Be it because defenses collectively seemed to throw up their hands this weekend, or because it sometimes takes a few weeks for players to knock off the rust, Week 5 was a beautiful and restorative weekend of football that featured a handful of the greatest games of the season as well as some of the best individual plays we’ve seen all year. 

The sheer unfathomable nature of Lamar Jackson’s touchdown pass, or Patrick Mahomes’ first down scramble, or any other of the hundred beautiful plays we were pummeled with over the course of 13 hours on Sunday, bodes well for the next few weeks to come. A defensive evolution is always going to prompt an offensive counter evolution, or, at the very least, force the best individual playmakers to evolve again. 

The winners are—always—the folks who get to sit back and enjoy it. 

Now, onto the Power Rankings. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 1
Last week’s result: beat New Orleans, 26–13
This week: bye

Take away everything from this team and the offense will still beat you with JuJu Smith-Schuster, Kareem Hunt and Xavier Worthy. Pick off Mahomes in the end zone and the defense will casually shut down what was at one point the most powerful offense in the NFL this season and throttle the QB, sending Derek Carr into the medical tent. We’re obsessing over the NFL’s newness in 2024 and fresh faces while ignoring the very real possibility of a Super Bowl three-peat. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 2
Last week’s result: bye
This week: at Dallas

At the bye, we are finally starting to realize how good the Lions are. A team that is so maddening to play that the opponents they beat are often flattened the week after. A great find via Chris Long. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 3
Last week’s result: beat New York Jets, 23–17
This week: bye

While the paint job seems to be thinning a bit on the Vikings’ supernova, this team has given itself an incredible runway and gets a massive showdown with the Lions after their bye week. An early self-scout and a rest period for veterans like Aaron Jones are coming at the right time. Brian Flores can evolve on a scheme that no one can seem to figure out. We’ll have to wait another week for the latest Andrew Van Ginkel pick-six. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 5
Last week’s result: beat Cleveland, 34–13
This week: at Baltimore

A stunning performance over the sleepwalking Browns. Jayden Daniels saw pressure and, on third-and-forevers, was evading defenders and torching secondaries. In that battle between quarterbacks, both were facing an onslaught of defenders. One of the two made the defense pay and regret ever sending an extra rusher. Jayden Daniels, welcome to the MVP conversation. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 4
Last week’s result: beat Los Angeles Rams, 24–19
This week: vs. Arizona

Teams are still throwing at Xavier McKinney, huh? The Packers scored a touchdown after his pick on Sunday against the Rams. They got a field goal after McKinney picked off Jalen Hurts in the season opener. They nearly scored after McKinney picked off Anthony Richardson, but Josh Jacobs fumbled through the end zone for a touchback. The Packers punted against the Titans after a McKinney pick off Will Levis and punted after McKinney secured a pick against the Vikings. So, he should be responsible for 17 points on his own this year. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 8
Last week’s result: beat Buffalo, 35–10
This week: vs. Washington

I said this on the MMQB podcast and I believe it more than ever: It makes sense for the Ravens to continue believing in Lamar Jackson because, if he plays on this kind of heater during the postseason, there isn’t a team in the NFL that can stop them. Only Baltimore can beat Baltimore, and that’s been true in each of John Harbaugh’s best seasons of the Jackson era. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 7
Last week’s result: lost to Atlanta, 36–30
This week: at New Orleans

The Buccaneers enter the stretch of their season that will ultimately dictate whether or not they are for real. I am of the mind that they are. But facing, in succession, New Orleans on the road (after being displaced by a hurricane), Baltimore, Atlanta, Kansas City and a healthier 49ers team all before the bye should provide us a more concrete answer.  

Last week’s ranking: No. 10
Last week’s result: beat Buffalo, 23–20
This week: at New England

There were a lot of very important and meaningful things that happened for the Texans in this game, but honestly, watching a player joyfully and carelessly pull off a beautiful RKO in the middle of a game tells me all I need to know about Houston and where this team is at. It’s a headspace that coaches work a lifetime to achieve. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 6
Last week’s result: lost to Arizona, 24–23
This week: at Seattle

It’s just so difficult to think the 49ers are in some great deal of trouble when they had this game locked up before an absolutely mind-bending strip of the football. Christian McCaffrey has lost big fumbles as well, so Jordan Mason shouldn’t shoulder the burden of this all alone. I’m a noted 49ers apologist and obsessive, so it’s weird to say that I’m not really all that concerned. George Kittle is playing like a monster. Brandon Aiyuk is rolling, finally.

