Weekly NFL Power Rankings Week 4: Buffalo Ascends to No. 1

There continues to be a ton of movement around the league.

We’re starting to get a much better idea of exactly who each team in the NFL is. The sample size continues to grow, and it feels like this season has more disappointments than I can remember.

Time to make some more fan bases mad. Here are the Week 4 Power Rankings.

NFL Power Rankings Week 4

1. Buffalo Bills (3-0)

Change: +1

It wasn’t pretty, but the Bills overcame five turnovers to defeat the Chargers 24-16 on Sunday. Josh Allen was pressing for much of the game, but when it wasn’t his best showing, Buffalo had the luxury of turning to one of the best running backs in the league in James Cook, who rushed for 154 yards and a touchdown.

Last year, the Bills probably lost that game. But their pass rush looks a lot more potent this season, anchored by Greg Rousseau and his league-leading six sacks through three weeks.

2. San Francisco 49ers (3-0)

Change: +1

You know, it’s a shame this team just cannot ever stay healthy. But the fact remains that Brock Purdy is probably the MVP of the league through three weeks, as he continues to post huge numbers regardless of who is catching passes for San Francisco. If San Francisco ever had injury luck on their side, they would probably be the unquestioned best team in football.

But for now, they’ll have to settle for second.

3. Kansas City Chiefs (3-0)

Change: +1

Patrick Mahomes looking like himself is already scary enough for the rest of the NFL. But Mahomes with an elite run game alongside him?

Well, that’s downright frightening.

4. Seattle Seahawks (2-1)

Change: -3

The good news? The Seahawks got Sam Darnold back last week. The bad news? They lost on the road against a Washington team missing their starting quarterback. Turnovers were an issue, as Darnold tossed two interceptions, including a fourth-quarter pick-six that all but ended the game. Jadarian Price also lost his second fumble of the year, as this Seattle rushing attack has left much to be desired, especially around the goal line.

5. Baltimore Ravens (2-1)

Change: +2

Wow.

The Ravens beat the Cowboys in one of the craziest finishes we’ll see all year. Baltimore got WR1 Zay Flowers back, and although he was limited, his presence was felt in a huge way. I get it: When you have Derrick Henry, it makes sense to simply feed him the ball in the red zone. But their offense from in close has been a bit too predictable at times.

6. Denver Broncos (2-1)

Change: +2

Through three weeks, Sean Payton’s group has yet to play a complete football game. The offense is incredibly inconsistent but seems to make enough plays down the stretch when it matters most. It’s good to see the defense has mostly bounced back following Week 1’s embarrassing showing, but the offense needs to get off to faster starts,

7. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1)

Change: +2

Jacksonville just beat the brakes off the struggling Patriots, a nice bounce-back performance following last week’s loss to Denver. Liam Coen and Trevor Lawrence get most of the spotlight, but Bhayshul Tuten has quietly been one of the best running backs in football through the first three weeks.

8. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1

Change: -2

The Bengals’ much-improved defense took a step back on Sunday, allowing Aaron Rodgers and Jaylen Warren to do whatever they wanted. What was most notable was how badly they were gashed by the run game whenever Dexter Lawrence was off the field. On eight carries with Lawrence off the field, the Steelers rushed for 57 yards and averaged 3.7 yards before contact per attempt.

9. Los Angeles Rams (1-2)

Change: -4

Yes, the Rams are 1-2 and have looked rough at times so far this season. But at the end of the day, there are a few teams with better records that, well, are just not better than Sean McVay’s group. It’s no excuse for losing the way they lost in Denver, but I’m sure having two of their best players back in their lineup will help.

10. Minnesota Vikings (3-0)

Change: +2

I mention it every week in this article when it comes to the Vikings. And every week it is evident.

The Minnesota Vikings coaching staff is as good as it gets.

Brian Flores has opposing passing attacks in hell with his blitz-heavy scheme. Kevin O’Connell is one of the better playcallers in football. If the Vikings can finally get consistent play from the quarterback position, this team can be very dangerous. Hopefully Justin Jefferson (ankle) can play this weekend, but a home matchup with the Dolphins shouldn’t be too much trouble.

