If you are still alive in your NFL Survivor Pool after this past weekend, good for you. I am not (thanks Browns), and I imagine a large percentage of the survivors were knocked out following another chaotic weekend of football. The unpredictability does keep things exciting, but it also means this will be a rather interesting Week 4 NFL Power Rankings for everyone tasked with creating them.
Possibly the biggest takeaway this week was the lack of protecting the passer. We went from poor quarterback play to letting them be sacrificed on the field. In total, there were 98 sacks this week, with five quarterbacks getting sacked at least five times. And before we start blaming the offensive lines across the league, I have never seen a passer sacked five times where it is solely the line’s fault, for the record. Coaching and the quarterback himself should be questioned. But I digress…
It has been a chaotic three weeks of NFL football, making the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings interesting to do. Our rankings are a mix of how the team is playing today combined with their actual chances to go all the way and win a Super Bowl. There is no box score analysis taking place here. So, unfortunately for some, these are rankings for actual football people. If you find yourself angry about your team’s ranking, keep that in mind, and let us know how you’re feeling on social media.
Our weekly NFL Power Rankings will be released here on FlurrySports every Tuesday, so make sure to check them out every single week to see which direction your team is trending.
NFL Power Rankings For Week 4
1) Kansas City Chiefs (Last Week: 1)
The Kansas City Chiefs did it once again, pulling off a big win in prime time. And once again, it was a game that came down to the wire. The Chiefs’ defense made several big plays, and Andy Reid showed off a bit of creativity with his play-calling, as Kansas City adjusts to life without Isiah Pacheco running like he’s mad at the ground. We should pay attention to Patrick Mahomes’ knee, but assuming he is okay, this team feels so much more confident than everyone else in the league.
2) Detroit Lions (3)
The Detroit Lions continue to play very well under Dan Campbell the week following a loss. This time around, they picked up a big road win against an Arizona Cardinals team that had been playing well. The Lions got back to their true identity, running the ball 43 times. That’s Detroit’s recipe for success now, but it will also be key for a potential Super Bowl run. However, so is their offensive line’s health, and that is already jeopardized.
3) San Francisco 49ers (2)
A main criticism of Brock Purdy has been that he doesn’t play well when he doesn’t have his full group of weapons. Well, Christian McCaffrey, Deebo Samuel and George Kittle all were out this week, but Purdy actually played a solid, efficient game. This performance wasn’t enough, losing to a short-handed Rams squad. Much like last week, we aren’t overreacting to these losses. However, there’s zero reason why the Niners’ defense was the group to let them down this week. It’s worth an eyebrow raise and a slight slide in the Week 4 NFL Power Rankings.
4) New York Jets (7)
Don’t look now, but Aaron Rodgers looks all the way back. The offensive line is gelling (hopefully Morgan Moses bounces back), the weapons are getting on the same page as Rodgers, and the defense is still terrific despite the injuries.
If Rodgers’ weapons are finally settling in and are on the same page as their quarterback, it will be very tough to stop them. Hell, Aaron Rodgers has mastered the back-shoulder throw with his receivers in the past, and he’s never had someone as physically gifted and talented as Mike Williams to do them with. If you’re not already, it’s time to start viewing the Jets as Super Bowl contenders, if they can stay healthy.
5) Houston Texans (4)
The Houston Texans never found their footing in Minnesota. Everyone on the planet knew the Vikings would blitz until they absolutely couldn’t anymore. However, it felt like Houston was surprised by this, and they weren’t able to adjust. While the defense gave up points, it was the offensive mistakes that lost this game. It was uncharacteristic, and I’ll need to see it again before overreacting too much.
6) Buffalo Bills (12)
The Buffalo Bills haven’t had the toughest schedule to start the season, but they are still handling their business. Even better than that is how they transformed this offense. Finally, a team that plays in windy (and cold) Buffalo is based around a running game. And, finally, the receivers are interchangeable instead of having one player piss and moan when he doesn’t get the targets. This is a team that has won me over. No, I still don’t view them as Super Bowl contenders, but this team at least makes sense schematically.
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7) Philadelphia Eagles (5)
Was the Saints-Eagles game a showcase of great defense or bad offense? Well, maybe a middle ground of both. The Philadelphia Eagles found a way to win an ugly game against a team with sky-high confidence. They did this without their top wide receiver, then they lost their next-best option in the game. The health of the receiving corps is a concern, as is the Lane Johnson injury, but the Eagles are still a solid team that gained a game over the Cowboys in the division this week.
8) Baltimore Ravens (6)
If you’ve followed my NFL Power Rankings in past seasons, this won’t be a thought that surprises you: the Baltimore Ravens need to play four full quarters of football. Regardless, they avoided complete disaster by getting their first win of the season. However, the schedule doesn’t get any easier, and the Ravens seemingly always start or end slowly. This comes back to bite them when it matters, but maybe this was the confidence-building win to get them started. Only time will tell.
9) Pittsburgh Steelers (8)
The Pittsburgh Steelers continue to grind out wins, but that’s what this team is about. Coming into the season, they needed a quarterback who could move the chains and protect the football. As long as they don’t actively hurt the defense, they would be in a position to win the game. While Justin Fields had his first turnover of the season, he was efficient the rest of the day, leading the Steelers to a win over the Chargers, which could be important in a few months.
10) Atlanta Falcons (9)
The Atlanta Falcons hang onto a top-10 spot in our Week 4 NFL Power Rankings. This offense is slowly starting to gel, though the offensive line injuries will not help things. The weapons they have are dangerous, especially if the offensive line finds its groove with the new blocking scheme. Defensively, there are playmakers all over the field. Once again, they just need to play in harmony a bit more often. That will come with time, but they need to start getting more wins before it’s too little too late.
11) New Orleans Saints (10)
12) Dallas Cowboys (11)
13) Tampa Bay Buccaneers (13)
14) Minnesota Vikings (21)
15) Green Bay Packers (17)
16) Los Angeles Chargers (15)
17) Los Angeles Rams (19)
18) Seattle Seahawks (22)
19) Cincinnati Bengals (14)
20) Cleveland Browns (18)
