Here are the NFL power rankings as we enter Week 5 of the 2024 season (previous rank in parentheses):

1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): Although they stand at 4-0 and have a strong history of championships, their top spot is becoming uncertain. They are winning by just a 5-point margin on average, and recent shifts in personnel, especially the potential season-ending injury of WR Rashee Rice, are concerns. With only one game in a 20-day period, head coach Andy Reid and the team need this time to strategize if they want to achieve a third consecutive Super Bowl victory.

2. Minnesota Vikings (3): Their unexpected rise to 4-0 is not a coincidence. Quarterback Sam Darnold is making history with his consistent performances, marking the first player to win his first four games while throwing multiple TDs in each. They are set to play in their first nationally broadcast game this Sunday in London.

3. Baltimore Ravens (17): The Ravens have quickly shaken off their 0-2 start, re-emerging as one of the most formidable teams in the league. After rushing for over 500 yards in the last two weeks, they are leading with an average of 220.3 rushing yards per game, significantly ahead of the second-place team. Their offense is diverse, with room for improvement as TE Mark Andrews looks to return to his usual standout form.

4. Detroit Lions (4): Quarterback Jared Goff displayed his prowess with an almost flawless game against the previously undefeated Seahawks, becoming the first QB in nearly five decades to start consecutive games with at least 10 completions in a row. The Lions triumphed in what has become a yearly high-scoring battle with Seattle.

5. Buffalo Bills (2): The Bills faced a tough opening for a challenging stretch of five away games over the next seven weeks, coupled with revealing issues in their run defense. However, they still maintain the best point differential in the AFC (+39), despite a heavy loss to Baltimore, indicating their potential for further success this season.

6. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10): As dominant leaders in the NFC South, the Buccaneers have the chance to strengthen their position by securing wins against Atlanta and New Orleans in the coming weeks. Running backs Bucky Irving and Rachaad White both contributed significantly in a decisive victory over the Eagles.

7. San Francisco 49ers (12): Wide receiver Brandon Aiyuk hasn’t hit his stride, currently on track for a 700-yard season. Nevertheless, the team rebounded in a solid way, with defensive end Nick Bosa recording a season-high seven pressures, and linebacker Fred Warner scoring his first pick-six in five years. The 49ers are fortunate to have minimal travel in the upcoming weeks, facing divisional opponents and then two matches against weakened 2023 division champions.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (8): Quarterback Justin Fields performed admirably, yet the defense had a rough outing. A bigger concern is the loss of right guard James Daniels to a torn Achilles. Fortunately for the Steelers, they have a favorable schedule ahead with only one away game over a five-week period, starting against a struggling Dallas team.

9. Washington Commanders (18): With rookie quarterback Jayden Daniels leading them, the Commanders could realistically find themselves at a strong record by season’s midpoint. However, they need more production from their wide receivers, none of whom have exceeded 200 yards so far this season.

10. Atlanta Falcons (13): Wide receiver Darnell Mooney stands out with 225 receiving yards, and his pivotal pass interference drawn helped set up the game-winning field goal – a fitting end as the offense did not score a touchdown that day.

11. Philadelphia Eagles (5): The absence of three inactive Pro Bowl players has impacted performance. Additionally, quarterback Jalen Hurts continues to struggle with turnovers, averaging nearly two per week. An early bye in Week 5 could prove beneficial for Philly.

12. Green Bay Packers (6): Safety Xavier McKinney has made quite an impression, becoming the first player this century to intercept a pass in his first four games with a new team.

13. Houston Texans (11): Despite being outscored overall, the Texans have only managed to defeat a couple of mediocre opponents so far. After scoring his first career rushing touchdown, veteran Pro Bowler Stefon Diggs faces an awkward matchup against a motivated Buffalo team – a clash that comes six months post his surprising trade.

14. Seattle Seahawks (15): Despite several key injuries affecting their defense, the Seahawks put up a strong fight in their first divisional game. With a favorable home schedule ahead, they will only leave Seattle once in the next six weeks.

