Week 5 of the 2024 NFL season was the first week where teams were on bye, with 14 games on the docket spread out between Thursday and Monday nights. Sunday’s slate of games got off to slower starts, but the offense ultimately picked up, as seven teams, including a few in the top 10 of our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings, in the early-and-mid afternoon slate of games scored 30 points or more.
Come along as we provide in-depth analysis every week on how each team fared in the NFL, important stats/takeaways from each contest, and storylines to follow heading into the following games. Here's ClutchPoints' latest NFL Power Rankings.
1. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)
It was a fairly easy Monday Night Football win for the Kansas City Chiefs, who remain undefeated after defeating the New Orleans Saints, 26-13. Continuing to headline our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings, the offense took on a bit of a different tone Monday, as a touchdown-less performance from Patrick Mahomes (28/39, 331 yards) certainly left some things on the table for the offense.
Kareem Hunt (27/102/1), JuJu Smith-Schuster (7/130), and Travis Kelce (9/70) picked up the slack in the win. as the defense kept Alvin Kamara under 70 total yards on the night, picking off Derek Carr once. A Week 6 bye awaits the Chiefs, who then travel to face the San Francisco 49ers in Week 7.
2. Minnesota Vikings (no change)
The first London matchup of the 2024 season goes to the Vikings, who faced the New York Jets and relied on their defense for the win. While Sam Darnold and the offense struggled, intercepting Aaron Rodgers three times helped push the Vikings to their fifth win.
Linebacker Andrew Van Ginkel took one of Rodgers’ INTs back to the house, and Stephon Gilmore sealed the game with a late, fourth-quarter pick of Rodgers. Injury concerns for running back Aaron Jones loom, as the former Green Bay Packer back left this contest early with a hamstring injury.
3. Detroit Lions (no change)
A bye week came at a great time for the Detroit Lions, who had to scratch tooth and nail to hold off the pesky Seattle Seahawks in Week 4. With Sam LaPorta and Amon-Ra St. Brown having slight injury scares early on this year, a Week 5 bye is a good thing for the Lions.
Coming out of their bye week, the Lions will travel to face the Dallas Cowboys in what should be a top-tier NFC matchup.
4. Houston Texans (no change)
While losing Nico Collins to a hamstring injury, the Houston Texans pushed through and held off the Buffalo Bills, winning on a long field goal from Ka'imi Fairbairn. Collins left the game after hauling in a long TD pass from CJ Stroud, and the offense looked alright as they still are looking for a running game with Joe Mixon missing another game.
Stefon Diggs (6/82) and Tank Dell (4/38) helped pick up the slack in the passing game, while Cam Akers and Dare Ogunbowale combined for 24 carries, 72 yards, and a rushing TD from Akers in the win.
5. Baltimore Ravens (+3)
It was a back-and-forth AFC North battle that saw the Baltimore Ravens come out on top over the Cincinnati Bengals, 41-38. Needing overtime to figure out a winner, a short-field goal from Justin Tucker pushed the Ravens to their third win of the season.
Lamar Jackson combined with Joe Burrow for nine passing touchdowns, as Jackson connected with tight ends Charlie Kolar and Isaiah Likely (2), as well as Rashod Bateman. Having also run for 55 yards, Jackson’s 403 total yards feels like a vintage performance for the Baltimore dual-threat QB.
6. Washington Commanders (+4)
The Washington Commanders continue to surprise, and their Week 5 easy win over the Cleveland Browns was just another showing of what Jayden Daniels is capable of, as the Commanders comfortably find themselves nearing the top five of our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
Throwing for 238 yards and running for 82, Daniels was exactly what this offense desperately needed. Terry McLaurin seems extremely happy to have a good quarterback throwing him passes, as the veteran hauled in four for 112 yards, including a 66-yard bomb from Daniels.
7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-2)
Traveling to face the Atlanta Falcons in this week’s Thursday Night Football matchup, it was an unexpected overtime shootout that the Tampa Bay Buccaneers came out on the wrong side of.
It was the tale of two quarterbacks, as Baker Mayfield failed to throw for 200 yards but did connect with Mike Evans (x2) and Sterling Shepard for scores. The defense allowed Kirk Cousins to throw for 509 yards and four TDs and Drake London to rack up 154 yards and a score on 12 receptions, showing that this unit needs the most work.
