Welcome to The Intermission's NFL Power Rankings. Here, our football editors rank the top 10 teams six weeks through the season.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)
Previous Rank: 1 (-)
The Eagles' conquest to stay the last remaining undefeated team continued with a 20-17 win over the Cardinals. It wasn't pretty and there was a bit of luck involved, coming from a premature Kyler Murray slide that was short of a first-down to then set-up an ugly miss by Arizona's kicker to seal a 20-17 win for Philadelphia. The Eagles have now won every type of game this season: a shootout win, a comeback win, and now a close one in a hostile environment. This team just wins.
2. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
Previous Rank: 2 (-)
To say the Bills dominated on Sunday would be an understatement. Josh Allen threw for 348 yards and four touchdowns in just the FIRST HALF. He connected twice with Gabriel Davis who made two highlight reel catches, including a one-handed grab over Minkah Fitzpatrick and then proceeding to rip the ball away from him for his second score. With this win, Buffalo moves into sole possession of the AFC East once again, and it doesn't look like they plan on slowing down anytime soon.
3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)
Previous Rank: 5 (+2)
Things were looking bleak in Kansas City on Monday. The Chiefs were down 17-0 and could not get anything going. But then, Mahomes and co. decided to wake up and turned into the equivalent of a freight train running downhill. Mahomes connected with Travis Kelce four times (all in the red zone) as the Chiefs pulled off a comeback 30-29 victory. The four scores were a career high for Kelce. Next up, a highly-anticipated rematch versus the Buffalo Bills.
4. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)
Previous Rank: 6 (+2)
Justin Tucker is the greatest kicker in NFL history. The latest, another game-clinching field goal in the final seconds to deliver a critical 19-17 win over the Bengals. Before that kick, Tucker also delivered a 58-yard field goal in the third quarter. Tucker is 17-for-17 lifetime in field goal attempts in the final minute of regulation. Having a premium asset like Tucker gives the Ravens a huge advantage in every close contest they're a part of.
5. San Francisco 49ers (3-2)
Previous Rank: 11 (+6)
Win a 37-15 road win versus a self-destructing Panthers squad, the 49ers now move into first place of a muddled NFC West division. Jimmy Garoppolo looked settled, tossing easily his best game of the season so far, and the defense neutralized a porous Carolina attack. This game didn't come without its ramifications though. Emmanuel Moseley, who registered a pick-six on Sunday, tore his ACL and is out for the season. San Francisco also finished the game without Nick Bosa (groin). Any absence of Bosa will be felt; he's leading the NFL in sacks and QB pressures.
6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)
Previous Rank: 8 (+2)
Five weeks through the season, and it feels like the Bucs have yet to play up to their full potential. The defense rebounded from their abysmal Week 4 performance versus Kansas City, but an absurd roughing-the-passer penalty that kept Brady on the field in the final moments solidified a 21-16 victory for Tampa Bay. The Bucs are winning, but they'll need to be a lot sharper when the schedule tightens up.
7. Minnesota Vikings (4-1)
Previous Rank: 9 (+2)
The Kirk Cousins show was in full effect on Sunday. It started off with Cousins completed 17 straight passes to start the game (a franchise record!) as the Vikings were cruising to a 21-3 lead. But then, the offense went cold and allowed Chicago to crawl back into the game and even take the lead in the fourth quarter. Fortunately, Cousins and co. regrouped to deliver the game-winning touchdown to seal a 29-22 win. A Kirk-led offense that is the epitome of inconsistency certainly isn't ideal, but Minnesota now sits firmly at the top of the NFC North.
8. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)
Previous Rank: 13 (+5)
Cooper Rush continues to ride the coat tails of an elite defense that's helped keep the Cowboys in relevance since a Dak Prescott injury in Week 1. The latest, a 22-10 win versus the Rams at SoFi Stadium. The offensive star was Tony Pollard, who's 58-yard touchdown pretty much sealed the deal for Dallas and served another reminder that Ezekiel Elliott is not the best runner in this offense. Prescott is set to potentially return for Week 7 and his presence just makes this team even scarier.
9. Green Bay Packers (3-2)
Previous Rank: 4 (-5)
On paper, Green Bay is supposed to have a dominant defense. But that just hasn't been the case this season. The defense has failed to make key stops this season. They survived a Week 4 scare versus an injury-battered New England offense led by Bailey Zappe, but Saquon Barkley and co. made them pay in Week 5's loss versus New York. It's not all on the D though. Aaron Rodgers and the offense fell asleep in the second half and, on the final drive to potentially seal the win, Rodgers' passes were batted down twice on third and fourth down in the red zone to seal the loss for Green Bay.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
Previous Rank: (-)
The Bengals seemed well set up on Thursday Night Football to shred a Ravens defense that was allowing the most yardage through the air up to that point. But that just wasn't the case. Burrow struggled to attack down the field, with Tee Higgins sidelined by an ankle injury and Ja'Maar Chase was once again limited to a modest performance. Chase was one of the best YAC receivers last season, but that just really hasn't been the case so far.
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