2018 NFL Power Rankings: Week 6
Teams Ranked 12th to 1st
| Rank | Team | nERD | Rec | Playoff Odds | Off. NEP Rank | Defense | Change |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 12 | Seattle Seahawks | 2.16 | 2-3 | 33.3% | 18 | 7 | +4 |
| 11 | Minnesota Vikings | 2.24 | 2-2-1 | 49.4% | 10 | 24 | +1 |
| 10 | Cincinnati Bengals | 2.92 | 4-1 | 69.4% | 4 | 11 | -3 |
| 9 | Kansas City Chiefs | 3.08 | 5-0 | 95.7% | 2 | 31 | +8 |
| 8 | Chicago Bears | 3.24 | 3-1 | 67.0% | 17 | 4 | 0 |
| 7 | Pittsburgh Steelers | 3.92 | 2-2-1 | 34.3% | 12 | 8 | +2 |
| 5 | New Orleans Saints | 4.47 | 4-1 | 83.5% | 3 | 27 | +6 |
| 5 | Los Angeles Chargers | 4.47 | 3-2 | 55.0% | 6 | 17 | 0 |
| 4 | Jacksonville Jaguars | 4.49 | 3-2 | 66.7% | 23 | 3 | -1 |
| 3 | New England Patriots | 4.71 | 3-2 | 87.2% | 7 | 18 | +1 |
| 2 | Baltimore Ravens | 7.71 | 3-2 | 55.1% | 9 | 2 | 0 |
| 1 | Los Angeles Rams | 9.97 | 5-0 | 98.3% | 1 | 19 | 0 |
The Kansas City Chiefs have gotten a lot of attention in this space each week, but I'd argue it's warranted since they might be the most fascinating team in the league, especially as far as these rankings are concerned.
Despite an incredibly strong start to the year, this is the first week Patrick Mahomes and company have made an appearance in the top section of the rankings. The offense has obviously produced at an all-world level, but the defense has been bad.
In terms of opponent-adjusted NEP, the Chiefs offense is 2.3 standard deviations above the mean, while its defense is 1.7 standard deviations worse. The net of 0.6 standard deviations is 10th in the league. But their offense has been so good, KC is a perfect 5-0.
As you've surely heard elsewhere, some regression is coming for this offense as this level of production (and turnover avoidance) is not sustainable for a full season. Still, the unit has been good enough that our models are ready to call the Chiefs legitimate contenders in spite of the defense. With a matchup at New England in Week 6, we'll learn a lot about both teams.