11. Chicago Bears (2-1)

Change: +5

Any given Sunday… or in this case, Monday.

Case Keenum shocked the world on Monday, lighting up the Eagles' defense in a surprise 27-7 win. Outside of a few near-interceptions, Keenum played great, while Ben Johnson called a phenomenal game. But DC Dennis Allen also deserves some credit, disguising looks and forcing three turnovers.

This team’s true ceiling obviously can’t be reached without Caleb Williams, but it was encouraging to see Keenum fill in more than admirably in his absence. And with the Jets, Packers, Falcons and Patriots on the schedule, it wouldn’t be shocking to see the Bears keep winning without Caleb.

12. Philadelphia Eagles (2-1)

Change: -2

I’m not exactly sure what to make of the Eagles right now. They are very, very close to being 0-3, but we all know this team is way better than they’ve put on tape through three weeks. Last week’s loss to the Bears is inexcusable, especially on defense where there were bad penalties and blown coverages everywhere. On offense, there appears to be some growing pains with new OC Sean Mannion.

Things will get better, but once again, nothing feels easy for this offense right now.

13. Dallas Cowboys (1-2)

No change

We were very close to the Cowboys likely being ranked higher on this list. But Brian Schottenheimer’s late-game decision-making was head-scratching, to say the least. And then when we all thought overtime was on the way, the Cowboys let Lamar Jackson connect with Zay Flowers over the middle of the field for 22 yards, setting up Tyler Loop’s magical game-winning field goal.

The run defense showed some signs of life in the second half, but it once again looks like the Cowboys are going to have to outscore their opponents in 2026.

14. Las Vegas Raiders (3-0)

Change: +7

At what point does this start to become real?

The Raiders are one of football’s final five undefeated teams, coming off a thrilling 35-27 win in New Orleans. Brock Bowers’ season debut was awesome, while the Raiders continue to make opportune plays on defense. This week they’ll face their first true test—a matchup with 3-0 Kansas City.

15. Detroit Lions (2-1)

No change

The Lions have basically been the same team every single week. Score a bunch of points on offense, watch Jahmyr Gibbs make insane plays, allow a ton of points on defense, but make one key stop at the end of the game. I’m not sure how sustainable it is, but their schedule helps out quite a bit.

16. New Orleans Saints (1-2)

Change: -2

The Saints had been impressive late in games through the first two weeks, but couldn’t close down the stretch this past Sunday. Still, despite the 1-2 record, I’m relatively high on the Saints. I’m a believer in Tyler Shough and Kellen Moore, though there are concerns surrounding the offensive line and run game.

17. Pittsburgh Steelers (2-1)

Change: +5

I can already tell the Steelers are going to shuffle around my power rankings more than any other team over the course of the season. The main reason why?

No one ever knows what to expect from this offense.

Some weeks Aaron Rodgers is attacking downfield (like this past week against the Bengals). But others he’s throwing behind the line of scrimmage 40% of the time. I will say, it was very encouraging to see Jaylen Warren thrive in a workhorse role, and we know the floor this defense will give us each week.

18. Cleveland Browns (2-1)

Change: +9

Cleveland has now ripped off consecutive wins, something I wasn’t sure would happen all year long. After a brutal performance in Week 1, the defense has bounced back over the past two weeks, while Deshaun Watson is kind of, sort of playing OK.

19. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)

Change: +1

I still have question marks about the Colts. When facing competent offenses (which the Texans are not, without Nico Collins), the defense has been brutal, while the depth at pass-catcher is a concern. But simply put, there are worse teams in the league right now.

Congrats, Colts?

20. New York Giants (2-1)

Change: +3

I’m not taking much from the Giants’ 12-7 win over Tennessee on Sunday. It was against one of the league’s worst offenses in some of the worst weather. And we still have no clue what to expect from the quarterback room, especially following the addition of J.J. McCarthy. It was, however, good to see John Harbaugh finally commit to Cam Skattebo.

