NFL Week 6 Power Rankings: Falcons Rise, Steelers Surge, Cardinals Fall

Week 6 of the 2025–26 NFL season perfectly encapsulated the unpredictability of the league this year, with most of the perceived top teams suffering losses. As a result, ranking all 32 teams this week was extremely tricky. There is no clear-cut top team in the NFL right now, and every team feels beatable, which makes this season all the more interesting and chaotic. And great for fans. With that in mind, here is how the league currently stacks up.

32. New York Jets (0–6)

Weekly Change: Neutral

The Jets continue to cement themselves as the league’s worst team. Justin Fields and the offense should be embarrassed as they tallied an impressive -10 passing yards on Sunday. The defense at least played well for the first time this year, but it is officially time for Jets fans to start studying next year’s draft class.

31. Tennessee Titans (1–5)

Weekly Change: Neutral

Tennessee’s train wreck of a season continued in another embarrassing loss. Perhaps the firing of head coach Brian Callahan will provide a spark, but it is unlikely.

30. Cincinnati Bengals (2–4)

Weekly Change: Neutral

While Cincinnati was competitive against Green Bay, it is obvious this team still has real challenges. The Joe Flacco addition is a minor upgrade over Jake Browning, but it is not enough to start winning games.

29. New Orleans Saints (1–5)

Weekly Change: Down 2

New Orleans lost a competitive game against New England. Spencer Rattler continues his steady play, and the defense remains feisty despite a weak roster. The Saints might not win many games, but they will not be an easy out for anyone.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (2–4)

Weekly Change: Up 1

The Raiders took care of business against a bad Titans team, but Geno Smith did not impress. His recent struggles are becoming a real concern for Las Vegas, and a change might become necessary sooner rather than later..

27. Miami Dolphins (1–5)

Weekly Change: Down 1

Miami continues to compete, but the season is starting to spiral. Repeated losses take a toll on any locker room. The Dolphins will keep fighting, but their playoff chances are basically done.

26. Cleveland Browns (1–5)

Weekly Change: Neutral

Cleveland struggled against Pittsburgh. This team is not as bad as its record suggests, but it has to start turning close games into wins. Cleveland faces Miami next week in a matchup both teams desperately need.

25. New York Giants (2–4)

Weekly Change: Down 3

The Giants picked up a statement win over Philadelphia. Jaxson Dart continues to look the part, and the defense is finally performing up to its talent. The schedule gets no easier with a tough game against Denver ahead.

24. Baltimore Ravens (1–5)

Weekly Change: Down 4

Baltimore’s defense rebounded by holding the Rams to 17 points, but the offense remained ineffective with Cooper Rush at quarterback. The Ravens will stay in the bottom tier until Lamar Jackson returns, and even then this season may already be a lost cause.

23. Arizona Cardinals (2–4)

Weekly Change: Down 4

Arizona’s season has fallen apart after a promising 2–0 start. The offense played well without Kyler Murray, but the defense could not stop a potent Colts attack. This looks like a mid-tier team at best going forward.

22. Dallas Cowboys (2–3–1)

Weekly Change: Up 1

It is almost comical how similar every Cowboys game feels: high-scoring shootouts with little defense. Dak Prescott continues to shine, but the defense let Rico Dowdle and the Panthers offense run wild. Dallas is wasting an elite season from its quarterback.

21. Carolina Panthers (3–3)

Weekly Change: Up 3

Rico Dowdle looks like a different player, racking up more than 200 total yards for the second straight week. Bryce Young is playing efficiently, Tetaroia McMillan keeps improving, and the defense is doing enough to keep Carolina competitive. But beware that this team plays much better at home than on the road.

20. Minnesota Vikings (3–2)

Weekly Change: Down 2

Minnesota was on bye this week. A big test looms against a struggling Eagles squad.

19. Chicago Bears (3–2)

Weekly Change: Up 3

Chicago pulled out another close win. A blocked kick against the Raiders two weeks ago and a late Washington fumble this week helped the Bears sneak out victories. They need to show more consistency before climbing higher.

