NFL power rankings entering Week 4 of the 2024 season (previous rankings in parentheses):
1. Kansas City Chiefs (1): More impressive than the other 31 teams through three weeks? Probably not, especially since all of their wins came by close calls (and no calls). And with the loss of Pro Bowl tight end Travis Kelce to the team, an already-depleted offensive line may look a bit disjointed. But this team is refusing to lose, and quarterback Patrick Mahomes and the defense are making key plays when they need to. Pure respect will propel them to the top of this list until losses on the field or in personnel necessitate changes.
2. Buffalo Bills (3): Have they been more impressive than the other 31 teams through three weeks? A perfect record with the league’s best goal differential of +64 suggests they can do more than that in their quest to win a fifth consecutive AFC East title. Sunday night in Baltimore will be a big test for the Bills, as they play in their third straight primetime game.
3. Minnesota Vikings (7): Were they more impressive than the other 31 teams in the three weeks leading up to their first three-win start in eight years? That’s not a tough debate, either. Fully back, quarterback Sam Darnold leads the league in touchdown passes (8), the defense leads the league in sacks (16) and Kevin O’Connell might lead the league in Coach of the Year voting (if votes are cast in the primary ballot). That’s a very impressive run, especially considering quality wins over the 49ers and Texans.
4. Detroit Lions (5): DE Aidan Hutchinson continues to be in great form, closing in on 37 sacks (though it’s still early to tell), and his team will need that kind of pressure against this week’s opponent, Seattle, which has won six straight against the Lions and has won the past three meetings by an average score of 45-35.
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5. Philadelphia Eagles (9th): Running back Saquon Barkley’s 65-yard TD sprint on Sunday was 62 yards longer than expected and was the most notable run of the season, according to Next Gen Stats.
6. Green Bay Packers (11): With QB Jordan Love out with a knee injury, they’ve transformed into the league’s best rushing attack. The Packers’ 612 rushing yards are their fourth-most through three games since 1990.
7. New York Jets (10): QB Aaron Rodgers has never thrown a touchdown pass to a first-round wide receiver in his 18 years in Green Bay… but now they have Garrett Wilson. Speaking of former Packers passers, Rodgers became the first NYJ QB1 to beat New England under the lights since Brett Favre 16 years ago.
8. Pittsburgh Steelers (12th): It’s unclear how close the top-ranked defense will be to the plate, but the demands on QB Justin Fields will surely increase as injuries continue to plague the offensive linemen around him.
9. New Orleans Saints (6): Obviously, a lot of attention has been focused on their offense, but when was the last time they had a slot corner (Alontae Taylor) among the league’s top sack leaders (3ยฝ)?
10. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (4): The only team yet to allow a touchdown pass, but only one team has allowed more touchdowns on the ground than the Buccaneers’ six.
11. Houston Texans (2): Just as the run game has disappeared, so has the offense. After posting 29 points and 213 yards in Week 1, Houston has not matched those totals over the past two weeks.
12. San Francisco 49ers (8): Injuries, in general, have been the only thing slowing down Kyle Shanahan’s teams during the regular season, and they continue to pile up. DT Javon Hargrave (triceps) is out for the season, QB Brock Purdy is dealing with a back problem and the first time his career has him below 50%. No one knows when RB Christian McCaffrey (Achilles) will return.
13. Atlanta Falcons (13): Their offensive line is riddled with injuries, they have a poor third-down conversion rate (22.2%) and zero red-zone efficiency following Sunday night’s loss to the Chiefs, which doesn’t bode well for them heading into two key division games at home over the next two weeks (Saints, Buccaneers).
14. Arizona Cardinals (17): It’s fair to say QB Kyler Murray is fully recovered physically, and his 10.7 yards per rush are best in the league among players with 10-plus attempts.
15. Seattle Seahawks (20): The Seahawks are coming off big wins over three teams with one win each, and Sunday’s game at Ford Field will be the first real test for the early NFC West lead (two games up).
16. Los Angeles Chargers (14): Bad week for Harbaugh’s team. With QB Justin Herbert and starting offensive tackles both injured and safety Derwin James suspended, could the Chargers opt for a two-week bye instead of hosting KC this Sunday after losing five straight?
17. Baltimore Ravens (15): It’s been a good week for Harbaugh’s team. While running back Derrick Henry has looked a force on offense, the defense presents a strange dichotomy: best in the league against the run but worst against the pass.
18. Washington Commanders (27): Their “great college offense” led Washington to the most points (38) in four years, according to Cincinnati cornerback Cam Taylor-Britt, and QB Jayden Daniels set a rookie record for completion percentage (91.3%) in a game in Monday’s win. The Commanders haven’t punted since Week 1. If this season were over (it’s not), they’d win the NFC East.
19. Los Angeles Rams (26): Why doesn’t running back Kyren Williams’ pass past former Niners All-Pro save Talanoa Hufanga into the end zone get more attention, especially since it was the play that sparked Sunday’s improbable comeback?
20. Indianapolis Colts (22): If the team wants to emerge as a playoff contender, quarterback Anthony Richardson can’t continue completing passes at the bottom of the league at 49.3 percent.
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21. Dallas Cowboys (18): After giving up 72 points and nearly 900 yards over the past two weeks, the defense may not be at “full strength.” The Cowboys could pull themselves out of their current slump if they leave Dallas, where they’ve lost three straight.
22. Denver Broncos (30): After playing three teams with a combined record of 8-1, with their only loss coming in a shocking defeat to the Buccaneers on Sunday, the Broncos might deserve a little more respect.
23. Carolina Panthers (32): Veteran quarterback Andy Dalton came off the bench to pass for 319 yards and three touchdowns — numbers never surpassed by Bryce Young in his NFL career — in an upset win over Las Vegas on Sunday.
24. Cincinnati Bengals (16): Remember when QB Joe Burrow said, “This is what my career is all about”? You’re a funny guy… but it’s not fair to expect you to carry this franchise on your back for more than a few years.
25. Las Vegas Raiders (21): The quarterback position is certainly unstable, but the running game hasn’t improved, averaging a league-worst 51 yards per game and 2.8 yards per attempt so far.
26. Chicago Bears (24): Struggling No. 1 pick Caleb Williams will be under scrutiny after posting a 65.3 passer rating, the worst among NFC QBs, but running back D’Andre Swift has also yet to produce, managing just 68 yards on 37 carries for the conference’s worst offense (249.3 yards per game).
27. New York Giants (31): The Giants’ 14 sacks were second only to Minnesota and made them just the fourth team in the last 43 seasons to have nine different players record at least a half-sack in the same game.
28. Cleveland Browns (19): Injuries have plagued the Browns again, but if reigning Defensive Player of the Year Myles Garrett’s leg gets out of control, that could end their season… if it already has.
29. Miami Dolphins (25): They still don’t seem to have made a move on quarterback Russell Wilson, and when they face the even more hapless Titans next Monday night, it looks like quarterback Tim Boyle and/or Snoop Huntley will be tasked with winning the season.
30. New England Patriots (28): Of all the thankless tasks QB Jacoby Brissett has had over the years, serving as a human shield for rookie Drake Maye has to rank last.
31. Tennessee Titans (29): Few teams have spent more lavishly during free agency, but this team just proved that’s not the best way to build a roster, which could make an 0-3 start feel that much worse.
32. Jacksonville Jaguars (23): Few teams have spent more lavishly during free agency, but this team just proved that’s not the best way to build a roster and it could make an 0-3 start feel that much worse.
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