8. Buffalo Bills (-1)
Another week, another loss to a likely AFC postseason team, as the Bills went into Houston and fell late, 23-20. While their stagnant first-half offense made it so they had to come back in the second half, Josh Allen and friends were not able to make much noise in the loss.
James Cook and rookie Keon Coleman each found the end zone in Week 5, but Allen’s 9/30 passing line is one of the worst of his career, and was a big reason why the Bills lost their second in a row.
9. Atlanta Falcons (+9)
It may have taken overtime and a second-half comeback, but the Falcons and their offense impressed in their win over the Buccaneers, as they are our biggest risers in our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Cousins was en fuego in the throwback uniforms, connecting with London so much that it looked like the old Cousins-Justin Jefferson days in Minnesota.
Kyle Pitts finally had a heavy role in the passing game, but Bijan Robinson was not as incorporated as he probably should have been. If this Atlanta offense is the offense that will stick around, then they should absolutely be considered the favorites to win the NFC South division this year.
10. Green Bay Packers (+6)
After a tumultuous few weeks to open the season, the Green Bay Packers earned their third win of the young NFL campaign by defeating the Los Angeles Rams, climbing into the top 10 of our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Jordan Love’s Week 5 performance was more of what is expected from the signal caller, as his erratic Week 4 showing was surprisingly turnover-heavy.
While Love did make a questionable decision that resulted in a pick-six the other way, he overall made good decisions in his limited opportunities. The offense as a whole ran like a well-oiled machine, as Matt LaFleur was working in both the run and the pass in their win.
11. Dallas Cowboys (+4)
Both the weather and the offense for the Dallas Cowboys had a late start in their Sunday Night Football matchup but came through at the end to secure the win. Beating the Pittsburgh Steelers on the road with Mother Nature pushing back the game’s start time, Dallas helped Mike McCarthy make a happy trip back to his hometown.
Dak Prescott connected with Jalen Torbert for a game-winning TD with under a minute left, and the Cowboys held on for their third win of the season, in a game where CeeDee Lamb (5/62) had a quiet game for his standards.
12. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)
The bye week for the Philadelphia Eagles will be a great help for getting their offense healthy, as both A.J. Brown and DeVonta Smith both missed their Week 4 contest with various injuries.
When this offense gets healthy they can be one of the best in the NFL, but Jalen Hurts is the key cog that brings everything together. A Week 6 home matchup with the Cleveland Browns awaits Hurts and the rest of the offense, which should be back to full strength for this game.
13. Los Angeles Chargers (no change)
Getting out to a .500 start through the first five weeks has been a bit impressive for the Los Angeles Chargers, as they can use their Week 5 bye week to reflect on how the beginning of Jim Harbaugh’s first season as head coach has gone.
With injuries to Justin Herbert throwing a wrench in the development of the offense, the fact that he has been able to play in every game has been important to see. The rushing attack, led by JK Dobbins, has been a refreshing part of this offense, and they will look to get above .500 in their Week 6 road matchup against the Denver Broncos.
14. Pittsburgh Steelers (-3)
Justin Fields was rattled all night in their loss to the Cowboys, only throwing for 131 yards in their loss. While he did throw for two touchdowns, Fields didn’t show the same amount of determination from previous games, looking very tepid and unsure in the pocket.
Even with the weather, Fields wasn’t able to get things going on the ground, only rushing for 27 yards. The offense as a whole didn’t do a lot all night, as Najee Harris (77 total yards) and George Pickens (3/26) were mostly held off the stat sheet.
15. San Francisco 49ers (-6)
The San Francisco 49ers came out strong in their Week 5 home game against the Arizona Cardinals but forgot to find the end zone in the second half too. 23 first-half points were all the 49ers put up, as they fell to Arizona, 24-23.
A two-interception game from Brock Purdy clouded the offense, as Brandon Aiyuk (8/147) finally looked like his old self. George Kittle found the end zone (8/64/1) in the loss, but Deebo Samuel only received three targets and one reception, a likely cause of why they lost.
16. Denver Broncos (+1)
Bo Nix has probably been the second-best rookie QB so far this season, and the Denver Broncos have looked like a completely different team because of it. Throwing for two touchdowns and running in another, Nix was a big part of Denver’s Week 5 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in their pristine throwback blue and orange uniforms.
