2025 NFL Power Rankings Week 6: Chaos Reigns as Perfect Teams Fall

Looking into our crystal football for the remainder of the 2025 season, what we see is pure chaos swirling in the pigskin's depths. The perfectly polished reflections of undefeated teams that gleamed just one week ago have shattered into a thousand unpredictable fragments. After five weeks of football, zero teams remain undefeated. Both the Philadelphia Eagles and Buffalo Bills fell from their perches in Week 5, creating a power vacuum that has survivor pool players scrambling to reassess their strategies. Our crystal football, once showing clear favorites and obvious paths to victory, now reveals a fog of uncertainty that makes predicting the rest of the season as challenging as catching a greased pig in a thunderstorm.

What started as a predictable season with clear favorites has morphed into one of the most competitive and unpredictable campaigns in recent memory. The Eagles fell 21-17 to the Denver Broncos while the Bills suffered their first loss (FOX Sports,ESPN), leaving the NFL landscape wide open as we approach the critical middle third of the season.

For survivor pool participants, this chaos presents both opportunity and danger. The traditional "safe picks" are proving anything but safe, while unexpected contenders are emerging from the shadows. Let's dive into the complete power rankings and analyze what these shifts mean for your survivor pool strategy moving forward.

Tier 2: The Emerging Contenders

4. Kansas City Chiefs (2-3)

Despite their record, dismissing the Chiefs would be foolish. Patrick Mahomes threw for 270 yards and four touchdowns against the Ravens. Xavier Worthy is back. Rashee Rice is on the way. Part of the Chiefs' pedigree and aura is their ability to make game-winning plays at the most critical times, but teams will likely not fear the Chiefs in close games like they did last season based on the mistakes seen.

Survivor Pool Outlook: AVOID until they prove consistency. Their one-score game struggles make them too risky for survivor purposes despite their talent.

5. Los Angeles Rams (3-2)

The Rams deserve a big jump after a wild, fourth-quarter comeback win over a good Colts team . Matthew Stafford continues to prove doubters wrong with clutch performances.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Strong home team option but avoid on the road. Best used against NFC West opponents at SoFi Stadium.

6. Jacksonville Jaguars (4-1)

The Jaguars overcame an early 14-0 deficit to stun the Chiefs 31-28, marking the first time the Jaguars won a Monday night game since 2011 . The Jaguars' defense amazingly turned in their fourth straight game with three or more turnovers forced.



Survivor Pool Outlook: The defense's turnover streak won't continue but they're a legitimate option against weaker opponents. Use them strategically in Weeks 8-10.

Tier 3: The Steady Performers

7. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (3-2)

Despite losing to Philadelphia, Tampa Bay showed resilience in a narrow defeat to Seattle. Mike Evans' injury status remains crucial to their offensive success.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Only use when Evans is healthy. Their home games in good weather remain solid options.

8. Pittsburgh Steelers (3-1)

Mike Tomlin has done it again. This was supposed to be the year his streak of 18 straight seasons without a losing record was in jeopardy. Four games in, it's Pittsburgh looking down on everybody else in the AFC North.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Classic Steelers team - ugly wins but reliable. Perfect for Week 12-15 when you need a safe floor.

9. Denver Broncos (3-2)

The Broncos have allowed a passer rating of 78.4, sixth-lowest in the NFL, with the best pressure rate (48.1%) and the sixth-lowest EPA allowed per carry. Their upset of Philadelphia proves they're for real.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Emerging as a sneaky good pick at home. Their defense travels well, making them viable in neutral weather games.

10. Seattle Seahawks (3-2)

The Seahawks are 3-1 with the second-best point differential in the NFL (plus-44). Mike Macdonald's defense is legit, allowing the second-fewest points per game.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Excellent home field advantage makes them a strong pick at Lumen Field. Save for divisional games.

Tier 4: The Wildcards

11. Green Bay Packers (2-1-1)

The tie with Dallas leaves them in limbo. Jordan Love's development continues but consistency remains elusive.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Avoid until they prove they can close out games. The tie is a red flag for survivor purposes.

12. Baltimore Ravens (1-4)

The Ravens' three losses are to the Bills, Lions and Chiefs. Their defense stinks and if Lamar Jackson's hamstring keeps him out a while, they won't be this high for long. The fall has been swift and painful.

Survivor Pool Outlook: DO NOT USE until Jackson returns healthy. Even then, their defensive issues make them risky.

13. San Francisco 49ers (3-2)

Four turnovers, including a Brock Purdy fumble with 2:52 remaining, killed the 49ers against the Jaguars. Injuries continue to plague the roster.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Too many injury questions. Only consider when fully healthy against bottom-tier opponents.

Tier 5: The Mediocre Middle

14. Houston Texans (2-3)

Finally showed signs of life against Tennessee but consistency remains elusive. The emergence of rookie Woody Marks, who had 119 total yards and two touchdowns, provides hope.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Home games only. Their offensive line issues make road games too risky.

15. Los Angeles Chargers (2-3)

The Giants recorded a pass rush win rate of 68% against the Chargers, which was New York's highest single-game mark since the metric was introduced in 2017. Justin Herbert can't overcome the offensive line issues alone.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Avoid entirely. Offensive line problems doom them weekly.

