Week 6 of the 2024 NFL season has officially concluded, with many teams separating themselves into legitimate playoff contenders. But how does each of these teams stack up against their peers, who have also struggled to produce wins?
Although there was not much movement at the top and bottom of this week’s power rankings, many of the teams in the middle of these rankings have shifted following their performances in Week 6.
The official Dallas Express Power Rankings heading into Week 7 have officially arrived:
1. Kansas City Chiefs (Previous Ranking: 1)
No movement from the back-to-back Super Bowl champions following their bye week. Unsurprisingly, the Chiefs remain the top team with the best quarterback and head coach in the league. The Chiefs are 5-0 and sit comfortably atop the power rankings despite playing one of the toughest schedules in the NFL, though a trade for another wide receiver could be beneficial with the news that Rashee Rice will miss the entirety of the season.
2. Baltimore Ravens (Previous Ranking: 2)
Baltimore’s success is one of the most repeatable formulas in football, with Derrick Henry leading the league in both rushing yards and rushing touchdowns through the first six weeks. Certain concerns about the Ravens will likely not disappear this season, such as the team’s wide receivers and passing defense, but those can be mitigated with the other strengths of the roster. Regardless, Lamar Jackson remains one of the best quarterbacks in the NFL and the Ravens are the biggest threat to dethrone the Chiefs in the playoffs.
3. Minnesota Vikings (Previous Ranking: 3)
The Vikings’ bye week came at a great time for this team, as running back Aaron Jones recovers from a hip injury that is expected to keep him out for some time. Defensive Coordinator Brian Flores has been one of the most effective at stumping quarterbacks this season and Head Coach Kevin O’Connell is one of the best play callers in the NFL. Although this team is beatable, largely due to struggles facing Sam Darnold, the Vikings should be alive in every game and could finish the season with the best record in he NFC.
4. Detroit Lions (Previous Ranking: 4)
Losing Aidan Hutchinson for the year is a brutal blow for a Detroit team that looks like one of the most dominant in the league following a beatdown of the Cowboys in Week 6, but this roster is still loaded at nearly every position. Detroit could be competing for a Super Bowl at the end of the season and no one would be surprised. Concerns for this team include the reliability of Jared Goff in big games and the depth at edge rusher, but the Lions should be able to overcome those concerns in the majority of games this season.
5. Houston Texans (Previous Ranking: 5)
Yet another team remains in the same spot as last week, with the Texans staying at fifth following a solid win over the New England Patriots in Week 6. The placement of wide receiver Nico Collins on the injured reserve is a massive blow because he is the best receiver on the team, but the plethora of weapons available for CJ Stroud keeps Houston at the top of the league. A very solid defense and explosive offense is a recipe for success in the NFL and the Texans might have the best combination of players in the league to complete that recipe.
6. San Francisco 49ers (Previous Ranking: 6)
San Francisco should be ranked near the top of the pack all season barring any more disastrous injuries. The play-calling and scheme of Head Coach Kyle Shanahan can make up for any talent discrepancy, but the 49ers are also beginning to get healthier as the season continues. Jordan Mason suffering an injury against the Seahawks is something to monitor, but Christian McCaffrey’s return should not be too far away, which will immediately vault San Francisco back into the highest tier of contenders.
7. Green Bay Packers (Previous Ranking: 7)
The Packers have looked like one of the deepest offensive teams in the league to start the season and now have a defense that is able to take the ball away from the other team. Defensive Coordinator Jeff Hafley has helped the Packers force 17 takeaways through their first six games, which is already close to the 18 takeaways the team had during the entirety of last season. This young team will have a great test against the Texans in Week 7, but they are looking like a team that can beat anyone with enough time to prepare.
8. Buffalo Bills (Previous Ranking: 9)
Josh Allen continues to show why he is spoken of among the best quarterbacks in the league, as he is now one of just five quarterbacks since 1933 to score 10 total touchdowns without an interception in the first six games of a season. Game management and certain positions on the defense will be a concern all season for the Bills, but Allen’s brilliance will keep Buffalo alive for the majority of games this season. The AFC East is clearly Buffalo’s to lose this season.
