NFL Power Rankings, Week 6: Jaguars Take a Tumble

The Jaguars are slipping after two-straight losses.

One of the most disappointing performances of the entire 2022 season took place at TIAA Bank Field in Week 5, with the Jacksonville Jaguars losing most of their positive momentum in a 13-6 loss to the previously winless Houston Texans.

“You just keep showing them on film. You show it during the week of practice, you have conversations during the week," Jaguars head coach Doug Pederson said on Monday when asked how to teach the Jaguars to win close games.

"You just go over it and over it and over it. I go over it as my messaging to the team each week, you have to stay consistent with it. We know that there’s going to be some bumps and some hiccups in the road, that’s part of it. It’s our job as coaches to help minimize those. Yeah, it falls on the players because they’re the ones playing, but I think us and myself as a staff, we take pride in helping those guys get through it.”

So, where do the Jaguars land in this week's power rankings after the tough loss? We break it down below.

32: Carolina Panthers (0)

The Panthers fired Matt Rhule at last, but the rest of 2022 is one big shoulder shrug for them. This was a wasted season of the highest order. It has meant nothing and will continue to do so.

31: Pittsburgh Steelers (-2)

Kenny Pickett looked like a rookie quarterback in his first start on Sunday. The Steelers are hopeless, no longer having the elite pieces on defense to make up for their offensive issues.

30: Washington Commanders (-3)

The Commanders are probably a better team than this ranking reflects, but all they have done since beating the Jaguars in Week 1 is lose. Every other NFC East team is kicking butt and taking names, but not Washington.

29: Chicago Bears (+1)

The Bears actually showed some life against the Vikings, with Justin Fields having by far his best game of the season. Could the Bears be a frisky team the rest of the way? Maybe.

28: Houston Texans (+3)

Houston still has a lot of issues on offense and at quarterback, but their defense is well-coached and they have a stud rookie running back. They are far from the worst team in the league.

27: Denver Broncos (-9)

The Broncos are letting Russ cook and he is putting out Kitchen Nightmares-quality meals. Injury or not, he has been awful in 2022 and especially in Week 5.

26: Indianapolis Colts (+2)

The Colts got a much-needed win over the Broncos on Thursday, but it still felt like an ugly game that they can't be overly optimistic about. A win is a win, but they have issues.

25: Detroit Lions (-9)

After showing some legit potential during the first few weeks, it might be time to call a spade a spade in Detroit. They just don't win enough, and this week they saw their quarterback turn back into a pumpkin.

24: Las Vegas Raiders (+1)

The Raiders deserve some credit for hanging with the Chiefs on Monday, but the fact still remains that they dealt two first-round picks for a wide receiver and it has resulted in only one win.

23: New England Patriots (0)

The Patriots dominated the Lions on Sunday despite having a third-string quarterback. If they can be more consistent, they can rise.

22: New York Jets (+4)

Someone, please make sure Fireman Ed is okay if the Jets continue to win. They are beating backup quarterbacks, but it doesn't matter in the NFL. A win is a win.

21: Tennessee Titans (+3)

The Titans managed to hang on against Washington in Week 5. Despite being a deeply flawed roster, they still manage to pick up wins more often than not.

20: Seattle Seahawks (0)

Geno Smith is legit, but the Seahawks are still a work in progress in terms of their roster rebuild. It feels like the quarterback and team are on different timelines, but they are a fun watch.

19: New Orleans Saints (+2)

The Saints look like a different team completely each and every week, but this week it meant winning a shootout vs. a good quarterback. That means something.

18: Atlanta Falcons (+1)

The Falcons didn't win, but they still have shown more even in their losses than many teams are showing in their wins. They are a solid team.

17: Arizona Cardinals (-2)

The Cardinals just aren't reaching their potential, and it is time to wonder if they ever will under Kliff Kingsbury.

16: Jacksonville Jaguars (-5)

The Jaguars moved the ball at will vs. the Houston Texans and limited Davis Mills all game, but they still scored just six points and are now third in the AFC South. They need to figure out their red-zone issues quickly.

15: New York Giants (+7)

It rarely looks pretty, but it doesn't need to. The Giants keep winning games and deserve credit for finding ways to win despite their injuries on offense.

14: Los Angeles Rams (-4)

The Rams' have a talent issue. Years of trading away picks seem to have finally come home to roost, with the Rams having serious issues along the offensive line especially.

13: Cincinnati Bengals (-1)

Zac Taylor continues to look like a benefit of the Bengals' skill talent rather than an actually valuable tool for the offense.

12: Cleveland Browns (-4)

The Browns have a lot of talent on defense but are, somehow, still a soft team. They got gashed on the ground by a bad running team in the Chargers.

11: Miami Dolphins (-4)

We will see how the Dolphins respond when they have a healthy quarterback, but their defense had an awful showing against the Jets.

10: Minnesota Vikings (+7)

Eventually, it is just hard to dismiss 4-1. The Vikings have played better football than the Giants and look like a genuinely improving squad.

9: Dallas Cowboys (+5)

Cooper Rush isn't being asked to do much (or anything, really), but it doesn't matter. The Cowboys have offensive weapons and a nasty defense and can hang with anyone.

8: San Francisco 49ers (+5)

The 49ers are on a roll. There isn't a better defense in the NFL today, and they also feature several electric weapons on offense. Nobody should want to play them right now.

7: Green Bay Packers (-2)

The Packers' offense just hasn't looked right all season. Whether it is due to the change in weapons or some other problem at the core of their offense remains to be seen, but they just aren't clicking.

6: Los Angeles Chargers (+3)

The Chargers' early-season lull appears to be over -- they are a legit contender in the AFC thanks to Justin Herbert and their weapons.

5: Tampa Bay Buccaneers (+1)

Tampa Bay is starting to pick up a little steam on offense, while their defense remains impressive week in and week out.

4: Baltimore Ravens (0)

The Ravens had a much-needed win over the Bengals on Sunday night, demonstrating the type of defense that has stifled Joe Burrow all season long.

3: Kansas City Chiefs (0)

No Tyreek Hill? No problem. The Chiefs' defense still has question marks but Patrick Mahomes is the best quarterback in the NFL and continues to keep them in games no matter the score.

2: Philadelphia Eagles (0)

The Eagles took care of business against the Cardinals, even if it was a closer game than most anticipated it would be.

1: Buffalo Bills: (0)

The Bills continue to roll and look dominant despite an abundance of injuries. There are other great teams, but the Bills are the best, for now.