Week 5 Power Rankings

by Jon_48469 | 2 years ago | 0 Comments

While 4 weeks isn't a massive sample size, it provides us with enough information to churn out our first power rankings of Madden 23. The top 16 went out on Twitter (@GZMLCFM) yesterday; if you aren't following it already, what are you doing? Since the rankings have no details in regards to why teams are placed where they are, we thought it would be a nice topic for the next blog. This post should help clarify the thought process that went into the rankings. Disclaimer: All rankings were made PRIOR to any week 5 game taking place.

1) Denver Broncos (4-0): Denver has started the season red hot, taking down two teams who we'll see featured later on this list (Seattle & San Francisco) to go along with a win over a Texans team that is a tougher opponent than their 1-3 record indicates. Led by a stout defense and arguably the best WR core in the league, the Broncos have gone from sneaky contender to potential Super Bowl favorite.

2) Los Angeles Chargers (4-0): No real suprise here, the Chargers were already considered a league favorite going into the season and have backed that up with a perfect start to the campaign. Highlighted by victories over Houston & Jacksonville, LA now has a slight chip on their shoulder and will have something to say about who's really the "Best in the West".

3) Tennessee Titans (4-0): Tennessee has had to really fight their way to this undefeated start, with three of their wins coming by 3 points or less (7pt difference combined for those games). They do have a victory over Buffalo, a team thought to be on the cusp of a Super Bowl in this league, to help keep them on the podium in the power rankings.

4) Seattle Seahawks (3-1): Only took us to #4 to have the first controversy in the rankings! Seattle slides in ahead of our final unbeaten team in the league (won't have to wait long to see that team on the list), which I'm sure has come as a shock to some. All four of Seattle's opponents are featured on this first power rankings with a combined record of 12-4, and the Seahawks lone loss came to the top team on the list. If this was the College Football Playoff, they'd have a legit argument to be in and that's exactly what we did here. The question shouldn't be 4th or 5th for the Pacific Northwest squad, it realistically should be 4th or 3rd!

5) Green Bay Packers (4-0): Like we foreshadowed above, the Green Bay Packers round out the top 5 as opposed to bringing up the rear of the 4 unbeatens. This team has the potential to win the Super Bowl, don't get this ranking twisted that we don't believe that, but they are victim to what is preceived to be a weaker SOS with the teams they've faced having some struggles to start the season. A combined record of 4-12 compared to 12-4 is a difference that can't be ignored, but that can all change when we revisit the rankings in a few weeks. 

6) Detroit Lions (3-1): Right on the heels of their NFC North rivals, Detroit has had a solid start to the season. A team that has a lot of talent/promise on offense, but a shaky looking defense, Detroit has been able to keep pace with the Packers while picking up a key win over the Eagles (who we'll see later on this list). The Lions only loss came at the hands of the Seahawks, who we already touched on in detail about how good they are shaping up to be, and are positioning themselves nicely to be playing in some meaningful games late in the season for the first time in a long time.

7) Atlanta Falcons (3-1): You could honestly look at this ranking and think Atlanta has underperformed based off everyone's expectations going into the season, but a 3-1 start is solid if you're a Falcons fan. The roster has some young exciting talent, and they've made a massive splash on the trade front by landing Russell Wilson from the Broncos. Another victim of the Seahawks buzzsaw, the 1 in the loss column is nothing to be embarrassed about. Falcons have aspirations of a Super Bowl, and have the talent/quality to make it happen. Falcons country, let's ride!

8) New York Jets (3-1): Falling in the middle of the group of 3-1 teams we find the currently leaders of the AFC East. The first four games on the Jets schedule saw them take a tour of the AFC North, a division that early on has the making of a very balanced group top to bottom (put an * by that as the Browns have yet to play a game). Defense has been the key to the Jets success, though the struggles on offense could prove to be an issue for them down the road. Still, a solid start to the season with a young roster has things looking bright in New York (New Jersey).