Nix connected with Jaleel McLaughlin and Josh Reynolds for scores, and the defense did the rest, as Patrick Surtain II took one of Gardner Minshew’s two interceptions back 100 yards for a TD.
17. Seattle Seahawks (-11)
Coming off a tough road loss to the Lions, the Seahawks dropped an avoidable game at home in Week 5 against the New York Giants. A stagnant offense combined with a defense that couldn’t get stops when they needed them paved the way for an upset loss for Seattle, putting them in a freefall in our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
Geno Smith wasn’t Superman like last week, but he looked fine, another DK Metcalf fumble killed a Seahawks drive, and a potential game-tying field goal late in the game was blocked and returned for a touchdown, all but sealing the loss.
18. New Orleans Saints (-5)
Not much went the way of the Saints in their MNF matchup with Kansas City, as the offense struggled to get anything going all night. A deep touchdown to Rashid Shaheed was the highlight of the night, as Carr only threw for 165 yards in the loss.
Defensively, keeping Mahomes out of the end zone is impressive, but they were gashed both on the ground and through the air. After opening their season with wins over the Carolina Panthers and Cowboys, the Saints have lost three games in a row, with a home matchup against the Buccaneers next up.
19. Arizona Cardinals (+4)
An impressive road win for the Cardinals over the 49ers has Arizona climbing the ranks in our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Even though Kyler Murray and Marvin Harrison Jr. weren’t on the same page for most of the game, this offense did enough to earn the upset win.
Murray helped kick off the scoring by galloping 50 yards to the end zone, and both he and James Conner ran for over 80 yards in the win.
20. Cincinnati Bengals (-1)
Coming out on the wrong side of an offensive shootout still does have its positives, and the Bengals should be thinking about those even as they fall to 1-4 on the year. Winless in three games at home, the Bengals have had a rough start to their 2024 season, but Sunday’s loss could still be a turning point for the offense.
Both Ja’Marr Chase (10/193/2) and Tee Higgins (9/83/2) had smash games for Cincinnati, and Burrow threw for five touchdowns in the most complete offensive showing so far this season. The defense still has some holes that need patching, but if the offense can look this fluid moving forward, they may be able to overlook some of those defensive areas of need.
21. Chicago Bears (+3)
After winning their Week 5 matchup over the Carolina Panthers, the Chicago Bears helped ensure all four teams in the NFC North were above .500 heading into Week 6. Rookie QB Caleb Williams had the best professional game of his career so far (20/29, 304 yards, two TDs, zero turnovers), connecting with DJ Moore for both scores to help the Bears earn their third win and climb up our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings.
Moore led all receivers with five receptions for 105 yards and the two scores, and D’Andre Swift made it two consecutive weeks of strong play, earning 23 total touches and finding the end zone (but still losing most goal-line touches to Roschon Johnson).
22. New York Giants (+6)
It remains to be seen what version of the New York Giants we will see this year, but their performance in Week 5 against Seattle was a strong one, especially on the road.
Daniel Jones looked passable, even without his top target Malik Nabers, as he connected with Darius Slayton and Wan’Dale Robinson for scores. Rookie Tyron Tracy stepped in for the injured Devin Singletary and put on a show, rushing for 129 yards on 18 carries, likely earning himself regular playing time moving forward.
23. Miami Dolphins (+2)
In what was probably the game of the Week 5 slate most fans were not wanting to watch, the Miami Dolphins came out on top of the New England Patriots, 15-10. Tyler Huntley threw for 194 yards, Tyreek Hill finally saw a mini-breakout (6/69), and the rushing attack pivoted to Raheem Mostert and rookie Jaylen Wright with the injury to De’Von Achane.
Achane suffered a concussion early on in their Week 5 win, handing over the lead rushing role to the tandem of Mostert and Wright. Both players earned double-digit carries (Wright – 13; Mostert – 19), and they combined to rush for 166 yards.
24. Indianapolis Colts (-3)
Joe Flacco took the reins for the Indianapolis Colts in Week 5, as Anthony Richardson was forced to miss time as he nurses a hip injury. The gun-slingin’ Flacco produced another strong performance (33/44, 359 yards, three TDs) in this spot start, so it was the defense that struggled in their loss to the Jacksonville Jaguars.
