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Power Rankings – Week 4

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The first three weeks are in the books and surprises still abound in both conferences, with the three remaining undefeated teams (Bears, Chiefs, and Steelers) all playing well past the pre-season expectations for each, despite having significant question marks at key positions.

Along with that, two heavy favorites at the start of the year (Colts and Jets) have dialed it up a notch, taking home crucial road wins in tough environments, and looking extremely good in the process.

With that in mind, here’s my take on the league as it stands right now. Feel free to comment as you like at the bottom of the page.

Top of the Heap

1. New Orleans (2-1) – If not for Garrett Hartley’s disastrous effort in overtime, the Saints would be 3-0 right now and sitting pretty at the top of their division. Instead they lost a big game at home to their closest rival, and while most would have them drop a bit in the rankings, I still think they’re deserving of the #1 spot for the time being. Look for them to rebound this week against the Panthers.

2. Pittsburgh (3-0) - The Steelers keep blasting opponents out of the way, and the Bucs were no different this week, as Pittsburgh hammered them into the ground in all three phases of the game. A major showdown next Sunday against their arch rivals from Baltimore will prove just how good this team really is.

3. Indianapolis (2-1) – While they didn’t play their best on defense in Denver, the Colts still found a way to win in the end, keeping their spot in the top five for another week. A relatively easy contest in Jacksonville should be more than enough to stay put again when things are all said and done next week.

4. New York Jets (2-1) – The Jets continued their resurgence, putting up 31 points on the road against a tough Miami team on national television. Going to Buffalo next week should be a walk in the park by comparison.

5. Green Bay (2-1) – The Packers beat themselves in Chicago last night, racking up 153 yards in penalties and acting as if they had no idea how to handle their emotions on the big stage of Monday Night Football. A home game against Detroit should be a perfect opportunity to fix those problems and get back on track.

6. Atlanta (2-1) – Winning on the road is always huge, especially within the division, and the Falcons did just that in stealing a victory away from the Saints on Sunday afternoon. Keeping it locked on target next week against the woeful 49ers will be equally important.

7. New England (2-1) – The Patriots made it way closer than it should have been, but in the end, they found a way to get the win against a lesser opponent in Buffalo. They’ll have to do better on the road next Monday in Miami.

8. Baltimore (2-1) – The Ravens continue to make me scratch my head in wonder, as they once again allowed their opponent to dictate the pace of the game, this time with the Browns running ball down their throats. If they do that again next Sunday, a win won’t be forthcoming on the road in Pittsburgh.

9. Miami (2-1) – The Dolphins played well at time against the Jets, but were eventually undone by their inability to get off the field defensively, allowing New York to march up and down at all the wrong times. Next up is another division showdown against the Patriots.

10. Chicago (3-0) – Is there anyone outside of Illinois that actually thought the Bears would be sitting at 3-0 at this point? I know I didn’t, and their continued rise to the top of the NFC North has been one of the league’s dominating story lines thus far. We’ll see if they can keep it rolling next week on the road against the Giants.

Middle of the pack

11. Tennessee (2-1)

12. Philadelphia (2-1)

13. Houston (2-1)

14. Kansas City (3-0)

15. Dallas (1-2)

16. Minnesota (1-2)

17. Cincinnati (2-1)

18. Arizona (2-1)

19. Seattle (2-1)

20. San Diego (1-2)

21. New York Giants (1-2)