NFL power rankings: Vikings, Patriots & Packers rise again; Bears, Eagles slip for Week 6

Week 5 of the 2026 NFL season is done and most teams are into the second quarter. Before some halftime adjustments at midseason, most teams also are still trying to find their identities as contenders, rebuilders or something in between.

Two teams are 5-0 going into Week 6 with three in total being undefeated. On the flip side, three teams are now 0-5. The muddled middle is getting more crowded with teams at the crossroads of 3-2 or 2-3, with the rest of the season capable of going either way.

The NFC North continues to show why it's the best division in the NFL, with three of four teams being above .500. The NFC East is trying to push the NFC South for the worst division.

Through all the divisions, here's how all 32 teams stack up against each other based on the league's latest results.

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NFL Power Rankings

1. Kansas City Chiefs 4-0 (previous ranking: 1)

The Chiefs enjoyed being No. 1 in the AFC with their perfect record during the bye. Going into Week 5, they were averaging 5.5 yards per carry thanks to running back Kenneth Walker III, good for No. 1 in the league. They also are averaging 162.3 yards on the ground, which is No. 3. They were ranked 20th and 25th in the NFL in those respective categories last season.

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2. San Francisco 49ers 5-0 (2)

The 49ers' latest win continues to cement Brock Purdy's MVP candidacy. Incredibly, Purdy is now 5-0 in regular-season starts in Seattle and 1-1 in the playoffs, with the one loss coming in the 2025 divisional round. He is on the verge of having enough career passing attempts to be the all-time career passer rating leader.

MORE: Four reasons why Brock Purdy is an elite NFL QB in 2026

3. Jacksonville Jaguars 4-1 (4)

The Jaguars are having another big season stopping the run. They were No. 1 in the NFL allowing 85.2 rushing yards per game last season. They were No. 3 going into the Eagles game and allowed only 22 in London, improving to 63.8. Jacksonville might be the most well-rounded team in the NFL.

4. Minnesota Vikings 5-0 (6)

The Vikings are getting it done where it counts, even though they might not seem to be so clean from game to game. They are up to 10 takeaways in five games and now rank second in time of possession (33:37) after having the ball for almost 40 minutes vs. the Saints.

5. Buffalo Bills 3-1 (5)

The Bills go into Monday night at the Rams with a third-down conversion rate of 53.3 percent, second only to the 49ers. They also went into Week 5 by rushing 37 times for first downs, third in the NFL. They will need to use that to keep the Rams' offense off the field and protect their defense.

6. Seattle Seahawks 3-2 (3)

The Seahawks may have a bit of a concern brewing with Sam Darnold. He was sacked five times and threw two interceptions vs. the 49ers, with the mistakes counting big in a tight 32-29 loss. He has five INTs in his four starts, on pace for 20. He needs to shake off that shaky play fast with Drew Lock impressing during his time.

MORE: Inside the game-ending call involving Cooper Kupp

7. New England Patriots 3-2 (9)

Drake Maye's first three games: average of 195 passing yards per game, 1 touchdown to six interceptions, 72 total rushing yards. Maye's past two games: average of 322 passing yards per game, 7 TDs to 1 INT, 79 total rushing yards. What's the difference? Might just be playing easier pass defenses of Buffalo and Las Vegas. 

8. Baltimore Ravens 4-1 (8)

The Ravens have one of the best backup quarterbacks in the NFL with Tyler Huntley. He threw for 201 yards and 2 TDs, and ran for 20 yards and the game-winning TD in overtime in Atlanta in leading a fourth-quarter comeback. He's up to 6-6 as a starter in Baltimore when replacing Lamar Jackson.

MORE: Ravens overcome rough night from Mark Andrews

9. Denver Broncos 3-2 (10)

The Broncos played a strong defensive game in Los Angeles to hold off the Chargers minus top two cornerbacks Patrick Surtain and Riley Moss. Bo Nix, however, was much the same QB going from Davis Webb to Sean Payton as his play-caller. Week 4: 59.5 completion percentage, 5.1 YPA, 80.9 passer rating. Week 5: 59.3 completion percentage, 4.6 YPA, 82.8 passer rating.

