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NFL Power Rankings 2016: Predicting Post-Week 6 Standings
- Updated: October 12, 2016
The 2016 NFL season is now more than a month old, and we’ve had five full weeks to evaluate each of the 32 teams.
While we still cannot be certain which teams are true contenders and which are simply playing the role, we have seen some trends begin to develop as the year has moved along. Teams such as the Pittsburgh Steelers and New England Patriots have rebounded from tough losses to show what they are fully capable of doing on the field.
Teams such as the San Diego Chargers and Cleveland Browns have shown that they are good at finding ways to lose.
We’re going to look ahead to Week 6, which kicks off with the Chargers and Denver Broncos on Thursday night. We’ll try to predict where each team stands after Week 6 and make our rankings accordingly.
We’ll also take a look at some notable projected rankings from the week ahead.
Notable Rankings
The Denver Broncos lost this past week to the Atlanta Falcons. The Minnesota Vikings battered the Houston Texans to remain the league’s lone undefeated team and to move into the top spot of most power rankings.
What’s truly impressive about the Vikings this season is how efficiently they operate as a team. Quarterback Sam Bradford is playing well, as is the defense. However, this is a team that is much, much bigger than the sum of its parts.
It was one happy locker room after yesterday’s win. pic.twitter.com/crIBnxvtq8
— Minnesota Vikings (@Vikings) October 10, 2016
Just consider the fact that Minnesota is the worst running team in football (an average of 70.6 yards per game on the ground) and is still able to win with a focus on defense. That defense, though, is ranked first in points allowed (12.6 per game) and is rated eighth overall by Pro Football Focus.
Bradford and Co. are doing enough to keep the offense afloat. The defense is doing enough to keep opponents out of the end zone. The Minnesota defense has been especially good at minimizing big plays.
According to Craig Peters of the team’s official website, the Vikings have allowed an opposing passer rating of just 18.9 on passes of 21 yards or longer. This means opponents are forced into methodical drives, which create more opportunities for defensive playmaking.
“Obviously, your goal as a defense is to keep the top on the defense and keep …
