Monday Morning NFL Top 10 Rankings: Fantastic QB Play Elevates Bears, Packers, Patriots

The top three have become difficult to dethrone in the NFL, but that happens when you’re undefeated. It’s the rest of my top 10 that has seen a lot of movement in recent weeks. Nos. 4 and 5 have been a back-and-forth between the Jaguars and Bills, who swapped places this week. Just behind those teams are a couple of teams that are finding their rhythm behind stellar quarterback play with the Bo Nix-led Broncos in between. Here’s where things stand entering Commanders vs. 49ers on Monday night to close NFL Week 6. Super Bowl odds: +1800 Quarterback Caleb Williams’ return helped the offense find its spark in Week 6. The former No. 1 overall pick completed his first 12 passes and looked like the superstar QB that head coach Ben Johnson needs to make his Xs and Os come to life in the Windy City. As a squad that can light up scoreboards via the run or passes, the Bears have the potential to vault into top-five consideration by the end of the season. Who Stood Out: According to Next Gen Stats, Williams completed all 24 passes from a clean pocket for 248 yards in the Bears’ Week 6 win. His 24 attempts were the most without an incompletion from a clean pocket in a game since at least 2018. Super Bowl odds: +20000 Winning ugly has become the standard in Cleveland under Todd Monken. The scrappy Browns can overcome long stretches of offensive ineptitude to string together drives in the clutch. Quarterback Deshaun Watson is becoming one of the league’s best closers with four game-winning drives this season and a reel of late-game heroics that have skeptics and supporters alike singing his praises. With a pair of division wins and a share of the division lead coming out of Week 6, the Browns’ rebuild is ahead of schedule under Monken. What Stood Out: Despite the 4-2 record, Watson has been sacked an NFL-leading 24 times this season. Super Bowl odds: +3000 After notching their third straight win with running back Josh Jacobs’ return on the horizon, the Packers are rounding into form as a playoff contender. Quarterback Jordan Love has found his rhythm with wide receivers Christian Watson and Matthew Golden, giving the offense a big-play dimension that could make the unit unstoppable when the former NFL rushing champion returns to action. If the defense continues to suffocate opponents as defensive coordinator Jonathan Gannon tailors the scheme to his stars’ talents, the Packers will continue to climb the charts as a legitimate contender in the NFC. Who Stood Out: Watson (538 yards) and Golden (501 yards) lead all teammate duos with 1,039 combined receiving yards. Super Bowl odds: +2000 Although head coach Sean Payton hasn’t sparked the offensive revival expected when he took over play-calling duties, the Broncos are scratching out wins while he figures out how to get quarterback Bo Nix and Co. back on track. With an ultra-aggressive defense keeping opponents in check, the Broncos could be scary good when the offense catches fire. Who Stood Out: Nix is averaging just 5.55 yards per pass attempt, ranking last among the 28 NFL quarterbacks with at least 100 attempts this season. Super Bowl odds: +1800 Don’t look now, but the Patriots are back in business as a dark horse contender. Drake Maye has worked his way out of an early-season slump with his third straight game with at least three touchdown passes. Although he must continue to work on his chemistry with wide receiver A.J. Brown, who returned from a four-week absence against the Jets this week, the Patriots are starting to look like a championship-caliber squad with Maye rediscovering his mojo as a playmaker. Who Stood Out: Maye became the first Patriots quarterback with at least three touchdown passes in three straight games since Tom Brady in 2017. Super Bowl odds: +1400 A tough loss to a bitter divisional rival overshadowed Travis Hunter’s breakout game as a two-way star. The spectacular playmaker snatched a pivotal red-zone interception, while also flashing big play potential as a pass catcher from various alignments in the Jaguars’ spread formations. The Jaguars’ WR-CB might be the X-factor for a team that needs to clean up its self-inflicted miscues on offense and defense during the bye week. Who Stood Out: Hunter became the third player since 1970 with a receiving touchdown and an interception in the same game, joining Brian Dawkins (Week 4, 2002) and Roy Green (Week 3, 1981). Super Bowl odds: +720 Josh Allen is the MVP frontrunner after another dazzling performance that featured several jaw-dropping plays. The 6-foot-5, 237-pound improvisational wizard continues to tease and torment defenders with his impromptu runs and scramble tosses on the perimeter. Although the Bills’ leaky defense is a major concern, No. 17’s heroics can mask the deficiencies during a Super Bowl run. Who Stood Out: Allen has rushed for eight touchdowns, tied for the most rushing touchdowns by a quarterback through the first six games of a season in NFL history. Super Bowl odds: +1800 Given a bye week to spend more time concocting exotic pressures and mind-boggling pre-snap disguises, defensive coordinator Brian Flores could make the league’s most disruptive unit even scarier down the stretch. If head coach Kevin O’Connell gets the offense going with QB Kyler Murray at the helm, the Vikings could emerge as the team to beat in the NFC. Who Stands Out: Linebacker Dallas Turner’s 5.5 sacks through five games are tied with Doug Martin (1982) for the most by a second-year player through the Vikings’ first five games of a season. Super Bowl odds: +850 Kenneth Walker III has added a dimension to the Chiefs’ offense as a dynamic runner with big-play potential. The NFL’s rushing leader topped the 100-yard mark for the fourth time in five games, exhibiting the explosiveness out of the backfield that’s been missing since the Jamaal Charles era. With a more balanced offense, head coach Andy Reid has the Chiefs leaning into a complementary football approach that makes them a more formidable playoff foe. Who Stood Out: Patrick Mahomes earned his 100th career win in his 131st start, tying Tom Brady as the fastest quarterback to reach 100 wins in NFL history. Super Bowl odds: +580 The 49ers enter their Monday-night matchup against the Commanders sitting pretty at the top. Staying healthy will be key for San Francisco, with Deebo Samuel out multiple weeks and fellow receiver Mike Evans already dealing with nagging injuries. Who Stands Out: Purdy enters the game against Washington leading all NFL quarterbacks with at least 100 pass attempts in passer rating (119.3), adjusted net yards per attempt (9.32), adjusted yards per attempt (9.62) and touchdown percentage (9.2%), while posting the lowest sack rate (2.1%).