Eli’s Week 5 Top 10 NFL Teams
Can you believe we’re already at the quarter-mark of the season? Here’s my top 10 entering Week 5.
1. San Francisco 49ers (4-0)
Death, taxes, and the 49ers offense making it look easy. Behind a massive game from Christian McCaffrey, who is putting himself firmly in the MVP conversation, the 49ers continue to be the best team in the league. Brock Purdy continues to play turnover-free football, and the defense is making life hard for the opposing offenses. The health of Deebo Samuel is my only concern at the moment, but that didn’t matter for the 49ers on Sunday in a win over Arizona. They host Dallas on Sunday night.
2. Philadelphia Eagles (4-0)
It’s been a strange start to the season for the Eagles, but they find themselves undefeated entering Week 5. The secondary looks very shaky, the offense hasn’t been very explosive, and we have yet to see the best of Jalen Hurts. Despite all this, the Eagles clearly know how to win, pulling out a close one in overtime over the Commanders on Sunday despite Washington tying the game at the gun. They still don’t look like the team we saw last season, but 4-0 is 4-0. Philly travels to the West Coast on Sunday to face the Rams.
3. Buffalo Bills (3-1)
Buffalo has officially found its offense. After a lackluster Josh Allen performance in Week 1, he’s played close to perfect football over the last three weeks. Because of this, the Bills have scored 38, 37, and 48 points respectively in their last three games. Von Miller is eligible to return this week, only stiffening this defense even more. The defense has been great too, allowing 10 points to Vegas, 3 to the Commanders, and 20 to the Dolphins who were coming off their 70-point outburst against Denver last week. Buffalo heads across the pond to face Jacksonville this Sunday in London.
4. Kansas City Chiefs (3-1)
A win is a win, but man was that ugly for the Chiefs on Sunday night in East Rutherford. Patrick Mahomes, who was outplayed by Zach Wilson (I never thought I’d type those words), played arguably the worst game of his career. Despite this, he led the Chiefs on a long drive in the 4th quarter to drain the clock and secure the victory, but he’ll need to be a whole lot better as the season progresses. I feel like we’ve only seen this offense be who we thought they were once this season, but that will change. Maybe that comes this week, as they face Minnesota on the road.
5. Dallas Cowboys (3-1)
After one of the biggest letdown performances of the season last week in Arizona, Dallas got back on track with a blowout win over the Patriots on Sunday at home. The defense is a machine when it comes to forcing turnovers, and Dak Prescott played arguably his best game of the season. If the Cowboys can get that kind of production out of their franchise QB every week, this team will be hard to beat with one of the best defenses in the league and their steady run attack. Dallas travels to San Francisco next Sunday night for a marquee showdown.
6. Miami Dolphins (3-1)
What a difference a week can make in this league. After dropping 70 points on Denver and looking like a well-oiled machine on offense, Miami sputtered against Buffalo and Tua Tagovailoa was unable to find the end zone through the air. The defense has got to be the biggest concern in South Beach, as they’ve given up 119 points through four games. The emergence of the run game continues to be a pleasant surprise, but again, this defense is going to have to get right if Miami is going to be a legit contender. I expect Miami to bounce back next week when they face the lowly Giants at home.
7. Detroit Lions (3-1)
The Lions have lived up to the preseason hype so far, and this offense continues to be one of the most underrated units in the league. The run game has been excellent so far, capping off the first four weeks of the season behind a David Montgomery masterclass to lead the Lions to a win over the Packers at Lambeau on Thursday. The defense turning into a respectable group has got to be the headline in Detroit however, something that plagued them last season. If this defense can keep it up, this team will be hard to beat. The Lions face Carolina at home on Sunday.
8. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)
It’s probably about time I stop doubting this Ravens team. Despite the lack of weapons on offense and the injuries piling up on both sides of the ball, this team continues to win football games. After a shocking loss last week at home to the Colts, the Ravens took their frustrations out on the Browns and rookie QB Dorian Thompson-Robinson in a resounding 28-3 victory in Cleveland. Lamar Jackson looks great, and this team will only get healthier as the season progresses. Baltimore faces the Steelers in Pittsburgh this weekend in another AFC North showdown.
9. Seattle Seahawks (3-1)
After a Week 1 loss to the Rams at home that had us questioning what Seattle would be this year, the Seahawks have ripped off three impressive wins in a row to get to 3-1. Geno Smith has got back on track, Kenny Walker is a stud running the ball, and this defense is legit. Devon Witherspoon is looking like a star in the making, giving the Seahawks an embarrassment of riches in their secondary. They’ll have to keep pace with the 49ers in the NFC West, but they’ve given me no reason to think they can’t with how they’ve played over the last three weeks. Seattle is on bye in Week 5 before facing Cincy in Week 6.
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-1)
The Bucs are the most surprising team in the NFL so far, and Baker Mayfield is playing his best football since 2020. The Bucs look like the clear favorite in the NFC South so far, but that could change with the volatility of the NFL and that division in particular. Tampa downed its biggest competition in New Orleans this Sunday and slid into my top 10 for the first time this season. If Mayfield continues this level of play to go along with that stout defense, they’ll be in here for the majority of the season. The Bucs get an early bye this week, before a big game at home against Detroit in Week 6.