NFL Power Rankings: Week 4 (2021)
Coming into Week 3, underdogs were an incredible 21-11-0 (65.6%) against the spread, and despite not having a third-consecutive dominant week, they still covered in eight of the 16 games.
We’ve got a new number one team in the power rankings after the reigning leader of the pack dropped their first game of the year. The Chiefs, who I never expected to move outside my top five, are now outside the top 10 after a second-straight loss. the Bills and Packers are back near the top after stumbling out of the gate, and the Steelers have tumbled all the way outside the top 20.
I asked last week “are the Panthers, Raiders, and Broncos actually good?†Apparently, they are, and all three teams are a perfect 3-0. Let’s check out where they, and each of the 32 teams landed in this week’s power rankings.
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NFL Power Rankings Week 4
Big Movers
Kansas City Chiefs
The Chiefs' defense was pretty bad last year, but they made it work for the most part. This year looks like a different story. Kansas City’s defense cost them eight spots in the power rankings after a second straight loss, and a second straight week giving up 30 points. The only week they kept their opponent below 30 was Week 1 when Cleveland scored just 29.
Seattle Seahawks
As I mentioned in the write-up above, the NFC West isn’t a division you want to lose back-to-back games in. This is the toughest division in the NFL, and Seattle is at the bottom of it. The schedule doesn’t get any easier from here, and you’ve always got a shot when Russell Wilson is your quarterback, but they need to fix things quickly.
Cincinnati Bengals
I doubt many power rankings have the Bengals inside the top 20, and I can’t imagine anyone predicted putting this team inside the top 20 this year, let alone this early. Cincinnati has one loss by only three points, and they just won in Pittsburgh for the first time since 2015. A lot of people, including me, questioned their pick of Ja’Marr Chase in last year’s draft, but it’s looking like a good one.
Random Musings
Green Bay Packers
Week 1’s 38-3 beat down at the hands of the Saints feels like an eternity ago. Aaron Rodgers and company have bounced back with consecutive 30-point performances, including yet another last-second, game-winning drive from number 12. I still don’t fully trust this defense, and I don’t think they can make it out of the NFC if it doesn’t improve somehow, but this offense looks back.
Baltimore Ravens
The Ravens are going to be hard to trust this year. This was a typical smash-spot for Lamar Jackson since he took over under center; he regularly punishes bad teams and Baltimore has no problem running up the score. Not on Sunday, however. It took them a miracle 4th down conversion and a 66-yard field goal off the crossbar to squeak past the Lions.
Pittsburgh Steelers
Pittsburgh’s offense is anemic. A week after losing by nine and mustering just 17 points at home against the Raiders, the Steelers tallied just 10 against the visiting Bengals. Since being 11-0 last season, Pittsburgh is just 2-7 and averaging only 20.7 points per game. This team doesn’t stand a chance in a tough AFC if they can’t figure out how to score, it doesn’t matter how good their defense is.
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Mike Wagenman is a featured writer at BettingPros. For more from Mike, check out his archive and follow him on Twitter @mjwags23.