NFL Power Rankings: Where Your Team Stands to Start October

September in the NFL is like a warm-up act. It is great to get back to football, as the saying goes, but now are when things really start to kick into gear. 

We have four weeks worth of game evidence to judge teams by, though two of them have only played three games thanks to a ridiculous early-season bye week. 

With that evidence comes the gift and burden of knowledge. We think we know where these teams stand, but records can be deceiving because quality of competition has to be factored in. That is what makes power rankings so much fun, especially early on. 

So as the calendar welcomes in October, here is where all 32 teams stand heading into the second month of the season. 

1. Houston Texans (4-0)

Ignore for a second the teams that the Texans are playing, because that group leaves a lot to be desired. Instead focus on the way they are handling themselves against those teams. They are not just squeaking by—they are dominating like no other team in the NFL. 

Things don't figure to get much tougher for the Texans heading into Week 5, as they travel north to take on the New York Jets on Monday night. 

2. Atlanta Falcons (4-0)

The Falcons escaped Week 4 with a victory, but there were some holes that Cam Newton was able to expose on the defense. Still, it is hard to argue with what they are doing on offense right now. 

3. San Francisco 49ers (3-1)

I want to give the 49ers credit for taking care of business against the Jets, but that was just a terrible performance from New York at home. Jim Harbaugh's crew will have another AFC East foe this week when they host Buffalo. 

4. Baltimore Ravens (3-1)

An uninspired victory against Cleveland has the Ravens' stock down slightly. Sunday's game against Kansas City could be the perfect cure. 

5. Green Bay Packers (2-2)

I have debated what to do with the Packers. I like that their offense finally had a breakout game, albeit against a woeful Saints defense. On the other hand, their offensive line looks like a problem, and the defense still doesn't have anyone who can pressure the quarterback outside of Clay Matthews. 

There is still too much talent on this roster for them to hang around .500 all season, though I don't feel as good about the Packers as I did before the season. 

6. New England Patriots (2-2)

Everything I said about the Packers can be applied to the Patriots, but when you score 45 points in a half, you deserve some praise. 

7. Cincinnati Bengals (3-1)

Flying under the radar, the Bengals just keep taking care of business. Granted, Cleveland, Washington and Jacksonville don't exactly scream juggernauts, but I think Andy Dalton and A.J. Green are just getting started. 

8. Chicago Bears (3-1)

Whenever the Bears play in prime time, there is bound to be some ugliness. At least this week it came from the other side of the field with Tony Romo.

Brandon Marshall is the key to this offense. When he is on, everything else falls into place. When he gets lost, they are not going to score a lot of points. 

9. San Diego Chargers (3-1)

Stop me if you have heard this before: The Chargers are the most annoying team in football to figure out. At least this year they are winning early-season games to put themselves in position to contend later this season. 

10. Denver Broncos (2-2)

Give the Broncos credit for doing exactly what was expected against Oakland. Things will get much tougher this week as Peyton Manning and Tom Brady rekindle their rivalry in a Sunday night game that might garner a little attention. 

11. Arizona Cardinals (4-0)

At what point does luck start to run out? The Cardinals keep catching break after break, week after week that you wonder if they are just going to be the luckiest team in the NFL. 

Playing on a short week in St. Louis could be their undoing, though you would be foolish to underestimate what they can do if they play up to their potential. 

12. Philadelphia Eagles (3-1)

The Eagles are the only team in the league that can challenge the Cardinals for the title of "luckiest team." They don't often look impressive, despite having a deep roster of talent, but still walk away victorious. 

13. Minnesota Vikings (3-1)

I know that it is almost impossible for a wide receiver to win the MVP award in this era of football. Thankfully, Percy Harvin isn't a true wide receiver limited to just that position because he is the best playmaker in football right now. 

14. New York Giants (2-2)

Just when we think the Giants are going to get on a roll after a 31-point destruction of Carolina, they come out against the Eagles in prime time and look rather lethargic. Just another day in the life of the defending Super Bowl champs, I guess. 

15. Pittsburgh Steelers (1-2)

An early bye week could be the worst thing that happens to the Steelers. They are an older team that will now have to play 13 straight weeks. Even so, they have proven time and again to be a force when you doubt them. 

16. New Orleans Saints (0-4)

The offense finally came to life against the Packers. Drew Brees looked like his old self, and they played a fun game to watch. Sadly, that defense is a joke right now and will ruin any hope they have of making it into the postseason. 

17. Washington Redskins (2-2)

Robert Griffin III is so good that he doesn't need a headset to call plays and engineer a game-winning drive in the fourth quarter. If only the secondary was good enough to support him, they might be making a lot more noise. 

18. St. Louis Rams (2-2)

When the Rams started the season, we all agreed that the offensive line had to do a better job of protecting Sam Bradford. That hasn't happened yet, but at least the former No. 1 overall pick is able to stay up long enough to make a few plays here and there. 

