-threat quarterbacks, and it’ll be the second time Hurts and Murray have matched up since the 2020 season.

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With Week 4 of the regular season in the rear view mirror, experts from around the league have revealed their power rankings, and Philadelphia is the top team in every ranking except two.

USA Today -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

USA Today– has the Birds are a repeat in the No. 1 spot, with the Bills close behind.

The league’s lone undefeated team, arguably the league’s best-balanced squad and featuring MVP candidate Jalen Hurts. But if one thing sums up the early season success, then how about this – Philadelphia has the most takeaways in the NFL (10) and the fewest turnovers (2).

CBS Sports -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Pete Prisco and CBS Sports have the Birds at No. 1.

After a slow start, they showed how good they are in rallying to beat the Jaguars. They are the clear top team in the league.

Pro Football Talk -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Mike Florio and company have the Birds at No. 1.

1. Eagles (4-0; No. 2): Fly, Eagles, Fly. Onward to Number One.

Fox News -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Fox News has the Birds in the top spot.

The Philadelphia Eagles are still the best team in the NFL. As the only undefeated team left, the Eagles are second in yards per game and fourth in points scored. Jalen Hurts has the offense cooking but have a tough matchup on the road Sunday in Arizona.

Pro Football Network -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

Using a tier-based formula, Philadelphia lands at No. 1 on the Pro Football Network power rankings.

NFL.com -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

NFL.com has the Eagles at the top of the list.

Adversity came for the Eagles on Sunday, and they turned it away. Playing in rainy conditions and with multiple important players forced out of action with injuries, Philly relied on its ground attack (210 yards rushing) and an opportunistic defense (five turnovers) to hold off a game Jaguars team at the Linc. Quarterback Jalen Hurts looked pedestrian for the first time all season, so Miles Sanders did the heavy lifting, with 134 yards and two scores on 27 carries. The NFL’s lone undefeated team, the Eagles should have another favorable matchup this Sunday against the inconsistent Cardinals.

The Athletic -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-USA TODAY Sports

The Athletic has the Eagles at No. 1.

Jonathan Gannon was a punching bag for Eagles fans last year and now sports the No. 2 defense in the league by defensive EPA per drive. The offense is No. 8 in EPA per drive and the team is fourth in points per game. There’s a long way to go, but this is the best team in the league so far.

Yahoo Sports -- 2

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Frank Schwab has the Eagles at No. 2 behind the 3-1 Buffalo Bills.

There are no 0-4 teams in the NFL. There’s only one 4-0 team. When they were behind 14-0 to the Jaguars and rallied to take the lead back before halftime, it said a lot about this Eagles team. They’re here to stay this season.

Touchdown Wire -- 1

(Photo by Mitchell Leff/Getty Images)

Touchdown Wire has the Birds at No. 1.

Can’t argue with an undefeated record, even if it has come against teams in the mid-level to bottom-tier in the power rankings. Staying perfect after four games in the NFL isn’t easy either. What it shows is Philadelphia has had the most complete team through the first month of the season. The next two games heading into Philadelphia’s bye will tell the tale of what type of team they really are as they face former playoff teams in the Arizona Cardinals and Dallas Cowboys.

FTW -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

For The Win has Philadelphia at No. 1 this week.

The king remains the king after overcoming an early 14-0 deficit against an upstart Jacksonville team. The Jags’ defense not only limited James Robinson and Christian Kirk to season-worsts but also battered Trevor Lawrence en route to four fumbles. This proved Philly can win even if Jalen Hurts is merely OK behind center.

The Sporting News -- 1

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

The Sporting News has the Eagles ahead of the Chiefs.

The Eagles went down into a 14-0 hole against the Jaguars at home but casually erased with sticking with the run in bad weather and Jalen Hurts being in full command of their offense. The defense also was up to cooling off a hot young QB.

The Ringer -- 4

(Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images)

Austin Gayle and The Ringer have Philadelphia at No. 4 behind three other 3-1 teams, including the Packers.

ESPN -- 3

Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-USA TODAY Sports

ESPN’s NFL Nation has the Eagles at No. 3 behind two AFC teams.

Even that’s a reach, as corners Darius Slay (forearm) and Avonte Maddox (right ankle) are expected back soon. But there’s little to pick apart. The Eagles are first in sacks (16), tied for first in takeaways (10), third in yards allowed (277.3 per game) and 10th in points allowed (17.8). They look really solid from front to back, even with safety Chauncey Gardner-Johnson, formerly of the New Orleans Saints, acclimating to a new position and team. — Tim McManus

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