NFL Power Rankings for Week 5: How the unlikely undefeated team is getting it done
And then there were three.The 49ers and Chiefs – who have met in the Super Bowl twice since the 2019 season – account for two of the NFL’s last three undefeated teams.No surprise.The other unbeaten is the Vikings, who just traded their own first-round quarterback bust (J.J.
McCarthy) to the Giants and are playing with other teams’ first-round quarterback underachievers (Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz).Two of the Vikings’ wins during a 4-0 start have come without scoring an offensive touchdown.That hasn’t happened in the NFL since the 1923 Chicago Cardinals.But the most aggressive defense in the NFL is more than doing its part, and the Vikings are winning one-score games again (three) like they did at a record pace en route to the playoffs in 2022.Here are The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 5:Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and Christian McCaffrey ran for a score as the 49ers found the end zone on three straight second-half possessions to break a tie in a 24-14 win against the weekly slow-starting Broncos.
Special teams recovered a fumbled punt return to set up the scoring avalanche.George Kittle outraced former teammate Talanoa Hufanga for the put-away 56-yard touchdown.Kenneth Walker rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 3:21 left, in a 30-27 win against the Raiders.
Patrick Mahomes improved to 7-0 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (including a Super Bowl victory) by throwing for 225 yards and two touchdowns.Xavier Nwankpa’s interception with one second to go sealed the win.Will Reichard kicked five field goals to provide all the scoring in a 15-10 victory against the winless Dolphins and extend his consecutive conversions streak to 31.
T.J.Hockenson’s career-high-tying 13th catch moved the chains and helped run out the clock.
The Vikings allowed just 198 yards of total offense in a revenge game for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.Josh Allen threw a crushing interception when closing in on fie...