2017-18 NFL Week 6 Power Ranking (AFC)

Chiefs (x)
Bad loss to the Steelers but I still think they're the best in the AFC.  The running game looks good, Alex Smith is as explosive as I've ever seen him and the defense is crunchy.  With Rodgers out I'd say they're the most complete team in the league right now. (They suck against the Steeler, though, not sure why that is)

Pats (x)
Well, Brady is still Brady and their division is still not as good as them but clearly their defense isn't vintage. That said, until somebody beats them I've got to keep riding them.

Texans (x)
Losing Watt and Mercilus hurts but they've still got a killer defense. And now that they've finally found a QB in Watson, they should trounce their sorry division now. That alone gets them to 10 wins, don't you think?

Steelers (x)
Clearly Roethlisberger isn't the same and the defense is nice but not overwhelming. But now that LeVeon Bell looks up to speed, they can finally set up Ben for opportunities over the top to those wideouts. They haven't looked particularly good until week 6 but the makings of a run through the playoffs is right there for the taking.

Titans (wc)
Steady improvement over the years has finally gotten them to a place where Mariotta can just settle in to be a good but not great QB and that alone should get them into the playoff race. With the Texans looking to take off, the Titans could be in some trouble in their division but I think they still match up well with potential wild card competition.

Broncos (wc)
Well, I'm not sure what to think of the Broncos after that NYG game. The defense is still good (though why couldn't they stop the one-dimensional NYG attack?) and I thought Simien had hit a point where he could get wins, but now I'm not so sure. I still think they should be better than the Chargers but that might not last for long. I'll keep them in the wild card for now.

Chargers
They started the season by losing close games, but now they're on a streak of winning the close ones. The defense isn't bad and if they can keep them close, I still like Rivers to pull out some W's. Feels like they've finally got something going right now, I'll take the veteran QB to keep it going (especially since the Bills, Dolphins, and Ravens don't feel like they're any better).

Bengals
The Bengals started pretty bad but bringing in a new offensive coordinator has given them a new attitude and I think they could be ready to make a run. The pass rush is surprisingly good, the rookie RB still has time to emerge as a for-real talent and the new quick-release Andy Dalton can move the ball. I like their chances to contend for a wild card spot by year's end.

Bills
I love that defense, they're gritty and they take the ball away. And I want to like that offense but down the stretch you just know Tyrod's not gonna pull out victories. If the defense scores points, they'll win games; if not, they'll lose a lot of close ones.

Dolphins
One of these teams that's actually pretty good when they're not trying so hard to look bad. I was never the biggest Jay Cutler fan but I kinda think he still has time to get something happening. I still believe in the offensive weapons and the pass rush--but I also still believe they might never come together. If they can, then that division could be had.

Ravens
What's up with the Ravens? Feels like they could be good but then they're not. The D is stout as usual but doesn't have enough playmakers to keep the offense from shooting itself in the foot. Joe Flacco is just not good at football--a weird realization to make after all these years. When the game's on the line, does anyone believe Flacco is going to pull it out? They're good enough to stay in games but not good enough to win them (they've become the Chargers).

Jags
After years of pure awfulness, the Jags have finally gotten their defense where it needs to be and the emergence of Fournette gives the running game a real punch. They're finally in a place to win some games....except for that terrible QB play. This team actually looks like they can be dangerous week after week but Bortles just kills any momentum. Until they can figure out some kind of something at QB (Kaepernick doesn't feel like the answer and Eli is much too expensive for a rental), I don't see how they win games or make a difference this year. (Hello, Kirk Cousins?)

Jets
I thought they Jets would be truly awful this year but they've been something of a pleasant surprise. They still don't have a QB and the defense comes and goes but they play like a team and they've got some real moxy. I think the Dolphins and Bills are better so I don't think they've got much of a shot at winning too many more games this year, though. They'll beat some bad teams but I don't think they'll beat the good ones.

Raiders
Coming into the season it felt like the Raiders were in Rennaissance mode, like they were ready to take the next step and ease their way into the playoffs. They looked okay in the first two weeks but since then they've been all downhill. The receivers are a no-show, the running game is sputtering, Carr has been uninspiring and/or injured, the pass rush is not impressive and even the special teams look bad this year. This is one of the bad Raider teams when I was expecting one of the good ones. Still time to get going but with the Chiefs dominating and the Chargers finally getting it together, not sure there's room for the Raiders to get back into things this season.

Colts
I was never a fan of this team even when they had Andrew Luck and though I've been mildly impressed with Jacoby Brissett so far, there just isn't enough there to make them seem competitive. With the emergence of the Texans offense and the Jags defense, I just don't see where the wins come from for these guys. They should get a nice draft pick and a solid trade chip in Brissett in the off-season which should make for an upgrade when Luck returns next year.

Browns
After a competitive L against the Steelers in Week One, I felt like the Browns were going to be one of those hard working teams that cover spreads, challenges late in games and would figure out how to score some upsets by season's end. I no longer think that. This team is bad, they don't play particularly hard, Coach Jackson looks like he's flailing, they've shown no depth at all at QB. Man, this team could go winless.