Last week’s ranking: No. 9
Last week’s result: lost to Houston, 23–20
This week: at New York Jets

I go back and forth on Sean McDermott’s decision-making at the end of the game until I hear him almost immediately bring up the idea that he should have tried to run the ball at least once to see where the Bills were at. James Cook had a solid afternoon, Josh Allen was clearly scrambled and having one of his worst passing days of his career. And while you always ride with your quarterback, a defensive-minded head coach should also fall back on his desire to keep the ball out of C.J. Stroud’s hands. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 18
Last week’s result: beat Tampa Bay, 36–30
This week: at Carolina

There was much to celebrate amid Kirk Cousins’s ripper of a performance against a good Buccaneers defense on Thursday night. For me, seeing his high percentage throws to the deep third of the field removes a lot of lingering doubt about his ability to hit his plant foot and drive balls downfield accurately. Remember, this offense aspires to be vertical. It’s why their long-term plans rest with Michael Penix, who is a great driver of the ball. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 13
Last week’s result: bye
This week: vs. Cleveland

Having Lane Johnson, DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown all coming back is not just good news for the Eagles; it’s season-altering news. The true evaluation of Nick Sirianni and, by extension, Kellen Moore, starts now that this team could have its full complement of weapons and its all-world anchor tackle back in the fold. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 17
Last week’s result: beat Pittsburgh, 20–17
This week: vs. Detroit

I think that the play of Dallas’s season was Dak Prescott’s fumble recovery before he threw a dart of a touchdown pass. Amid the relentless conversations about mood in Dallas, there’s a no-doubt exhibition of Prescott’s commitment to the Cowboys and his willingness to throw his body on the line. Remember, not all QBs dive for that ball. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 11
Last week’s result: lost to Dallas, 20–17
This week: at Las Vegas

Did Justin Fields miss some throws on Sunday night? You bet. Is he still the Steelers’ best option? Absolutely. Teams are still deathly afraid of what he’ll do on the run and it impacts defenses on a deeper level than it would with Russell Wilson under center. My thought is that someone like Davante Adams would solve a lot of problems. Pittsburgh should invest in a player that still has QB of the future potential. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 14
Last week’s result: bye
This week: at Denver

At the bye, the Chargers are 25th in EPA per play and 22nd in rushing EPA per play. Justin Herbert is 26th in EPA and completion percentage over expectation composite. While everyone will assume this is a negative, I’m trying to illustrate how much growth there still can be from this team over the back end of its season. If the team holds up injury-wise, there is no reason to believe they won’t be in a good spot by Thanksgiving. Up until that point, L.A.’s schedule breaks more fortuitously than almost any other team in the NFL. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 20
Last week’s result: beat Carolina, 36–10
This week: vs. Jacksonville

Chicago was sixth in EPA per play among all teams that played on Sunday and had six receivers with multiple receptions. The Bears are more than just a fun story now and it’s worth noting that this was nearly exactly the game I imagined Shane Waldron would call for Caleb Williams on a regular basis. Sixteen of Williams’s 20 completions were either behind the line of scrimmage or no longer than 10 yards downfield, and yet Williams had by far his highest yards per attempt average of the season. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 12
Last week’s result: lost to New York Giants, 29–20
This week: vs. San Francisco

Under no circumstances should the Seahawks have seven total carries between their top two backs, especially in a game that was never really out of contention. I understand wanting to attack a younger secondary with a veteran-laden receiving corps, but the Giants’ pass rush awoke, in part, because of Seattle’s unwillingness to call a more balanced game plan. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 16
Last week’s result: lost to Baltimore, 41–38
This week: at New York Giants

The upcoming schedule for the Bengals features winnable road games the next two weeks against the Giants and Browns, which will give the Bengals a good chance to right the ship away from home. Joe Burrow and Ja’Marr Chase have fully awoken into unconscious, telepathic beast mode. It’s only a matter of time before the wins follow. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 22
Last week’s result: beat San Francisco, 24–23
This week: at Green Bay

A dam-opening performance for the Cardinals, who showed that they could flex their muscle (literally). Arizona got base looks from the 49ers’ defense thanks to a heavy number of 12 and 13 personnel looks. Essentially, they fed San Francisco a taste of their own medicine and gashed a talented unit. Marvin Harrison Jr.’s stat line wasn’t huge but he made the most important catch of the season. Arizona’s touchdown play here warms my Tebow-missin’ heart.  

Last week’s ranking: No. 19
Last week’s result: lost to Kansas City, 26–13
This week: vs. Tampa Bay

Can you imagine the season-altering power of this play taking place in a win over the Chiefs? It’s still incredible, obviously. It’s incredible that ESPN found an instantaneous way to relate it to Taylor Swift. It’s incredible that Khalen Saunders was encouraged to stop running by his teammate and he just shoved him aside. It’s incredible that Kevin Harlan was on the call, and labeled it the Thicc Pic. I mean, come on. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 15
Last week’s result: lost to Jacksonville, 37–34
This week: at Tennessee

The work Shane Steichen is doing to retrofit this offense to Joe Flacco has been awesome. I could spend an afternoon just watching all of the backfield motions being run by this team. And, of course, Flacco’s demeanor on this exciting throwback had pure “I’m too old for this s—” vibes. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 26
Last week’s result: beat Seattle, 29–20
This week: vs. Cincinnati

Daniel Jones, since my impatient, hot-taking rear end said that Brian Daboll should start taking starter’s snaps away from him, is the fifth-best quarterback in the NFL in a composite of EPA per play and completion percentage over expectation. Six touchdowns and one interception. In a win over the Seahawks, a season high in yards per attempt.