They could take a big step forward this week with a victory over the NFC West-leading and undefeated Arizona Cardinals on Thursday night. 

19. Buffalo Bills (2-2)

If you are someone who believes in curses, look at Buffalo. This franchise spends millions of dollars in the offseason to shore up its defense, only to see the Patriots drop a 45 spot on them in the second half of a game the Bills were leading 21-7 at one point. 

20. Dallas Cowboys (2-2)

I really have no idea what to say about the Cowboys. They are 20th here, but I could easily move them down a lot based on what happened Monday night. 

We can talk all we want about the talent they have on both sides of the ball, yet it never seems to materialize consistently on the field. Tony Romo will catch a lot of heat, but Dez Bryant is a bigger problem, at least to me. 

21. Carolina Panthers (1-3)

The Panthers offense finally looked the way we all figured it would coming into the season, though they still don't have a running game beyond Cam Newton. 

When you allow a 60-yard pass completion against a team backed up against their own goal line, however, you deserve to lose. Terrible coverage all around and the Falcons made them pay. 

22. Detroit Lions (1-3)

Is there a worst-coached team in the league right now than the Lions? They have no discipline in any facet of the game. Matthew Stafford has completely lost his throwing mechanics. They make stupid, careless plays constantly. 

That playoff appearance last year could end up being an aberration unless something drastic happens soon. 

23. Seattle Seahawks (2-2)

Russell Wilson was getting praise for his preseason performance—which is a joke. Through four games, he has just 594 yards passing, four touchdowns and four interceptions. He is a rookie but isn't doing anything to help the offense. 

24. New York Jets (2-2)

Whenever someone mentions the Jets, you really just want to laugh, because this whole thing is a sitcom right now. It could also be a time bomb just waiting to go off, if it hasn't already. 

Week 4 might have been rock bottom for Rex Ryan's team. They got shutout at home against San Francisco in a game where the 49ers didn't play their best game. Mark Sanchez has no idea what he is doing. Fans want Tim Tebow, though there is no evidence he can do anything to improve this offense either. 

Don't be fooled by that 2-2 record—this team is going to finish well below the .500 mark in 2012. 

25. Kansas City Chiefs (1-3)

At least the Chiefs have Jamaal Charles, who is arguably the most exciting and explosive running back in the NFL when completely healthy. Other than that, there really isn't a lot to be excited about. 

Hey, at least Romeo Crennel is sticking with Matt Cassel at quarterback. 

26. Indianapolis Colts (1-2)

This is a trying time for the Colts, who will be without head coach Chuck Pagano for the foreseeable future. You wish him the best as he prepares for a battle far greater than anything on the field. 

On the field, the Colts will face their biggest test of the season as they host the Green Bay Packers. 

27. Tennessee Titans (1-3)

If you like to look at point differential, the Titans are the worst team in the NFL at minus-70. To top that off, they lost starting quarterback Jake Locker to a shoulder injury for what looks to be at least a few weeks, according to a report in the Tennessean. 

On a positive note, Chris Johnson actually remembered that he gets paid to run the ball, going for 141 yards on 25 carries against Houston. 

28. Miami Dolphins (1-3)

Ryan Tannehill is fun to watch, though he still turns the ball over way too much. That's not completely unexpected, since he is a rookie and that was his M.O. at Texas A&M. 

They do need help in the secondary, but for the most part they have been able to hold their own in the early going this season.

29. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (1-3)

At least when Tampa Bay loses, it does so in a way that doesn't completely embarrass itself, unlike some other teams in the league. 

The Buccaneers' three losses have come by a combined 15 points. They don't necessarily look good on the field—Josh Freeman needs to figure out what kind of quarterback he wants to be—but they keep things close enough to make it interesting. 

30. Oakland Raiders (1-3)

Remember when the Raiders were so happy to get Carson Palmer to fix their quarterback problems? Neither do they. 

On the bright side, they are guaranteed not to lose this week. They are on a bye. 

31. Jacksonville Jaguars (1-3)

Maurice Jones-Drew has not missed a beat since returning from his long preseason holdout. He has already racked up 352 yards. Wide receiver Cecil Shorts is averaging a cool 27 yards per reception. 

For all the garbage tossed in Blaine Gabbert's direction, he has only thrown one interception in 113 attempts this season. 

Given the way the Bears move from hot to cold so easily, who knows? Jacksonville could pull off an upset in Week 5. 

32. Cleveland Browns (0-4)

I'm not going to exactly come out and defend the Browns for their slow start, but the schedule makers didn't do them any favors by giving them Philadelphia, Cincinnati and Baltimore in three of the first four weeks. 

Granted, the Browns had a chance to defeat the Eagles in Week 1, but this franchise isn't ready to compete with those teams every single week. Week 5 doesn't provide any let up for this team, as they travel to MetLife Stadium to play the Giants. 

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