32. New York Jets (0-5)
Last Week: L, 37-22 vs. Dallas Cowboys
Up Next: vs. Denver Broncos, 9:30 a.m. ET (London)
Direction and discipline were the givens when the Jets hired Aaron Glenn as head coach. Now? Alarm bells sounding over a lifeless effort and the continued missteps from a high-priced defense.
31. Miami Dolphins (1-4)
Last Week: L, 27-24 at Carolina Panthers
Up Next: vs. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2), 1 p.m. ET
Might be a housecleaning warning in Miami if the Dolphins don’t put up a reasonable effort on Sunday.
30. Tennessee Titans (1-4)
Last Week: W, 22-21 at Arizona Cardinals
Up Next: at Las Vegas Raiders (1-4), 4:05 p.m. ET
Cam Ward’s greater command of pro offense and poise, fight to give Tennessee a glimmer of hope brighter days are closer than some projected after an 0-4 September. Last of three in a row on the road.
29. New York Giants (1-4)
Last Week: L, 26-14 at New Orleans Saints
Up Next: vs. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1), 8:20 p.m. ET (Thursday)
Rookies are going to bring energy and growing pains from week-to-week. Brian Daboll has a 1-6 record (2022 playoffs included) against the Eagles the past three seasons.
28. New Orleans Saints (1-4)
Last Week: W, 26-14 vs. New York Giants
Up Next: vs. New England Patriots (3-2), 1 p.m. ET
Beating a rookie quarterback at home still counts as one full win. Even the sum-of-parts operation in New Orleans can turn five takeaways and eight penalties into a victory.
27. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)
Last Week: L, 37-24 vs. Detroit Lions
Up Next: at Green Bay Packers (2-1-1), 1 p.m. ET
Jake Browning, this hook is for you. A fourth-quarter flurry aside, Browning has been atrocious trying to play Joe Burrow.
26. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)
Last Week: L, 40-6
Up Next: vs. Tennessee Titans (1-4), 4:05 p.m. ET
Sixteen TDs allowed and only four takeaways compared to 10 turnovers paints the picture of another disappointing start for the Raiders.
25. Cleveland Browns (1-4)
Last Week: L, 21-17 vs. Minnesota Vikings (London)
Up Next: at Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1), 1 p.m. ET
Benching Joe Flacco is likely the right move for a team going nowhere fast. Defense would be good enough to turn almost any team into a title contender. With a hyper-conversative offensive scheme, the Browns require their defense to be the hammer.
24. Carolina Panthers (2-3)
Last Week: W, 27-24 vs. Miami Dolphins
Up Next: vs. Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1), 1 p.m. ET
Not ready to dial up the Super Bowl futures by any stretch, but the Cats are capable and have been better at home. After hosting Dallas, Carolina plays the Jets. Is a winning streak and over .500 record possible before the meat of the NFC South schedule hits?
23. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)
Last Week: L, 22-21 vs. Tennessee Titans
Up Next: at Indianapolis Colts (4-1), 1 p.m. ET
Figuring out the second half is the make-or-break issue for the Cardinals. Shut out in the fourth quarter for the fourth time in five games in a brutal loss to the Titans last week. Only one third-quarter TD all season.
22. Baltimore Ravens (1-4)
Last Week: L, 44-10 vs. Houston Texans
Up Next: vs. Los Angeles Rams (3-2), 1 p.m. ET
All-around disappointment is right, John Harbaugh. We’re shocked to see the Ravens near the bottom third of the NFL, too.
21. Houston Texans (2-3)
Last Week: W, at Baltimore Ravens
Up Next: Bye week
Cranked out a convincing win against the Baltimore “B” team. Bye week could be make or break for setting a course on offense.
20. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)
Last Week: Bye week
Up Next: vs. Buffalo Bills (4-1), 7:15 p.m. ET (Monday)
Still afloat after an up-and-down start. Opportunity for a statement with consecutive primetime dates (at San Francisco, Oct. 19) before schedule softens.
19. Chicago Bears (2-2)
Last Week: Bye week
Up Next: at Washington Commanders (3-2), 8:15 p.m. ET (Monday)
Pretty tasty Monday main event is a rematch of the Jayden Daniels “Hail Mary Game” win over the Bears and the only player selected ahead of him in the 2024 NFL Draft.
18. Minnesota Vikings (3-2)
Last Week: W, 24-21 vs. Cleveland Browns
Up Next: Bye week
Justin Jefferson reunited with Jordan Addison and Carson Wentz was good enough. Minnesota motivated to find out what it has in QB J.J. McCarthy.
17. Dallas Cowboys (2-2-1)
Last Week: W, 37-22 at New York Jets
Up Next: at Carolina Panthers (2-3), 1 p.m. ET
Panthers are not elite up front on either side of the ball, which plays to the favor of the Cowboys.
