Saints take a step forward in Week 6 NFL power rankings
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A big win on the road with a shorthanded roster will do a lot to raise your profile. That’s what the New Orleans Saints experienced in this week’s update to NFL power rankings across the league’s media landscape, jumping from an average position of 16.8 last week (coming off the heels of their upset loss at home to the Giants) up to 12.8, their second-best placement of the season.
New Orleans is settling in as an above-average squad with reason for optimism coming out of their bye week. For the curious, here’s where the Saints’ average power ranking spot has clocked in each week so far:
And here’s what this week’s power rankings had to say about the team’s win in Washington:
USA TODAY
Author: Nate Davis
Rank: 13 (No change)
Author’s take: “Now we know why they parted with longtime P Thomas Morstead. Blake Gillikin netted nearly 52 yards on five punts Sunday and pinned Washington inside its 3-yard line three times. Savage.”
Touchdown Wire
Author: Nick Wojton
Rank: 16 (+2)
Author’s take: “QB Jameis Winston had four touchdowns against Washington in a 33-22 win that included Alvin Kamara having an electric game. He was a dual-threat weapon that we’ve come to know and the New Orleans defense showed up, too. CB Marshon Lattimore has six passes defended.”
NFL.com
Author: Dan Hanzus
Rank: 11 (+8)
Author’s take: “The Saints might be the NFL’s most perplexing team through five weeks, but a surge of reinforcements could bring some more clarity (and consistency) to Sean Payton’s squad. Wide receivers Michael Thomas and Tre’Quan Smith, kicker Wil Lutz, left tackle Terron Armstead and center Erik McCoy are all eligible to return to action following the Week 6 bye. Defensive tackle David Onyemata is eligible to return from suspension following Week 7’s matchup against the Seahawks. That’s a long list of valuable players, and it’s a credit to these Saints that they managed to get to their well-timed bye above .500. No team can survive in the NFL without roster depth. The 2021 Saints just proved they have it.”
ESPN
Author: Mike Triplett
Rank: 13 (+4)
Author’s take: “(Deonte) Harris was already an All-Pro return specialist as an undrafted rookie in 2019. But now the Saints have been working the 5-foot-6 and 170-pound speedster more into an offense that is thin on dynamic pass-catchers. He leads the team with 236 receiving yards on 12 catches (including TDs of 72 and 55 yards). He has also been a trusted target for Jameis Winston on third downs. Harris left Sunday’s game early with a hamstring injury, but now has the bye week to help him recover.”
NBC Sports
Author: Mike Florio
Rank: 12 (16)
Author’s take: “If they’re ever going to make their move, now is the time to do it. (After the bye week.)”
CBS Sports
Author: Pete Prisco
Rank: 11 (+6)
Author’s take: “They have been so up and down, but some of that is because of injuries. They head to their bye off a nice victory as Jameis Winston came up big against Washington.”
Sports Illustrated
Author: Albert Breer
Rank: 12 (+2)
Author’s take: “The Saints will start to get guys like Michael Thomas and David Onyemata back into the fold, and if they can beat Geno Smith after their bye, they’ll go into a showdown with Tampa on Halloween at 4-2.”
Bleacher Report
Author: NFL Staff
Rank: 14 (+5)
Author’s take: “For the New Orleans Saints and quarterback Jameis Winston, Week 5 was a microcosm of the season as a whole so far.
In the early going, “Bad Jameis” was large and in charge. There was a badly thrown interception on the team’s first drive and a lost fumble on the third one that landed the Saints in a 13-7 hole.
However, from there “Good Jameis” took over, and while Winston completed only 50 percent of his passes, he threw for 279 yards and four scores in a double-digit win over Washington that moved the Saints to 3-2.
The win did come at a cost though. Backup quarterback/Swiss Army knife Taysom Hill was carted from the field after suffering a concussion on a scary-looking hit. If he misses time, it will have a sizable impact on an offense already short on skill-position talent not named Alvin Kamara, but fortunately, the Saints are off in Week 6 before traveling to Seattle and hosting the Buccaneers.”
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