This is part of a series of posts tracking each team’s Elo rating, which changes week-to-week based not only on the outcome of their game but on the rating of their opponent. To learn more, read the post for Weeks 1 and 2.

1st to 7th



1. Cowboys 548 (+16)

2. Chargers 544 (+13)

3. Eagles 541 (+14)

4. Broncos 531 (+17)

5. Seahawks 530 (+14)

6. Cardinals 529 (-17)

7. Bengals 528 (-18)

For the first time all season a team has sole possession of first place and, surely surprising to many, it’s the Cowboys. The undefeated Bengals and Cardinals both followed their bye week with a loss, leaving it open for one of the now 4-1 teams to replace them. The Chargers and Eagles each defeated a team that had only won one game, allowing the Cowboys to secure first overall with their victory over the 3-1 Texans. They’ll be tested even more in Week 6, though, when they’ll be visiting Seattle.

Behind the top three are the four other teams with one loss, who each have one fewer win due to having had a bye. Beating the previously-undefeated Cardinals moved the Broncos past not only the Cardinals and Bengals but also the Seahawks, who weren’t rewarded as much for beating the Redskins.



8th to 20th

8. Giants 520 (+16)

9. 49ers 519 (+16)

T-10. Colts 518 (+17)

T-10. Packers 518 (+16)

12. Patriots 517 (+18)

T-13. Bills 516 (+17)

T-13. Ravens 516 (-17)

15. Panthers 514 (+16)

16. Lions 513 (-17)

17. Texans 512 (-16)

18. Steelers 511 (+13)

19. Browns 499 (+15)

20. Dolphins 498



The Giants continued their rocket up from the basement by beating the Falcons for their third straight win, and remain the highest-rated team with more than one loss. The Patriots, however, had the biggest rating increase of the week as their reward for defeating the 3-0 Bengals. Beating the 0-4 Jaguars, meanwhile, gave the Steelers the lowest increase of any winner, leaving them last among the now 3-2 teams.

The Browns left the basement by earning their second win of the season and improving to 2-2, passing the also 2-2 Dolphins, who didn’t play this week.

19th to 26th

21. Chiefs 487 (-16)

22. Saints 486 (+16)

T-23. Bears 484 (-16)

T-23. Vikings 484 (-16)

25. Falcons 481 (-16)

26. Rams 470 (-14)

Each of the now 2-3 teams played an opponent with the same record and had their rating change the average amount of 16. The Rams lost a couple points less for losing to the 3-1 Eagles, but are last among the teams with three losses due to having had a bye week and being 1-3 instead of 2-3.

The Saints are the only team in this group that won this week, graduating out of the basement for narrowly beating the Buccaneers.

27th to 32nd

T-27. Buccaneers 456 (-16)

T-27. Jets 456 (-13)

29. Redskins 455 (-14)

30. Titans 454 (-15)

31. Raiders 439

32. Jaguars 426 (-13)

The Jets got some mercy for losing to the 3-1 Chargers and only fell by 13 points, tying them with the Buccaneers for highest among teams with one win. The Jaguars also got mercy for having lost to a higher-rated team, but they still pulled ahead of (behind) the also-winless Raiders for last overall. It’s a vicious no-holds-barred fight for the bottom between the Raiders and Jags, and thanks to the Raiders bye week, the Jags are winning again.

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