16. Washington Commanders (3-2)
Last Week: W, 27-10 at Los Angeles Chargers
Up Next: vs. Chicago Bears (2-2), 8:20 p.m. ET (Monday)
Jayden Daniels vs. Caleb Williams this week, but the minefield won’t be easy to navigate this month. Washington packs for Dallas, Kansas City and hosts the Seahawks and Lions in the four games that follow MNF.
15. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)
Last Week: Bye week
Up Next: vs. Cleveland Browns (1-4), 1 p.m. ET
No more confident this iteration of the Steelers is legit than we were this time last year, when Pittsburgh was also 3-1.
14. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)
Last Week: L, 27-10 vs. Washington Commanders
Up Next: at Miami Dolphins (1-4), 1 p.m. ET
Injuries everywhere, the Chargers might need to make a trade to restore the identity of a run-first group. Must keep Justin Herbert upright.
13. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)
Last Week: L, 26-23 vs. San Francisco 49ers
Up Next: at Baltimore Ravens (1-4), 1 p.m. ET
Handed the 49ers a win and a game in the standings in a heartbreaker last Thursday. Might take it out on the shorthanded Ravens, but that plan didn’t play out against the Niners.
12. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)
Last Week: L, 38-35 vs. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
Up Next: at Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1), 1 p.m. ET
Outscored opponents by 41 points in the first five games, only three wins to show for it because of second-half struggles.
11. New England Patriots (3-2)
Last Week: W, 23-20 at Buffalo Bills
Up Next: at New Orleans Saints (1-4), 1 p.m. ET
Drake Maye completing 73.9 percent of his passes and not making back-breaking mistakes would keep the Patriots in most games. Early arrival than expected as an AFC contender.
10. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)
Last Week: L, 31-28 at Jacksonville Jaguars
Up Next: vs. Detroit Lions, 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday)
One more week without Rashee Rice, the Chiefs are home three consecutive games with trips to Buffalo and Denver around the corner.
9. San Francisco 49ers (4-1)
Last Week: W, 26-23 at Los Angeles Rams
Up Next: at Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1), 4:25 p.m. ET
Won at Tampa (23-20) last November only to lose seven of final eight.
8. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)
Last Week: W, 31-28 vs. Kansas City Chiefs
Up Next: vs. Seattle Seahawks (3-2), 1 p.m. ET
One Week 2 breakdown at Cincinnati from being 5-0, the Jaguars are to be taken seriously. With 14 takeaways, Jacksonville is covering up a poor third-down defense.
7. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)
Last Week: Bye
Up Next: vs. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3), 1 p.m. ET
One loss this season was to Joe Flacco. Surprise! Flacco will start for the Bengals after being acquired by the Browns. Rested after an unexpected tie in Dallas, the Packers should be closer to full strength for the team’s only home game in a span of more than 50 days.
6. Denver Broncos (3-2)
Last Week: W, 21-17 at Philadelphia Eagles
Up Next: vs. New York Jets (0-5), 9:30 a.m. (London)
To avoid going from taking down undefeated Philadelphia to losing to the winless Jets, Denver has to guard against losing track of QB Justin Fields.
5. Indianapolis Colts (4-1)
Last Week: W, 40-6 vs. Las Vegas Raiders
Up Next: vs. Arizona Cardinals (2-3), 1 p.m. ET
Undefeated vs. AFC and in the division, the Colts went from surprise to the team we expect to win each week. Credit Shane Steichen for the renaissance.
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1)
Last Week: W, 38-35 at Seattle Seahawks
Up Next: vs. San Francisco 49ers (4-1), 4:25 p.m. ET
This says as much about the team the Seahawks can be this season. Baker Mayfield and the Bucs won at Seattle and have survived injuries at critical positions.
3. Philadelphia Eagles (4-1)
Last Week: L, 21-17 vs. Denver Broncos
Up Next: at New York Giants, 8:15 p.m. ET (Thursday)
Still no threat through the air, the Eagles are more physical than virtually every opponent on the schedule. Teams that force them to adjust can get the upper hand.
2. Buffalo Bills (4-1)
Last Week: L, 23-20 vs. New England Patriots
Up Next: at Atlanta Falcons, 8:15 p.m. (Monday)
Not a dangerous defense, but the Bills can outscore any defense incapable of taking away one of their strengths.
1. Detroit Lions (4-1)
Last Week: W, 37-24 at Cincinnati Bengals
Up Next: at Kansas City Chiefs, 8:20 p.m. ET (Sunday)
Lions return to the scene of their “surprising” upset in 2023 (21-20) and have the look of the favorite this time around.