15. Indianapolis Colts (20): An experienced backup quarterback may sometimes enhance team performance. QB Anthony Richardson might benefit from some time off to heal while observing Joe Flacco execute head coach Shane Steichen’s strategy.

16. New Orleans Saints (9): Running back Alvin Kamara is making a significant impact, leading the league with 97 touches, 536 scrimmage yards, and six touchdowns, establishing himself as a key player in the MVP conversation.

17. Los Angeles Chargers (16): No player looks forward to a Week 5 bye,

However, the Bolts could potentially benefit due to their extensive injury list. They should take advantage of their schedule, as there is only one home game until November 10.

18. Denver Broncos (22): The focus has largely been on rookie QB Bo Nix and his struggling offense. Yet, let’s not overlook their defense, which ranks second in the league and has been nearly flawless in the red zone.

19. New York Jets (7): Perhaps a trip to London, along with an offer to pay LB Haason Reddick in pounds, could resolve his contract issues? Or maybe traveling to London means they will face better weather, especially since New Jersey’s rain has kept the Jets offense stuck? QB Aaron Rodgers commented, “The weather was terrible, but so were some of my throws.” Fair point.

20. Cincinnati Bengals (24): According to Next Gen Stats, RB Zack Moss takes an average of 2.97 seconds to reach the line of scrimmage, making it the fourth-slowest in the league, and nearly half a second slower than his teammate Chase Brown (2.51 seconds). This may explain why Brown is averaging almost 2.5 yards more per carry.

21. Chicago Bears (26): In case you missed it – and we did – TE Marcedes Lewis made significant history during Sunday’s win.

22. Dallas Cowboys (21): While it was tough to feel hopeful about a defensive stabilization in their win over the Giants, it’s even harder to feel optimistic without top front seven players, LB Micah Parsons and DE DeMarcus Lawrence, who will miss some tough upcoming games (Steelers, Lions, 49ers, Falcons, Eagles, Texans, Commanders).

23. Arizona Cardinals (14): With three of their next four games being away against 2023 playoff teams, the Cards must quickly figure out how to stop giving up an NFC-worst 22.3 first downs per game.

24. Los Angeles Rams (19): The summary of their offensive struggles? Injured WR Cooper Kupp still leads the team with 18 receptions, even though he has only played about 40% of the snaps.

25. Carolina Panthers (23): As they head to Chicago this week, it’s wise to secure the hotel safes and stadium lockers, considering the Bears will attempt to snatch a win after already acquiring WR DJ Moore and the No. 1 pick from this year’s draft.

26. Las Vegas Raiders (25): They made history by being the first team in 14 years to have two wide receivers score rushing touchdowns, and surprisingly, Davante Adams wasn’t even on the field.

27. New York Giants (27): The choice to let RB Saquon Barkley go is looking worse and worse as they managed only 1.1 yards per carry against a Dallas defense that allowed five times that amount in their last two games.

28. New England Patriots (30): RB Rhamondre Stevenson has had a fumble in each of his last five games, stretching back to last season. If he keeps this up, he could break the record for the most fumbles in a single season by a non-quarterback.

29. Tennessee Titans (31): Sometimes, an offense can perform better with a seasoned backup – QB1 Will Levis might benefit from some time off to recover and observe Mason Rudolph carry out HC Brian Callahan’s strategy.

30. Miami Dolphins (29): An offense can sometimes improve with a reliable backup, but at times, it may simply unravel without its main starter. There’s still opportunity for a temporary fix,

31. Cleveland Browns (28): Is there anyone more in need of a fresh start than WR Amari Cooper, who leads the league with six dropped passes? (Hang in there, Coop.)

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (32): Despite having plenty of talent, they have a dismal record of 1-9 over their last ten games, which has all but dashed their playoff aspirations for 2023 and 2024. Yet, HC Doug Pederson seems perplexed by inquiries about his job stability.

***