NFL Power Rankings: The lurking contender outside the undefeated teams

It’s not easy to win with your backup quarterback in the NFL. It’s really hard when your backup quarterback is borderline incompetent. But it can be done if other units pick up the slack.

And that’s why the Pittsburgh Steelers look like a more serious contender now than they even did before Ben Roethlisberger’s injury.

The Steelers have survived without Roethlisberger, who could return this week from a knee injury. Even if he misses another game, it seems like his return is close, barring a setback. The Steelers defense has played better than anyone anticipated. The defense deserves full credit for winning the game at St. Louis in which Roethlisberger got hurt, when it gave up just six points. Since then the defense has had three solid performances in a row despite an offense that rarely moved the ball with Michael Vick at quarterback. They gave up 13 points on Sunday to a good Cardinals offense. The defense’s performance on Sunday bought time until Vick got hurt and the Steelers had to go with Landry Jones, who in his first NFL appearance figured out how to get the ball in the hands of the Steelers’ many playmakers.

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The Steelers won at the Rams, blew a weird game against the Ravens they should have won, then won at San Diego and beat Arizona. That’s a really positive stretch considering Roethlisberger was out. Now the Steelers are 4-2, with their only other loss in an impossible spot at New England on opening night. Once Roethlisberger returns, the offense is going to explode, and now the defense has some confidence that it can play well too. What the Steelers as a whole did with Vick mostly flailing around was impressive. it put them in position to make a nice run once their quarterback returned.

Look around the NFL. There aren’t many impressive teams other than the five remaining undefeated teams. The Atlanta Falcons have the best resume so far, but I’d prefer the Steelers with Roethlisberger, and he’ll be back soon. The Jets have been very good, but ultimately I still don’t trust them to win big with Ryan Fitzpatrick at quarterback. Who else really stands out? A Cardinals team whose best win is against the Bears and who just lost to Landry Jones? With teams like the Colts, Seahawks, Ravens and Chiefs having disappointing starts, there aren’t too many trustworthy teams out there, aside from the five undefeated teams. 

But I do like the Steelers. We all know what they can be with Roethlisberger back. Don’t be too surprised when Pittsburgh makes a big second-half surge. This stretch without their quarterback has said a lot about the Steelers.

Here are Shutdown Corner’s power rankings after Week 6:

32. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-5, Last week: 32)

Gus Bradley needs some wins to save his job. He’s 8-30. The Jaguars are done this season already. I don’t know that a loss at London would cause a firing, but you have to believe that the final 10 games are an audition for 2016. If he makes it 10 more games.

31. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (2-3, LW: 27)

After playing at Washington, check out this stretch for Tampa: at Atlanta, vs. Giants, vs. Dallas, at Philadelphia, at Indianapolis, vs. Atlanta. There might not be many wins before December for the Bucs.

30. Kansas City Chiefs (1-5, LW: 23)

The season is lost, so the rest of the games should be spent opening things up a bit. Get a modern-day NFL passing offense going into next season.

29. Baltimore Ravens (1-5, LW: 22)

Going back to last season with the Bears, Ravens offensive coordinator Marc Trestman is 1-10 in his last 11 games.

28. San Francisco 49ers (2-4, LW: 30)

I don’t know if it was Colin Kaepernick breaking a slump or the Ravens being awful, but Kaepernick had a nice game on Sunday. He gets Seattle next, which isn’t as intimidating as it has been in years past. Another positive game could get him going in a nice direction.

27. Tennessee Titans (1-4, LW: 24)

Marcus Mariota has a sprained MCL, and there should be no circumstance in which he plays before he’s absolutely ready. I know the coaches are probably nervous about their jobs. But you can’t screw this up.

26. Detroit Lions (1-5, LW: 29)

Oh, hey, the Lions figured out to throw it deep to Calvin Johnson.

25. Chicago Bears (2-4, LW: 26)

Alshon Jeffery’s first game of the season: eight catches, 147 yards and a touchdown. He’s a free agent after the season, too.

24. New Orleans Saints (2-4, LW: 31)

Drew Brees looked like he’s getting healthy. I’m not sure all their problems are solved after a win over Atlanta, but now they have a healthier quarterback (especially with the extra rest after the Thursday game) and some momentum.

23. Washington Redskins (2-4, LW: 19)

I think Colt McCoy deserves another shot. Kirk Cousins is not the answer. I’ve never been a McCoy fan but you can’t deny he put up a 96.4 rating last season in this offense. I’m not saying I think he’s the answer either, just that he deserves a chance.

22. Houston Texans (2-4, LW: 28)

DeAndre Hopkins might end up being the top choice at receiver in the year-end All-Pro selections. Imagine if he had a better quarterback.

21. Cleveland Browns (2-4, LW: 21)

The Browns got an interception in overtime and returned it to the Denver 39. They then gave to Robert Turbin (?) for a 3-yard loss, took an 8-yard sack, then took a 2-yard sack and a delay-of-game penalty before punting. The Browns never got the ball back. Brutal.