9. Atlanta Falcons (Previous Ranking: 10)
Atlanta is one of the most solid teams in the league at nearly every position. While this team does not have many superstar players outside of Bijan Robinson and Jessie Bates, there are also very few holes that would be the reason why they lose in important games. Atlanta could target a trade for wide receiver depth as the season continues, but that is not incredibly necessary with how solid Darnell Mooney has looked as the team’s second receiving option. Atlanta will be in the discussion for the top spot in the NFC South at the end of the year but should be considered a lock to make the playoffs even if they do not win their division.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Previous Ranking: 11)
Offensive Coordinator Liam Coen has transformed this Tampa Bay team into one of the most explosive teams in the league, helping guide them to a league-high 51 points against the Saints in Week 6. Chris Godwin and Bake Mayfield have each looked incredible to start the season and do not look to be slowing down anytime soon. The Buccaneers will be one of the most dangerous teams all season and could beat nearly every team in the league if their offense is clicking.
11. Washington Commanders (Previous Ranking: 8)
Washington boasts one of the most exciting young rosters in the league behind rookie Jayden Daniels, but this team is still too young to consistently take down the top tier of contenders in the league. The Commanders, who were also missing Brian Robinson Jr. in Week 6, are good enough to be alive against any team in the league but will likely not be able to steal the wins from more experienced teams. However, this Week 6 loss should not be too detrimental to the Commanders in their hopes for a playoff spot as they are still atop the NFC East.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (Previous Ranking: 12)
Everyone in the Eagles’ organization keeps going out of their way to tell people that everything is going well for those inside the locker room, which raises more concerns that there are issues in the locker room. Philadelphia is coming off a four-point win at home against one of the worst teams in the league and Head Coach Nick Sirianni was seen talking trash with Eagles’ fans at the end of the game. Regardless, a win should almost never result in punishment for a team coming off a bye and the Eagles are still dangerous due to the incredible amount of weapons on offense. There are some odd vibes throughout the organization and the defense still has major concerns, but the Eagles are still better than the majority of teams in the NFL.
13. Chicago Bears (Previous Ranking: 16)
This is the highest ranking the Bears have achieved through the first six weeks of the season, as they are beginning to show that they are one of the more dangerous teams in the NFC. Although the Bears’ four wins this season have come against teams with a combined record of 4-18, they are also coming off two straight blowout wins and Caleb Williams has looked better every week. Chicago is entering its bye week but will have a great test against the Commanders in Week 8.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (Previous Ranking: 19)
It has become increasingly clear that the Bengals will rarely blow a team out because everyone on the roster seemingly plays to the exact level of their competition. The Bengals are climbing back up the power rankings and now have a string of very winnable games over the next few weeks beginning with a road game against the Browns in Week 7.
15. New York Jets (Previous Ranking: 15)
The Jets remaining in the same spot following their Week 6 loss to Buffalo is more about the teams below them than their performance, which was good but not great in the week after the team fired their head coach. New York opted to hand the playcalling keys to Todd Downing this week and the offense remained stagnant, scoring just 20 points in the game with seven of those points coming from a miraculous hail Mary to end the first half. A recent trade to acquire Davante Adams from the Oakland Raiders should provide this team with some juice on offense, but many of the concerns remain the same. The Jets’ special teams are also a major concern now with Greg Zurlein becoming unreliable on field goals. The dysfunction within this organization is evident to everyone and the Jets could quickly drop in these rankings if they continue to struggle.
16. New Orleans Saints (Previous Ranking: 14)
Things just keep getting worse for the Saints to begin the season, as they are expecting to be without Derek Carr, Chris Olave, Rashid Shaheed, and multiple offensive linemen in Week 7 against the Broncos. After starting out as one of the hottest teams in the league through the first two weeks, the Saints have now lost four straight games and are quickly falling out of the playoff race. The offensive line and skill position players getting healthy over the next week would do wonders for rookie quarterback Spencer Rattler and his ability to lead the team without Carr, but there is no guarantee the Saints will even be alive for the playoffs by the time the veteran returns.
