NFL Power Rankings Week Four, Part One
We are already three weeks into the NFL season, and we already have an insane amount of movement in the power rankings. Teams that were at the bottom of the NFL barrel last year are now winning games. Expected contenders are back to finish the job and so much more.
So far, we have seen a huge number of games come down to one possession. We are left with only two undefeated teams, and it is only Week Four. This NFL season is shaping up to have some of the most competitive football we have seen in a while. That being said, let’s get into these power rankings as we head into Week Four:
1.) Philadelphia Eagles, 3-0 (1-0)
Alright folks, here is your number one team heading into Week Four. Don’t like it? Philly might just sucker punch you for having that opinion. The Eagles are undefeated with wins over the Lions, Vikings, and Commanders. Led by MVP candidate Jalen Hurts, the Eagles are showing off their new and improved offense.
The Eagle’s defense has also been revived after a nine-sack performance against Carson Wentz and the Commanders. Nick Sirianni has this team in a prime position to beat just about anyone. The Eagles also have the amazing dilemma of not knowing who their number one receiver is because both DeVonta Smith and A.J. Brown were so dominant last week that both fit the role. Look out for this Philly team all year long.
2.) Miami Dolphins, 3-0 (2-0)
The Miami Dolphins are on a tear to begin the 2022 season. They have already conquered two divisional opponents and had a stellar comeback win over the Ravens in Baltimore. Tua Tagovailoa is second in the NFL in passing yards and has shown a big leap in production from years prior.
Sure, the Dolphin’s win over the Bills in Week Three was not pretty. However, considering the Bills are Super Bowl favorites, a 21-19 win over Josh Allen and company is huge. Tua is questionable for Week Four so keep an eye on that but if he plays, the Dolphins have a chance to remain undefeated.
3.) Buffalo Bills, 2-1 (0-1)
The Buffalo Bills come in at number three after their loss to the Dolphins. The insanely good Bills defense from Weeks One and Two is now injury-riddled. That was a huge contributor to the loss against Miami. However, this Bills team is nowhere near done.
However, as long as the Bills remain short-handed, teams might be able to exploit them week after week. The Bills still have Josh Allen and Stefon Diggs but they ran 51 more plays than the Dolphins and still lost. The Bills did sign Xaiver Rhodes to beef up their secondary and fill some gaps. Keep an eye on whether Buffalo can rebound or not early in the year.
4.) Kansas City Chiefs, 2-1 (0-1)
The Chiefs did not look like a dominant team against the Colts in Week Three. They made an unusual amount of mistakes that cost them the game. Stupid penalties led to a late Indy score and a loss. Mahomes might have looked invincible in Week One but he has failed to do so since.
The Chiefs always have a loss that should not have happened. The Chiefs are a far better team than the Colts but let the Colts win it. Special teams struggled the most by far with muffed punts, missed field goals, and a bad attempt at a fake field goal. The Chiefs have time to figure it out but Week Three was a bad look for the Chiefs.
5.) Green Bay Packers, 2-1 (1-1)
Coming in at the five spot, we have the Green Bay Packers. The Packers are starting to find their footing in the post-Davante Adams era. Aaron Rodgers is getting his favorite o-lineman David Bakhtiari back slowly and Rodgers might have a new favorite receiver in Romeo Doubs.
This Green Bay team has a long way to go before they are Super Bowl contenders again. However, getting their offensive line reformed and their receiving room in order are steps in the right direction. Green Bay is a coin flip right now but heading into Week Four, they are on the rise.
6.) Los Angeles Rams, 2-1 (1-0)
The Rams are interesting this year, to say the least. So much star power but still some question marks. The offense has some kinks to work out, so the defense has to continue to step up. The defense did their job in Week Three against Arizona, winning 20-12.
The Rams might not look glamorous right now, but it is working. Until they become a complete unit again, they might be playing an uncomfortable number of close games. I like this team to be a contender again, but they need to figure out the little problems first before defending their Super Bowl title against the rest of the NFL.
7.) Baltimore Ravens, 2-1
The Raven’s defense looked better in the fourth quarter in Week Three after blowing a lead and losing to the Dolphins in Week Two. This Ravens team has the making of a legit team once again. The defense has shown they can shut teams down and Lamar Jackson is on another MVP pace.
I like this Ravens team to maybe win the division but obviously, it is still early. Give them time to figure out their defense, let Lamar continue to eat and they will be dangerous. Baltimore has all the pieces to be the team everyone dreads playing late in the year.
