NFL Power Rankings - Week 5

By Evan Copeland

We have a new number one in this week’s power rankings as the landscape of the NFL in 2026 starts to become clearer. The division races are starting to take shape; three teams remain unbeaten while five are still seeking their first win. Let’s get into this week’s rankings and see how each team is faring ahead of week five.

D Tier – Nothing is Going Right

32. Tennessee Titans (=) – They kept it close with the Ravens, helped by Lamar’s injury, but fell short and remain winless. It was much better on offense for Tennessee in week four, but questions will still be asked of Cam Ward after another poor turnover. On the positive side, rookie Carnell Tate had a true breakout game, exploding for nearly 150 receiving yards and nine receptions.

31. Miami Dolphins (=) – Stayed in the game for the most part against the unbeaten Minnesota Vikings, but once again fell short to fall to 0-4. Ollie Gordon has really stepped up in Devon Achane’s absence, carrying the run game and the offense as a whole in this game. This franchise will be eyeing next year’s draft as they seek a franchise-altering addition, likely to the offense.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (=) – This looks like a write-off of a season for Tampa, and I fully expect the franchise to be in the market for a new Head Coach this offseason, which I feel should’ve been the case this past offseason. The injury to Baker Mayfield has killed this team’s chances and that’s not Todd Bowles’ fault, but the performance by this team hasn’t been up to standard for too long, they need to make a change.

29. Los Angeles Chargers (=) – The same story for Harbaugh and his team, who just can’t seem to get it figured out. To cut them some slack, this point of the schedule was always going to be tough, and it is only getting worse from here on. I just can’t excuse Justin Herbert’s play, who threw two more interceptions in the loss to Seattle.

28. Houston Texans (-2) – To give CJ Stroud credit, he has played to a high standard through the first four weeks, limiting the turnovers that cost the Texans in the playoffs. Yet, they are 0-4. The defense hasn’t pulled its weight so far and it’s getting close to crunch time for this team before the season is truly over.

C Tier – Complete Mediocrity

27. New York Jets (-3) – Positives and negatives from this game for the Jets. On the bright side, they got their first team interception in 20 games, after going all of 2025 without one. History in the wrong way. However, the offense looked a bit uninspired in the loss to the Bears, with only 12 points and seven first downs. Certainly, something to ponder for Aaron Glenn heading into week five.

26. Arizona Cardinals (-2) – Promising signs for this team, but turnovers will always cost you victories. The three picks for Jacoby Brissett, including the game-sealing pick-six proved crucial for the Cardinals’ defeat in week four. It does feel like this team has a lot of the pieces in place, especially on offense, to contend in the future. I expect them to look for a quarterback in next year’s draft.

25. Washington Commanders (-5) – It was absolute worst-case scenario for Washington in London, as third-string QB Athan Kaliakmanis took his first snaps in the league. I have to say I enjoyed watching the rookie sling it for the best part of four quarters. Once he settled into the game, he had no fear of letting it rip downfield, it was great to see.

24. Pittsburgh Steelers (-7) – One step forward, two steps back for this franchise. They more or less matched the Browns on Thursday night, with Aaron Rodgers looking solid at quarterback despite two interceptions. They just can’t seem to generate any consistency, with the spark after last week’s win already put out. Another frustrating season could be on the cards for Steelers fans.

23. Green Bay Packers (+5) – Advanced to 2-2 after a narrow and uninspiring win over Tampa Bay backup Jalon Daniels. On the face of it they are still in with a chance of winning the NFC North, but I can see significant changes in Green Bay if their overall performances don’t improve. Micah Parsons’ return from injury could inject life into this team; they just need to hang on until he is back on the field.

B Tier – Could Go Either Way

22. New England Patriots (+5) – It looked like a win or bust game, and it seems that the Patriots have managed to save their season with a crucial victory over the Buffalo Bills. Drake Maye looked much more like himself in week four, limiting the turnovers while throwing for three touchdowns and nearly 300 yards. At 2-2, New England might’ve hauled themselves back into playoff contention.

21. Philadelphia Eagles (-7) – I think it’s time we start asking questions about Nick Sirianni as Head Coach in Philly. I know they were facing a huge injury list against the Rams, but being shut out in the second half is unacceptable for one of the NFL’s established elite. This team feels in need of new inspiration on offense; something has to change.

20. Las Vegas Raiders (-4) – Despite having their unbeaten start ended in week four, I have been extremely impressed with the Raiders to start this season. Klint Kubiak is an offensive mastermind, the pieces on that side of the ball will be key for this franchise in years to come. Kirk Cousins has been tremendous so far, taking the pressure of Fernando Mendoza while he adjusts to the franchise.

19. New Orleans Saints (-6) – A tough pill to swallow for this Saints team, who were never in the game on Monday Night Football. They just feel like they are missing something which is keeping them out of playoff contention for now. They are still in the race for the NFC South, but these division games are becoming crucial.

18. Cleveland Browns (+4) – Something is building in Cleveland. I really like what Todd Monken is doing with this franchise, taking away all the outside controversy we know is there, he has created a unity within this team and it’s winning them games. It’s a young roster with talent on both sides of the ball, but I still feel like they are a couple of pieces away from playoff contention, for the time being.

17. Detroit Lions (-7) – Defensive issues once again, it feels like this team will never learn. I can’t see the Lions being a force in the playoff or even getting there if they can’t solve some of these problems on the defensive side of the ball. For all the brilliance of Jared Goff, Gibbs, and the offensive pieces the Lions have, outscoring your opponent every week isn’t sustainable, they need to find some control.

16. Cincinnati Bengals (-5) – A difficult couple of weeks for the Bengals after such an impressive start to the season. The injury to Ja’Marr Chase hurt the offense, with Joe Burrow struggling compared to his usually high standards. They face a favourable matchup, looking to bounce back from successive defeats as they take on the winless Miami Dolphins.