18. Houston Texans (2–3)

Weekly Change: Down 1

After a bye week, Houston now faces a massive challenge against Seattle on Monday night.

17. San Francisco 49ers (4–2)

Weekly Change: Down 6

The loss to Tampa Bay was devastating, especially with Fred Warner’s season-ending injury. The 49ers will hang in the playoff race, but their Super Bowl hopes take a major hit with so many key players out.

16. Atlanta Falcons (3–2)

Weekly Change: Up 5

What a statement win by Atlanta. Beating Buffalo is tough enough, but holding Josh Allen’s offense to just 14 points is even more impressive. If the defense keeps this up, the Falcons could crack the top 10 soon.

15. Jacksonville Jaguars (4–2)

Weekly Change: Down 1

Jacksonville’s performance against Seattle shows why there was hesitation to move them up after the Kansas City win. The offense is streaky, and while the defense has its moments, it is hard to fully buy into the Jaguars over the course of a full season.

14. Los Angeles Chargers (4–2)

Weekly Change: Down 1

The Chargers escaped with a win against a struggling Dolphins team. Despite the victory, the injury list on both lines is a concern.

13. New England Patriots (4–2)

Weekly Change: Up 3

Drake Maye was outstanding against the Saints. His play has pushed New England into legitimate playoff contention, something few expected entering the season.

12. Pittsburgh Steelers (4–1)

Weekly Change: Up 3

Pittsburgh continues to beat lesser opponents. With every other AFC North team faltering, the division is squarely theirs to lose.

11. Washington Commanders (3–3)

Weekly Change: Down 1

Washington looked like the better team against Chicago, but three costly turnovers told the story. The offense should bounce back against Dallas.

10. Seattle Seahawks (4–2)

Weekly Change: Up 2

Seattle rebounded from a tough loss to Tampa Bay with a strong performance against Jacksonville. Sam Darnold played well, and the defense shut down a dangerous Jaguars offense.

9. Denver Broncos (4–2)

Weekly Change: Neutral

Denver picked up an ugly win over the Jets. The defense was dominant, but the offense managed only 13 points against a weak opponent. This looks like a one-off bad showing so we’ll keep them in the top 10 for now.

8. Green Bay Packers (3–1–1)

Weekly Change: Neutral

Green Bay earned a solid, but not spectacular, win against Cincinnati. Rookie Matthew Golden finally broke out with three catches for 86 yards.

7. Philadelphia Eagles (4–2)

Weekly Change: Down 5

It is getting close to panic time in Philadelphia. The offense looks broken. Saquon Barkley has been inefficient, the passing game feels disjointed, and the offensive line is underperforming. A loss to Minnesota next week could cause a major drop.

6. Indianapolis Colts (5–1)

Weekly Change: Up 1

Indianapolis continues to look like one of the league’s most complete teams. The offense leads the NFL with 32.3 points per game. This never would have been said six weeks ago, but the AFC might run through Indy come playoff time.

5. Los Angeles Rams (4–2)

Weekly Change: Neutral

The Rams’ defense dominated on Sunday, holding Baltimore to just three points. If the defense stays at that level, the Rams will be tough to beat.

4. Detroit Lions (4–2)

Weekly Change: Down 3

Detroit ran into a buzzsaw in Kansas City. The secondary remains the only real weakness, largely due to injuries. Once healthy, the Lions are a complete team and a legitimate Super Bowl contender.

3. Buffalo Bills (4–2)

Weekly Change: Neutral

Despite the loss to Atlanta, there is no reason to panic. As long as Josh Allen is healthy, Buffalo remains among the elite.

2. Kansas City Chiefs (3–3)

Weekly Change: Up 4

The Chiefs look like their old selves again. Patrick Mahomes is playing at an MVP level, the receivers are healthy, and the defense is rock solid. Kansas City has firmly re-entered the Super Bowl conversation.

1. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (5–1)

Weekly Change: Up 3

Tampa Bay earns the top spot due to its sheer resilience. Even with countless injuries on both sides of the ball, the Buccaneers keep finding ways to win. Baker Mayfield is playing at an MVP-caliber level and continues to elevate the team each week.

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