10. Los Angeles Rams 2-2 (11)

When the Rams won Super Bowl 56, Matthew Stafford had a YPA of 8.1. Last season, when he won MVP, it was 7.9. It's trending in the right direction at 7.3 through four games and the Bills' pass defense has been exploited plenty downfield.

11. Chicago Bears 3-2 (7)

The Bears didn't bring one home for the late Mike Ditka and ran out of gas with their backup QB plan without Caleb Williams. They need him back badly now with the Falcons and Patriots games back-to-back on the road.

MORE: Remembering the toughest guy in the room, Mike Ditka

12. Cincinnati Bengals 3-2 (16)

The Bengals needed to sweat out the end of the Dolphins game, but they still could have won comfortably with Joe Burrow's best performance of the season. Cincinnati tends to get such results when Burrow has 31 pass attempts and the team stays balanced with 32 rushing attempts. Zac Taylor must remember that formula.

13. Detroit Lions 3-2 (18)

The Lions realized they just need to go up big with offense to play better defense. Aidan Hutchinson and Alim McNeill each got into the pass-rush fun in the winning five-sack effort against the Cardinals.

14. Pittsburgh Steelers 3-2 (19)

Aaron Rodgers has turned back the clock in his presumed final NFL season at 42. He's up to 582 TD passes, jumping both Peyton Manning and Ben Roethlisberger while beating the Colts on Sunday. His three consecutive games of throwing 3 TD passes hadn't happened since late in his 2021 MVP season in Green Bay.

15. Green Bay Packers 3-2 (22)

The Packers have embraced their new pass-heavy identity. They went into Chicago passing at a 69 percent rate. Even with pass protection issues, they are trusting Jordan Love to throw deep often to his best-ever combination of wide receivers, Christian Watson and Matthew Golden. Love is on pace for career highs of 4,787 passing yards and 34 TDs.

16. Las Vegas Raiders 3-2 (12)

Fernando Mendoza had an unceremonious mop-up debut in New England (6-for-8, 48 yards). Kirk Cousins did well enough to remain the starter, but they need more than Brock Bowers in the passing game. Bowers, after four games, is up to 32 receptions for 312 yards and 4 TDs. After missing Week 1, he's on a 16-game pace of 128 catches for 1,248 yards and a TD per game.

17. Philadelphia Eagles 2-3 (13)

Offensive coordinator Sean Mannion needs to design more runs for Jalen Hurts to help the Eagles' offense. In five starts, Hurts has only 107 rushing yards, or an average of 21.4 yards per game. He's on pace for only 364, which would by far be his career low as a full-time starter.

MORE: Why not to panic about the Eagles, thanks to Hurts and Nick Sirianni

18. New York Giants 3-1-1 (14)

Go figure the Jameis Winston roller-coaster ride would include a wild tie with the Commanders. He's doing more than enough to keep J.J. McCarthy on the bench. with six TDs to three INTs. He must keep up the efficient play to keep his job and keep improving on an 81.2 passer rating.

19. Dallas Cowboys 2-3 (15)

The Cowboys, after being run over by the Buccaneers at home, have made it simple for opponents to beat them with awful run defense. They are dead last at No. 32 by far, giving up on average 168.4 yards per game at 5.1 yards per attempt. That won't win many games.

20. Cleveland Browns 3-2 (17)

The Browns came crashing down to earth around Deshaun Watson as he was denied a fourth consecutive fourth-quarter game-winning drive. Being pounded on the ground by the Jets was odd, too. Watson is on pace for 65 sacks after being dropped by the Jets eight times. That would be the most for him in his career, surpassing his second NFL season with the Texans, when he was sacked a league-high 62 times.

21. Carolina Panthers 2-2 (20)

The Panthers got a well-earned bye with Bryce Young now fully established as their starting quarterback. He's responded to passing a lot more, averaging a league-high 317 yards per game after not hitting a 200-yard average in each of his first three seasons.

