It also needs to be competitive, ideally from top to bottom. The NFC West once again checks most of those boxes, but the 49ers' early lead, coupled with the Rams' sluggish start, has made the division less exciting, at least for the time being. It's also opened the door for a new division to take the title as the NFL's best.
Below are the updated rankings for each division entering Week 6. This division was not decided until the last play of the regular season in 2025. With each team sporting a winning record, it appears that we might be heading for a similar finish in 2026.
If the Bengals stay healthy, it should be a three-team race for coming down the stretch (sorry, Browns fans). Baltimore is off to a strong start under new coach Jesse Minter. The Ravens showed resolve last week when they rallied to defeat the Falcons in Atlanta with backup Tyler Huntley under center.
The defense remains suspect, however, and it could prevent Baltimore from being a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Cincinnati shook off two consecutive losses with a win last Sunday in Miami. As expected, the Bengals have been led by Joe Burrow, receivers Tee Higgins and Ja'Marr Chase, and a resurgent defense that is 10th in the NFL in points allowed and third in red zone efficiency.
The running game, which hasn't quite been the same since Joe Mixon's departure, continues to be a non-factor, though. Inconsistent is a good word to sum up the Steelers, who won this division in 2025. Pittsburgh has rotated wins and losses each week, entering this weekend's game in Tampa.
One emerging bright spot for Pittsburgh has been Jaylen Warren, who leads the Steelers in both rushing and receiving. Aaron Rodgers has largely been good in his farewell season. He just became the first Steelers quarterback since Terry Bradshaw to throw three touchdown passes in three consecutive games.
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