20. Oakland Raiders (2-3, LW: 20)

Philip Rivers, coming off a 503-yard game, this week goes up against a Raiders team that ranked 30th against the pass before Monday night’s game. Rivers might put up some more numbers.

19. Dallas Cowboys (2-3, LW: 16)

All that stuff I wrote about the Steelers up there? About how they figured out ways to win without their quarterback? Yeah, it can be done.

18. Miami Dolphins (2-3, LW: 25)

If you watched that team on Sunday, playing hard and winning easy, you have to believe that owner Stephen Ross might have screwed up this season by not firing Joe Philbin last December. 

17. San Diego Chargers (2-4, LW: 17)

Melvin Gordon has a 3.8-yard average, zero touchdowns and three lost fumbles. He was benched in the second half on Sunday for fumbling. It’s way, way, way too early to start wondering if he was a bad pick, but he’s off to a miserable start.

16. Seattle Seahawks (2-4, LW: 13)

I never thought this defense would become a poster child for blowing fourth quarter leads. Going back to last season’s Super Bowl, the Seahawks have blown a fourth-quarter lead and lost in five of their last seven games. It would have been six of seven if Calvin Johnson gained another foot or so. Unbelievable.

15. St. Louis Rams (2-3, LW: 15)

I’m not going to lie, I was kind of disappointed it was a Todd Gurley-less weekend with the Rams on a bye.

14. Indianapolis Colts (3-3, LW: 14)

Andrew Luck didn’t look healthy. He missed a ton of easy passes. I’d like to say that he needs to get healthy if the Colts are going anywhere, but the Colts play in the AFC South. They’ll be fine.

13. New York Giants (3-3, LW: 12)

That was a truly pitiful performance on Monday night. So sloppy. They blew a chance to take a nice step forward in the NFC East because they couldn’t get out of their own way.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (3-3, LW: 18)

Nick Foles would have been at least as good as Sam Bradford has been.

11. Buffalo Bills (3-3, LW: 9)

Rex Ryan is a really smart defensive coach, one of the best in the league. I think he’ll figure out soon how to use this fantastic defensive line to his advantage. And it’ll probably happen against the Jaguars’ offensive line this week.

10. Minnesota Vikings (3-2, LW: 11)

The Vikings have won three of four, but all three of the wins have come at home. That makes this week’s game at Detroit interesting. If they’re a real playoff contender (as I think they are), that’s a road game you must win. No more of the strange “Week 1 at San Francisco” performances.

9. Arizona Cardinals (4-2, LW: 6)

Again, the Cardinals aren’t a bad team, obviously. They’ve also played exactly two teams that aren’t among the worst in the NFL, and they lost both times. They lost to the Pittsburgh Steelers’ third-string quarterback on Sunday. I just want to see one quality win before I put them in the NFC championship game like everyone else seems to be doing, that’s all.

8. New York Jets (4-1, LW: 7)

Not to be like a baseball team worried about innings pitched, but Chris Ivory has never had more than 198 carries in a season. He has 83 in four games played this year. If that average keeps up and he plays in all 11 remaining games, that would be 311 carries. Something to watch.

7. Atlanta Falcons (5-1, LW: 5)

One road loss on a Thursday night doesn’t undo everything they built in the first five games. But it was a little concerning. On a better note: Devonta Freeman, wow.

6. Pittsburgh Steelers (4-2, LW: 10)

I’m impressed. Also worth mentioning: They’re also doing it without linebacker Ryan Shazier, who will be a really good player if he can just stay healthy.

5. Carolina Panthers (5-0, LW: 8)

I don’t care if Seattle is a shell of itself, that comeback win legitimizes Carolina’s start. Big win for the team and for Cam Newton.

4. Denver Broncos (6-0, LW: 4)

If another quarterback had seven touchdowns, 10 interceptions, a paltry 6.4 yards per attempt (that’s tied for 34th in the NFL among all players with at least 35 pass attempts), a 72.5 rating (dead last among NFL starting quarterbacks) and three pick-sixes, it would be a foregone conclusion that we’d be discussing a quarterback change.

3. Cincinnati Bengals (6-0, LW: 3)

The Andy Dalton Express just keeps rolling.

2. Green Bay Packers (6-0, LW: 2)

If you’re the Packers, how worried are you about giving up 503 passing yards at home to Philip Rivers? Just a blip or did San Diego expose some things?

1. New England Patriots (5-0, LW: 1)

They weren’t going to just run up the score on Sunday night, as every talking head predicted. That doesn’t happen in the NFL. But comfortably beating a team that is a practical lock to win its division was pretty impressive.

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Frank Schwab is the editor of Shutdown Corner on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email him at [email protected] or follow him on Twitter! Follow @YahooSchwab