And then there were three.
The 49ers and Chiefs – who have met in the Super Bowl twice since the 2019 season – account for two of the NFL’s last three undefeated teams. No surprise.
The other unbeaten is the Vikings, who just traded their own first-round quarterback bust (J.J. McCarthy) to the Giants and are playing with other teams’ first-round quarterback underachievers (Kyler Murray and Carson Wentz).
Two of the Vikings’ wins during a 4-0 start have come without scoring an offensive touchdown. That hasn’t happened in the NFL since the 1923 Chicago Cardinals.
But the most aggressive defense in the NFL is more than doing its part, and the Vikings are winning one-score games again (three) like they did at a record pace en route to the playoffs in 2022.
Here are The Post’s NFL power rankings for Week 5:
1. 49ers 4-0 (2)
Brock Purdy threw two touchdown passes and Christian McCaffrey ran for a score as the 49ers found the end zone on three straight second-half possessions to break a tie in a 24-14 win against the weekly slow-starting Broncos. Special teams recovered a fumbled punt return to set up the scoring avalanche. George Kittle outraced former teammate Talanoa Hufanga for the put-away 56-yard touchdown.
2. Chiefs 4-0 (3)
Kenneth Walker rushed for 177 yards and two touchdowns, including the go-ahead score with 3:21 left, in a 30-27 win against the Raiders. Patrick Mahomes improved to 7-0 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas (including a Super Bowl victory) by throwing for 225 yards and two touchdowns. Xavier Nwankpa’s interception with one second to go sealed the win.
3. Vikings 4-0 (5)
Will Reichard kicked five field goals to provide all the scoring in a 15-10 victory against the winless Dolphins and extend his consecutive conversions streak to 31. T.J. Hockenson’s career-high-tying 13th catch moved the chains and helped run out the clock. The Vikings allowed just 198 yards of total offense in a revenge game for defensive coordinator Brian Flores.
4. Bills 3-1 (1)
Josh Allen threw a crushing interception when closing in on field-goal range with 65 seconds remaining in a 29-26 loss to the Patriots. Khalil Shakir also lost a fumble as the Bills turned the ball over twice—bringing their total to seven in their last two games. The loss was the first for head coach Joe Brady and the first at new Highmark Stadium.
5. Bears 3-1 (6)
What does domination look like? The Bears gained more first downs (34) on 89 offensive plays than the Jets ran offensive plays (32) in a 23-12 victory. With Kyle Monangai rumbling for 146 yards and two touchdowns, the Bears held possession for nearly 43 minutes. Their three wins are with three different quarterbacks playing the majority of the game.
6. Seahawks 3-1 (7)
It required overcoming 14 penalties for a franchise-record 150 yards, but the Seahawks rebounded with a 30-23 victory against the Chargers. Emmanuel Wilson tallied 81 rushing yards and 39 receiving yards and found the end zone on the ground and through the air. It was the first game since at least 1991 when both teams threw interceptions on their first offensive snap.
7. Ravens 3-1 (8)
The Ravens’ first-half offensive outburst held up in a 24-18 win against the Titans even as quarterback Tyler Huntley played a scoreless second half (throwing for 63 yards) in place of the injured Lamar Jackson. Derrick Henry scored a touchdown in his first game against his former team. Tyler Loop connected a career-long 64-yard field goal.
8. Rams 2-2 (9)
Trailing by 10 points with four minutes to go, the Rams scored a pair of touchdowns on runs by Kyren Williams to steal a 24-20 victory against the Eagles. The defense stopped the Eagles on 15 of 16 combined third- and fourth-down attempts. Head coach Sean McVay beat counterpart Nick Sirianni for the first time in five meetings.
9. Jaguars 3-1 (13)
In a matchup of former No. 1 overall draft picks and college rivals, Trevor Lawrence’s passing stats (18-of-23 for 227 yards and a touchdown) weren’t as gaudy as Joe Burrow’s but he guided a 22-17 win against the Bengals. The defense made a fourth-down stop with 50 seconds remaining and recorded an interception for a franchise record ninth straight game.
10. Raiders 3-1 (10)
The Raiders showed as much in their loss to the Chiefs as they did in any of their first three wins. Kirk Cousins passed for 365 yards on 52 attempts, with tight ends Brock Bowers and Michael Mayer both going over 80 yards receiving. Confident head coach Klint Kubiak predicted “We’re going to win the game” at halftime.
11. Broncos 2-2 (4)
12. Bengals 2-2 (11)
13. Giants 3-1 (16)
Clinging to a six-point lead, the Giants stopped four straight passes from the 4-yard line and clinched a 36-24 win against the Cardinals on Deonte Banks’ 98-yard pick-six as time expired. Jameis Winston threw for 250 yards, three touchdowns and two interceptions in one of his trademark roller-coaster performances. The Giants are 3-0 at home for the first time since 2008.
14. Eagles 2-2 (12)
15. Browns 3-1 (21)
16. Patriots 2-2 (18)
17. Colts 2-2 (19)
18. Cowboys 2-2 (20)
19. Panthers 2-2 (25)
20. Lions 2-2 (14)
21. Steelers 2-2 (15)
22. Falcons 2-2 (26)
23. Packers 2-2 (27)
24. Saints 1-3 (17)
25. Commanders 1-3 (23)
26. Cardinals 1-3 (24)
27. Texans 0-4 (22)
28. Jets 1-3 (28)
No talk of moral victories or being “close” this week after the loss to the Bears. Not when the Jets were 0-for-7 on third down and managed just 157 yards of offense. Minkah Fitzpatrick ended an NFL-record drought of 20 straight games without an interception. But the Jets could’ve had four picks – if not for three negated by penalties.