16. Minnesota Vikings (2-3)

The quarterback situation remains unsettled with J.J. McCarthy's injury. Carson Wentz has a shot to stay on as the Vikings' starting quarterback.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Unpredictable quarterback play makes them unusable in survivor formats.

17. Dallas Cowboys (1-2-1)

The Cowboys' defense is so bad, it's making history. Don't blame Dak Prescott for this mess, he might have a Joe Burrow-esque season, playing at an elite level on a non-playoff team.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Defense is historically bad. Do not use under any circumstances.

18. Atlanta Falcons (2-2)

Jekyll and Hyde performances weekly. Penix's yards per game: 298, 135, 172, 313. Good luck guessing what happens next.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Too inconsistent for survivor purposes. Avoid the rollercoaster.

Tier 6: The Surprise Packages

19. New England Patriots (2-3)

Drake Maye's emergence changes everything. Beating Buffalo proved they're not tanking.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Trendy upset pick but too risky for survivor. Let others take the bait.

20. Chicago Bears (2-2)

Rome Odunze has made the second-year leap. He had three touchdowns as a rookie and has five already this season.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Improving but not survivor pool material yet. Monitor for late season.

21. Indianapolis Colts (3-2)

Mental mistakes continue to plague them despite talent. The way the Colts lost is inexcusable with only 10 men on the field for the Rams' winning 88-yard TD.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Cannot trust them in close games. Avoid.

22. New York Giants (2-3)

Jaxson Dart era begins with promise but injuries mount. Losing their star receiver for the season hurts.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Only against the worst teams. Dart needs more seasoning.

Tier 7: The Bottom Feeders

23. Cincinnati Bengals (2-2)

They need to trade for Russell Wilson (or Jameis Winston) last week. Joe Burrow's supporting cast continues to crumble.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Never use. Too much dysfunction despite Burrow's talent.

24. Washington Commanders (2-3)

Jayden Daniels' injury derailed momentum. They need Jayden Daniels back, ASAFP.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Wait for Daniels' full health, then reassess. Not currently viable.

25. Arizona Cardinals (2-3)

The Cardinals have been exposed. At some point they'll need to prove they can beat good teams on the schedule.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Only use against bottom five teams. No margin for error.

26. Cleveland Browns (1-4)

Quarterback carousel continues. We love Joe Flacco, but it's time for a quarterback change. Now turning to rookie Dillon Gabriel.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Never. Quarterback instability = survivor pool death.

27. Miami Dolphins (1-4)

The Tyreek Hill injury overshadows an impressive debut from Darren Waller. Post-Hill era begins roughly.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Complete avoid. Too many offensive questions without Hill.

28. Las Vegas Raiders (1-4)

Geno Smith is making way too many mistakes. Pete Carroll's magic hasn't arrived yet.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Fade material only. Use opponents against them.

29. Carolina Panthers (1-4)

It's getting close to drink-throwing time. Another lost season in Charlotte.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Great team to pick against. Never use them directly.

Tier 8: The Winless (ALMOST) Wonders

30. New York Jets (0-5)

The Jets had 13 penalties on Monday night. It's one thing for the Jets to not have enough talent to compete.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Season over. Perfect fade material every week.

31. New Orleans Saints (1-4)

Spencer Rattler couldn't win his first NFL game as a starter (0-10) on his 25th birthday, but he played pretty well. I think the Saints will win a game in the next month.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Rattler shows promise but not enough for survivor consideration.

32. Tennessee Titans (1-4)

Rookie quarterback Cam Ward summed up the state of the Tennessee Titans perfectly on Sunday: "We ass". The Titans have lost by 8, 14, 21 and 26 points. It's getting worse.

Survivor Pool Outlook: Worst team in football. Pick against them whenever possible.

Key Takeaways for Survivor Pool Strategy

After five weeks of chaos, several patterns have emerged that should guide your survivor pool strategy for the remainder of 2025:

1. Home Field Matters More Than Ever The home/road splits this season are more pronounced than usual. Teams like Seattle, Denver, and Jacksonville are significantly better at home. Factor this heavily into your decisions.

2. Avoid the AFC North The Pittsburgh Steelers sit atop the AFC North—a division many considered one of the best in the league before the season began, but the division's unpredictability makes it a survivor pool minefield. Even the Steelers' wins are ugly.

3. Save Premium Teams With the Eagles and Bills showing vulnerability, you need to be even more strategic about when to deploy them. Their value increases as the season progresses and the survivor pool field thins.

4. Defensive Consistency Wins Teams with elite defenses (Denver, Seattle, Pittsburgh) are proving more reliable than explosive offenses. In survivor pools, boring wins count the same as exciting ones.

5. Injury Reports Are Critical The Ravens without Lamar Jackson, the Buccaneers without Mike Evans, the Commanders without Jayden Daniels - all become automatic fades. Check injury reports obsessively.

The 2025 NFL season has already delivered more surprises in five weeks than many entire seasons provide. For survivor pool players, this volatility demands constant reassessment and strategic flexibility. The days of "set it and forget it" picks are over - success now requires active management and a willingness to pivot when the unexpected inevitably occurs.



Remember: In survivor pools, you don't need to pick winners perfectly - you just need to survive one week longer than your competition. Sometimes that means taking the boring pick over the exciting one.