21. Washington Commanders (1-2)

Change: +8

Following a thrilling win over the defending champs, the Commanders have to be one of the top risers this week. Marcus Mariota, as he usually does, filled in admirably for Jayden Daniels, while Terry McLaurin finally had his breakout game. I still have concerns about this pass defense, but first-round rookie Sonny Styles is a rising star.

I debated between Washington and a few other teams for this spot. But once Daniels returns, this team just has a higher ceiling.

22. New York Jets (1-2)

Change: +2

The Jets don’t care about close losses, but they have been damn close to consecutive wins against Green Bay and Detroit. Geno Smith has given this offense much-needed stable play at quarterback, while the defense has been a bit better than expected.

23. Carolina Panthers (1-2)

Change: -5

Admittedly, I wasn’t fully buying into the Panthers, largely because their only win was against the Cooper Rush-led Falcons in Week 2. This defense has some key injuries right now, too. Devin Lloyd missed last week’s game, but now starting corners Jaycee Horn and Mike Jackson have been placed on injured reserve.

24. Houston Texans (0-3)

Change: -13

A huge part of me still believes Houston will get it together and contend for the AFC South. It would certainly help if Nico Collins could return to the lineup, especially after a week where this passing offense really struggled against a vulnerable Colts defense.

25. Atlanta Falcons (1-2

Change: +6

With Michael Penix giving Atlanta serviceable quarterback play, we saw a world of difference from this offense. Drake London flirted with 200 receiving yards, the run game with Bijan Robinson was dominant and drives were sustained. And on the defensive side of the ball, the Falcons very quietly lead the NFL in pressure rate through three weeks (44.2%).

26. New England Patriots (1-2)

Change: -9

You know, last year’s accusations that the Patriots were schedule merchants are starting to carry some weight.

This team is lost right now. Drake Maye is playing legitimately terrible football, the run game isn’t adding much and the pass-catchers don’t strike fear in any defenses. They have a chance to shut everyone up with a statement game in Buffalo this week, but things are looking rough in Foxboro.

27. Arizona Cardinals (1-2)

Change: +3

Give the Cardinals credit for continuing to battle most weeks. Perhaps the top takeaway? Mike LaFleur finally unleashed Jeremiyah Love this past weekend.

28. Los Angeles Chargers (0-3)

Change: -3

If you told me that the Chargers would force five turnovers IN BUFFALO, I’d almost guarantee they ruined everyone’s survivor pools with an upset win. And yet, the Chargers scored just 10 points off those giveaways, while Jim Harbaugh settled for field goals against Josh Allen.

Bold strategy.

29. Green Bay Packers (1-2)

Change: -10

Outside of the Titans (spoiler alert), I honestly wouldn’t argue with anyone who ranked Green Bay as the worst team in all of football. The offensive line is so bad that they continue to sign veterans off the street to help out. There is zero run game to speak of, while the defense is allowing over 28 points per game since Micah Parsons tore his ACL toward the end of last season.

30. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (0-3)

Change: -4

Things somehow got worse for Tampa Bay this past weekend.

Not only did the Bucs fall to 0-3, but they lost starting quarterback Baker Mayfield for at least the next three weeks with a dislocated thumb in his throwing hand. We’ll see if undrafted rookie Jalon Daniels can provide a spark for this team. The bright side?

They still play in the NFC South.

31. Miami Dolphins (0-3)

Change: +1

The Dolphins battled with Kansas City last week, but as it will be most weeks, they just didn’t have enough talent. And that is even more apparent after losing star running back De’Von Achane for the season to a torn ACL.

32. Tennessee Titans (0-3)

Change: -4

Cam Ward just doesn’t appear to be taking strides in his sophomore season. Tennessee’s Week 3 showing against the Giants was even more disappointing considering how impressive they were in Week 2’s near-win over the Philadelphia Eagles.