15. Indianapolis Colts (+4) – Despite the worrying level of turnovers from Daniel Jones, the Colts offense has stepped its production since week one and is now one of the highest scoring units in the league. Similar to the Falcons, they are placing the load on superstar running back Jonathan Taylor and letting him go to work. It’s a winning formula and they are well in playoff contention.

14. Atlanta Falcons (+9) – It turns out Michael Penix might’ve been the answer to Atlanta’s problems, who are 2-0 since his return from injury. Kevin Stefanski isn’t over-complicating anything on offense, getting the ball to Bijan Robinson and watching him do the rest, in devastating fashion.
Back up running back Brian Robinson also chipped in with three touchdowns in a dominant division win over the Saints, Atlanta looks a force in the NFC.

13. Carolina Panthers (+8) – This offense looks tremendous when everything is working and this team could contend for a playoff berth if they are consistent. Bryce Young, what a career turnaround he has had, after being benched in 2024 to now in the MVP conversation, it’s impressive to watch. The Panthers look dynamite when it clicks, I’m looking forward to watching this team over the rest of the year.

12. New York Giants (+3) – Somehow the Giants and John Harbaugh are making it work without Jaxson Dart, improving to 3-1 after a tight win against the Cardinals. The defense came up big in the fourth quarter, shutting out Arizona and helping New York overturn an eight-point deficit. I’m interested how long we will have to wait to see JJ McCarthy suit up in blue after his trade from the Vikings.

11. Dallas Cowboys (+7) – A vital comeback win that puts them well in the race to win the NFC East, especially after Philadelphia’s loss to the Rams. I think Joey Porter will answer a lot of Dallas’s problems on the defensive side of the ball; he is a great player and should complement a defense with a lot of potential.

This offense is always going to be an issue for any team it faces, Dak Prescott, Ceedee Lamb, George Pickens and Javonte Williams offer a range of options who can all get it done.

A Tier – Established Playoff Contenders

10. Denver Broncos (-5) – Something remains off with the Broncos offense, who can’t seem to string together four consistent quarters. Scoring 11 of your 14 points in the final portion of the game just isn’t sustainable. I wouldn’t be surprised if Sean Payton ends the experiment of Davis Webb as play caller and takes back some control in this offense.

9. Chicago Bears (+3) – As comfortable as it gets for Ben Johnson’s side, who swept aside the Jets to advance to 3-1. Caleb Williams remains on the sidelines for this team, but it hasn’t been an issue so far, with the defense making a real step up over the last few games. They have allowed only 28 points in their past three games after giving up 37 to the Panthers in the season opener. Look for the offense to improve when Caleb returns.

8. Minnesota Vikings (=) – They remain unbeaten, but I’m not sure how convinced I am by this team. The offense has looked terrible since Kyler Murray has returned from injury, failing to record a touchdown in week four against the Dolphins a new low for this unit. On the bright side, Brian Flores and the Vikings defense continue to excel, keeping this team on the winning path.

7. Baltimore Ravens (-1) – The injury to Lamar Jackson, which ruled him out of the second half, will be the obvious talking point despite a routine victory for the Ravens. He is crucial to this team and is expected to miss some time. The Ravens take on the high-flying Falcons in week five, seeking to keep pace with the Browns in the AFC North.

6. Los Angeles Rams (+1) – An ugly win, but a win nonetheless, and one which could be crucial come the end of the regular season. This Rams defense has been tremendous this season, taking advantage of a depleted Eagles offense and limiting them to only 172 offensive yards.
My worry is that the Rams keep getting in their own way, whether by penalties, turnovers or special teams errors. This can’t become a constant if they want to compete for the Super Bowl.

5. Jacksonville Jaguars (+4) – This team is a real force in the AFC. Trevor Lawrence has formed a formidable partnership with Liam Coen since his arrival at the beginning of last season and the Jags have gone from strength to strength. Slow starts for the Texans and Colts have given Jacksonville a significant head start in their division; I am looking at them to contend in January.

S Tier – Conference Favourites

4. Buffalo Bills (-3) – A similar performance on the offensive side of the ball to last week against the Chargers, where the Bills just couldn’t seem to find top gear. The difference is, they got away with it against LA. I still have this team as one of the favourites to reach the Super Bowl, especially from the AFC, but this was a big reality check for Buffalo.

3. Seattle Seahawks (+1) – It wasn’t pretty on Seattle’s side, but they were never really threatened by a Chargers team that continues to struggle. It’s clear something isn’t quite clicking with this team, but they look to have found something in the running game with Emmanuel Wilson. They remain in the NFC West fight ahead of a crunch matchup with the 49ers in week five.

2. San Francisco 49ers (+1) – Despite the injuries, the off-field controversy, this team just keeps winning. Brock Purdy is playing some tremendous football and should be well in the conversation for MVP, as should Kyle Shanahan for Coach of the Year. The win over the Rams in week one will give the Niners a bit of a buffer in the NFC West, but next week’s rematch with the Seahawks will prove how good this team really is.

1. Kansas City Chiefs – They continue to find a way, coming from behind multiple times to finally put away the Raiders, securing a vital division win on the road. Kenneth Walker will go down as one of the signings of the offseason, he has completely revamped this Chiefs offense, freeing up Patrick Mahomes to do what he does best, win.
After the injury to Tyquan Thornton in Vegas, look out for a reunion with Tyreek Hill to be on the way as Kansas City heads into their bye week.

EVAN COPELAND

NFL ANALYST

Evan is a Los Angeles Rams fan and sports journalism student at Lincoln University, with a keen interest in NFL writing, alongside golf and football. You can keep up with all of his content on X at @EvanCopeland26.

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