NFL power rankings for Week 5: Jets plummet after brutal loss
· New York PostSam Darnold is keeping elite company.
The journeyman joined all-time greats Tom Brady, Peyton Manning and Aaron Rogers, former NFL MVP Matt Ryan and nine-time Pro Bowler Russell Wilson as the only quarterbacks in NFL history to throw at least two touchdown passes and record a passer rating of 105 or higher in each of his team’s first four games of a season.
Picked to finish no higher than third in the NFC North by most experts, Darnold’s Vikings are one of two unbeaten teams remaining, along with the much-less-surprising, back-to-back Super Bowl champion Chiefs
The Vikings aren’t beating up on cupcakes, either, adding a third win against a playoff team from last season (Packers, Texans and 49ers).
It took bouncing to four teams, but Darnold is finally showing the promise that led him to be the No. 3 pick by the Jets in the 2018 NFL Draft.
Here are The Post’s power rankings for Week 5:
1. Chiefs 4-0 (1)
Welcome back, Travis Kelce.
After a quiet three-game start to the season, Kelce had a season-high seven catches for 89 yards in a 17-10 win against the Chargers.
Another old reliable, Chris Jones, added two sacks.
Rookie receiver Xavier Worthy scored on a 54-yard touchdown catch, but Rashee Rice is feared to have suffered a season-ending torn ACL.
2. Vikings 4-0 (3)
Darnold threw three touchdown passes to build a 28-point lead point that nearly evaporated in a 31-29 win against the Packers.
Jordan Addison returned from a two-game absence to score two touchdowns.
The Vikings, who recovered a late onside kick, have trailed for less than four minutes all season while starting 4-0 for the first time since 2016.
3. Lions 3-1 (6)
Jared Goff set an NFL record by becoming the first quarterback to complete 18 or more passes in a game without an incompletion, throwing for 292 yards and a touchdown in a 42-29 victory against the Seahawks.
Not impressed?
He also caught a touchdown pass thrown by Amon-Ra St. Brown.
The Lions had lost to the Seahawks in each of the past three seasons.
4. Texans 3-1 (8)
Dare Ogunbowale’s first touchdown since 2022 couldn’t have come at a better time — with 18 seconds left to seal a 24-20 win against the Jaguars.
C.J. Stroud threw for 345 yards and two touchdowns, including the 1-yarder to Ogunbowale after the Texans had punted on their previous five possessions.
Stefon Diggs scored his first career rushing touchdown.
5. Ravens 2-2 (13)
Derrick Henry set the tone by rushing for an 87-yard touchdown on the Ravens’ first play from scrimmage in a 35-10 rout of the Bills.
The two-headed backfield monster of Henry and Lamar Jackson lived up to its billing as Henry scored two touchdowns and rushed for 199 yards while Jackson passed for two and ran for another.
6. Bills 3-1 (2)
Well, that was ugly.
The Bills trailed, 21-3, at halftime and any chance of a comeback was thwarted when a trick play failed miserably and Josh Allen fumbled on one of Kyle Van Noy’s two sacks.
Ty Johnson scored the Bills’ only touchdown.
A 43-game streak of not losing by 10 or more points is over.
7. Buccaneers 3-1 (11)
Just like when they met in the playoffs, the Buccaneers dominated the Eagles.
This time, Baker Mayfield threw for 347 yards and two touchdowns in a 33-16 win.
The first of those two touchdown passes was to Mike Evans, ending the Bucs’ 20-game drought of not scoring a touchdown on the first possession and making Evans the franchise’s all-time leading scorer.
8. Steelers 3-1 (4)
Longtime nemesis Joe Flacco did it again, coming off the bench for the Colts to solve a defense that previously was allowing 8.7 points per game and sending the Steelers to a 27-24 defeat.
Justin Fields passed for 312 yards and ran for 55 — combining to account for three touchdowns — but lost a fumble and botched a snap that killed the final possession.
9. Seahawks 3-1 (10)
Kenneth Walker III’s three rushing touchdowns, Geno Smith’s 395-yard passing performance and D.K. Metcalf’s 100-yard receiving game were not enough against the Lions because the defense came up virtually empty with five key players injured.
Smith also threw an end-zone interception in the final minute while trying to make it a one-score game and set up an onside kick.
10. Commanders 3-1 (18)
There is no hotter offense right now.
The Commanders have scored on 20 of 22 possessions during a three-game winning streak, including most recently a 42-14 rout of the Cardinals that allowed offensive coordinator Kliff Kingsbury to get a laugh at the team that fired him as head coach.
Jeremy McNichols, Brian Robinson Jr. and Jayden Daniels combined for four rushing touchdowns.
11. 49ers 2-2 (12)
12. Falcons 2-2 (16)
13. Eagles 2-2 (5)
14. Packers 2-2 (7)
15. Jets 2-2 (9)
Yuck.
And we aren’t just talking about the gloomy weather during a 10-9 home loss to the Broncos.
Greg Zuerlein missed a 50-yard field goal in the final minute, after Aaron Rodgers couldn’t get the offense in the end zone even on first-and-goal from the 1-yard line.
Garrett Wilson fumbled, and Breece Hall ran 10 times for four yards.
16. Saints 2-2 (15)
17. Chargers 2-2 (14)
18. Cowboys 2-2 (17)
19. Colts 2-2 (21)
20. Broncos 2-2 (22)
21. Bears 2-2 (24)
22. Raiders 2-2 (30)
23. Cardinals 1-3 (19)
24. Rams 1-3 (20)
25. Bengals 1-3 (27)
26. Patriots 1-3 (25)
27. Giants 1-3 (28)
With a golden chance to end the Cowboys’ reign of dominance in the rivalry, the Giants kicked five field goals and lost, 20-15, for the 14th time in the last 15 meetings.
The rushing attack averaged just 1.1 yards per carry, offering no support for Daniel Jones (281 passing yards) and Malik Nabers (12 catches for 115 yards).