As it turns out, Jones looking bad against Brian Flores wasn’t a unique situation. We certainly owe the Giants QB an apology. SI regrets this error.  

Last week’s ranking: No. 24
Last week’s result: beat Las Vegas, 34–18
This week: vs. Los Angeles Chargers

I don’t know what warms my heart more, Sean Payton thinking the (relative) children on his team knowing who Ferris Bueller is, or Bill Belichick, who is trying to convince people he is young and hip enough to coach again, admitting he’s never seen Ferris Bueller’s Day Off but that he recognizes a similar plot point in a Perry Mason episode. Also, keep yelling at Sean Payton, Bo. You were right!  

Last week’s ranking: No. 21
Last week’s result: lost to Minnesota, 23–17
This week: vs. Buffalo

When a team approaches a season like the Jets do, there is no hiding, no ducking and no running away. My best guess as to the narrative, you-know-what storm headed this team’s way: 

• A referendum on the quarterback who can’t seem to get on the same page with his receivers and who also absconded to Egypt in the middle of mandatory minicamp and was labeled an unexcused absence. 

• A front office under fire with Haason Reddick still unsigned and Davante Adams discussions heating up.

Enjoy the next few weeks, Jets! 

Last week’s ranking: No. 23
Last week’s result: lost to Green Bay, 24–19
This week: bye

Before a 66-yard touchdown pass to Packers tight end and potential crazy person Tucker Kraft, the Rams were sitting in the driver’s seat in this one. The Rams are still a top five team in terms of EPA per rush and are No. 1 in rushing success rate. I think that a welcome bye week, plus games against the Raiders, Dolphins, Vikings and Seahawks could be fertile ground for a stunning turnaround. Yes, I think McVay could clip the red-hot Vikings and his former offensive coordinator. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 27
Last week’s result: beat New England, 15–10
This week: bye

The gruesome win over the New England Patriots comes at an ideal time. Depending on the result of Monday’s Bills-Jets tilt, the Dolphins could walk back into the AFC East in an ideal position to chip away at the division leader with a healthier roster. Odell Beckham Jr. has returned and, while we don’t know anything about Tua Tagovailoa yet, could the bye week give Mike McDaniel a chance to find himself a better QB option? Veterans like Joe Flacco and Andy Dalton are cooking right now. I’ll bet Ryan Tannehill has something left in the tank and has been successful in an offense with similar roots. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 30
Last week’s result: bye
This week: vs. Indianapolis

In absence of a Titans game to discuss, here’s a little less than one minute of L’Jarius Sneed screaming at people. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 29
Last week’s result: beat Indianapolis, 37–34
This week: at Chicago

A much-needed win by the Jaguars before the London trip. These Doug Pederson teams have needed to get to some dark places before they perform. Oddly, Trevor Lawrence looked mechanically sharper, Travon Walker had three sacks and a forced fumble and Brian Thomas looked like one of the best rookie receivers of the class. Are we seeing similarities to the 3–7 team from 2022 that turned on the jets and sprinted to a first-place finish? 

Last week’s ranking: No. 25
Last week’s result: lost to Denver, 34–18
This week: vs. Pittsburgh

A very cool Brock Bowers play in this game was my one and only takeaway. The Raiders are going to lean into quarterback juggling for the remainder of the season. Antonio Pierce seems to alternately control and then lose the pulse of this team. Let’s see if he can find some semblance of balance. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 28
Last week’s result: lost to Washington, 34–13
This week: at Philadelphia

Kevin Stefanski said Monday that he has the authority to bench Deshaun Watson but noted the collaborative nature of the Browns’ setup. Translation: It ain’t gonna happen anytime soon. We’re slogging through the cycle of oft-used remedies coaches try and use before the plug is pulled. Soon, we’ll likely be treated to Ken Dorsey calling plays before we realize, yet again, that playcalling was never really the problem. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 32
Last week’s result: lost to Chicago, 36–10
This week: vs. Atlanta

If I’ve learned anything about Dave Canales, and I think I’ve learned a few, I don’t think inserting Bryce Young into the end of this game was done off-handedly and without Young’s best interests in mind. Everything, at this point, is about the quarterback. Perhaps he’s going to make the former No. 1 overall pick earn this back one step at a time. He understands the holistic nature of this. 

Last week’s ranking: No. 31
Last week’s result: lost to Miami, 15–10
This week: vs. Houston

After one week, we thought we had a referendum on the no-fun Belichick years and, possibly, a counterweight to his coaching candidacy after Jerod Mayo beat the Bengals. Now, the Bengals are 1-4 and so are the Patriots. Rebooting the Patriots was always going to be more complicated than unplugging the computer and plugging it back in again. 

A tough week for this team, from Jabrill Peppers’s arrest to murmurs of discontent to the constant efforts of Mayo to sidestep what he probably wants to say about Drake Maye: You wanna put that guy out there behind these guys? 

Mayo’s trial by fire is truly beginning.