Week 6 NFL Power Rankings
By Paul Novak
Week 5 of the NFL regular season is over. The Seahawks are no longer one of the remaining undefeated teams but that doesn’t mean they aren’t still in the elite company of teams to contend for a Super Bowl appearance.
Wins and losses aren’t the only factor in our Power Rankings. Season ending injuries and how teams would play on a neutral field at full strength have an impact.
#32 Jacksonville Jaguars 0-5
Can you remember a worse team than the 2013 edition of the Jaguars? Up next? The Broncos have a 28 point spread in Vegas. Things just don’t get any easier for the Jags as four of the next five opponents all have winning percentages over .500.
#31 Tampa Bay Buccaneers 0-4
Josh Freeman is gone, having signed with the Vikings. Mike Glennon has taken over and the team is better than their 0-4 mark. Bucs legend Warren Sapp had some critical words of coach Greg Schiano.
#30 Pittsburgh Steelers 0-4
Hey Seahawks fans. The Steelers are still winless. Doesn’t that at least make you feel a bit better after the loss to the Colts?
#29 New York Giants 0-5
Eli Manning hasn’t played this poorly since his rookie season. Barring a huge streak of wins, the Giants should have no hope of reaching the playoffs this year. If any team has a magical run in them, it would be the Giants. The O-line, linebackers and secondary need the most help.
Christian Ponder has some competition now that Josh Freeman has decided to take his talents to Minnesota. It’s likely that Freeman will get a shot by the end of the season take claim the starters job.
#27 Washington Redskins 1-3
The Redskins are lucky to be playing in the worst division in the NFL as they still have a shot to win the division with the Cowboys leading at 2-3.
#26 Carolina Panthers 1-3
Cam Newton was sacked seven times last week. Wide receiver Steve Smith also called out an umpire for some horrible officiating. Things are getting ugly in Carolina.
#25 Buffalo Bills 2-3
EJ Manuel is out due to an injury and the Bills will be starting QB Thad Lewis against the Bengals. Manuel had played pretty well for a rookie. The Bills and Browns just can’t catch a break.
#24 Oakland Raiders 2-3
A couple of weeks after criticizing Terrelle Pryor and saying Matt Flynn would be the better quarterback for the Raiders, Flynn has been released and I’m eating crow. Pryor looks like he might in fact be the answer at QB for the Raiders.
#23 St. Louis Rams 2-3
Despite the 2-3 record the Rams are still a team that could play spoilers against some of the better teams in the NFL. They play Houston and Carolina and then seven straight against winning teams. They’ll have plenty of chances to play upset.
#22 Atlanta Falcons 1-4
Do you think Tony Gonzalez regrets his decision to come back? Roddy White has been out because of injury and now it looks like Julio Jones is done for the rest of the season as well. The injury bug has bit Atalanta very hard this season.
#21 Cleveland Browns 3-2
Home grown Brian Hoyer was a feel-good story but is now out for the season. Brandon Weeden stepped up after the injury to Hoyer and will get one more season to show the Browns as well as other teams he’s not a bust. Oh and they’re 3-0 since they traded Trent Richardson.