NFL power rankings, Week 5: 49ers hanging steady

The 49ers absolutely walloped the New York Jets this past Sunday, but due to wins around them, the 49ers did not see much change in the power rankings. They bounced around a little bit here and there, but for the most part they stuck around the third or fourth position.

The 49ers put together an impressive enough win, but wins by the Ravens, Falcons, Texans and Cardinals left them mixed in with the 49ers once again. At this point the Falcons and Texans would appear to be on the first tier of respect, with the 49ers, Ravens and Cardinals on the next tier. There remain some questions for the Cardinals, but for now I think it's safe to keep them in that second tier. 4-0 is impressive no matter how you look doing it.

Looking ahead to Week 5, the Texans travel to face the Jets, the Falcons travel to face the Redskins, the Ravens travel to face the Chiefs, the Cardinals are in St. Louis facing the Rams, and of course our 49ers host the Buffalo Bills. All five top power ranked teams are favored with the 49ers and Texans having the biggest spreads at 9 1/2 and 9, respectively. The Cardinals are a two point favorite, the Falcons are a three point favorite and the Ravens are 5 1/2 point favorites.

All five teams should win, but the four road games make things a bit more interesting. The Cardinals-Rams game is the most interesting in my mind. The Cardinals are heading into St. Louis to face a scrappy Rams squad. I think the Rams qualify as the No. 4 team in the NFC West, but they will still be a tough out at home. This is a pretty pertinent challenge for the 4-0 Cardinals.

GIF Power Rankings

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. San Francisco 49ers

SB Nation NFL

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. San Francisco 49ers

CBS Sports

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Arizona Cardinals
4. San Francisco 49ers

FOX Sports

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. San Francisco 49ers

ESPN

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. San Francisco 49ers

NFL.com

1. Houston Texans
2. Atlanta Falcons
3. San Francisco 49ers