Each week of the NFL season, The Baltimore Sun will rank all 32 NFL teams. The rankings will take into account not just weekly performance, but how well each team measures up as Super Bowl contenders, regardless of win-loss record.
Here are the rankings after Week 6:
The top contenders
In the first five weeks of these rankings, three teams — the Buccaneers, Chiefs and Bills — mostly stood above the rest as Super Bowl favorites. With Tampa Bay banged up and Kansas City and Buffalo slipping, the top of the league’s hierarchy is unclear.
Tom Brady is carrying a Bucs team that’s been decimated by injuries, particularly on defense.