Three weeks into the NFL season, things are starting to get interesting.
We are still a long way from knowing who the real contenders are, but we have seen enough football to start separating the teams that look legitimate from the teams that still have some work to do.
Some teams have lived up to the hype, others have surprised us, and a few have already given us plenty to question.
With that in mind, here are my top 10 NFL power rankings heading into Week 4.
Week 4 NFL Power Rankings
1. Kansas City Chiefs (2-1) — Last Week: No. 3
I am officially buying what the Kansas City Chiefs are selling. Kansas City has a +38 scoring differential, a top-five rushing attack and, a top-10 offense, while the defense looks like it is getting back to being one of the best units in the NFL. Patrick Mahomes also looks comfortable and healthy, which is probably the biggest development for this team. The Chiefs are starting to look like the complete team we have been waiting to see.
2. San Francisco 49ers (3-0) — Last Week: No. 4
Brock Purdy is officially starting to make an MVP case, and I am not sure anyone expected that this early in the season. George Kittle also looks completely healthy again, giving Purdy another weapon in an offense that continues to move the ball consistently. The San Francisco 49ers defense has been banged up, yet it continues to play at an extremely high level. Kyle Shanahan has this team rolling, and the 49ers are looking like a legitimate Super Bowl contender.
3. Buffalo Bills (2-1) — Last Week: No. 1
I know the Buffalo Bills won, but that was not exactly the cleanest performance. You simply cannot turn the ball over five times and expect to consistently beat good teams, and Buffalo has now given us some reasons to be concerned about this defense. I still completely trust Josh Allen and this offense to figure things out, but the defense is becoming a bigger question mark than I expected. The Bills are still one of the best teams in football, but they have some things to clean up.
4. Seattle Seahawks (2-1) — Last Week: No. 2
There are no layups in the NFL, and the Seattle Seahawks found that out this week. The lack of a consistent running game could become a problem, especially when defenses can focus more heavily on Sam Darnold and the passing game. Darnold looked good in his first game back from injury, and this defense has shown enough to give me confidence moving forward. Seattle may have taken a step back this week, but I am not ready to panic.
5. Baltimore Ravens (2-1) — Last Week: No. 7
The Baltimore Ravens offense is starting to click, and a top-five scoring offense is exactly what this team needed after some early concerns. The defense has been a little sluggish, but there is simply too much talent on that side of the ball to believe this will continue all season. Jesse Minter has plenty of experience running an aggressive defense, so I am not ready to sound the alarms just yet. If the defense can catch up to the offense, Baltimore could quickly become one of the most dangerous teams in the AFC.
6. Minnesota Vikings (3-0) — Last Week: No. 10
Last week, we gave the Minnesota Vikings their flowers, and it turns out we were right to do so. Brian Flores and his Tasmanian Devil defense are absolutely crushing teams, allowing just 13.7 points per game through three weeks. Somehow, Kevin O’Connell continues to find ways to get points out of an offense that has dealt with constant injuries. The Vikings are undefeated for a reason, and they have earned a spot in the NFC contender conversation.
7. Jacksonville Jaguars (2-1) — Last Week: N/A
The Jacksonville Jaguars got right back on track with a dominant 35-6 win over the New England Patriots. This has quietly been one of the most well-rounded teams in the NFL so far, with Jacksonville finding ways to contribute on both sides of the football. It is early, but this team looks much different from the one we saw struggle last season. Now comes the interesting part: seeing whether Jacksonville can produce the same results against tougher competition.
8. Los Angeles Rams (2-1) — Last Week: No. 5
The Los Angeles Rams got a pretty bad break in their loss to Denver because, quite frankly, they should have won that game. The defense looked better, but the offense clearly misses Puka Nacua, and that absence is going to continue to matter until he returns. And then there is the Myles Garrett problem. If Garrett eventually gets back on the field, this defense could become a nightmare.
9. Denver Broncos (2-1) — Last Week: No. 8
As mentioned above, I do not think the Denver Broncos deserved to win that game. They were completely dominated for long stretches, and Denver will need to play much better if this team is going to remain in the top 10. That said, I still think this is a good football team that simply needs to find its footing. The problem is that another performance like this could have the Broncos slipping out of the rankings altogether.
10. Cincinnati Bengals (2-1) — Last Week: No. 9
After starting 2-0, the Cincinnati Bengals suffered a tough divisional loss to the Pittsburgh Steelers and now find themselves in danger of slipping out of the top 10. The offense has been okay, but it has not exactly looked like the high-powered unit we are used to seeing from Cincinnati. The defense, at least compared to previous years, has been much more respectable. There is plenty of talent on this roster, but Cincinnati needs to get the offense moving again before the Bengals slide any further down these rankings.
Main Image: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images
