THE WHY BEHIND THE GAME
NFL power rankings.
All 32 teams, ranked by the evidence. Every move explained.
WHYNFL Power IndexCalculated from verified results, not an opinion poll. Every move comes with the reason.How it works ↓
UPDATED Updated Oct 12, 2026, 9:22 am EDT
2026 regular season · Weeks 1–5 · 78 completed games · Movement compared with the ranking through Week 4
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1—
SF- Beat the Seattle Seahawks 32–29 on the road in Week 5.
- Holds at No. 1.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +6.5 points per game.
- Index
- 76.7
- Adj. margin
- +6.5
- Adj. yards
- +49
-
2▲ 1
KC- Beat the Las Vegas Raiders 30–27 on the road in Week 4.
- Up 1 from No. 3.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +4.9 points per game.
- Index
- 71.1
- Adj. margin
- +4.9
- Adj. yards
- +36
-
3▲ 3
MIN- Beat the New Orleans Saints 23–13 on the road in Week 5.
- Up 3 from No. 6.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +4.8 points per game.
- Index
- 68.9
- Adj. margin
- +4.8
- Adj. yards
- +18
-
4▲ 8
NE- Beat the Las Vegas Raiders 45–17 in Week 5.
- Up 8 from No. 12.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +3.6 points per game.
- Index
- 66.2
- Adj. margin
- +3.6
- Adj. yards
- +52
-
5▲ 2
JAX- Beat the Philadelphia Eagles 19–17 in Week 5.
- Up 2 from No. 7.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +5.4 points per game.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -6 yards per game.
- Index
- 64.7
- Adj. margin
- +5.4
- Adj. yards
- -6
-
6▼ 4
CHI- Lost to the Green Bay Packers 7–31 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 4 from No. 2.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +3.3 points per game.
- Index
- 64.0
- Adj. margin
- +3.3
- Adj. yards
- +40
-
7▼ 3
SEA- Lost to the San Francisco 49ers 29–32 in Week 5.
- Down 3 from No. 4.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of +52 yards per game.
- Index
- 63.7
- Adj. margin
- +2.5
- Adj. yards
- +52
-
8▼ 3
LAR- Beat the Philadelphia Eagles 24–20 on the road in Week 4.
- Down 3 from No. 5.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of +83 yards per game.
- Index
- 61.9
- Adj. margin
- +0.4
- Adj. yards
- +83
-
9—
BAL- Beat the Atlanta Falcons 30–23 on the road in Week 5.
- Holds at No. 9.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +2.0 points per game.
- Index
- 61.4
- Adj. margin
- +2.0
- Adj. yards
- +26
-
10—
BUF- Lost to the New England Patriots 26–29 in Week 4.
- Holds at No. 10.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +2.5 points per game.
- Index
- 59.9
- Adj. margin
- +2.5
- Adj. yards
- +12
-
11▲ 3
CIN- Beat the Miami Dolphins 31–24 on the road in Week 5.
- Up 3 from No. 14.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +2.3 points per game.
- Index
- 55.6
- Adj. margin
- +2.3
- Adj. yards
- -4
-
12▼ 1
ATL- Lost to the Baltimore Ravens 23–30 in Week 5.
- Down 1 from No. 11.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of +26 yards per game.
- Held back by a 2–3 record.
- The yardage suggests better results than the record shows.
- Index
- 54.4
- Adj. margin
- +0.9
- Adj. yards
- +26
-
13—
CAR- Beat the Detroit Lions 32–26 in Week 4.
- Holds at No. 13.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +1.0 points per game.
- Index
- 53.9
- Adj. margin
- +1.0
- Adj. yards
- +13
-
14▲ 11
GB- Beat the Chicago Bears 31–7 in Week 5.
- Up 11 from No. 25.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of +25 yards per game.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -0.5 points per game.
- Index
- 53.4
- Adj. margin
- -0.5
- Adj. yards
- +25
-
15▲ 2
PIT- Beat the Indianapolis Colts 34–22 in Week 5.
- Up 2 from No. 17.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +0.7 points per game.
- Index
- 52.5
- Adj. margin
- +0.7
- Adj. yards
- -2
-
16▲ 4
DET- Beat the Arizona Cardinals 45–21 on the road in Week 5.
- Up 4 from No. 20.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +0.9 points per game.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -10 yards per game.
- Index
- 51.7
- Adj. margin
- +0.9
- Adj. yards
- -10
-
17▼ 9
LV- Lost to the New England Patriots 17–45 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 9 from No. 8.
- Driven by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of +0.6 points per game.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -22 yards per game.
- The results have outpaced the yardage, a gap the model treats as less durable.