22. Atlanta Falcons 2-3 (21)

The Falcons are 0-3 when Michael Penix Jr. doesn't start and play a full game. This time against the Ravens, it was Tua Tagovailoa doing the honors with his game-ending interception in overtime. In Weeks 1 and 2, it was Cooper Rush killing the Falcons. Bijan Robinson is awesome, but so far Penix's presence is the key to a winning offense under Kevin Stefanski.

23. New York Jets 2-3 (26)

The Jets have wanted to expanded the role of running back Braelon Allen for a while, and the Breece Hall quad injury gave them the window to turn the bigger Allen into a rushing workhorse. Allen's 24 carries for 116 yards and a TD was the game-changing performance in a close game. Hall might be telling the Jets not to sign him long-term after 2026.

24. Indianapolis Colts 2-3 (23) 

The Colts really do go as Jonathan Taylor goes and rushing for only 45 scoreless yards gave a good indication of why they lost by double-digits in Pittsburgh. Indianapolis is now 5-17 when Taylor starts and rushes for fewer than 60 yards.

25. Washington Commanders 1-3-1 (24)

The good news is Jayden Daniels is healthy and doing his running thing. The Commanders are now 12-4-1 when he gets 8 or more rushing attempts in a game. He dropped 103 yards for 9 carries on the Giants, the second time he's hit a century. Although the tie with the Giants stinks, his team should be thrilled to see Daniels back doing his thing.

26. Houston Texans 1-4 (28) 

The Texans kept their faint playoff hopes alive by blasting the Titans' anemic passing game. Will Anderson Jr., despite the record, needs to lead the list for Defensive Player of the Year. He had 4.5 sacks going into Nashville and had 3 more in Week 5. He's the best all-around defender in the NFL.

MORE: Full details of Marvin Harrison Jr. trade to Texans

27. Tampa Bay Buccaneers 1-4 (30)

The Buccaneers got a real spark from undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels, who was much better in his second career start to defeat Dallas. Bucky Irving is back to his rookie form as an explosive back through the red zone, up to 5.3 yards per run vs. 3.4 in Year 2.

28. New Orleans Saints 1-4 (25)

The Saints went to their Week 5 game against the Vikings throwing almost 66 percent of the time. They had Tyler Shough drop back 26 times to only 17 combined rushing attempts. Shough is trying to do too much, and starting to do too little and make mistakes against better defenses. Not having both Travis Etenne Jr. and Jordyn Tyson is compressing the offense.

29. Arizona Cardinals 1-4 (27)

So much for Mike LaFleur wanting to change the Cardinals into a running team led by rookie first-rounder Jeremiyah Love and former Falcon Tyler Allgeier. The defense isn't letting them stick with the run. Now the Cardinals are down to averaging only 92 rushing yards per game at 4.0 yards per carry. The lack of balance is putting too much on Jacoby Brissett behind a shaky pass-protecting line.

30. Miami Dolphins 0-5 (31)

The Dolphins cannot blame their continued skid on the absence of running back De'Von Achane. Another backfield star has been born, helped by Malik Willis, as Ollie Gordon II has turned 27 carries for 188 yards and 2 TDs the past two games. Gordon will help them finish an upset soon after one-possession losses to the Vikings and Bengals.

31. Los Angeles Chargers 0-5 (29)

The Chargers are losing everyone again to injuries and also losing a lot of close games because of little mistakes. The ultimate "Chargering" continues to plague Jim Harbaugh. They are now up to a league-high 13 giveaways in 5 games.

MORE: Why Chargers won't bench Justin Herbert anytime soon

32. Tennessee Titans 0-5 (32)

The Titans need to be disappointed in their passing game, which is averaging only 156 yards per game after managing just 90 net yards in the home loss to the Texans. Robert Saleh should think about giving Ward a wake-up call benching and go with Mitchell Trubisky for a while.