17. Dallas Cowboys (Previous Ranking: 13)
It is unclear whether the Cowboys’ Week 7 bye is a good or bad thing following the biggest home loss since Jerry Jones bought the team in 1989. While this bye will help the Cowboys get healthy and reset following the loss, it also might give them too much time to overthink their performance. Regardless of injuries, Dallas is one of the worst teams in the league at both the offensive and defensive lines, which will make it tough to win games against teams that are competent in those areas. The Cowboys should have Micah Parsons and Daron Bland returning from injury within the next few weeks, but this team will likely hover around the middle of the league all season.
18. Pittsburgh Steelers (Previous Ranking: 21)
The Steelers’ defense should carry them to wins all season since the offense has yet to show they can score points consistently. Having a game-wrecking defensive lineman in TJ Watt completely changes how both sides of the ball can function and allows each to be more aggressive with playcalling, but that also means he will have to be incredible for the Steelers to come away with wins. Pittsburgh has still not faced any of the best teams in the league but they are handling their business against the teams they are matched up against, meaning that the path to the playoffs is evident if they can remain on track.
19. Los Angeles Chargers (Previous Ranking: 22)
Jim Harbaugh has the Chargers playing a style of football that should translate all season, but the biggest concern for this team has become injuries. Justin Herbert is dealing with multiple injuries and Gus Edwards, who was not the main back but still played a role, is now on the injured reserve. The Chargers are a good team but the lack of receiving options and the depth on defense could hurt them as the season continues.
20. Arizona Cardinals (Previous Ranking: 17)
Losing on the road to Green Bay was not a very shocking outcome for the Cardinals in Week 6, but the expectations were that the Cardinals would have kept the game closer after showing some life against the 49ers one week earlier. The concussion suffered by Marvin Harrison Jr. hurt the Cardinals on offense but the defense has looked poor all season and been unable to get stops in the most important moments. The Cardinals’ offense will be dangerous all season but the only games they will win will be shootouts in which they score nearly every drive.
21. Denver Broncos (Previous Ranking: 18)
Denver finished their Week 6 with a close loss to the Chargers, but the box score does not tell the entire story as the Broncos were shut out in the first three quarters and losing 23-0 before scoring 16 in the fourth quarter. This team has one of the better defenses in the NFL behind Patrick Surtain, who was injured on the first play of Week 6, but the lack of weapons and the rookie quarterback have resulted in offensive issues.
22. Indianapolis Colts (Previous Ranking: 24)
Joe Flacco has once again proven that age is just a number as he has carried the Colts to a 2-1 record during his three appearances at quarterback. Flacco helps the Colts manage a much more competent passing attack while Anthony Richardson, who is likely to return in Week 7, provides a dual-threat ability that will force opponents to play them differently. The Colts will take on a depleted Dolphins team in Week 7 with Richardson back under center, but a loss could raise some concerning questions about which quarterback should lead this team for the rest of the year.
23. Los Angeles Rams (Previous Ranking: 23)
Cooper Kupp is reportedly on track to return in either Week 7 or 8, but this season might already be lost for the 1-4 Rams. The Rams’ schedule does not get much easier for the remainder of the season and this team would struggle to dominate their opponents even if they were fully healthy. Los Angeles can still beat any team in the league when they are fully healthy, but a playoff run is looking increasingly unlikely after their disastrous start to the year.
24. Seattle Seahawks (Previous Ranking: 20)
After starting the season 3-0 and looking like one of the best teams in the league, the Seahawks have dropped three straight games and now sit in second in their division after a loss to the 49ers in Week 6. While three straight losses is never a good sign for a team, Seattle did have to play those three games within an 11-day stretch and was understandably tired by the end. However, they will now have to undergo a brutal stretch of games over the next few weeks to stay alive for the rest of the year.