9) Philadelphia Eagles (3-1): The first team picked in our team draft, the Eagles sit atop the NFC East roughly a quarter of the way through the season. This high flying offense can punch you in the mouth early and often, putting opponents in a position where they're going to be required to climb a mountain before it even reaches half-time. Following a week 1 loss to the Lions, Philly has settled in and is looking every bit like a contender in the NFC. Don't be suprised if you see them continue to show up higher on the rankings throughout the cycle.

10) Jacksonville Jaguars (2-2): If you want to call upsets in the rankings, this might be the best opportunity to call a "cinderella". The Jaguars have had a decent start to the season, nothing to write home about but not one that you immediately push aside. They lost by 3 on the road against the Chargers, and have also lost in Philly so far this season. However, in both those losses they played well and had moments that show how much potential this team has. There will be plenty of more opportunities to turn those big game losses into wins throughout the season, so take your hand off the panic button.

11) Dallas Cowboys (3-1): Dallas had the opportunity to showcase themselves on our 1st league stream in week 2, which was a shootout against Cincinnati that took a late pick-6 to seal the win. Some ballhawking defenders putting points on the board themselves have springloaded Dallas to their current 3-1 record, though compared to some of the teams above them the records and performances of the teams they've faced haven't jumped off the page which ultimately has them sitting where they are. Just like most teams on this list, the opportunities will be there to prove the rankings wrong and propel their way up towards the top.

12) Cincinnati Bengals (2-2): Cincinnati has been an exciting team to watch early on this season. A surprising victory over the Steelers really kickstarted their season, and solid performances against the Jets & Cowboys made them nearly impossible to leave off the list. Joe Mixon has been running the ball well, and their ability to put points on the board quickly prevents most leads from being safe. The AFC North is a logjam and a race that any of these teams can win, it'll be interesting to see who takes advantage of the opportunity.

13) Arizona Cardinals (3-1): Our final 3-1 team comes in at #13 on the power rankings. Arizona has taken care of business where they've needed to, but when the combined record of their opponents is at 2-10, it's not really something their going to be bragging about. That's not to say the teams they've beaten are bad however, but when you face a struggling opponent it obviously will be a victory you're expecting them to get. Arizona has taken care of the ball on offense, and forced enough turnovers on defense that will make them a tough opponent for anyone to beat and could easily find themselves playing well into January or even that coveted Sunday in February. The NFC West is the early favorite to be considered the toughest division in the league, so there's going to be plenty of marquee games to prove the rankers wrong.

14) Pittsburgh Steelers (2-2): The Steelers are a team that you could easily consider to be 3-1, so I suppose you could argue that they need to be higher on the list. A week one loss to what is turning out to be a solid Bengals squad, and sim loss to the Browns, has them sitting at .500; but a recent victory over the New York Jets has them already back trending in the right direction heading into week 5. Baker Mayfield has settled in as the starter in Pittsburgh after getting dealt from Carolina, and we'll have to see how the results go over the next few weeks as he's certainly no Ian Book. Just like the rest of the AFC North, there will be chances to climb this list and edge closer to a division crown.

15) San Francisco 49ers (2-2): Another team who impressed on the League Stream, the 49ers find themselves as the penultimate 2-2 team on these first power rankings. They took the Seahawks down to the wire, with Seattle needing a couple clutch plays late to secure the win, and find themselves in the middle of the NFC West Slugfest. Their two losses are to the #1 & #3 teams on the power rankings, and they have a nice victory over the Rams who have been a tough team to beat. Trey Lance has thrown a 17 interceptions on the season, a rate that could ultimately cost this team some key games down the road.

16) Los Angeles Rams (2-2): Rounding out the power rankings, and bursting the bubbles of the other 2-2 teams, the LA Rams have been an impressive 2-2. They played the Falcons tough, falling 31-27, and have a nice victory over the Bills to start the season. They've thrown the ball better than anyone in the league up to this point, and have a solid running game to compliment it. The defense has been underwhelming, so expect most of their games to be high scoring, and if they run into an opponent that's able to slow them down they might find themselves struggling to win the game. In what will surely be a tight NFC race, this is probably the team that you don't want to run into on Wildcard Weekend.

Let us know what your rankings would be if you could make them! New power rankings will most likely be out around the midway point of the season, is there anyone not on this list who you think could feature in the next one?