2025 NFL Week 5 Power Rankings: Bears still have to prove they're legit

Wins are all the same in the NFL, be they pretty or ugly, and that's good for the Chicago Bears. Their thrilling 25-24 win over the Las Vegas Raiders in Week 4 was as ugly as a win can get, thanks in large part to Maxx Crosby having the game of his life. But at the end of the day, the Bears got to 2-2 as they enter their Week 5 bye, which is right where most expected they'd be.

Most importantly, the Bears hit their bye week with the NFC North wide open. By winning their game, they pulled even with the Vikings and sit just a half-game behind the Packers (who escaped with a 40-40 tie against the Cowboys). The Lions are currently on top, but are ahead by only one game.

The Bears have a lot of homework for their Week 5 bye, including a coming decision at left tackle between Theo Benedet and Braxton Jones, but for now let's see where they stand among the Bears on SI Week 5 power rankings.

1. Buffalo Bills (Last week: 1)

As I said in my Week 4 NFL power rankings, until the Bills lose a game, they're going to retain their top spot.

2. Philadelphia Eagles (Last week: 2)

As one of two remaining undefeated teams, the defending champs claim the second spot.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (last week: 7)

To paraphrase John Wick, people keep asking if the Chiefs are back. After a 37-20 dismantling of the Ravens in Week 4, yeah I'm thinking they're back.

4. Detroit Lions (Last week: 9)

Similar to the Chiefs, reports of the Lions' downfall appear to have been premature. This team is still dangerous.

David Montgomery and Jahmyr Gibb — Junfu Han / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

5. Los Angeles Chargers (Last week: 3)

First the Chargers lost their elite offensive tackle Rashawn Slater to season-ending IR, then Joe Alt was carted off the field with an apparent ankle injury in Week 4. This is shaping up to be an absolute disaster for the Chargers.

6. Los Angeles Rams (Last week: 10)

Another masterclass from Matt Stafford propelled the Rams to another win and another boost in these rankings. They are a fun team to watch.

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (Last week: 5)

The Bucs gave the defending champs everything they could handle, but it wasn't quite enough. They should still be proud of themselves for that effort.

8. San Francisco 49ers (Last week: 6)

With Nick Bosa's season-ending knee injury confirmed, this looks like another promising 49ers season doomed to failure. Just a devastating injury for this team.

9. Baltimore Ravens (Last week: 4)

I said in my Week 4 NFL power rankings that the Ravens' defense was suspect, but now it's downright atrocious and the injuries they've sustained to that side of the ball will only make things worse.

10. Green Bay Packers (Last week: 8)

The Packers are a flawed but frisky team that is clearly not a Micah Parsons away from winning a Super Bowl. There's still plenty of time to right the ship, but Packers fans have to be feeling slight concern that that blockbuster trade may not work out. This was supposed to be an easy win for Green Bay with Parsons showing Jerry Jones how wrong he was to trade him, but Parsons had virtually no impact and the game ended in a historic tie.

11. Pittsburgh Steelers (Last week: 15)

Due to another Joe Burrow injury and a shocking 1-3 start for the Ravens, the AFC North is suddenly PIttsburgh's for the taking. The Steelers are looking like a quiet Super Bowl contender that can win with Aaron Rodgers.

12. Seattle Seahawks (Last week: 14)

Everyone who clicked their tongues at the Seahawks for trading Geno Smith to the Raiders and signing Sam Darnold owes the team an apology. They very obviously made the right call.

13. Indianapolis Colts (Last week: 12)

The Colts preached accountability with their young quarterback Anthony Richardson, but will they hold Adonai Mitchell to the same standard? The young receiver cost the Colts 14 points in a 7-point loss with inexcusable mistakes.

14. Washington Commanders (Last week: 11)

Washington will of course be better once Jayden Daniels returns from injury, but it's hard to say how much better. Daniels looked pedestrian at best in his two games before getting injured.