- Index
- 49.5
- Adj. margin
- +0.6
- Adj. yards
- -22
-
18▲ 4
NYJ- Beat the Cleveland Browns 17–12 in Week 5.
- Up 4 from No. 22.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -0.9 points per game.
- Index
- 46.8
- Adj. margin
- -0.9
- Adj. yards
- 0
-
19▼ 4
NYGNew York Giants
3–1–1- Tied the Washington Commanders 27–27 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 4 from No. 15.
- Driven by a 3–1–1 record.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -1.7 points per game.
- Index
- 46.7
- Adj. margin
- -1.7
- Adj. yards
- -13
-
20▼ 1
DEN- Beat the Los Angeles Chargers 23–17 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 1 from No. 19.
- Driven by a 3–2 record.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -31 yards per game.
- The results have outpaced the yardage, a gap the model treats as less durable.
- Index
- 46.3
- Adj. margin
- -0.3
- Adj. yards
- -31
-
21▲ 6
TB- Beat the Dallas Cowboys 24–16 on the road in Week 5.
- Up 6 from No. 27.
- Held back by a 1–4 record.
- Index
- 44.7
- Adj. margin
- -0.9
- Adj. yards
- +1
-
22▲ 6
HOU- Beat the Tennessee Titans 26–3 on the road in Week 5.
- Up 6 from No. 28.
- Held back by a 1–4 record.
- Index
- 44.6
- Adj. margin
- -1.0
- Adj. yards
- +1
-
23▼ 7
DAL- Lost to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers 16–24 in Week 5.
- Down 7 from No. 16.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -29 yards per game.
- Index
- 43.7
- Adj. margin
- -0.5
- Adj. yards
- -29
-
24▼ 6
CLE- Lost to the New York Jets 12–17 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 6 from No. 18.
- Driven by a 3–2 record.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -37 yards per game.
- The results have outpaced the yardage, a gap the model treats as less durable.
- Index
- 43.1
- Adj. margin
- -1.3
- Adj. yards
- -37
-
25▼ 2
IND- Lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers 22–34 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 2 from No. 23.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -52 yards per game.
- Index
- 38.5
- Adj. margin
- -1.5
- Adj. yards
- -52
-
26▼ 5
NO- Lost to the Minnesota Vikings 13–23 in Week 5.
- Down 5 from No. 21.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -3.0 points per game.
- Index
- 37.3
- Adj. margin
- -3.0
- Adj. yards
- -20
-
27▼ 3
PHI- Lost to the Jacksonville Jaguars 17–19 on the road in Week 5.
- Down 3 from No. 24.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted yardage margin of -55 yards per game.
- Index
- 35.1
- Adj. margin
- -2.8
- Adj. yards
- -55
-
28▲ 1
WAS- Tied the New York Giants 27–27 in Week 5.
- Up 1 from No. 29.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -4.7 points per game.
- Index
- 33.4
- Adj. margin
- -4.7
- Adj. yards
- -27
-
29▲ 1
LAC- Lost to the Denver Broncos 17–23 in Week 5.
- Up 1 from No. 30.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -5.7 points per game.
- Index
- 29.6
- Adj. margin
- -5.7
- Adj. yards
- -14
-
30▲ 1
MIA- Lost to the Cincinnati Bengals 24–31 in Week 5.
- Up 1 from No. 31.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -5.2 points per game.
- Index
- 29.6
- Adj. margin
- -5.2
- Adj. yards
- -21
-
31▼ 5
ARI- Lost to the Detroit Lions 21–45 in Week 5.
- Down 5 from No. 26.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -5.7 points per game.
- Index
- 29.6
- Adj. margin
- -5.7
- Adj. yards
- -31
-
32—
TEN- Lost to the Houston Texans 3–26 in Week 5.
- Holds at No. 32.
- Held back by an opponent-adjusted scoring margin of -6.7 points per game.
- Index
- 21.5
- Adj. margin
- -6.7
- Adj. yards
- -59
How the WHYNFL Power Index works
The index ranks every team from verified completed regular-season games in the active data edition. It recalculates automatically whenever new results are published. No writer adjusts the order.
- Opponent-adjusted scoring margin — 50% of the index.
- Opponent-adjusted yardage margin — 30% of the index.
- Win percentage — 20% of the index.
Scoring and yardage margins are adjusted for the strength of each opponent. Single-game margins are capped at 21 points and 250 yards so one blowout does not dominate. Every team is also regressed toward league average by 3 average games, so early-season rankings stay cautious. Each component is standardized across the league before weighting; the index centers on 50.
There is no home-field adjustment, no injury or roster input and no betting-market input. The explanation for each team is generated from the same numbers shown here. This is a model of results to date, not a prediction or a betting recommendation.