NFL Power Rankings after Week Four

We are nearly a quarter of the way through the 2023 NFL regular season and teams are starting to take shape. It is becoming more and more obvious who’s got it, and who hasn’t, so let’s take a look at where all 32 teams are ranked…

The Bears are a mess, despite a genuinely impressive day out for Justin Fields, Chicago surrendered a huge lead to a mostly hapless Broncos team. This is going to be a long season in the Windy City with the only salvation likely coming from their expected high draft picks.

The Giants aren’t good, their impressive 2022 season is looking like a mirage in comparison to the reality of their 2023 campaign. Daniel Jones and Brian Daboll seem to be frustrating each other on the sideline and the defense can’t get anything going,

It is far too early to write any rookie off yet, especially at the quarterback position but so far it looks like Bryce Young is the worst of the three first-round QBs. This is year one of a full rebuild so expectations were low, not this low though.

Josh McDaniels calling out rookie QB Aidan O’Connell isn’t a great look for a head coach who is suddenly under all sorts of pressure. The Raiders’ offensive line conceded six sacks to the Chargers, all of them to Khalil Mack, remarkable.

The Broncos were able to come back from a big deficit against the Bears and sneak a win, something that should always be acknowledged a good accomplishment in the NFL. However, their defense allowed Justin Fields to pass all over them throughout the game, showcasing their dearth of talent. This is, once again, a bad team.

The Pats look set to have an extended spell without Christian Gonzalez and Matthew Judon available, two crushing losses to a defense that has held up well for the most part. We predicted this was going to be Belichick’s final year in New England, and whilst it’s too early to be calling time, it could well be heading that way.

There are plenty of teams playing with vastly less heart and hustle than the Cardinals through four weeks, which can only be a positive for a team loaded with draft capital next year. However, they are still lacking talent which eventually shows through.

The Steelers are sitting at .500, which is around where we expected them to be all year. Overall it’s not an especially talented team outside of their incredible pass rushing duo, yet Mike Tomlin is consistently able to get his teams playing above their talent level.

The defensive unit is solid and will keep the Saints in most games this year but the signing of Derek Carr is looking worse and worse every week as he’s just not good enough to make a significant impact.

The Bengals were given the benefit of the doubt through three weeks but after a horrendous loss to the Titans they have slipped to 23. Burrow is clearly not 100% healthy and something just feels ‘off’.

The Falcons have some nice pieces on both sides of the ball, they are simply held back by their quarterback play. Desmond Ridder doesn’t look like he’s good enough to lead a team in the NFL at the moment, and he may never be.

There should be real optimism in Indy, if Richardson stays healthy and continues his development, the Colts have an absolute stud on their hands. Shane Steichen has taken to head coaching like a duck to water, which is also very helpful.

The Vikings finally won a game, even if it was far from convincing. They are a mediocre team in a league with a lot of bad-mediocre teams, they could arguably be +/- 5 positions different here.

Signs of life from Zach Wilson at last as the much-maligned Jets QB played a good game against the defending champs. The defense continues to be one of the best units in football, it doesn’t look like that will be enough on its own though.

The Rams played an impressive game against the Colts if we ignore most of the second half (but not overtime). This is another team being dragged forward by a few talented players, none more so than rookie sensation Puka Nacua.

The Titans are becoming a weird team, winning well one week, losing badly the next. Perhaps this speaks to the talent of the teams they’re playing, or there just aren’t that many good teams in the league right now.

There is absolutely no shame in losing in OT to this Philadelphia Eagles team. Sam Howell played the game of his young career so far, throwing dimes all over the field. If this continues, this is a team that could sneak into the playoffs.

The Texans and the Jags are very close right now but on the weight of talent alone, we are going to have to slot the Texans in slightly lower. Demeco Ryans’ star has risen rapidly in the coaching world and he is showcasing all of his talent with his work in Houston. C.J. Stroud is really, really good, too.

The Jags did enough to win their game against the Falcons in London, yet there is a real sense they haven’t found their rhythm yet. There was a lot of optimism around Doug Pederson and Trevor Lawrence in 2023 but it hasn’t quite clicked yet.

A bounce-back win for the Bucs after being steamrolled by the Eagles in week three. The sheer quality of some of their star players shines through and allows Baker Mayfield to play to his strengths. The NFC South is there for the taking.

The Browns were humbled by the Ravens in week four, with rookie backup Dorain Thomson-Robinson throwing three tough picks. The defense should bounce back and get them competitive soon enough.

Jordan Love never looked comfortable in the Packers tough loss to the Lions on TNF, showing signs there is still work to be done in his first season as a starter. Overall there is a lot to be optimistic about here as they continue to grow together as a team.

The Chargers are not playing their best football with any level of consistency at the moment yet they have scraped their way to 2-2 with a couple of back-to-back wins. There should be a lot more to come here.

The Lions have looked like a very good team through four weeks, showcasing why so many were jumping on the bandwagon during the preseason. They could well place a little higher here but it’s pretty congested at the top.

Good teams beast bad teams, which is exactly what the Seahawks did to the Giants on Monday Night Football. It wasn’t a classic performance by any means but there is plenty to be encouraged by, not least Devon Witherspoon’s pick six.

One week you’re scoring 70 points, the next you’re conceding 48 to a divisional rival. The Dolphins defense is bad and he Bills and Josh Allen beat them up all over the field. If the offense is clicking perfectly, there are ways to beat this team.

The Ravens have found themselves in a fortuitous position with the Bengals collapse. They should have the inside track to the AFC North title, and could well be in contention for home-field advantage. There’s so much to like about this team.

It feels a little ridiculous to have the 3-1 defending champs at number five but with a loss under their belts and unconvincing performances elsewhere, there is some work to do. They’ll figure it out, it’s just taking some time.

The Cowboys bounced back with another dominant defensive performance against the Pats, stifling anything Mac Jones could throw at them and scoring a couple of defensive TDs along the way.

The Bills kicked into gear after a slightly concerning week one loss, since then they have looked near unstoppable. Josh Allen went 21/25 for 320 yards and four TDs against the Dolphins which is madness. The best AFC team by a margin so far.

A strange start to the year as their 4-0 record could easily look a little different, yet they are finding ways to win which is all you can ask for. Jalen Hurts is starting to look better week by week, even if he hasn’t been the dynamic playmaker we were perhaps expecting.

The Niners are truly deserving of their 4-0 start, tearing up any opposition they have come up against so far. The NFC is mostly weak but the top three are setting up for some dramatic clashes over the coming weeks.