- The Buffalo Bills lead the Week 6 NFL power rankings after winning and covering their numbers against the Kansas City Chiefs last week.
- The Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Los Angeles Rams round out the top three for this week’s power rankings after their Week 5 victories.
NEW YORK – After an NFL Week 5 slate that featured a handful of matchups between top teams, the landscape of the league has shifted yet again. Three teams have emerged as the top threats to win Super Bowl 56.
Buffalo Bills (4-1, +600 To Win Super Bowl)
The Buffalo Bills look to be the team to beat in the NFL after taking down the Kansas City Chiefs 38-20 on Sunday night, covering the spread and winning outright as 3-point underdogs. This cover moves them to 4-1 against the spread.
The Bills have seen success in large part as a result of their defensive performances, allowing just 64 points in their five games in 2021. They have also shut out two of those opponents and forced 15 turnovers in the last four games. They rank first in the NFL in several important defensive categories: points allowed, yards allowed, turnovers forced, and rushing touchdowns allowed.
As good as the defense has been, it is hard to overlook the offensive efficiency. Buffalo has put up at least 35 points in each of the last four games, and they have had at least 400 yards of total offense in each of the last three games. They have committed just 4 turnovers in their five games in 2021. Last week against the Chiefs, quarterback Josh Allen spearheaded in both the air and the ground game, throwing for 315 yards and 3 touchdowns while also handling 11 carries for 59 yards and a touchdown.
TE Dawson Knox has emerged as one of Allen’s primary red-zone targets, catching 5 touchdowns in the last 4 games. With opposing defenses keyed in on Stefon Diggs and the emergent Emmanuel Sanders, Knox may continue to find pay dirt often.
The Bills have the easiest remaining schedule in the NFL, with a combined opponents’ winning percentage of .383. Buffalo takes on the Tennessee Titans for Monday Night Football in Week 6, with the Bills currently listed as 6-point road favorites on internet sportsbooks.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4-1, +550 To Win Super Bowl)
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers hold the number two spot in this week’s power rankings after defeating the Miami Dolphins 45-17 on Sunday, easily covering the spread as 11-point favorites. The Bucs hold an identical record on the field and against the spread so far in 2021 (4-1).
Tampa’s success has largely been a result of an impressive offense led by QB Tom Brady. Tampa Bay has averaged 33.4 points per game in 2021, the third-best in the league. Last week against the Dolphins, the Bucs racked up a whopping 558 yards of total offense, with Brady throwing for 411 yards himself. This level of offensive production obviously led to some big days from Brady’s pass-catchers, headlined by Antonio Brown (7 receptions for 124 yards and 2 touchdowns) and Mike Evans (6 receptions for 113 yards and 2 touchdowns), both of whom surpassed their receiving yards and total touchdowns props.
Despite attempting 44 passes compared to just 25 rushes, the running game was still respectable against the Dolphins. Three players accrued over 20 rushing yards, though Leonard Fournette was the clear lead back, pacing the team in carries (12), rushing yards (67), and rushing touchdowns (1).
As great as the offense has been, Tampa Bay has shown some weakness on the defensive side of the ball. The Bucs have allowed the most passing yards in the NFL this year, as well as the third-most passing touchdowns. While opponents have really been able to pass the ball against the Bucs, their run defense has been stout – they have allowed the fewest rushing yards, rushing touchdowns, and yards per carry to opponents in 2021.
The Buccaneers take on the Philadelphia Eagles for Thursday Night Football in Week 6 – they sit as 7-point road favorites for this matchup.
Los Angeles Rams (4-1, +800 To Win Super Bowl)
The Los Angeles Rams currently hold the third spot in the power rankings after defeating the Seattle Seahawks 26-17, covering the spread as 2.5-point favorites for Thursday Night Football. The Rams improved to 3-2 against the spread with the cover.
The Rams have utilized a balanced attack on offense, throwing for over 275 yards in each of the last three games while breaking the 100-yard mark on the ground in three of their last four matchups. Much of their offensive production has been a result of QB Matthew Stafford and his passing game, however; the Rams rank second in the NFL in total passing yards and fifth in total passing touchdowns.
On the other hand, the defense has been pretty marginal. Los Angeles ranks 23rd in the NFL in passing yards allowed, 19th in rushing yards allowed, and 22nd in rushing touchdowns allowed. Fortunately for the Rams, they have the fifth-easiest remaining schedule in the NFL, with their future opponents holding a .433 combined winning percentage.
The Rams look to take on the New York Giants in Week 6. Los Angeles opened as 6.5-point favorites but that line has quickly moved to -10.5.