NFL Power Rankings: Ranking all the 5-win teams following Week 7 action
We're now done with Week 7 of the 2024 NFL Season, so let's power rank all eight 5-win teams as we approach Week 8. Folks, we have eight teams with five wins, and that's insane! The amount of parity in this league in 2024 is on another level, and it's great for this league.
There are a plethora of other teams as well that have three or four wins, so this league and each conference is wide open, as even the best teams have some questions. Well, Week 7 is now officially in the books, so as we approach Week 8, let's power rank all the 5-win teams.
NFL Power Rankings: Ranking all the 5-win teams following Week 7 action
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (5-2)
I am still not sold on the Pittsburgh Steelers. Congratulations, you beat a bad team at home! Russell Wilson played well, and Justin Fields has not played horribly this year, but this team is stuck in the past and will not make much progress at all in the postseason until they bring in a viable, franchise QB.
It's not Wilson and it's not Fields, but their floor as a team is quite high given that Mike Tomlin has never won fewer than eight games in a season. They could be barreling toward another nine or 10-win season, but if they again get bounced in the first round of the NFL Playoffs, what good does that do them?
7. Washington Commanders (5-2)
Jayden Daniels left the Washington Commanders' Week 7 win with a ribs injury, so it'll be interesting to see what happens there. The Commanders are turning into the NFL's yearly "breakout team." It was the Houston Texans last year, and the Commanders feel like that team this season. I do wonder what their ceiling is with a new coaching staff and a rookie QB, so I kept them lower on this list.
However, they are winning in... commanding fashion.
Hah, see what I did there? And to me, this feels quite sustainable, so I am just flat-out intrigued by how far this team can go when they get into the postseason.
6. Buffalo Bills (5-2)
The Buffalo Bills losing in embarrassing fashion to the Houston Texans and Baltimore Ravens this season, perhaps the two best teams in the AFC, has them ranked lower on these power rankings. Buffalo did do some roster re-tooling this past offseason and don't have nearly as much talent on their roster this year as they did in prior seasons.
They're also dealing with some injuries. However, QB Josh Allen has not thrown an interception this year, and it's kind of interesting that Allen is playing the best football of his career when the offense focuses more on running the rock and not having Allen attempt as many passes.
Buffalo is a good team and should cruise to an AFC East title, but they aren't quite an elite team yet.
5. Houston Texans (5-2)
An interesting loss to the Green Bay Packers does leave the Houston Texans with some questions to answer. The offensive line is a concern, and the offense being able to get going without Joe Mixon has also been a question this year. Houston does not feel like an elite team, and neither side of the ball is playing out of their minds, but the team is 5-2, so that kind of tells you how well-coached and good this team is.
The Texans have been my Super Bowl pick this year, and I'll ride with them all the way. They feel like the second-best team in the AFC nonetheless.
4. Green Bay Packers (5-2)
Jordan Love is hilarious. He's thrown 15 touchdown passes in just four games played this season. He's also thrown eight interceptions. Love feels like he's going to have one of those Brett Favre-type seasons. However, the Green Bay Packers are 5-2 and just beat the Houston Texans in Week 7. I think we all would like to see Love cut down on the interceptions just a hair, but the Packers are red-hot and one of the best teams in the NFL.
3. Minnesota Vikings (5-1)
There really is no shame in losing a tight divisional game like the Minnesota Vikings did in Week 7. The Detroit Lions may be the best team in football, so you should not sell your Vikings' stock. This team is still going to compete until the end for the NFC North division title, and them making a deep playoff run could be in the cards as well.
The Vikings are humming, but the one downside here is that defensive coordinator Brian Flores may get poached to be a head coach next season.
2. Baltimore Ravens (5-2)
We might need to start talking about Lamar Jackson more. He is having his best year by far through seven games. He's got 15 touchdowns against just two interceptions this season. He leads the NFL in passer rating, is averaging a career-high passing yards per game, and is on pace to rush for 1,105 yards.
My goodness. Jackson may cruise to his third MVP award and second in a row at this rate. The Baltimore Ravens have won five in a row and are no worse than the second-best team in football. It does feel like this could be the year where Jackson and the Ravens get over the hump in the postseason. Their rushing attack is on another level, and Jackson has been able to throw the ball all over the yard this year.
Baltimore is a wagon.
1. Detroit Lions (5-1)
I understand that we all just watched the Baltimore Ravens take care of business on Monday Night Football, but the Detroit Lions do feel a bit more complete in my opinion. Heck, if we saw the Ravens and the Lions in this year's Super Bowl, no one would be surprised, and I believe it'd be a welcome matchup.
The Lions are humming, and QB Jared Goff is no worse than the no. 2 MVP candidate thus far. Goff has played out of his mind and has ascended into that elite tier of QBs over the last couple of seasons. Detroit losing Aidan Hutchinson is a huge blow, but my guess is that GM Brad Holmes is currently cooking up a notable trade to try and replace his production.