We started this season by talking about how much parity there was in the NFL and how there was a good dozen teams or so that had legitimate chances to win the Super Bowl. And in most seasons, those would be accurate statements. However, most seasons don’t have a team like the 49ers. With all due respect to several really good football teams, the 49ers are the clear-cut favorites to win the Super Bowl. There aren’t a dozen teams that can beat the 49ers, there are five at most, and even that may be pushing it. As the creator of I Could Be Wrong Sports likes to remind me every week, "There's the 49ers and then there's everybody else."
After five weeks, teams continue to separate themselves into contenders and pretenders. This week, a pair of NFC North teams officially moved themselves into the pretenders category, as the Vikings and Packers now sit at a combined 3-7.
The rankings did not see a ton of movement this week, though the aforementioned Packers took the biggest nose dive, falling seven spots. The Colts and Raiders moved up four spots each, which was a bigger jump than any other team.
The Prime Time Pick’em should have seen another 3-0 week. Instead, we had our first losing week of the season going 1-2. I went against my gut twice and it bit me both times as the Commanders lost to Chicago and the Packers lost to the Raiders (now you understand why I mentioned I always pick against my team). However, the record for the season stands at 12-5 as we head to Week 6. I like the Chiefs to beat the Broncos on Thursday night, though I think it will be closer than the spread indicates. On Sunday night I like the Bills to win with ease over the Giants and on Monday night I’ll take the upset, give me the Chargers over the Cowboys.
Here are the rankings as we head to Week 3. Teams’ previous ranking in ( ).
1. San Francisco 49ers (1): It’s never too early to talk about going undefeated, and while this team certainly has a few games on their schedule that we expect to be good games, if they stay healthy, they have perhaps the best chance at going undefeated of any team in recent memory.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (3): They may not be winning games in the way you would expect the #2 ranked team to win them, but they’re undefeated and they’re the reigning NFC Champions.
3. Miami Dolphins (5): More yards through five weeks than any team in the history of football. Who wouldn’t want to see what this offense could do against a 49ers defense in the Super Bowl?
4. Kansas City Chiefs (4): This team just knows how to win games and I don’t think anyone would be surprised if we see them playing in February yet again.
5. Detroit Lions (6): I know they were playing the winless Panthers, but they were missing two of their best weapons and still put up 40 points. I’m going on record saying I believe the Lions will reach the NFC Championship game this season.
6. Buffalo Bills (2): They suffered some critical injuries on defense, but as long as Josh Allen remains healthy, this team will always be a threat to win the AFC.
7. Dallas Cowboys (7): I know they got boat-raced on prime time, but that game really showed more about the 49ers than the Cowboys. The Cowboys are not on the same level as San Fran, but they are still one of the best teams in all of football.
8. Seattle Seahawks (9): The good news is they moved up a spot without even playing; the bad news is they have to travel to Cincinnati this week, a team that appears to have gotten things figured out on offense.
9. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (10): The Bucs also moved up a spot without having to play a game, but they’ll have their toughest test of the season this week as they travel to Detroit.
10. Jacksonville Jaguars (14): The Jags are more accustomed to playing in London than any other team, but nonetheless I believe they showed the NFL there is a big advantage to staying in London for an entire week, while your opponent is only there for a couple of days. This is why I personally don’t believe the NFL should ever put a team (let alone an entire division) over in London.
11. Baltimore Ravens (8): I know it was a road game against a good defense, but that’s a game the Ravens have to win.
12. Cleveland Browns (11): No team looks forward to playing the 49ers but the Browns get to do so coming off a bye, which might be the only way any team has a fighting chance.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (12): The Chargers are also coming off a bye and frankly we’re all just wondering if Brandon Staley, for the third game in a row, will decide to go for it on 4th down late in the 4th quarter on his own side of the field.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (15): Imagine if this team had any offense; they’d be a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
15. Cincinnati Bengals (17): One game against a bad team doesn’t usually change things in my eyes, however this team has started slow every year they’ve had Joe Burrow. If they truly have turned the corner, watch out, this team will find themselves in the top 5 in no time.
16. New Orleans Saints (16): The Saints finally got the offense going, against Bill Belichick of all people. I believe they are going to give Tampa a legitimate challenge for the AFC South title.
17. New York Jets (19): The Jets got their first win since Week 1 but making it two in a row will be an up-hill battle as they face the undefeated Eagles.
18. Los Angeles Rams (18): The Rams gave the Eagles a great game and if Cooper Kupp can stay healthy, I like this team’s chances at finding themselves firmly in the playoff hunt for a wild card spot.
19. Indianapolis Colts (23): It’s officially time to be concerned with Anthony Richardson’s ability to stay healthy, as he has left nearly every game he’s played with injury. The good news is, they have Gardner Minshew as the backup and he is more than capable of winning games. Oh, and signing Jonathan Taylor to a contract extension doesn’t hurt either.
20. Green Bay Packers (13): Matt Lafluer is finding out just what life is like when you don’t have a Mount Rushmore quarterback leading your team. This team would be 4-1 with Rodgers – but let’s not let Lafluer off the hook – they could very easily be 4-1 with Jordan Love as well if they had someone else calling plays.
21. Washington Commanders (20): What do you make of a team that fights to the very end against an undefeated Eagles team, and gets blown out by a winless Bears team? I sure as hell don’t have any idea.
22. Tennessee Titans (21): The bad news is they have to travel to London this week to play the Ravens. The good news is, the Titans have alternated wins and losses every week so far this season and are therefore on track to win.
23. Atlanta Falcons (26): Sure, they got a much-needed win against the Texans, but please don’t try and convince me Desmond Ridder is “a guy” based on that game. This team has issues at quarterback and I will stand by that statement until Ridder proves otherwise.
24. Minnesota Vikings (24): As if starting 1-4 wasn’t bad enough, they’re now without Justin Jefferson for at least the next four games. I certainly predicted the Vikings would take a step back this season, but even I did not expect it to be quite this drastic.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (29): The defense certainly appeared to play well, but you have to assume that is due to the ineffectiveness of the Packers’ play calling.
26. New England Patriots (22): Patriots fans had to be thinking there was nowhere to go but up after their 35-point loss to the Cowboys. Well, they were right, this week they only lost by 34.
27. Houston Texans (25): CJ Stroud led a beautiful game-winning touchdown drive, until his defense immediately gave up a walk-off field goal. Nonetheless, Texans fans should be very excited about the future of their franchise with Stroud at the helm.
28. New York Giants (27): The Giants were beaten 40-0 in their first prime time game of the season, and then 24-3 (while allowing 11 sacks) in their second prime time game of the season. What could be in store for their third prime time game as they face the Bills?
29. Chicago Bears (32): Justin Fields to DJ Moore appears to be a rather lethal combination. It probably shouldn’t have taken five weeks to figure that out.
30. Arizona Cardinals (28): They started the season showing a lot of fight but have now lost two straight blowouts and based on their upcoming schedule, they may be staring a 1-8 start in the face.
31. Denver Broncos (30): The football Gods are letting Sean Payton know karma is real and boy is it awesome to watch.
32. Carolina Panthers (31): The Panthers traded up to the #1 spot in the draft last year, but this year they’ve decided to go about getting the #1 pick the more conventional route; just lose more games than anyone else.
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