Crowe - NFL Week #5 Power Rankings 2022
John Crowe, Sports Contributor
Crowe - NFL Week #5 Power Rankings 2022
Sure, there are another seven games in which a 2-2 team faces off with an opponent better than a level record, but that’s parity in today’s NFL. Plus, there are games like the Lions against the Patriots in which a pair of 1-3 teams face off where each squad probably thinks they are much better than that losing record. Throw in teams like the Titans, Bengals, and Ravens all at 2-2, just like the surprising Jets and Falcons, and you get a slate of games that might raise a few eyebrows in this first week of October.
Finally, how’s this for rounding out the bingo card? The Falcons and Bucs are tied atop the NFC South at 2-2 while all four teams in the NFC West: Rams, 49ers, Cardinals, and Seahawks all come in at 2-2 after one month.
GET THE LATEST BREAKING NEWS HERE -- SIGN UP FOR GOLOCAL FREE DAILY EBLASTBut enough about the average. Let’s see who’s sitting in our top 10 this week and here’s one spoiler, there are only two 2-2 teams who are set to appear.
10. New York Giants (3-1, Last week not ranked)
The G-Men are 3-1 but to say the least, the wins haven’t been exactly convincing or over the most dominant of teams. With wins over the Titans, Panthers, and Bears, the combined record of those three opponents is 5-7 with no team over .500. The one feather you can put in the Giants’ collective cap is their ground game, which is tops in the league at 770 yards (192 yards/game) led by Saquon Barkley’s 463 yards, the most individual four-game total in Giants history through four games. Things definitely rachet up Sunday in London against the Green Bay Packers. Quarterback Daniel Jones is good to go after suffering an ankle injury last Sunday against the Bears.
9. Dallas Cowboys (3-1, Last week: not ranked)
Hats off to Cooper Rush. He has been a serviceable replacement for injured quarterback Dak Prescott (fractured thumb), and he’s led the Cowboys to three straight victories and kept them relevant. With wins over the Bengals, Giants, and Commanders, Rush is now 4-0 overall as a Cowboy and looks to make that four straight wins in 2022. What’s helping the Cowboys win games is a defense allowing just 15 points a game. As for Prescott, he’s looking towards a possible return in week six against the NFC East-leading Eagles.
8. Minnesota Vikings (3-1, Last week ranked 10th)
The Vikings were one Wil Lutz doink off the goal post from having to go into overtime in London against the Saints last Sunday. Instead, Minnesota came back to America with a thrilling come-from-behind last-minute victory on the heels of Greg Joseph’s 47-yard field goal, its second in two weeks as they stay tied with the Packers atop the NFC North. Justin Jefferson’s 10-catch, 147 yards day was capped by a 3-yard touchdown run as he got back on track after a couple of down weeks.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-2, Last week ranked 7th)
The Bucs ran into the Kansas City Chiefs Sunday buzzsaw, losing 41-31 as Tampa dropped its second consecutive home game. While playing catchup right from the get-go after fumbling the opening kick-off leading to a Patrick Mahomes to Travis Kelce touchdown, the Buccaneers at least got their offense rolling a big. Tom Brady, back with his full complement of receivers for the first time this season, threw for 385 yards and three scores after combining for only three touchdowns in the first three games.
6. Baltimore Ravens (2-2, Last week ranked 5th)
What has happened to the Baltimore Ravens? They’ve now lost five games in a row at home after Sunday’s 23-20 loss to the Buffalo Bills. Not only was it a home defeat, but it’s the second straight game this season in which they’ve squandered a double-digit second-half advantage. Last Sunday, the Ravens gave up leads of 20-3 in the first half and 20-10 at halftime to the Bills, just a couple of weeks after losing a 21-point lead to the Dolphins in week 2 in a major fourth-quarter collapse. If the Ravens can’t figure out this latest flaw in their system, Lamar Jackson’s push to a contract could be met with a fatal flow that could cost him a big-time contract. Jackson threw for only 144 yards and a touchdown while throwing two interceptions in this latest loss.
5. Green Bay Packers (3-1, Last week ranked 6th)
The Aaron Rodgers we saw in the first half Sunday against the Patriots was not like anything we are used to seeing. His 44 quarterback rating was his lowest ever and the pick-six by Jack Jones was just the second time it’s ever happened to Rodgers at Lambeau Field. Thankfully for Packers fans, he rebounded with a pair of second-half scores and a winning drive in overtime for the 27-24 win. Of course, it didn’t hurt that the Pack was doing it against a New England team playing with its third-string quarterback and a few injured players not playing like Jalen Mills on defense. Green Bay now takes the 3-1 record to London to face the 3-1 Giants.
4. Miami Dolphins (3-1, Last week, ranked 2nd)
The biggest question in Miami is who will be the quarterback as the Dolphins move forward after 10-days off and a loss to the Bengals. After a tumultuous five-day period in which Tua Tagovailoa was injured twice with head and back injuries, the entire league concussion protocol is now under investigation and the Fins are hoping to get their leader back healthy if possible. He won’t play in week 5 as they take on the Jets, who, with a victory, could suddenly tie the Fins in the AFC East race.
3. Buffalo Bills (3-1, Last week, ranked 3rd)
Through 28 minutes Sunday in Baltimore, the Bills seemed to be suffering from an offensive hangover from week three’s loss in Miami. Yet after a last-second touchdown rally to end the first half and a second-half shutout of the Ravens, Buffalo rebounded for a 23-20 victory to help them avoid a 2-2 record. Things should be easier this Sunday as they welcome the hapless 1-3 Steelers to upstate New York. Buffalo’s a 14-point favorite giving Pittsburgh its largest underdog status since the NFL/AFL merger in 1970.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (3-1, Last week, ranked 4th)
Led by Patrick Mahomes’s three-touchdown game in Tampa Sunday, the Chiefs righted themselves after a self-inflicting 21-17 loss to the Colts in week 3. Putting up 41 points on the road against a Tampa Bay defense that had been leading the league through three weeks is no small feat but it’s become expected for the second-ranked offense in the league at 32.2 points per game. Week 5 gives KC another primetime event as they host the 1-3 Las Vegas Raiders at Arrowhead Stadium Monday night.
1. Philadelphia Eagles (4-0, Last week ranked 1st)
Down 14-0 to the Jaguars proved to be no problem for Philly. All the Eagles, the only team in the league without a loss after a month, did was explode for 20 second-quarter points en route to a 29-21 victory on the heels of 210 yards and three rushing touchdowns. Quarterback Jalen Hurts hasn’t needed to throw it to score with this ground game that’s averaging 165 yards per game through four weeks. It also doesn’t hurt when your defense forces five turnovers (four fumbles, interception) along with three sacks.
Games to watch in week 5:
Giants vs. Packers (Sunday 9:30 am NFL Network) – Aaron Rodgers’s first game in London.
Lions at Patriots (Sunday 1 pm FOX) – The league’s top-scoring offense comes to Foxboro.
Dolphins at Jets (Sunday 1 pm CBS) – A Jets win here makes the AFC East race very interesting.
Cowboys at Rams (Sunday 4:25 pm FOX) – Can Cooper Rush stay undefeated before Dak returns?
Bengals at Ravens (Sunday 8:20 pm NBC) – Can the Ravens ever win at home?
Last week:
10. Vikings
9. Jaguars
8. Rams
7. Buccaneers
6. Packers
5. Ravens
4. Chiefs
3. Bills
2. Dolphins
1. Eagles