Arizona Sports NFL Power Rankings Week 5: Chiefs far and away No. 1

There’s only one undefeated team left in the NFL, and to nobody’s surprise, they’re once again atop the Arizona Sports Power Rankings.

The Kansas City Chiefs got a test on Monday night from the Washington Redskins at Arrowhead, but rookie kicker Harrison Butker (or Buttkicker.com, according to his head coach) gave them a late lead. Then things got silly as Justin Houston scored a garbage touchdown in the closing seconds to allow Kansas City to cover and to give Scott Van Pelt plenty of ammo for his “Bad Beats” segment on SportsCenter.

But that’s neither here nor there. The Chiefs look like a complete team and have two quarter-pole MVP candidates in quarterback Alex Smith and rookie running back Kareem Hunt. Smith is one of only four QBs with 100 or more attempts yet to throw an interception and he leads the league with a 124.2 rating. Hunt is averaging over seven yards per carry, has 140 more rushing yards than anyone in the league and is on pace to shatter the league record for most yards from scrimmage in a single season.

Yeah, they’re good.

Here’s a look a the 1-32 pecking order heading into Week 5.

Ties will go to the team that receives the majority of higher rankings from our panel.

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Week 5 Composite Ballot
 

How the panel voted: Burns | Jurecki | Lapinski | Marotta | Morgan 

Biggest Risers: Carolina Panthers ▲11
Biggest Fallers: Oakland Raiders, Tennessee Titans ▼10

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1. Kansas City Chiefs (4-0)

Shift: —
Hi: 1
Lo: 1
Comment: It’s good to be king. The Chiefs are the NFL’s only unbeaten team. — Morgan
Next: at Houston (Sunday night)

2. Denver Broncos (3-1)

Shift: ▲6
Hi: 3
Lo: 5
Comment: Beast Mode was Least Mode vs. that defense. — Burns
Next: Bye Week

3. Green Bay Packers (3-1)

Shift: ▲1
Hi: 2
Lo: 9
Comment: Montgomery injury could force them to go with the All-Aaron backfield of Rodgers and Jones. — Lapinski
Next: at Dallas (Sunday)

4. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

Shift: ▲7
Hi: 2
Lo: 9
Comment: Antonio Brown went ‘full diva’ Sunday, but at least Le’Veon Bell is back to producing. — Marotta
Next: vs. Jacksonville (Sunday)

5. Atlanta Falcons (3-1)

Shift: ▼4
Hi: 3
Lo: 7
Comment: Matt Ryan has thown some early interceptions. Losing two top receivers Julio Jones and Mohamed Sanu hurt vs. Buffalo — Jurecki
Next: Bye Week

6. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)

Shift: ▲6
Hi: 5
Lo: 8
Comment: The Eagles are 3-1 and play four of their next five at home. — Morgan
Next: vs. Arizona (Sunday)

7. Detroit Lions (3-1)

Shift: —
Hi: 4
Lo: 10
Comment: Could easily be 4-0 right now. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Carolina (Sunday)

8. Carolina Panthers (3-1)

Shift: ▲11
Hi: 2
Lo: 14
Comment: Huge road win but that Pats defense was the reason. — Burns
Next: at Detroit (Sunday)

9. New England Patriots (2-2)

Shift: ▼6
Hi: 4
Lo: 13
Comment: A loss to the Panthers marked just the second time since 2012 that Tom Brady has lost two home starts within a season. — Morgan
Next: at Tampa Bay (Thursday)

10. Los Angeles Rams (3-1)

Shift: ▲5
Hi: 9
Lo: 12
Comment: I said I wouldn’t be impressed until they beat a team with a pulse. They did. I’m a little impressed. — Marotta
Next: vs. Seattle (Sunday)

11. Buffalo Bills (3-1)

Shift: ▲10
Hi: 3
Lo: 16
Comment: Sean McDermott has changed the culture in Buffalo, they have been a pleasant surprise. — Jurecki
Next: at Cincinnati (Sunday)

12. Seattle Seahawks (2-2)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 6
Lo: 16
Comment: Seattle’s offense needed this breakout game badly. So what if it came against the Colts? — Morgan
Next: at Los Angeles Rams (Sunday)

13. Houston Texans (2-2)

Shift: ▲5
Hi: 9
Lo: 16
Comment: I knew I wanted the Cardinals to draft Deshaun Watson. — Marotta
Next: vs. Kansas City (Sunday Night)

14. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

Shift: ▼9
Hi: 11
Lo: 16
Comment: They played with a lead last year, that hasn’t been the case through four games this year. — Jurecki
Next: vs. Green Bay (Sunday)

15. Washington Redskins (2-2)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 12
Lo: 18
Comment: They could be the sleeper team in the NFC East; Cousins continues to play at high level. –Jurecki
Next: Bye Week

16. Oakland Raiders (2-2)

Shift: ▼10
Hi: 11
Lo: 17
Comment: That’s two pretty bad offensive showings in a row. — Lapinski
Next: vs. Baltimore (Sunday)

17. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-1)

Shift: —
Hi: 11
Lo: 18
Comment: DeSean Jackson is frustrated by his offensive role but venting that feeling & dodging reporters after a win isn’t a good look. — Morgan
Next: vs. New England (Thursday Night)

18. Minnesota Vikings (2-2)

Shift: ▼8
Hi: 4
Lo: 15
Comment: The Cook injury is an absolute game changer. — Burns
Next: at Chicago (Monday Night)

19. Tennessee Titans (2-2)

Shift: ▼10
Hi: 17
Lo: 19
Comment: Tough to bounce back after allowing 57 points, but playing the Dolphins should help. — Lapinski
Next: at Miami (Sunday)

20. New Orleans Saints (2-2)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 20
Lo: 21
Comment: Defense hasn’t given up a passing TD in the last two weeks, and the offense hasn’t turned the ball over in four games.
Next: Bye Week

21. Arizona Cardinals (2-2)

Shift: ▲2
Hi: 20
Lo: 22
Comment: Markus Golden’s knee injury is another big blow for a team whose season has been defined by injuries. — Morgan
Next: at Philadelphia (Sunday)

22. Baltimore Ravens (2-2)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 20
Lo: 25
Comment: They’ve only been outscored 70-16 over last two games. — Lapinski
Next: at Oakland (Sunday)

23. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2)

Shift: ▼7
Hi: 20
Lo: 24
Comment: Solid defense and running game, but Bortles needs to play better if they want to be in the race for the division. — Jurecki
Next: at Pittsburgh (Sunday)

24. Cincinnati Bengals (1-3)

Shift: ▲4
Hi: 23
Lo: 26
Comment: Change at offensive coordinator is paying off. Andy Dalton 6 TDs, 0 picks and a 138.2 rating in the last two weeks. — Marotta
Next: vs. Buffalo (Sunday)

25. New York Jets (2-2)

Shift: ▲5
Hi: 23
Lo: 27
Comment: Good for Todd Bowles. Guess they’re not tanking? — Burns
Next: at Cleveland (Sunday)

26. Miami Dolphins (1-2)

Shift: ▼1
Hi: 25
Lo: 30
Comment: Miami has 25 points in three games. Oh, the humanity. — Morgan
Next: vs. Tennessee (Sunday)

27. Chicago Bears (1-3)

Shift: ▼3
Hi: 26
Lo: 30
Comment: All that money, and Mike Glennon lasts four weeks? Now he can go back to feeding ham to Tina. — Marotta
Next: vs. Minnesota (Monday Night)

28. Los Angeles Chargers (0-4)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 25
Lo: 29
Comment: Bad team that doesn’t know how to win and literally nobody cares outside their locker room.– Marotta
Next: at NY Giants (Sunday)

29. New York Giants (0-4)

Shift: ▼2
Hi: 27
Lo: 30
Comment: They’re 0-4 with no end in sight. — Burns
Next: vs. LA Chargers (Sunday)

30. Indianapolis Colts (1-3)

Shift: ▼1
Hi: 27
Lo: 31
Comment: Hung with the Seahawks for a half, then realized they’re not on that level. — Lapinski
Next: vs. San Francisco (Sunday)

31. San Francisco 49ers (0-4)

Shift: —
Hi: 29
Lo: 31
Comment: If the 49ers had anybody at QB but Brian Hoyer, Colin Kaepernick for instance, they would have beaten the Cardinals. — Morgan
Next: at Indianapolis (Sunday)

32. Cleveland Browns (0-4)

Shift: —
Hi: 32
Lo: 32
Comment: Hue Jackson is 1-19. That’s hard to do. — Burns
Next: vs. NY Jets (Sunday)

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