NFL Power Rankings: Ranking every team and division heading into October

6. NFC East

4. New York Giants

Week 5 ranking: 30th

The New York Giants may have found the ticket to success this season with their pass rush and rookie wide receiver Malik Nabers. Feeding Nabers is potentially also the way Daniel Jones is going to keep his job in New York beyond this season. The Giants seem to have one of the thinnest margins for error of any team in the NFL right now, however. They just don’t look like a viable threat in the NFC East.

3. Philadelphia Eagles

Week 5 ranking: 24th

I was a little surprised to see the Philadelphia Eagles as low as 24th in Lou’s latest NFL power rankings, but it’s not without merit. The Eagles have given up some serious duds this season defensively and Jalen Hurts has been a turnover merchant on offense. Nick Sirianni might be one of the biggest names on the head coach hot seat early this year, and if the Eagles can’t start putting something together quickly, he’s going to be the first head to roll.

2. Dallas Cowboys

Week 5 ranking: 17th

The Dallas Cowboys are 2-2 to start this season, but the injuries they suffered in last Thursday’s win over the Giants could send this team into early irrelevance. Losing Micah Parsons and DeMarcus Lawrence on the defensive front was huge, but Dak Prescott is now going to have to deal without Brandin Cooks out there. The Cowboys didn’t have many viable threats at receiver besides CeeDee Lamb to begin with. This Cowboys team needs to start overachieving quickly.

1. Washington Commanders

Week 5 ranking: 6th

The Washington Commanders have been one of the best stories in the entire NFL early this season. There haven’t been many quarterbacks playing as well as rookie Jayden Daniels, the Heisman Trophy winner and 2nd overall pick in the 2024 NFL Draft. The Commanders ended the month of September with three straight wins and Dan Quinn has his team playing outstanding complementary football. Can it continue into October?