NFL power rankings: New York teams' resurgence makes NFC, AFC East formidable again

The Detroit Lions entered the season with one of the weakest strength of schedules in the NFL. After five games, their opponents — all 14 teams they play, not just the first five — have the second-highest winning percentage in football (.576).

In another reminder of how quickly things change in the NFL (for everyone but the Lions, it seems), the NFC East and AFC East look like the two toughest divisions in football. They are the only divisions with three teams above .500, and the top teams in each conference, the Philadelphia Eagles in the NFC and Buffalo Bills in the AFC, reside in those divisions.

It’s no surprise the Bills and Eagles are having success, even if few projected the Eagles to be the league’s only remaining unbeaten at this point. Both teams are loaded with talent, have well-rounded rosters and one of the best dual-threat quarterbacks in football.

But as good as those teams are, the strength of both divisions is their depth.

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In the NFC East, the Dallas Cowboys have the league’s best defense and, apparently, the league’s best backup quarterback in Lansing’s Cooper Rush. The Cowboys join the Eagles in the top five in my power rankings this week.

I still wonder how much staying power the New York Giants have, but it’s tough to argue with results. The Giants play good defense, have the early-season Coach of the Year in Brian Daboll, and should remain in contention as long as Saquon Barkley stays healthy.

In the AFC, the Jets have been just as pleasant a surprise, though they’ve lost to the two best teams they’ve played. They’re young, and their second-year quarterback just returned from injury so maybe they can stick around the playoff hunt.

The Miami Dolphins are loaded with offensive talent, but have a tenuous quarterback situation given Tua Tagovailoa’s brain injury, and the New England Patriots will never not be a contender because of Bill Belichick.

Only the Washington Commanders — the 32nd-ranked team in this week’s poll — are a complete abomination among the eight teams in those divisions, and of course they gave the Lions their only win of the year.

The Lions are back down near the bottom of the power rankings and have little hope in sight. After a bye this week, they play four of their next six games against teams from the two best divisions in football.

Week 6 NFL power rankings

1. Philadelphia Eagles (5-0)

2. Buffalo Bills (4-1)

3. Kansas City Chiefs (4-1)

4. Dallas Cowboys (4-1)

5. Baltimore Ravens (3-2)

6. Minnesota Vikings (4-1)

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)

8. San Francisco 49ers (3-2)

9. Los Angeles Chargers (3-2)

10. Tennessee Titans (3-2)

11. New York Giants (4-1)

12. Green Bay Packers (3-2)

13. Cincinnati Bengals (2-3)

14. Los Angeles Rams (2-3)

15. Miami Dolphins (3-2)

16. Cleveland Browns (2-3)

17. New York Jets (3-2)

18. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)

19. Indianapolis Colts (2-2-1)

20. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)

21. New Orleans Saints (2-3)

22. Seattle Seahawks (2-3)

23. New England Patriots (2-3)

24. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-3)

25. Denver Broncos (2-3)

26. Atlanta Falcons (2-3)

27. Chicago Bears (2-3)

28. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-4)

29. Detroit Lions (1-4)

30. Houston Texans (1-3-1)

31. Carolina Panthers (1-4)

32. Washington Commanders (1-4)

Contact Dave Birkett at dbirkett@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @davebirkett.

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Power rankings: 1-win Lions have NFL's second-hardest schedule