15. Chicago Bears (Last week: 16)

The Bears are lucky there's no style points in the NFL. A tough win gets them a small boost, but we still don't know how good they can be in 2025. They head into their Week 5 bye at 2-2 and a chance to officially put the NFL world on notice with a matchup against the Commanders on Monday Night Football in Week 6.

Caleb William — Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images

16. Denver Broncos (Last week: 17)

The Broncos got back into the win column in dominant fashion on Monday Night Football, but I couldn't justify putting them ahead of any of the other teams to this point.

17. Minnesota Vikings (Last week: 14)

Credit the Vikings for never giving up and making their loss a close one in the end, but the Steelers clearly outclassed them and I don't think that getting J.J. McCarthy back from injury will help.

18. Jacksonville Jaguars (Last week: 20)

The Jaguars' defense can't keep up their insane rate of takeaways for a full season (13 in 4 games) but they still deserve praise for this stretch of dominance.

19. Dallas Cowboys (Last week: 19)

The Cowboys arguably have the NFL's best offense and worst defense, an impressive feat that makes them difficult to pin down, so I'll leave them at 19 for this week.

20. Atlanta Falcons (Last week: 24)

The Falcons badly needed a bounce back after getting shutout in Week 3, and that's exactly what they got by beating Washington. It's still hard to trust this team, however.

Bijan Robinso — Dale Zanine-Imagn Images

21. Cincinnati Bengals (Last week: 18)

Without Joe Burrow, this Bengals team is simply pathetic. It's far too early in the season to simply give up like this. They need to make a call and give Atlanta whatever it takes to trade for Kirk Cousins just to keep the team afloat until Burrow returns.

22. New England Patriots (Last week: 25)

Marcus Jones did his best Devin Hester impression on Sunday by returning one punt for a touchdown and coming within a shoestring tackle of returning a second one to the house, too. What a game for the young return specialist!

23. Arizona Cardinals (Last week: 22)

It took three and a half games, but second-year receiver Marvin Harrison Jr. finally showed signs of life in 2025. The Cardinals need much more of that if they're going to stay in the playoff hunt.

24. New York Giants (Last week: 28)

Don't look now, but the Giants may have their franchise quarterback in Jaxson Dart. Beating the Chargers and outdueling Justin Herbert was an impressive win any way you slice it.

25. Houston Texans (Last week: 25)

The Texans finally got a win, but it came over a historically pathetic Titans squad. We need to see much more from this team.

26. Las Vegas Raiders (Last week: 21)

The Raiders' trade for Geno Smith made no sense when it happened, and it makes even less sense now that he leads the league with 7 interceptions. This is a franchise with no direction as Smith's Cinderella run is coming to a screeching halt.

27. Carolina Panthers (Last week: 23)

With the Panthers at 1-3, and knowing David Tepper's penchant for firing head coaches, we have to assume that Dave Canales is squarely on the hot seat.

28. Miami Dolphins (Last week: 30)

The Dolphins played a nice game to finally pick up a win. The question now will be whether they've turned a corner or simply took advantage of a pathetic Jets team.

Tua Tagovailoa — Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

29. Cleveland Browns (Last week: 29)

That win over Green Bay was nice while it lasted, but a blowout loss to the Lions brought Cleveland back to reality.

30. New York Jets (Last week: 27)

Two things can be, and are, true: the refs absolutely hosed the Jets on Monday Night Football, and the Jets are a mess that didn't deserve to win. At 0-4 and still without a defensive takeaway, the Aaron Glenn era has gotten off to a worse start than anyone expected.

31. New Orleans Saints (Last week: 32)

The Saints only get a small boost this week because they at least scored some points, which is more than you can say about the Titans.

32. Tennessee Titans (Last week: 31)

It is truly difficult to get shutout in the NFL, but the Titans found a way to make it happen. Head coach Brian Callahan's seat has to be red-hot by now, despite being in just his second season. This team is just not well coached.

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