Week 3 of the NFL season brought many surprises. The Carolina Panthers beat the Las Vegas Raiders, who beat the Baltimore Ravens last week. The Washington Commanders had a breakout game from rookie QB Jayden Daniels, while the Buffalo Bills look like a problem for the rest of the NFL.
In Cards Wire’s new Week 4 NFL power rankings, the top remained the same. There was a lot of moving around after that.
NFL power rankings entering Week 4
1. Buffalo Bills (no change)
They are 3-0 and put on a beatdown of the Jaguars.
2. Kansas City Chiefs (no change)
They are 3-0 and are winning close games, which will serve them later on.
3. Minnesota Vikings (+10)
OK, so maybe Sam Darnold can do this. Four TD passes? And luckily his knee injury isn’t serious.
4. Detroit Lions (+3)
They held the Cardinals to only 13 points after their 41-point explosion and won a tough game despite getting shut out in the second half. The offense looked better and the defense was fantastic.
5. Pittsburgh Steelers (+9)
They are 3-0 under Mike Tomlin for the first time. The defense is great and Justin Fields is doing enough.
6. Seattle Seahawks (+9)
They blew out a decimated Dolphins team, but they are 3-0 and just keep beating the teams they face.
7. Los Angeles Chargers (+1)
They couldn’t beat the Steelers but that defense is still tremendous. We have to watch that ankle injury for Justin Herbert, though.
8. New York Jets (+4)
They made short work of the Pats, but was that really impressive? That said, they are headed in the right direction.
9. Houston Texans (-6)
They were beat down by the Vikings. They are still good but too many other teams looked better in Week 3.
10. Philadelphia Eagles (no change)
Their much-maligned defense held the league’s top-scoring team to only 12 points.
11. San Francisco 49ers (-5)
They lost to the Rams, who had previously been awful. But they now lost DL Javon Hargrave for the season. TE George Kittle is hurt and QB Brock Purdy has a back injury. The injuries are piling up.
12. Green Bay Packers (+4)
Another win without Jordan Love, and Love might come back in Week 4.
13. Baltimore Ravens (+5)
They got their first win but almost gave it up in the fourth quarter. Derrick Henry was huge against the Cowboys with 151 yards and two scores.
14. Cincinnati Bengals (-10)
Their defense couldn’t stop Jayden Daniels. They are 0-3 in a division were the Steelers are 3-0.
15. New Orleans Saints (-10)
Their first two games made us believe too much in them.
16. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (-7)
How do you go from beating the Lions to losing to the Broncos?
17. Atlanta Falcons (no change)
They were so close to knocking off the Chiefs. If they don’t lose too many games early, they will be a problem later on.
18. Dallas Cowboys (-7)
Their defense is something to worry about right now.
19. Indianapolis Colts (no change)
So they beat the Bears.
20. L.A. Rams (+3)
They found some life against the Niners to avoid an 0-3 start.
21. Arizona Cardinals (+1)
They struggled offensively against the Lions but the defense held them scoreless in the second half. They looked like how we expected them to be. Incredibly competitive but not quite able to hang with more polished teams.
22. Miami Dolphins (-2)
Now Skylar Thompson got hurt?
23. Cleveland Browns (-2)
They lost to the Giants? Deshaun Watson is looking more and more like a really bad decision.
24. Washington Commanders (+4)
Jayden Daniels had a coming out party on Monday night. The defense, though, still might be a problem.
25. Denver Broncos (+5)
Bo Nix was not terrible.
26. Jacksonville Jaguars (-2)
They kind of look like the 2022 Cardinals how things are falling apart.
27. Las Vegas Raiders (-2)
How do you beat the Ravens and then go and lose to Andy Dalton?
28. Chicago Bears (-2)
Caleb Williams will be good. He will make a lot of mistakes this season.
29. New York Giants (+2)
Malik Nabers looks great. Imagine if they had kept Saquon Barkley.
30. Carolina Panthers (+2)
So Bryce Young was holding them back? Andy Dalton led a 36-point explosion.
31. New England Patriots (-4)
So that season-opening win might have said more about the Bengals than the Pats.
32. Tennessee Titans (-3)
They fired Mike Vrabel for this?
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