8.) Tampa Bay Buccaneers, 2-1 (1-0)
As we get close to the end of the top ten, next up we have the Buccaneers. This team looked great on paper to start the year. An offense featuring Tom Brady, Mike Evans, Julio Jones, Leonard Fournette, etc. was going to be fun to watch. Fast forward to now, Julio Jones is injured, Mike Evans served a one-game suspension, and other receivers are hurt. It is ugly.
This offense needs help to get back on its feet badly. Sure, the Bucs signed Cole Beasley but how much will he help? The defense is still playing decently but not shutting teams down. If the defense can keep Brady within a touchdown, they might be ok. All I can say is if I’m the rest of the NFL, do not sleep on this team (if they figure it out).
9.) Minnesota Vikings, 2-1 (2-0)
The Vikings are adjusting well to their new system under new coach Kevin O’Connell. The Vikings conquered Aaron Rodgers in Week One but got dismantled against the Eagles in Week Two. They also trailed the Lions multiple times last week but turned it around and won 28-24.
The duo of Cousins and Jefferson have become a staple of the team. KJ Osborn has become a huge piece of the offense as well. The Vikings are too risky of a pick every week for me. They have to win games convincingly for me to believe they are the real deal.
10.) Dallas Cowboys, 2-1 (1-0)
This one might be a stretch but hear me out for a second. The Cowboys are without Dak Prescott, Michael Gallup, James Washington, Tyron Smith, and many more. But yet, they are 2-1 on the season and have won two straight with Cooper Rush at quarterback while Dak recovers.
Dan Quinn took a defense that led the NFL in takeaways and turned them into the league leaders in sacks. The defense is keeping them in the game so far thanks to Micah Parsons and company. Dallas has the chance to stay afloat until Dak gets back and Cooper Rush might be the saving grace. Keep an eye on the Cowboys in the coming weeks.
11.) Cleveland Browns, 2-1 (1-0)
Next, we have the Cleveland Browns who are surprisingly 2-1 on the year. Jacoby Brissett is playing well and the run game for Cleveland has been their strong suit. The Browns have shown flashes of being a division contender which is good considering they are just trying to stay afloat until Deshaun Watson is eligible. If Cleveland hopes to make some noise in the NFL, they need to remain a well-balanced team moving forward.
12.) Jacksonville Jaguars, 2-1 (1-0)
Here is a big surprise team, the Jacksonville Jaguars. The Jags make a huge jump on this list and for good reason. They are leading their division and look great so far. They dismantled the Chargers 38-10 and look like they put their money in the right places.
Trevor Lawrence is looking like a number one pick and their offseason moves are working well so far. Keep an eye on the Jags in Week Four to see if they can continue their success.
13.) Denver Broncos, 2-1
The Broncos have two wins on the season but still do not look like the team they hoped to be. Russell Wilson is not blowing away anyone with his performance so far. The defense is the reason the Broncos have two wins so far. This is not a good way to win the AFC West but going 2-1 so far will have to do.
14.) Cincinnati Bengals, 1-2 (0-1)
The Bengals finally got their first win of the year after a rough first two weeks. Joe Burrow is not being protected and they cannot get their playmakers the ball. The run game is non-existent still, but head coach Zac Taylor is fine with a win regardless of how they got it. The Bengals just need more time to find their footing and maybe they will show flashes of last year’s Super Bowl run.
15.) San Francisco 49ers, 1-2 (0-1)
The 49ers lost Trey Lance and turned back to Jimmy Garoppolo, and I do not know how to categorize their performance. The NFL is not kind to poor quarterback play and so far, that is all the 49ers have had. The 49ers’ defense is keeping them in games but that won’t last forever. Hopefully, this offense can figure out its problems and fix them quickly.
16.) Los Angeles Chargers, 1-2 (1-1)
The last team we have in part one of our power rankings is the Los Angeles Chargers. The Chargers are injury-riddled and are struggling to gain their footing. They lost Joey Bosa to the IR today and that is only the beginning. The Chargers entered Sunday without wide receiver Keenan Allen (hamstring), cornerback J.C. Jackson (ankle), or center Corey Linsley (knee). They then lost left tackle Rashawn Slater (biceps) and wide receiver Jalen Guyton (knee) to season-ending injuries.
Justin Herbert is also still mending his rib injury. This Chargers team is vulnerable to a major meltdown and having a bad year. Either they figure out an alternate route to win or they will struggle big time in the NFL’s toughest division.
*Part two of the power rankings will teams 17-32*
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