25. Miami Dolphins (Previous Ranking: 29)
Miami moved up in these power rankings because quarterback Tua Tagovailoa is expected to return at some point this season and multiple teams ahead of them struggled heavily in Week 6. The Dolphins have looked dysfunctional since Tagovailoa suffered a concussion in Week 2, but the season is still not quite over. Miami will face off against the Colts and Cardinals in the next two weeks before entering the more difficult portion of their schedule, but there is a chance that Tagovailoa is able to return by Week 9 against Buffalo. If the Dolphins can split their next two games and enter that matchup with a record of 3-4, they could still be alive for the playoffs if they make a run in the second half of the year.
26. Tennessee Titans (Previous Ranking: 26)
Last season, quarterback Will Levis ended the year looking solid and showed promise that he could develop into a competent player, but that has not been what he has shown to begin this season. Levis has thrown at least one interception in every appearance he has had this season and, excluding the Titans’ Week 4 loss in which Levis was injured during the game, he has thrown for under 200 yards in all but one appearance. Wide receiver Calvin Ridley expressed frustration with Levis following their Week 6 loss, and there could be a change coming in Tennessee is these issues persist.
27. Jacksonville Jaguars (Previous Ranking: 25)
This season continues to get worse for the Jaguars following a demoralizing loss to the Bears in Week 6. Jacksonville is now set to remain in London for their Week 7 game against the Patriots, but this team is highly unlikely to make a run to the playoffs after a 1-5 start to the season. The organization is seemingly already evaluating ways to collect more draft picks through trades, highlighted by a trade to send defensive tackle Roy Robertson-Harris to the Seahawks in exchange for a sixth-round pick. This franchise has already committed to competing next season instead of pushing for a playoff spot this year.
28. Cleveland Browns (Previous Ranking: 27)
The Browns are still the only team in the league that has not scored 20 points in a single game this season. The most concerning part is that there is a path for Deshaun Watson, who has been one of the worst quarterbacks in the league this season, to get even worse. Entering Week 6, the Browns had faced the easiest schedule for quarterbacks in the league, indicating that Watson’s struggles were coming against poor-performing opponents. While this defense could still win the team some games this season, the offense will need an overhaul at some point.
29. New York Giants (Previous Ranking: 28)
New York has found a way to remain competitive in many of their games this season, but the talent level on the roster is not high enough to actually carry them to any significant victories. Daniel Jones has struggled all season to work through his progressions and has shown very few signs of improvement. The return of Devin Singletary and Malik Nabers from injuries should give this team a slight boost, but it is still not going to compete against any of the better teams in the league.
30. Las Vegas Raiders (Previous Ranking: 30)
The Raiders are seemingly bad at nearly every aspect of football this season. The offense has struggled behind both Gardner Minshew and Aidan O’Connell and will continue to look bad without wide receiver Davante Adams, who is now expected to be traded to the Jets. Despite Head Coach Antonio Pierce preaching defense all offseason, the Raiders are also allowing opponents to score an average of 27.2 points per game. This team should be picking at the top of the 2025 Draft and will have multiple options due to the high number of holes on the roster that need to be filled.
31. Carolina Panthers (Previous Ranking: 31)
Andy Dalton has turned the Panthers into a more competitive team since he began starting in Week 3, but being better than they were still means they are a bad team. The defense is one of the worst in the league and the offense has struggled to put up points consistently. With how much Bryce Young has struggled to begin the second year of his career, it would not be a shock if the Panthers were already evaluating quarterback talent in the 2025 Draft.
32. New England Patriots (Previous Ranking: 32)
The Patriots have arguably the worst offensive line and the worst pass-catching group in the NFL. Head Coach Jerod Mayo decided to bench Jacoby Brissett in favor of rookie Drake Maye against the Texans in Week 6, which gave the team a slight boost that helped them keep up with Houston for portions of the game. Maye looked good during his first career start, but the pieces around him need to be better to let this team compete.
