Welcome to Gridiron’s Week 5 power ranking, where the first bye weeks, some shock results and the continuation of the International Series plays into Nicholas McGee’s pecking order.

 

GRIDIRON POWER RANKINGS: WEEK 5

1. Detroit Lions (4-1) +2 

The Lions have a point differential of +76 across their four wins since losing to the Packers. Talk of a first Super Bowl will heat up if they knock off the Chiefs.

 

 

2. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1) +6

It was the Trevor Lawrence game for which so many have waited. If Lawrence can consistently replicate his primetime performance against the Chiefs, the Jags will have a formula to go deep into the AFC playoffs.

 

 

3. Buffalo Bills (4-1) -2

The Bills are far from the first team to lose a sloppy divisional game, and they won’t be the last. A trip to Atlanta in primetime now looms as a sneaky dangerous test, however.

 

 

4. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1) -2

The defending champions need to find themselves on offense, otherwise this could go sideways in a hurry.

 

 

5. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1) +2

Baker Mayfield and Co. are built for the clutch, as their thriller with the Seahawks reaffirmed. It would be nice to see them dominate at some point, though.

 

 

6. Indianapolis Colts (4-1) =

Indianapolis had no problem dominating the hapless Raiders. There’s no reason to believe they’ll slip up against Arizona either.

 

 

7. San Francisco 49ers (4-1) +5

The NFL’s version of the Monty Python Black Knight continues to thrive amid adversity. After stunning the Rams, they have some room for error atop the NFC West ahead of a showdown with the Bucs.

 

 

8. Denver Broncos (3-2) +5

After an uneven start, the Broncos gathered steam in a big way in Philadelphia. If the offense can reproduce that fourth quarter consistently, Denver may have a championship recipe.

 

 

9. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1) =

It would be unfair to downgrade the Packers after a bye, but they need to take care of business against Joe Flacco and the Bengals at Lambeau.

 

 

10. Los Angeles Rams (3-2) -6

The Rams are better than the 10th best team in football, but they need to get better at situational football in the clutch to earn that respect.

 

 

11. Washington Commanders (3-2) +4

Scoring 27 unanswered points the Chargers  reminded everyone what Washington can be with Jayden Daniels in the line-up. A rematch of *that* game with the Bears is next.

 

 

12. Seattle Seahawks (3-2) -2

There’s no reason to panic about the Seahawks after their defeat to the Bucs, but things don’t get any easier with the Jags up next.

 

 

13. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2) -8

One of the best teams in football through three weeks, the Chargers are now very banged up and very beatable.

 

 

14. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1) =

Back from their post-Dublin bye, the Steelers get the gift of a Browns team coming off an unsuccessful trip to London.

 

 

15. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3) -4

The Chiefs are moving the ball, and they beat the Jags if a couple of bounces go differently. Still, they continue to do things in all three phases that are very un-Chiefs, and it could be panic stations again soon with the Lions coming to town.

 

 

16. Atlanta Falcons (2-2) =

We’ll find out a lot about how serious the Falcons actually are when they return from their bye to host a Bills team humbled by New England.

 

 

17. New England Patriots (3-2) +6

The Patriots overcame turnovers in Buffalo as Drake Maye produced the best performance of his young career. With a soft schedule ahead of them, the Pats suddenly look dangerous.

 

 

18. Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1) +3

The Jets didn’t exactly provide much resistance, but the offense is playing at a level that should allow the Cowboys to stay in the mix for longer than many expected after the Micah Parsons trade.

 

 

19. Minnesota Vikings (3-2) +1

It wasn’t exactly impressive, but Carson Wentz and Co. got the job done in London. The bye is much needed.

 

 

20. Chicago Bears (2-2) -1

After a week off, the Bears get the chance for revenge over the Commanders and a potential signature win for Ben Johnson.

 

 

21. Houston Texans (2-3) +1

Their season saved by games with the Titans and the decimated Ravens, the Texans have no excuse not to be ready for the Seahawks after a bye in Week 6.

 

 

22. Carolina Panthers (2-3) +3

The comeback against the Dolphins should do wonders for Bryce Young’s confidence, and the matchup with the Dallas defense this week is a favourable one.

 

 

23. Baltimore Ravens (1-4) -6

Nobody in Baltimore saw this coming. It’s unlikely the Ravens get off the mat against the Rams without Lamar, but the prospect of his eventual return means all is not quite lost.

 

 

24. Arizona Cardinals (2-3) -6

Wow. Talk about meltdowns. The Cardinals’ all-time collapse against Tennessee had a little bit of everything, and makes you wonder about Jonathan Gannon’s long-term job security.

 

 

25. New Orleans Saints (1-4) +5

Kudos to the Saints, who finally broke the door down after coming up short several times. If nothing else, this team plays tough.

 

 

26. New York Giants (1-4) -2

The Giants’ hopes of building momentum were lost in a sea of turnovers in New Orleans. Now for a very annoyed Eagles team. Ouch.

 

 

27. Cleveland Browns (1-4) =

Cleveland’s defense kept the Browns in it right to the end against the Vikings, while Dillon Gabriel’s debut was passable. Their rookie class is strong, there’s no doubt about that.

 

 

28. Miami Dolphins (1-4) -2

Miami should have had it all wrapped up against Carolina. This is a football team with way too many flaws to be taken seriously.

 

 

29. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3) =

The Bengals put lipstick on the pig late to ensure their defeat to the Lions wasn’t quite so ugly. Bringing in Joe Flacco to try to keep their hopes alive seems like an exercise in futility.

 

 

30. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4) -2

There’s a reason Pete Carroll’s contract is short by head coach standards. What a disaster.

 

 

31. Tennessee Titans (1-4) +1

It was kind of gift-wrapped for them, but congratulations to Tennessee on a first win of 2025, and to Cam Ward for a very impressive performance in the fourth quarter to help knock off the self-destructive Cardinals.

 

 

32. New York Jets (0-5) -1

You assume the Jets will win at least a game, but it’s tough to see where that win is coming from. It’s unlikely to arrive in London this week against the Broncos.