NFL Power Rankings 2017, Week 5: SB Nation Moves Giants Up To No. 31

The New York Giants fell to the Tampa Bay Buccaneers on Sunday, 25-23. New York is now 0-4, with an extremely long road to make the postseason. With the NFL Power Rankings coming out on various platforms this morning, let’s see where the Giants fall.

We went through 10 different site’s power rankings and the Giants came out at No. 28 when you aggregate the various lists. They are as high as No. 27 on Yahoo and as low at No. 31 on SB Nation. Here is an aggregation of all of the rankings and the explanations.

SB Nation (No. 31)

The Giants were last in the SB Nation rankings a week ago. That ‘dishonor’ now goes to the Cleveland Browns.

Yahoo (No. 27)

I’ll admit, I was totally wrong on the Giants. I thought the defense would be great again and the offense would be good enough. The defense has been OK, and the offense has been spotty. Now we have to start wondering if Ben McAdoo can save his job. (But it’s still tough to rank them and the Chargers this low, because to be honest, we all know neither team is this bad.)

SI.com (No. 27)

​Last Week’s Rank: 21

Points in MMQB Power Poll: 104

Highest-Place Vote: 17th

Lowest-Place Vote: 31st

Last Week’s Result: Loss at Tampa Bay, 25-23

Week 5 Opponent: vs. L.A. Chargers

NFL.com (No. 27)

Watching Nick Folk's game-winning kick sail through the uprights, the Giants might have felt like the ship was sailing on their season. According to the beat writers who cover Big Blue on the regular, several prominent players wouldn't talk after the game, either. At least Snacks Harrison responded to his critics via Twitter, owning up to his subpar play to this point. So is it over for the 2017 Giants? I've been in this business too long to go that far. Yet, with the Broncos and Seahawks coming up before the Week 8 bye ...

Bleacher Report/Simms (No. 28)

Last Week's Ranking: 22

The first thing we have to address—and this has been a recurring theme with the New York Giants—is the poor game management of Ben McAdoo. This is a team that has a lackluster running game and should want to rely on an efficient short-passing game and stout defense. Some of McAdoo's decisions are making that plan difficult.

His decision to go for it on fourth down early in the game in field-goal position cost the team points. His decision to challenge what he thought was a Mike Evans catch/fumble in the second half cost his team a much-needed timeout. Anyone who has watched football over the last three years knew that wasn't a catch. Calling a timeout before a two-point play is also inexcusable.

The Giants are not built to score loads of points, and they're not good enough to overcome McAdoo's questionable decision-making.

What's also alarming is how inefficient the defensive line has been, albeit without highly paid pass-rusher Olivier Vernon. New York is getting run on, and it's struggling to pressure opposing quarterbacks. Yes, Vernon was out, but this has been a trend.

The secondary is still terrific, Odell Beckham Jr. is great as always, and the Giants may have found their running back in Wayne Gallman. However, the Giants keep beating themselves and have a winless record because of it.

USA Today (No. 29)

How badly is Eli Manning playing? His 69.9% completion rate is 6.8 percentage points higher than his second-best career mark. Blame someone else.

NJ.com (TBD)

Washington Post (TBD)

ESPN (No. 30)

2017 record: 0-4

Week 4 ranking: No. 28

The blame for the Giants' start should extend well past the offensive struggles. The defense has faced the most passes (129) without an interception this season and has generated just two takeaways, tied for second-fewest in the NFL.

CBS Sports (No. 29)

Is the heat on Ben McAdoo? You bet it is, and it should be. Same for general manager Jerry Reese.