Outside of Flacco, Trey Sermon found the end zone from a yard out in his spot start in place of Jonathan Taylor. Alec Pierce racked up another 100-yard performance, Michael Pittman Jr. caught a short TD, and Josh Downs hauled in nine passes for 69 yards in the loss.
25. New York Jets (-5)
It doesn’t seem like the Jets are having too much fun right now, even with the breakout game for Garrett Wilson in the loss. Falling to the Vikings over in London, Rodgers and the offense struggled to string together long drives, whether they were ended short or ended by turnovers.
Rumors surrounding Davante Adams joining up with Rodgers again seem to be growing louder and louder, and his addition to the offense would definitely help. But if they keep failing to get Breece Hall going, this offense will continue to struggle.
26. Los Angeles Rams (no change)
The Week 5 loss for the Rams wasn’t all that inspiring, even with their failed fourth-quarter comeback. Stafford did all he could with the limited weapons on offense and Kyren Williams found the end zone and crossed the century mark in rushing, but the defense wasn’t able to slow down the strong Green Bay offense, earning their first home loss of the season.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (-5)
A permanent quarterback change may be in the cards for the Raiders, as they swapped out Minshew for Aidan O’Connell during their Week 5 loss to Denver. While neither QB looked good, this offense is trying to re-establish its identity with the impending departure of Adams.
Rookie tight end Brock Bowers continues to be the main threat in the passing game, having found the end zone and hauled in eight passes. While Jakobi Meyers will assume the WR1 spot moving forward, Bowers should continue his hold on the top receiver role, regardless of who is at QB.
28. New England Patriots (-1)
Welcoming in the struggling Dolphins apparently wasn’t enough for the Patriots to earn their second win of the year, as the offense struggled all day. Jacoby Brissett somehow managed to throw for 160 scoreless yards, and the calls for rookie Drake Maye will continue to get louder after performances like this.
After being told he won’t be starting moving forward, Rhamondre Stevenson took that demotion to heart and easily paced the New England backfield. Taking a carry 33 yards for a score, Stevenson outpaced Antonio Gibson in the backfield, so this probably will just be a one-week thing to show Stevenson the severity of his ball security issues.
29. Jacksonville Jaguars (+3)
The winless streak ends at four for the Jaguars, as they donned their throwback jerseys and rode those to a win over the Colts. Trevor Lawrence produced the best game of his season so far, and a changeover in the backfield potentially helped lead this offense to their first win.
Tank Bigbsy was clearly the best running back between him and Travis Etienne in their Week 5 win, as Bigsby racked up over 100 total yards and found the end zone twice. Rookie Brian Thomas Jr. continued his strong start to the year, hauling in an 85-yard TD on his way to 122 receiving yards.
30. Tennessee Titans (no change)
It has been quite the tumultuous beginning to Brian Callahan’s coaching career with the Tennessee Titans, and earning an early bye week may be what the doctor ordered. With Will Levis still not showing the type of improvements you would expect to see (and the offense looking competent with Mason Rudolph leading the charge), there could be a potential QB controversy brewing down in Nashville.
31. Cleveland Browns (no change)
It likely is because of the situation that the ownership of the Browns put themselves in, but benching Deshaun Watson in favor of Jameis Winston really is the best bet for this Cleveland team. While postgame comments speak to Watson holding onto the starting role, head coach Kevin Stefanski may need to make a move if he wants to keep his job moving forward.
Cleveland looked helpless against the upstart Commanders, who pestered the Washington offense all day and burned their defense on a regular basis. Not much is going Cleveland’s way at this point, but a change at QB could very well change the tides for this team.
32. Carolina Panthers (-3)
It was albeit a brief moment that they weren't, but the Carolina Panthers do find themselves back in the basement of our Week 6 NFL Power Rankings. Having put up a dreadful showing against the Bears, this roster desperately needs to do what it can to establish an identity.
Andy Dalton struggled against the Chicago secondary, failing to connect with Diontae Johnson for most of the day. Chuba Hubbard found some success on the ground, but the defense was regularly toasted by Williams and the pass catchers, as they easily took over the game and didn’t give it back.