Thanks to a blowout win over the visiting Chicago Bears, the Green Bay Packers are one of the biggest risers in new NFL power rankings entering Week 6. Matt LaFleur's team might have lacked believers following a much-needed win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers last week, but Sunday's decisive victory has everyone singing a different tune about the 3-2 Packers.
In USA Today's updated power rankings, the Packers rose seven spots to No. 19.
From Nate Davis: "Blasting the (temporarily) crippled Bears marked the Pack's best showing of the season. Now, back to reality. OLB Micah Parsons won't be back for Sunday night's battle with the Cowboys, and NT Javon Hargrave joins LB Edgerrin Cooper as the second defensive starter to tear an Achilles in the past
two weeks."
Mounting injuries are a concern in Green Bay, and Parsons' return doesn't appear imminent, but back-to-back wins have saved the season. Once 1-2 and coming off a three-touchdown loss at home, the Packers have rattled off consecutive wins and are finally playing a better brand of football -- in large part due to a settling along the offensive line.
The Bears, who were without starting quarterback Caleb Williams, did not fall from No. 10 following the loss. The two rivals will meet again on Christmas Day, and Parsons and Williams will likely be participating.
Can the Packers keep stacking wins? They might not be considered a top 10 team just yet, but the next five games before the Week 11 bye provides multiple opportunities for more impressive wins. In fact, four of the next five opponents are in the top 12 of USA Today's power rankings. A pivotal stretch awaits.
First things first: Up next is the Dallas Cowboys, who fell all the way to No. 24 after losing at home to the previously winless Buccaneers.
Packers power rankings by week (USA Today)
- Week 1: No. 16
- Week 2: No. 22
- Week 3: No. 20
- Week 4: No. 26
- Week 5: No. 26
- Week 6: No. 19
Here's where the Packers rank in other national power rankings entering Week 6:
ESPN: No. 14 (up 9 spots)
From Rob Demovsky on the defense's biggest issue: "In back-to-back weeks, the Packers lost linebacker Edgerrin Cooper and defensive tackle Javon Hargrave to season-ending Achilles injuries. Cooper was their best linebacker; Hargrave their most experienced defensive lineman. And who knows when edge rusher Micah Parsons will play? He hasn't practiced since last year's torn ACL in Week 15. While they've struggled to get off the field on third down and they've been gashed on the ground a couple of times, the biggest issues are injuries and the corresponding absences of key players such as Cooper and Parsons."
Yahoo Sports: No. 18 (up 6 spots)
From Frank Schwab: "Through all the (justifiable) angst over the Packers' start, they're 3-2 coming off a blowout win over the Bears, who were the favorite to win the division. The Packers looked mostly poor during the first four weeks but they find themselves in a good place now. There are things to clean up, but the trio of Jordan Love, Matthew Golden and Christian Watson might keep Green Bay in the playoff race. Love has played well despite little help from his offensive line, and on Sunday he had a great game with 367 yards. He completed five passes of 30 or more air yards, only the second time that has happened since ESPN Insights began tracking the stat. Golden has 397 yards and two touchdowns and Watson has been even better, with 474 yards and six touchdowns in five games."
CBS Sports: No. 14 (up 10 spots)
From Pete Prisco: "They were able to unleash Jordan Love against the Bears. It needs to stay that way going forward. The deep passing game is their best option."
The Athletic: No. 14 (up 9 spots)
From Josh Kendall and Chad Graff: "The win over the Bears looks more impressive than it probably was considering the quarterback play Chicago got, but there’s no sense in apologizing for a win over a bitter rival that’s talking a lot of smack. Jordan Love was exceptional Sunday, and Christian Watson looks like a true No. 1 wide receiver."
MMQB: No. 12 (up 10 spots)
From Conor Orr: "I get that I cannot, one week, punish the Steelers for what I considered a fluke victory over the Bengals (at the time) because Aaron Rodgers had too much time in the pocket, then vastly pump up the Packers for a deep aerial assault of the Bears, without drawing some ire. The difference here is that Matt LaFleur has figured out how to run play action without a running game. And it’s leading to massive chunk plays.
This article originally appeared on Packers Wire: Packers are big risers in NFL power rankings after blowout win over Bears
